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10 Jun 2009, 23:02
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#1
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CRASHING BEATS 'N FANTASY
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Cold Country.
Posts: 1,912
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Notifications on in-game events
This suggestion is actually pretty simple, but opens up a rather large path that we could walk down.
Add an option where a player can select about what kind of ingame events he wants to receive an e-mail. For example, I want to be notified whenever I am finishing a construction or research, or whenever I get incoming. Additionally Pete could then offer pay-for-comfort functions where you could buy a stack of SMS credits so you could also get SMS notifications instead of e-mail notifications.
Add reminders for people which have not been active for 48 ticks and are not in vacation mode. And so on. Combine those notifications with helpful instructions, if needed. Etc, etc.
Admittedly this raises a philosophical question: Should players have to log into their account in order to know what is happening? Personally, I don't think so. Certainly, people which want to spend hours a day on this game will be not amused as this cuts away another aspect of those so-called "activity rewards". But then again, for the greater good, this would also remind John Doe, who signed up his planet and has to wait X hours before the next thing happens, to actually come back and do the next thing. And it would remind those of us which are busy at work about things that just finished, at least I tend to forget to pro-actively check my PA account when I am working, since at work you usually think about your task at hand instead about that game you are also playing.
So, I am looking forward to a nice discussion about this, so far I do not see any reasons for not implementing this. Preferably for next round, because it would be a perfect addition for Pete's advertisment plans to get more users. And it would also justify a small increase in credit prices because you get more comfort. Essentially since this does not even require a lot of coding. For pure e-mail notifications it is adding exactly one column to the user table (storing notification flags), on the ticker it is a simple additional check of:
Code:
fetch notification flags for this user
for each game event step
if player has notification flag for this event
send notification
And that preferences page is dead simple, really, with e-mail only notifications it would be a bunch of checkboxes with labels for the notifications available.
Admittedly, you might want to summarize events so that you get only one notification e-mail per tick.
__________________
Ią! Ią! Munin F'tagn! - [*scendancy]
Last edited by Heartless; 10 Jun 2009 at 23:15.
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10 Jun 2009, 23:04
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#2
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mz.
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 8,587
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
I knew I was going to like this when I read the thread title. I was not disappointed.
__________________
The outraged poets threw sticks and rocks over the side of the bridge. They were all missing Mary and he felt a contented smug feeling wash over him. He would have given them a coy little wave if the roof hadn't collapsed just then. Mary then found himself in the middle of an understandably shocked family's kitchen table. So he gave them the coy little wave and realized it probably would have been more effective if he hadn't been lying on their turkey.
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10 Jun 2009, 23:09
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#3
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Banned
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Blackburn
Posts: 897
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Awesome for the current player-base. Would be pretty intensive on email/sms servers though in a larger universe*. Would it even be viable then? And if not, if pa team are planning on expanding the game sometime (by facebook or whatever), should they spend time on it now for it to be useless by r38 or so.
* I assume! I have no idea myself
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10 Jun 2009, 23:13
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#4
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So what?
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Scotland
Posts: 606
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Excellent idea. It would be a possible bolt on feature that could generate income in the future as well. I tend to forget things like constructions fairly often, sometimes even when I'm logged into the game.
__________________
Legion
[RaH] [Mercenaries]
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10 Jun 2009, 23:25
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#5
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a bucket
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Chatham, UK
Posts: 1,073
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Quote:
Originally Posted by Heartless
Certainly, people which want to spend hours a day on this game will be not amused as this cuts away another aspect of those so-called "activity rewards".
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they should be happy with it too... they are the ones who worry about their account when they are not online for any reason so would be good news for these ppl too imo.
great suggestion
also potentially a good way of getting some more money off the players without raising the up front cost.
__________________
Proud to have been TGV!
aargh! died in Jenova! | idled in ROCK | disappointed in Audentes | been Roguish | p-p-previously a p-p-p3nguin
Ascendancy
Otterly an Otter.
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10 Jun 2009, 23:26
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#6
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CRASHING BEATS 'N FANTASY
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Cold Country.
Posts: 1,912
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Quote:
Originally Posted by Newt
Awesome for the current player-base. Would be pretty intensive on email/sms servers though in a larger universe*. Would it even be viable then? And if not, if pa team are planning on expanding the game sometime (by facebook or whatever), should they spend time on it now for it to be useless by r38 or so.
