I just uploaded THEATER9.P00 to https://sites.google.com/site/gdbsite5000/main which is a far more well-rounded game. SUPPLY is only added to RESERVE at the end of the turn (so that both sides begin with 100 reserve instead of 110). I made major changes to the BOMBER -- it has different attack strengths depending on the types of ground units it flies over on it's flight path. Please see the changes I made to the instructions on page 1.orion70 wrote:Excellent gameplay so far.
It would be even a nicer game, if the map was more similar to real world, i.e. with mountains, lakes and forests, instead of single one-character blocks of rocks, water and tree(s) spread all around. This would encourage even more sophisticated tactics, e.g. to avoid a mountain range with your infantry; and the map would be prettier to see . I hope this is feasible without eating up too much RAM.
I would not allow wrong moves (like trying to move a soldier unit onto a rock) to "eat" the movement. If you try to move a unit where it can't be placed, you still should have all your movements available.
As for difficulty, I think the forces are well balanced, but the step between the levels is too big: IMO, the enemy should have 100 reserve + 10 supply at level 1, then 150 and 15, 200 and 20, and so on. This would encourage people to play "one more time" (I felt lost at the beginning of level 3).
Also, it would be great if one could somehow save the game to play it later (on a real machine, of course). Don't know if maybe a future improved disk version could handle this.
As a final note, I like the hidden fighters/bombers thing, but you should specify that their starting position is random in the instructions.
Thanks again for this little gem .
Keep in mind that this game is for the unexpanded VIC-20, so all of the changes you propose (less 'randomized' map, save game, preserving moves if the player accidentally makes an illegal one) are not viable in the context of this game (which is going to be submitted to the minigame competition). Of course if I ever make a follow-up for the expanded VIC-20, I have a pretty good game engine to implement these types of things you'd like to see.
As for difficulty, it is expected that the game becomes so difficult that the player must employ a defensive strategy at the beginning of the later levels. I think the furthest I made it to is level 5. I could make the game end after say 10 levels, but I have so few precious bytes left I'm not even sure I could implement something like that.
But thank you for your feedback, it's much appreciated. I'm surprised that I was able to put in as much as I could into the unexpanded VIC-20 so far. A more sophisticated game is certainly feasible with memory expansion.