Welcome Star Legacy Development Group!

[jars_u]

Originally Posted by KnightWhoSaysNi

One thing I hope you strive for is the KISS rule when overseeing complexity. Some strategy games I've seen have a feel as if you're doing your taxes.

I think it is always a tough one to balance as 4X games attract Grognards I think. In both SE4 and 5 I always felt I spent way too much time managing my empire in non fun ways and in this respect I would be willing to relinquish some control for the more simplified/abstracts RTS elements of a game like SOASE.

[Arralen]

Call me when there's something to test.
And maybe before that

[Alikiwi]

Combat will be turned based as it's a turn based game. In single player you will have tactical (you control), but also a strategic option to let the AI do it all for you, as will happen in a PBW game.
KISS, oh you mean keeping it simple (phew!), yes you will have the option to manage most of it, or let ministers do it for you. Some functions may be automatic by default with the option to do your own thing. For example basic building on planets will be automatic, but if you want to add something you can.
Traders will be AI only, and we hope to have rogue asteroids or meteors, and yes you will be able to target them if they are heading your way..... (sssh TMI)

[KnightWhoSaysNi]

Originally Posted by Alikiwi

Combat will be turned based as it's a turn based game. In single player you will have tactical (you control), but also a strategic option to let the AI do it all for you, as will happen in a PBW game.
KISS, oh you mean keeping it simple (phew!), yes you will have the option to manage most of it, or let ministers do it for you. Some functions may be automatic by default with the option to do your own thing. For example basic building on planets will be automatic, but if you want to add something you can.
Traders will be AI only, and we hope to have rogue asteroids or meteors, and yes you will be able to target them if they are heading your way..... (sssh TMI)

Apologies for missing this comment earlier.

To be honest, I think real time combat would be better, provided that it was pausable to issue orders and slow enough to observe what's happening. In my opinion, that would be more fun and engaging than being turn based. It would feel more realistic as well. It would be better for the same reason I found combat in Baldur's Gate more fun than that of Ultima VI (if you're old enough to remember the latter one).

[Gandalf Parker]

PBW game? Do you mean PBEM game? Or are you planning on PBW being the official server?
But that does bring up a point that I was curious about. Will there be an effort to be abit more supportive to hosting sites?

[Xrati]

It's probably a good idea to limit the number of sites as too many can cause more problems then can be fixed in a short time.

[Ed Kolis]

We were discussing the possibility of having 2 separate programs (host and client) like you'd posted on the other forum, Gandalf... an intriguing idea that came out the other day in discussion was to include a dedicated server which you could run as, e.g. a tray icon... but that in itself would probably need to be separate from the host program itself, such that the host could be run manually (for PBEM or an OS that doesn't have "tray icons"), or from the GUI (in a single player game), or by a separate autohost (for PBW).

[Arralen]

Actually, I've been pondering to do a sci-fi TBS on my own for quite some time, but I realised that I wouldn't get anywhere on my own, and the last bunch of folks that I talked to had basically the ressources (skills, webspace, etc.), but now it looks like most of them won't have any time to spare (one is going into business for himself, the other one got job in the gaming industry, etc. )

So maybe I could help you out with some ideas, before I forget 'bout them :

"Architecture"

Have a "master" program with GUI, that lets the player
a) set up a game (settings like no. of players, AIs, etc.), and supplies the current "rules" file to all clients
b) admin the server (which is commandline-only, and could be run from batch file as well) via TCP connection so remote admin is possible
c) add player (clients; make TCP connection, or load up emailed turn files)
d) plug-in AIs, which work like player clients in all regards
e) "morph" (start other GUI in background, minimize itself) into a player client for doing a turn

Have a "server", which takes order files, generates the turn files, according to the games "rules" file he's been provided with.

Have a "client", which basically is the GUI every player (on the master comp as well) uses to display his turn and issue orders

Have "AI plugins", which are standalone programs, which take standard turn files, and produce standard order files, which they send to the server via TCP (must run on the server, if there will be some kind of serial no copy protection. Otherwise players could make their own client which proposes to be an AI and play for free)


There's a big catch to this, though (at least, one that I realised ):
The "rules" files must describe the complete game, no functions or values can be hardcoded, or you'll will end up doing the same code three times for server, clients and AIs, and most likely will introduce nasty bugs that way.
Unless you forgo complete "sanity checking" of the order files on the server side ... what would open the door wide for all kind of cheats

[Alikiwi]

Classified information has been leaked Who me? Actually, in recent discussions, we are looking at dual atmosphere types which is more realistic. Seems very likely we will have Tugs, ships that can actually tow those crippled ships, rather than blow em up cause you haven't got a repair ship handy.
There will be at least 1 Nomadic Race and a Monster Race (pure AI) plus Pirates as well as (previously mentioned) Traders.
Population and Troops will probably require seperate Quarters, they are not cargo really. Weapons may have a firing order, so that weapons which can't reach their target (like engines, cause shields are still up), won't fire until they can achieve their goal. Saves wasting precious supplies.

[Edi]

This is starting to sound better and better!