* I assume! I have no idea myself
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E-Mails generate relatively low amounts of traffic. Assuming that standard notification e-mail can be kept to 4 KB of data, and 1 GB of traffic with a decent bandwidth costs less than 10$, it would hardly cost anything in addition. 4 KB of data means there could be 268435456 notifications per tick, or, assuming a 2000 tick round, 134217.728 notifications per tick. For only 10$ more investment. Assuming 5$ per credit, that's only 2 more credits required to get that money back. That really is not the issue there.
Regarding facebook: Once PA offers multiple ways to receive notifications, or something like a facebook interface, then this could be extended to facebook e-mails, and stuff like that.
__________________
Ią! Ią! Munin F'tagn! - [*scendancy]
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11 Jun 2009, 00:18
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#7
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Tides of Fire
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 318
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
This would be awesome, and I'd certainly pay for SMS notifications.
That could be great income for PA, providing they're well priced and not extortionate.
You could even eventually implement SMS control of planets. This would aid people who are about to crash or whatever.
Literally you receive an SMS --> "Res Lab finishes next tick" --> Reply "build metal fact" --> "You have queued metal factory"
or even eventually: Send "Recall 1" 1 being fleet number. "Attack 1:1:1 1 7+1" or whatever!
__________________
Quote:
"Hold the newsreader's nose squarely, waiter, or friendly milk will countermand my trousers."
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11 Jun 2009, 01:40
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#8
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PA Team
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,874
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Email notification for con/res i don't really see any issues with, it should be a rather safe thing to have.
Things involving fleets is a bit more of a concern.
Even if the gather up events in one mail per tick for a planet, there's gonna be a lot of mails if someone keeps launching and recalling.
Mails for incoming would obviously happen during tick, recalling is more of an instant thing which we would either have to wait for the next tick or send when the recall happens. In which case it would basically be 1 mail per fleet recalling.
And i'm sure we can all see that somewhere along the line there's someone that's gonna be abusing this, either to annoy the planet(s) or try to load down us
Really don't want this to turn out like the various notification system for stuff like car alarms/"your car's been stolen" etc...
__________________
Requested: 1,000 kilometres of fulcrum cable, 1 Mark 5 ECM unit, one low yield nuclear weapon.
Purpose: Surprise party for foreign dignitary
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11 Jun 2009, 02:59
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#9
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So what?
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Scotland
Posts: 606
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Possibly just a mail when you get incoming then? The rest isn't really necessary until you start talking about things you really need to be online for anyway.
__________________
Legion
[RaH] [Mercenaries]
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11 Jun 2009, 07:31
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 936
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shev
Excellent idea. It would be a possible bolt on feature that could generate income in the future as well. I tend to forget things like constructions fairly often, sometimes even when I'm logged into the game.
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You are not alone, those are dull to build, the construction page does need something more interesting so we bother and remember to visit it.
__________________
If the opponent resists, CaRnage there will be!
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11 Jun 2009, 08:22
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Tallinn
Posts: 734
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zeyi
This would be awesome, and I'd certainly pay for SMS notifications.
That could be great income for PA, providing they're well priced and not extortionate.
You could even eventually implement SMS control of planets. This would aid people who are about to crash or whatever.
Literally you receive an SMS --> "Res Lab finishes next tick" --> Reply "build metal fact" --> "You have queued metal factory"
or even eventually: Send "Recall 1" 1 being fleet number. "Attack 1:1:1 1 7+1" or whatever!
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ehm im sorry but this got a tad silly.. playing this sort of game via sms`s is stupid P:..
but i like Heartless`s original thought here, thumbs up concerning notices to emails/sms
__________________
VISION FTW
THIS IS ULTORES
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11 Jun 2009, 08:29
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Tallinn
Posts: 734
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shev
Possibly just a mail when you get incoming then? The rest isn't really necessary until you start talking about things you really need to be online for anyway.
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Big no from me on this one.. u dont need activity at all in this game like that :P
atm if u wanna do well u check the pa as much as possible, find mates that sms u when u get incs.. etc..
this one would make it too easy and silly.. every time i launch i know that the planet is well aware that ive sent attack against it.. u will take away the surprise element here :P
__________________
VISION FTW
THIS IS ULTORES
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11 Jun 2009, 08:44
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#13
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CRASHING BEATS 'N FANTASY
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Cold Country.
