If you don't feel like reading all of this at least skip to the bottom bit and consider answering for my amusement.
I've been piddling with the Efencea source, going through, organizing and commenting it--comments were only used for 'turning off' bits of code before. At this time, I've finished organzing and commenting many thousands of lines of code--the vast majority of it all. Part of going through the source was to collect a list of revisions I would need to make were I to resume working on the project. Currently the list stands at 72 items.
It's insane how a little project can blimp up to be so large. I blame some of the need for so many revisions on programming the foundation for the project in a week and then rushing all the other updates, of course. On the other hand, I'll blame a bunch of them on my lack of practice at bringing a project even close to completion. Some of the revisions planned are simple, such as determining what a variable is used for, and some are doozies like the "change the mob heirarchy for the units in the game to reduce code redundancy" one. I could spend a good long time making all those revisions without changing the game at all and I might, yet, not that it means much in terms of an update.
This whole thing started with a discussin between Tayoko and I on what it would take to finish Efencea. I went through a couple code files and accrued maybe 10 items, at which time, we both went "Iiih, it would take a lot, huh?", and that's just my side of the work. Tayoko mentioned that he would want to redo a bunch of the art -again- and we agreed that there would be a lot of changes to be made.
Before we quit working on the project, and I should say before -I- quit working on the project, since Tayoko already had, I had implemented ammunition, reloading, and the beginning to a cost based tower purchasing system. These are all minor steps towards what Efencea could be. I'm not certain it will ever receive any more of our combined efforts, though, maybe, maybe not. I'm leaning not.
If we were to ever make a new release, we would quite likely sink a very large amount of time into the project, possibly, even more than we already have. We thought of a lot of things very quickly upon revisiting the game that should be changed or fixed, including the replacement of all the music and sounds, remaking the GUI, and adding more units/towers, which are some of the bigger changes.
I'm looking to work on something, and this Efencea source spelunking is just me being bored when Tayoko isn't online to discuss game design with. He has been saying he needs to beef up his portfolio, too, which bodes well for getting him to work on something.
If Tayoko and I were to make something, what would you want it to be? Or if that's too vague, what genre/guild should it be under?
It -would- be interesting to see what I could get BYOND to do in terms of an RTS.
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An RTS sounds like a bad idea if ask me. ;) Seriously though, consider a vote. People read less and vote more. Don't put stuff on there you wouldn't want to do though. Also consider adding an option for "Something more creative" or something along those lines. You guys put together one of the best looking games on BYOND. I'd love to see what's next.
As for the vote... take it with a grain of salt because only a % of people read the blogs and only a % are into what your into to. I say, look at the genres you really love and then look at all the games available on BYOND under that genre. Can you do better? How much better? If it's a lot, throw it on the list and then get together with Tayoko and brainstorm. See if you can come up with something that will blow people away. If not, start over. You might even consider expanding your search to other gaming sites. There are sooooo many crappy games out there its unreal. ts | |
I want a new Efencea release to solidify its place as a featured game in BYOND Strategy. If you have a version close to what's on the Efencea team hub then use it because it's the most recent release I have to refer to.
Don't: 1. rewrite code that works. 2. recreate art that already looks wonderful. 2. change gameplay other than improving balance. 3. hint at unimplemented modes in the start menu. Do: 1. rewrite the help file to correspond to the more recent interface! 2. enable the other maps or, if the stalemates are really that bad, remove the map selection phase. | |
You already have a strategy game, move onto RPG.
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The epic struggle between the RPG and Strategy guilds. Where RPG has hoards of warriors, wizards, and monstrosities, Strategy has stratagems, tactics and ploys.
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Magic trumps strategy. Known fact.
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What if the strategist is also a magician?
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Vermolius wrote:
What if the strategist is also a magician? His magic would be inferior, as our magician's would have spent all their time getting stronger, where the strategist would have spent half and half time learning magic and learning strategy. Weaker magic + Strategy != Win. The master magician has a death spell. ;) | |
Not Avada Kedavra, I presume.
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Vermolius wrote:
Not Avada Kedavra, I presume. Page not found. You also need to make your links slightly more noticeable. Two shades brighter doesn't cut it. =O | |
Hrmm, try refreshing? Has Australia banned Hairy Potter too?
I thought the links were bright enough.. I need to make a new CSS anyway though. | |
Vermolius wrote:
Hrmm, try refreshing? Has Australia banned Hairy Potter too? Clean Feed isn't in place yet. So we haven't banned anything. And I highly doubt we will. Join the protest with me. =D It works now, I guess there was a hiccup in my internet. It did take a while to download it. | |
Tiberath wrote:
You already have a strategy game, move onto RPG. You may be onto something here. | |
Tiberath wrote:
Vermolius wrote: Strategy encompasses magic. Roleplayers would have spent their time unwisely grinding up their death spell while strategists gained grimorums of counters. If there were no counters, strategists would have figured out that dominating strategy and already be armed with the death spell. Roleplayers would just be too busy playing house to notice. ;)- | |
You're under the mistaken impression that death spells are the only spells one can muster. While we might have been grinding, we'll have been grinding to raise every one of our spells, from "Summon the fluffy white rabbit" to "Incinerate BYOND Strategy for it's insolence".
Besides, to be a magician, in terms of RPG series like Baldurs Gate, you have to raise your Wisdom and Intelligence to be a successful spell caster. With that theory in place, strategic theories would come to already incredibly intelligent people. Therefore, I can argue that while we don't make strategies, we're intelligent enough to come up with them on the fly and use telekinesis to transmit them to other such magicians. And with the raw might of our mighty red dragon, and the raw fear generated by our mighty black dragon, not to mention magical immunities said dragons would have against your weak magicians, we'd, ahem, "kick yo ass son". | |
ACWraith said most of what I was going to say. You already have a great game that, from the looks of it, is nearly finished. FINISH the game first and when everything is done, there's plenty of time for updates when you can improve the interface, revamp the graphics or improve gameplay.
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Tiberath wrote:
Besides, to be a magician, in terms of RPG series like Baldurs Gate, you have to raise your Wisdom and Intelligence to be a successful spell caster. With that theory in place, strategic theories would come to already incredibly intelligent people. Therefore, I can argue that while we don't make strategies, we're intelligent enough to come up with them on the fly and use telekinesis to transmit them to other such magicians. Correct. The only way to beat a strategist would be to become one and nullify your argument. ;) PS: Telekinesis rather than telepathy? You might as well save your mana and use your dragons as carrier pigeons. | |
ACWraith wrote:
Correct. The only way to beat a strategist would be to become one and nullify your argument. ;) But no study into the art of strategy was made by these people. They're just that bloody good. Therefore, even if they do happen to become a strategist, they still work for me. ;) PS: Telekinesis rather than telepathy? You might as well save your mana and use your dragons as carrier pigeons. I meant telepathy. I'm tired, leave me alone. =( | |
PS. something like warcraft, starcraft, age of empires etc.