|
Rise Up: Reynolds On RoN
PART 4: DIPLOMACY AND ESPIONAGE (Page 4)
By Daniel Quick | Apolyton CS Co-Owner/Administrator
All this leads to the question on how to match this offence with offence when it is used against your nation. You can readily learn if one of your buildings has an enemy agent infiltrating it. If you have a spy unit of your own you can execute counter-intelligence to remove those unwanted eyes and ears. What of spy discovery and capture prior to infiltration? This is possible, but accomplished only by being discovered on the map before their making a move. The 'percentage chance measure' of being caught in the attempt of getting in the proverbial front door, vis-à-vis Civilization I through III, does not factor into the equation. When a spy unit is not on the move it eventually fades out and hides on the map, detectable only by enemy scouts, spies and in latter game stages fighter planes as well. Otherwise, they cannot be detected or subsequently attacked. If after discovery any of the said detector units goes out of range of a spy, that unit will again enjoy invisibility status. Note that you, yourself will not find yourself a loss in keeping track of your spies – they are visible to you, but just barely. To others, they are not (and that is what ultimately counts in gameplay).
What real-time strategy game would be complete, though, without the look-out or watch tower – certainly not RoN. Anything it can see, all units can see and, if in vicinity, attack as the situation dictates. They will always find those sneaky generals concocting dastardly ambushes. This ability expands when explorers can be upgraded into commando units. They are the same in composition to spies and additionally can take advantage of a sniper ability, assassinating prominent figures from a distance. As Reynolds woefully encouraged in his demonstration: “run, my minions”. The AI (artificial intelligence) must have overheard us… Later, special elite forces enter the picture who can jam local radar, thereby nullifying the effect of anti-aircraft guns present. Paratrooping is also now present at this point, so use (and guard against) wisely.
VETERAN UNITS: THE PHILOSOPHY OF LACKING
Veteran units are so far, according to Reynolds, not present "partially because of my own philosophy of game design, which is you want to keep the game fun for people all the way through whether they are winning or loosing. As soon as somebody is just hopelessly loosing, they want to quit. That mean's they're done having fun. It also means that the other person who is winning is going to be done having fun, because a) the other person is going to quit and the game is going to be over, and b) it's no fun to just... romp your way through guys that just don't put up any resistance".
|