Posts: 1,912
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cincinnatus
Email notification for con/res i don't really see any issues with, it should be a rather safe thing to have.
Things involving fleets is a bit more of a concern.
Even if the gather up events in one mail per tick for a planet, there's gonna be a lot of mails if someone keeps launching and recalling.
Mails for incoming would obviously happen during tick, recalling is more of an instant thing which we would either have to wait for the next tick or send when the recall happens. In which case it would basically be 1 mail per fleet recalling.
And i'm sure we can all see that somewhere along the line there's someone that's gonna be abusing this, either to annoy the planet(s) or try to load down us
Really don't want this to turn out like the various notification system for stuff like car alarms/"your car's been stolen" etc...
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I was very well aware of the launch / recall possibility - I do not see that problem, though. With my original suggestion you could simply turn those notifications of. And, as you might see from my reply to Newt, this is not exactly creating load or costing money for PA.
Quote:
Originally Posted by neroon
Big no from me on this one.. u dont need activity at all in this game like that :P
atm if u wanna do well u check the pa as much as possible, find mates that sms u when u get incs.. etc..
this one would make it too easy and silly.. every time i launch i know that the planet is well aware that ive sent attack against it.. u will take away the surprise element here :P
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One major point of my idea was to reduce the amount of activity required, and to be able to achieve a little bit without actually knowing other people in this game. Just to make the game more accesible for people.
Also, just because there are extra notifications it still does not mean that your target knows about this. His mobile phone might be switched off, or he simply is not online to check his mails.
__________________
Ią! Ią! Munin F'tagn! - [*scendancy]
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11 Jun 2009, 08:54
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#14
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Commander in Briefs!
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 783
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cincinnatus
Mails for incoming would obviously happen during tick, recalling is more of an instant thing which we would either have to wait for the next tick or send when the recall happens. In which case it would basically be 1 mail per fleet recalling.
And i'm sure we can all see that somewhere along the line there's someone that's gonna be abusing this, either to annoy the planet(s) or try to load down us
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Actually recalling is the same as attacking/defending.
In game notification of an attack happens at the tick, but launching a fleet happens pre tick (with in the last hour or even prelaunch).
Recalling happens before tick (as with attacking), but the fleet doesnt move until the tick happens.
And TBH if MZ likes it, then it must be good :P
__________________
<Kila> WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY PRECIOUS FORUMS
<Zeyi> 24h forum closure
<Zeyi> all posts recalled
"he's got a proven track record when it comes to showy art composition" - Tommy
<Sigi> Light: can I ask u how many open internet-windows u always have?
<MrLobster|PM> i have 2, the pa page, and the website for naked light pictures
<Ave> both has bad gfx
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11 Jun 2009, 08:57
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Tallinn
Posts: 734
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
weather u like it or not this game is about activity.. if u cant b there to check/recall/launch/whatever then u wont b able to do those tasks.. making the game mobile based where u can recall and launch fleets with sms`s and every time someone trys to roid u and launches on u, u get alarmed takes away the joy imo..
its nice to have notices about things like con/res finishing, notifications if u havent logged in for lets say 2-3 days, stuff like that.. that dosent affect the gameplay itself.. having a possibility to move fleets and recevening info about incs tho like that is nonsense
__________________
VISION FTW
THIS IS ULTORES
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11 Jun 2009, 11:30
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#16
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 936
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
I think this would be a good system. How ever I cant see how a notice to your mail would work at all, unless u work at office and check your mail every now and then.
But if we can make a notice come to your sms, then I would find it very helpfull. Ofc there must be limitations when and who can send the messages or if they come automated even.
__________________
If the opponent resists, CaRnage there will be!
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11 Jun 2009, 12:50
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#17
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 5
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mzyxptlk
I knew I was going to like this when I read the thread title. I was not disappointed.
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Me 3
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11 Jun 2009, 12:51
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#18
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 5
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ave
I think this would be a good system. How ever I cant see how a notice to your mail would work at all, unless u work at office and check your mail every now and then.
But if we can make a notice come to your sms, then I would find it very helpfull. Ofc there must be limitations when and who can send the messages or if they come automated even.
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There are multiple mail systems which offer almost instant email notification. For example Yahoo Mail and Gmail Notifier. Also theres Outlook who can notice you if you have it open.
