An Open Letter to Illwinter Game Design - Page 2

Gandalf Parker · #11 February 11th, 2011, 07:48 PM

In my really big games Ive used macros for waypoints.
Well more for designated marches. Jump to prov #, assign units to commander, make first move, in that prov move the commander there to next prov, etc etc until all have been moved one prov toward the staging province. Then jump back to original prov and queue up more units and commander

But its only worth doing for really large long running Dom3 games (which Im known for)

Corinthian · #12 February 11th, 2011, 09:18 PM

I have alway found that the UI has been very logical considering how many options you have. And as long as you use quick-buttons you can make things happen with very little effort.

There is only one thing about the UI thats really bothering me and thats the fact that spells-cast-notifications that show up in the message screen has a button next to it that say "Go to Commander". It would be much more useful if it said "Go to target" so I could see the result of he spell first hand. I usually know who cast it, but I dont always remember were i cast it. This is especially a problem for site searching spells and if i find something with them I will be compelled to find the province I cast it on. Witch could take a while.

This is doubly a problem if I used the cast monthly command. As then I never knew were I cast it in the first place.

Same with mind-hunt. I cant remember what all my generic commanders and scouts are called so it would be better if there was a button to point me to were the dead guy was positioned.

brxbrx · #13 February 11th, 2011, 10:43 PM

I love this game. I play it more than any game I've ever had.
I still play it, and I've never stopped playing it, even after nearly four years. I can't say that for other games.

But what really gets to me is the micromanagement involved in having to mobilize my armies. Each turn, I must tell commanders in all my provinces to go one province further. Oh, how I wish I could simply say "Go there!" and leave them to figure it out for themselves. Moving troops from deep within my territory to the war front is exhausting because of this. Especially on large maps, which are the ones I prefer.
I'd also like to be able to have my provinces recycle recruit orders, so I don't have to go province to province clicking on Ulm pikeman. But that is secondary to moving.
Even if such changes will never be made (and I don't believe they will), I will still love this game.
But whatever could be wrong with more love?

Gandalf Parker · #14 February 12th, 2011, 12:32 AM

The problem is that this is a turn-based pbem game.

Im not saying that makes it impossible. I just want to point out that it wasnt just an obvious feature that got forgotten. Such games try not to "remember" things from one turn to the next unless its the map. Many things could be done better if the game remembered more things from turn to turn. Whether the AI "sees" you or alliances or AI strategies. But everything that gets put into a "remember this" variable has to a bug or cheat factor. That means that each turn it rereads that info and has to do every check on it as if it was requested that same turn.

Every item that gets carried from turn to turn in a saved file gets serious consideration, and most of them get cut. So yes, each time the game hosts you pick up a fresh turn and give all new commands for lots of things that it would be nice if it saved

brxbrx · #15 February 12th, 2011, 12:55 AM

yeah..

I can still dream

Koral · #16 February 12th, 2011, 06:04 AM

It also would help a lot if gems (and maybe itmes) could be transported at will. We're talking about gods and a month's timeframe. Even a regular pigeon could do it reasonably.

brxbrx · #17 February 12th, 2011, 06:42 AM

maybe the magical energies become unstable?

like critical mass, but without the uranium, magic gems instead.

llamabeast · #18 February 12th, 2011, 06:48 AM

It's funny how this "This game is truly awesome" thread has changed into "We'd like UI changes".

I guess it's because, being here, it goes without saying that we all agree that the game is awesome.

brxbrx · #19 February 12th, 2011, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by llamabeast

It's funny how this "This game is truly awesome" thread has changed into "We'd like UI changes".

I guess it's because, being here, it goes without saying that we all agree that the game is awesome.

indeed.
I think I began it with, while I love this game and play it all the time, there are always things you could improve. Which, come to think of it, wasn't really the OP's point

Gandalf Parker · #20 February 12th, 2011, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koral

It also would help a lot if gems (and maybe itmes) could be transported at will. We're talking about gods and a month's timeframe. Even a regular pigeon could do it reasonably.

Technically no. We are not talking about gods.

Usually its a minor point and not worth mentioning. We use god and pretender interchangeably. But in discussions of why the game does or doesnt allow something, keep in mind that it is not gods. The game refers to them as pretenders. The Pantokrator has left leaving an opening for new gods. Pretenders are beings who for some reason have risen above average, and are trying to convince large enough amounts of population to worship them and make them gods. The end of the game is when it announces the "ascension" of one of the players. They do come with some abilities but they are not gods (yet).

This comes up when someone asks why gods dont have holy powers, cant cast bless, arent all immortal, etc etc. In some ways their followers belief in their "god" can give them more power than the pretender himself can get since he cannot believe in himself to that same level of faith.

Blame it on Kristoffer (one of the 2 developers of the game). His day job is teaching religio/mythos which is great for the thematic content of the game but he can be a stickler for some points.

(just kidding, Kris you know we love you)