Next AGEOD game ?

[MarsRobert]

What about "Dune" ?

I disagree with you about turn-based always being superior to real-time, but I am with you all the way concerning Dune! Again though, like someone else here noted, popular science fiction milieu's like Dune, Blade Runner, etc., would probably be way too expensive for all the but the largest game development houses to even contemplate doing.

[MarsRobert]

In DW you can automate nearly all the minor minutes events in a clever, finetuned way and save and re-use your personalized rules. Like, colonial bulldings triggered by population number. It's by the way one of the very few RTS games which imo are playable. Same with the Command Ops series, but this is tactical/operational.

You nailed it man as to why Distant Worlds works so well. The key is in choosing what to automate and what to manage. It's interesting though in that early on it feels like the game is playing itself, but as you move forward you start making tweaks here and there to make your presence felt. This is very realistic though, as in real life you would be an imperator, not a god.

By contrast, I tried the Canadian Indie game 'Hegemony: Wars of Ancient Greece' and absolutely hated it. I swear I think the fans of this game must be gluttons for punishment. The RTS engine made the game the worst case of information overload I've ever seen. It required way too much micromanagement in an environment where too much was going on. Even with frequent pauses I found it practically unplayable.

Come to think of it, the modern nation simulator 'Rulers of Nations' (also by a French developer works very well as a pausible RTS, though it suffers a bit from not having your economic advisers giving you suggestions on how to manage the economy (which can be complex in the extreme).

As I think I mentioned before, my biggest issue with turn-based is that very large empires can be tough to manage. Sid Meier's Civilization series is a case in point. Early on with a small empire it is great, but in the late game I often find it a bit tedious, and feel drained by the end. To be fair though, I think AJE works fairly well as a turn based game with large empires (the epic Caesar vs. Pompey scenario comes to mind), although I do find myself occasionally forgetting important things I meant to do. Wish I had some automated Roman advisers to remind me.

[FENRIS]

I disagree with you about turn-based always being superior to real-time, but I am with you all the way concerning Dune! Again though, like someone else here noted, popular science fiction milieu's like Dune, Blade Runner, etc., would probably be way too expensive for all the but the largest game development houses to even contemplate doing.

I agree with you (too expensive) but the world of Dune with all the factions and diplomatic I remember an old wargame boardgame 'Dune' in the 80's.

[Baris]

I 'm not fond of automation in games. As it feels game is advancing by itself. But It is becoming popular even on niche games. (See HPS,TOAW) It is good way to test AI but I think it should be available only on debug or in dev exe.
Civ 5 AI doing satisfactory job on big empires but nonetheless I think any game that uses it lose some ambiance.
About real time, Sins of Solar empire doing the best job. Tactical battles doesn't need much of a player intervention as the engine already match the best unit type for skirmish. I think it is the correct design for a game like this.

[MarsRobert]

I 'm not fond of automation in games. As it feels game is advancing by itself. But It is becoming popular even on niche games. (See HPS,TOAW) It is good way to test AI but I think it should be available only on debug or in dev exe.
Civ 5 AI doing satisfactory job on big empires but nonetheless I think any game that uses it lose some ambiance.
About real time, Sins of Solar empire doing the best job. Tactical battles doesn't need much of a player intervention as the engine already match the best unit type for skirmish. I think it is the correct design for a game like this.

Sorry man, but I have to disagree with you slightly. You are correct in that initially Distant Worlds does feel like it's playing itself. However, as you go on and become more comfortable with the system then you start taking control of things. In any event I think automation is a great way to manage large empires, and also a way to play the game you want to play and leave the things that don't interest you as much to the AI.

Although I do love the Civ series, at the late game stage with big empires it often gets a bit tedious and draining.

SINS is OK as far as it goes, but a bit overrated IMHO. It's sort of a kid's game where the focus is on pretty ship combat, and everything else (economy, diplomacy, etc.) is definitely on the lite side. Nothing wrong with all this per se, but I wouldn't even mention it in the same breath with games like Distant Worlds or AJE.

[Carnium]

I hope AGEOD sticks with historical turn based games. But if they want to sell more, then they will have to make other "interesting" games as well!

[MarsRobert]

I agree with you (too expensive) but the world of Dune with all the factions and diplomatic I remember an old wargame boardgame 'Dune' in the 80's.

Don't mean to hijack this thread into a Dune fan's thread , but I'm hard pressed to think of a science fiction novel written in the last 50 years that has had a greater impact. Well, maybe those dreadful William Gibson books might have had a hand in creating the whole cyberpunk thing, but they are amateurish compared to Frank Herbert. But I digress.

Anyway, Dune with its deep and rich characters and complex political milieu has influenced a whole generation of writers and film/tv producers. Also, the novel rather eerily foreshadows the West's dependence on Arab oil, almost a decade before it started to happen. Further, the very first RTS game was Dune 2, published by the old Westwood studios. In fact that whole RTS thing of resource harvesting came directly from the spice harvesting in Dune. I would also add that although I mostly liked the two Dune films, I can't help but think that we have yet to see the definitive film realization of this wonderful novel. I would also mention that I thought the second Dune book was good, the third was OK, and the rest were forgettable, especially those awful Dune books by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson.

[Soulstrider]

To be honest I am not really a big of fan of the Dune books, having read all until the Heretics. I liked the first until the Atreides murder and God-Emperor of the Dune, but once they really get into the Kwisatz Haderach and the future predicting thing I really lost my interest.

