PAX Beta first impressions

[Zeus]

I decided the past few days to ensure I made availble some time for Planetarion X beta. As I knew at first glance it appeared to look somewhat confusing and "too much too soon" But after playing for approx 12hrs on it, I have to say I am extemely well fecking impressed with it!

The most impressive bit was that I purposely played by myself, without galaxy aid/help/assistance and without alliance from anyone else and I STILL had fun!

Sure its a lot of changes, but everyone knew Planetarion needed a serious overhaul in game design, strategy, alliances and especially combat and I believe most of these have been achived or certainly on their way to being achived.

As for the minority on the forums who have only read some of the new features and through "hearsay" formed a judgement on weither you will play PAX or not, then I would HIGHLY recommend you wait for the trial. Its is impressive and most certainly worth it. "Give it a try, you WILL want to buy!" says it all really.

Im not saying its all perfect now, theres still work to be done for PAX and I hope further development to enhance some of the new game design i.e alliances etc.. But I have faith it will come from Spinner, Fudge, crew AND the community.

To those who cant comprehend this will no longer be the Planetarion you once knew and that is an evolvement of Planetarion and that without doubt can not play it as you have played Planetarion before. I say you'll be paying for a new game which has just got better. To those who refuse to learn a new playing style and do nothing but moan about too much changes or "its crap" without even experianceing it first, I say you have great loylaty to Planetarion and its appreciated, but a rebirth has happened and you with go with it or you dont. If you dont, dont bother posting it all over the forums as there is many who will and many who will be pleased to take your place.

One a final note, I would like to request more new screenies, details on "some" new features be released/announced as soon as possible as no new news cause rumours to start and people become disheartened, so guys get the finger out and lets have a GOOD update on BETA status to general public!

[HobbieRogue4]

Originally posted by Zeus
One a final note, I would like to request more new screenies, details on "some" new features be released/announced as soon as possible as no new news cause rumours to start and people become disheartened, so guys get the finger out and lets have a GOOD update on BETA status to general public!

I hate to have a go at Spinner, but in the past it always bothered me that Betas were conducted in "secret" and what the general public learned was from, hmm, explosive reports from, generally, dissatisfied members of Beta. I agree that it would be in everyone's benefit if regular reports were held on the development status of Planetarion. Especially now that Planetarion really can't be considered Spinner's sole property.

I'm waiting for the joystick version of Planetarion by the way. :/

[Wrath of Azure]

good post Zeus

One a final note, I would like to request more new screenies, details on "some" new features be released/announced as soon as possible as no new news cause rumours to start and people become disheartened, so guys get the finger out and lets have a GOOD update on BETA status to general public!

I wholeheartedly agree with that

[Ace]

Eeeerrrrmmm Zeus.....

Didn't you get the beta mail not to tell anyone

Serious...Zeus is right.
You have to get used to the new things at start.
But afther playing it for a few hours you will like it.
I used the alliance features to see what it was and it looks promising to me (but I don't think we will kill the alliance server for it )

All in all I think that the real thing (when tuned) will be a great game to play for old timers and new players.

All it needs is a positive push.
AKA I think spinner should ask the beta testers to all write a small part about how they think Pa X is and it should be posted on portal.

Ace

[Cochese]

We'll get more info as soon as you resume your PR/Community Director post Zeus.

I'm still waiting

(btw it was fun to attack you...you did quite well for playing alone, cheers)

[Zeus]

Originally posted by Cochese
We'll get more info as soon as you resume your PR/Community Director post Zeus.

I'm still waiting

(btw it was fun to attack you...you did quite well for playing alone, cheers)

You'll have a long wait, I just chill in the background here watching, reading everyday, chatting and not stressed

I thought that was you battleships with the block of cheese emblom on the sides of em that attacked me

[Ace]

Originally posted by Zeus
You'll have a long wait, I just chill in the background here watching, reading everyday, chatting and not stressed

I thought that was you battleships with the block of cheese emblom on the sides of em that attacked me

Only if that fleet was called Smelly Socks 1

[Dave]

How the hell can it be considered better than 'original' Planetarion?

