Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

dmm · #1 March 27th, 2001, 01:37 AM

What hard-coded mods from MM would you be willing to pay for? And how much?

For myself, I'd pay another few dollars for a more realistic ground assault option. (Or maybe a tie-in to one of Shrapnel's ground warfare games. I wouldn't pay MM for that directly, but I'd be willing to buy the other game and MM could get a kickback.)

I'd also pay a few bucks for a SaveGame file editor. I've talked before about the advantages of that.

How about the rest of you?

I realize that Aaron can only work so fast, even if people are willing to pay extra for it. But maybe he could subcontract a "plug-in" modification or an accessory program, such as the things I've suggested? I'm trying to think of how the SEIV community could help Aaron make SEIV a Nobel-prize-winning game, as most people on this forum obviously want.

Jourin · #2 March 27th, 2001, 01:49 AM

Since a good ground combat engine was not in the original specs, I would pay around $20 US dollars for an add-in that really developed the ground combat. I do not need 3d graphics and real time, (IG2 had that and that was not the best), However, that would be a long time away. I was just hoping for some quick fixes to improve the ground combat phase per a post I made. I would not recommend MM hiring out contract help. Unless the coder is a big fan, I would worry about the quality of the game. MM's committment to quality is the standard all gaming companies should follow!

raynor · #3 March 27th, 2001, 02:56 AM

What are the advantages of a savegame editor?

Would you be willing to play a PBEM game if you knew someone could edit the savegame?

Taqwus · #4 March 27th, 2001, 03:36 AM

The ability to import/export saved games and command files as human-readable text might convince me to fork over some more $. (Command file --> the list of orders for a given player for a given turn). It'd permit insane Perl scripters to come up with complicated scripts to automate complex tasks, such as using a set of rules to add atmosphere converters where necessary (and deciding which facilities to scrap if necessary for making room), for replacing production uniresource facilities with 'liths, and so forth. I'd rather write a set of scripts to queue the commands for me, rather than have to do everything by hand, and it'd reduce the need for an interface overhaul. In addition, the command list stuff may already be largely in place (I'm thinking of simul+PBEM games, where it makes sense for clients to be able to send *only* command lists to the server, rather than change state directly; that way, the server can validate legality and consistency).

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-- The thing that goes bump in the night

Atrocities · #5 March 27th, 2001, 05:56 AM

Look, I agree with many of the things you guys are saying, and I have suggestion for you all to consider. Why not just wait for an expansion pack for SEIV? That way, Aaron and the folks here at SG can make a nice profit from there work, and we the buyers get another CD with all the latest stuff.

Just a thought, and YES, I wouldn't mind paying extra for it. SEIV is a great game, and it has been very well supported by Aaron and SG, and that goes a long way in sementing customer satasfaction.

[This message has been edited by Atrocities (edited 27 March 2001).]

Kellicus · #6 March 27th, 2001, 06:43 AM

>For myself, I'd pay another few dollars for >a more realistic ground assault option. (Or >maybe a tie-in to one of Shrapnel's ground >warfare games.
I don't recall the name of the game, but I used to play a space game that had automated strategic ground/ship assualt combat. The company had a tatical ground combat game that would tie in and allow you to experience tatical combat if you owned both games. It was really cool.

Erhardt · #7 March 27th, 2001, 06:44 AM

I think paying MM for a 'expansion' pack/disk is a good idea. Personally I have spent more time this year on SEIV than any title I bought Last year.

For me; it is worth it.

Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz · #8 March 27th, 2001, 04:16 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Erhardt:
I think paying MM for a 'expansion' pack/disk is a good idea. Personally I have spent more time this year on SEIV than any title I bought Last year.

For me; it is worth it.

I totally agree. Perhaps Aaron could make some of his personal development tools available on a CD for SEIV junkies?

Scenarios/mods would be more problematic:

a. How to credit fan modders for their ideas/work?

b. How to avoid setting formats in stone and compromising further game development?

Maybe he should just start a "Malfador Programmers' Benevolent Fund"?

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Resistence is futile.

Triumvir Emphy · #9 March 27th, 2001, 05:06 PM

He can not publish his personal development tools, since he doesn't own the rights to them.

raynor · #10 March 27th, 2001, 05:33 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Triumvir Emphy:
He can not publish his personal development tools, since he doesn't own the rights to them.

I thought I read somewhere he used Visual Basic for the first three SE games and then switched to Delphi for this 4th one. Do you remember reading that too? I coulda sworn he said that this latest one is coded object-oriented. I *must* have read that somewhere. Does anyone have the URL to that article? I thought it was an interview of some sort. Thanks!