Mechanics

[Guest Spongebob]

Before I start on this subject I would just like point out the Sponge does have a serious side so on here no more Sponge Bashing, this is too serious a subject to drag into the gutter.

 

Now...

 

I have seen a great number of compelling ideas and wish lists of what players would like to see in the game. I however would like to bring us all back to the real world.

 

What skills does Russ have to carry this off? V1's programmer is long gone, no disrespect intended Russ

What computer is to be used? PC / Mac

What language? C++, VB, Pascal,

How will the game run? as before or all on the same day?

 

There are many practical questions that need to be answered; a plan in place, there may by many of us who can help in the overall design / programming of the new code. We may be-able to help with some of the repetitive tasks such as the map being placed into a new database. There are languages and facilities that can be utilised to allow joint collaboration on the project.

 

My thoughts are a database driven, VB6 project with turns processed on the same day for all players. VB allows itself to procedural programming, if the core is designed correctly, new rules written and a database created for all aspects then individual programmers can be given the task of writing each procedure.

 

Just a thought but if anyone has other ideas on the practical aspects of the design then please air them

 

Finally, the design should be simple, all these wonderful ideas can be incorporated as the game progresses, and the procedural aspect of the code will allow new subs to be called to expand the game, the code and the complexity. Get the basics right and up and running then expand on the design. Design is the key or you will end up in a few years with code as restrictive as the first.

[DaveM]

Any design must be based on soft coding rules in a database. This allows easy updates and the ability to maintain and refresh rule sets easily.

 

I also would agree that a well known programming language like VB6 would be more useful than more specialist languages - not that if would be more effective but it would be easier to maintain going forward. I am no proponent of VB6 but see the sense.

 

I'd also like to see a GUI based offering. with context sensitive provinces revealing what is known about them as well as notes for reference. If possible additional updates can be added - such as pre-agreed lines between allies in target countries.

 

I'd like to see automation around running turn orders and submissions - and assume that such should lower per turn cost.

 

I'd like to see a static per turn cost - given high automation should minimise the overall cost.

 

I understand the need to restrict number of orders per turn. I'd like to see a mechanism however not to limit the number of orders per turn but to havea command limit. I'd see this working not on an order number but on the order type. So say a command reference of 60 till T15. OMG cost 1, MCR cost 0.5, AIC cost 0.25, BFDU cost 0.5 etc.

 

I tend to favour the seperation of turn being run by country over the tech period. This allows for flexibility. Automation can still occur within the contect of different run dates. I'd like some further clarity over when on a day they run where countries co-incide. I'd like a bidding system to take the initiative (or not) perhaps costing morale.

 

In this day and age I see no reason why the game does not go internet only (no postal turns). I agree that some people may not use the internet but are such people really likely to play a wargame PBM of this complexity and cost and not have access to the Internet?

 

I'm sure that there have been plenty of offers of help. I can offer my own of course.

[Guest Spongebob]

GUI interface and internet only would in my opinion be part of the expanded game, I feel the priority is to get the code up and running in a playable fashion before expanding. However also make the code expandable for the GUI and Internet in the future.

[DessertFox]

Before I start on this subject I would just like point out the Sponge does have a serious side so on here no more Sponge Bashing, this is too serious a subject to drag into the gutter.

 

Now...

 

I have seen a great number of compelling ideas and wish lists of what players would like to see in the game. I however would like to bring us all back to the real world.

 

What skills does Russ have to carry this off? V1's programmer is long gone, no disrespect intended Russ

What computer is to be used? PC / Mac

What language? C++, VB, Pascal,

How will the game run? as before or all on the same day?

 

There are many practical questions that need to be answered; a plan in place, there may by many of us who can help in the overall design / programming of the new code. We may be-able to help with some of the repetitive tasks such as the map being placed into a new database. There are languages and facilities that can be utilised to allow joint collaboration on the project.

 

My thoughts are a database driven, VB6 project with turns processed on the same day for all players. VB allows itself to procedural programming, if the core is designed correctly, new rules written and a database created for all aspects then individual programmers can be given the task of writing each procedure.

 

Just a thought but if anyone has other ideas on the practical aspects of the design then please air them

 

Finally, the design should be simple, all these wonderful ideas can be incorporated as the game progresses, and the procedural aspect of the code will allow new subs to be called to expand the game, the code and the complexity. Get the basics right and up and running then expand on the design. Design is the key or you will end up in a few years with code as restrictive as the first.

I agree on a GUI and Internet but not on processing on the same day, and i would like to use a more uptodate programming language like VB.Net.

[Hamish]

I disagree on a GUI. Not only is it so much more work, I also think it's part of the fun to translate your text print-out into nice maps, tables, diagrams or whatever you want to do with them.

The hardware, operating system and programming language is entirely up to RTG. We as players should not care what language the program is written in, unless RTG wants our help writing the actual code. In that case I would say VB.NET because that's what I can do. And also because VB 2008 Express is free and relatively easy to learn.

Internet only is very much a RTG business decision. I have no idea how many people are still submitting their turns through snail-mail, if you decide to go Internet only, you may cut off these customers entirely.