[Zeus]

Originally posted by HobbieRogue4 I hate to have a go at Spinner

Your right m8ty, everyone has to understand hes only one person and Im sure #1 prority is coding implimentation of PAX, which is only right, and with Fudge just married, (congrates again) Spinners doing his role also. Happy I can blame them for anything as I know they are working flatout, just thought would post my obviously pleased thoughts on PAX with an observation of whats needed for the public.

Originally posted by HobbieRogue4
I'm waiting for the joystick version of Planetarion by the way. :/ [/b]

Hehe, pm me when its ready I'd certainly pay for it too

[Hicks]

Originally posted by Zeus
The most impressive bit was that I purposely played by myself, without galaxy aid/help/assistance and without alliance from anyone else and I STILL had fun!

Since when has anyone played beta with galaxy/alliance help ?

[Zeus]

Originally posted by Dave
How the hell can it be considered better than 'original' Planetarion?

I didnt say it was "better" than the orginal. Just what is orginal Planetarion? what round? PA has continuiously evolved and always will, I hope. For what its worth, I beleive a lot of good players dont nessarily leave the community just because they dont like the new round, but a good majority leave because PA (as they knew it) just doesnt give them the "buzz" anymore. Its "same old, same old" and thats because its been minor changes each round. Now we have a major change in PAX and thats why its akin to a whole new game, but its still Planetarion, just stepping out into the world with more enjoyible gameplay.
I did say it was a great evolvement of Planetarion and certainly a welcome one, which I truely beleive many will agree.

[ParraCida]

Originally posted by HobbieRogue4
I hate to have a go at Spinner, but in the past it always bothered me that Betas were conducted in "secret" and what the general public learned was from, hmm, explosive reports from, generally, dissatisfied members of Beta. I agree that it would be in everyone's benefit if regular reports were held on the development status of Planetarion. Especially now that Planetarion really can't be considered Spinner's sole property.

I'm waiting for the joystick version of Planetarion by the way. :/

I disagree, there is a reason beta's are kept secret (as far that is possible). Basically a beta is a buggy product, people will complain a lot. There will be a lot of fruitless discussions about features that are not going to be implemented anyway. Fruitless because we expect the beta testers to provide feedback on them, not the entire community. Instead of causing massive mood swings in the community it's preferred that a small but dedicated group of people discuss and balance every feature of the beta.

I don't see the point in being too open, people tend to complain about that a fair bit. But lets be realisitic here, the planetarion team exists because it's not effective to have 10,000 people argue over every decision, the same applies to the beta.

[Zeus]

Originally posted by Hicks
Since when has anyone played beta with galaxy/alliance help ?

Dont ask me, many galaxies/frineds where working well togeaher

/me points to Cochese

[Cochese]

Oi, what'd I do!

I got some in-galaxy defense, but otherwise kept to myself!

[Zeus]

Originally posted by ParraCida
I disagree, there is a reason beta's are kept secret (as far that is possible). Basically a beta is a buggy product, people will complain a lot. There will be a lot of fruitless discussions about features that are not going to be implemented anyway. Fruitless because we expect the beta testers to provide feedback on them, not the entire community. Instead of causing massive mood swings in the community it's preferred that a small but dedicated group of people discuss and balance every feature of the beta.

I don't see the point in being too open, people tend to complain about that a fair bit. But lets be realisitic here, the planetarion team exists because it's not effective to have 10,000 people argue over every decision, the same applies to the beta.

Forgive me ParraCida, I mean no disrespect and whole heartidly agree to the principles of Beta and its logic for secrecy. However, its getting close now to PAX, some screenies of it, with some confirmed features, with perhaps some detailed experainces of testers would go a long well to selling PAX to community, not least to the new people who just poped by these forums after seeing the add in the magazine, etc... theres not much about PAX when they visit planetarion.com, no images, opinions, views aka HYPE. Im certainly not asking for a frank and open discussion on each feature before its agreed to be in, etc.