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11 Jun 2009, 13:38
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#19
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Tides of Fire
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 318
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Quote:
Originally Posted by neroon
ehm im sorry but this got a tad silly.. playing this sort of game via sms`s is stupid P:..
but i like Heartless`s original thought here, thumbs up concerning notices to emails/sms
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I don't see why, the web interface is still the main port of play, it just adds an emergency dynamic and brings in income?
How is it silly? Facebook has the exact same system and is basically where I took the idea from.
__________________
Quote:
"Hold the newsreader's nose squarely, waiter, or friendly milk will countermand my trousers."
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11 Jun 2009, 16:19
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#20
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Retired
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: The Back Porch Bar
Posts: 2,593
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Great suggestion Heartless.
__________________
I'd rather be fishing.
Utterly useless since r3
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11 Jun 2009, 18:13
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#21
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idle
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Germany
Posts: 968
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
think its a good idea overall
yet i think someone hitting the report button should realtime activate sending a sms (if clicked/payed)
if no one reports it, you wont be smséd
and maybe it should be reduced to one sms each eta !? to keep the amount of sent sms low.
one sms should allready be enough to wake someone up/notify him about his planet beeing in trouble, so one sms each eta of incs would be good
but i wouldnt like the idea of higher credit costs,
instead everyone should pay for it additional if he/she wants to use it
i won“t use any of those features myself and dont want to pay more for PA, just cause someone else does need emails or sms to check his account.
__________________
m0rph3us formerly known as Bugz
"It“s not about how hard u hit, its about how hard u can get hit and still keep moving forward! How much u can take and still move forward!"
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14 Jun 2009, 02:48
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#22
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 401
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Excellent idea, and as said in the OP provides a good route of further monetization for Pete. If an initial email system can be implemented for next round, then further delivery routes can be added later without rushing. Micro-payments are the way forward.
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14 Jun 2009, 09:40
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#23
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Alive and kicking
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Kingdom of the Netherlands
Posts: 220
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
I agree about only sending a msg about incomming when reported. Perhaps even add a few minutes delay. Such features should not substitute activity.
No msgs should be sent while logged in.
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14 Jun 2009, 13:27
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#24
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CRASHING BEATS 'N FANTASY
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Cold Country.
Posts: 1,912
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gerbie2
I agree about only sending a msg about incomming when reported. Perhaps even add a few minutes delay. Such features should not substitute activity.
No msgs should be sent while logged in.
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So basically you want activity just for activity's sake? What is wrong with giving people a chance to get a notification from the game? I guess it is probably easier to have most players constantly complain that there are not enough people playing this game when at the same time they don't even want a single feature that makes the game more casual friendly, and thus more attractive for a large market.
One of the main reasons for this suggestion actually was that you might end up in an inactive galaxy and as such are screwed to the bone when you getting to know about incoming relies upon other people telling you.
__________________
Ią! Ią! Munin F'tagn! - [*scendancy]
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14 Jun 2009, 16:08
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#25
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Alive and kicking
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Kingdom of the Netherlands
Posts: 220
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
I don't agree that these alerts make the game more casual friendly. These alerts are a solution for people who are willing and able to alter their real life plans based on these alerts. A casual player who prefers to sleep at night wouldn't have any use for alerts.
The consequences of the alterts could be quite dramatic, because it enables people to do just as well while spending less time online, making it much less of a social game. Why sit online on IRC when you get notified of incomming? The question that raises then is: where is all the defence going to come from? Maybe people can buy ingame alerts to send to their galmates and allies? Perhaps an interesting game concept, but it would radically change the game as it is now. It wouldn't be the game I liked to play for years any more.
Last edited by Gerbie2; 14 Jun 2009 at 16:13.
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14 Jun 2009, 20:12
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#26
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 936
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Well those are always the questions, weather the userfriendliness makes it too easy and actually damages the community by having no real reason to stay on all day long. Also the question stays does killing and caughting people offline come too difficult, but then again, whom of u would play without a fleet and become a farm? So probably better the fleets keep on moving. How ever since we gain very little new players and the aging curent playerbase does need more own time due work, family, responsibilitys etc.
I was personally able to stay up all night long and still go to school at mornings, but as a worker the responsibility grows and aging brings the need for sleep too.
But seriously has any of these casual players ever won a round?
