Roads: Roads? Roads!

[eduh]

Said in a different way. Today we don't have the ability to build roads. And I don't know if there is a project or even mobilization to be it so. But I'll contribute with the little computerist skills that I have: spamming. Well, sort of.

Wht don't we make roads able to be built? It would add so much depth and creativity to the gameplay. Not everything has to stick to AoE2. Pz plz plz plz plzzz

Oh! And has someone played to 'The settlers 6'? (wooonderful and underrated game) Its to make you guys a better approach of what I'm trying to say.

Edited August 20, 2012 by eduh

[Sighvatr]

I remember playing a settlers game when I was younger. Though that game did irritate me from time to time. The roads created by the settlers were reallly cool though. It is possible to include that in 0 A.D. but only somebody with that particular interest would create it. Notice how we are only getting nice looking rocks, because somebody wanted to make and put in nice rocks for example. So would you do us the honor of creating these roads yourself?

[MishFTW]

I suggested this before, like many others before me. The real issue is that there is nothing to justify road building. Although it would be very very cool. And besides only perhaps the romans would build them. But for what purpose? A small speed bonus? 0 A.D. is a war game first, otherwise the idea is awesome... if only one could find a way to justify roads (perhaps logistics?)

[fabio]

(Sorry )

[eduh]

Well yes, we put roads only for the sake of the awesomeness. And I am so sorry Sighvatr, but I am completely oblivious to any kind of programming skills. That's why I'm making a cool scenario (the only thing I'm able to contribute) that I hope it will be put in the game. Check 'And now for something completely different' thread and scenario map making sub forum.

But there are already many road textures, so it would be relatively easy to make that option available, am I right?

[zoot]

What do you need, other than the textures that already available?

[halcyonXIII]

Have the 0AD developers ever considered implementing terrain bonuses and penalties? Unit stats like speed, defence, attack range, health, stamina or perhaps even line of sight could be influenced by the terrain. I think roads would have more purpose if 0AD had such a system, allowing players to flatten the land and create an unhindered path to travel along through the rougher areas.

[zoot]

It would be a pain in the butt to keep your units from moving off the road.

[fireprog]

It would be a pain in the butt to keep your units from moving off the road.

If units would 'snap' onto a nearby road, then you wouldn't have that problem.

It would be pretty cool if roads were implemented, even as like a hidden bonus feature.

But I know it has been said many times before, this isn't a city-building game so chances are very slim that it will be implemented.

[zoot]

If units would 'snap' onto a nearby road, then you wouldn't have that problem.

It would be a pain the butt to keep your units from snapping to a nearby road if you want them to go somewhere completely different.

[Pureon]

I can definitely see a click-drag road being built by players on the route between 2 markets, thereby increasing the speed of the trader carts traveling along it. This would specifically become useful mid-late game when resources are limited.

I wouldn't discount click-drag roads being added to 0 A.D. in the future, it's not an unreasonable suggestion. However it also isn't a top priority feature, and could be quite tricky especially if unit pathfinding is involved, so it's unlikely to be implemented soon.

[MoLAoS]

The roads in most city builders are mandatory for non military units. That is, your units cannot leave the roads.

In my personal game and engine I plan to implement roads that apply a movement bonus and I have had a lot of trouble working out how to get them to behave the way I want. Ideally you want to have control over a unit's movement and if your pathfinder auto incorporates roads you can have some issues.

Currently roads are only planned to be enabled for the waypoint/trade route system where you specifically tell units to use a road when you define a trade route or other economic path. This allows you to control how your units move. Military units may or may not get a special move command that allows you to specify road use or maybe just access to the waypoint system.

Do you really want to have to deal with all that in 0 A.D.? Roads that you don't have to use are such a hassle for programmers.

And god only knows how the AI would deal with roads. My current non-player faction is different enough that it will just ignore roads but if I wanted the AI to play the human faction things would not go well. It would make terrible decisions.

Plus you have to deal with all sorts of other fun issues like how long it takes to build roads, what are the costs, how strong is the speed bonus and what about people who don't build roads since 0 A.D. is a historically based game.