[Wrath of Azure]

Originally posted by Hicks
Since when has anyone played beta with galaxy/alliance help ?

since this one...

[Andy_r]

Originally posted by Dave
How the hell can it be considered better than 'original' Planetarion?

Wave Amps don't go Poof :-)

Yikes! I leaked!

/me slaps himself

[Dave]

Originally posted by Zeus
I didnt say it was "better" than the orginal. Just what is orginal Planetarion? what round? PA has continuiously evolved and always will, I hope. For what its worth, I beleive a lot of good players dont nessarily leave the community just because they dont like the new round, but a good majority leave because PA (as they knew it) just doesnt give them the "buzz" anymore. Its "same old, same old" and thats because its been minor changes each round. Now we have a major change in PAX and thats why its akin to a whole new game, but its still Planetarion, just stepping out into the world with more enjoyible gameplay.
I did say it was a great evolvement of Planetarion and certainly a welcome one, which I truely beleive many will agree.

[ReplyRemoved for leaking beta information]

[Chax]

Originally posted by Hicks
Since when has anyone played beta with galaxy/alliance help ?

Galaxy: I think we defended eachother rather well in the 2 rounds of the r6 beta we were in the same galaxy Hicks. I can't remember if it was Tzen bolt throwers or chimeras you kept sending to defend in gal. I do remember me not having much flak for them though, with my horriffic setup of 1k of each ship and PDS. It was good for finding targetting bugs though..

Alliance and galaxy: the r4 beta was very much played with alliance support, as each galaxy consisted of members from one alliance. I recall the Xanadu galaxy being kicked out of the beta for bug abuse. Turns out everyone in the galaxy except me and one more had abused some bug with PDS to gain free resources.

[Zeus]

Dave i understand getting hit and "wipped out" is harse, but it happened to me in beta. I played few hours and got upto #47 rank in uni. You can not say u can get right back up there MUCH faster now with a bit of activity. Noone I think could possible say that you cant rebuild/grow much faster. Which imho means the top will continuiously rotate, meaning a lot more players will be up there trying to defend there ranks. Get hit, big deal, live with it and build back up by attacking others more instead of sitting stagnet and pilling in the resources. Towards the end of the round we will now have a race to the top spot instead of knowing a month beofre whos going to win. All good, again in my opinion.

[ParraCida]

Originally posted by Zeus
Forgive me ParraCida, I mean no disrespect and whole heartidly agree to the principles of Beta and its logic for secrecy. However, its getting close now to PAX, some screenies of it, with some confirmed features, with perhaps some detailed experainces of testers would go a long well to selling PAX to community, not least to the new people who just poped by these forums after seeing the add in the magazine, etc... theres not much about PAX when they visit planetarion.com, no images, opinions, views aka HYPE. Im certainly not asking for a frank and open discussion on each feature before its agreed to be in, etc.

Screenshots and confirmed features are already up on www.planetarion.com. And yes, hype-building is a good idea, though maybe its a bit too soon for testers to post their opinions because there might be some significant changes that will influence their opinions quite a deal

Personally I'm thinking that the open beta will generate the hype, open beta's are for 1) stress testing 2) minor tweaking 3) getting people interested in your product. And I think the reason that planetarion.com doesn't have 'all those things' is because its a temporary page, there are some beta opinions on the columns on the old portal. So atm its a bit of a mess page wise, waiting for the introduction of the new portal.

[Dave]

On a little sidenote, someone mention to Spinner that MySQL will never be able to support PaX if it ever gets as big as they hoped.

Bit of a downgrade from SyBase (or whatever it was).

