Preview: Day 6 & 7

[MarkG]

quote: Originally posted by Tiberius on 11-14-2000 07:50 AM ask you what should be the next project (the screen in the upper-right corner of the screenshot) is there any possibility to consult the Great Library?

the right part of the window show you what that advance gives. for example, on the screenshot you saw the selected nationalism advances gives the spy unit

if you click the goal button the GL opens up and you can find nationalism in there to see more info about it
there is not a direct link to the nationalism entry on the gl though

quote: I saw that there is a button, called "Change research". Does it mean that you can change the research objective even between discoveries (We have dicovered 50% of nationalism, but from now I want to focus on chemistry)? Is that right? Do you receive penalties for doing so?

yes, you can change what you research at any time(this existed in ctp1 as well). there is no penalty for doing it

[rockville]

I know that Mark alluded to this, but don't those map sizes seem REALLY small? I'm in favor of quick games on small world maps, but 24x48 sounds a little bit too claustrophobic for me.

Even the gigantic one doesn't sound so big... anyone know, offhand, the sizes for Civ 2 or SMAC?

[Pintello]

Hi Rockville,

Civ2's maximum custome huge map was 80X125 for a total of 10,000 squares. 70X140 gives you 9,800 squares, so they are pretty close. Personally, I modified CTP to 90X180 for a total of 16,200 squares. This works very well for me, but it required a few other changes as well to get the map to look fine when randomly generated. I don't remember all the changes I made just now, but they weren't too hard and they were mostly all done in the map.txt file. I don't know if they are still using that file, but they will probably have a file that is analogous to it.

Regards,

Timothy Pintello

[Pyaray]

quote: Originally posted by Slingshot on 11-14-2000 12:27 PM So Pyaray, you're telling me that Mr. Ogre has two cats that are named Goblin?

OK, you got me on that one. No, only one of his cats is named Goblin.

*sigh*

Pyaray

[Mr Ogre]

For the record, my other cat is named Mozart.

The map sizes are the same as CTP1's (actually the tiny one is slightly bigger. The rest are unchanged.)

I almost always wear jeans to work, except when I wear shorts instead . Activision as a whole is not quite as laid back as this development team in terms of attire, but there's no dress code. I rarely see a tie except on visitors.

[St Swithin]

Actually, MrOgre usually cruises around with his hobbit-like toes blatantly exposed to the world. And her name isn't Goblin, it's Stinky! Stinky! You can't rename her!

[Slingshot]

So Pyaray, you're telling me that Mr. Ogre has two cats that are named Goblin?

I guess it makes sense, since cats don't really answer a person by their names anyways.

We could have two cats, named Herbert and Al. Shake the food dish and they both come. What's their real name? Probably "rattle rattle cat food."

So really, the name is irrelevant and Mr. Ogre's genious shines through. The name Goblin is easy and just as effective a title as Herbert or Al.

If I were to put both Goblins in a cardboard box and shake the cat food dish, the cat-pair is simultaneously a single, hungry mammal and two individual cats with a preference for eating. Until such a time as the cats are allowed out of the box - they are locked in the duality of states. Brilliant!

Now the allegory is obvious. MarkG is the cat dish. He's rattling away a savoury tune of Tender-Civ-Vittles to the pile of Apolytoners in a virtual box. Until such a time as CTP2 is released, Activision Marketers have locked the populace as a Civ-hungry mob that simultaneously exists as Civ-hungry individuals.

We are, as Mr. Ogre so heartily knew beforehand, an uneasy alliance of free-thinking states that must collobarate as a unified whole. We can no more readily think as individuals than as a group. We adopt the title of Goblin - an entity that freaks out when strings are shaken, shiny objects roll about, heat registers become warm and fish swim in fish bowls.

Man, you guys are deep !

[Slingshot]

You people seem like a lot of fun!

During big experiments my technologists listen to epic works of music. I think it makes them feel more motivated. I love Mozart, but Bach is even better. The Winamp is set to shuffle in our lab, so classical gets mixed in with some Metallica, Latin-instrumental stuff, and a dash of the Cult.

Certainly the CTP2 soundtrack will be booming throughout the facility in the near future - if I have my way.

But what do you all listen to while working? Is your office a big, communal labyrinth or do you have separate offices?

Do Mr. Ogre's hobbit-like toes ever kick St. Swithin's computer terminal? If they're as caloused as hobit feet, I imagine it would cause quite a bit of damage!

If Mark G were to work for you guys, what kind of office would he get. Would he feed the cats, or do the cats stay home?

How far is Venice from Santa Monica, anyways?
[This message has been edited by Slingshot (edited November 15, 2000).]

[meriadoc]

I resent that remark. I go to a lot of trouble to keep the callouses from getting to bad on my feet.

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The Electronic Hobbit

[St Swithin]

Activision is most definitely a cube farm, but some of the team has offices. I've been demanding an office kitty, but to no avail Mark G could be our Chief Executive Greek - cat poo-scooping experience a plus!

MrOgre may NOT come near my computer with exposed Hobbit toes.

We have a bunch of Nerf guns which we use to disrupt other team members' work

[Mr Ogre]

To be specific, I have a Nerf Wildfire, most everyone else has a crappy one ;-). The Nerf Wildfire is the state of the art in rapid fire Nerf technology, don't leave your cube without one!

Tool is my favorite band. When I'm not listening to Tool, I listen to the CTP2 soundtrack on an endless loop. It's just that good!!!

Venice borders on Santa Monica. I live about 2 miles from work. "Venice" doesn't actually exist as its own entity though, it's part of Los Angeles (unlike Santa Monica, which is a city). But it was a separate city until the 20's or 30's, and the post office still knows what you mean if you write "Venice" on a letter.

[Pyaray]

quote: Originally posted by Mr Ogre on 11-15-2000 07:51 PM To be specific, I have a Nerf Wildfire, most everyone else has a crappy one ;-). The Nerf Wildfire is the state of the art in rapid fire Nerf technology, don't leave your cube without one!

HEY! Dan and I both have Wildfire's too. Mine just hasn't wandered it's way to work yet. But Dan is armed, and I can grab his in a pinch.

(So much for being on topic.)

Pyaray

[Stratesford]

All right Mr. Ogre dude! Tool is also one of my favorite bands! The soundtrack is ok... but even though I bought the game today, I'm still pist about the legion thing.

[Stratesford]

oh, and I also used to live invenice when iwas a little kid, when I came for the first time to this country