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Hi there; your happy moderator/designer here..
Hello all, and welcome to the message board for Stormcloud Creations/Shrapnel Games Thunder Pack Platinum! I'm the designer and programmer for the 4 game pack, and I hope to hear more from you regarding the games. Compliments are especially welcomed. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif
I'll be happy to answer any gameplay questions you may have. Thanks! |
Re: Hi there; your happy moderator/designer here..
Regarding the trader game. Do you really think having pirates attacking every 2-3 turns is fun? I was actually attacked my first time leaving a planet in 2 games. There is no way with the credits I had, that I could have bought any thing to counter any of the pirate raids. Fun? not for me.
I had hoped this game would be close to a game put out by Omnitrend in the days of 8 bit computers. It's not. The economics make no sense, Pirates attack every 2 - 3 turns, limited choices and trade centers that dissapear. Prices rise and fall 100% plus,in a turn. Actually, 2 turns. for instance, I was on a planet where they sold an item for 22 credits, the next planet I went to, they wanted 9 credits for the item. I loaded up, returned to the 1st planet where it was 22 credits 3 turns before, only to find the item is now 8 credits. No worries though, the pirates took them off my hands the next turn. Another problem, if you leave a trade center on a planet, you can't go back, unless you leave the planet and return. This is a problem if you don't have the credits in your pocket to make purchases. The trade center ignores credits in the bank. Leaving a planet to get the trade center back usually involves pirates and you crash a burn and so on. Purchasing fuel is another problem, you either don't get any, or fill it up. If you don't have enough credits on you for a full tank of fuel, the entire purchase becomes a loan, again ignoreing credits in the bank and what ever you did have in your pockets. The game choices are limited, you have 8 total planets to deal with, and each planet only offers 3 items at a time. The items do vary from planet to planet, but with such a small offering of items on each planet, it's hard to gauge what will sell where for what. Although, I get the feeling that it doesn't matter, since prices rise and fall on a random whim. I was really looking forward to something like that old Omnitrend game. Guess I should go hunt down that old computer. I wonder if the disks are still good after 20 years? Zandolf |
Re: Hi there; your happy moderator/designer here..
It sounds like you just didn't enjoy the basic structure of the game, or were putting expectations on it to be something it wasn't (it also sounds like you had a rough few games, which can happen sometimes). I know a number of people who got a little frustrated at first, but worked within the structure of the game and grew to enjoy it quite a bit.
Trader was not and is not a "serious" economic simulation really and wasn't advertised to be; it's a light diVersionary space trading game, more along the lines of LavaMind's Gazillionaire. Pirate attacks are random in nature, meaning they could happen at any time. And yes, you can visit a trade center once per planet visit, since abuses could occur; you could keep potentially keep leaving and returning to the planet trade center (since the values are calculated in semi real-time when you enter the trade center) until the values are what you would like them to be. So that means you have to plan to have pocket money, and carefully consider what you wish to buy once you're there. The economy isn't total nonsense; certain planets do sell things higher, and other ones sell things lower in a period of time. If you study the planets though in a game, patterns do emerge as far as selling and buying prices in a 20-30 turn period. It does change during a game though. Otherwise, it would be a pretty dry, dull game, shuttling between the "high" planet and the "cheap" planet. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif You do make a point about businesses not taking your savings into account. That's something I could add perhaps, in a future Version. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif Hope you enjoy the other 3 games more, if you decide to try them. If you have other concerns, feel free to write here, or at my e-mail address in my profile. |
Re: Hi there; your happy moderator/designer here..
Some quick tips for you to get started:
- Many players have found it necessary to grab a loan on their first planet visit, and either get a Pirate contract (reduces pirate attacks significantly) or buy some ships quick. Make sure you're defended quite well one way or the other before starting to buy/sell things. - Planet Contracts are good too, they increase the amount of items offered on that planet, they make it so that when you leave a Planet where you have a contract, you cannot be attacked by Pirates (the city escorts you), and makes the prices a little more in your favor, and makes visits to the Prime Minister on that planet free of charge (there's normally a 500 credit charge). - When visiting a planet you generally know to have good low prices for stocking up, visit your bank and withdraw some money before going to the Trade Center. Thanks! |
Re: Hi there; your happy moderator/designer here..
Don't be so bitter. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif It's just a fun little game, no high complex economy model. Try it again, I really think you will like it in the end. Pirate attacks aren't that frequent and most of the time I had no problem fending them of with the ships the planetary governor gave to me for free (hint! hint!). http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif
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Re: Hi there; your happy moderator/designer here..
I was happily playing Overlord. When I needed to quit the game, I always Saved and Exited. Til now...
