Phalanx

A professor by the name of Rob Howard from Purdue University will be contacting you soon (hopefully) XD

@Stan`I'll probably need an e-mail or contact info from the "client" to give to the professor.

Honestly, idk. This is day 1 of the class. But last semester, the class apparently helped a senior student with a capstone project, and provided sound effects and music for a short game that was then published to Steam. I could help someone get in contact with the professor for more info. I'm sure he knows more about what we'll be able to deliver than I do.

Hey all, I'm in a university Game Sound class, and the professor is willing to use the class to help an "External Project" and I brought 0AD up. So we could possibly use my class to work on the sound of the game. If a representative of the team could act as the class' "client" and if a list of needed sounds is provided, we could see how it goes.

I know it aint my call, but imho there doesn't need to be another non skiritai hoplite if you pick Agis. From a gameplay standpoint, (not a historical one) it makes this risk/reward of picking Agis more clear. If you know you can boom and build more troops than usual, then pick Agis. If you aren't confident that you'll have the time to build a large force, don't pick Agis. Including another hoplite makes this less risky, and kinda diminishes the gravity of the gameplay choice.

That'd dew it! XD Do I need to go find this patch somehow?

(I was looking for a mind blown one, but I couldn't find it)

How do I build a Wonder and Fortress as the Seleucids? They don't show up on the building gui, but I've seen the AI building them. EDIT: The wonder for Sparta is also missing only if you pick Cleomenes

Does Brasidas' movement buff only apply to him or does it also apply to his formation? I feel like applying to his formation would be good too, considering he'd probably be in a phalanx in combat, so his speed is kind of lost.

This isn't an error, more of a feature bug, the tech that levels up all basic Periokoi Hoplites doesn't apply to Periokoi Phalangites. Not sure if its a bug or a feature, but I'm pretty sure its a bug.

Personally, I'm against the idea of combining civs and against the idea of civ brackets/tiers. I think we are all thinking about this is the wrong way. We don't need to be thinking about the factions as a group. In fact, that's the one aspect of this game we should be ignoring. Scenario Think of a matchup between Britons and Seleucids. Each faction is quite different from one another. However in this matchup, it is not very important to compare the two civilizations in terms of historical accuracy. We should be comparing them based on the environment. Each culture developed a style of warfare that best suited their environment In a heavy wooded map, the more flexible Britons have an advantage over the large and clumsy formations of the Seleucids, but in an grassland, the tables flip. Now the powerful Seleucid formations and cavalry would shred the Britons. Conclusion We need to be thinking more about the environment that we put the civilizations in. More deliberate map design, with areas that all factions can excel in. Currently, our maps are based on locales, which is hindering balance by favoring the native culture. Thinking about the scenario above, imagine a map with both heavily wooded areas, and open areas/ pathways. Now the question doesn't become which faction is better, it becomes a question of how well can each player utilize the map! How well can they force engagements on terrain that favors them? Obviously we would still need to keep an eye on the exact stats of techs and units for each faction, but if we build the maps right, we can still allow these unique matchups that make this game great! Open areas for the more formation focused civs, wooded areas/rough terrain for more flexible civs. Flat areas for cavalry civs, and terrain height for ranged based civs. Most RTS titles focus on how well you can micro your economy and armies, but map utilization is rather minor. Players usually play "on" the map instead of "with it!" This is what could give 0AD an identity and make it unique from other RTS titles! As an added bonus, it would allow for more factions to be added without making balancing a nightmare! Addendum Now, we still need to consider the factions as individuals. I'm of the opinion that we should make sure that each one feels unique. We don't need Starcraft-ien levels of unique, but think AOEIII WOL mod levels of unique. Each faction should have a preferred playstyle and a preferred unit roster, and it's out goal as balancers to make sure to emphasize these preferences. Spartans should be a infantry heavy faction, Carthage should play defensively, Kush can build tall, and the Seleucids can build wide. By emphasizing these preferences, players can really get a feel for the differences of each faction, and they can find the one that matches their playstyle. This can be done through more unique techs, faction bonuses, and possibly with re-thought rosters. Combining all these thoughts would make this game a great game of tactical skill. The player must not only take advantage of their civ's unique strengths and understand their weaknesses, but use the map and the environment to help make sure they fight on their terms.