[feneur]

Another thing to remember is how do the roads work once they are created? Can you build other things over them? Are they destructible? One of the biggest issues I had with roads in EE (I think it was EE, I don't remember if it was 1 or 2 though) was how once the roads were built they were stuck where they were. There was no way you could get rid of them (maybe destroy them with siege, but still even that was cumbersome and I don't remember if/how well that worked), which might be ok in some sense when you had built the roads as it was your decision to put them there, but not so much when the AI ally decided to put a road right through your city And if the roads are destructible/removable that presents its issues as well in terms of pathfinding etc. I just don't see how roads can add enough to the game to justify the issues that comes with them. Maybe for part 2 if we include logistics/morale it could be a relevant addition (less attrition on roads or something).

[MoLAoS]

Roads are one of those things you need to plan to have from the start or else they cause all sorts of drama. That's the fun of computer programming. Your brain is just so advanced that you think a computer game could handle something like roads no problem but pathfinders and build commands and trying to sneak your armies around enemy scouts throw up like 10 problems for each one you solve.

Kinda like walkable walls

[Wijitmaker]

Have the 0AD developers ever considered implementing terrain bonuses and penalties? Unit stats like speed, defence, attack range, health, stamina or perhaps even line of sight could be influenced by the terrain. I think roads would have more purpose if 0AD had such a system, allowing players to flatten the land and create an unhindered path to travel along through the rougher areas.

I believe the game engine already does have the capability: http://www.wildfiregames.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=12878

[historic_bruno]

There's no need for roads. If you think they "look cool" just design a scenario or random map with road textures/decals/models between player bases As far as terrain-varying movement speed goes, yes we do have that, but we've hardly used it and it doesn't work that great with typical A* pathfinding in practice. The insight is that roads would likely require a separate pathfinder for following predefined paths, otherwise it may be just as fast to cut off a wide bend of the road by walking across terrain, which goes against the supposed aesthetic benefit and utility of nice, orderly roads. Philip's new pathfinder will be uniform tile costs, I think, as some of the optimizations depend on that, so it will no longer be possible. If anyone wants to write such a pathfinder for roads, units on buildings, etc., feel free, we have no definite plans to use it, but it would be nice to have the option

[Thorfinn the Shallow Minded]

I think that regardless of whether, units recognize roads, it would be great to have them in the game along with build-able bridges. I do recommend that this is implemented in the distant future, but certainly there are higher priority tickets.

[AuroN2]

wherever romans are, roads are important.

[marcosbm]

and would not be possible for the skirmishes have the ability to have much larger scenarios? so you could play games against the AI ​​that lasted much more than a couple of hours, this is something I've always missed in these games

[J-Dx]

Cossacks II used roads fairly well along with fatigue/morale. Made for some interesting tactics and strategies at times, though the AI wasn't the best ever. I quite liked the way their formations worked too, though in that games it was all about formations and lone units were useless...

[Pureon]

and would not be possible for the skirmishes have the ability to have much larger scenarios? so you could play games against the AI ​​that lasted much more than a couple of hours, this is something I've always missed in these games

Try playing on a 'Giant' random map instead - those are much larger than the scenarios

[marcosbm]

Try playing on a 'Giant' random map instead - those are much larger than the scenarios

I mean even bigger if possible, like to have a lot of territory to create a great civilization, but it is only a suggestion, thanks

[zoot]

I mean even bigger if possible, like to have a lot of territory to create a great civilization, but it is only a suggestion, thanks

People are already reporting problems due to the size of the current maps, so I don't think making them even bigger is a good idea.

[marcosbm]

People are already reporting problems due to the size of the current maps, so I don't think making them even bigger is a good idea.

ok I understand, a large map is going great so do not think it is problem gambling but the characteristics of each computer, anyway it was a very interesting suggestion is

[Patricius]

I remember playing a settlers game when I was younger. Though that game did irritate me from time to time. The roads created by the settlers were reallly cool though. It is possible to include that in 0 A.D. but only somebody with that particular interest would create it. Notice how we are only getting nice looking rocks, because somebody wanted to make and put in nice rocks for example. So would you do us the honor of creating these roads yourself?

The roads created by the settlers themselves would be the only way to do it. Roads built specially would be barely used. Maybe there could be a tech that needs to researched. Once it is, the Roman and Persians would lay out a road on any tracks they use commonly.