Turn 2310 - Game over?

[BZR]

make a Cantr 3

That makes a sense for me....

... and a global restart

[w.w.g.d.w]

This is another Cantr-'clone'. It is being playtested, though still in alpha-phase.

Funny game,my first day in and my female character got the proposal to have children from the sister of whom she would have... You know.
Resourceful little sister.
In Cantr I won't find it quickly.

[*Wiro]

The interface never really bothered me. I was so taken with the concept that I never cared.

Ditto

Same here. First two days were full of learning and constantly asking a friend who played it before what button did what. After that I pretty much got used to it.

A Wiki article explaining the interface a bit more wouldn't hurt.


Generations didn't appeal much to me. Allthough more free in some ways, it is also a bit more limited, somehow. Like Tiamo said, it's more adventure-ish.
I prefer the one-location with roads connecting them all system Cantr has. Somehow I can't imagine the world in Generations, while in Cantr it takes me less than 2 seconds after clicking my character to realize where I am, what the people look like and what they're doing.

[Dudel]

Lumins ideas to 'improve' on Cantr are um...limited. If you've read the forums for FTO as he calls it. I'm sure you know what my problems with his ideas are.

DO NOT LIKE THE FAMILY IDEA! My brain says this could ruin the game and brake the golden rule of Cantr if it was included in Cantr or if FTO had one, which it doesn't! The lack of a CRB rule in FTO will result in <b>horrible horrible</b> problems.

He thinks he can control this ginormous game world by himself which I'm not sure he can do. Especially since he has started working on the game he takes a while to give updates.

His time line is all messed up! He wan'ts to uberly speed up time all half cocked. All because he can't do the math for Cantr's time. I think 'FTO' is going to PBBG heaven.

My only... honestly <b>only</b> problem with Cantr is that it takes ticks away for simple things. Which I've complained about here and there on this forum. Other then that I see no problem with the interface in Cantr. If you can read there shouldn't be a real problem with the interface of Cantr. (If this insultes you well learn to read then!)

[joo]

This is another Cantr-'clone'. It is being playtested, though still in alpha-phase.

Hehehe, this has a certain... charm to it, but it will have to go a long way if wants to compete with Cantr.

I looked on the forum and it seems to be mostly played by Germans... I wonder if that might deter English speakers from playing.

[chase02]

This is another Cantr-'clone'. It is being playtested, though still in alpha-phase.

I can't find strong enough words to describe how much I dislike Generations. The interface is horrible.. and I thought Cantr was bad! The screen is taken up far too much by the map, which certainly makes me think 'adventuring for the little funny looking avatar dude' not 'roleplaying my character'. Big difference.

What got me into Cantr (and I think this is partly due to being of the creative, female variety gamer) is the society building/simulation aspect, combined with the freedom that a text-based world offers (it's like reading a book is better than a movie.. the ability to use your imagination sets the two very much apart).

However I yearn for even more freedom (with the item building system (think Nethack item system)) more realism (with the resources/animals, combat, movement and skills systems) a more immersive world (evolution, climates, family systems etc), better intangibles (clothing and other character customisation.. critical for a world built for socialisers), gameplay without time limits (no immersion-killing 'out of time, go away') and a REALLY good interface (nice AJAX touches, keyboard control and more usable via mobile).

I know I'm not going to get that anywhere else, so I'm writing my own. Sure, I'm a good year off alpha, but I've got the motivation and some fascinating concepts to implement. As per Cantr, text-based roleplay is what it's all about, and everything will be built around facilitating that interaction in the least distracting way possible.

Back to Cantr - I think one of the best things Cantr could do would be to lift the time limit and encourage players to be more active and involved in roleplaying more of the time.. there is nothing worse than spawning to a virtually "dead" world. You still need to attract players to start with, but this could really assist with retention. Re attracting.... I'd start with SEO - I can't find Cantr anywhere in google when searching terms related to the game... (society building role playing game.. role playing text based game..) and the results there don't look very strong at all, so shouldn't be hard to beat.

[chase02]

DO NOT LIKE THE FAMILY IDEA! My brain says this could ruin the game and brake the golden rule of Cantr if it was included in Cantr or if FTO had one, which it doesn't!

All depend on how it's implemented. If it's going to regularly delay character creation by days, IMHO I think it will be a disaster. There are ways around that though. I don't think anyone ever said this would be included in Cantr? I'd agree that it shouldn't - it would make no sense in the game as it is now.

He thinks he can control this ginormous game world by himself which I'm not sure he can do. Especially since he has started working on the game he takes a while to give updates.

Of course most of the work comes after a game is built and open to sign-ups.. but I'll wager if he's built it well enough, not much dungeon-mastering should be required - it all comes down to balance; both in the user base and in the game mechanisms.

His time line is all messed up! He wan'ts to uberly speed up time all half cocked. All because he can't do the math for Cantr's time. I think 'FTO' is going to PBBG heaven.

I'll have to go back and have another look at how he's planned his time.. but there is nothing to say that Cantr's time system is the best.
Cantr is a PBBG, as is FTO.. I don't understand what you mean by that comment. If it's PBBG heaven, then it's beaten Cantr to it's own goal, surely?!

My only... honestly <b>only</b> problem with Cantr is that it takes ticks away for simple things. Which I've complained about here and there on this forum.