I dont think the notification should come straight when you receive the inc, rather 2-4 ticks before landing, so u got a chance to flee your fleet, but kills the ones coming online only to beg for def only.
I dont think the game winner should be desided by whom has most time to spend online. Rather add more strategic aspects for the game and each of these aiding functions for aid to help the ones who suffer from time issue.
__________________
If the opponent resists, CaRnage there will be!
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15 Jun 2009, 13:03
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#27
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The BOFH
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 463
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Just remember that these notifications won't actually do anything - they'll just inform you that you need to login.
Activity is still rewarded - you still have to login and take action. Ignore the warnings and you still aren't going to do that great, however it just might help people who have to work and aren't able to check their planet on the hour every hour.
Just look at what happens when you join a galaxy, you're expected to give your alliance defence channel if you've got one, along with your mobile number for your galaxy to report any incomings. Seriously - what might a brand new player think of this? Would you want to give your phone number to a total bunch of strangers who mostly hide behind fake nicknames for the first part of the round? If you don't have an alliance/contact number your chances of being exiled are far far higher.
I don't see this as too much of a bad thing. Hardcore players/galaxies will already receive SMS from their galaxy/alliances when they've got incoming anyway.
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15 Jun 2009, 16:32
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#28
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mz.
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 8,587
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Quote:
Originally Posted by GReaper
who mostly hide behind fake nicknames for the first part of the round
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From what I can tell, most people have stopped doing this.
__________________
The outraged poets threw sticks and rocks over the side of the bridge. They were all missing Mary and he felt a contented smug feeling wash over him. He would have given them a coy little wave if the roof hadn't collapsed just then. Mary then found himself in the middle of an understandably shocked family's kitchen table. So he gave them the coy little wave and realized it probably would have been more effective if he hadn't been lying on their turkey.
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16 Jun 2009, 00:02
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#29
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Fook Yu
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Looked pal
Posts: 383
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Yes please, best suggestion of the round and will probably be a huge step in the right direction.
__________________
HEROES - It's not cheating if you admit to it
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16 Jun 2009, 10:50
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#30
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Save energy: Be apathetic
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 228
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Great idea. Would help the new players a lot.
/signed
__________________
Ascendancy - Land'n'Crash Inc.
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17 Jun 2009, 09:40
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#31
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The Holy Goose
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Eindhoven
Posts: 46
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gerbie2
I don't agree that these alerts make the game more casual friendly. These alerts are a solution for people who are willing and able to alter their real life plans based on these alerts. A casual player who prefers to sleep at night wouldn't have any use for alerts.
The consequences of the alterts could be quite dramatic, because it enables people to do just as well while spending less time online, making it much less of a social game. Why sit online on IRC when you get notified of incomming? The question that raises then is: where is all the defence going to come from? Maybe people can buy ingame alerts to send to their galmates and allies? Perhaps an interesting game concept, but it would radically change the game as it is now. It wouldn't be the game I liked to play for years any more.
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Totally agree with you. No need for prelaunches anymore, no need for nighthawks, just wake up when the incs pop up.
When you want to make things more userfriendly you have to think of 2 sides of the story:
- One side is indeed that you don't want to get roided and when you get an sms this helps.
- The other side is though that people have a lower chance of landing also, so this might discourage new people.
I don't know what side is having more effect, but it might be interesting to think of the attacker's point of view also.
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17 Jun 2009, 14:43
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#32
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CRASHING BEATS 'N FANTASY
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Cold Country.
Posts: 1,912
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Quote:
Originally Posted by Supergans
Totally agree with you. No need for prelaunches anymore, no need for nighthawks, just wake up when the incs pop up.
When you want to make things more userfriendly you have to think of 2 sides of the story:
- One side is indeed that you don't want to get roided and when you get an sms this helps.
- The other side is though that people have a lower chance of landing also, so this might discourage new people.
I don't know what side is having more effect, but it might be interesting to think of the attacker's point of view also.
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If you only attack thinking that your target will not be noticed about his incoming anyway then you are doing it wrong anyway. Also, just because a notification is sent out it still does not mean that people will actually react on it. I don't think it changes the attacking part of the game too much, as at least the planets I used to hit get notified anyway.
__________________
Ią! Ią! Munin F'tagn! - [*scendancy]
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18 Jun 2009, 07:02
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#33
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Cabeza Coder
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 212
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Heartless,
isn't that an idea we discussed already month (years?) ago?
