Utopia Classic Blog May 27th

[Lydias]

Please use this thread to comment on the latest Utopia Classic blog which can be read here.

[DHaran]

Nothing new really, it seems.

I think we are all in agreement about the guide.

The Council of Elders issue can cause as many problems as solutions if it isn't done right. That idea is still iffy to me. Popularity contests don't go over well around here.

Merging kingdoms ability is ftw under the right circumstances. There just needs to be a strict set of limits that allow kingdoms to merge.

Suggestions process does need to be repaired, though I do understand the coding comes first, suggestions come after. So I have no real issue there. Just need to keep the riffraff and crap ideas from getting too much attention.

As for third party stuff, I have always been a supporter of moving pimp-like features ingame. On the ghetto level it is hard enough getting new players to use tools and sites other than the main game.

That's all I can think of to say right now.

[butterflyFX]

I'll vote for vines as president of the "Council of Elders" !!!
Extreme Homes buildstrat ftw!

;-)

[Shockwave's Minge]

Are there any plans to add formal in-game options and features for alliances?

[Magmalava]

I tend to agree with Dharan regarding a council of elders. I do not dismiss it, but it must be certain that it won't become a council of people who think they own the game. In my opinion any such group should consist of people that are able to provide constructive critisism, who do not just reject suggestions but who are able to explain why an idea would not work out.

[Bijo]

"We expect there to always be a role for 3rd party tools, especially if you consider"
where is the ending of that line?
i mean wtf lol

and when i am using this link

http://blog.swirve.com/2009/05/27/ut...date-27th-may/

the thread look cut off ...

[ninjin]

One thing I'd like to see as a monarch is how long it was since a player was logged. better than the current + sign.
On the ingame info I would like to be able to see what people are building and their CB info. Preferably in a table format. With buildings on the left province name on top vertical and then % buildings nbrs in each column/row.

[Elb]

ninjin, i would prefer not having that information, as it takes away from an important but annoying part of the game - rebellions. Provinces need to be able to keep intel they want to themselves.

As dharan has said, ingame tools would be great for new people. But I also agree you dont want people to then never fail an attack because the game says to send exactly what is needed. Ingame guide/wiki linking to 'useful 3rd party tools' would be a good intermediate step.

[SpoiledTechie]

ninjin, Since I am the new developer of pimp I would ask you to make that same suggestion inside the new pimp and Ill look into it and most likely start working on. Its extremely easy to export into Excel. Just tell me what you want and I can't see why I wouldnt do it.

Thanks Sean and Brian. Ill still continue working on pimp. Hopefully I can work faster than you guys can always staying ahead of the game with more advanced features!! lol.

[DHaran]

ninjin, i would prefer not having that information, as it takes away from an important but annoying part of the game - rebellions. Provinces need to be able to keep intel they want to themselves.

Ingame pimp features would need to be optional. Of course the game wouldn't auto-add intel from provinces to be seen my the monarch, that is too much power.

[Ezzerland]

Regarding the council of elders concept.

Let me say, you're better off with the alternative. Not because people will make decisions to benefit them or etc, but because of how they would be chosen, and their perception of fellow concepts. It's honestly in your best interest to change the forum layout, making the suggestions thread a forum section, with multiple threads within that allows for a real flow of directed information. For example, a thread called "Races and Personalities" where users only discuss possible changes to races and personalities. Another called "Relations system" where people can discuss things like war effects and after war effects. What you need after that is simple. Moderators to keep things in proper places, and someone to overview the suggestions and report back. Who the over-viewer is, should be sensible enough to understand concept, and not take the idea's fully for what they are. If a concept of an idea is good, focus on it, change the variables and dynamic as needed, but curve it into a proper suggestion in a report back. Bluntly, that needs to be either an intelligent player with the ability to make such decisions, or you (sean and brian).


In question form: Will you consider focusing the forum in a more organized an proper manner for future suggestions? Do you have that power?

[Lydias]

Sorry about the typo - now corrected :)

[Mourhelm]

It's honestly in your best interest to change the forum layout, making the suggestions thread a forum section, with multiple threads within that allows for a real flow of directed information.

I think that a section for directed discussion from the developers or just sticky threads will be enough.

I think the development process should work like this:

1. Open a forum section/sticky a thread on a specific subject that you're looking at and ask for suggestions.
2. Sum up the suggestions and post the conclusions you came to. ask for input on implementation.
3. Sum up input on implementation and implement.
4. Test on the Genesis server.
5. Tweak the implementation after testing and retest on Genesis or move to WoL.

[Toadi]

Your #1 and #2 would work if threads were not polluted by all these with very little clue about Utopia. Every time developpers asked for feedback, the few relevant suggestions where hidden within 25 pages of crap.

[Mourhelm]

That's because the the threads requesting for suggestions had no direction and didn't promote discussion.

If you ask for race changes you'll get "25 pages of crap". If you'll ask for a suggestions about changing a specific race to achieve a specific goal, you'll get a more directed discussion with a lot less "crap".