I Exited w/o saving (though having saved many times before) and LOST my whole game http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif Please at least add a "Are You Sure?" before allowing the player to destroy everything with 1 inadvertant click! One more thing... the town size (600) needed to win seems way too small. I never had an opportunity to even visit any of my towns! How about an option to set this to at least 5000? Thanks... (hoping to get happy again...) [ February 11, 2003, 23:35: Message edited by: Willgamer ] |
Re: Hi there; your happy moderator/designer here..
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Re: Hi there; your happy moderator/designer here..
Hmmmmmm.... maybe I just got lucky!
It was my first "real" game after messing around with Overlord for a couple of hours. Based on that, my impressions were that: going to town was mostly too expensive; a strong military was the highest priority; a 500+ copper reserve was needed. So initially I bought a military oriented general and troops (trying to keep the numbers of each type even). I clicked thru the months and if there was a copper surplus bought a building every couple of years starting with the military ones. I said Yes to all requests if I had the copper. That's about it; I'll definitely try more games to see if it was a fluke... In any case, I like the idea of these (relatively) quick to play games where losing is a definite possibility. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif |
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Thanks for your feedback! If you have thoughts or questions on any of the other games, feel free to post them. |
Re: Hi there; your happy moderator/designer here..
I actually '<font color=purple>WON</font>' my first game of "Domain Wars". Oh yeah, Baby! I am just so, <font color=maroon>C</font><font color=#9933CC>O</font><font color=#9933CC>O</font><font color=maroon>L</font><font color=white!</font> OK, don't ask about the other 3 games, <font color=#9933CC>YET</font>!
<font color=purple>mlmbd http://www.shrapnelgames.com//ubb/icons/icon6.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif </font> |
Re: Hi there; your happy moderator/designer here..
Good job! Congrats! Now when you win any 2 of the other 3 games, only THEN you'll get the medal of strategy gaming mastery. (Nanotech is the toughest game, just so you know; only 12 of my 50 original beta testers were able to win a game, though they had fun trying). http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif
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<font color=purple>mlmbd http://www.shrapnelgames.com//ubb/icons/icon6.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif </font> |
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Re: Hi there; your happy moderator/designer here..
Oh, OK! A pat on the back or a hand shake. I will just imagine the medal. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif
<font color=purple>mlmbd http://www.shrapnelgames.com//ubb/icons/icon6.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif </font> |
Re: Hi there; your happy moderator/designer here..
Derek D., I have come close, several times. I just didn't want you to think I haven't been playing! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif
<font color=purple>mlmbd http://www.shrapnelgames.com//ubb/icons/icon6.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif </font> |
Re: Hi there; your happy moderator/designer here..
Great! Keep trying! I'm not sure I know anyone who has actually beaten all 4 games in the pack (and only a handful who have beaten 3 of the 4).
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Re: Hi there; your happy moderator/designer here..
Derek D. ,
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<font color=purple>mlmbd http://www.shrapnelgames.com//ubb/icons/icon6.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif </font> |
Re: Hi there; your happy moderator/designer here..
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<font color=purple>mlmbd http://www.shrapnelgames.com//ubb/icons/icon6.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif </font></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I do? Did you do it? I don't know anyone actually who has, and without resorting to any type of hack or "trainer" program. Only maybe 10 or so have reported to me defeating 3 of the 4 games. |
Re: Hi there; your happy moderator/designer here..
Derek D., yes Sir. Mission accomplished. All 4 of your babies bowed done to me! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif Absolutley no hacks of any kind. Straight up. I don't consider hacking a workable end to beating a game. Now I have to do it again. Don't want to think it was a fluke or just lucky. It may never happen again. But I will continue. In case it is not ovious, I am a dye hard gammer. One that doesn't use cheats or hacks. An old school gammer.
Thanks for a great pack of games! Later in the day, <font color=purple>mlmbd http://www.shrapnelgames.com//ubb/icons/icon6.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif </font |
Re: Hi there; your happy moderator/designer here..
Wow, congrats! You are truly a master strategy gamer! Nanotech is considered the most difficult game to beat of the 4, just so you know.
I bow to your strategy gaming skill. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif |
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Re: Hi there; your happy moderator/designer here..