[Wrath of Azure]

Originally posted by Zeus
Dave i understand getting hit and "wipped out" is harse, but it happened to me in beta. I played few hours and got upto #47 rank in uni. You can not say u can get right back up there MUCH faster now with a bit of activity. None I think could possible say that. Which imho means the top will continuiously rotate, meaning a lot more players will be up there trying to defend there ranks. Get hit, big deal, live with it and build back up by attacking others more instead of sitting stagnet and pilling in the resources. Towards the end of the round we will now have a race to the top spot instead of knowing a month beofre whos going to win. All good, again in my opinion.

that's true from my experience thus far, added on to the fact that you can get in the top 10 when many others have a bit more roids than u, yes, i do realize that this beta uni is only like 5% of a normal round but still...

Edit: I wish i could say 1% of a normal round

[Intrepid00]

When I saw 'PAX Beta' I was like WTF is PAX the tv station got beta for. Personally I wouldn't name PA X 'PAX'. Or I will starting thinking that PA X is a worthless PoS entertainment media just like PAX.

[Leshy]

It's called "Planetarion X: Genesis" in full. The popular abbreviation has turned this into PaX, or PAX.

[Andy_r]

Originally posted by HobbieRogue4
I'm waiting for the joystick version of Planetarion by the way. :/

I tried it. I attacked the galaxy to the left of me, but pushing the joystick to the left for 8 hours was knackering, and only getting to press the fire button once an hour when I got there was lame. I could have done better if I had a multi-tap for the 3rd fleet controller.

[K-W]

Originally posted by Zeus

Sure its a lot of changes, but everyone knew Planetarion needed a serious overhaul in game design, strategy, alliances and especially combat and I believe most of these have been achived or certainly on their way to being achived.

Your post reads like an infomercial testimonial.

Im curious by what you mean by achieved. If you simply mean that those aspects of the game have been overhauled, then yes thats been achieved... but simply overhauling them doesnt really mean anything. Making them better is an aweful lot harder, and I think in the urge to overhaul, improving may have become a crapshoot as we dont have a model to work with when you change too much.

PaX should be approached like any browser based strategy game online. Give it a try if you are interested in playing it.

[Ultimate Newbie]

Originally posted by Leshy
It's called "Planetarion X: Genesis" in full. The popular abbreviation has turned this into PaX, or PAX.

I still call it R10

[Dave]

Oh dear, your even trying to cover up the **** that you call round 10.

Thats really quite pathetic.

[Wandows]

Originally posted by Dave
Oh dear, your even trying to cover up the **** that you call round 10.

Thats really quite pathetic.

the only pathetic things i have seen so far is ur replies


u have played beta... u didn't like it..... nor did others as they made suggestions to tune the game up and make it work ok... now they are going to change the code again for the better... and all u do is complaining about a product u haven't even seen nor tried in its final form


its nice to have a opinion... but base it on some solid information next time instead of a unfinished game

[Dave]

Originally posted by Wandows
its nice to have a opinion... but base it on some solid information next time instead of a unfinished game

Precisely how is it not solid information, I played it, I saw it.

[MegaNova]

Originally posted by Dave
Oh dear, your even trying to cover up the **** that you call round 10.

Thats really quite pathetic.

i liked some parts of the new PA. And i didnt like some parts of the new PA.
But its the same with the old PA.
In the end i think it will be worth the 15€ to test it 1 round. and if you dont like it then, quit. then go to the bar to complain about it to your friends and spend 30+ € on beer.

[dabult]

There is a huge difference beween this beta, and ANY other beta you can think of.
This one is going on while no game is running, nor has it been going for a ood while now, hence people are growing more bored by the day. Plus its just not another round, its a whole new Planetarion.

[HiHou]

Originally posted by Wandows
the only pathetic things i have seen so far is ur replies


u have played beta... u didn't like it..... nor did others as they made suggestions to tune the game up and make it work ok... now they are going to change the code again for the better... and all u do is complaining about a product u haven't even seen nor tried in its final form


its nice to have a opinion... but base it on some solid information next time instead of a unfinished game

Ppl making suggestions for tuning up the game doesnt mean they dont like it.. after talking lots with other betatesters I can say most of them likes it, I LIKE IT!! It looks nice by my eyes and I'm sure the next round will be the most interesting round ever..

