Re: [glob2-devel] Thats it, we need a plan

[Kai Antweiler]

> To be honest with you, having multiple teams as the same colour is a
> bad idea. You don't start with any more workers or swarms, and you
> don't have full control over your base. 

It's a nice idea in theory, but your right.


> Its also more confusing to someone who is new

Here I see potential:
Since you share your control you could think of it as a trainer mode.
Beginners could learn from specially modified AI's or advanced
players.  (Maybe an observation mode would be nice, since we don't
have replays.)


> You can be abstract and different all you want, but when it comes down
> to it, there are simply some things you have to do to make your game
> easier to play by the general public.

I think when a player starts his first team game, we can assume that
he prefers the differences between glob2 and the typing tutor like
other rts's.
Unless he started that game unintentionally and does not understand
what's happening to him.


>> > Auto saves should be done by map name
>> > *and* date, so "Big Pond - Wed / March 22 - Autosave", rather than
>> > using one generic name of Autosave. Again, length isn't important,
>> > because one can read it all very quickly, without having to "think"
>> > about what their reading, which slows them down.
>>
>> Bad idea. Using a single name prevent disk being filled by autosave. If
>> someone has any suggestion to solve both issues, discussion welcome.

In general the date does not have to be part of the filename.
It can be retrieved from the filesystem.
Since the presentation of the date should depend on the
selected language (which can be changed anytime) I don't
want filenames like "Big Pond - Wed / March 22".
 

> Well, it has to be sorted somehow. The abstract save game is rarely
> used,

This might be not the fault of the name.  The only game that I can
remember, where I ever used an autosaved game is freeciv.


> Mandatory is a bad idea. The user hit quit. They expect the main menu
> to come up. They don't want to see the statistics. They want to quit.
> They don't want to be shown how bad their ass was whooped, and if they
> do, they probably know that they do, and could suffer clicking an
> alternate menu button like "Show Statistics" before they quit.

A looser who generally does not want to know why he lost is no
strategist and will therefore have no fun with glob2 anyway.


> Overrall, you have to entirely ignore how much of a work force we
> have,

Uhh, when you play glob2 do you ignore how much workforce you have?
Why should we be more strategic when we are playing glob2, than when
we are programming it.


I don't agree with you or Steph that the primary goal should be to
produce a game.  I'd prefer to have a project which will stay alive
long after I leave it.  Well there is no contradiction and glob2-1.0
makes even a good target on that way.

But from my point of view increasing our workforce vital and should
not be ignored.  Also having just two people, who know the code 
well is critical.  So when I read that Nuage and Steph are
redesigning part of the core code and Bradley has enough time ...
I believe in the long run glob2 would profit most if you guys
team up and care for the core together.


I said that glob2-1.0 would be a good target.  That is because I
think this will increase our workforce - when done right.
So getting the game out in a good condition will also benefit the
long term goals (you mentioned 3d somewhere).  Even writing new
hacks, which are intended to be substituted after glob2-1.0
with totally redesigned code might speed up the development.


There is one thing I want for glob2-1.0:
At the end of the glob2-credits should be a invitation to join
the glob2 program.
Maybe including something like: "Your name could be here",
and how to contact us.
And this part should not scroll out of the screen.

By the way: I have not seen the name "Michael Sterrett" in the "Game
Packaging" section.  He is responsible for glob2 in gentoo - I think.


Another thing "Globulation 2" sounds infinitetly better than glob2.
We should take care that our linux packages will be listed as
"Globulation 2" in the selection system of each distribution.
The official release might be a good time to do that.
Then we have this "new" name appearing.


-- 
Kai Antweiler