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View Full Version : Another step further with Shogun



horatio
11-13-2000, 04:10
This might get moved, but i figure this is within resonable bounds... pardon me if this has already been beat into the ground. This is aimed at the EA people.

Two (more) ideas on improving the game:

(1) More tools available for multiplayer communication, direction and dare i say command. It would be really helpful if there was a way you could mark different points on the terrain for other people to see.. either flags or something like marks in the grass. This could allow for more interesting integration of ideas as the battle moves forth. In theory it could also lead to goal driven battles, but first thing first. This also brings up the idea of a command structure, which I think is exciting because it gives people another reason the elevate their play. No longer are you trying to be the "best." But at least good enough to be higher up on the command chain. I think Man of War implemented something like this and it was really interesting. I think trying for simple command structures now is a good idea because I can really see how when this finally gets to a Napoleonic War simulator (muhaha!!) that that would be highly demanded by interested people. But if we could start with some kind of team waypoints or something, it would be good.

2nd, about the problem of people "camping." One idea. What about increasing the no-mans buffer around the map to create a temporary no-man area. Basically a more robust edge area that would allow movement of tropps into the area, and maybe quick stagging, but past some kind of time limit (30 seconds or so..) the troops would automatically start moving off the no-man's land. The point here bieng that this could allow people to flank mountain strongholds and at least minimize to effect of people camping on top of a hill, in the corner.

So there, thanks.

Rob
11-13-2000, 05:21
Nice idea about multiplayer communication. There definitely needs to be some improvements here. In 4-player or greater battles you should have much improved tools for communicating with your allies, in particular shortcuts for common messages. It is a pain to have to type out messages every time. Perhaps an idea could be taken from FPS games, which commonly allow you to create shortcut commands (aliases) and bind them to keys. So when is press a certain key it will automatically send out a pre-written message to my allies. Perhaps an in-game menu could be used for this (think of the radio commands in Counter-Strike).

Also, Age of Empires had a neat feature where you could click an area of the map and this would be signaled to your allies. The idea of placing a flag there is perfect for this.

Widda
11-13-2000, 05:54
Yep, Rob, hot keys for specific messages to all and allies. For example when your line decides to rout, a quick key to warn your allies is imperitive. Perhaps some user definable messages that you regularly send like 'Good luck', bloody acronyms...
Uh oh, second whinge for the day...

FearedSangsara
11-13-2000, 06:43
U want a better way to communicate with your allies? I agree that they should allow you to make hot keys and such things. But one thing you can do is get some friends or clan mates together. Then go to www.rogerwilco.com (http://www.rogerwilco.com) and download the program. its free. Then go to radioshack and buy a 5 dollar microphone/reciever headset. Bingo. Now you guys can talk to eachother in game. Hot keys would be cool, but being able to talk to somebody, no matter where in the world they live, for free while playing the game is the ultimate in correspondance. However, this doesn't work if your not playing with a friend or clan mate, so they do still need to let us assign hot keys and such.


So very many details they left out in this game. Instead of putting out big patches that take months to put together, I think they should just keep putting out little updates such as hotkey assignment and things such as that on a week/bi-weekly basis. That would be nice. http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif

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The Black Ship
11-13-2000, 08:51
Heard good and bad about Roger-Wilco, for how much communication we have in Shogun it seems a little much. Hotkeyed messages would work well, just not too many (like the unlimited taunts of AOK) cuz I'll never remember them http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/wink.gif

I think having a "sacred object" that must be defended, or honor is lost, would stop the campers. The object would have to be located in fairly flat territory, forcing the defender to stay near or lose honor.