Brit
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Posts posted by Brit
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Brit,
You've learned a lot from your first endeavor into gaming and while EOS may not have met your expectations for wealth and fame, it is a fun game and many of us have gotten our moneys worth.
It is unfortunate that as you were ready to release your game we had entered into one of the worst economic times in our generation. As you have indicated in other threads, you have to make money to survive and I believe that there are several paths you might pursue to leverage your investment in EOS.
1. Partner with another developer(s) and work on EOS2. Doing this on your own is very difficult and may allow you to work on it part-time while you recover from your debt.
2. Go to work with a game developer and leverage your skills and bring us more new games.
3. Develop EOS scenarios and/or a Campaign. I still believe this is one area where EOS missed a golden opportunity. You might be able to manage this part time.
4. Improve the AI. This is not a trivial issue, but in today's market place, it is the difference between a game people will replay or shelve. Unfortunately, EOS is too easy to beat and replay value is limited. Even if you cheat and use scripting or other helpers to portray a more intelligent AI, the improved perception issue is huge. You may need help here. Solicit it and reap the rewards. Don't fix it as EOS1, incorporate it into EOS2. Look at all the games out there that reinvent themselves in the second release.
5. Leverage your knowledge to teach others, write a book, help other developers. You have accomplished something that very few game developers achieve. A finished product that you made money on. You may not be rich, but you are successful.
6. Revel in your success, go back to work as a developer and pay off your bills. Come back stronger and nail the next one when the economy is better. You have to know that part of your lackluster sales are due to a very sick economy for software. If you look at the number of discounted games out there right now, it is truly a tragedy. Don't let this time period dissuade you from the future. There will be better opportunities for EOS2 in the coming years. I hope you will consider this.
Don't forget that marketing a game is way more important than the game technology. If you are not a marketeer, find someone who can help you. Apple was a technology company, now they are a marketing company. Look at their stock now. How you present your game will dictate how it sells. Yes, it still has to be a good game, but the more pizazz you have around it the more interest you will have.
Best of luck and thanks for all of your support and updates. I still play EOS and it continues to surprise me at times and is still a great way to burn a cold Sunday afternoon.
Hey, thanks. In a few days, I think I'll post a post mortem on the game. Also, as far as #1, I've started projects before and had other developers interested in getting involved and helping out on a volunteer basis. I've always found that volunteers tend to lose interest pretty quickly, so I haven't had much luck with people unless I'm paying them. Other developers I've talked to have come to the same conclusion. I'd be in a similar situation right now with EOS2. Anyway, I already accepted a new job. One thing I can say is that employers seem pretty interested in people who have the ambition and talent to pull off a whole product by themselves. It took less than two weeks between starting to look for a job and getting a good job offer. I'll comment on this more in the future.
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Thanks for the encouragement. I'd repost what I said here (http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?p=1221373), but I don't want to start two threads.
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Thanks for the encouragement. Unfortunately, I see EOS winding down. I just can't afford it anymore. Over 40% of our sales were in November and December of 2009. Sales have been declining ever since the game's release, with an occasional jump thanks to a sale. November 2010 went on record as the worst sales month to date - I earned only $370. (Multiply that by 12 months, and that works out to $4400 / year.) It's not a living wage, and I'm still in debt from developing the game in the first place. We also had some foreign contracts that were bringing in money, but they're about to end (which is why I didn't include them in the $370 figure).
I've been trying to turn around sales for the last year without much success, so I just don't have much faith in accomplishing that anymore. I'd really need turn around the sales-decline trend and get a 10-fold increase in sales to earn a living and start paying down my debt. Battlefront says they've sold games through other distributors, but it doesn't make a big difference in revenue once you include their 30% cut of the sales. Steam and the Humble Bundle guys won't return my email.
I'll still be around to fix bugs because I feel that I owe it to the users to fix major problems.
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How does the AI target my units in the city for it seems to me I only target the cities improvments or some unit that seems to be stacked on top of other units?
It seems to me he targets transports first but his is never on top?:confused:
The AI uses a different system for setting up orders. Based on your comment, it looks like there are some differences in what the AI can do versus what the player can do with the interface. That wasn't intentional, just an unintended difference in the targeting systems. I should change one of the systems, but it's not a terribly high priority.