To the betatesters complaining about the new game mechanics and such: why on earth do u whine about things here!? Why not in the betaforums!? I'm sure it's easier for spinner to read your complaints and such there than here.. that's the easiest way to get heard.

Only negative thing I can think of now is the lack of informing about things what's happening to the non-betatesters, normal peons, possible new customers, not good at all.. I hope it will be improved in the future, alot! (Tho now spinner has made an update of things on the portal) Also the current temporarily portal has a very, very n00bish layout and actually drives the new possible customers away. Where is the new, real, so much better portal!? I'd hurry with it..

[Ace]

Originally posted by HiHou
Ppl making suggestions for tuning up the game doesnt mean they dont like it.. after talking lots with other betatesters I can say most of them likes it, I LIKE IT!! It looks nice by my eyes and I'm sure the next round will be the most interesting round ever..

To the betatesters complaining about the new game mechanics and such: why on earth do u whine about things here!? Why not in the betaforums!? I'm sure it's easier for spinner to read your complaints and such there than here.. that's the easiest way to get heard.

Only negative thing I can think of now is the lack of informing about things what's happening to the non-betatesters, normal peons, possible new customers, not good at all.. I hope it will be improved in the future, alot! (Tho now spinner has made an update of things on the portal) Also the current temporarily portal has a very, very n00bish layout and actually drives the new possible customers away. Where is the new, real, so much better portal!? I'd hurry with it..

I agree with you on most of your comments.

I just saw Spinner made a announcement on the portal find it here

Ace

[MrBrick]

Originally posted by Ace
I agree with you on most of your comments.

I just saw Spinner made a announcement on the portal find it here

Ace

It's also stickied on this forum, for convenience.

Press back and look up.

[Wandows]

Originally posted by Dave
Precisely how is it not solid information, I played it, I saw it.

simply because the game isn't finished yet, thus u have no idea on how it will actually be when r10 starts. U played a beta, just a non-finished testing product...

[Tietäjä]

Especially with the combat being recoded (rewinded, recoded). It's a major factor (well, The Hull of PA 1-9.5), and whether it satisfies people or not will of course be vital.

Let's just wait and chill.

The public beta will likely be a lot more finished than the confidential beta currently going on. Let's not judge a book by it's first character. There are several nifty twists and new things there.

[Gayle29uk]

Originally posted by Dave
On a little sidenote, someone mention to Spinner that MySQL will never be able to support PaX if it ever gets as big as they hoped.

Bit of a downgrade from SyBase (or whatever it was).

Um...wtf?

MySQL is blindingly fast and despite popular opinion DOES support transaction rollbacks and row level locking. Assuming they are running the current release with cache enabled then for pure speed nothing else on the market gets close!

Of course stored procedures and sub selects are still 'coming soon' but hey, you can't have everything

[Gayle29uk]

Originally posted by Leshy
It's called "Planetarion X: Genesis" in full. The popular abbreviation has turned this into PaX, or PAX.

A most unfortunate abbreviation for a wargame

[Andy_r]

Originally posted by K-W
Your post reads like an infomercial testimonial.

So do my posts, and I've always been one of Spinner's harshest critics.

A lot of the negative comments are from people who are just looking at the surface level, and finding things they don't like, and are trying to use old-PA tactics without realy understanding that this is a new game.

Fundamentally, old PA was deeply flawed, the best way to win was to assemble as many loyal people as you could in one place, win the arguments over who got the juciest small targets to bash in raids, click launch at some silly time of the night, hope your HC picked the right alliances to NAP with before the round started and cross your fingers that you are online to see when you need defence.

