Suggestions for 0 A.D.

[Argalius]

Triggers or scripts? Or maybe both?

[Aeros]

Both (planned)

[Caesar]

In regards to the population limits in 0ad, how will you manage to compensate for the fact that the demographics for each civ are historicaly differant? For example- at it's peak, Rome housed more than a million inhabitants (although this was during the Imperial Era and should have no bearing on 0ad); on the other hand most Celtic and Iberian settlements never had more than a couple hundred people. The differance in demographics historicaly gave the larger civilizations an advantage over the smaller ones. Will 0ad represent these advatages in some way?

[pyrolink]

I would guess that instead of changing the limit, civilizations with a higher population (like you said, Rome) would have cheaper units, thus allowing faster and bigger production, but the maximum would probably stay the same. Hopefully that will be changeable though

[Phoenix-TheRealDeal]

Because it is a game requiring some semblance of balance in order to promote replayability, you need to think of it this way: as Romans have strong units to also make them cheaper would make the civ overpowering and the game unbalanced... pretty soon Romans are 'banned', or everybody wants to play Romans and th other civs get no play, or people who don't want to just give up on playing the game... noone of which are good results. The short answer is that the historical demographic isn't, or cannot, be adhered to without turning the game into a historical simulation... not our goal.

BTW, during most of the epoch pre-0ad, Carthage was far the largest city in the Med region.

That having been said, one of the civs does have somewhat cheaper units that are also somehat weaker generally, prompting the player to push for more pop to compensate for the inherent weakness... that's in the design, anyway. Oh, it isn't Romans or Carthaginians.

For some unknown reason people ALWAYS want to have a higher pop cap than comes along with the game. Because the way the game mechanics are being designed as being muchly data driven instead of hard-coded to the engine, it is likely that you'll be able to mod pop cap increase. HOWEVER, there are several 'risks' in doing so.

If you have a high end comp with high end gamer's video card it probaly wouldn't happen for a while that the thing gets overburdrend an slows the game down to a crawl (lag) relevant to what we find will be an optimal pop cap through testing (we'll doubtless go with as high as we van optimize for based on minimum playability specs). Another thing is that if you mod and someone you want to play someone who isn't modded the same then you are relegated to playing Singleplayer, nor can your buddy play your mod unless he installs it... that then puts him in the same boat as you are.

Note, I am not talking about scenarios here. Those are some considerations, anyway.

[Belisarivs]

Well, from what I've read, Carthaginian North Africa was inhabited by 750 000 people while Latium by 6 milions before Punnic Wars.

But Romans were later Professional soldiers, while in barbarin tribes was every man warrior. So, my idea is to give Romans villagers and stronger military units and barbarians will be all CS.

[Caesar]

as Romans have strong units to also make them cheaper would make the civ overpowering and the game unbalanced... pretty soon Romans are 'banned', or everybody wants to play Romans and th other civs get no play, or people who don't want to just give up on playing the game... noone of which are good results.

The Romans at their height were overpowering, although I do see your point from the playablility perspective- sometimes historical accuracy has to be sacrificed for playability.

BTW, during most of the epoch pre-0ad, Carthage was far the largest city in the Med region.

Of course, but the bulk of the Cathaginian military forces were mercenaries, not home-grown soldiers (on another note- is the Cathaginian's use of mercenaries shown in 0ad in some way?).

That having been said, one of the civs does have somewhat cheaper units that are also somehat weaker generally, prompting the player to push for more pop to compensate for the inherent weakness... that's in the design, anyway.

If you are basing this on historical fact, I bet I can guess which civ

But Romans were later Professional soldiers, while in barbarin tribes was every man warrior. So, my idea is to give Romans villagers and stronger military units and barbarians will be all CS.

Only the after the Marian Reforms were all the Roman forces proffessional, and I believe the first part of 0ad is focusing on the Punic-era Romans.

[Phoenix-TheRealDeal]

Carthaginians = some 'homeboy' type units + levys + mercenaries. Yes, shown in some way. Punic era.

