Comments on: Sid’s Rules http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2009/05/02/sids-rules/ The Best Strategy Game Blog in My House Mon, 21 May 2012 20:36:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Michael http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2009/05/02/sids-rules/comment-page-1/#comment-211555 Michael Wed, 06 May 2009 06:48:04 +0000 http://flashofsteel.com/?p=1431#comment-211555 an idea for the latest mod, perhaps? an idea for the latest mod, perhaps?

]]> By: Cautiously Pessimistic http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2009/05/02/sids-rules/comment-page-1/#comment-211419 Cautiously Pessimistic Mon, 04 May 2009 20:21:45 +0000 http://flashofsteel.com/?p=1431#comment-211419 Ah, Covert Action. I loved that game. I don't know that either side (action/plot) had enough gameplay meat to be on its own. If it were tried, I'd be more interested in the plot side, since the action side is represented in numerous forms in a plethora of games. Ah, Covert Action. I loved that game. I don’t know that either side (action/plot) had enough gameplay meat to be on its own. If it were tried, I’d be more interested in the plot side, since the action side is represented in numerous forms in a plethora of games.

]]> By: Neil http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2009/05/02/sids-rules/comment-page-1/#comment-211394 Neil Mon, 04 May 2009 13:14:08 +0000 http://flashofsteel.com/?p=1431#comment-211394 In Civ, good strategy doesn't require boring micromanagement, but good execution does. I'd like it better if I didn't have to crunch numbers for optimal execution. In Civ, good strategy doesn’t require boring micromanagement, but good execution does. I’d like it better if I didn’t have to crunch numbers for optimal execution.

]]> By: Dave http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2009/05/02/sids-rules/comment-page-1/#comment-211359 Dave Mon, 04 May 2009 03:02:24 +0000 http://flashofsteel.com/?p=1431#comment-211359 I'm with Soren on this one, please don't tie the micromanagement/automation preference to a strategy decision. The ideal game for me is one in which nothing feels like micromanagement because playing as efficiently as possible is fast, smooth, and has interesting decisions. If a good strategy requires boring micromanagement, then that forces me to choose between playing well and having fun. I hate making that choice, please don't intentionally put it in your game. I’m with Soren on this one, please don’t tie the micromanagement/automation preference to a strategy decision. The ideal game for me is one in which nothing feels like micromanagement because playing as efficiently as possible is fast, smooth, and has interesting decisions. If a good strategy requires boring micromanagement, then that forces me to choose between playing well and having fun. I hate making that choice, please don’t intentionally put it in your game.

]]> By: Justin Fletcher http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2009/05/02/sids-rules/comment-page-1/#comment-211336 Justin Fletcher Sun, 03 May 2009 18:57:55 +0000 http://flashofsteel.com/?p=1431#comment-211336 Since there are different choices for government types, why not implement the feature so that gamers who dug the idea could take of advantage of it and the others could ignore it? Since there are different choices for government types, why not implement the feature so that gamers who dug the idea could take of advantage of it and the others could ignore it?

]]> By: Neil http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2009/05/02/sids-rules/comment-page-1/#comment-211308 Neil Sun, 03 May 2009 09:59:23 +0000 http://flashofsteel.com/?p=1431#comment-211308 It's actually a great idea for a complex and diverse game like Civ, not because it necessarily adds fun to the game, but because it could remove stuff that isn't fun. Almost all Civ players automate some aspect of management, or at the very least don't enjoy certain types of decision-making within the game. For example, I usually don't like to assign citizens once I'm out of the early stages of the game. I also don't like looking for new resources to trade for unless I need them for something specific. Employing multiple categories of forced automation that cover many different aspects of decision-making and micromanagement, not just tech research, would allow a large percentage of players to focus on what they enjoy doing most. You just pick the automation category that covers stuff you don't want to control anyway, and you get a bonus. This arrangement would make the game more enjoyable for players, since they don't have to fiddle with mechanics they don't enjoy in order to optimize outcomes or because the game forces them to. The bonus for automation would also give novices a leg up in the game while they concentrate on learning the other non-automated systems and mechanics. It’s actually a great idea for a complex and diverse game like Civ, not because it necessarily adds fun to the game, but because it could remove stuff that isn’t fun.

Almost all Civ players automate some aspect of management, or at the very least don’t enjoy certain types of decision-making within the game. For example, I usually don’t like to assign citizens once I’m out of the early stages of the game. I also don’t like looking for new resources to trade for unless I need them for something specific.

Employing multiple categories of forced automation that cover many different aspects of decision-making and micromanagement, not just tech research, would allow a large percentage of players to focus on what they enjoy doing most. You just pick the automation category that covers stuff you don’t want to control anyway, and you get a bonus.

This arrangement would make the game more enjoyable for players, since they don’t have to fiddle with mechanics they don’t enjoy in order to optimize outcomes or because the game forces them to. The bonus for automation would also give novices a leg up in the game while they concentrate on learning the other non-automated systems and mechanics.

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