An Epic Generator...

BigJMoney · #1 August 5th, 2006, 03:33 PM

Galactic Civilizations is a 4x space TBS game that came out this year. Its expansion is coming out soon and, to my surprise, it is going to include a feature I've wished strategy games would have for a long time. It's called the Epic Generator:

"The Epic Generator. One of the most popular community building features of Galactic Civilizations II was Stardock's release of epic stories of various games the developers played. [The expansion] will include its own epic generator that will actually build (in HTML) the story of each game the player plays to read later or share with others that gives the story of each game."

I think Dominions, being a slow and deliberately paced strategy game, and having such a unique fantasy setting, would make great advantage out of something like this. I don't know if its modable or not, but a feature like this would be so, so cool for the game. After a long PVP, the group could get together and read each others' stories. I'm sure I'm the only person who thinks this idea has merit, but I thought I'd bring it up anyway.

=$= Big J Money =$=

Gandalf Parker · #2 August 5th, 2006, 09:54 PM

Its not exactly moddable because the mods dont allow you to create output as far as I know.

It is however doable in a small way (Ive been considering something like it for awhile). One of the many game settings that a host can use includes one to create a debug file. Its basically a text log of everything the program thought about and decided on while it was processing the turns.

Personally I would consider it easiest to do on a linux server but I guess it could be done on Windows or Mac. A program in any programming language could read thru the turn log, gather the appropriate data, rewrite it into a storybook form and HTML it, then copy the html file to a web-directory for viewing by everyone. It would be a major project but worth doing.

You could use the --postexec switch to call your program right after each time that the host processes a turn.

Agrajag · #3 August 6th, 2006, 04:31 PM

I don't think The Epic Generator will be more than a gimmick.
After a while the stories will get boring and repetative, because they will all be built from a single template (or a limited number of templates).
It is a nice gimmick though

Gandalf Parker · #4 August 7th, 2006, 10:19 AM

It could always be an ongoing project of someones also. Continually searching for info in the files and deciding how it should be rewritten.

But probably a handwritten AAR will always be better. I think some of them should go to a PoD site like CafePress and offer it as a journal.
http://www.cafepress.com/cp/info/sell?pid=2837642
Especially if they do it in a two page format where the story is on one side and the game actionson the other side. It would make for a great read and a great tutorial

Archonsod · #5 August 7th, 2006, 10:16 PM

It might be a gimmick, but it would be kinda neat. Whether it's worth spending development time on or not is another issue of course.

After the initial novelty has worn off I doubt you'd see much use of it, unless an unusual or unintentionally comedic masterpiece is thrown out by the program.

Gandalf Parker · #6 August 8th, 2006, 12:08 AM

Well it would always be more interesting than just the scores.html that the game puts out. And it wouldnt be hard to have it generate automatically each turn then move it to the web directory.

Im convinced it would be woprthwhile but it would be low on my list. And like most of the projects I do it will probably end up getting done just far enough to prove the point then I will drop it for someone else to pick up and finish.

DominionsFan · #7 August 15th, 2006, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Agrajag said:
I don't think The Epic Generator will be more than a gimmick.
After a while the stories will get boring and repetative, because they will all be built from a single template (or a limited number of templates).
It is a nice gimmick though

Actually I like this epic generator idea, however it is not that important to add it to a patch...maybe for Doms. 4?

[I guess it would take too much time for the devs to add this feature, and there are many more important things to add first.]

Agrajag · #8 August 15th, 2006, 03:39 PM

I think the only way to maintain the coolness factor in the theoretical Epic Generator is to add the ability to define new templates and enhance existing ones.
If someone coded that Epic Generator I would definitely help by creating new templates to make stories more interesting.
Now all we need is someone to code it

okiN · #9 August 22nd, 2006, 11:12 AM

Heh, King of Dragon Pass is great, I've had it for some five years now, never get tired of it. Endoperez, you should definitely give it another try. SurvivalistMerc, it's not really that hard if you keep your head screwed on straight and always try your best to "do the right thing". Nothing for it if luck isn't on your side, though.

However, as nice as the game and the way it records the clan saga may be, I must confess I've never actually read any of mine. I prefer living in the moment to dwelling on the past, as it were.