Rome = Camillian era.

[Caesar]

A couple questions on ships in 0ad,

1. How will ships attack? ie. can ships ram other ships?

2. Will units on board ships add to the attack of the ship, and/or give the ship new attacks? ie. the ship can use its normal attacks (I suppose ships will attack with ballista bolts as in AoK), and any units on board can fire arrows.

3. Does the bow of the ship have to face its target in order to attack (as in AoK)?

[Phoenix-TheRealDeal]

1. How will ships attack? ie. can ships ram other ships?

A warship can ram another ship. That's the only kind of attack a ship can do.

2. Will units on board ships add to the attack of the ship, and/or give the ship new attacks? ie. the ship can use its normal attacks (I suppose ships will attack with ballista bolts as in AoK), and any units on board can fire arrows.

Ranged units aboard can shoot/throw their missiles. The number depends on how many are boarded... there is also some difference in range amongst unit types. Any siege engine is also a unit. Like other units, and depending upon what is 'authorized' in the type ship's complement, siege engine(s) may be boarded or disembarked to fight on the land as units are not integral to the ship. Hacker units are just that, hackers having no range capability. In certain circumstances hacker would be able to board ship-to-ship (though ranged could, too).

You, Caesar, are the player. If you have built ships it is entirely up to you as to what mix of units to place aboard... consistent with what MAY be placed aboard a ship... and your own stategy (the same must be said of the AI or any other player, too).

3. Does the bow of the ship have to face its target in order to attack (as in AoK)?

Rams are mounted to the bows, eh?

[Mythos_Ruler]

I would wager that for ranged units atop-deck to attack enemy ships, their ship need not be "pointing" in that direction. Indeed this would be unlike AOK.

[Phoenix-TheRealDeal]

Well yeah, on deck ranged hominid units could attack in any direction they want to.

[Belisarivs]

What about Corvus, will it be in game?

[TheCobra1]

I think a cheat in the game should be Gandolf the White and he uses multiple spells. That would be cool!

[Caesar]

I think a cheat in the game should be Gandolf the White and he uses multiple spells. That would be cool!

1. It is Gandalf, not Gandolf.

2. This is 0ad, a historical game. Go check out the TLA forums if you want Gandalf as a unit.

[Mythos_Ruler]

Well, to be fair he said Gandalf could be a cheat unit, which is reasonable considering the theme of our sister project. I think there is a thread somewhere though for possible cheat objects...

EDIT: http://www.wildfiregames.com/forum/index.p...=8431&hl=cheats

[Phoenix-TheRealDeal]

imo unreasonable use gandalg in 0ad

[Belisarivs]

Personally, I dislike cheats.

But switching difficulty during game would be cool. Also option "Auto adjust skill" like un UT would be exellent thing.

No one answered, you perhaps missed my question, so I repeat it as I'd like to know it.

Will Corvus be in 0AD?

Thanks.

[Phoenix-TheRealDeal]

not currently planned for but has been put on the 'back burner'... has been addressed in detail.

[Mythos_Ruler]

Why would you find Gandalf an unsuitable cheat unit? Consider that we have thrown around cheat unit ideas ranging from Dragons to M1A1 Abrahms Tanks.

[Phoenix-TheRealDeal]

BECAUSE of the existence of TLA.... where he would 'fit'... I would consider it an infringement upon Adam's and his boyz rights, a social feau pas at least.

[Mythos_Ruler]

I guess it's different strokes for different folks. Me personally would see it as an homage, or perhaps a simple harbinger of things to come, muahahahahahahahaha.

[Caesar]

That is a pretty good idea Mythos

[Titus Ultor]

Lol. The TLA team has a guy named 'Caesar'. We can totally get away with Gandalf as a cheat unit.

[Caesar]

Lol. The TLA team has a guy named 'Caesar'. We can totally get away with Gandalf as a cheat unit.

Somebody else brought that up once, but I forget who...

I only used Caesar because that was my user name at HG and a couple other forums (actualy it was Caesar89 originaly).