Poll: Is a game with more units better?

[zerver]

I might add that Zerver has advocated the removal of LUA completely, because it makes MT "harder".

In the first versions of spring-multithreaded, an option to disable Lua-based rendering was added. If this is what you are referring to, it was added only because it was an early version with many shortcomings and the Lua related performance issues had not yet been addressed. Yes Lua+MT is complex, but I cannot remember ever suggesting removal of the actual Lua-capabilities from the engine.

Please folks, friendly discussion, no personal attacks.

[Beherith]

+1, Im a fan of large semi porcy FFA games.

[Silentwings]

The degree to which [game developers] should be considering cpu-power in a multi-core world is being discussed.

It is? Not by me it's not. And nor is it the subject of this poll/thread, as Neddie quite rightly pointed out.

But this question has inevitably got sucked into this thread; since the vast majority of +1's here are BA players and I'm currently the most active BA dev, I feel like I should make my position on it clear. In my view people (myself included) who don't have a reliable knowledge of the engine source are missing a crucial part of the information needed to compare ST/MT/MTSim/etc and this discussion is best held between active engine devs.

[Forboding Angel]

In my view people (myself included) who don't have a reliable knowledge of the engine source are missing a crucial part of the information needed to compare ST/MT/MTSim/etc and this discussion is best held between active engine devs.

This.

[luckywaldo7]

Indeed. For all we know, they are discussing saving CPU on pathfinding by removing support for mobile units.

Tens of thousands of units with no lag! They are all llts!

So obviously this is a silly example, but we don't don't know anything about the implimentation or trade-offs required for better performance with more units. It's almost like asking people to +1 or -1 for world peace. Of course everyone wants world peace! But what do you think is required to get it?

[knorke]

This is not the development forum, it is Off Topic forum.
Stupid "facts" and questions are somewhat to be expected, players should not be belittled by devs for that.
But try not to say too silly things and respect peoples work and their "personal attachment" to it.
---
From players perspective MT is this wonderfull thing that will bring even larger hordes of flash tanks. Obviously everybody wants it.
But suddendly, just when they reach out to touch it, evil devs take it away!

How cruel such fate!

For technical blabla go read this thread http://springrts.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=30162
It has some some pro/contra on MT.

When a potential cool feature turns out unfeasible it might be good idea to explain in easy words, so non-tech people understand, why it can not be done. Otherwise, sad elephants.

[Johannes]

I think the real relevant question to be asked here is:

Do you want to play bigger games than is now possible with current engine and decent hardware? Would the specific games we have here, BA, ZK, etc., be improved by getting bigger maps and more units?


Not the technical discussion of MT implementation, nor whether you like this or that ideal in games in general. Discussion on the former (on OT forum) will be uninformed and therefor meaningless, and latter will be too vague to give answers to specific cases.

[KDR_11k]

*1

I'm kinda indifferent. Large battles are pretty but sometimes not very interactive. Sometimes few hero units are more interesting. Also does our pathing deal well with huge unit counts yet? 10k units are no good when they all march single file.

[NeonStorm]

-1: few mobiles

+1: many statics

That would allow a better reaction and give defenses some value even if not directly OP.

[abma]

Given that the game runs smooth, without lag or slowdown, would you prefer a game with very many units or with fewer units?

Write +1 if you prefer more units
Write -1 if you prefer less units

why didn't you ask, do you want free beer?
+1 for yes
-1 for no



"more" units mostly have drawbacks at handling & clarity. imo games don't become better with more units, they will just take more time to finish, as you need to control more units & destroy more enemies and wait longer for units to move from a to b (because of bigger maps).

maybe better: whats a good unit limit (per player)?

<100
<500
<1000
<2000
<5000
unlimited (i want to control the world...!!)

i like many units i a game, but i dislike games, where you can't select ground units because a fighterscreen is flying over the ground units... (just as example)

[zerver]

why didn't you ask, do you want free beer?

Although some people say "there is no such thing as a free lunch" I must disagree - a free lunch may actually exist. A free beer however does absolutely not exist and therefore the question is hypothetical.

Even if free beer existed, not everyone wants it like you suggest. Where I live almost no one wants free beer...

[PicassoCT]

Death through Drowning (in beer) is what they do to those wanting in Prohibistan.

[smoth]

why didn't you ask, do you want free beer?

but what about teetotalers like myself who have had a grand total of 3 alcoholic beverages in their LIFE

[KDR_11k]

Well, if you can make Kernel Panic run faster during the late game that's great. But how does our pathing hold up when it comes to swarms of hundreds of units?

[luckywaldo7]

why didn't you ask, do you want free beer?

but what about teetotalers like myself who have had a grand total of 3 alcoholic beverages in their LIFE

Orange juice. Anyone who doesn't like a good orange juice is probably a soulless monster.

(Also there is non-alcoholic beer but usually you need to be conditioned to like the taste of beer first)

[Silentwings]

Also there is non-alcoholic beer but usually you need to be conditioned to like the taste of beer first

I wonder if they also make herbal ciagrettes which cause you to have a coughing fits... or decaffeinated coffee that keeps you awake all night...

[PicassoCT]

You know what would be a real big plus? Damage modells.. to transport that feel for the damage done below better..

Its shaefull that spring still depends upon numbers and healthbars to show the damage status of units. Sure we are limited when it comes to blowing off vital unitpieces..

We need damage normal maps as a default.. something that doe reveal the damage.

[zwzsg]

But how does our pathing hold up when it comes to swarms of hundreds of units?

Can you steal Kloot secret recipe?

[CarRepairer]

Sure we are limited when it comes to blowing off vital unitpieces..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWyi7pM8ick

[PicassoCT]

there is always that one guy proofing you wrong with some obscure ex-sample

seriously, those zombies are cool, but they do not show deep gashes, nor are arrows sticking to it. Nor do they show shreaded metalls, or bulletholes

Want this:



and this: