Game Options (allow optional settings)

Important

from Elemental Forums

 

After plenty of reading I've recognized this game will have great depth.  I wanted to quickly advise that many of the game settings should be an option where the gamers may choose which major settings/features are enabled/disabled.

 

For example... let's say the game was to include a major feature such as "Surrendering".  Where troops would automatically flee when greatly outnumbered thus preventing any battle and the gamer could do nothing.  This is an example of an important optional setting as many gamers would rather choose to control battle decisions. 

Another example of optional game settings would be victory conditions.  Gamers should be allowed to choose which victory conditions will be available.  The default can include all victory conditions, but hopefully each will be optional.

When viewing the map editor for Heroes_3 we can see many great option examples, such as,  heroes, skills, items, spells, etc.,  these were made as optional because as the gamers became more experienced they discovered which ones were extremely powerful and thus sometimes a better game if removed.  (ex- dimension door, expert slow, diplomacy skill)

 

Some of these options can exist within an advanced options tab where more experienced gamers may venture when seeking new challenges. 

19,016 views 24 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

That is the general feeling on the posts in the ideas forum and on the general forum. Moreover I think SD is well aware of this proclivity amongst its customers.

+1 Loading…
Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

Sounds great. All we really need is a big bank full of sliders and switches. And a way to save settings as favourites of course.

Star Control: Origins
Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

Surrendering and non-conquest Victory Conditions were optional in GC2, so good chances there.

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

I guess the more options we have the more the game as value IMO. If we can tweek the game we can create lots of different scenario in a sandbox game.

 

Everybody here mentioned this I just thought I would too. The mroe the happier.

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

Options are certainly the spice of life.  I would request there be several pre-set option sets to make it easier for those who don't feel like going through all the options to find the gameplay they want.

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

Yes, having options from the get go would be great. I think it's been learned enough that we like them so I don't want to see optional features put in expansion packs for this game, since it should be a lot more obvious this time around!

 

One key thing I can think of straight away was that discussion we had on specific tech research and the more generalised 'blind' one.

Reply #8 from Elemental Forums Top

I'm fairly sure they already expect to have as many options as possible (or at least I hope they do).  It will be fun times creating menu UI for all those options that is easy to manage. 

Reply #9 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting landisaurus, reply 8
I'm fairly sure they already expect to have as many options as possible (or at least I hope they do).  It will be fun times creating menu UI for all those options that is easy to manage. 

I think most of the settings NTJedi was considering are game setup things and not stuff you'd do via menus in an active game. But your point about a busy UI applies regardless. I'm hoping that one follow-through on the UI flexibility bragging that Stardock have been doing is that we might have some thoughtfully designed 'skill levels' in the setup UI.

The engine probably can sustain a very large set of setup options, more than many or probably most players would care to consider. But maybe the UI could offer players a basic choice about how complex you want your setup UI, e.g. Standard Options, Increased Options, and Maximum Options. I'm sloppily thinking of something like a 3-point toggle above a set of tabs.

Reply #10 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting GW, reply 9


The engine probably can sustain a very large set of setup options, more than many or probably most players would care to consider. But maybe the UI could offer players a basic choice about how complex you want your setup UI, e.g. Standard Options, Increased Options, and Maximum Options. I'm sloppily thinking of something like a 3-point toggle above a set of tabs.

  Great suggestions...  this will allow everyone to start the game quickly from standard options then as time passes and the gamers recognize adjustments they'd prefer, the more detailed options as you describe or perhaps (Advanced/Expert) would be available.

Reply #11 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting NTJedi, reply 10

Quoting GW Swicord, reply 9

The engine probably can sustain a very large set of setup options, more than many or probably most players would care to consider. But maybe the UI could offer players a basic choice about how complex you want your setup UI, e.g. Standard Options, Increased Options, and Maximum Options. I'm sloppily thinking of something like a 3-point toggle above a set of tabs.

