"Everybody Plays" -- Essential for Success!

[Mark_Everson]

Originally posted by Plutarck
What it all comes down to, I think, is just putting together some Really simple implementations. If it weren't so much easier to say than to do...

But it seems to me that Technology would be the key to the first bit of playability. It gives the feeling of actually doing something, of progression.

Also, parts of the economy may just need abstracted away for the present time.

Hi Plutarck:

Well we definitely aren't getting the interest in the demos I was hoping for, and the issue of the initial complexity overwhelming people may well be a big chunk of it... I don't see that because I'm too close to things, and mostly understand all the models. A case of "small gaming company syndrome"

I'm certainly game to look at having a targeted introductory scenario with things stripped down to make it a bit more comprehensible. All the work that Gary has put into the xml initialization files is a good enabler for that. Tech is coming soon... but it's not quite there yet. Maybe a week or two?

I can look a bit at the econ stuff, and see which can be pitched for a stripped-down game. For just the intro scenario we could cut things way back to maybe 10 total items. Perhaps less. Unfortunately Econ isn't set up with the xml yet, and may not be by demo 7. But I can probably rig up a kludge.

Why don't you start an "Introductory scenario" thread, and all those who want to discuss the most important stuff to streamline can join in.

Meanwhile you can look into the limited customization capabilities that the xml files already give, and see what can be done with that.

[Mark_Everson]

So lets see some comments on Demo 6 from the newer people!

We have many new people who are interested in being team members, plus some more new blood. I'd like to encourage all those people to both play Demo 6 and tell us what you think, both good and bad. Perhaps scanning the D6 thread is good first since then you know what has already been discussed.

As a result of the discussion in the posts above, we redirected ourselves in theReworking our Demo Approach thread. I thought it would be useful to put a notice and link here recognizing that fact. BTW it shows that Feedback to our team Does make a Difference! So lets hear Your comments on D6 if we haven't yet.

[Gar]

My demo 6 experiences so far...
5 plays of it, one abbrreviated get some feel trying the small start (third option.) 4 Rome vs. ones. First one I stopped halfway through feeling confused and wanting to read the documentation.

Second one I goofed with stuff on the economics screen never sure where and what effect anything I was changing was doing with much "Dang, I just really want a unit to be made." I got the ROI somewhat from reading, but wasn't sure what its real effect was and when I just wanted some unit produced and the barbarians are at the gates.

Third time I tried not to goof with economics as much, but ran into alot of resource reduction messages and wasn't sure what to do about those, I got a few units to pop out and got crushed. Eventually down to one city and couldn't get any troops to be made there, and the enemy was stocking up many many units on my other two cities.

Fourth time I realized that I didn't seem to get much effect (as in numbers other than 0 to the right of unit % spend) unless my taxes were 9 or 10%. Not sure I understand what I was taxing or why some numbers would go up and others down when I changed tax rates. Eventually I got some different units to pop out and sent them off to battle and explored and conquered and won. About halfway through no more units were popping out and don't know why.

Rather than try to assert my own analysis or suggestions on top of these, I'll leave these my pretty raw experiences here.

Oh yeah, control things that I got frustrated with here and there. When exploring couldn't figure out why sometimes I could go deep into the black areas and others couldn't get anywhere but an adjacent square. I found myself clicking on map stuff alot, not sure why I wasn't selecting a unit.

All in all, pretty cool, lots more I wish to understand with what I was doing, but combat and sense of development and exploration were all present. Definitely left me saying : "More"

[Mark_Everson]

Thanks for the impressions Gar! Could you put them in the Demo6 thread up top? I'm trying to keep all discussion there...

Thanks 'gain,

Mark