IOT Developmental Thread

[Tani Coyote]

yeah, IOTVI reached its conclusion and IOTII will also reach the conclusion when Tanicus gets any ideas how.

IOTV started, and ended barely a month later.

I don't think IOT V's issues are complexity, so much as the fact that:

A) The players don't seem too eager to roleplay which ruins the fun of the game, and
B) The GMs, unlike me, don't have a ton of time to devote to the game; school just started up after all, whereas I'm out until January

 

[Tee Kay]

Though it is only Turn 2, Ab Antiquo seems to be doing alright so far. The inactivity there is actually on my part. I blame physics and this assignment they gave me that I'm still doing at three am with no end in sight.

 

[Mathalamus]

I don't think IOT V's issues are complexity, so much as the fact that:

A) The players don't seem too eager to roleplay which ruins the fun of the game, and
B) The GMs, unlike me, don't have a ton of time to devote to the game; school just started up after all, whereas I'm out until January

1. i just didn't particularly like the idea of the pope controlling everything in Europe. that was the only time i didn't particularity feel like role-playing. Christians, even in games drain all of my energy so fast...
2. shunt some duties to those who are known to have significant free time. solved.

 

[sophie]

Well, after talking with Cull a bit, I'm probably going to just have longer time between updates, to allow for max roleplaying. I'm also going to be adding some features that will give players junk to do if they don't feel like warring all the time (which was a big problem with earlier games).

As for time constraints, I never really felt like I had a problem making the update. The only thing that took a long time for me was taking the 15 screencaps for military updates, and I'm probably going to be doing a direct-to-text stats for this iteration à la NES to make it easier on myself.

It'll probably also help to make the game less open-ended-ish (though still rather open ended).

But yeah, what tk said, it's really the lack of roleplaying that killed IOTVBeta.

What I have to figure out is the time period I want this to run during. I'm thinking of just running in the 19th century again, mostly because there are some other new features that I was thinking of trying which would be conducive to that time period.

 

[Mathalamus]

no. if there is a lack of Role-playing, you should shorten the times between turns. making it longer will make it even deader.

 

[sophie]

no. if there is a lack of Role-playing, you should shorten the times between turns. making it longer will make it even deader.

Obviously that's not the case, as we had 1 day turns and there was literally NOTHING going on.

 

[Mathalamus]

maybe people aren't interested in overly complicated games that require more micromanagement than civ4.

the most sucessful game out there is IOT II. that can be improved (make smaller states more viable) but that's about it. i strongly suggest this format.

 

[W|M]

maybe people aren't interested in overly complicated games that require more micromanagement than civ4.

IOTV had more micromanagement than civ3 (except for me, I don't micromanage in civ3 to make up for AI incompetence! ).

the most sucessful game out there is IOT II. that can be improved (make smaller states more viable) but that's about it. i strongly suggest this format.

, I don't want specific armies, specific income, specific tech e.t.c.

 

[Arakhor]

It doesn't matter how simple it is: if the game is is set in the Renaissance and hardly anyone can be bothered to assume that mindset, it's pointless.

 

[Tani Coyote]

It doesn't matter how simple it is: if the game is is set in the Renaissance and hardly anyone can be bothered to assume that mindset, it's pointless.

Not to mention setting some standards such as income and tech prevent powergamers from ruining the experience. No 66% of the global GDP or most advanced in every category nations anymore; earn your bread!

 

[Mathalamus]

uh, Tanicius, you do remember that power-gamers usually get wiped out?

additionally, we don't know much about the GDP of the Renaissance era so a little latitude is good.

(for all i know modern turkey had about 20 billion dollars in GDP.)

 

[W|M]

Also, most people would be biased towards Europe.

 

[Tee Kay]

Not to mention setting some standards such as income and tech prevent powergamers from ruining the experience. No 66% of the global GDP or most advanced in every category nations anymore; earn your bread!

Indeed. This is why I think incomes, armies, techs, etc are important. The challenge is balancing simplicity/user-friendliness with complexity and variety, and to make sure players don't feel too constrained by it that it hurts roleplay.

uh, Tanicius, you do remember that power-gamers usually get wiped out?

It spoils the experience for everyone in the process though.

additionally, we don't know much about the GDP of the Renaissance era so a little latitude is good.

That's why, in the original IOTV, we started with a blank slate, and we had generic "incomes" instead of exact GDP figures. It was meant to provide some standards of nation strength while at the same time trying to avoid putting too much constraints on the players. The goal was not to dissuade players from roleplaying - on the contrary, you can still roleplay, you just can't claim to have n% of the world's economy when you don't. As for being complex, I didn't think it would be, since it required probably two or three extra minutes of writing spending orders per turn for the players.

 

[Mathalamus]

i feel that IOTII captures the games purpose quite perfectly. there are no population or income (but you can make your own, within reason), just provinces. the more you have, the stronger you usually are.

to be blunt, forum games are not a proper place for complex strategy games. most people simply don't have time for that. IOTII is a good standard, i suggest future IOTs build and expand on that, while keeping it very simple. IOTV's style doesn't work, as its too complex. stick with the tried and true methods.

 

[W|M]

, if you want complex strategy games, do civ or rome:total war or something.

 

[Arakhor]

I don't like an overly complicated game, but a couple of extra rules here and there aren't too bad.

 

[Tee Kay]

to be blunt, forum games are not a proper place for complex strategy games.

Cough... Rise from Medieval Kingdoms... cough.

 

[Mathalamus]

ive never seen it.

 

[Tee Kay]

ive never seen it.

It was in 2007 - 2008 IIRC.

 

[Mathalamus]

no sequels?

i rest my case.