Global Dominance

[Frostion]

Nice quality unit pictures. What is ETA on open beta?

[Hepps]

@Frostion Not sure yet. Still lots to do. But I am slowly chipping away at everything.

Still lots (28 approx.) of unit images to draw.

Still fine tuning the balance between unit costs and income.

Still examining comparative unit costs vs. abilities.

Still working on the look & feel of the map.

Still trying to figure out if I can make a hack for the rail unit.

[Hepps]

This one is for Red.

And Redrum when he is fully immersed in a game...

[Hepps]

Well with things winding down on the TWW update for the time being... thought I'd turn my attention back to some more grandiose visions.

Working on all things infrastructure ATM... and since this game will focus heavily on infrastructure.... here's a little look at one of the more important aspects of the economic sides.

Just because your capital is of the utmost importance to your own nation.... don't go thinking capturing your enemies will reward you as richly as it did him. Now you simply control a city full of people who resent your presence... and will do as little as possible to support your further growth.

[prastle]

@hepps Email test @Hepps Hiya did ya get notified?

[Hepps]

@prastle We shall see rabbit.... we shall see.

[Hepps]

Working away on the look and feel for the map.

New Coastal Battery design was part of the revisions.

[redrum]

@hepps Looks great. Also like the updates to the water. Can we start playing yet?

[Hepps]

@redrum LOL.

Yes I have made a lot of headway in establishing the steps and settings for the look of the water.

Still have to set up a system to address the SZ divisions.

No you may not play yet.

[Hepps]

And here are the finalized bombard units

[redrum]

@hepps How do bombard units work?

[Hepps]

@redrum That is a proprietary secret.

[Hepps]

@hepps Call it Hepster's 11 herbs and ballistics.

[Frostion]

@Hepps
Does bombardment work like in Age of Tribes, with units spawning their own ammo?

Based only on the looks of this sneak preview, the water looks great and the units really stand out so you can see them in the water. I like that the water is detailed, in a similar way as the unit pictures: Detailed but still very "plain" and "simple" in the colouring. I think you should try to reproduce this on land.

I would think that you would have to brighten the land color a bit, so land units also stand out. And it would maybe be nice with a very discreet texturing on land... detail but still single/mono coloured land. And if you could, it would be great with some landscape icons that were less cartoon like, especially if the landscape got detailed like the water.

Im am looking forward to this map! Could the open beta phase be at Christmas? Like a gift to the community!?

[Hepps]

@frostion Partially correct.

I have developed many applications for detailed land terrain... the issue is really time. With the scope of this map, drawing realistic and detailed terrain images is very time consuming. I am staying with the current images as it would take me months if not years to draw the entire map the way I'd like to.

There will be no GD under the Christmas tree.

[Hepps]

Just refined the Mines (German one is changed as to compare to British) and redid the Munition units.

[redrum]

@hepps They definitely look better. I also see some territory names!

[Hepps]

@redrum Yup. Tested out some naming styles... so far this is my favorite method.

Trying to keep the names minimal but still readable at 50% - 67% zoom. There is a lot going on in any given terr., so I am trying to keep the names small but almost always visible.

[redrum]

@hepps Right. You thinking white instead of black like in TWW (personally like the white look)? If I get a vote, I'd vote for the names to be a bit bigger though it depends if you plan to ensure units don't overlap them. If there is guarantee for no overlap then you can probably get away with them being about this size.

[prastle]

@redrum @Hepps like the white as well just my 2 cents