What are the biggest issues facing the current versions of EiANW? (Full Version)

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NeverMan -> What are the biggest issues facing the current versions of EiANW? (8/11/2009 8:29:33 PM)

What are the biggest issues facing the current versions of EiANW? Can we prioritize the list so that Marshall has a good idea which direction the customers would like to see taken?

Personally, I think it's the speed of the game. I think this should be the first issue that should be looked at, what does everyone else think?

EDIT: BTW, this thread topic was thought up by Jimmer, not me, I just started the thread.



Jimmer -> RE: What are the biggest issues facing the current versions of EiANW? (8/11/2009 8:51:26 PM)

Thanks. ;)

I think the number one issue is bugs in the code that cause game-altering problems. With 1.05, this was still a big problem. 1.06 is MUCH more stable, but I'm sure there are still bugs. The key is that now it is possible to rectify some of them. I am afraid, though, that existing games may still have issues after upgrading, but it appears to me that 1.06 is pretty stable.

After bugs, my personal issues are (in no particular order):

- Windowing the game (vs. full-screen as now)

- Exporting the log file to a csv file

- Having an absolutely complete log file available. This means every roll, every decision, every detail (including movement by players) needs to be listed. I still have little confidence that the game is "rolling the dice" correctly. NOTE: It may be that FoW could keep some elements hidden. However, ACCESS to the entire log needs to be available to check the details.

- The ability to print out a (smaller) copy of the map, color-coded by nation, with force locations shown (or, not shown, as desired). NOTE: FoW might keep some information from showing, and that's fine.

- Different screen resolutions

- Some kind of centralization capability. In other words, the ability of the GAME to plant commout and battle files onto a server somewhere (via FTP or HTTP or something like that), and to pick up commin and battle files from there.

- More options that would allow the game to be more like EiA than it currently is. This is a catch-all that probably deserves a thread all its own.

NOTE: I'm calling 1.05 and 1.06 as "current versions", even though 1.06 isn't released yet. It's close enough, and is an order of magnitude better than 1.05, even in beta.



NeverMan -> RE: What are the biggest issues facing the current versions of EiANW? (8/11/2009 9:52:03 PM)

Jimmer,

I agree that all the bugs are a big problem, but for me the game is about the fun of playing. The keyword there being "playing". If I only "play" for 10 minutes a week then that's not a lot of "fun" to be had.

The bugs bother me only when backups have to be sent out over and over and over again, otherwise it's a non-issue for me and I'll tell you why:

The main reason is this: I don't trust the game and probably never will so I've come to expect there to always be major game changing bugs in this game and there's nothing I can do about it.

This causes me to do one thing: not give a rat's behind about who's winning and who's losing and who the winner is and who the loser is because it's not a judge of anything BECAUSE of all the major game changing bugs in the game.

Since I don't ever expect that (the bugs) to change, my only option is to try and get more fun out of the game, which can only really be had through playing more.

This is the reason behind my choice of speeding up the game as the current #1 priority. As far as the AI goes I don't consider that fun at all, so same reason.



pzgndr -> RE: What are the biggest issues facing the current versions of EiANW? (8/11/2009 10:17:52 PM)

There are some significant improvements for pbem in v1.06. Marshall thinks combined eco/dip phases is doable and he should expedite making that happen. Hopefully for v1.07 but if not then v1.08. That would provide a significant speed improvement. But after that, it's diminishing returns to expend excessive effort trying to make pbem go much faster. See, NegativeMan, I agree with you and support this, no argument there? But this has already been discussed and work is in progress. Hooray for Marshall.

With pbem working and being improved, the next biggest issue is AI improvements and enhancements. Once the pbemers are more or less happy, it's time for some satisfaction for other players. Fair is fair.




NeverMan -> RE: What are the biggest issues facing the current versions of EiANW? (8/11/2009 10:49:03 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: pzgndr
But this has already been discussed and work is in progress. Hooray for Marshall.




I apologize pz, I don't get inside Matrix memos like you do, I was unaware this was "in the works".



pzgndr -> RE: What are the biggest issues facing the current versions of EiANW? (8/11/2009 11:46:16 PM)

Here's the public memo:

quote:

ORIGINAL: Marshall Ellis RE: Land phase skipping - 8/11/2009 8:30:10 AM

I think the next logical step would be to somehow implement the simul diplomacy and eco phases.



Happy now? [:)]



Dancing Bear -> RE: What are the biggest issues facing the current versions of EiANW? (8/12/2009 12:21:51 AM)

Pzgndr, do you really have some inside information on this? Its not fair to kid around with this type of thing.

Once we get some game speed, I think you'll see almost all the negative comments on this thread disappear. We'll be too busy playing to complain.

quote:

ORIGINAL: pzgndr

There are some significant improvements for pbem in v1.06. Marshall thinks combined eco/dip phases is doable and he should expedite making that happen. Hopefully for v1.07 but if not then v1.08. That would provide a significant speed improvement. But after that, it's diminishing returns to expend excessive effort trying to make pbem go much faster. See, NegativeMan, I agree with you and support this, no argument there? But this has already been discussed and work is in progress. Hooray for Marshall.

With pbem working and being improved, the next biggest issue is AI improvements and enhancements. Once the pbemers are more or less happy, it's time for some satisfaction for other players. Fair is fair.






pzgndr -> RE: What are the biggest issues facing the current versions of EiANW? (8/12/2009 12:52:25 AM)

quote:

Pzgndr, do you really have some inside information on this? Its not fair to kid around with this type of thing.


On what, the v1.06 patch changes? They're all posted on the Mantis Change Log, which is publicly available. I don't make this stuff up.

quote:

Empires in Arms the Napoleonic Wars - 1.06.03
=============================================
- 0000549: [PBEM Bug] French 1st corps disappearing and other units becoming corrupt (marshall) - resolved.

Empires in Arms the Napoleonic Wars - 1.06.00
=============================================
- 0000223: [PBEM Bug] Skipping Spanish Diplomacy in a PBEM game also skips resolution of the diplomatic phase (marshall) - closed.


That French I Corps issue semed to be the major problem corrupting and delaying some pbem games, and fixing that should make pbem games proceed smoother. Not faster, but an improvement. The next v1.07 patch should further improve things.

quote:

Empires in Arms the Napoleonic Wars - 1.07.00
=============================================
- 0000556: [Game Enhancement] Added AAR modes (marshall) - resolved.
- 0000545: [PBEM Bug] Friendly fleets evacuated from friendly port (marshall) - resolved.
- 0000543: [PBEM Bug] Setting skip turn causes game malfunction (marshall) - resolved.
- 0000149: [PBEM Enhancement] Would like a host editor to adjust PPs etc for PBEM game (marshall) - resolved.
- 0000473: [PBEM Bug] 'Skip once' phase checkboxes not being cleared (marshall) - closed.


I mean, this stuff is already being addressed and worked off. It would be nice if Marshall could pound out these fixes faster, but it's really not a case of not identifying and prioritizing issues. NeverMan suggests there isn't any acknowledgement of issues or plan to move forward in the "right" direction. He's entitled to his opinions but the facts suggest otherwise.

And Marshall has acknowledged combined eco/dip phases for speed improvement as one of the big issues to get resolved. It should be a priority and hopefully could make it into v1.07, we'll see?

quote:

Once we get some game speed, I think you'll see almost all the negative comments on this thread disappear. We'll be too busy playing to complain.


And wouldn't that be nice? Somehow I doubt it. To paraphrase a well-known quote: Only the dead have seen the end of complaining. [;)]



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