Despite that, it was a lot of fun. Now imagine a game like PA, but without those flaws, where you can lose roids once a week and still win, where smaller planets can make life tough for big ones, where stagnation is punished and war is rewarded.

That's what we have to look forward to in PA X.

Yes, there are flaws, but Spinner is listening and fixing them, and it's already a much better game than any old-style round.

I'm sure that the final product will not please everyone, and there may even be bugs and flaws, but there will be nothing as bad as the problems with the old-style game. I'm convinced that those who give it the chance it deserves, and are openminded enought to rethink their tactics will find it's the most fun they have ever had in an online game..

[HobbieRogue4]

Originally posted by Gayle29uk
A most unfortunate abbreviation for a wargame

HEH!

[Scorpio]

Originally posted by Chax
Galaxy: I think we defended eachother rather well in the 2 rounds of the r6 beta we were in the same galaxy Hicks. I can't remember if it was Tzen bolt throwers or chimeras you kept sending to defend in gal. I do remember me not having much flak for them though, with my horriffic setup of 1k of each ship and PDS. It was good for finding targetting bugs though..

Alliance and galaxy: the r4 beta was very much played with alliance support, as each galaxy consisted of members from one alliance. I recall the Xanadu galaxy being kicked out of the beta for bug abuse. Turns out everyone in the galaxy except me and one more had abused some bug with PDS to gain free resources.

Umm, that bug was fun
Basically competing with Virus galaxy in the beta. Small difference was that they used ~40 players for their galaxy. We used about ~5 at max. Login-sharing ahoy .

So anyway, either you cheated as well Chax, or you weren't in the galaxy

[Chax]

Originally posted by Scorpio
Umm, that bug was fun
Basically competing with Virus galaxy in the beta. Small difference was that they used ~40 players for their galaxy. We used about ~5 at max. Login-sharing ahoy .

So anyway, either you cheated as well Chax, or you weren't in the galaxy

I was in the galaxy, I was even GC of it half the time. I didn't cheat though, never gave out my login and never logged into anyone elses account either.

I did however report 2 people in the galaxy for login sharing when planet A was farming planet B and I also joined in farming planet B and got told off because Planet A had logged in and initiated the roids for himself.

Luckily I could keep playing the r4 beta even after Xanadu got kicked out since I was allowed to sign up an account in the APC galaxy instead.

[Gayle29uk]

Originally posted by Andy_r
Now imagine a game like PA, but without those flaws, where you can lose roids once a week and still win, where smaller planets can make life tough for big ones, where stagnation is punished and war is rewarded.

Very well put

[Hicks]

Originally posted by Andy_r
A lot of the negative comments are from people who are just looking at the surface level, and finding things they don't like, and are trying to use old-PA tactics without realy understanding that this is a new game.

Old Planetarion tactics were the ones that worked best in the beta, the really old ones, the easiest way to win was by bashing people at your limit and killing their entire fleet which if anything is worse than in old Planetarion, no finesse roiding just killing. Hence why Spinner has gone back to the drawing board.

Originally posted by Andy_r

Fundamentally, old PA was deeply flawed, the best way to win was to assemble as many loyal people as you could in one place, win the arguments over who got the juciest small targets to bash in raids, click launch at some silly time of the night, hope your HC picked the right alliances to NAP with before the round started and cross your fingers that you are online to see when you need defence.

I don't see why in PAX this is any different. I don't see why having loads of allies is any less nessecery than it was before. In fact when regionalisation is implemented surely people will need more allies to cover short ETAsm universe wide alliances aren't going to break up. If old Planetarion was so flawed tell me why so many people signed up to it ?

Originally posted by Andy_r
Despite that, it was a lot of fun. Now imagine a game like PA, but without those flaws, where you can lose roids once a week and still win, where smaller planets can make life tough for big ones, where stagnation is punished and war is rewarded.

