feature request: annotation and game state saving

[msew]

There needs to be an annotation mechanic in the game so people can all write down their thoughts on each move and such.

Then at the end of the game you can get a time line of all the nations and their thoughts on each move.

This is REALLY great for

a) learning what people are thinking in their games
b) having "games of the masters" / tournaments where you can see what people were thinking. (sort of like chess annotations and lines the various sides where contemplating)
c) ability to go back over your games and see where you made mistakes

Certainly you can do this on paper or on your computer, but having it built into the game would be really really nice.


To effectively do the above (and a nice feature in its own right), dom2 needs to keep track of all the battles so at the end of the game you can go back and watch them and watch other nations' battles.

So you can go look at each turn and see all of the battles that have occurred on that turn and view them if you wish.

This would be great to show off that big huge massive tide turning battle that you had, but only you and your enemy were able to enjoy.


So at the end of a game or at some point of the server owners choosing you can do: "export game" and it would dump out the "recorded" game data and annotation data for others to view.

Many RTSs have the functionality to record games and it is really nice. Adding the ability to annotate during the course of the game and after the game would be wonderful additions to an already great game.


~msew

[Boron]

yeah a really cool idea if possible .

i enjoyed that option much in starcraft and warcraft 3 .
really great battle replay options there . nothing ihmo was left there what you could wish for .


so if this doesn't take too much effort it would be a nice feature to add . not only battle replays but too the option to the the world map each turn either from the sight of a special nation or as divine all knowing watcher .


given it was implemented in starcraft only very late in one of the Last patches after the game was at least 1 year out this should be not too hard .

i think illwinter surely should make programming their fulltime job and give up their other jobs .
if dominion 3 becomes a hit then ( hopefully it will ) they will earn much more money too than they can ever with their current jobs .


a statement from illwinter to their future plans would be really nice if they really plan to give up their other jobs .
so far i know one of you 3 guys is a teacher .
if i had the programming abilities / creativeness of any of you 3 guys i personally surely would try to make that my fulltime job


i intended everything above written as a compliment.
i just always said you 3 guys because i didn't want to be impolite because i only remember the names of 2 of you unfortunately

[Norfleet]

I find the idea rather amusing, if only so I can take advantage of the opportunity given to commentate my own games with lies and deceit, so as to deceive those who would read my documents. Who the hell writes their actual thoughts in a journal, anyway, just so someone else can read it?

[Boron]

Originally posted by Norfleet:
I find the idea rather amusing, if only so I can take advantage of the opportunity given to commentate my own games with lies and deceit, so as to deceive those who would read my documents. Who the hell writes their actual thoughts in a journal, anyway, just so someone else can read it?

a battle journal will be rather boring

but the main idea is a battle replay like in starcraft . this would really be great .
i would enjoy watching your games

[Cainehill]

I'd be happy if they'd just create a text log with all the turn-by-turn Messages, which would be trivial to do.

That way you could go back and find out what was said via Messages between nations, and know exactly what was / was not promised, etc.

Expanding the current Messages to show who forged what would also be good.

[Boron]

Originally posted by Cainehill:
I'd be happy if they'd just create a text log with all the turn-by-turn Messages, which would be trivial to do.

That way you could go back and find out what was said via Messages between nations, and know exactly what was / was not promised, etc.

Expanding the current Messages to show who forged what would also be good.

yeah right .
with the current system complex trades are only doable per board pm's or instant messenger .
you would have to wait 4-5 turns ingame until you have agreed on final prices .

as you said a log of trades would be really helpful .
this should be first priority 2.13 even .
+ granting ermor the nerfed vq again