Notifications would be great (email+sms, maybe skype/gtalk/jabber/ICQ?).
Controlling planets is a NO NO NO imho.
PA is and should stay a browser game that requires you to be on a PC
If you cannot reach it for a few days, vacation mode is the way to go.
__________________
Lockhead
Developer, Solutions Architect, DevOps Engineer
lockhead.net
Quote:
Round 24 Conspiracy HC Comment at my planet
<Germania> 4.9.1
<Germania> hes our top hostile
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18 Jun 2009, 15:09
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#34
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CRASHING BEATS 'N FANTASY
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Cold Country.
Posts: 1,912
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lockhead
Heartless,
isn't that an idea we discussed already month (years?) ago?
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Was it? I don't remember - hence why I made this post.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lockhead
Notifications would be great (email+sms, maybe skype/gtalk/jabber/ICQ?).
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Full agreement from my side.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lockhead
Controlling planets is a NO NO NO imho.
PA is and should stay a browser game that requires you to be on a PC
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This is not part of this suggestion. You are panicking without a cause for it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lockhead
If you cannot reach it for a few days, vacation mode is the way to go.
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Agreed.
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Ią! Ią! Munin F'tagn! - [*scendancy]
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18 Jun 2009, 19:14
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#35
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 401
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lockhead
Controlling planets is a NO NO NO imho.
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While I know this is starting to drag the suggestion off topic, I want to contest this stand point. Some people can afford expensive phones that have wifi built in and can access internet from almost anywhere with EDGE/HSDPA etc, they can play the game wherever, whenever they choose.
Why should we not aim to remove a restriction that limits players with less finances?
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18 Jun 2009, 20:59
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#36
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mz.
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 8,587
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Do you think playing PA by international SMS is cheaper?
__________________
The outraged poets threw sticks and rocks over the side of the bridge. They were all missing Mary and he felt a contented smug feeling wash over him. He would have given them a coy little wave if the roof hadn't collapsed just then. Mary then found himself in the middle of an understandably shocked family's kitchen table. So he gave them the coy little wave and realized it probably would have been more effective if he hadn't been lying on their turkey.
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18 Jun 2009, 21:27
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#37
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 401
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
SMSes wouldn't need to be international, but I guess they would be premium rate.
One or two SMSes to save your fleet per round is probably a lot cheaper than a shiny new phone! It allows the player the flexibility of how much or how little they make use of it.
Perhaps a mod could separate this discussion from the original suggestion?
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20 Aug 2009, 12:38
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#38
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CRASHING BEATS 'N FANTASY
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Cold Country.
Posts: 1,912
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
*Bump*
Is there any word from Cin or Appoco as to why this was not implemented for round 33?
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Ią! Ią! Munin F'tagn! - [*scendancy]
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22 Aug 2009, 16:00
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#39
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PA Team
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,874
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Quote:
Originally Posted by Heartless
*Bump*
Is there any word from Cin or Appoco as to why this was not implemented for round 33?
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1) i got bogged down with other things, but for pa and rl
2) it hasn't been said anything about it actually getting added
3) there's still the concerns related to fleet notifications and before too much else gets added to the ticker/combat engine it HAS to be improved upon
4) far as i'm aware we still got email problems, ppl not getting the mails. while this has improved greatly over the past few rounds we can't provide a service dependent on method that might not work.
While i'm not against simple notifications given to ppl, i'm not fully sure it should be added for everything, or the very least not instant notification.
Say incs notification happens on eta 5 instead of launch or simply just with a 1 tick delay...
__________________
Requested: 1,000 kilometres of fulcrum cable, 1 Mark 5 ECM unit, one low yield nuclear weapon.
Purpose: Surprise party for foreign dignitary
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23 Aug 2009, 03:34
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#40
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If not never; then once.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 190
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Late to the convo, but I like this idea. I play another game where u can become a "premium member", for a fee, then it opens up email notifications. Most phones have an email address attached to them (all major US carriers offer this), so if you put in your phones email address you are basically paying the premium fee for free sms from the game to your phone. And you can customize the alerts for different functions in the game.
Something like that easily translates to PA as far as choosing what notifications you want. Constructions & Research would be handy, as well as incoming alert. Most people can access the web from their phone already, so just being alerted to log in would make the game alot more playable to people.
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You must know that an interesting fate awaits almost everyone, mouse or man, who does not conform.
