Notes from the Slippery Slope, part 3

[wwarnick]

Wow. brice sure was diligent. I guess it pays off.

It's only been there max a couple days.

wwarnick

[Montyphy]

I always go to the forums directly, but I just got a laptop (woo yay!) so I don't have all my favourites set up yet.

Try del.icio.us, and then, if you use Firefox, del.icio.us extension. Perfect for keeping bookmarks sync'd between multiple machines.

[martin]

I always go to the forums directly, but I just got a laptop (woo yay!) so I don't have all my favourites set up yet.

Try del.icio.us, and then, if you use Firefox, del.icio.us extension. Perfect for keeping bookmarks sync'd between multiple machines.

ah cool, I might download that later - thanks

[Puzzlemaker]

I would like to say I have thought about the usability/complexity problem a lot. My two cents:

Depth.

A good game is about depth. You can play the game without knowing much, but you can improve drastically. A good example is Starcraft. The basic idea is pretty simple. Build a base, build units, attack.

However, most units have special abilities that you have to trigger at the right times. Also, how you build the base really makes a big difference; its hard to really screw up building a base, but its also hard to do it correctly.

So my suggestion is thus:

All actions should have different levels. Example: Telling Darwinians to move. You have your basic move, which makes them go from point A to point B. Then you can have assault-move, Ignore-move (Where they ignore enemies and just move as fast as they can), Guard, ect. But all this extra depth doesn't change the fact that a new user can still just use Move and do well.

Team Fortress 2 had a lot of depth. Each class has very simple goals, strengths and weaknesses, but there are a lot of combinations and ways you can do things.

[microchip08]

I would like to say I have thought about the usability/complexity problem a lot. My two cents:

Depth.

A good game is about depth. You can play the game without knowing much, but you can improve drastically. A good example is Starcraft. The basic idea is pretty simple. Build a base, build units, attack.

However, most units have special abilities that you have to trigger at the right times. Also, how you build the base really makes a big difference; its hard to really screw up building a base, but its also hard to do it correctly.

So my suggestion is thus:

All actions should have different levels. Example: Telling Darwinians to move. You have your basic move, which makes them go from point A to point B. Then you can have assault-move, Ignore-move (Where they ignore enemies and just move as fast as they can), Guard, ect. But all this extra depth doesn't change the fact that a new user can still just use Move and do well.

Team Fortress 2 had a lot of depth. Each class has very simple goals, strengths and weaknesses, but there are a lot of combinations and ways you can do things.

Like AoEII*, with advanced control toggles?

*Age Of Empires.

[Pox]

I would like to say I have thought about the usability/complexity problem a lot. My two cents:

Depth.

A good game is about depth. You can play the game without knowing much, but you can improve drastically. A good example is Starcraft. The basic idea is pretty simple. Build a base, build units, attack.

However, most units have special abilities that you have to trigger at the right times. Also, how you build the base really makes a big difference; its hard to really screw up building a base, but its also hard to do it correctly.

So my suggestion is thus:

All actions should have different levels. Example: Telling Darwinians to move. You have your basic move, which makes them go from point A to point B. Then you can have assault-move, Ignore-move (Where they ignore enemies and just move as fast as they can), Guard, ect. But all this extra depth doesn't change the fact that a new user can still just use Move and do well.

Team Fortress 2 had a lot of depth. Each class has very simple goals, strengths and weaknesses, but there are a lot of combinations and ways you can do things.

Very true... and yay for TF2, valve are teh win.

Heavy+Medic combos are great.

[Grandstone]

Very true... and yay for TF2, valve are teh win.

Heavy+Medic combos are great.

Yeah, just to derail, Valve has never put out a bad product. And Medics always die first if I can help it.

[RabidZombie]

The logo on the front page hasn't been there for long. (I always go via the front page.) It turned up maybe 2 weeks ago?

Semi-related, anyone else find the below:
www.multiwinia.com
www.multiwinia.co.uk
www.multiwinia.net
www.multiwinia.org

It is odd. The last two seem to redirect to http://www.introversion.co.uk/multiwinia, whereas the first two don't. Can anyone think of a logical reason why?


As for the Valve discussion, I agree. I don't know any bad Valve products (don't say Steam ). The only downside is that the amount of effort they put in delays their games. But still, if it means a better end result...

[Lastof]

Because the last two aren't owned by IV. They seemed to only pick up the first two.

I would guess some loyal fan of IV didn't want anyone else picking them up and using them for nefarious purposes, and so picked them up.

[Mas Tnega]

*activates the internet stalk machine*

It was you!

[xander]

www.multiwinia.com
www.multiwinia.co.uk

Registered to: Vicky Arundel (of IV fame)

www.multiwinia.net
www.multiwinia.org

Registered to: James Titmuss (I have seen the name before, but can't remember who it is -- one of the forum regulars)

xander

[KingAl]

Mas is correct...

[Mas Tnega]

Defcon Beta Tester lists FTW.

[RabidZombie]

It's all making sense now!

It's a shame the .com varieties of Darwinia's and Uplink's domains are taken.