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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> Empires in Arms the Napoleonic Wars of 1805 - 1815 >> Modability

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Modability - 6/27/2006 11:55:44 AM

jamo262

Posts: 82
Joined: 4/21/2003
From: Perth Australia
Status: offline

WARNING: this is a rambling post and appolgies to anyone that it offends- iether for its grammatical incorectness , spelling mistakes, poor structure or dispersion cast on those with differing points of veiw. Its main intention is to offer my self some form of outlet while I wait for the EiA release.Its been while since Ive been on this forum but I see things havent changed much- with the battle between those who think the computer game should be an exact copy of EiA (down to map errors and all) and the rest shaping up like armies on the field of Armageddon.

There are also those who threaten self immolation if any bug at all is found in the game when it is released.

For what it is worth I thought I would add a post here giving my thoughts on the computer development of this game- limited by the fact that 1) Its not yet released 2)there are hardly any screen shots 3) there are nearly no AAR's from the developers & 4) in general very little to go on.

So as not to bore everyone to death ( Im aiming for a 9o% kill rate though) I think Ill just proceed in point form from here as well.

Direct copy vs Based on

At its heart this is a design philosophy descision. If we need an exact copy of the game we can play on the interenet then therre already exists one with EiA beinng available to play via e-mail/cyberboard and Yahoo groups. Sure its cumbersome but its there- it has no AI but the glory of EiA has always been the interpersonal element.

So the computer version will offer reduced book keeping and AI thus enhancing playability-whybother changing any of the rules. Because the rules are a means to an end. A corp level game at a particular scale at a particular time period with a combat chits and appropriate weather, terrain and comat moddifiersetc is the heart of the game. To develop particular aspects or moddify them for the sake of 1) realism 2) play balance/depth or 3)playability (in this respect taking iinto account PBEM concerns) to me seems no crime. It is interesting to note that some view the EIH "expansion" the way some would an extra chapter in the holy bible but this view is mistaken.

The successful run of paradox games shows that adaptation of existing games , expanding along the lines of historsity and gameplaydepth with each new patch or revision can work. We have to consider here that the original EiA developers didi the best they could at the time and came up with a wonderful game with a huge potential to be exported to the computer/electronic environment that is being undertaken now.

I for one only be chronically deflated if 1) the game is as unplayable as "1813" was or 2) has no or limited potential to be modded by a modding comunity 3) is not continually improved over time (although I imagine that this is related to its reception and is therefore dependent upon 1)

Its in this respect that I am a little worried. Matrix is developing a huge number of games-and it seems that there is only one designer working on this one. Surely there should be a team and the company pool rescoures common to each game , they do after all specialise in turn based games games the way Paradox does RTS. If the game is done and it is in no way moddible and Mr Ellis moves on to his next project then what is to become of us?

Not only for bug fixes but because despite what a proportion of people here are saying (somewhat sillily in my opinion) the original EiA when used as a blueprint for a computer game has the potential to evolve and expand over time-provided that those who wish to contribute to this endevour are able to do so-(via feedback forums, modding communities, wishlists, suggestions etc)

< Message edited by jamo262 -- 6/27/2006 11:57:59 AM >

Post #: 1

RE: Modability - 6/27/2006 4:58:15 PM

ktotwf

Posts: 182
Joined: 6/25/2004
Status: offline

I just hope it isn't impossible to add in new scenarios, etc etc.

I wish there was an editor of some sort. I won't cry if there isn't of course.

(in reply to jamo262)

Post #: 2

RE: Modability - 6/27/2006 10:50:23 PM

YohanTM2

Posts: 1143
Joined: 10/7/2002
From: Toronto
Status: offline

Don't ask for extras!

We would like it this year.

(in reply to ktotwf)

Post #: 3

RE: Modability - 8/4/2006 11:46:34 PM

Joisey

Posts: 161
Joined: 8/3/2006
From: Montgomery, New Jersey
Status: offline

I would at least want to be able to do the 1792 scenario, even if I have to wait a little longer for it.

Being able to handicap certain players by starting them out with extra gold or corps/infantry points would be a great feature to play balance the game between players of differing ability, or to give yourself a greater solitaire challenge.

(in reply to YohanTM2)

Post #: 4