Thanks, SunDevil for giving Nanotech a try! Nah, your post wasn't rude at all, I always value comments, sometimes even if they're critical. Makes a designer better...sometimes. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif
I always thought Nanotech was one of my best overall designs, even if it kinda flopped commercially when I sold it by itself (probably because it was quite hard to get started, and I do admit it didn't have enough documentation really, even with the readme file included). Your suggestions are all good for the most part. Here's some answers to your questions: E. Bytes are for definately more than selling. Using the Mainframe feature when you have enough bytes built up, you can access special features and favors (including healing up your HQ points, recruiting gang members for free, and other stuff) and paying bytes for them instead of money. You just need to set a gang member to Explore mode (usually use an pretty weak, expendable one for that). A. I thought of adding this, but thought it might be imbalancing later in the game when you may have more money. The police in this game are seen as an "evil entity" that you just have to live with. B. Good suggestion. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif Thanks for playing Nanotech and appreciating it. I dunno, I might go back to it for a retooled sequel at some point (though I hope it would get a better reception here than it got when I sold it). To ALL: Anyone else like Nanotech and think with some work and tweaks, that you would buy it? Feel free to chime in with your opinion! SunDevil: Also, thanks for trying out Trader 2 as well. Make sure you glance at the patch info as well, it makes a lot of fairly big changes that aren't represented in the demo. Look forward to hearing more from you, SunDevil! |
Re: Hi there; your happy moderator/designer here..
Nanotech:
This game would not be so hard, and actually more enjoyable if some of these things were implemented. 1. Give the player more options. A. Be able to bribe the police from even arresting my gang members. Have the police look the other way could add a new dimension to this game. Its all about having the police in my pocket. Is there a mayor or govenor as well? B. Start the random encounters a little bit later in the game. Give the player a couple of turns of breathing room before you start arresting the gang members and having rival crime lords killing my gang members. I think the random encounters should start off minor events then increase their devastation. C. Increase the chance of having good lawyers and good gang members available more often. If the player sucks and doesn't have much money, this option won't matter, but at least reward a player if he has enough money to buy good help. It is very fustrating when a couple of my gang members get killed or arrested and no one is available that is any good. This also includes lawyers who in real life are always willing to represent someone with enough money. D. Make the HQ attacks a little less often and maybe give the abilities to upgrade the defenses of the people who are defending the HQ. Can you increase the hitpoints of the HQ? With only twenty points and a couple of raids later, I always seem to be down in the single digits in no time. Can you heal or ever regain the hitpoints of the HQ back? E. What is the point of bytes? Can you just sell them or is there more depth to this feature? F. This game needs way more documentation G. Give the ability of loans, maybe loan sharks or even the ability to interact with the bank or casino to get more money. H. The ability to interact with the properties that are displayed in the game. Being able to go to the casino and play some games and make more money. Rob a bank or any of the stores to get more money. Burn the store down, trash it, beat up the owner/shop keeper. It shouldn't have to take 6 turns with two gang members to overcome a bakery with a resistance of 3 and the gang members both having a control in the 70's. I. Give a better perspective/indication of the gangs and/or rivals that kill my gang members and raid my HQ but you don't give the player a chance to retaliate. Why can't I raid their HQ's, sick the police on them because they are in my pocket, kill their gang members. J. When player runs out of money, how about the player's boss who kicks him out onto the street to live on the outskirts of the city in shame, gives the player a couple of more turns to become profitable, a little more flexible and longer Lasting game. K. How about the ability when clicking on the properties that the illusion of traveling and actuallying having an image of the establishment with options mentioned above being displayed. Give the player the feeling that they are moving around in the large full of possibilities city. L. Last but not least, when you start a new game and have to enter your name, the background picture shows this huge city, and its a great picture, but it just gives the first time player that this city is huge and full of possibilities and options. Within this huge city there must be a way to simulate or give the illusion of movement, or freedom. Then when you get to the main game menu, and background picture is looking up at the tall skyscrapers it just seems like you are at the bottom of the ladder and have to drag yourself up. I was just wondering since I haven't gotten this far, but as the player gets more money and influence within the city, does the background picture change to represent progress of the player's climb to the top. How about towards the end its a background image looking out of a penthouse suite window onto the city below, that would be cool. It's 4:35 in the morning so I am sorry if my post sounded curt or rude I just feel this game has a lot of potential and I can only begin to comprehend how much time and effort you have put into this game. I just wanted to thank you for your effort and I hope that you plan to continue development of this title. I am know moving on to Interstellar Trader 2. |
Re: Hi there; your happy moderator/designer here..
Double-Post...sorry
[ May 19, 2003, 08:26: Message edited by: SlapBone ] |
Re: Hi there; your happy moderator/designer here..
Please limit the amount of encounters that can happen in a turn. It sucks to have 2 gangs die, another arrested, take control of a building, and have that same building raided by the police ALL IN THE SAME TURN... click the turn button... gang goes to jail...click the turn button...lose a lawsuit then lose the game. I had no money because I spent it all greasing judges and hiring some dope-smoking lazy lawyer with seemingly good connections.
I WILL BEAT THIS GAME! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif |
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