We need more players! Especially for the 1v1 ladder. What can we do?

I think the best we can hope for, is in the longer run Uber expand the engine to support scripting and give this capability to the modding community. At that point we could build things like interactive tutorials and a campaign mode.

free hugz duh

To the *map people* who want better maps for more strategy:

PA's community maps are great, yes - but there is a limited number of them and they quickly become repetitive. Random maps would solve this problem - because they offer diverse gameplay at the drop of a hat - but the random map generator isn't really that great and hasn't been for a while now. It probably never was - but that's beside the point and few non-Uber people can properly judge that particular piece of code.

Now, the problem with random maps is that we don't have the mechanics for *tactical* placement of units. That is, units have very short ranges, artillery has a high arc, and orbital warfare (the best place for weird environmental obstacles, imho) is stagnate/nonexistent. Thus, we tend to gravitate back to community maps to end the frustration of getting a terrible spawn mex or a weird swampy spot on the equator.

And the cycle begins anew.

The easiest solution to the problem is to improve the map generator to the point of usability while also encouraging more community maps. That way, both parties can enjoy whatever maps they want with little complaint.

That said, don't even poke your head into ranked 1v1s. Few people play those anymore and we should really focus our efforts where most people will play and watch: team games and massive FFAs. Also, Team games are more fun, so let's do what is fun

You're talking about a /ladder/. A ranking system. You absolutely do not reward people (in the sense of increasing rank), for losing. You mention achievements, and yes, by all means, give someone an achievement unrelated to losing; something to reward progress in whatever they were doing.

You can't quantify how much someone has learnt from losing.

You're underestimating the manpower required to develop a single player campaign by sheer virtue of the fact that you've said "I think the best suggestion so far is for Uber to develop a captivating single player campaign..." - arguably it isn't a good suggestion because it is not economically viable. Don't get me wrong - it would be brilliant for the game if Uber developed a SP campaign for it. That'd be awesome! But i'm 100% sure it ain't happening for economic/business reasons. Arguably stating it's the best suggestion is not the same as saying it is viable, so I'll give you that - but you've also said in this thread that "I think the game would be more fun if individual units mattered a bit more. The only way I can see this happening without completely changing the game is to introduce a new layer of units." - which again, is stating something that you think Uber should do (or modders, but I feel you're talking to Uber..) - this is a huuuuge task. Introducing new units, indeed a whole new layer/tier/category of units, will affect existing game balance and thus require a lot of work re-balancing the game. Not to mention requiring developers AND artists. And fundamentally I don't agree; I actually like the fact that PA doesn't have lots and lots of mobile units. It's much easier to learn the game because there aren't so many. Each has a specific function, there aren't frivolous variations on a unit for the sake of increasing the number.

And please, stop calling the 'masses' 'idiots'. What people want shouldn't be the driving focus of a videogame, indeed, any piece of art (yes, I consider videogames to be art).

Lastly, in the thread title I asked 'What can we do'? The community, not Uber. I'm trying to get people to promote and publicise the great game that Planetary Annihilation already is. Let's work with what we've currently got. We know Uber are still working on the game and I'm looking forward to future updates with much anticipation!

Definitely, I hope Uber's lasting legacy is opening the game up for modding as much as possible (maybe even... release the source code? lol). This would help a lot. But I think that would be a 'final update'.

That's because leveling in COD does not have anything to do with the skill level of a player, in COD you can be **** yet play the game enough and be the highest rank ever.

If you want something like that it has to be separate from the main game in a way similar to what CSGO has done recently. In which there is the real ranking system that is based on Elo points and a secondary ranking system just based on you playing the game.

There is only one hope, expansion pack. The game needs a robust expansion.

An expansion pack is tantamount to " we kept developing it and now we've released a big update with publicity". So arguably, it doesn't need to be an expansion pack, its the publicity element that is important.

PA unfortunatly got some bad reviews in the press and in the wider gaming community, due to missing features, an essentially non existent tutorial, etc. Some of these features are now in the game. I believe Galactic War is due to get a big update soon too. I reckon what the game needs more than anything else is

a) a good tutorial
b) a lot of bugfixes, polish, and a few new features such as different gameplay modes/win conditions, etc...
c) a second wave of publicity. Get in the press, re-release, whatever is best in the industry given the circumstances. Say "hey, we kept working on our game and now it is even better, so please review it again and let us know what you think." Say it loud and proud.

