Ask Apolyton Anything About Rise Of Nations

[tniem]

Figured a few of these could be answered by someone other than Markos so that he can keep playing giving us more detail about the game.

Originally posted by Viking Berserk
1: Are the borders dynamic?

From BHG's website, "Your national borders define a territorial region that "pushes out" from your villages/cities depending on their size and your Civic accomplishments, and also pushes out from your forts based on similar considerations. There's no practical limit to how far your borders can push outward from a strong political center other than another nation "pushing back". Also territory is exclusive--if it's YOUR territory your opponent CAN'T build in it.

Your national territory defines (a) where you can build military buildings and new cities (b) where you control strategic resources and (c) in some cases your troops take attrition damage while inside another nation.

Borders allow you a new venue to compete with other nations besides simply military attacks--you can increase your political strength and thus increase your territory, taking away control of vital strategic resources from your rivals. Likewise there's subtle strategy involved in where you place your villages and forts to "claim" territory you'll want later."

2: Are the zooming in 3d?

Not sure what you mean. You cannot rotate the camera if that is what your asking and their is a zoom.

3: Can I play custom scenarios online?

You mean in multiplayer games? I can't believe that BHG wouldn't allow scenarios to be created for MP. After all they have created a scripting language so it can only be assumed that this will be used in MP as well.

4: Can I edit "Conquer the World"?

He won't know since neither CTW or an editor is in the beta game he has a copy of.

5: Will there be a unit editor?

If they are like most of the files in the game, it will be a simple text file that you can manipulate. But I am not sure on this one.

6: When is the demo coming?

From BHG's website, "Not for a while. We've still got a lot of work ahead of us."

7: Can I edit the city-names in scenarios?

Again, not sure. For sure you can edit city names in a text file and you can of course create a scenario with cities with whatever names you want. About a scenario that gives a custom list of new cities, that is not known. It is a question that seems to be coming back a lot. Is their a folder for all the text and image files that need to be custom for a scenario but you only want for that one scenario? My guess is yes so yes you will be able to edit city names.

[Viking Berserk]

thank you

[theponyguy1]

3 unit model

how can 3 infantry share one health meter when they are spread out accross the map?

[Vushum]

Will the trigger language be simplified so others can read it?

[MarkG]

How many population spaces does one infantry (actually three) take up?

1

How much population does the two people machine gun take up?

1

How much population does a tank take up?

3

And how much population does a bomber take up?

3

Are there B-2 stealth bombers in the modern age, or are they only in the information age?

only in the information age i believe

how can 3 infantry share one health meter when they are spread out accross the map?

it's one unit, represented by three soldiers in the field in order to show the front, middle and flank parts

[ixnay]

Do I get a beta copy now that I'm a staff member?

[Alex]

Oh, I did not read the entire thread, so I don't know if someone has already made this question, but... what about the bugs? I mean... I know you're dealing with a beta, but I wonder how buggy that copy of the game is...

[Craig P.]

How's the unit AI? Dumb as a post like in Age of Empires (he who clicks the fastest in the battle wins), reasonably smart like in Homeworld, so that you can order an attack, sit back and watch, and not get slaughtered (fast clicking can help but only to a limited extent)?

Addendum - I'm not wild about the unit AI in Starcraft, either.

[MarkG]

I know you're dealing with a beta, but I wonder how buggy that copy of the game is...

it would not be fair to say anything at all about bugs, but it looks great for a game that has more than 6 months ahead of it

[theponyguy1]

Are there armored land transports to move infantry quickly?

[MarkG]

nope
they can move faster by an order of a general though

[Sarxis]

Originally posted by MarkG
nope
they can move faster by an order of a general though

Hmm..

veeeerrryy eenteresting.

[MarkG]

tniem

Details on how attrition works?

when unit enter enemy area, they loose hit points. this higher or loewer depending on technologies you and the enemy has researched. eventually units can die from attrition

How much do supply units cost?

dont remember exactly, not much. but as previously mentioned, supply units have a set amount of "healing points". when these are all gone the supply unit dies.

How much does it impact each early game battle? Late game battles?

it seems to affect more on the early game rather than the late due to the techs i mentioned.
i'm also not sure if the supply units are availiable at the start. i'll have to check on it

[tniem]

Thanks Markos. How much damage are we talking about here? I understand its gradual but how long can I attack before troops die simply due to being outside of my territory?

I personally love the idea, it is one of those things that actually hurt rushes and add strategy. Forcing someone to spend extra resources on supply units or on technology to slow down attrition is just a great idea. I am just curious how damaging and impacting it really is.

[MarkG]

let me give an example. on an early game without supply units, dont think about sending your troops through one (non allied to you, just in peace) nation's territory to fight another