Spring RTS Engine

Go Caydr Go!

...tho the waiting is killing me I just hope it will be played in the interest of this game is boring now... well boring enuff to make me quit for 6 months

I've heard a good many complaints about the quantum brigade from several people now

Any ideas on when this could be expected (soonish, longish)? I can't wait to test out all the changes :D

neddiedrow wrote:I too disappeared from CA. I'd show up again if you did, however, we would need Tired as well.

Tired Annihilation lol.

He has an experimental unit that pretty much causes LUA <-> Engine based crashes.

neddiedrow wrote:He has an experimental unit that pretty much causes LUA <-> Engine based crashes.

reproducable LUA<->Engine based crashes?
-> http://spring.clan-sy.com/mantis

If I could isolate or reproduce it, I'll report it, but as far as I can tell, it is centered around this unit, but nobody really knows the mechanism. I was just parroting the mass feeling from the games I played.

Hi everyone, in case you're wondering I'm not dead or abducted by fangirls... sadly. I've had my main computer set up on my new HDTV in my basement and it's really uncomfortable to type with. Even bought this cheapass laptop stand and it's still uncomfortable. So I can't really mod...

But I've been at work long hours these last few weeks, which means daydreaming about AA all day long. I've got lots of new ideas in the last few days especially, stuff about tweaking L1 so it's useful for longer. The mod will play much like you're used to, but later in the game you might find yourself with entirely new abilities at your disposal for L1 units, also abilities in L1 units you don't find in L2 or even L3. We need to get rid of this, "L2 is just stronger L1" mentality that's been around for the last 10 years.

Also I want to belatedly mention, when I said that BA and CA weren't realy moving the mod forward, I didn't mean that in a bad way in case anyone took it like that. Let me explain. Balanced Annihilation is, startlingly, about balance primarily. But AFAIK there aren't any new units. Units are tweaked a lot, but that's no substitute for entirely original units and constantly improving stuff like AA's known for. I totally botched the anti-air kbot balance, I know, but it's a unit people have been BEGGING for, for literally years. No L2 anti-air kbot exists or ever has existed, seemingly. So I botched the balance, but now thanks to BA I imagine we finally have those anti air kbots we've been wanting. A great improvement if it was done right. Similarly, CA is primarily about using the engine to the fullest. Lots of effects and pretties, but it too is not really moving the mod forward the way that new or dramatically rebalanced units do.

I've learned a lot since I stopped working on AA over a year ago and had a lot of insights into what really makes the game good and what drags it down.

What makes the game good? Huge battles that aren't out of control, tactics that are actually worth pursuing, a variety of strategic options, a diverse tech tree, units never going obsolete, and things no game has done before.

What makes a game bad? Commanders being turned into a cheap nuke midgame since honestly there's no reason not to do so besides "honor" or some other BS, crappy balance, overcomplicated units whose functions most people don't know, bad unit descriptions, a steep learning curve, crappy balance, slow gameplay AT ANY POINT IN THE GAME but especially the beginning, units that feel plain and boring, crappy balance, rushing being the best strategy, unique units that take too much effort to use, and crappy balance.

Let me be honest. I was taken in by the idea that I should listen to every little whim of people who email or post here or PM or... do a whois on my website and call me ... AA's taken a turn for the worse that began back before I posted AA v2. So, I'm done with that. Make your suggestions as you always do and I appreciate, but I'm not doing the ones that go against my gut anymore. I'm sick of playing this "Absolute Annihilation" thing and not knowing whose game it is, and I think all of you are too.

My new desk I ordered will be here in about 2 weeks now I think. After that I'm back to work.

You need to be a level 60 necromancer for that.

Caydr wrote: Similarly, CA is primarily about using the engine to the fullest. Lots of effects and pretties, but it too is not really moving the mod forward the way that new or dramatically rebalanced units do.

CA has several units new in Spring, and most units have been completely rebalanced. Some AA units are gone as well. We've not been working on graphics for a some time now. Gameplay is our focus, graphics and new engine uses are just what is immediately apparent.

SwiftSpear wrote:I've heard a good many complaints about the quantum brigade from several people now

People have often complained about the SwiftSpear crew on a good many issues now.

Hah, defend yourself from that!

I don't defend myself against complaints, I address them.

SwiftSpear wrote:I don't defend myself against complaints, I address them.

Point to Swift.

June 16/07

What I mean is that it's unfair to discredit me with vague points attributed to anonymous third parties. If you want to help me address those problems, please be more specific.

Basically Quantum, you need to, bring back fox, fire sakatoth and replace him with Tired, send me a cheque for this amazing advice and while your at it, make Cabbage the prime minister of England.

noe!

Tired has a wholly different vision!

=O.

quantum wrote:What I mean is that it's unfair to discredit me with vague points attributed to anonymous third parties. If you want to help me address those problems, please be more specific.

Honestly quant, that post was made a month ago after hearing several complaints... aside from sak complaining that he would make balance changes that would then be reversed, or completely changed for the opposite by people quoting frankly quite ridiculous ideological stances, I don't remember any of it. At this point in time they all might as well be vague anonymous third parties.

My biggest complaint with CA personally is that def structures are unbalanced, OP, and T1 balance in general is weak... especially compared to BA.

Are the stumpies still blind? Fixing that is my criteria to reevaluate CA, pretty effects or not.

Balanced Annihilation is, startlingly, about balance primarily. But AFAIK there aren't any new units.

yes, this is the goal. If anything, units have been removed.

Ba's idea is nothing more than good gameplay.

noize doesnt want your cool t5 metal extractor and new laser wall ideas.
gfx are welcome, but as the cows are lazy folk, it isnt really looked into.

as long as the gameplay is fun and competitive, the mission is accomplished.

Hey!! I added some gfx last time