  Great suggestions...  this will allow everyone to start the game quickly from standard options then as time passes and the gamers recognize adjustments they'd prefer, the more detailed options as you describe or perhaps (Advanced/Expert) would be available.

Agreed.  Nowadays we talk about crowdsourcing, the 'standard option' should be crowdsourced behind the scene; i.e. the default standard options will be automatically updated, according the most commonly used ones (this data is gathered automatically online)

 

Reply #12 from Elemental Forums Top

/helpless rant on

Quoting Climber, reply 11
...
 Nowadays we talk about crowdsourcing, the 'standard option' should be crowdsourced behind the scene; i.e. the default standard options will be automatically updated, according the most commonly used ones (this data is gathered automatically online) 

Which makes me think immediately of another option: Don't Send My Options Data to the Server.

Really, I love my always-on net connection, but I'm just disgusted with the trend twoards every last app phoning home for every little thing, and all in a market context where consumer privacy is closer to being a marketing plan than it is to a subset of our civil rights.

/end helpless rant /beg pardon

Reply #13 from Elemental Forums Top

I agree. They should definately put in an uploag feature, but it MUST be optional. For now, all you can do is just turn off your internet connection, but I THINK  that involuntary uploads miiiiiiiight actually be illegal. Only time will tell.......

Reply #15 from Elemental Forums Top

One of the last setup screens for starting a game is the 'Rulebook' screen, where special options like this can be toggled, as well as the 'Item Index' (disabling/enabling items that appear in game), the 'Beastiary' (toggling creatures in the game) and 'Quest Guide' where quests and events can be adjusted.

There'll be LOTS of room for different tweakable settings for players to mess with :)

Reply #16 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting BoogieBac, reply 15
One of the last setup screens for starting a game is the 'Rulebook' screen, where special options like this can be toggled, as well as the 'Item Index' (disabling/enabling items that appear in game), the 'Beastiary' (toggling creatures in the game) and 'Quest Guide' where quests and events can be adjusted.

There'll be LOTS of room for different tweakable settings for players to mess with

Wonderful news... we're all excited about the beta this June !   Let us know if any topics Stardock is working need advice or extra ideas.  This community can be your magical well of answers.  

:) 

Reply #17 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting BoogieBac, reply 15

There'll be LOTS of room for different tweakable settings for players to mess with

 

Glad to hear it. Frankly speaking I was expecting such. :borg:

Reply #18 from Elemental Forums Top

Oooooh another leak! Looks exactly like what he was talking about, too!

Reply #19 from Elemental Forums Top

Yeah, GC2's setup screens got REALLY unweildy as we continued adding setup options, so with the downloadable content and other new features we felt this was best added as its own section of the setup process (and not just shoved into the 'world setup' area).

Reply #21 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting BoogieBac, reply 19
Yeah, GC2's setup screens got REALLY unweildy as we continued adding setup options, so with the downloadable content and other new features we felt this was best added as its own section of the setup process (and not just shoved into the 'world setup' area).

so how similar is the UI between elemental and GC2's setup screens?   You talk about it like it is about the same.

Reply #22 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting BoogieBac, reply 19
Yeah, GC2's setup screens got REALLY unweildy as we continued adding setup options, so with the downloadable content and other new features we felt this was best added as its own section of the setup process (and not just shoved into the 'world setup' area).

Since Elemental is a fantasy game it might be cool to have the set up screen mimic a story book or something of that nature. So the player is already starting to get involved in the world before it is even made and that would be rather unique, i've only seen that maybe twice in my gaming life. 

Reply #23 from Elemental Forums Top

I hope that whatever setup options them put in they are intuitive to tweak and it is well explained what each of them does.

There is nothing worse than starting a game and getting halfway through before you realise there are no bears in the game or you made bandits super aggresive or something

Reply #24 from Elemental Forums Top

 

I felt the game options from AgeofWonders:ShadowMagic  were done very nicely.  The advanced section allowed for more details.  The map editor from Heroes_3 was very easy to use and allowed many adjustments so whether it was a gamers first map or a gamers 201st map the experience was great.