Spring Game that we all need to Play

http://springfiles.com/spring/games/progressive-annihilation-1

Yes, this isn't exactly PA related (at least not the thing we typically refer to as PA) but I feel like every PA player needs to try this spring game out because this one just does so much right. It's got a single mex type which is persistent throughout the game, no upgrades. It's got T1 units being useful right up until the end and everything is useful. The power gap between T1 and T2 is quite small (T1 energy is 25, T1.5 energy is 80, T2 energy comes in two flavors: 300 and ultra expensive 1300). Air is far from dominating. Commanders aren't OP tanks which wipe out whole armies. Looking at a game like this should help tremendously when suggesting balance changes for PA.

If you run into a color related error, try an older version of spring. 94.1 works for me: http://springrts.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=29965

But you cannot just copy balance over from one game to another. Even so silly detail like metal spot density vs speed of fabbers can make them op or not. Well it can make difference between usable and non usable ground units, because of map size vs their move speed. Or another example. Commander killing 10 units is Op in game that you can get 100-200 units, but its balanced in game where 1000 of units means nothing. Also there is no single and best way to balance game.

only a single mex for the whole game? im assuming there is no base building either?

I believe he means that there is only one level of metal extractors; so only basic, and no advanced/upgrades.

I guess he means only a T1 Mex. Way to be nitpicky...

how is this not PA related?

Meh apples and oranges

Ehh springs alright, but it's UI is a god damn deamon to bother learning, along with all of the games interfaces and loading systems and installers and log in stuff.

I utterly gave up after finding it's AI barely knows how to play without cheating, that was the final straw for me.

The UI is horrible outside of the more professional like mods, and even then it is over-bloated with features that only a pro would ever get full use out of.
And the game doesn't feature a proper way to play single-player outside of a tower defence map.

Say what you will about balancing for a MP game, but the lack lustre SP experience is appalling.

I will be the one to say we should wait on uber first. With the awesomeness of these two patches I think they're spot on now. Armies are much more diverse now and air isn't to op anymore. Ground tactics have returned!!!!

What do you mean nitpicky? The way he worded it made it sound like you are given 1 mex for the whole game.

Upon re-reading the sentence in isolation you have a point there. The following lines make the intended meaning quite clear, though.
Sorry for getting personal!

It has many AIs. E323, RAI, and KAIK can all give pretty darn good fights.

Obviously we can't copy balance over, however it's good to have a balanced game which achieves many of PA's goals as a reference to look at if we ever find that something just isn't balanced because we can look at how the issue was solved in the other game and see if we can draw anything that will be usable in PA from it.

lol bro you troll.

Edited for clarification.

More like strawberries and raspberries.

Can't say that I have heard of them..... that UI dude.