justin@county.oz.au (Justin Beech) (01/29/91)
I have played powermonger on and off now for a while, and have also been reading with interest the comments on it in c.s.a.g. Here is my contribution: FUSTRATIONS * The window dismiss box is almost useless, and especially fustrating when the window covers the query icon so you cant use right button to get rid of all windows. Window move routine is too slow to be usefull, compounding the problem. Pressing dismiss with query ON re-queries whatever is _under_ the dismiss button. Windows too big to leave lying around. * No undo icon. Disaster when you miss an icon by one, hitting disband accidentally is particularly depressing! * Problem 'choosing' things, particularly when lots of things are in the area, or the terrain is steep - choice seems to go 'through' the terrain. Laborious work picking up lots of things, for instance boats. (is there an easier way?) * Current general should be highlighted more effectively, can really stuff things up if you dont continually check which general is receiving the orders. * Water is pain without boats. Even a little bit of water can split your army and quick action is needed if the lost contingent is not to give up and wander off. * High territory requires zooming out. Zooming out means its difficult to carefully point at things and position your army. arrrrgh! * The 'yeah' volume feature is pointless. It simply doesnt work. * General rough edges: no extra disk drive, pausing doesnt turn off sound, cant pick a destination on the land to move to unless it is a landmark or something - forced to use the mini-map. GAMEPLAY COMMENTS: * Whether you win or lose a map depends too much on which towns you take first, and this is guesswork the first time round. If you choose the correct 'route', then you can sweep up the population in advance of the enemy - choose wrongly and you are likely to lose. True? * Other generals are only really usefull for spying. What good is it to split your army in half given the way conflicts are best fought by out-numbering, and given the delay in commanding by pigeon. * Some maps your troops all have bows, sometimes not, why? * Determining the health of your troops is a pain. I tend to pick someone at random, and hope they are representative! * Troops leave too quickly when the food runs out. I mean they leave in _droves_. Very annoying when you are just seconds from a sheep/town or whatever. QUESTIONS: * Bugs in balance-of-power symbol?, sometimes it changes alarmingly when just a few people are killed. Maybe generals are worth more than troops? * Inventing things: Sometimes people work for ages without producing anything... why? * How do you give food to your own villages from your food stocks? * Can you destroy buildings in a village you own? (scorched earth) * Food blue-bar only represents around 500 food. Killing extra sheep doesnt seem to increase the real total. Grabbing food stores _does_. Maybe the trick is to kill sheep, dump the food, kill more, dump more and then pick it all up again. Any ideas? * How do you get sheep to follow you? is it just luck, like if you manage to recruit the shepard? Despite all this, this game is *fun*. I have spent an absolute fortune on amiga games in search of something lasting, and only powermonger and DM have proved to be long term stayers. Has anyone tried the linked-amiga option? Is it fun? Any ideas for expansion disks? A slightly less feudal society would be interesting..... -- Justin Beech - County Natwest Pty Ltd (justin@synth.county.oz) UUCP: uunet!synth.county.oz.au!justin INTERNET:justin@synth.county.oz.au
s117986@lehtori.tut.fi (Salmij{rvi Janne) (01/29/91)
From article <1991Jan28.231935.7383@county.oz.au>, by justin@county.oz.au (Justin Beech): > > have proved to be long term stayers. Has anyone tried the linked-amiga > option? Is it fun? > -- > Justin Beech - County Natwest Pty Ltd (justin@synth.county.oz) > UUCP: uunet!synth.county.oz.au!justin > INTERNET:justin@synth.county.oz.au I linked two amigas together with my friend last weekend just to play Powermonger and it was fun (at least for me). Too bad he didn't know how to play so we didn't play for long, BUT... We played Populous for almost 8 hours and it sure was fun so PM should also be great fun against a real human 'enemy'. Almost all games are more fun against your friend... It sure is worth trying... Could someone post here or directly to me a list of games that support link option.. (Powerdrome, Stunt Car Racer, Pop. , PM and some flysims... are there any else worth trying ?) -- **************************************** * Janne Salmij{rvi * s117986@cc.tut.fi * ****************************************
2fmlempire@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu (01/30/91)