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23 Aug 2009, 03:49
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#41
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,663
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
ATM paid accounts cost all the same. I'm not a big fan of having differences made ingame depending on how much people can pay for extra.
I also imagine the abuse. You launch regular fakes at someone to have him out of SMS credits for the real attack... will you have an automated refill credit option ? This would bring another (legal?) issue: you're buying something with no idea on how much it will cost in the end...
So for me SMS is the problem. Email is not if it's free (paid by advertising inside the mails).
We could also imagine a PA Alert Desktop (paid) software as in some webmails. You pay for it once and for all.
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<smith> You're 15 and full of shit.
<Furious_George> no, im 22
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23 Aug 2009, 04:13
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#42
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: In bed with your mum.
Posts: 664
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Its illegal to give someone the l/p to ur account, but its not illegal to give them the l/p for ur email account right?
Why would u need to be online to report your incs, when u can just give ur ally mate your email login right?
As far as email notifications of other ingame events, surely it doesnt take more than 10 seconds to login to PA? If youre going to check ur email for PA events, why not just login to PA anyway?
Imo it opens up too many options for account sharing.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JonnyBGood
Can people please stop pretending they have no chance of winning at tick 300, you just end up looking retarded later.
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^^^^ Can you blv that sh*t?
Last edited by [JungleMuffin]; 23 Aug 2009 at 04:22.
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23 Aug 2009, 13:47
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#43
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CRASHING BEATS 'N FANTASY
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Cold Country.
Posts: 1,912
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cincinnatus
1) i got bogged down with other things, but for pa and rl
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Fair enough, but I doubt that you and Appoco both have been busy all the time this thread (and other interesting suggestions) were open for discussion. Which is one of my criticisms: Why have suggestions forum when there is no feedback on any of those from the developers or moderators?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cincinnatus
2) it hasn't been said anything about it actually getting added
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Nobody claimed that it was said.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cincinnatus
3) there's still the concerns related to fleet notifications and before too much else gets added to the ticker/combat engine it HAS to be improved upon
4) far as i'm aware we still got email problems, ppl not getting the mails. while this has improved greatly over the past few rounds we can't provide a service dependent on method that might not work.
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What concerns related to fleet notifications? You (as in: PA Team) had not voiced any opinion on this suggestion so far.
Regarding ticker and e-Mail options: I do understand that PA Team is volunteering (largely, at least - aren't you getting paid for it now?) and thus cannot commit itself 40 hours a week to it as they still need a job to afford their normal lifes. However, these issues are rounds and that leaves somewhat an impression of you people slacking instead of actually doing something about.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cincinnatus
While i'm not against simple notifications given to ppl, i'm not fully sure it should be added for everything, or the very least not instant notification.
Say incs notification happens on eta 5 instead of launch or simply just with a 1 tick delay...
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Notifications with a delay renders them almost completely useless again. Granted, you could still run from incomings - but if that is the only thing the game wants me to do when I am not brute-force checking my overview every tick is somewhat not helping in the quest of gathering more players.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Makhil
ATM paid accounts cost all the same. I'm not a big fan of having differences made ingame depending on how much people can pay for extra.
I also imagine the abuse. You launch regular fakes at someone to have him out of SMS credits for the real attack... will you have an automated refill credit option ? This would bring another (legal?) issue: you're buying something with no idea on how much it will cost in the end...
So for me SMS is the problem. Email is not if it's free (paid by advertising inside the mails).
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The way such systems usually work is that you pay for X notifications, so you do actually know how much it costs you. And as laid out before - in a 2000 tick round, at worst you would get 2000 notifications (batch them during the tick and send out only one at the end).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Makhil
We could also imagine a PA Alert Desktop (paid) software as in some webmails. You pay for it once and for all.
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PA Team is not going to put that together - they lack the resources for it (as in: knowledge about cross-platform development, interest into developing it and so on).
Quote:
Originally Posted by [JungleMuffin]
Its illegal to give someone the l/p to ur account, but its not illegal to give them the l/p for ur email account right?
Why would u need to be online to report your incs, when u can just give ur ally mate your email login right?
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No need to give out e-mail login actually, just forward e-mail notifications to an alliance's mailing list or something. Where is that a problem, though? It's not like there wouldn't already be a lot of options for informing your alliance. The crux, however, is that those options are so far only available to those which have a very high activity profile.
