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A possible solution to the PBEM file size and mayby the turn based TCPIP?


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What if we could set the number of seconds an AI turn should use, i.e. 15, 30, 45 or 60 secs?

That way file size would be smaller but we would have more turns (not a problem in a TCPIP game).

Since this game is modern and we can engage each other at longer ranges than WWII then why not cut the time down per turn, things is bound to happen way faster than WWII?

The Harpoon 4.0 board game rules used 15m when no contact, 1m when aircraft was airborne and 1s when the missile started flying.

Just an idea, thanx for a great game.

Cheers

Mark

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Hmm, that sounds like a bloody good idea to me. Thirty second turns should half the filesize, and still give plenty of time for action. Unless there's something I'm missing here.

And Cid, even if 50 meg attachments were common, that doesn't mean that options for faster passing of turns should be discarded off-hand. Plenty of people have DSL connections with fast download but very poor upload speeds, so anything that can streamline the process would always be helpful to someone out there.

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How about variable turn lengths ?

So for example, once 5Mb of data has been generated then thats the end of the turn.

If nothing is happening and no contact has been made that might take 60-90 seconds.

If all hell is breaking loose that might take only 20-30 seconds.

This would result in both manageable file sizes and orders phases that come up at intervals proportionate to how much is going on.

Just a thought...

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I never understood why we can't just put the number of seconds we want into a dialog box.

I don't think it helps much with the PBEM file size, though. CM:SF still transports everything everytime in the PBEM moves (as opposed to e.g. TacOps, where you load local files and your opponents move).

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I really don't care about PBEM file size, I'm just trying to come up with ideas to for a solution for the WEGO TCPIP.

A dialog box could be great to, but I could live with a few options like those I mentioned in my first post. That way a full round won't make problems when we are playing a game that should last for 20 mins/20 turns, i.e. fractions.

[ July 28, 2007, 08:22 AM: Message edited by: Cougar_DK ]

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  • 2 weeks later...

In theory we can make turn length any amount of time we want. However, we have not experimented with this on our end and therefore do not have any idea what sort of ramifications there might be. So it won't happen until we see what sorts of unexpected results may come from it. And that's quite a ways off since we have more pressing things to work on at the moment.

The file size has nothing to do with why there is no TCP/IP WeGo, so that's not relevant. TCP/IP WeGo is not in because it would take about 1 month of coding to make it work. There is no code support for streaming data and storing/retreiving it from RAM, which is what is required for WeGo's Replay function to work. It is something we have not ruled out, but I can say with 110% certainty that TCP/IP WeGo with Replay is completely out of the question for the near future.

Steve

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Steve,

couldn't be a huge positive side effect of TCP/IP WEGO the possibility to store full replays, or RT-replays?

If that's the case, how about a purchaseable update, like it is common for all kind of good software.

For example, i would easily pay 40$ for the full game replay feature alone.

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Cougar_DK,

Thanks! We're hoping the nVidia 8800 will be a simple fix once the hardware arrives.

Steiner14,

couldn't be a huge positive side effect of TCP/IP WEGO the possibility to store full replays, or RT-replays?
Unfortunately, no. There is a big difference between storing/streaming 60 seconds and storing/streaming a much larger, variable length of time.

If that's the case, how about a purchaseable update, like it is common for all kind of good software.
Because we only have Charles working on this each minute he spends on Feature X he isn't spending on Feature Y. That is why TCP/IP WeGo isn't in right now. Other things were more important and therefore his time was spent on those things.

The sad reality of game design is programming and hardware resources are the limiting factors, not creativity. Trust me, the full CM:SF design could keep a half dozen programmers and another dozen 3D artist/animators busy for a couple of years. Then we'd probably have to shelve it for a few years to let hardware capable of running it get into the market.

Trust me... being a game designer is a daily exercise in frustration and compromise. Good game designers realize this, bad ones have mental breakdowns or get fired for being unable to work within realistic boundaries.

Steve

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To Steve at BFC:

Can We have WEGO with a 60 second limit with option to replay and PBEM compatible, too. But also provide a continuous/pauseable time game type (RT) that I could pick my own time to pause and still allow me to TCP/IP....A kind of best of both worlds option that wouldn't kill my frame rate? Is it asking too much?

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Originally posted by Battlefront.com:

Unfortunately, no. There is a big difference between storing/streaming 60 seconds and storing/streaming a much larger, variable length of time.

Personally, I don't really need the "full replays" when I play RT. Just the last 60 second or even the last 30 second would be fine.

In RT, a replay function would be nice to precisely see what happen on the battlefield. Specially when the units are scattered across the war zone.

P.S.: I suggest a reply in single player mode. Not multilayer.

[ August 10, 2007, 01:53 PM: Message edited by: Truppenfuhrung ]

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Originally posted by Truppenfuhrung:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Battlefront.com:

Unfortunately, no. There is a big difference between storing/streaming 60 seconds and storing/streaming a much larger, variable length of time.

Personally, I don't really need the "full replays" when I play RT. Just the last 60 second or even the last 30 second would be fine.

In RT, a reply function would be nice to precisely see what happen on the battlefield. Specially when the units are scattered across the war zone.

P.S.: I suggest a reply in single player mode. Not multilayer. </font>

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