Fast tick with 100 players is always going to be fun game wise at least for a little while. Have you played the same beta as everyone else ? How is stagnation punished ? How is war rewarded ? Attacking is rewarded certainly but I don’t remember stagnation being devoid of attacks. The problem with stagnation was having to hit small targets night after night for very few roids, now I can just fleet catch those small targets and get loads of points for it. If anything that rewards alliances for stagnating the universe.

Originally posted by Andy_r

Yes, there are flaws, but Spinner is listening and fixing them, and it's already a much better game than any old-style round.

Spinner has basically said the entire combat engine is being rewritten and covert operations are going to have a huge tweak. These are the two main elements of the game. How on Earth can you claim PA X is brilliant when the two main parts are being completely changed ? The game has potential and thankfully Spinner seems to be listening to the criticism and changing things hopefully for the best BUT there is no way in hell you can say the beta has been "all that".

As a final thought you can't tell people what to think, the majority of testers didn't enjoy the beta in the form it was in, no amount of posts by future PA Team applicants will change that, only Spinner can change it by making the right decisions, let's hope he does.

Also Chax that was probably my favourite beta ever, was an honour to get to play with you (twice), I seem to remember we did very well, first time round with our fleet catches on top planets and second time where you were first and I was third for most of the round. The round 4 beta was an alliance beta as I recall so alliance support was nessescery then I ended up in the ND galaxy I think since I wasn't cool enough for the Fury galaxy

[Baco]

I'm really glad that most of the posters r happy about PaX. We r all different and its normal that some doesn't like. I'm not playing (just got home from vancations), but if its true that the game will be more balanced and that attacking is rewarding then PATeam already won this "battle".

Thx!

[Andy_r]

I'm limited in the reply I can make to your intelligent and well reasoned post by the request for confidentality.

I'll answer where I can, and hope that my sudden swing from criticising Spinner's every move to parising him is evidence that I believe I've got answers for the other points.

Originally posted by Hicks
Old Planetarion tactics were the ones that worked best in the beta, the really old ones, the easiest way to win was by bashing people at your limit and killing their entire fleet which if anything is worse than in old Planetarion, no finesse roiding just killing. Hence why Spinner has gone back to the drawing board.

Did you try fleetcatching biger players, sneaking a few roids off big players while their fleets were out or counterattacking with small fleets instead of defending with big ones? Part of the problem is that people put a lot of effort into working out how to bash very effectively, and didn't put much effort into anything else, which I guess is why Spinner is keen to discourage bashing more strongly.

If old Planetarion was so flawed tell me why so many people signed up to it ?.

You already quoted the very next line of my post which was "Despite that, it was a lot of fun." :-)

How is stagnation punished ?

Covert Ops

How is war rewarded ?

Score

Spinner has basically said the entire combat engine is being rewritten and covert operations are going to have a huge tweak. These are the two main elements of the game. How on Earth can you claim PA X is brilliant when the two main parts are being completely changed ?

I believe the changes are not going to alter the character of the new game, in fact they are only going to make the game closer to what Spinner intended it to be.

The game has potential and thankfully Spinner seems to be listening to the criticism and changing things hopefully for the best BUT there is no way in hell you can say the beta has been "all that".

I'll hapily admit the beta isnt "all that", it's only a test after all, and 200 people playing 1 minute ticks is not a fair representation of how a 1 hour tick will work with several thousand players, it's unfinished in places and we have barely scraped the surface of endgame tactics BUT if you look at what the effects of all the changes are going to be, you might see what I'm seeing.

As a final thought you can't tell people what to think, the majority of testers didn't enjoy the beta in the form it was in, no amount of posts by future PA Team applicants will change that

All I'm telling people is what I think. It's up to the readers of this thread to decide if they value my opinions or not.

As as for becoming PA Team, should I:
a) Continue running my own company, paying the mortgage, feeding my wife and the cats and scraping together the car payments to Mercedes each month
or
b) Spend my entire life telling 14 year old AOLerswhat 'enonium' is and getting nothing but voice in #planetarion in return?

