Updated Manual?

[Squirrelloid]

In Game Manual/Documentation:
Actually, the developers are the right people to do it because they wrote the code. They have access to the code. They're the only people who know for sure how everything works.

As to what to document? Everything. Every spell, every unit, every item, every mechanic. The actual algorithms used by the code should be made available, as should full stat displays, and so on. In fact, documentation should happen *as they write the code*. Anything else is sloppy programming.

You code a unit, you write the documentation page for it immediately thereafter. Now you have a record of what it does that you can reference as you code, *and* the user will have a document that tells them what it does. If you change the unit, change the documentation. (Ideally, the documentation can update changes automatically by being linked into the code).

I shouldn't have to start up a game as a nation to see what their units do, or play 40 turns to see what their national spells do. That can be a lot of work for another game where you have to fight that nation, and then repeat for all your other adversaries. All the basic information should be accessible from inside the game itself.

Games like Civilizations have been doing this since the mid-90s. Its really not an unreasonable expectation.

[Gandalf Parker]

Originally Posted by Squirrelloid

In Game Manual/Documentation:
Actually, the developers are the right people to do it because they wrote the code. They have access to the code. They're the only people who know for sure how everything works.

As to what to document? Everything. Every spell, every unit, every item, every mechanic. The actual algorithms used by the code should be made available, as should full stat displays, and so on. In fact, documentation should happen *as they write the code*. Anything else is sloppy programming.

Games like Civilizations have been doing this since the mid-90s. Its really not an unreasonable expectation.

Ahhh I see. That is definitely different than my idea of a game manual.
And different than the devs of this particular game so even if they felt they could have, it wouldnt have happened. In fact, some of that was specifically left out of the manual we have now.

[Squirrelloid]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Parker

Ahhh I see. That is definitely different than my idea of a game manual.
And different than the devs of this particular game so even if they felt they could have, it wouldnt have happened. In fact, some of that was specifically left out of the manual we have now.

I hate to say it, but the devs are wrong if they think its ok to obscur information in an RTS. If they want to write a non-competitive game, like an RPG, they should do that instead.

During a game where you compete against other players, access to the rules should not be made hard.

[Ballbarian]

Originally Posted by Squirrelloid

I hate to say it, but the devs are wrong if they think its ok to obscur information in an RTS. If they want to write a non-competitive game, like an RPG, they should do that instead.

During a game where you compete against other players, access to the rules should not be made hard.

I think the devs are right. My own preference is to have a little obscurity. I tend to play more by feel than by spreadsheet. Nothing wrong with playing by spreadsheet, but I find learning what works and what doesn't to be part of the attraction of the game. I absolutely detest games where Unit A has a strength of 3 and Unit B has a strength of 2 and the outcome of every battle is always Unit A beats Unit B. No edge of your seat combat there.