Slitherine

quote:

ORIGINAL: el cid again

I have been asked to demonstrate that an update for AE "would generate more money than it costs."
As a preliminary indicator, I am asking for people to indicate interest.

I specifically proposed a very slight update to the game to facilitate a somewhat expanded
version of Andrew Brown's Extended Map System. Apart from adding a few hexes and a few
off map locations on the off map movement track, it would facilitate using seasonal maps
which feature construction (and rarely, deconstruction) throughout the war. The basic
system is working in RHS, but requires manually changing the pwhexe.dat file and some
map art files every season of the war. I want to automate that process.

The new map system shows things like the deconstruction of the East Malaya RR and the
Baikal Amur RR at the end of the first Winter season, as well as many construction projects.
It also shows considerable construction of roads and rail lines throughout the war. And
trails change seasonally where mud, ice or other natural events "erase" or create them.
The construction comes in two flavors - a strictly historical set - and an alternative
history set which includes numbers of actual projects not implemented (or not fully
implemented during WW2). In Australia, for example, narrow gage RR were surveyed, but
not built, in favor of primary roads. [As issued, AE provides neither.] The upgrade
would allow original AE, strictly historical enhanced AE, and alternative history AE
versions of the pwhexe.dat files, which are where this "construction" is coded. All of that
now exists and there is no cost for Matrix to use it.

As well, the ice on the ocean and on rivers and lakes considerably changes navigation on
an annual cycle. Numbers of major river systems have been considerably developed.

The upgrade might be software only to avoid the cost of disks, boxes and physical package
art. The AE editors would permit any mod to use any version including the original files.
One simply selects the right scenario to modify.

quote:

ORIGINAL: el cid again

I have been asked to demonstrate that an update for AE "would generate more money than it costs."
As a preliminary indicator, I am asking for people to indicate interest.

I specifically proposed a very slight update to the game to facilitate a somewhat expanded
version of Andrew Brown's Extended Map System. Apart from adding a few hexes and a few
off map locations on the off map movement track, it would facilitate using seasonal maps
which feature construction (and rarely, deconstruction) throughout the war. The basic
system is working in RHS, but requires manually changing the pwhexe.dat file and some
map art files every season of the war. I want to automate that process.

The new map system shows things like the deconstruction of the East Malaya RR and the
Baikal Amur RR at the end of the first Winter season, as well as many construction projects.
It also shows considerable construction of roads and rail lines throughout the war. And
trails change seasonally where mud, ice or other natural events "erase" or create them.
The construction comes in two flavors - a strictly historical set - and an alternative
history set which includes numbers of actual projects not implemented (or not fully
implemented during WW2). In Australia, for example, narrow gage RR were surveyed, but
not built, in favor of primary roads. [As issued, AE provides neither.] The upgrade
would allow original AE, strictly historical enhanced AE, and alternative history AE
versions of the pwhexe.dat files, which are where this "construction" is coded. All of that
now exists and there is no cost for Matrix to use it.

As well, the ice on the ocean and on rivers and lakes considerably changes navigation on
an annual cycle. Numbers of major river systems have been considerably developed.

The upgrade might be software only to avoid the cost of disks, boxes and physical package
art. The AE editors would permit any mod to use any version including the original files.
One simply selects the right scenario to modify.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Anachro

If LCU are gonna consume fuel, then airplanes can't run on rice and beans either.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Korvar

Changing the maps or other major components in any substantive way is an example of what NOT to focus on - that's make-a-wish, Christmas List stuff that makes any updates improbable. You'd have to raise at least tens of thousands of "squiggly L's" (GBP ) to have Slitherine/Matrix seriously consider doing that. The complications are already appearing, and we've barely discussed it.

I believe the focus should be on removing code roadblocks to further 3rd party development. We would be paying for someone to access the source code to which we don't have access, so don't have them work on anything which we can do ourselves. Have them focus on extending access to the internals of the game (not including the 'secret sauce' stuff) so that the community can run with it to create new scenarios, mods, 3rd party tools/utilities, etc. That's how to get the 'most bang for our buck'.

Determining what roadblocks to remove would take a 'Pow-Wow' between community authors/creators and any developer(s) assigned to the project. The community authors/creators could give an idea of what the biggest pain points are for creating a scenario, for instance, and the developer(s) could give an idea of what was technically feasible. Some 'low hanging fruit' could then be determined, and the scope of work set by the quantity of funds we are able to raise.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Big B
"No, I don't want an improved version of the game! I absolutely don't want anymore features or realism!"

That sounded funny to me... who would say the above?

quote:

Well, if I remember correctly based on an interview he gave after completing and releasing WitP...Gary Grigsby.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Timotheus

Make the AI somehow less stupid, YES.

Maps - players can create and mod those in, no need.

The main thing in games like these is the AI, full stop. Majority of people (in all other games, assume that is the case in WITPAE) play solo vs. the AI.

The whole AI scripting thing is horrendous - the AI (well, computer opponent, not AI, but you know) does not "adapt" at all to player actions, and basically follows the script. Which means the scenario creator must predict how a player would act... (game) years in advance. Ugh.

quote:

I am compiling a three-ring binder of AE knowledge base "stuff".