On the other hand I absolutely love Asimov's Foundation series, my favourite sci-fi books by far, thought not my favourite sci-fi work. It's a shame there isn't a single game, movie or show about it, though I guess it's hard to adapt.

[Narwhal]

Forget about Dune. They cannot buy the licence.

I have another idea. What about a world called... Sandstorm. It is a world of sand where Giant Snakes roam, extremely poor and destitute except for one thing called myrrhe that only exist on this planet and is necessary to travel the Ether. Two rival great families, the Horiaces and the Curaces, fight to control this planet, all this under the inquisitive eye of the Great Czar of the Universe.

See, unique setting

[Pocus]

haha, excellent! I wonder if you can get sued if you do such game?

[Narwhal]

haha, excellent! I wonder if you can get sued if you do such game?

There is only one way to know

[vaalen]

haha, excellent! I wonder if you can get sued if you do such game?

In the US, where we have government of the corporation, by the corporation, and for the corporation, yes, you could get sued.

[DanSez]

Since we are into the Sci-Fi realm - anyone else think the Man-Kazin Wars (Ringworld - Known Space universe by Larry Niven) would not make a great game. Niven did lease out his world for other writers to expand on, so licensing is surely available - unsure what the rate/share/return would be.

The Kazin - 8 foot tall biped feline-like Bushido-minded warrior class expanding out in the Known Space universe to establish hegemony. Puppeteers, Humans, Kazin, Progenitors, Slavers, lots of interesting elements. But for game purposes, I would say it would be a competition between the Kazin and Humans (fighting each others) and the Puppeteers playing one against the other to maintain some form of equilibrium (Puppeteers win in a draw between the other two).

[MarsRobert]

In the US, where we have government of the corporation, by the corporation, and for the corporation, yes, you could get sued.

Well-said Vaalen, couldn't agree with you more. Interestingly enough, one of the government types in Distant Worlds is Corporate Nationalism.

Yes SoulStrider, I'm a huge Foundation Fan, though I think Asimov kind of lost me after the first sequel (Foundation's Edge). I think I would cast Saoirse Ronan as Arkady Darell.

[vaalen]

I think the Lensman series, by Doc Smith, would make an incredible game. The Lens, a jewel like construct that serves as a universal translator and greatly increases the mind power of the wearer, and can only be worn by the good, A war of two galaxies, two totally different ancient races battling through surrogates,massive space battles, deadly mental combat, Mind power vs technology, great tech advances, a huge number of intelligent races, a hero who is a coward, yet gets the job done, Incredibly brave heroes from different species, bloodlines of selective breeding going back over ten thousand years, a love story that must work to save civilization, Giant superstrong Dutchmen wielding huge battle axes that are the only way to penetrate space armor, and the ultimate weapon, the Sunbeam - and so much more.

Have no idea how you could put this in a game, though.

[Matto]

Please stop joking about AGEOD sci-fi game ... we want some historical like usually

[Ebbingford]

Please stop joking about AGEOD sci-fi game ... we want some historical like usually

+1

Sci-fi does nothing for me either.

Keep it historical please.

[Ethan]

+1

Sci-fi does nothing for me either.

Keep it historical please.

I agree. NO Sci-fi.

[vaalen]

I agree. NO Sci-fi.

Actually, I prefer historical, too.

[Florent]

If they have the rights for Grendizer/Goldorak, thus a Science Fiction game is OK

[Lindi]

IF is the good war and funny war, or PON with only war and good diplomacy, Why not? (for Scien-Fi)

A good game with turn and long long long war and conqueste, many battle spacial and terreste for conquest planet, is not impossibile with ageod engin game, Water = space, Naval = Ship, and 1 or more case for 1 planet with 30 stellar system. No exploration, only Exploitation of ressource (money only or money + special ore), war and (really optionnel "Diplomacy" between 2 or more race).

Is less time for create that game, compared to a story game because less search and for coder(I thing) is funny to change 1 time the historical for really not historical (if only 1 game of 10 game why not ? ^^)

[Exsecratus Sicarius]

If a sci-fi strategy game were to be introduced by AGEOD, I'm certain that their talents and skills would produce a game unrivaled by any other developer. And I would hope that their fan base would continue with the support. I personally see nothing wrong with expanding reach for new audiences. The core of AGEOD will not necessarily change because of it.

[dGSe]

A big campaign under license if possible (Fallout or even Warhammer) with the Ageod touch and professionalism in turn by turn would be not bad.
I am fascinated by history but I would be not against to throw some legions of orcs in some pitched battles even fanciful with this engine.
Well OK I go out...

[Lindi]

Need war with Mage and Troll in the Ageod engin. xD

Really 1 game on that style for attract new playeur and new Income for Ageod is good no?

[Soulstrider]

Regarding the new game, can we have some sort of ETA on the announcement date? Like the soon means still in this year?

[PhilThib]

Not in 2012 for sure

[FENRIS]

Why not the civil wars in Japan (the Shogun périod) :
1. multiple factions
2. a lot of diplomacy
3. wonderful look of the units

suggestion of a Kurozawa fan

[Exsecratus Sicarius]

Why not the civil wars in Japan (the Shogun périod) :
1. multiple factions
2. a lot of diplomacy
3. wonderful look of the units

suggestion of a Kurozawa fan

Oh this is a great idea! I heart Japan.

[Exsecratus Sicarius]

By the way, any iPad games by AGEOD in the works?

[BigDuke66]

Check this:
http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?27293-AGEOD-Matrix-and-Slitherine-merged!-A-message-to-the-players