The point I'm trying to make is that developers should not feel bad when I don't accept their invitations to play. They're not alone. It has been happening a lot more since I started this column. =)
Anywho... It would be fun to use it as a source of the inactivity of the Incursion Interface Contest, but we've actually been getting some nice games out of Dream Maker's BYOBG Contest. Combined with other new games, game updates, and guild changes, this could be BYOND Strategy's best week ever!
- As stated last week, I updated the guidelines for being featured. (They are now kept separate from the submission guidelines.) Meanwhile, the staff forums have been reorganized so that games can be popped on and off of lists. In theory it could speed us up, but we're still just a few volunteers.
- Speaking of the staff, we've been filtered down to our active members, who are Jon88, IainPeregrine, and myself. None of the demoted members made any posts in the staff forums as directed last week. That's fine. Some people just don't have time for this. =)
- It became a running gag, but I don't even think he needed sand! Squeegy's Faith has been added to the guild. Squeegy compares the game to Black and White. I compare it to Savage. Either way, the game plays differently depending on your role. For the gods, it's an RTS. For the villagers, it's more about simulation (and maybe action, but I have not played that much). A map creation tool is also available.
- Adam753's Defender has been added to the guild. It's a tower defense game. There's a help file on the side and it seems to have been updated so I'll have to give the game another go. Meanwhile, it looks nifty and it's apparently Adam753's first so let's hope for more. =)
- D4RK3 54B3R's Generals: Faction Wars has been added to the guild. It's a turn-based wargame that was made for Dream Maker's BYOBG Contest. I have not done much other than view some of the pretty random hex maps yet, but D4RK3 54B3R will probably continue to work on it so I'll be watching for updates. =)
- Jeff8500's World War One and One Half was added to the guild. It's also a turn-based wargame that was made for Dream Maker's BYOBG Contest, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that its focus on WWI combat makes it play much differently. Earlier download issues appear to have been solved so give it a try. =)
- With neither a server to play on nor a file to download, Flick's Mano A Mano is no longer featured. Normally, such a situation would result in the game being removed from the guild. However, nobody complained about Ultimatum getting special treatment so I think we can do the same for another featured game.
- I was going to announce that Ginseng's TribeWars had been removed from the guild due to the download not working, but it appears to be functional now so I added it back to the guild. The game will probably go back on the review session list as well, but I'm a bit curious about the source of the music and title screen.
- 172.16.0.1 updated Fortay. It's a meaty post so go read it. I'll have to look into the licensing of sounds from Battle of Wesnoth. (IIRC, Ultimatum uses them too.) Meanwhile, the Options menu could probably be relabeled Help. Offhand though, the game looks like something that should be added to the review session list. =)
- Abra and Rushin updated Castle. There are bug fixes, new modes of play, and a new skin. There are new graphics in the current version, but they will only be available for a limited time so get it now! Personally, I'd like the guide to be integrated into the next version of the game. (Preferably, in a less monochrome format.) Perhaps I was not clear in the recent feature checklist, but the hub option was intended to be where the help files are stored rather than where they are linked to. If Abra's site goes down, then the players won't have help files. It's happened in other games, like Dramstud's remakes.
- Acebloke posted what he has been working on in Wargames 2. It's always a good Tech Tree item, but Scattered Dream's comment gets a special nod. ;)
- I entered Ultimatum last week and spoke with Unknown Person. He might not have touched the game's code in a year, but he should have updated help files sometime in June. He has exams to deal with for now.
- Developous is planning on adding a help file in the next Nexus Wars update.
- I don't exactly know what IainPeregrine was working on here, but he just sent me a link to test it. However, I've been writing/editing this and need to go eat something. See, my habits even affect the staff! ;)
- I posted an update on Occupied Forces and my distraction with my next project. It's long. Foomer wanted pictures to break it up.
Got news? There's good stuff up there. What are you reading sluglines for?
