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RobHuntingdon
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Joined: 07 Aug 2004
Posts: 146
Location: Cincinnati, OH, USA
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 Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2004 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, intelligent designs to begin with and timely upgrades are helpful. But AI is a bit too broad a topic. Really, the entirety of the game is you and AI. I think 'proper fleet management' is a good part. 'Proper empire management' is as well. If the AI can build a decent economy, then it won't have to cheat to remain competitive. And I really want to see some intelligent diplomacy.
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Robert, the Earl of Huntingdon
Tarry here, my merry men, whilst I seek what adventure await in yonder greenwood; but look thou listen for my call, for I will blow my horn if I become hard-pressed.
Adapted from Sterling, pg. 45 |
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RobHuntingdon
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Joined: 07 Aug 2004
Posts: 146
Location: Cincinnati, OH, USA
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| Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2004 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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| [Zaimat] Horizon was inspired a lot by Babylon5 (TV series)... |
Heh, no kidding. 'A lot' may be an understatement. I just looked through your alien archives, funny I forgot to do that earlier. Any fan of the B5 series ought to recognize quite a few references and 'borrowings' from races and plot events in B5...
Pity the dumb network executives couldn't let JMS run his own spin-offs and kept having to poke their noses in where they didn't belong...
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Robert, the Earl of Huntingdon
Tarry here, my merry men, whilst I seek what adventure await in yonder greenwood; but look thou listen for my call, for I will blow my horn if I become hard-pressed.
Adapted from Sterling, pg. 45 |
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Sobriquet
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Joined: 07 Aug 2004
Posts: 118
Location: Reno, NV
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| Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2004 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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| [Ravana] AI isn't the single biggest factor, but it will help enormously, as shoddy examples have reduced good games to a single-fleet slug fest. Which are not fun really. |
And also an AI enemy that isn't intelligent enough to upgrade in a timely manner. There is a total lack of challange when you are faced with "100 year" old ships, even if there are thousands of them. A player ends up relying on that single fleet because they can. |
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Ravana
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Joined: 07 Aug 2004
Posts: 139
Location: United Kingdom
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| Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2004 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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Too true Sobriquet. Possibly, there will be some reduction in this aspect by virtue of the distance involved in such a large universe. Who knows, but I can think of reasons why this might help.
Really though, the AI has to be on a par with the game design if we hope to stand a chance in besting previous TBS' with Horizon (and L3O stand a really good chance from what I've seen). AI isn't the single biggest factor, but it will help enormously, as shoddy examples have reduced good games to a single-fleet slug fest. Which are not fun really. |
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Sobriquet
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Joined: 07 Aug 2004
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Location: Reno, NV
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| Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2004 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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[Ravana] . . . I found it a constant struggle to keep races in the game just for the variety it offered.
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This is so true of all of the games in this genre. Once a player has gained proficiency in any TBS, the end game becomes a monotonous string of turn after turn just 'mopping up'.
In these types of games you either win or lose. There never seesm to be any doubt once you've mastered a certain aspect of the game. I would like to see an element added where the uincertainty keeps throughout the game. And not just some cheap deus ex machina the devs toss in for the sake of randomness.
If Horizon can pull this aspect off successfully, in an otherwise solid and well-balanced game, they would be well on their way to the TBS hall of fame. |
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Ravana
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Location: United Kingdom
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| Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2004 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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[Sobriquet] This is something we have and continuing to work toward. So you end the game (win or lose) on a high end.
Any chance you have the freedom to elaborate on this? Are you trying to put in a different system, AI type maybe, that will challange the player through to the end? |
Hopefully the answer is yes. I liked Zaimat's comments on NPC races that are so advanced you will not be in a position to challenge them until the near-end.
If that is the case, we might see some PC/NPC interaction right through to the end. This was an area somewhat lacking in IG2, as I found it a constant struggle to keep races in the game just for the variety it offered. |
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Sobriquet
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Joined: 07 Aug 2004
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Location: Reno, NV
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| Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2004 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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This is something we have and continuing to work toward. So you end the game (win or lose) on a high end.
Any chance you have the freedom to elaborate on this? Are you trying to put in a different system, AI type maybe, that will challange the player through to the end?
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Zaimat
Dev. Team
Joined: 08 Aug 2003
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Location: Canada
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| Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2004 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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If playing time is any indication, of all the games I've played in this genre: MOO and Star Control 2 I've played the most, two classics.
I do agree with the 'rounding the corner' so to speak in late games where it becomes a let-down instead of a big climactic finish. This is something we have and continuing to work toward. So you end the game (win or lose) on a high end.
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Sobriquet
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Location: Reno, NV
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| Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2004 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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mostly loved the way the early game developed in MOO
Yeah, the downside to most games in this genre is that there is a definate moment where you 'round the corner', whether it be in technology or fleet size or whatever, and you are pretty much unbeatable. Kinda sucks the fun out of some of the late game. This did not happpen for me until I had played MOO many times and realized just how crippled the AI can be. Maybe Horizon is developing a different system.
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Lexx_Luthor
Explorer
Joined: 07 Aug 2004
Posts: 13
Location: United States
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| Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2004 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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| LOL I mostly loved the way the early game developed in MOO. The cool thing was in late game and you went back and went over the "history" of what happened. I was really hooked in only a few times playing it, get this sense of exploring vast unknown with dangers lurking. I really liked it when you had some maps with vast gulfs between stars in some areas, really changes gameplay for a while. And the tech tree for a first timer was so incredibly long. Still is even now. LOL once I saw this cute little icon approaching one of my planets, cuddly little thing, didn't know what it was. Then a few turns later the screen changed to a landing ship and then all my population there was wiped out. The cute little icon was Bulrathi transport. My luck hehe. |
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Sobriquet
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Joined: 07 Aug 2004
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Location: Reno, NV
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| Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2004 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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I know it is early in the process, but I'd thought I'd just jump right in . . .
Can you give us an idea of the features you plan to incorporate into the game? i.e. playable races, scope of game, diplomacy just to name a few. How about game mechanics?
Aw heck with it, could you just e-mail me the design doc?<img border="0" src= "smileys/smiley2.gif"> <img border="0" src= "smileys/smiley8.gif">
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