Sounds like you have a valid point.. is there a good counter-argument? Or is Cantr lacking resources to make this change happen?

Other then that I see no problem with the interface in Cantr. If you can read there shouldn't be a real problem with the interface of Cantr. (If this insultes you well learn to read then!)

An interface should not distract from the gameplay (it does), it should be consistent (it isn't), it should not take you through multiple pages to set up a simple task, it should not require entire page refreshes without good reason, it should make sense (e.g. putting down an object to start a project then picking it up). A good interface involves a WHOLE lot more than just being written in readable language. IMHO this is where most games fall down.. it seems to be an afterthought by most developers. A pity really.

Just my 2c as usual.. take it or leave it!

[Dudel]

Giving Dudel friendly defenitions to Dudel friendly words and phrases.


Pbbg heaven means I think the game is going to die.


Now to explain on this:

My only... honestly only problem with Cantr is that it takes ticks away for simple things. Which I've complained about here and there on this forum. Other then that I see no problem with the interface in Cantr. If you can read there shouldn't be a real problem with the interface of Cantr. (If this insultes you well learn to read then!)

The interface causes the ticks being taken away. Because I have to submenu everything. If it didn't take ticks away I wouldn't care at all. Yes if I wan't to do anything other then dance around like a jit and play a flute I have to go menu diving. But that doesn't bother me because I can read and I know where the menus go. So if you can read there shouldn't be a <i>real</i> problem with Cantr's interface. If your expecting everything to be very paint by numbers obvious then yes Cantr's interface needs a major face lift.

That explain Dudel's comments better?

[chase02]

Giving Dudel friendly definitions to Dudel friendly words and phrases.

Dudel should stop talking about himself in the third person.

<snippity>
That explain Dudel's comments better?

Much better, thank you. Seems to actually be two interrelated problems:

1) You, the player, are on limited game access time
2) The interface is unwieldy

and also a little bit of..
3) Strange item use requirements (put down an item to start a project, then pick it up to work on it. huh.).. although that's not so directly interface related, but it comes back to 1..

The resource allocation to projects thing irks me also..

However, I'd like to take this opportunity to say, it may come across as me bagging Cantr, but I actually do love it (it's the closest I've come to what I'm looking for in a game), and would just love to see it taken a step further.

[Dudel]

Giving Dudel friendly definitions to Dudel friendly words and phrases.

Dudel should stop talking about himself in the third person.

Dudel does what Dudel does. Plus I type how it comes out of my mouth/head minus spelling errors.

<snippity>
That explain Dudel's comments better?

Much better, thank you. Seems to actually be two interrelated problems:

1) You, the player, are on limited game access time
2) The interface is unwieldy

and also a little bit of..
3) Strange item use requirements (put down an item to start a project, then pick it up to work on it. huh.).. although that's not so directly interface related, but it comes back to 1..

I have plenty of time to play I just don't like pissing my ticks away menu diving. Since I take a while to think before my character responds taking away extra ticks becuase I wan't them to enter a building or attack something iritates.

Note: I don't think i was snippity.

The resource allocation to projects thing irks me also..

Not 100% what you meen here. Gathering resources is time consuming? You don't like to gather resources?

However, I'd like to take this opportunity to say, it may come across as me bagging Cantr, but I actually do love it (it's the closest I've come to what I'm looking for in a game), and would just love to see it taken a step further.

Didn't sound like 'bagging' to me. I think if you 'love' something the best thing to do is try and inprove it. (Living things don't count!)

I think that should do it. Maybe not I'm not sure... yeah thought complete.

[chase02]

Note: I don't think i was snippity.

Noooo.. I was snipping the quote for brevity.. sorry for the misunderstanding there

Not 100% what you meen here. Gathering resources is time consuming? You don't like to gather resources?

The 'how do you want to allocate these resources' or similar screen with the three options. I'd prefer to see it auto-allocate or go "No, you dont have any iron, bugger off". I love resource gathering. I'm a total hoarder.

I think if you 'love' something the best thing to do is try and inprove it. (Living things don't count!)

hahahaha, love it!

[Dudel]

Not 100% what you meen here. Gathering resources is time consuming? You don't like to gather resources?

The 'how do you want to allocate these resources' or similar screen with the three options. I'd prefer to see it auto-allocate or go "No, you dont have any iron, bugger off".

Oi! I 100% agree!

Error Msg="You do not have the minimal required recources/tools for this project."

Repeat form another post I um..posted... How hard is that error msg?

[Gran]

I liked very much of some of these ideas of the Generations and I'll start playing it for a try. I have been since a long time discussing with a friend how make cantr better, realism specific talking, but still balanced and I found myself reading some of the topics which we discussed.

Didn't like the absolute admin from FTO.

Interface related: I think some improvements could be done with the use of java. Putting 'sub-pages' or whatever into a main page that would refresh as parts but not take you off the main page.

EDIT:Playin' Generations, interface sucks. There is a char named "Jos" in front of me. Over.

[chase02]

Interface related: I think some improvements could be done with the use of java. Putting 'sub-pages' or whatever into a main page that would refresh as parts but not take you off the main page.

Yup, thats done with AJAX usually.. would reduce server load too.. bonus!

[Tiamo]

There is a char named "Jos" in front of me. Over.

Lol!