This is the mail archive of the xconq7@sources.redhat.com mailing list for the Xconq project.


Index Nav: [Date Index] [Subject Index] [Author Index] [Thread Index]
Message Nav: [Date Prev] [Date Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next]
Other format: [Raw text]

Re: your CVS and testing culture?


> It has been suggested privately to me that I'm "throwing rocks" at
> Xconq.  What I'm really trying to do, is trigger frank discussion about
> minor tweaks that I could actually "fix" in short order.  But I can't
> fix anything until I know whether something is regarded as a bug, a
> wart, or a feature.  Your frank comments please...
>
> So, what is your CVS and testing culture?


Brandon,


I agree in much of your criticism of how the game works.  I was very keen on
getting Xconq earlier this year after having discovered a windows platform
for it.  I played it some 10 years ago under a Unix system and I loved it.
This was version 5.0 or 5.4, I don't remember quite.  Anyway I was so
disappointed with the new version when I finally got it working that I
didn't play it more than a few times.  Serious rewamping of the game
interface are needed as are some standard game parameters(way to many cities
which creates monster games with too many units that has to be moved to the
front).  If the interface had been made intuitive and the layout of the main
screen with focus on getting a better overview and easier control over one's
position it would be a far far better game.

Particulary the city hex where every unit is attempted to be displayed are
horrible.  It should instead have a small window in the lower area of the
map where everything inside the city are displayed.  I also seriously
dislike the half finished builds that clutter and block the area around
cities.  Units produced should only be placed inside the city but there
should also be an option to set a gather point for the units a city
produce(ie for instance near the front or another city).

There should also be a warning if you attempt to fly beyond your fuel range
that you could turn on or off in preferences.  Ie a "Do you want to
continue?" warning when flying beyond fuel range. There were a lot of other
things I though about that would imo make the game better but the developers
seemed very busy so I didn't say anything before now.

So I feel very strongly that you're NOT throwing rocks at Xconq but are
starting a much needed development process toward a more balanced game.
This process should also include a development toward a more sofisticated
game interface. Without a better game interface xconq will just get more
left behind as time goes on.  Playability(a facet of a sofisticated game)
are one of the pillars which a game rests upon and should be the prime focus
for all game creators imo.  If you can't point out areas that don't work
well you can't get a constructive environment for how to improve the game.
This is very destructive for the game. IE those complaining about you
throwing rocks at xconq is doing xconq a disservice.

However I found the Morghulsoft breath comment quite amusing as you do have
a rare and underappreciated combination of being obnoxious and condecending
;-)  Perhaps a little less belitteling of others would be possible?  It just
causes a lot of anger and is not particulary constructive, unless you want
to start a fist fight in which case it would be particulary constructive.
Perhaps this was what those that mailed you were thinking of when they
criticised you?

Now I remembered my most important improvement idea.  Cities should be able
to transfer their production points to other cities.  This would simulate
naval construction yards, factory areas or soldier training schools/camps.
For instance in the United States under the second world war each and every
seaside city did NOT have the ability to build battleships.  Resources were
poured in from all over the country to specific construction yards.  The
benefit in Xconq of this production transfer and thereby centralization of
construction is to severely reduce the tedious management aspect of the game
which makes it extremely much leaner.  I think the easiest would be to have
a central pool of all production points and then allow the player to choose
a city and decide how much resources it want to extract from the pool per
turn(either in percentage or plain numeric values). As many cities as you
want can extract resources from the central pool but of course not more than
are available.  There are many extra options that can be added later on when
the basic structure is working, for instance a national standard build
profile which would allow a player to set all cities (those you already own
and those you conquer in the future) to automaticly produce what's in the
profile, for instance lvl 2 stationary air defense(stronger than mobile air
defense and it is a feature of the city and not a unit in the city although
it can be destroyed or reduced like a unit), lvl 1 ground
defense(fortifications), 1 fighter(on intercept duty), 2 infantry.  This
eliminates the need to make sure every damn city has a basic defense which
is a pain in the ass when you have a hundred cities!!  Particulary Civ III
could have been far better with a more sofisticated game systems like this.
I found that game nearly unplayable!  I think you also pointed out civ had a
lot of tedious management chores that you didn't like. National standard
build profile would be fun! Let's get this for Xconq!


Well, I'll stop now before people fall asleep...

Andreas


PS  And remember that my mail can be ignored without repercussions



Index Nav: [Date Index] [Subject Index] [Author Index] [Thread Index]
Message Nav: [Date Prev] [Date Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next]