I reckon that'd be enough to make people who bought the game think "oh, cool, major updates and look, that feature I wanted is now in the game. I'll try it again. Oh look, a tutorial!" and play again - and it will probably generate more sales as well.

Please, Uber...?!

I was a backer of this game. Have tried to get some friends into the game I get same answer every time art style looks pants and childish. Put SC FA into this game and I feel more people would play. sorry but game looks dead. it looks like Lego and every planet but metal is also dead to look at . I had real hopes for this game but after 10 min I just load up SC FA again. Even commander upgrades missing so late game he is just a unit you have to baby sit makes him a crap unit any snipe or bomb run game over.

Haha I se that this discussion develop into almost every thread. Come an guys, can't we discuss what the post really where about, what we can do so that people get into the game, and so that they enjoy it. To me it sounds like events, clan recruting, mentoring and so on. This is some of the stuff that we can do as a community. Me myself for instance thinks that we should host a couple of "open evenings" in a teamspeak etc where everyone is encouraged to visit and get some mentoring. Then again you have the problem that you need to promote it. Thats the hard part. Thats the reason why Ive decided to move into the youtube world and startet my own channel. If someone has viewers, they can reach beyond the community forums and beyond the pa stats chat. We had a guy in Zaphod. Lets not take the discussion whether he did so or not, my point is that he had the possibility to reach out there.

Ive seen the balance, experiment, campaign and the maps discussion everywhere lately and yes I find them interesting and think that they are important to have, but lets not make this post into one of those. This is as zihuatanejo said not about what uber can do. Lets discus mentoring, newbie tournaments and how we will reach out there, because I don't have enough viewers at my channel atm (startet this week) and I don't know anyone who has it.

Oh I thought that would be unnecessary as our modding capabilities are already complete.

If you put graphics before gameplay, you're gonna have a bad time.

This guy. He gets it

@ZaphodX is sorely missed I think. 'Open evenings' sound like a good idea. Newbie tournaments (bronze and silver players perhaps) could be fun, especially with cash prizes. I bought an @exodusesports t-shirt yesterday so hopefully I've put of money into the prize pool for future tournaments!

You seem to be trapped in a black or white world.

You know, I think this might be a very good idea. One complaint I read (by Quitch on exodusesports maybe?) about the current ladder is that the split into ranks is somewhat arbitrary. I think having an explicit "little league" tournament would be a great draw. Here is an idea: The winner of a little-league tourney is barred from them until they lose in the first round of a higher-league tournament.

Well at this point not easy grab again players or new players .
Now i like PA, i play like always alone but i like it how it is the fixes are decent and i finaly can play what i most like Naval.

This game got a shadow ,all the problems since begin have mark the global succeed of PA and the game its not what we all expect fans off TA series.

For me its just another case like supreeme commander 2,you all now what players talk about PA out doors dont denied but i like the game .

I dont see how can this return to glory.

Until no one decides make a real Supreeme commander 3 or Forged Aliance 2 or TA 2( CT is doing) like we are waiting for years wont be easy to developers .

The only game will come this year ,like this series is AOTS

Just a note the PA pathfind its really good

really? why is that?

Because you view things in a static context whereby they're either 100% there or 100% not there. You don't seem to have a decent perspective when it comes to shifting milestones, iterative development or the nature of something taking a lower priority while more important problems are solved.

Either that or you're obsessed with a single quote from an Uber member that made a specific promise that you're incapable of relaxing on.

One of the two, both are black and white ways of looking at the world

At the end of the day, uber haven't implemented scripting because they don't use it themselves. It's pretty obvious to me that any mod capabilities they expose are going to be driven by capabilities they need themselves.

Something like this would be an end of development type thing- a good capability to add which could be useful for the future. It would obviously be very low priority however.

Also at what point did I say the modding capabilities were complete? To be honest given what can be achieved with mods, I doubt there is any way for them to be complete short of giving the community the entire source code (would be nice but unlikely). My point was simply that uber have supported modders, to a level that is in line with the resources they had and quite a lot is already possible. Scripting currently isn't hence the suggestion.

I agree with you here, mainly from they view that it gives uber a second shot at reviews as well as the chance to add some of the content they couldn't the first time now the whole framework is in place.

I would back such a project on kickstarter.....

None of that is true. I'd advise you to focus back on yourself and stop attempting to judge others. It's not like it'd be your right anyways but it doesn't help that you're opininated and biased about me. Your depection of me is wrong point by point and prooves only that you know nothing of me.