commons@Sunburn.Stanford.EDU (Peter Commons) (06/01/91)
Just thought I'd chime in here to say a couple things: 1) Thanks a lot; I really appreciate the suggestions. Keep any new thoughts coming. 2) Some people have suggested using 7.0 toolbox stuff. That's a problem, as we'll definitely want it to run on Plusses using 6.0. 3) I kind of like the elegance of the fact that Spaceward Ho! is not so complex that it takes three weeks just to learn how to play it. If I added every feature people suggested (eg. doubling the number of techs, etc.), it might lose a bit of that charm. Thoughts? Please keep posting to the newsgroup rather than replying to me. -- Peter Commons commons@cs.stanford.edu Computer Science Department, Stanford University
wildfire@aix01.aix.rpi.edu (Douglas B Rusch) (06/01/91)
I just wanted to respond to the problem of complex rules. I agree that the game should be basic enough to learn very quickly. But having played Spaceward Ho! dozens or so times, I would like there to be a little more to it. Thats why I think there should be many options or levels of play. There should be a level where Spaceward Ho! is now, so that beginners can quickly get a feel for the game. But I would there to be more variations to play against. Right now, I think that once you have mastered the economics of the game, you've basically mastered all that there is. The strategy is simple, you basically butt heads until the weaker side is dead. There is little room to creatively win the war. Also, there are no tactics, all the battles are out of the realm of the player. While adding things that make the game more intricate will also increase play time, increase turn complexity, slow down the computer players, and be hell on the programmers, they may be just what a particular player is looking for. wildfire@aix.rpi.edu .
conty@cbnewsl.att.com (The Conty) (06/01/91)
In article <1991May31.185541.9033@neon.Stanford.EDU>, commons@Sunburn.Stanford.EDU (Peter Commons) writes: > > 3) I kind of like the elegance of the fact that Spaceward Ho! is not so > complex that it takes three weeks just to learn how to play it. If I added > every feature people suggested (eg. doubling the number of techs, etc.), it > might lose a bit of that charm. Thoughts? Agreed. I'll choose good gameplay over "detail" and "realism" any day. I'd still like to have a "retreat" option, tho. :-) -- E n r i q u e C o n t y The Amazing Man-With-No-Life jester@ihlpl.att.com
johnsone@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu (Erik A. Johnson) (06/01/91)
commons@Sunburn.Stanford.EDU (Peter Commons) writes: >Just thought I'd chime in here to say a couple things: > >2) Some people have suggested using 7.0 toolbox stuff. That's a problem, as > we'll definitely want it to run on Plusses using 6.0. How difficult is it to check at launch for System 7? If it is there, have the capability to do Balloon Help, etc. If Sys 7 is not there ... take appropriate action, do not use Sys 7 stuff. Erik A. Johnson, Graduate Student \ Internet: johnsone@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering \ University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign \ AmericaOnline: ErikAJ
brendan@cs.uq.oz.au (Brendan Mahony) (06/03/91)
In <1991May31.185541.9033@neon.Stanford.EDU> commons@Sunburn.Stanford.EDU (Peter Commons) writes: >3) I kind of like the elegance of the fact that Spaceward Ho! is not so > complex that it takes three weeks just to learn how to play it. If I added > every feature people suggested (eg. doubling the number of techs, etc.), it > might lose a bit of that charm. Thoughts? A lot can be done in this area by adding some artificial intelligence style rule bases. Let fleets and planets etc be run by their rule base. Provide some standard rule bases that essentially make these objects work the way they do now, but also let the players define their own rule bases. This way beginners could play games against experts, probably they would lose but at least they can play. This would also speed up play as the player could automate a lot of things that have to be repeated regularly. Some examples of rule sets might be: Control the colonization and exploitation of a planet. Players could try out various economic and political techniques. Control the tactics and objectives of a fleet in a space battle. This would allow players to try out various tactics, formations and fleet compositions to see what they find suits them. In any case you could add all the complexity you liked to the game and players could take notice of it or not, depending on what interests them and their level of familiarity with the game. -- Brendan Mahony | brendan@batserver.cs.uq.oz Department of Computer Science | heretic: someone who disgrees with you University of Queensland | about something neither of you knows Australia | anything about.
johna@intacc.uucp (John Allen) (06/05/91)
I've been following this exchange about the new version of Spaceward Ho with rapt attention and growing frustration. This sounds like one of the best games on the Macintosh and I can't find it anywhere. I have over twenty Mac games and only a handful I warrant could keep up this interest in another version. So will somebody please send me an address of the software maker or distributor so that I can order either new version or the old version or both. Thanks a lot.