I'm wondering, will there ever be a method to train soldiers slowly while out of combat? Like tasking them on a barracks? I've only been playing against the AI, but it seems that when I start to win, and get a higher level army, there is NOTHING the AI (or I'm assuming another player) could do to combat it. Maybe hard counters/ SUPER swarm, but if you're on the backfoot of a game, making a huge army seems unlikely. I'm just thinking some form of lesser xp generating to keep players from snowballing off of elite armies would be cool. Next idea: Possibly split up which units can build which buildings more. Some civs like Sparta and Seleucids can't build late buildings because there was no room in the building UI for the building, so it was unacessable. (I was sad I couldn't try Silver Shields with your pike system) Maybe make some of the more eco specific buildings like farms, homesteads, market stalls and whatnot only buildable by citizens, and keep the more military focused bulidings for soldiers. Mainly so you don't run out of room in the building UI and lock out some important buildings.

Wait, does this mean the Seleucids can't build any more CCs without Seleucus?

Honestly, its stuff like this that could make this game stand out. Because right now, and this is saying this in the nicest possible terms, 0ad is an AOE clone. People in this thread are worried about a mostly competitive multiplayer scene, which I don't think we should think about right now. Personally, I think 0ad is at a point in dev where we need to start thinking about and implementing ideas like this ^ . We need to start making this game unique, flesh out its personality, and transform it from the historically accurate AOE clone it is, into its own game.

Something that needs discussing is; if y'all do decide to give the Ptolemaics this shield, which unit would get it? They have very little Egyptian influence in their roster, and the most Egyptian unit is just a lower tier Hellenic unit. A possible re-construction of the Ptolemaic roster based on cheap Machimoi units early game with a more powerful hellenic units mid and late game would definitely be interesting, and I would totally help construct that, but that's probably a debate for another thread.

On the subject of war elephants, will there ever be a "spooking" mechanic in game, specifically for herdables and cavalry faced with elephants. Possibly a lessening "spookablility" with higher level?

I don't know if this is related, but should the Thureophoroi be able to form phalanx? Because they can.

No, this is definitely unintended. They are also attacking with the short end of the spear, meaning they are holding it high near the butt (exactly where they would hold it if it was the correct way around) and stabbing, with the spear head behind them.

Saaaaaaaaame. Though, Chinese and Korean developers are known to just hoard their games, so I'd say its 50/50

Correct, the default standard Seleucid spear.

Nope, some Chinese publisher bought the rights to it, got the same dev team as before.

Would there be a way to combine sounds based on the target? Like, the sword *ting* that Lion made above, with a fleshy sound when attacking cavalry and skirmishers, but the *ting* and the *shwak* sound that is currently on the PTR for attacking shielded enemies? Or at least mix them into each other?

I was disappointed when they closed down TWA, but apparently its kinda back? Only if you are Chinese however. Or if you have a vpn and can read whichever Chinese script the website and launcher are written in. (Which I don't, in fact I know next to nothing about Chinese languages and scripts)

I just noticed while my Thureos Spears attacked a building foundation that they attack with the but of the spear, the spear prop is inverted.

Duuude, that green one is one I made! Small internet amirite!? XD More seriously, it does seem like a lot of period art depicting the thureos show it kinda plain with no designs. But remember that we just recently upgraded the Seleucids to having painted armor. If that is accurate, and the Seleucids did paint their armor, who knows that they actually did with their shields? Personally, I like having the Anchor and Eagle (for the Ptolemies) on the shield, because it gives a visual cue at a glance who these spearmen belong to. Unless we can differentiate the outfits of both spearmen more drastically.