EB 1.0 game guide

[SimonB1er]

Since the upcoming EB 1.0 version is coming out soon will we be able to have guide provide, a kind of game manual to help us, EB newbes, to fully envoy EB in all is greatness??

[johnhughthom]

The gameplay guides and AARs section has a few faction guides to help you through the first few turns, they are for earlier versions but should still be relevant.
Apart from that reading the forums here, many a time I have come on with a query and found it had already been answered and the FAQ is good, and actually playing the game are the best way to learn the little differences in EB. The Romani are probably the best faction for a newcomer with its good economy and easy to use army.

[overweightninja]

IMHO this game does need some sort of manual, or at least a more comprehensive readme shipped with it and rather obvious, I first played EB in the 0.7 days and gave up on it (I hadn't activated script etc etc ).
Anyway my point is I didn't find out a lot of the essential stuff for EB until I tried it again in the 0.8 stage, and now having internet at home I was able to search a little wider (and found these forums).
Thing to remember is for maybe 75% of the people who are going to download EB, they're not going to go "Oooh, I better go search around the forums for this game and stuff first", they just play, and if they get stuck first port of call is documentation with the release.
Anyway I really do think some sort of documentation would help EB perhaps find a slightly larger audience, without having to risk any "dumbing down" or anything like that.
I'll also add that if others think this is a good idea I would be happy to contribute whatever I can.

Cheers

[I of the Storm]

A complete building browser with good descriptions would do for a start, I'd say. Are we going to have that in 1.0?

[Kampfkrebs]

Let me say it like this:

You wont be alone ;)

[Ludens]

A complete building browser with good descriptions would do for a start, I'd say. Are we going to have that in 1.0?

I am afraid not. The building browser generates the building tree directly from the data file (i.e. it's not created by the modders), but it gets confused by the complex requirements. Specifically, it will not display any building with a "not" command in their requirements. There is nothing that can be done about that.

[Tellos Athenaios]

Ah, but nothing stops our beta testers who've got tremendous skills. Finnally you will be able to see how to build the structures required to recruit the Bartixian deathray units!

[bovi]

Hey Tellos, he joined the team, he's not a beta tester anymore.

[Tellos Athenaios]

True, but they aren't on his list are they? Them deathray factories I mean?

[Megas Methuselah]

I feel like punching you...

[bovi]

True, but they aren't on his list are they? Them deathray factories I mean?

Good point, I stand corrected .

[Bootsiuv]

I was thinking about doing a manual for 1.0, sort of like an unofficial mod....

I want a nice one with pics that someone can print out and basically have their own EB game manual.

Only problem, is it would take a non-member an immensely long time to do a manual on his own, without help from those more knowledgeable in the mechanics of the game. I do feel I have a good grasp of any knowledge which would go in a manual. People don't need to know everything about the game, but it would still be pretty cool.

Is one in the works? I thought I heard someone saying something about it in the past.

If the EB team is going to do it, then I won't worry about it. A FCM such as this really does deserve its own manual.

BTW, I don't mean to step on any toes, or overstep my bounds. I am aware that I am not a member, and if you guys are already planning something like this, just give the word.

[overweightninja]

I was thinking about doing a manual for 1.0, sort of like an unofficial mod....

I want a nice one with pics that someone can print out and basically have their own EB game manual.

Only problem, is it would take a non-member an immensely long time to do a manual on his own, without help from those more knowledgeable in the mechanics of the game. I do feel I have a good grasp of any knowledge which would go in a manual. People don't need to know everything about the game, but it would still be pretty cool.

Is one in the works? I thought I heard someone saying something about it in the past.

If the EB team is going to do it, then I won't worry about it. A FCM such as this really does deserve its own manual.

BTW, I don't mean to step on any toes, or overstep my bounds. I am aware that I am not a member, and if you guys are already planning something like this, just give the word.

