Along The Tech Tree: 151

ID:92443
 
Mar 4 2010, 2:49 pm
Keywords: techtree

I really need to get around to writing an article on things to avoid when designing interfaces.  I've been sitting on a list that I have yet to flesh out.  Perhaps it will be posted in Dream Makers, but I don't know what Tiberath has planned for his series.  I'll probably post under BYOND Strategy's developer tag instead as a nagging reminder that the guild accepts blog submissions. ;)

Unknown Person has updated his turn-based tactical fantasy, Ultimatum.  Bugs were fixed and the interface was slightly updated.  Meanwhile, a new map, called Whirl, was created for quick 6-player matches.

A list of known issues was posted along with the update.  Players are welcome to join the server and report their findings.

EGUY has updated his tile-laying game, Deus Rex, multiple times this week.  His goal is to have 16 tiles of each category implemented in addition to whatever bonus tiles are required to negate the possibility of a turn order advantage.  There have been interface changes, but I'd lose the game spam box and give the space to chat.  Previous changes already made the spam superfluous.

Ganing released multiple updates to his base defense game, Seika SE.  I'm unaware of all of the changes.  However, a help file was definitely added.  I could insert a rant about inappropriately centered text, but I suppose the important part is that new players now have a chance to learn how to play.

Acebloke has announced and implemented portions of the next update to his military/economic simulation, Wargames.  Among bug fixes and interface changes, players can expect new buildings, a limit on soldiers and the possibility of nuclear chain reactions.  Overall, the goal has been to increase the economic side of the game.

Acebloke also announced the results of February's AceMedalTable.

Tsfreaks is still working on MRTS.  The AI has been updated.  Meanwhile, he has hired someone to help develop "the perfect marriage between the 1 hour RTS and a persistent multi-player world".  I'm not sure if this new project is associated with either BYOND or Tsfreak's team, PopLava.

Vexonator lost the source for his authorized version of Kunark's tactical fantasy, Surreal Dreams.  Unfortunately, the latest backup he has is multiple updates behind.  He won't be caught up for at least a few weeks.

Geldonyetich is designing the resource management aspects of Project Shock.  Perhaps it will end up with the Dwarf Fortress-inspired simulation he envisions.

If not, I can play his post off as relevant just because he posted a link to a Disgaea video and asked why no BYOND developers have tried to create a knock-off yet.  Strategy RPGs in general have been attempted through BYOND.  It's just that the developers tend to be inexperienced and give up when they see the work involved.

...Naturally, those with experience have written off strategy RPGs as level-grinding posers with few tactical decisions that matter.  I shall remain an advocate of this view unless someone spends the $20 to buy me Makai Kingdom in an attempt to prove me wrong. ;)

Howey is looking for some games to host. I'm just looking at his post header. It's the only one with the "Clown-Killing Puppy-Feeder" rank. He earned it during the Incursion interface contest BYOND Strategy ran ages ago. ;)

I released a minor interface update for my daemonic battle of adaptable units, Flesh and Drone.  Meanwhile, I've been implementing the tactical mutant battle it helped inspire, Genetic Fork.  I don't have a mock-up prepared, but I've just about settled on the graphics.  I'm now working on the initial turn phases.

Fooldom Come: One subscription. Many games.

I don't visit the main site enough, but I'm a fan of Pixel Prospector. This week a video for David W. Wilson's RTS/arena shooter, drone, was posted.

Got news? Tim Minchin finally posted Prejudice/Taboo on his official YouTube channel. =)

Mar 4 2010, 2:55 pm
I demand you switch to the fancy image previewer!
Mar 4 2010, 3:06 pm
Lol, I just copied what would originally go into the browser straight into a label. But fine, I'll work moar on it.
Mar 4 2010, 3:21 pm
@SuperAntx: That wouldn't work outside of BYOND. Remember that I'm currently posting a version on Gamasutra as well. Part of the point of the current format was to decrease the amount of editing required.
Mar 4 2010, 3:26 pm (Edited on Mar 4 2010, 9:57 pm)
Quoting my posts, now I'm accountable...

I'll make the chat box bigger when people start playing DR with other people. :D I can't host or join from here so that hasn't been a concern of mine. In the new version the chat pane and output will be child'd together with the slider set to hide the output (I still want it available for when a bug needs to be explored or for an O?WTF! moment).

Followers: 16 of 16.

Constructs: 10 of 16. The new Port is going to be reworked. I'm thinking it'll treat any tile adjacent to one Port as adjacent to all Ports for the purpose of scoring with tiles like Cultist or Missionary.

Miracles: 9 of 16. (1 of which hasn't been released yet)

Still trying to figure out which ones are lame or need balancing.

Also planned:
-The AI is running slower in recent versions. Gonna find out why and redo how it calculates its best move.
-Custom deck builder with saving/loading.
-Showing something in place of the map between rounds. Maybe the deck builder or move the game settings box there instead.
-Members/subscribers-only tiles. Tentatively, these might also be the tiles to overcome the perceived first-round disadvantage. I'm calling them Genesis or Worldfall tiles which highlight the creation of existence at the very beginning of the game.

I'm leaving for Florida this Friday so no more updates until the 14th. Failing that, someone probably jumped me before I could make it back.

I might release version 15 before then. I've been doing some metrics. In the course of one game, one of the procs is called like 366k times between two AIs on a 11x11 board. The total CPU/Real time is about 1 minute total. O_O The average AI turn in those conditions is down to 2 seconds rather than 2.77, one second of which is actually sleep(10).
Mar 5 2010, 4:05 pm
even after the intragalactic proliferation of sentience, the Belligerence that is so deeply ingrained into all life refuses to evolve into civilized pacifism.

Mar 6 2010, 4:32 pm
ACWraith can you please get an official host for flesh and drone. I get how it is a game set up where a group needs to be made. Maybe you should have an update. When you sign in you can either choose to join a game or create your own game. There is an example of this sort of system on this game:
http://www.xgenstudios.com/play/stickarena

I think that if you did something like this the popularity and amount of players for your game would largley increase because not everybody that wants to play is able to host a server and not everybody that can host a server is willing to.
Mar 6 2010, 9:31 pm
@Darkjohn66: Unfortunately, I'm not in a financial position to pay for a server and my home computer isn't an option because it's shared. I might eventually add multiple game rooms to my existing projects after testing Genetic Fork, but the plan is to make extra room creation a subscription benefit.
Mar 10 2010, 2:14 pm
I appreciate the link, but I'm curious. Did ilovemojo.tv retweet the Gamasutra version of this post due to the games or the Lady Ice plug?