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Notable Fixes and Improvements:
- Fixed bug: nukes would sometimes explode in the wrong location
- The Foreign Relations window can be resized, and the game restores the window's last size and position
- Changed the AdHoc order system so units don't automatically leave forts to attack enemies
- Fixed an interface bug: sometimes players couldn't target any enemies in a group when there were multiple enemies in one location
- Fixed bug in the highlighting in the city-build window
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I don't know what is meant by "password". My game key has five digits listed after the game name, but I don't recall putting in a password?
I can't really test out the events yet.
The four digits after the game key are a temporary password. After the temporary password is used, it stores an 8-digit password. You generally aren't aware of the password because it's stored internally. The game uses the password to prevent other people from accessing the events if they aren't that player - it's an anti-cheating thing. When you remove a game from the EOSMessenger, it gives you the information (the player-key e.g. "MyGame-Dec01-P01" and a password e.g. "32142434"). You'll need that information to add that game back into the EOS Messenger. It sounds like you don't have it, so I'll look it up on the server. Just email me with the name of the game and your player number, and I'll send you back the password.
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Okay, I'm changing the logic behind units in forts, to make it similar to the city code. Right now, if a unit is inside a city, and that unit gets a defense bonus for being there, then he won't leave the city to auto-attack. That same logic is now used if units are inside forts.
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My current PBEM game was not updating events in EoSM for some reason, so I deleted the game from the messenger, but now I can't for the life of me work out how to get it back on there.
The new messenger should allow you to add games back onto the list. Do you still have the game's name, player number, and password? If not, contact me and I'll get you the information.
Also, EoS Messenger does not give the types of events like you see in the in-game event logs eg. "message" or "turn updated". It only shows a exclamation mark icon like an error <!>. I believe it is actually supposed to show event types isn't it? This would be extremely useful.Also, on the main interface, the event count does appear with the <!> symbol. You need to click on the game in order to see more details about the events.
Let me know if the new messenger is working for you.
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Just a small update.
- Fixed crash: there was a bug in the 'destroy improvement' save-game code.
- Fixed bug: the pause production flag was not being saved in the save-game file.
- Fixed some issues and made improvements to the EOS Messenger Application
- Fixed a bug in the updater
You might get a validation error if you attempt to get an update right after I post this. If so, just try again in an hour. (I had some issues with the update system, but it should be working fine shortly.)
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Cool, thanks!
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Ok, I uninstalled the game and reinstalled from the file I just downloaded. It appears to be the most recent version. No licensing request came up and there were no updates available.
Battlefront just confirmed to me that you should be getting the latest installer.
Btw, when I went to uninstall I noticed there was no entry in the windows uninstall list. Doesn't EoS put anything in the registry?No, there isn't an entry in the add-remove programs list.
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My current PBEM game was not updating events in EoSM for some reason, so I deleted the game from the messenger, but now I can't for the life of me work out how to get it back on there.
Also, EoS Messenger does not give the types of events like you see in the in-game event logs eg. "message" or "turn updated". It only shows a exclamation mark icon like an error <!>. I believe it is actually supposed to show event types isn't it? This would be extremely useful.
I think I have an idea what might've caused that. I've been meaning to get back into the EOS Messenger code. I guess I'll have to now.
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Ok, real frankly the DRM isn't a problem for me. Just thought I'd like to have the new copy if possible. A lot of buyers though I think would really like to have it.
I just thought I'd try and download the game from my account and it worked. Is this the new version?
Hm, I'm not sure. I suppose it's possible that Battlefront linked to the latest version of the game. My suggestion would be to download it and install it to see what version number it gives you. Let me know what you find.
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What if I redo my hard drive and want to reinstall? The only copy of the install file that I have includes the DRM.
In that case, there are a few options:
- The easiest thing to do is install the game and run "Updater.exe". It will download all the updates and apply them, bringing you up to the DRM-free version of the game. This method wouldn't require entering a registration key.
- A less convenient method (in case you forget about the Updater.exe application) is to install the game, run it, insert your registration key, and when the game comes up, you press the 'get updates' key. This will download the latest version and also release your license (the one that you just entered a minute earlier).
- You can also backup the entire directory right now (i.e. after you get the DRM-free version) using a zip file. This would allow you to quickly get it up and running on a new hard drive or computer without needing to download all the updates.
