Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Resources= Play-Balance Troubles

Collapse
X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 3
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous 1 2 3 template Next
  • #31
    There are many kinds of bugs though I won't burden you with their idenfications.

    If an AI routine doesn't react the way you expect it to, is it a bug? Strictly speaking, not necessarily. Mostly likely the routine just can't handle a particular combination of input values, which is more of a design flaw instead of logical mistakes.

    Now it is very likely that a lot of these unexpected situations exist in games such as Civ or SMAC due to their inherent complexity. If you look at some real life programs, such as Web browsers or http servers, you'd surprised how they could posibly have so many flaws, given the much more restricted set of inputs they could have. And these are not games, these are for *ahem* real.

    As Yin pointed out it's not quite possible for the programming team to simulate the full range of these input values, so many of these games are released with these "bugs."

    Think of it this way. Humans often react unexpectedly to outside situations, so it seems that we shouldn't be overly nitpicky about AI routines in such complex games. Now, if you are talking about chess, it'd be totally different
    (\__/) 07/07/1937 - Never forget
    (='.'=) "Claims demand evidence; extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence." -- Carl Sagan
    (")_(") "Starting the fire from within."

    Comment

    • #32
      Originally posted by DarkCloud
      Resources just bring too many different figures to the equation for the AI to deal with... so, either Civ III will need a Pentium 700 with 256 MB of RAM or a scaled down version will have horrible AI.

      Because of resources I predict that Civ III will be released Fall 2002.
      I don't think the hardware requirements would have to be too severe. The game is 2D so that basically means that the low end CPUs are good enough (unlike 3D games like Black&White where you spend CPU cycles on graphics). Since this team has worked on Civilization, Civilization II, and Alpha Centauri, I'm sure that their code will be very optimal. I would guess that a 300MHz CPU with 128MB RAM should be enough for Civ III in single player. Multiplayer is a different story though (totally depends on how they do it).

      KoalaBear33

      Comment

      • #33
        I reckon you don't need more than a PII-200 and 64MB RAM.
        (\__/) 07/07/1937 - Never forget
        (='.'=) "Claims demand evidence; extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence." -- Carl Sagan
        (")_(") "Starting the fire from within."

        Comment

        • #34
          I don't think the hardware requirements would have to be too severe. The game is 2D so that basically means that the low end CPUs are good enough (unlike 3D games like Black&White where you spend CPU cycles on graphics). Since this team has worked on Civilization, Civilization II, and Alpha Centauri, I'm sure that their code will be very optimal. I would guess that a 300MHz CPU with 128MB RAM should be enough for Civ III in single player. Multiplayer is a different story though (totally depends on how they do it).
          Actually the units are going to be in 3D, I believe. I think the requirements out of your system will diffently be higher than Civ2's were but lower than what your projected requirements are. Multiplaying will have the same requirements as SP will.


          I reckon you don't need more than a PII-200 and 64MB RAM.
          This sounds about right. You may even only need 32MB of RAM. Hopefully you only need about 4MB for your video card. I know I'll be really mad if I have to go buy a new video card to use it just for Civ.
          However, it is difficult to believe that 2 times 2 does not equal 4; does that make it true? On the other hand, is it really so difficult simply to accept everything that one has been brought up on and that has gradually struck deep roots – what is considered truth in the circle of moreover, really comforts and elevates man? Is that more difficult than to strike new paths, fighting the habitual, experiencing the insecurity of independence and the frequent wavering of one’s feelings and even one’s conscience, proceeding often without any consolation, but ever with the eternal goal of the true, the beautiful, and the good? - F.N.

          Comment

          • #35
            4MB video card sounds reasonable, maybe more if you want higher resolution or more colours.
            (\__/) 07/07/1937 - Never forget
            (='.'=) "Claims demand evidence; extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence." -- Carl Sagan
            (")_(") "Starting the fire from within."

            Comment

            • #36
              4MB video card sounds reasonable, maybe more if you want higher resolution or more colours.
              All I care about is to have the game run smoothly.
              However, it is difficult to believe that 2 times 2 does not equal 4; does that make it true? On the other hand, is it really so difficult simply to accept everything that one has been brought up on and that has gradually struck deep roots – what is considered truth in the circle of moreover, really comforts and elevates man? Is that more difficult than to strike new paths, fighting the habitual, experiencing the insecurity of independence and the frequent wavering of one’s feelings and even one’s conscience, proceeding often without any consolation, but ever with the eternal goal of the true, the beautiful, and the good? - F.N.

              Comment

              • #37
                Originally posted by TechWins


                Actually the units are going to be in 3D, I believe.
                I just started following Civ III recently so correct me if I'm wrong... I think the units are 2D but they are 3D rendered units.

                This sounds about right. You may even only need 32MB of RAM. Hopefully you only need about 4MB for your video card. I know I'll be really mad if I have to go buy a new video card to use it just for Civ.
                yep... you don't need much.. but 32MB RAM sounds low... you probably need at least 64MB just for windows...

                KoalaBear33

                Comment

                • #38
                  As Yin pointed out it's not quite possible for the programming team to simulate the full range of these input values, so many of these games are released with these "bugs."
                  Yes, I don't want to over-use the term "bug" but rather focus on upfront time and effort spent testing and tweaking the AI, interface, etc. Basically I want to avoid at all costs the REAL testing starting after the game's release.
                  I've been on these boards for a long time and I still don't know what to think when it comes to you -- FrantzX, December 21, 2001

                  "Yin": Your friendly, neighborhood negative cosmic force.

                  Comment

                  • #39
                    Originally posted by KoalaBear33



                    yep... you don't need much.. but 32MB RAM sounds low... you probably need at least 64MB just for windows...

                    KoalaBear33
                    I went with 16MB for windows for a long time, until certain games required 32, and so I upgraded... Windows ran fine with 16MB...
                    -->Visit CGN!
                    -->"Production! More Production! Production creates Wealth! Production creates more Jobs!"-Wendell Willkie -1944

                    Comment

                    Previous 1 2 3 template Next
                    Working...
                    X