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Author Topic: Nice game - some early feedback  (Read 7834 times)

Negator_UK

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Nice game - some early feedback
« on: May 01, 2008, 10:26:56 am »
Howdy.

Just downloaded this game and run so far to the end of May (in game) and its GREAT !!! Definitely in the league of oldie XCOM, as good as Apocalypse, only eclipsed by TFTD itself. FAR better than the Aftermath poo we were fed a few years ago.

The game works well on my Core2 1MB XP system.

One criticism I would make is the text emaily based ufopaedia is very wordy and difficult to plough through when one is trying to learn the game - 3 pages on the basic auto pistol being the extreme case, but I didn't make through all of it..

Still overall,  well done - you should be selling it ;)

Offline blondandy

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Re: Nice game - some early feedback
« Reply #1 on: May 01, 2008, 12:08:00 pm »
I agree, it would be nice if a bit more real estate was devoted to the text. perhaps a smaller font.

don't tell winter, but I also think that some of the entries are a trifle verbose.

Offline BTAxis

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Re: Nice game - some early feedback
« Reply #2 on: May 01, 2008, 01:06:18 pm »
The general philosophy is that the UFOpaedia text makes the world more immersive. The setup is that people who want to read it get something readworthy, while people who don't can just look at the box that has all the stats for the weapon.

Of course, that doesn't apply to storyline writeups. But do you really want the story to be told in bouts of five sentences at a time?

Offline Winter

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Re: Nice game - some early feedback
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2008, 07:57:29 pm »
We've always been playing about with the idea of a checkbox somewhere that toggles 'long' and 'short' UFOpaedia entries, with long entries being the ones we have now, and short ones giving you a quick overview in no more than one paragraph. Unfortunately somebody needs to write the short ones and I really haven't been able to take on the extra work.

How about a volunteer, blondandy? ;)

Regards,
Winter

Negator_UK

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Re: Nice game - some early feedback
« Reply #4 on: May 02, 2008, 10:47:04 pm »
I might volunteer myself, although I'm hopefully going hiking for a week next week.

I'm still playing the game though so I don't want it spoiling for me until after I'm done, unless it can't be finished yet, inwhich case I would rather stop now.

Cheers.

Jagger

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Re: Nice game - some early feedback
« Reply #5 on: May 04, 2008, 12:10:29 pm »
Short UFOPaedia entries? I may give it a go too, if multiple people do, you can pick and mix the best.

Negator_UK

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Re: Nice game - some early feedback
« Reply #6 on: May 04, 2008, 12:30:58 pm »
You'd need to ensure some editorial control in order to keep the style constent for multiple writers, but it would certainly help spread the labour.

Offline Winter

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Re: Nice game - some early feedback
« Reply #7 on: May 04, 2008, 01:28:30 pm »
I'd be doing the editing.

Regards,
Winter

Jagger

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Re: Nice game - some early feedback
« Reply #8 on: May 05, 2008, 08:06:40 am »
And now to show my tomnoobery, where are the ufopedia entries kept so that I can create new ones? Or do I just go to the wiki, find existing ones, and use the discussion pages to propose shortened versions?

Offline Winter

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Re: Nice game - some early feedback
« Reply #9 on: May 05, 2008, 09:17:57 am »
And now to show my tomnoobery, where are the ufopedia entries kept so that I can create new ones? Or do I just go to the wiki, find existing ones, and use the discussion pages to propose shortened versions?

What I would do is read all the UFOpaedia articles from the wiki, write your short versions in a file format that I can read (i.e. no Word please), and then take them to me. Makes it easier to keep all the editing straight rather than making me hunt through the wiki for changes.

Regards,
Winter

Negator_UK

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Re: Nice game - some early feedback
« Reply #10 on: May 05, 2008, 12:07:35 pm »
I'd be interested in writing some of them too, but would like to start from the existing entries - Is it possible to get copies of them ?

I've downloaded the SVN repository, so if they exist in there plz advise of the path.