I'd like to be able to provide players with a download link with the full installer for the latest version of the game (accessible to existing players whenever they want in the future), but I really have no way to verify anyone's purchase of the game - that's handled by Battlefront.
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Several people at MG have already written they bought the game after it was taken out. So it's already helped. There are a LOT of people who won't buy a game if it takes an internet connection to register.
My game took the DRM out with the latest update. How do I download the DRM free file?
I'm not sure what you mean about downloading the DRM free file. If you're running version 1.01.15629, then your copy of EOS.exe is the DRM-free version.
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Other than stopping production, does this reduce the oil and food a city consumes?
Would be nice if it did, since you can definitely get in a deadlock position if the enemy takes all your sea resources. Your cities will consume all your land resource and still not be able to produce any ships.
Some production consumes resources like Iron. If you select pause production, then the city stops building things (which stops the consumption of iron) and lets you produce money instead. The cities always consume oil and food, regardless of whether they're building something.
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Just put out an update to bring players up to version 1.01.15629. This will unlicense the DRM and download a DRM-free version of the game for all existing players. Also, if you buy a copy from the Battlefront store, you'll also receive the DRMless version 1.01.15629.
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If Steam doesn't work out, don't forget there are other (if smaller) digital distributors out there.
Impulse and Gamers Gate are two I use in addition to Steam, and both have a solid strategy library, so you should have access to the right demographic. In fact, I'm pretty sure some Battlefront titles are already sold through Gamers Gate (Just double-checked, there are 10-12 Battlefront titles up there!) so that might make it easier for you.
I think that just the exposure of being in their catalogs would help you. I know I happened upon EoS completely by accident last Christmas when I was re-ordering a lost Combat Mission game for a friend. I'd never heard of EoS before that, or Battlefront for that matter. If I hadn't lost that CD, I would never had had a chance to discover EoS. There's just no exposure.
But seeing the screenshots evoked a lot of fond casual-strategy gaming memories from the share-ware era and I had to get it for myself. I'm sure it can grab others the way it did me, they just have to know it exists. So if you haven't, consider GG and Impulse. They aren't steam, but they are a world above D2D.
It sounds like we might have it up on GamersGate soon.
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Any luck with this? I've agreed before, and still agree about Steam. Bought tons of games on pure impulse on Steam, and they do carry vast numbers of indie games.
Steam's even self-promoting, ie. friends see which games you own and play, buy the same games, then their friends see what they're playing etc.
Battlefront tried contacting Steam a while back. It took them a while to respond, and they sort of seemed like they weren't that interested. I fired off another submission to them today. Maybe I'll have better luck.
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Why did you increase the detection ranges you listed? Just curious.
I usually don't really build radar, because I just didn't feel like they were useful enough to justify the cost. I thought making them a little more valuable would be good. Also, it would be nice to have players thinking more about how to strategically place radar on the map (which cities and where to build airfields with radar), and have other players targeting those radar.
I bumped up the submarine detection ranges a bit just to make it a little easier to do anti-submarine warfare. I'm still doing some adjustment to get it to where I want.
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Notable Fixes and Improvements:
- Made aircraft better about flying home automatically (when they do ad-hoc orders to attack something)
- Fixed a bug in the movement rate of ballistic missiles
- Added text descriptions to the range-lines of aircraft
- Rules Editor: Added the ability to remove upgrades
- Fixed a bug in the view-range of airfield improvements
- City Improvements can now be destroyed by their owner (but only at a rate of one per turn)
- Fixed Regression: Aircraft in groups wouldn't take off
- Adjusted the Official Rules:
. - Slowed down how quickly ballistic missiles move in the Official Rules (allowing players to see incoming missiles)
. - Increased the movement range of Missile (V2)
. - Renamed "Missile (V2)" to "Short Range Missile"
. - Reduced the price of "Short Range Missile" and "Medium Range Missile"
. - Increased the submarine-detection range of destroyers and cruisers
. - Increased the radar range of the City/Airfield Radar
. - The Nuclear SRBM no longer upgrades to the Nuclear ICBM
. - Reduced Missiles to 1 HP
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Ok, that's what I thought.
