Two Questions, please:

Matrix Games Forums

Forums Register Login Photo Gallery Member List Search Calendars FAQ

My Profile Inbox Address Book My Subscription My Forums Log Out

Two Questions, please:

View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [Ancients] >> Tin Soldiers: Julius Caesar >> Two Questions, please:

Page: [1]

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

Two Questions, please: - 4/29/2005 2:23:48 AM

Cyrano

Posts: 47
Joined: 12/28/2001
From: USA
Status: offline

(And forgive if these ought to be in two separate sections of the forum):

1. Can (may?) a single downloaded copy of TS:JC be used for LAN games? My gaming group wants to know. Also, related to this, which ports, if any, does TS:JC require to be forwarded for MP?

2. I mentioned this elsewhere, but wanted to repeat, because it's starting to bug me: In a game where the control of victory flags means much, how is one supposed to respond to the ability of enemies to "retreat" towards your flag? Further, has any thought been given to restricting the ability of enemy units to move across your unit frontage?

Thanks much and, just to be clear, I am really enjoying the game.

Regards,

Jim
"Cyrano"
:/7)

Post #: 1

RE: Two Questions, please: - 4/29/2005 4:34:22 AM

mbelew

Posts: 315
Joined: 6/21/2004
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Cyrano

(And forgive if these ought to be in two separate sections of the forum):

1. Can (may?) a single downloaded copy of TS:JC be used for LAN games? My gaming group wants to know. Also, related to this, which ports, if any, does TS:JC require to be forwarded for MP?

Like a lot of multiplayer games, TS-JC looks for duplicate keys and won't allow copies to play each other.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Cyrano
2. I mentioned this elsewhere, but wanted to repeat, because it's starting to bug me: In a game where the control of victory flags means much, how is one supposed to respond to the ability of enemies to "retreat" towards your flag? Further, has any thought been given to restricting the ability of enemy units to move across your unit frontage?

Do you mean routed units? Deride can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think routed units just retreat in the direction of the least possible harm. They don't pay attention to whether there is a flag. For the most part, the flag directed retreat will be fairly rare.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Cyrano
Thanks much and, just to be clear, I am really enjoying the game.

Glad to hear it!

(in reply to Cyrano)

Post #: 2

RE: Two Questions, please: - 4/29/2005 4:28:55 PM

Deride

Posts: 488
Joined: 6/21/2004
From: Dallas, TX
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Cyrano
2. I mentioned this elsewhere, but wanted to repeat, because it's starting to bug me: In a game where the control of victory flags means much, how is one supposed to respond to the ability of enemies to "retreat" towards your flag? Further, has any thought been given to restricting the ability of enemy units to move across your unit frontage?

Retreat is like any other command. You can use it for any tactical reason, and the AI can do so as well. It is rarely a good command to use when trying to take ground, however. A rear attack on a unit is devestating. Moving backwards towards and enemy position is just asking to get killed.

Deride

(in reply to Cyrano)

Post #: 3

RE: Two Questions, please: - 4/29/2005 4:36:46 PM

koiosworks

Posts: 813
Joined: 6/20/2004
Status: offline

Also, routed units dont count for flag control puposes... so a routed unit that is by a flag won't help

(in reply to Deride)

Post #: 4

RE: Two Questions, please: - 4/30/2005 2:46:43 AM

Cyrano

Posts: 47
Joined: 12/28/2001
From: USA
Status: offline

Thanks a great deal for the replies!

I realize now that I spoke imprecisely. When I spoke of "retreating" I did indeed mean "routing". That said, cannot units that rout into the vicinity of a flag rally and then count towards victory?

Had my first TCP/IP last night. Gooood fun.

Thanks again,

Jim
"Cyrano"
:/7)

P.S. A DUELLING smiley? OUTSTANDING!!!!

(in reply to koiosworks)

Post #: 5

RE: Two Questions, please: - 4/30/2005 9:30:38 PM

Deride

Posts: 488
Joined: 6/21/2004
From: Dallas, TX
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Cyrano
...cannot units that rout into the vicinity of a flag rally and then count towards victory?