Anything I submit will be a notepad .txt file.

Cheers.

Offline Dandadandan

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Re: Nice game - some early feedback
« Reply #11 on: May 05, 2008, 03:48:30 pm »
Just got into this game in the last week, was tipped off by my brother who knows I've always been a big fan of the original but was left somewhat disappointed by all the follow-ups. I think you've done an excellent job of creating a similar atmosphere which was the biggest part that made the original such an addictive game.

Its been so long since I've played the original and I've only been playing this a few days so there's only a few of things I'm missing...

Destructible walls... yeah its been said. From what I've read it can't be done with the game engine being used. Thats a damn shame... I used to love making my own doors into buildings... especially when the provided entrances were a couple turns walk away.

At the end of each month I recall there used to be a screen that popped up with a shady looking guy holding your briefcase full of cash...  I really liked that. It also showed you graphs of your performance reviews from each region I think... but yeah, instead of just showing the short administrative expenses message at each months end, maybe include a pop up window with all the info we used to get.

UFOs don't ever land anywhere! Maybe its too soon in my game... but I never see them landing...

Chairs... why can't I shoot over them. That really frustrated me, one time I was standing not 3 feet from an alien with naught but a dining table and some chairs between us and my full auto machine gun burst was completely stopped by a small wooden chair... silly.

Those are the only problems I can think of right now... I'm still loving the game, great work guys n gals can't wait for the next update!

Dan


Jagger

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Re: Nice game - some early feedback
« Reply #12 on: May 08, 2008, 03:49:34 am »
I'll be working on this slowly due to lack of free time (Work, you know how it is, I'm opening the store both days of the weekend, work well into the afternoon).

Of course, I'll be going one article at a time, currently working on Taman Autopsy report, as they're so well written I'm hesistant to remove too much, at current rate, they may be half sized.

I can export as .txt files if you want, or any format you prefer (Zip's containing entire groups, i.e. autopsies, balistic weapons, lasers etc.?) or post them in the forum for feedback (Only smaller ones).

Initially I'll post the current one for feedback, and a statement as to wether I should continue at all (All writing work I've done has always been initially edited, then peer reviewed, so it wont be polished).

Alright, I've done the Taman Autopsy, Reduced from 829 words, 4992 characters to 457 words, 2851 characters (Trivia, Long version, average word length, 6.0 letters, my edit, average word length 6.3)

As I read the long ones when playing, (And again when rewriting of course) I do feel it reduces the quality of it, but the point was changing it from something beautiful and ignored, to something precise and convenient.

Also, I just edited the original, I didn't rewrite from scratch (Which would produce something considerably different in writing style, and would be harder to edit for consistency)

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Jagger

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Re: Nice game - some early feedback
« Reply #13 on: May 08, 2008, 03:57:56 am »
I see now you said "No more than one paragraph"

I guess I'll write ultra-short ones (Aswell, or only) whereupon it gives you just the facts of the results. Best way to tackle to Tmaans, nothing on biology or structure, or even why. I guess I'll do that now, give you more to compare :)

98 words, 610 characters, ave word length 6.2.

Surely you can read a mere hundred words, all it does is state effective of different weapons.
Feedback? Is this sort of thing preferred?

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Offline Doctor J

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Re: Nice game - some early feedback
« Reply #14 on: May 10, 2008, 07:54:14 am »
The general philosophy is that the UFOpaedia text makes the world more immersive. The setup is that people who want to read it get something readworthy, while people who don't can just look at the box that has all the stats for the weapon.

I think the OP commented that the text for a starting weapon contains a lot of repetitive stuff that doesn't apply to weapon [like the history of Mumbai, etc.].  IMHO, your eyes glaze over if you try to look up more than one weapon in a row.  I would like to suggest that all those initial weapon descriptions just briefly mention the Excalibur program and give a hotlink to that.  Anything so important that it has to be repeated multiple times should have it's own entry in the database.