Combat is basically
For each unit:
1. Each tic, unit will randomly attack one unit within range with 1% of it's full strength
2. The unit that is attacked gets a counter attack on the attacker (at 1% strength)
Basically, yes. This also assume the counterattacking unit is within range. (For example, artillery can attack without getting a counterattack if the other unit is distant.)
This means that a round of exchange between one attacking tank and two defending inf would yield:Tank is attacked 3 times (one counter to his attack, two attacks from inf)
inf A is attacked 2 times (one counter to his attack, one attack from tank)
inf B is attacked 1 time (one counter to his attack)
Over the full round, tank is attacked 300 times and each inf about 150 times each.
Is this accurate?
That's basically correct. The game tracks who's in combat with who and then processes combat. So, there's a Tank-InfantryA combat, and a Tank-InfantryB combat going on. Over one full round, the tank gets attacked 3 times, and each infantry gets attacked 1.5 times.
A couple of other questions:Does your unit always randomly target a unit within range or does it "prefer" the unit it was explicitly told to target?
It's attacks get directed towards all the units it is in combat with. There is one case where this isn't the case: if a unit has combat priorities setup in the rules. For example, tactical bombers prioritize ground and sea units above other units, so it will direct all its fire against them even if there are aircraft within its combat range.
Also, does the field orders affect this (told to only attack sea targets so it won't shoot at arty in range except as counter attack)?Depends. Units won't automatically engage in combat against all units within their combat range. If your artillery is setup to attack ships, then it will initiate combat with a ship that's within range (not necessarily all of them). When a unit processes combat, it will distribute it's attacks among the units that it is "in combat" with. So, if you had an artillery setup to attack ships, but there is an enemy tank and two destroyers within range, what would happen is that your artillery would pick out one of the ships to attack. It would only be "in combat" with that ship. If the enemy tank attacks your artillery, then your artillery will be "in combat" with one ship and the tank - and will distribute its attacks among those two units.
Does "no field orders" prevent a unit from attacking (it will only counter attack)?Yes, the "no field orders" will prevent units from attacking, but it will counterattack.
An observation (if above is accurate) is that transports would actually take less damage if they didn't attack (since they are preventing the counter attack).If an enemy ship attacks your transport, then your transport will be "in combat" with the enemy ship. Whether or not you targeted that enemy ship is not relevant for processing combat. However, if you don't attack him and he doesn't attack you, then your transport won't be "in combat", and will stand a better chance of surviving.
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I never hold down Ctrl when i give the first order. I played several turns today and i noticed my planes move or bomb when they're not grouped (and then the weird green arrow doesn't appear if they don't move on the following turn). When i order a group of planes to move, nothing happen. It's the first time i see that, could it be due to the fact that i have downloaded several updates since i started that game??
Okay, I tracked down the problem and fixed it. The latest update (which includes this fix) is now available.
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I meant I didn't know what to change them to
I think the current method is ok as long as you understand how it works.
Planes sort of work the second way already, correct? They get one attack at full strength then need to land to reload.
Yes.
One question though: If said AA had about 5% chance to hit the missle, and there were actually 4 missiles fired through his airspace at the same time. Would he have 5% to hit each of them? ie, does he get a shot at all missiles in his airspace each combat tick or does it just choose one each tick (getting around 1% to hit each one)?The AA will randomly attack a missile each "tic". (There are 100 tics in a turn.) This effectively divides his attack among all the missiles.
Version 1.01.15821
in Empires of Steel
Posted
Hi guys. Thanks for the support. Just thought I'd drop in and answer a few questions. The question about the omniscient AI: I don't think it's feasible for me to get together an AI that's using real fog of war. It's something that's a real challenge to do, and getting it working properly would be quite a bit of work. And, by "working properly" I mean that the AI can compensate for this lack of knowledge with a much increased skill in playing the game. Sorry.
It's not terribly uncommon to have all-knowing AIs, though I'm not offering that as an excuse so much as to say that it's an indication of the difficulty of creating a capable AI that deals with a fog of war. For example, I've caught the Civ 3 AI using information that I know he didn't have. (By the way, here's a video of the Civilization AI programmer giving a talk about the Civ 3 and Civ 4 AI, and answers some questions about information cheats.
(As a side note, I was surprised that the Civilization AI programmer said that their AI only has 25,000 lines of code, as I'm pretty sure EOS uses more than that.)
I should be posting some more reflections on things in the near future.