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FALLOUT MOD AVAILABLE
(5 March 2002, 18:26 | Civ3) If you`re a fan of the Fallout series and want to get a feel for it in Civilization III, you can with the "Fallout MOD" by Skarekrow. It weighs in around 2.3MB and can be downloaded from the author`s website.
Thanks to `Slingshot` for the news tip. - DanQ
BRIAN REYNOLDS ON RON
(5 March 2002, 11:04 | RoN | 278 comments) It`s been more than a year... Brian Reynolds now has something to show to the world, and he`s back in our forums! Some of his comments:
On pausing the time to give orders:
RoN will definitely be pausable (and give-orders-able), including the option to do this during a multiplayer game. We`re also working on the idea of letting you give each player a set "allowance" of amount of total time paused.
On quick multiplayer 6000-years games:
a lot of people want to be able to play a multiplayer game on their lunch hour and be able to see all the ages, and we have that too
On combat:
a line of pikes will protect your muskets from a cavalry charge, but if the cav gets in your rear watch out
But also Brian made a call for ideas and suggestions:
Okay, guys, go for it! Remember this IS a real time game, it`s about human history, and our goal is to combine the best elements of real time with the best elements of turn-based gaming. We don`t claim we can be everything to everyone but now that our game is announced we`d love to hear your ideas.
RoN is scheduled for spring 2003(so there is plenty of time for the implementation of a few cool ideas!) - MarkG
DOWNTIME REPORT: MAR. 3/02
(5 March 2002, 10:45 | About) Between Sunday-Monday morning (GMT), the building that houses the server that Apolyton is presently hosted on was without power. Electric service was restored earlier this morning (GMT).
On behalf of the Apolyton staff and administration, we apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience during the unexpected downtime.
UPDATE: According to our hosts, the power outage was planned; however, the advance notice given was sudden and the said downtime lasted in excess of 18 hours more than was originally indicated in the said report. - DanQ
RTS. VS. TBS: GAMESPY
(5 March 2002, 05:51 | Misc) GameSpy writer Mark H. Walker`s "Strategy Gaming" article series has had its fifth installment posted today, which pitches real-time strategy (RTS) versus turn-based strategy (TBS) gaming.
In comparing the two, Walker first examines strategy as compared to tactics and uses Civilization III to demonstrate his meaning of a subtle difference between the two concepts:
Think of strategy as the big picture. For example, in [CivIII] your ultimate goal affects your strategy. In other words, do you intend to conquer the world with a strong military or out-research your opponents? [..]
By and large real-time strategy games are long on strategy and short on tactics. The inverse is true with turn-based strategy and wargaming. Of course there are exceptions. [..] No doubt all real-time strategy games include some tactical elements. But these elements are not as rich, nor challenging as those found in turn-based games.
From this point, the GS staffer goes through additional areas of interest in the strategy genre breakdown from artificial intelligence (AI) -- it should come as no surprise that turn-based games have a better [AI] -- to action, where it is evident that [r]eal-time strategy is more action oriented than turn-based strategy, to the last but not least consideration: which is outselling the other today. This, unlike the other categories, is not a subjective matter where, according to Walker, real-time strategy sells about four times as well as its turn-based counterparts. In closing:
One hundred thousand units has long been the dividing line in games that are considered successful and those that are not. [..] It takes a superb turn-based game to reach that plateau, of which the Civilization series was notably mentioned. That said, [e]ven mediocre real-time games often make that cut. [..]
The final segment in the strategy saga will look beyond the genre`s past and present with "The Future of Strategy". - DanQ
FREECIV CONVENTION: AUG. 3
(5 March 2002, 04:44 | Alt) "The Freeciv Users and Developers European Convention" (FUADEC) is scheduled for August 3rd, 2002. From the official website, the following post was made by Paul Zastoupil, FreeCiv`s Webmaster, Host and CivServer Co-Admin:
What is it? Well, it`s just a chance for us to meet in person, talk, get to know what a freak the guy at the other end of the mailing list really is, or maybe just yell at that guy who stabbed you in the back on CivServer. Why? Because I`ll be in Amsterdam with a few other Freecivers at that time already, and don`t you think its time?! Where? Amsterdam, The Netherlands. We don`t have an actual location yet, its going to depend on how many of you can make it. When? Sometime (15:00?) in the afternoon of Saturday, August 3, 2002 Cost? As little as possible.
More detailed, definitive information will be posted as soon as possible.
- DanQ
WHO WINS?: GAMESPY GRUDGE
(5 March 2002, 04:10 | Civ3) The latest "GameSpy Grudge" currently pits Civilization III`s Foreign Advisor against the Little Mouse Droid from Star Wars. At the time of this posting, the latter is trumping the former by almost 60% of the popular vote (20.3% and 79.7% respectively). - DanQ
