djohnson@beowulf.ucsd.edu (Darin Johnson) (10/13/89)
The other day, while playing populous, I ran across something I had never seen before (after 15 or so conquests). I was looking over the enemies territory, when into view flew a guy on a flying carpet! Does anyone know what/who this is, and why I never saw it before? Darin Johnson djohnson@ucsd.edu
jac423@leah.Albany.Edu (Jules Cisek) (10/20/89)
In article <7234@sdcsvax.UCSD.Edu>, djohnson@beowulf.ucsd.edu (Darin Johnson) writes: > The other day, while playing populous, I ran across something I had > never seen before (after 15 or so conquests). I was looking over > the enemies territory, when into view flew a guy on a flying carpet! > Does anyone know what/who this is, and why I never saw it before? Yeah, that game is so neat. The guy on the carpet plants trees in three rows across his path. There's also a monster thing that makes rocks. I'm sure there's other things too... -- Fight | // Julius A. Cisek jac423,jules |Don't Like a| \X/ ->crunch<- SUNYA, NY USA @leah.albany.edu | Be a Brave | IB...M I do think it's good... |Slave
cfg@grad10.cs.duke.edu (Christopher F. Gandy) (10/22/89)
In article <7234@sdcsvax.UCSD.Edu> djohnson@beowulf.UCSD.EDU (Darin Johnson) writes: >The other day, while playing populous, I ran across something I had >never seen before (after 15 or so conquests). I was looking over >the enemies territory, when into view flew a guy on a flying carpet! >Does anyone know what/who this is, and why I never saw it before? Similarly, I was playing a few days ago when a green "blob-like" creature with two two-fingered arms strolled across the screen. In its wake it left swampland for both sets of people to fall into. Since I have seen nothing like this (or the flying carpet) before or since, I was wondering who else has seen them, and whether they are peculiar to a specific battle number, world type, etc.? Anyone know anything about these? -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- * I won't grow up, not a penny will I pinch | Department of Computer Science, * I will never grow a moustache, or a | Duke University, * fraction of an inch. | Durham, NC 27706 * Cause growing up is awfuller than all the | * awful things that ever were. | ARPA: cfg@cs.duke.edu * I won't grow up, never grow up..... | CSNET: cfg@duke * Not ME! (P. Pan & cfg) | UUCP: decvax!duke!cfg -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
evgabb@sdrc.UUCP (rob gabbard) (10/23/89)
In article <2103@leah.Albany.Edu>, jac423@leah.Albany.Edu (Jules Cisek) writes: > Yeah, that game is so neat. The guy on the carpet plants trees in three > rows across his path. There's also a monster thing that makes rocks. I'm I've also come across a "swamp monster" that creates swamps. Looks somewhat like Slimer from Ghostbusters. -- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Rob Gabbard (uunet!sdrc!evgabb) _ /| Workstation Systems Programmer \'o.O' Structural Dynamics Research Corporation =(___)= U =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
mark.fielding@canremote.uucp (MARK FIELDING) (10/25/89)
Re: a guy on a flying carpet You witnessed the Population Control entity. Populous deploys it once it detects an overflow in population. Are you sure this was'nt presented to you in the documentation? * QNet 1.03a2: Pokey's Place Winnipeg, MB (204) 253-1342 (HST) <<SmartNet>>
usenet@cps3xx.UUCP (Usenet file owner) (11/10/89)
In article <89110303365783@masnet.uucp> mark.fielding@canremote.uucp (MARK FIELDING) writes: >Re: a guy on a flying carpet >You witnessed the Population Control entity. Populous deploys >it once it detects an overflow in population. Are you sure >this was'nt presented to you in the documentation? > * QNet 1.03a2: Pokey's Place Winnipeg, MB (204) 253-1342 (HST) <<SmartNet>> If he has the same doc's I do, then yes I'm sure he did not see this in the documentation. I just went cover to cover in my manual, and I found no reference to the "Population Control entity." Furthermore, I saw the big green ugly swamp-making shoggoth scrambling across the screen yesterday... What in the bejeebers was that??? I put the info shield on it and found what I consider to be a bug as the shield turned into some random bit pattern mess while the shield on the corner said he was one of my walkers. Are there any other nasty surprises waiting for me? I believe this happened on 58... Dave Buchthal P.S. My manual's last page number is 30 and has a few more pages, unnumbered after that. Does someone have something more?
