Version 1.2 Main Features Announced

[data2008]

Hello everyone,

these are the main features we will include in the next release 1.2:

- smithore and crystite spoilage to 50
- shop can hold more than 99 units
- assay is free again
- no more deserts
- make first round ranking random

We also have many minor things like Lobby improvement and fixing bugs,
which we will try to included either in this one or a 1.2.1 shortly after.

[trouba]

Great
Is there any ETA for the new release, or the classic one "when it will be ready"?

[data2008]

Let's say January (this year).

[machinus]

Why are you removing deserts?

How much stock can the store hold now?

[Bertoid]

My personal opinion is YAY to the Smithore spoilage, but I liked the deserts and the $50 assay.
The deserts filled out the optimized plots of land of Mountains for Smithore, River for food, Meteorite for Crystite.

However, I can imagine the number of opinions being thrown at the programmers, and you can't make everyone happy.  That said, I am very happy and have been since December 6, and the 50 Smithore limit is so important I'm willing to overlook the other unpleasantries! 

[data2008]

Why are you removing deserts?

If its our aim to be closer to the original, we would have to deactivate the deserts, too.
Same goes for the $50 assay... This is not set in stone, as its merely changing variables,
so we are open for discussion here.

How much stock can the store hold now?

Does anybody know for sure how much the original shop could hold of each good (we are guessing it from the computers being 8bit it was 256), and if that limit applies, if its artifically only or with a good reason to use?

[Tei]

Hope these changes make for a better balance :-)

first round random is awesome.

[Gunnar]

W00t! Looking forward to 1.2!

[Stormdancer]

I agree with a few  - I like the $50 assay, and I think the deserts were a clever addition too.

However... I can also understand the desire to first create a "Clone Of The Original" ... at least as closely as reasonable.

But I do look forward to the new features returning in a 'plus' edition, or something.

[Ramerco]

To try and see about the store limit and the other original details, I played a few rounds of the C64 version.

A few notes about making this more like the original (in order of importance):
1. The wampus should be much harder to catch (he should move faster and you should not catch him as long after he leaves a mountain, you never used to be able to count on catching him easily nearly every turn)
2. The store should have some ore during the first auction turn (it has 8 in the C64 version).  The ore at the start is important, because then by auction turn 3, even when no ore is allowed to  be sold to the store, the price is only 65 or so, unless MULES are wasted.
3. The movement in the land auctions should be much slower, like half as fast
4. The number of plots auctioned per turn can sometimes be 3
5. The time clock should move just a LITTLE faster during your turn.  In the old version it was very difficult to place 3 MULEs.  Now it is quite possible to place 3 (even outer plots), get the wampus and get to the pub. Maybe 2-3% less time during turns.  Just enough to make it possible to do 3 plots that are relatively easy to get to, but not much else.

Also, the store can hold at least 157 units (the one game I played to the late stages was more crystite heavy, so i didn't see really high ore numbers). As far as a limit is concerned, I think some sort of limit is good, but something higher than 99 for sure.  Ideally, there would be some kind of store spoilage.  Following a first in first out model, any ore that has sat around follow a sort of exponential decay.  Say no spoilage the first turn it sits, 1 for 10 the next, 1 for 4 the next, etc.  But that is more for the "enhanced" MULE.  To help the balance now, I think a 256 limit would be nice.

Obviously some of those things are less important than others, and all are based on C64 version.

[Prez]

To try and see about the store limit and the other original details, I played a few rounds of the C64 version.

A few notes about making this more like the original (in order of importance):
1. The wampus should be much harder to catch (he should move faster and you should not catch him as long after he leaves a mountain, you never used to be able to count on catching him easily nearly every turn)

I played a some full games of the C64 version and FULLY agree, also to catch the wampus no need to use the press button, thi allowes to catch him inside the owner plots, also the wampus is to catch until the 11 turn

2. The store should have some ore during the first auction turn (it has 8 in the C64 version).  The ore at the start is important, because then by auction turn 3, even when no ore is allowed to  be sold to the store, the price is only 65 or so, unless MULES are wasted.

Yes!!! Ore is 8 pieces and his value is near the 65, good value

3. The movement in the land auctions should be much slower, like half as fast

I think it is linked to the worst ping value of the players, some times is faster or slower. Can be it adjust  with the worst ping value?
Also the Host (due to the ping value) always win either the land auction and the auction to buy goods, I think a dedicated server will fix this "bug"
Anyway I agree "The movement in the land auctions should be much slower"

4. The number of plots auctioned per turn can sometimes be 3

Yes ....some time it appens.....

5. The time clock should move just a LITTLE faster during your turn.  In the old version it was very difficult to place 3 MULEs.  Now it is quite possible to place 3 (even outer plots), get the wampus and get to the pub. Maybe 2-3% less time during turns.  Just enough to make it possible to do 3 plots that are relatively easy to get to, but not much else.

Agree , but it is due also to the movement speed

I think now it is the time to split the game into two games in one with a choise to have at the start : "C.l.a.s.s.i.c." or "P.l.a.n.e.t." version

A PRIZE to the player who found the better acronym for both the versions :-)

Prez

[NickTheSushi]

- no more deserts

Awww

[mikman]

I'm also disappointed to see the desert plots go, I think it's def a nice addition that was lacking in the original version.

[SuperJoker]

Me too, I like the Deserts and the $50 Assay I can live with, Please keep both, Also how about a bigger map(more squares and maybe some extra time for the extra distance) and either 2 or 4 more players(Super Tournament game)?

[trouba]

Let deserts go. Plains are going to be much more important, and you will be able to adapt some flexible strategies - convert plains production from food to energy and vice versa. It will add more fun, you will see.

Assays: Applause here. The current system is illogical - you pay $50 and everyone knows the result, so in next land grant, they have a chance to grab your plot. Maybe it would be nice to have an option - public assays for free, private assays for $50.