Bootsiuv if you need a hand as I mentioned I'd be happy to help, I feel I have a fairly decent knowledge of EB mechanics (I personally don't think you need to be part of the EB team to explain it to others adequately, experience is enough) and good enough English/IT skills for the job

Of course, as you said this is providing the EB team don't mind/aren't already doing something simmilar. We'll see how it comes along and I'll pm you or something

[Admetos]

I'd also like to help Bootsiuv if the EB team aren't making thier own. Oh and I've got good English/IT skills myself.

[Bootsiuv]

I would definitely need help....another option would be an EB Wiki....but that would require a lot of work.

I just figure that, once the EB team move on to EB2, a game manual would be the icing on the cake of EB1.

I think I heard one of the team members say they were planning on doing one, but I haven't heard anything recently.

Just offering a helping hand is all.

[Admetos]

Maybe a team member could comment on what is being planned, or even if one is being released with 1.0.

[bovi]

I think it's safe to say there will be no manual for 1.0. I seem to recall a post about a manual on the dev forum, but I can't remember what the results were.

[Bootsiuv]

Thanks Bovi.

Well, I won't get too into it yet, just in case you guys come back and say you're going to do one afterall.

I might begin to contemplate what kind of info would be useful to a new player, what info would be superfluous, etc.

PDF would also likely be the best format to use.

Hmmmm....

*heads back to the tavern to have an ale, and contemplate such things*

[Admetos]

Bootsiuv - Just PM me when you have some ideas or want to get started and what not if you want some help.

[Bootsiuv]

Will do....the basic format could be figured out, but I think we'll actually have to wait for the actual game to be released before anything concrete can be worked out.

I'm wondering if an in-depth gameplay guide for each faction with building trees, unit trees etc. might also be a good thing. I think that would be made an addendum available for download seperately, so as not to take away from the joy of those who want to discover the games for themselves.

I'll dwell on it for a while, and, with the EB teams blessing, might actually get a little team going to make something happen.

We'll see....

[overweightninja]

I'm wondering if an in-depth gameplay guide for each faction with building trees, unit trees etc. might also be a good thing. I think that would be made an addendum available for download seperately, so as not to take away from the joy of those who want to discover the games for themselves.

Could be, but just a "basic" manual with all the new player needs to get started should be there first, so yeah if that was the case either have as a separate download or just after the important stuff in the same doc.

[Bootsiuv]

I wouldn't put it in the same doc, for the spoiler reasons stated above. I only want people to see the units and buildings if they want to.

A very large Spoiler disclaimer would accompany the addendum, that is certain.

[Kull]

While I can appreciate the need for a manual, this was always a "nice-to-have" for the existing team members. The fact is we always had more important work that needed doing on the mod itself. And then too, EB has always been a moving baseline. A v.74 manual would be almost useless for v.8x, much less v1.0 (although the pace of change from v1.0 forward will presumably be significantly reduced).

That said, the team never sat down and said, "damn, we need unit cards!!", until one day Arkatreides showed up and just did them all by himself. Which means that if somebody out there decided to go create this animal, we certainly wouldn't stand in the way!

[Sakkura]

I am afraid not. The building browser generates the building tree directly from the data file (i.e. it's not created by the modders), but it gets confused by the complex requirements. Specifically, it will not display any building with a "not" command in their requirements. There is nothing that can be done about that.

In that case, a building/technology tree, kind of like the one that comes with RTW in paper form.
It would be nice, but of course it might depend on how much things are expected to (keep) changing after 1.0.

[Bootsiuv]

I assume that buildings will remain static from that point, as will units (someone feel free to correct me on this).

These would likely be included with a faction specific game-guide addendum, so as not to spoil the surprise for newer players (unless they specifically want that).

[bovi]

In that case, a building/technology tree, kind of like the one that comes with RTW in paper form.
It would be nice, but of course it might depend on how much things are expected to (keep) changing after 1.0.

Ah, but nothing stops our beta testers who've got tremendous skills. Finnally you will be able to see how to build the structures required to recruit the Bartixian deathray units!

So this part would be redundant.