[Gandalf Parker]

Pickles said:
I do not know - I only play on one platform & it is far worse than any other interface from recent times. This is the problem really - I am far less a computer geek than most people here (I reserve my geekiness exclusively for games) & I am used to good windows interfaces.

There are slick interfaces available for any system. Unfortunately if its for 4 different systems then its hard to find common ground. Not much good to have buttons doing things on one that cant be done on the others.

I would rather the game was produced slickly for one platform only (& penetrated the mass market) but this seems unlikely...

No not too likely. But isnt it nice that they compiled a Windows Version? (it was made on linux)

I think most of my issues are unpatchable eg why is the thing so resource intensive?

The same thing I think. Less resource intensive games on Windows let the windows dll's take care of alot of the overhead. That way each program isnt loading and using modules for common things like how to draw the screens or how to display fonts. But everything has its pros and cons. Not going that route allows it to make the best use of linux abilities for things like hosting games.

Also everyone knows how poor the in game message system is both as a relay of ingame info & as a inter player messager.

Thats kindof standard for a PbEM game. Its easier for people doing blitz games to use voip, or irc, or emails than to have the game put something like that into it. Thats kindof the other side of the resource thing.

This is not really a criticism of the developers BTW. They are only 2 and do most of the truly important stuff well meanwhile the whole thing has an amateurish feel to it.

Most of the best strategy games do. No game will cover everyones preferences. Arguers on the other side of "has an amateurish feel to it" might word it as "will not appeal to the xbox set"

Its definetly a niche market. Whether or not they would do better continuing up the path of "deep and well balanced strategy play" or do better trying to jump in the pool with all of the shelfware stuff is a debate between them and their publisher.

I dont want to seem too defensive. Its just that Ive already gotten used to the interface. Except for little fast improvements to make it easier for new players, I tend to be against alot of time spent on the UI. Id rather time was spent on the AI but its in the same boat as the UI. Not really prime target for the game.