hinker@nmtvax.nmt.edu (Paul Hinker) (11/11/89)
In article <5328@cps3xx.UUCP>, usenet@cps3xx.UUCP (Usenet file owner) writes: > In article <89110303365783@masnet.uucp> mark.fielding@canremote.uucp (MARK FIELDING) writes: > >Re: a guy on a flying carpet > >You witnessed the Population Control entity. Populous deploys > >it once it detects an overflow in population. Are you sure > >this was'nt presented to you in the documentation? > > * QNet 1.03a2: Pokey's Place Winnipeg, MB (204) 253-1342 (HST) <<SmartNet>> > If he has the same doc's I do, then yes I'm sure he did not see this > in the documentation. I just went cover to cover in my manual, and > I found no reference to the "Population Control entity." Furthermore, > I saw the big green ugly swamp-making shoggoth scrambling across the > screen yesterday... What in the bejeebers was that??? I put the info > shield on it and found what I consider to be a bug as the shield turned > into some random bit pattern mess while the shield on the corner said > he was one of my walkers. Are there any other nasty surprises waiting > for me? I believe this happened on 58... I've seen both of these guys a number of times (can't remember which worlds) The thing that gets me is that I've yet to see one of these 'population control entity's' pass through the computer's settled land. To be honest, I've been totally unsatisfied with the game. First, the computer doesn't seem to be restricted to the rules for each specific world. He can raise and lower land anywhere regardless of where his people and buildings are. Also, he produces people and manna much faster than I even when (supposedly) my rate is higher (I've timed this very carefully). The code is full of bugs, I've run into the random bit pattern thing with both the tree planting, flying carpet riding wizard and the Swamp Thing. Several times the program up and died right in the middle of the game for no other apparent reason than I was winning. I've gotten to level 156 so this isn't just complaining because I can't beat the game. Just once I'd like to buy a game for my Ami where I don't feel like I've gotten ripped off. Aside from Dungeon Master I haven't found anything that even begins to be worth what they're asking. Where's ELITE II. I think I'll go back to my C64. Fed up with low quality software. --Paul Hinker
akcs.dfrancis@tronsbox.UUCP (Dennis Francis Heffernan) (12/08/89)
I have seen the "Control Entities" cut through the computer settled
areas- in fact, they usually just cut across one row, obliterating anything
in their path. Seems to be random as to which row.
I agree that Populous is not as great as it's cracked up to be. I lost
interest after I noticed the computer cheating. I might regain interest if
I find an opponent to play against via modem...but I'm almost certain to buy
a GVP 030 card in a day or so, and I've heard the game doesn't like 020's
and 030's. Meaning it will probably end up in my "disks to be formatted"
pile.
RE finding good games: I've never been disappointed with a CinemaWare
entry. SimCity is great, too, as is Swords of Twilight, esp. if you have
friends to adventure with.samuel@kvasir.cs.cornell.edu (Samuel M. Weber) (12/09/89)
In article <[257f4c08:2343.3]comp.sys.amiga;1@tronsbox.UUCP> akcs.dfrancis@tronsbox.UUCP (Dennis Francis Heffernan) writes: > > I agree that Populous is not as great as it's cracked up to be. I lost >interest after I noticed the computer cheating. I might regain interest if Are you sure the computer was cheating? I thought so too, until I found that I was able to do the same things. It seems that there are some amiguities in the rules, and some exceptions. For example, I found that even when you can only build on towns, you can still build when only a knight is on-screen. The computer seems to do this a lot. Also, once the computer flooded, and my leader was left to drown with no settlements nearby. However, even though I could only build on towns, I was able to rescue my leader! Apparently in desparate circumstances the rules are relaxed. So, not only the computer can do these things. -- Sam Weber "I never think of money, I think of milk and honey, samuel@cs.cornell.edu Grinnin' like a cheshire cat!" --The Muppet Movie
me@karl.pcs.com (Michael Elbel) (12/12/89)
In article <35005@cornell.UUCP> samuel@kvasir.cs.cornell.edu (Samuel M. Weber) writes:
For example, I found that even when you can only build on towns, you can
still build when only a knight is on-screen. The computer seems to do this
a lot. Also, once the computer flooded, and my leader was left to drown
with no settlements nearby. However, even though I could only build on
towns, I was able to rescue my leader! Apparently in desparate circumstances
the rules are relaxed. So, not only the computer can do these things.
More exactly, you always can built one level of land, if at least one of your
guys is around. For instance, if you want to send your leader to the com-
puter's towns across the water, go ahead.
You just have to place the magnet in his land, and keep on building land
in front of your leader's feet.
But I found out something, the computer can do, and I can't.
He seems to be able to remove rocks from volcanos without creating a
spot of water. Has anybody found out under wich circumstances one can do that?
Michael
--
Michael (X) Elbel - me@dude.PCS.COM for the World, me@dude.PCS.DE for Europew-stephm@microsoft.UUCP (Stephan Mueller) (12/15/89)
In article <35005@cornell.UUCP> samuel@cs.cornell.edu (Samuel M. Weber) writes: >For example, I found that even when you can only build on towns, you can >still build when only a knight is on-screen. The computer seems to do this >a lot. Also, once the computer flooded, and my leader was left to drown >with no settlements nearby. However, even though I could only build on >towns, I was able to rescue my leader! Apparently in desparate circumstances >the rules are relaxed. So, not only the computer can do these things. The same rule appears to be applicable at all times, it's just a bit more complicated than the documentation describes. I've found that you can build land at level 1 (ie. one step above sea level) any time you have a walker on the screen and that walker is at level one or below. stephan("You can tune a piano, but you can't armadillo");