In article <1991Jan28.231935.7383@county.oz.au>, justin@county.oz.au (Justin Beech) writes: > I have played powermonger on and off now for a while, and have also been > reading with interest the comments on it in c.s.a.g. Here is my contribution: > > FUSTRATIONS > > * The window dismiss box is almost useless, and especially fustrating > when the window covers the query icon so you cant use right button to > get rid of all windows. Window move routine is too slow to be usefull, > compounding the problem. Pressing dismiss with query ON re-queries > whatever is _under_ the dismiss button. Windows too big to leave lying > around. > I just use the right mouse button on the question mark to get rid of windows, its much easier. > * No undo icon. Disaster when you miss an icon by one, hitting disband > accidentally is particularly depressing! > You have to be more careful...:-) > * Problem 'choosing' things, particularly when lots of things are in the > area, or the terrain is steep - choice seems to go 'through' the terrain. > Laborious work picking up lots of things, for instance boats. (is there > an easier way?) > I noticed the same thing. Zooming in what you want to pick up sometimes makes it easier to grab it. If you want to pick up a mess of boats, try killing that particular army in a town so all boats left behind are added to the towns stock. > * Current general should be highlighted more effectively, can really stuff > things up if you dont continually check which general is receiving the > orders. > > * Water is pain without boats. Even a little bit of water can split your > army and quick action is needed if the lost contingent is not to give > up and wander off. > I agree, its highly annoying not to be able to pick a specific spot on the landscape and tell them GO HERE! > * High territory requires zooming out. Zooming out means its difficult to > carefully point at things and position your army. arrrrgh! > > * The 'yeah' volume feature is pointless. It simply doesnt work. > > * General rough edges: no extra disk drive, pausing doesnt turn off > sound, cant pick a destination on the land to move to unless it is a > landmark or something - forced to use the mini-map. > > GAMEPLAY COMMENTS: > > * Whether you win or lose a map depends too much on which towns you take > first, and this is guesswork the first time round. If you choose the > correct 'route', then you can sweep up the population in advance of > the enemy - choose wrongly and you are likely to lose. True? > Well, the guesswork is supposed to be "strategy" in this case. Each island is unique puzzle and you need to figure out how to solve it. > * Other generals are only really usefull for spying. What good is it to > split your army in half given the way conflicts are best fought by > out-numbering, and given the delay in commanding by pigeon. > Yup, generals to me anyway are totally useless except for spying. Trying to manipulate more than one General (with time delays) is a major pain. > * Some maps your troops all have bows, sometimes not, why? > Each island is different, so you start off with different supplies, like the # of men, what kind of weapons, how much food, boats, etc. > * Determining the health of your troops is a pain. I tend to pick someone > at random, and hope they are representative! > The health of your Captain is the most important. > * Troops leave too quickly when the food runs out. I mean they leave in > _droves_. Very annoying when you are just seconds from a sheep/town or > whatever. > I've had this happen a few times... > QUESTIONS: > > * Bugs in balance-of-power symbol?, sometimes it changes alarmingly when > just a few people are killed. Maybe generals are worth more than troops? > When a significant portion of your army (or his) is killed or driven off the battlefield that represents a swing in power over the people. > * Inventing things: Sometimes people work for ages without producing > anything... why? > You got me, if they aren't inventing I just issue the command again and usually that gets them in gear. > * How do you give food to your own villages from your food stocks? > There is an icon for this... > * Can you destroy buildings in a village you own? (scorched earth) > Yes, with the catapault or cannon. > * Food blue-bar only represents around 500 food. Killing extra sheep doesnt > seem to increase the real total. Grabbing food stores _does_. Maybe the > trick is to kill sheep, dump the food, kill more, dump more and then pick > it all up again. Any ideas? > You can have more than 500 food, just check that status of your captain and see how much food he has. I've had several thousand food before. And killing sheep increases your food supply by 200, no matter how much food you have already. > * How do you get sheep to follow you? is it just luck, like if you manage to > recruit the shepard? > I think the shepherd thing is the reason. > Despite all this, this game is *fun*. I have spent an absolute fortune on > amiga games in search of something lasting, and only powermonger and DM > have proved to be long term stayers. Has anyone tried the linked-amiga > option? Is it fun? > Haven't had a chance. > Any ideas for expansion disks? A slightly less feudal society would be > interesting..... Something like the Populous disks maybe (new terrain...) > -- > Justin Beech - County Natwest Pty Ltd (justin@synth.county.oz) > UUCP: uunet!synth.county.oz.au!justin > INTERNET:justin@synth.county.oz.au David Poland 2fmlempire@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu
bard@jessica.stanford.edu (David Hopper) (01/30/91)
In article <28224.27a5764e@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu> 2fmlempire@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu writes: >In article <1991Jan28.231935.7383@county.oz.au>, justin@county.oz.au (Justin Beech) writes: >> * Inventing things: Sometimes people work for ages without producing >> anything... why? >> > >You got me, if they aren't inventing I just issue the command again and >usually that gets them in gear. Make sure you have food in the village you are inventing at. I made this mistake *dozens* of times... Once I dropped some food, *poof*, there was my catapult. >> Justin Beech - County Natwest Pty Ltd (justin@synth.county.oz) >> UUCP: uunet!synth.county.oz.au!justin >> INTERNET:justin@synth.county.oz.au > >David Poland >2fmlempire@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu Dave Hopper | /// Yesterday, CS. | Academic Info Resources | __ /// Today, Anthropology. | Mac & UNIX Sys-Support bard@jessica. | \\\/// | "Somebody get me a job Stanford.EDU | \XX/ Tomorrow: napping in gutters.| with a computer I LIKE"
amhartma@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Andy Hartman - AmigaMan) (01/31/91)
In article <1991Jan30.033406.24251@portia.Stanford.EDU> bard@jessica.stanford.edu (David Hopper) writes: >>> * Inventing things: Sometimes people work for ages without producing >>> anything... why? >>> >> >>You got me, if they aren't inventing I just issue the command again and >>usually that gets them in gear. > >Make sure you have food in the village you are inventing at. I made this >mistake *dozens* of times... Once I dropped some food, *poof*, there was my >catapult. If there is no food in the village, then the people will go right to trying to grow food - no matter what you tell them to do... (BTW, you dangled your participle... 'are inventing _at_' ;-)) >Dave Hopper AMH -- * Andy Hartman | I'd deny half of this crap anyway!| Support the troops * Indiana University | amhartma@silver.ucs.indiana.edu | in Saudi Arabia! * Computer Science | AMHARTMA@rose.ucs.indiana.edu | // Amiga Man *Professional Student| or just "Hey putz!" | \X/ At Large!
edg@ingres.com (Ed Goldman) (02/01/91)
In article <1991Jan28.231935.7383@county.oz.au> : > >I have played powermonger on and off now for a while, and have also been >reading with interest the comments on it in c.s.a.g. Here is my contribution: > >FUSTRATIONS > ... >GAMEPLAY COMMENTS: > ... >QUESTIONS: > ... I basically agree with most of what you say. Plus I'd like to add some comments: Overall I'm kind of disappointed. I'm now 1 territory away from the last in the lower right. There seems to be only 1 strategy: make a catapult or cannon as fast as you can. Once you've got one the rest is a cakewalk. I haven't yet encountered a territory where the opposition has or even attempts to invent more advanced weapons. Once you've got a catapult you can blow the opposition away even when greatly outnumbered. The opposition always seems to just gather men and then head for the next village to capture. I think this game is a lot shallower than it first appears. Although it's playability has been pretty good and I've mostly enjoyed it up to now, it's starting to wear a bit thin. I've found no use for trading, alliances or extra captains ('cept as spies as mentioned above). Why put this into the game if you don't need it? If they put this stuff in, it should be crucial to devising a winning strategy in a lot of the territories. It's not. just my nickel's worth ... -edg-
edg@ingres.com (Ed Goldman) (02/01/91)
In article <1991Jan30.033406.24251@portia.Stanford.EDU> bard@jessica.stanford.edu (David Hopper) writes: >In article <28224.27a5764e@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu> 2fmlempire@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu writes: >>In article <1991Jan28.231935.7383@county.oz.au>, justin@county.oz.au (Justin Beech) writes: > >>> * Inventing things: Sometimes people work for ages without producing >>> anything... why? >>> >> >>You got me, if they aren't inventing I just issue the command again and >>usually that gets them in gear. > >Make sure you have food in the village you are inventing at. I made this >mistake *dozens* of times... Once I dropped some food, *poof*, there was my >catapult. > You can just recruit everyone in the village if your captain has lots of food, and then start inventing. Here's somthing else I've noticed (but maybe it's my imagination): Trying to make a catapult, I put my captain in Agressive. Then invent. They invent. sawing ... hammering ... I wait thru about 15 minutes of this and nothing. Finally there's no more woods. I retried the same thing, except this time I re-issued the Invent command about every 20-30 seconds. Bingo! Catapult after about a minute. -edg-