I have great repsect for the time and effort that the PA Team put in, but I'm more likely to gnaw my own leg off than become one!

[Hicks]

Originally posted by Andy_r
Did you try fleetcatching biger players, sneaking a few roids off big players while their fleets were out or counterattacking with small fleets instead of defending with big ones? Part of the problem is that people put a lot of effort into working out how to bash very effectively, and didn't put much effort into anything else, which I guess is why Spinner is keen to discourage bashing more strongly.

Yes actually I did, I call the rounds where I got to hit bigger players and catch their fleets Round 4 and Round 6, I actually quite enjoyed it rather than bitching on the forums about why I was going to quit because of being bashed, I always found it quite fun to lose pity so many others did not. Spinner will never be able to discourage bashing it's part of almost all games, there is always more of an advantage to hitting 3 people at your limit than 1 person who is bigger than you. The large will always pray off the small no matter how many times the game is rewritten. If anything PA X made the temptation to bash little people even more but what you seemed to ignore rather than old style bashing where players would try to maximise the cap now they'll try and kill the guys entire fleet.

Originally posted by Andy_r
You already quoted the very next line of my post which was "Despite that, it was a lot of fun." :-)

Where as PA X wasn't to the majority of testers.

Originally posted by Andy_r
Covert Ops

And you don't think people will get at all bored of clicking Launch Operation and things happening instantly do you ? You don't think people will get at all bored of using what is almost an ultimate power action again and again do you ? You don't think people will get at all tired of a "no brainer" action do you ? You don't think the big planets with their Covert Op bases will abuse them at all do you ?

Originally posted by Andy_r

Score

In the last beta it rewarded attacking not war, attacking has always been part of stagnation. It effectively rewards activity, which makes the game yet harder to get into. Activity was the main challenge for large planets in a stagnated universe, we would get bored just hitting newbies for minimum cap, heck now we are going to be rewarded for it. What's more all the lowbies are going to be suiciding on us to try and gain score \o/

Originally posted by Andy_r

I'll hapily admit the beta isnt "all that", it's only a test after all, and 200 people playing 1 minute ticks is not a fair representation of how a 1 hour tick will work with several thousand players, it's unfinished in places and we have barely scraped the surface of endgame tactics BUT if you look at what the effects of all the changes are going to be, you might see what I'm seeing.

You have no idea what the end result is going to be, I don't think Spinner has realeased any details of the new combat code or just how covert ops are going to be tweaked, you have no idea your just guessing. Your basically singing the praises of an unfinnished product who's two main elements are about to be significantly changed just because you think it may turn out great.

Go go PA infomercial.

[Andy_r]

Originally posted by Hicks
Yes actually I did, I call the rounds where I got to hit bigger players and catch their fleets Round 4 and Round 6, I actually quite enjoyed it rather than bitching on the forums about why I was going to quit because of being bashed, I always found it quite fun to lose pity so many others did not.

Great, now go try those in PA X, and you'll see how the score system actually rewards those kinds of things far more that it rewards bashing. In PA X you can have that kind if fun AND win!

You don't think people will get at all bored of using what is almost an ultimate power action again and again do you ?

Well, the testers are pretty much all agreed that some aspects of it are way too powerful, and you have admitted Spinner is listening to us, and that he's tweaking it. What do you think he's going to do it it? :-)

You have no idea what the end result is going to be, I don't think Spinner has realeased any details of the new combat code or just how covert ops are going to be tweaked, you have no idea your just guessing. Your basically singing the praises of an unfinnished product who's two main elements are about to be significantly changed just because you think it may turn out great.

And oddly enough, you have no idea what the end result is going to be, you don't think Spinner has realeased any details of the new combat code or just how covert ops are going to be tweaked, you have no idea your just guessing. Your basically slagging off an unfinished product who's two main elements are about to be significantly changed just because you think it may turn out bad.

The difference is that I've explored further into how the score system works and have realised what it's implications are.