Speeding up battles

[Sly Frog]

I guess you missed the fact that, despite it's flaws, which aren't major (unlike what many of those so-called "pro" games you are probably thinking of have), Dominions II has garnered at least 3 "best game" awards from major magazines. The game is worth every penny of its price, and then some, given how many hours of play it provides. If the game wasn't as deep and rich as it is, then it wouldn't be worth the price. But it is deep and rich, which is why I presume you bought it.

You need to read what people are posting; you are dropping into fanboy defense mode and generating scripted responses to non-existent arguments no matter what was actually posted.

For example, my post had nothing to do with RTS versus turn based. I've been playing turn based games since the Apple II days. I have concentration. However, not wanting to wait 10 seconds everytime a flight of arrows launches in a large battle is not the same as not getting the value of turn based gaming. You are making a straw-man argument (I guess you are a click-kiddy and not intellectual enough, go back to playing Command and Conquer) instead of responding.

I admitted what you said. The battle speed issue, however, is not a minor graphics issue or UI issue; it is a flaw. Things like not being able to tell an Ulm blackplate from the corresponding regular unit without burning out your eyes squinting at the screen are also flaws, although lesser in my view.

[ March 03, 2004, 14:30: Message edited by: Sly Frog ]

[Kelan]

The speed of the battles hasn't bothered me at all yet. It could be that I am still learning the game and haven't had any large battles yet, but for now I find myself pausing the action many times during each battle to see how it is unfolding. The archer/crossbow fire is probably the worst part of it, but I do enjoy watching and seeing if any of them make their mark and it allows me to see where they are targetting and observe part of the strategy of my opponent.

Once the battles become tedious and the outcome obvious, I will probably just look at the summary screen of losses and not even play the replay. At least there is this option that is available in the game. Also, and I know this doesn't solve the problem, but can't you immediately interrupt/quit a review of a battle if you don't want to see the rest of it? This would allow you to watch the beginning strategy and initial clash and then abort once you are satisfied with the results.

Personally, I have been looking for a slower game and one that forces me to think more to have success. I would gladly have more detail in the replays vs. more speed. I suppose once my knowledge improves, the battles may seem slow, but it is a minor problem for me anyway overall.

[Arryn]

Originally posted by Sly Frog:
I've been playing turn based games since the Apple II days.

Only since then? You're a youngster. I've been playing them since before the invention of the IC chip. Strategy games pre-date computers. But this is an irrelevant tangent you brought up just to try to impress me. Nice try, but not good enough.

I have concentration. However, not wanting to wait 10 seconds everytime a flight of arrows launches in a large battle

Battle size doesn't make the arrows fly slower on my machine. And they take about 5-6 seconds. I've timed them. Perhaps you need better hardware. Whining about a few seconds per turn, without considering the complexity of the calculations that are being done for each of those arrows, is not being fair to the programmers. I guess if you were a programmer (as I am) you'd have a better appreciation for this. The only legitimate complaint is not having an option to turn the missile animations off, and that might not improve the speed as much as you might want.

(I guess you are a click-kiddy and not intellectual enough, go back to playing Command and Conquer) instead of responding.

I've never played C&C. I dislike RTS, and C&C is the worst of that ilk. And I'd be a bit careful about who you call a "kiddy" or "not intellectual". I can assure you that you'd lose on both counts. Not that I care. But you seem to feel the need to act superior to those that hold differing views. Which is a childish attitude, especially ironic given your comments about "kiddies".

For someone who's new to the forum, you're certainly making a nice impression. Good job!

[Arryn]

Originally posted by Kelan:
can't you immediately interrupt/quit a review of a battle if you don't want to see the rest of it? This would allow you to watch the beginning strategy and initial clash and then abort once you are satisfied with the results.

You can exit the replay at any time by pressing the 'q' key. Perhaps Frog doesn't know this ...

[RadiantFleet]

IMO this is a minor but nagging issue. I really would like to be able to see what went right and wrong in my epic games. It's not practical though as things stand to watch an epic battle. For example, I'm playing caleum in my current game, 16 impossible AI's. I just had pretty much the perfect battle with Ermor. Archangel+defending angel unit+90 temple guards+ark killed 2249 units + 34 leaders with no casualties. Obviously I got something very right, but an analysis of what things weren't done (ie were there no archers? no horsemen? etc.) by the other side isn't feasible in a battle that big. I'd be happy with a slider bar that would let me jump around in the battle (like an mpeg).

Obviously this isn't too bad, I still play Dom2 20-30 hours a week

[Arryn]

Originally posted by RadiantFleet:
I just had pretty much the perfect battle with Ermor. Archangel+defending angel unit+90 temple guards+ark killed 2249 units + 34 leaders with no casualties.

Cool!

I'd be happy with a slider bar that would let me jump around in the battle (like an mpeg).

Me too. It's annoying to replay a battle over and over to see everything that happened. Many people gripe about the replays (due to arrows) taking too long. I'd like an option to be able to slow them down. But, as you suggest, the ideal solution would be to treat the whole thing as a movie, which lets you move forward and back as needed. But I don't think the movie idea would work with the ability to zoom in and out and change the camera angle up and down.

[Sly Frog]

I've never played C&C. I dislike RTS, and C&C is the worst of that ilk. And I'd be a bit careful about who you call a "kiddy" or "not intellectual". I can assure you that you'd lose on both counts. Not that I care. But you seem to feel the need to act superior to those that hold differing views. Which is a childish attitude, especially ironic given your comments about "kiddies".

My lord, this is positively hilarious. You literally just proved my point. You did not read my post, you simply assumed what you thought it would say. Reread it, see what it actually says regarding the "click-kiddy" point and whether it was applied to you or implied as an argument you were trying to make against me, and get back to me. Based on the fact that you thought I called you "not intellectual" based on language that was, in fact, suggesting you were implying that of others, I now do have a newly formed viewpoint as to your reading comprehension and intellectual ability.

As for the amount of time playing turn-based games; you are right, it would not have been relevant, if you had not actually BROUGHT UP YOURSELF the presumption that I "didn't get it" because I must be a kid who plays RTSs. Again, you post something irrelevant, and then you act surprised or superior when someone responds and pokes a hole in it.

Another great ASSUMPTION you make; I must have crappy hardware. Instead of using your obviously superior intellect and considering that I might have implied that large battles imply more arrow shots total, leading to more 10 second pauses for arrow flights total than small battles, you assumed I meant that the large battles slowed the time for each arrow flight. Another great ASSUMPTION. I have a P4 2.4 with a TI 4400 video card. If that is "crappy" for purposes of running a turn-based game with the graphics Dominions has, I'm amazed.

It's not a hardware problem, please feel free to throw out another straw-man as to why it cannot possibly be the developer or producer's fault.

You really have a problem. I support this game. I think it is, overall, the best thing to come out in years. I want to see a few things, that I consider decently sized flaws, changed. Yet you savagely attack anyone who even suggests that there is the slightest problem. When games like this fail to catch on, your type is often the cause. Please stop scaring away new blood who might be interested with your foaming speech.

[ March 03, 2004, 16:11: Message edited by: Sly Frog ]