UI Glitches

Fyron · #1 February 23rd, 2003, 04:03 AM

Apples and matresses are both used by people. They are both physical objects. They both have mass and take up space. They could both be the same color. That's about it.

There is not a whole lot to compare between Word and SEIV.

Suicide Junkie · #2 February 23rd, 2003, 04:16 AM

Quote:

Hey... at least both Word and SEIV are software programs. I dare you to find something so specific in your apple/mattress example.

Common items in a household? Not that that really helps

Things to consider with the analogy:
- Repeat build does NOT cause an infinite loop to crash your computer

- Repeat build USUALLY is very helpful.
- You can turn it on and off anytime you feel like it, and it is never toggled without your knowledge.
- There is absolutely no problem until you forget about the system long enough for it to start repeating.

How does this sound?

There is an autosave feature (repeat build) on a generic graphics editing program. It saves (builds) to a new file (facility) each time, so as not to lose any work.
However, you are currently working on a special project (facility). It happens to be a huge map of Canada at military spy satellite resolution (spaceport - something you only want one of).
You accidentally forget to turn off the autosave(repeat build).

You work along happily, and then it autosaves a second copy, your harddrive runs out of space, and you waste time cleaning up the mess it makes(you get too many spaceports and wasted game time on them).

...

I think it would also be appropriate to note that to my knowledge nobody else here has a problem with repeat build.
That means either:
a) When they ran into the same problem as you, they said "oops. Note to self; don't do that next time" and stopped having a problem
b) They hit the problem, failed to complain at all, and tossed the game (or demo).
c) My memory is bad, or they complained when I wasn't here.

Wait! I see Nodachi mentioning just such a thing in this thread:
http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin...3;t=005677;p=2

Quote:

It's been a very long time since I uploaded a file. Can someone help me upload a savegame so I can get others to take a look and see if it's using resources?

File uploads can be made here:
http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin...;f=50;t=000002

Quote:

Fyron: That's news to me! And, it does indeed make it a bug (if it uses resources when trying to repeat build a facility and the planet is already filled with facilities). The best solution would be to clear the build queue (and not the Repeat Build) if it is set to repeat build a facility, and the planet is full.

I have used repeat build to finish filling a planet with facilities and then start repeat building troops.
That was at least a patch ago, and I wasn't repeat building spaceyards or anything like that.
In any case, it should just clear the offending item, not the entire queue.

[ February 23, 2003, 02:58: Message edited by: Suicide Junkie ]

Suicide Junkie · #3 February 23rd, 2003, 05:07 AM

Well, we probably can't convince you its not a bug, if that's what you truly believe.

The question we should be asking is:
Is this worth not playing the game at all over?

Even in real life games, your interface will have a few problems.

Can you get around them, and in the end is it still fun for you when you give it your best?

raynor · #4 February 23rd, 2003, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Suicide Junkie:
Well, we probably can't convince you its not a bug, if that's what you truly believe.

I have a save game that demonstrates that the game will endlessly waste resources building a facility that can never be built.

In other words, the queue is set to 'Repeat Build Top Item', for example, a Refining Station. The planet already has 4 out of 4 facilities. All other build queues are "held". The Empire Options screen shows that Construction Queue usage is: 1500.

The game Version is 1.84 Gold.

Are you saying that this isn't a bug??

[ February 23, 2003, 05:43: Message edited by: raynor ]

Suicide Junkie · #5 February 23rd, 2003, 07:38 AM

No, I was referring to the original complaints you started with.

Wasted resources with an unbuildable facility should definitely be in the list for the next patch, but in the meantime, it is not to hard to just not repeat build such facilities.

Wanderer · #6 February 23rd, 2003, 07:53 AM

I've just tested this (v1.84) as I was a little sceptical

[edit] resource wastage occurs if you put more than one facility in a build queue then hit 'repeat'. Seems someone's already found this out so I've shortened my post.

1) The planet using resources up to no good effect sounds like a bug to me. Perhaps all facilities (not just the top item) should be removed from the build queue when the planet becomes full (ditto for cargo if the cargo limit is reached)?

2) This can only be achieved by player mis-use - if you're going to repeat build a facility until the planet is full, why place a second facility in the build queue? SJ's 'repeat build a facility then mass produce troops' sounds like a good way to get the best out of the repeat build function. I agree it'd be nice to repeat the entire queue, not just the top item, but at least the option does exactly what it says on the tin. It's not a UI glitch.

[ February 23, 2003, 05:57: Message edited by: Wanderer ]

raynor · #7 February 23rd, 2003, 08:22 AM

Quote:

2) This can only be achieved by player mis-use - if you're going to repeat build a facility until the planet is full, why place a second facility in the build queue?

Herein lies the problem. The game doesn't turn off 'Repeat Build' when you clear the queue. In my opinion, that is the intuitive behavior.

This game has lots of folks who love it so much they would rather pawn off all its idiosyncracies as player misuse. I would imagine most of the players of this game are still on the nVidia and AMD band wagon as well.