Yes, any unrouted unit can count towards victory. However, a routing unit will have its move assigned automatically from among the following moves: any move command (e.g., forward 1, forward 2, forward 1/left 1, etc.), retreat or defend. It will move to whatever position is the furthest away from enemy threat.

Therefore, a routing unit, under extremely bizzarre circumstances could lead to a victory. But, this is quite unlikely.

Deride

(in reply to Cyrano)

Post #: 6

RE: Two Questions, please: - 5/1/2005 3:14:10 AM

CamelCity

Posts: 10
Joined: 4/15/2005
From: Winston-Salem, NC
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Deride
Therefore, a routing unit, under extremely bizzarre circumstances could lead to a victory. But, this is quite unlikely.

Maybe not so unlikely. If a unit routed and moved next to a target flag, you could play a rally card on the unit at the next time play stopped for orders, upgrading it from routed to poor. It takes a little luck in timing, but would be an excellent play if the situation presented itself...

(in reply to Deride)

Post #: 7

RE: Two Questions, please: - 5/1/2005 5:32:15 PM

Deride

Posts: 488
Joined: 6/21/2004
From: Dallas, TX
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: CamelCity

quote:

ORIGINAL: Deride
Therefore, a routing unit, under extremely bizzarre circumstances could lead to a victory. But, this is quite unlikely.

Maybe not so unlikely. If a unit routed and moved next to a target flag, you could play a rally card on the unit at the next time play stopped for orders, upgrading it from routed to poor. It takes a little luck in timing, but would be an excellent play if the situation presented itself...

I was mostly responding to the situation where the AI could do this. Since the AI does not have cards, he could not use this strategy.

But, you are right, a player could possibly do this. But again, you would have to leave the flag undefended in this case since the routing unit would only move towards areas that have lower enemy threat.

Deride

(in reply to CamelCity)

Post #: 8

RE: Two Questions, please: - 5/2/2005 5:54:05 AM

Cyrano

Posts: 47
Joined: 12/28/2001
From: USA
Status: offline

[/quote]
But, you are right, a player could possibly do this. But again, you would have to leave the flag undefended in this case since the routing unit would only move towards areas that have lower enemy threat.

Deride
[/quote]

One of the things that I really dislike about the Internet is that it is impossible to convey true emotions (emoticons to not count :)) much less inflection or intent. Therefore, I think it important to preface this with my ringing endorsement of this line and this particular game. I look forward to all future releases eagerly.

That out of the way, how big is this "area of threat"? Just two nights ago, I had a tray one square away (to the front) from the flag. To my right and behind my line there was a SINGLE stand of Helvetii. I charged them (from even further on the right) and they were forced to rout. They headed straight to my flag.

I realize that flags are abstractions. I further acknowledge that deciding between whether a unit routs "away from threat" or "towards safety" (not necessarily the same thing, the latter usually being interpreted as "towards home baseline") is a problem as old as tabletop morale systems...and that's old. In further iterations of the system, however, I think some thought might be given towards making routing units less of a nuisance.

Very well, back to the legions!!!

And, Koios, Thanks A Bunch!

Jim
"Cyrano"
:/7)

< Message edited by Cyrano -- 5/2/2005 5:55:07 AM >

(in reply to Deride)

Post #: 9

RE: Two Questions, please: - 5/2/2005 7:47:47 PM

Deride

Posts: 488
Joined: 6/21/2004
From: Dallas, TX
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Cyrano
That out of the way, how big is this "area of threat"? Just two nights ago, I had a tray one square away (to the front) from the flag. To my right and behind my line there was a SINGLE stand of Helvetii. I charged them (from even further on the right) and they were forced to rout. They headed straight to my flag.

To determine threat, we use a fairly simple algorithm. First, we determine the threat of each individual unit. For example, an infantry unit that has 3 stands with 2 steps on the last stand. That is equal to 2*5 + 2 = 12. (E.g., every step remaining of the current unit.) This value is added onto a threat map at the location of the unit. Then, as you move 1 square away, 1/2 of that threat is added to the map. For 2 squares away, 1/4 of the threat is added, etc. until the threat drops below one half. This process is repeated for each visible enemy unit.

When a routing unit flees, it picks the move that give it the lowest threat. (In case of a tie, it picks randomly.)

Deride

(in reply to Cyrano)

Post #: 10