beckmon@sapphire.idbsu.edu (Jon Beckmon) (02/02/91)
First of all killing sheep seems to increase my food supply much quicker than getting food from stores. I kill every one to find cause I hate it when my army takes off for the hills. Best solution to battle I've found is to find a town you're pretty sure you can take and use passive for your general to take it. As soon as you take it then change your general to Aggressive and take all the food and men and equipment thats in the village with you. I've found that you don't really need to control villages because if the entire village is in your army you can kill whomever stands in your way. Then go to the next village and change to passive before attacking (to spare those pour souls and make them join your fighting force) then change back after winning and take all the goodies again. This system of plundering can get me thru much of the map but I tend to have problems on the screens where you start off with 2 opposing armies attacking you almost simultaneously and you don't have any way to get to villages to recruit more men into your army. Also I too have found that other generals don't seem to serve much purpose as I prefer to have an army with 150 in it as compared to 2 armies of 75 each. I can easily take back any villages the enemy armies may take with a massive force. Also by lootin all villages totally as you go you leave no men, food, or equipment in case another army takes it.
rad@avenger.think.com (Bob Doolittle) (02/02/91)
In article <1991Jan28.231935.7383@county.oz.au> justin@county.oz.au (Justin Beech) writes:
Path: think.com!spool2.mu.edu!samsung!munnari.oz.au!metro!cluster!tmx!synth.county.oz.au!justin
From: justin@county.oz.au (Justin Beech)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.games
Date: 28 Jan 91 23:19:35 GMT
Article-I.D.: county.1991Jan28.231935.7383
Reply-To: justin@synth.UUCP (Justin Beech)
Organization: County Natwest Ltd, Australia
Lines: 89
* Whether you win or lose a map depends too much on which towns you take
first, and this is guesswork the first time round. If you choose the
correct 'route', then you can sweep up the population in advance of
the enemy - choose wrongly and you are likely to lose. True?
True - I think this is a feature, however. Usually, on starting up a new
territory, I spend some time observing who is going where, and where the
enemy bases are. Then I formulate a strategy, restart the map, and take
names.
* Determining the health of your troops is a pain. I tend to pick someone
at random, and hope they are representative!
Yeah - try a few guys, look for the sickest, and wait for him to heal.
This is important - somebody said only the generals health is important.
Not true! Try jumping into a battle immediately after conquering a town
and recruiting guys for your army. The guys from the new town are pretty
beaten up from the previous battle, and will die quickly in the new battle
unless you wait for them to heal first.
Here's a tip nobody has mentioned (that I've seen - I've missed a few). If
you can keep track of the general from the enemy base and kill him off,
all the enemies on that side, all over the map, will go back to their towns
and you can deal with them on a town-by-town basis. You can tell which he
is, in a battle, because he will stay in back with the archers. I've
wondered if I had a spare general with some guys, and had him attack from
the rear, if he could waste the general. Haven't tried it yet. I've taken
to killing enemy generals whenever possible - excellent source of food and
boats.
The best place to use a catapault on the enemy is when they're in the
water, because they group together so nicely. If you keep clicking on the
attack icon, and then on the general in the rear, I find that the chance of
hitting him in particular goes up, and as soon as you do they all give up
and go home (if he's the base general).
Another way to get the general is wait until he attacks some town, then
attack him from the rear. Since he's hanging around back with his other
archers, he is one of the first to die.
The *most* frustrating thing about this game is that the final territory
(lower-right) is incredibly buggy. Just when you get to the end, gurus
occur all the time. I've sent out another message on this subject, though,
and hope to hear that it's my copy or something...