Quote:
Originally Posted by [JungleMuffin]
As far as email notifications of other ingame events, surely it doesnt take more than 10 seconds to login to PA? If youre going to check ur email for PA events, why not just login to PA anyway?
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You are again failing to see the original point of my argumentation. There are too many situations where someone does not remember checking again. Be it John Newbie who does not set his alarm clock for when the next construction / research finishes, or Joe Employed who is busy with tasks at work and thus simply forgets firing up a browser to see about his planet's status every tick.
Quote:
Originally Posted by [JungleMuffin]
Imo it opens up too many options for account sharing.
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And, err, don't be a moron here. We both know that this does not enable account sharing.
__________________
Ią! Ią! Munin F'tagn! - [*scendancy]
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23 Aug 2009, 17:25
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#44
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PA Team
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,874
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Quote:
Originally Posted by Heartless
Fair enough, but I doubt that you and Appoco both have been busy all the time this thread (and other interesting suggestions) were open for discussion. Which is one of my criticisms: Why have suggestions forum when there is no feedback on any of those from the developers or moderators?
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appoco has had a short vac and i've already said i had been busy, as to why mods aren't commenting i can't say, it's up them if they do or not. I also prefer spending my time actually doing things than "endless" discussions. I do read EVERYTHING posted on this forum and most of the others though, which some of the things added for this round should show.
Unfortunately over the last year or so at least 90% of my time is now spent doing "other" things than i'm meant to, instead of doing development and actually getting things coded/worked out, i'm stuck doing other tasks, including having long "discussion" with ppl that "i have a great idea". While some actually are, there's obviously a lot that isn't, but all in all it takes up quite a lot of time and motivation. Being stuck discussing why/why not things will/won't work, or how things work at 3-6am gets taxing
Quote:
Originally Posted by Heartless
What concerns related to fleet notifications? You (as in: PA Team) had not voiced any opinion on this suggestion so far.
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if you read far up the thread you see i was like the 7th reply to this thread, and i did voice concerns in that reply
Quote:
Originally Posted by Heartless
I do understand that PA Team is volunteering (largely, at least - aren't you getting paid for it now?) and thus cannot commit itself 40 hours a week to it as they still need a job to afford their normal lifes.
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No i'm not getting paid, i haven't been paid in over 8-10 months.
I also had to fight with OMAC for over 6 months to get the last payments they owed me. And calling it "getting paid" would be a bit of a stretch...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Heartless
Notifications with a delay renders them almost completely useless again. Granted, you could still run from incomings - but if that is the only thing the game wants me to do when I am not brute-force checking my overview every tick is somewhat not helping in the quest of gathering more players.
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Completely useless, no, but it would make it less useful yes. One of the concerns with the instant notification is that you remove a bit of the element of catching your target off guard. Not everyone playing can simply out power their target, they are also dependent on doing it at a time when the target is "inactive".
Some of this has already been "hurt" by the def reporting, but i'm worried this might hurt it further. It will possibly help those that's inactive (or gals not reporting their incs, hostiles etc) gals, but it will also hurt those attacking.
With the addition of the "hide" feature for the base fleet, the only thing you really risk loosing is roids, and while they are important, loosing a few roids is nothing compared to loosing your fleet. So is it really needed to have a instant notification on incs? Wouldn't something like "you got eta 5 incs and your fleet is preparing to fight" be enough?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Heartless
No need to give out e-mail login actually, just forward e-mail notifications to an alliance's mailing list or something. Where is that a problem, though? It's not like there wouldn't already be a lot of options for informing your alliance. The crux, however, is that those options are so far only available to those which have a very high activity profile.
You are again failing to see the original point of my argumentation. There are too many situations where someone does not remember checking again. Be it John Newbie who does not set his alarm clock for when the next construction / research finishes, or Joe Employed who is busy with tasks at work and thus simply forgets firing up a browser to see about his planet's status every tick.
And, err, don't be a moron here. We both know that this does not enable account sharing.
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This has somewhat been among my concerns as well, alliances have been begging for a way to get notified about incs, besides the ingame reports, they want them reported directly into their tools. This would allow them to have that, all they'd need would be a forward of the mails, parse it and then they had a instant reported incs....
This is one of the reasons i suggested the delay in reporting the incs.
You are correct though, it doesn't invited account sharing, but it does provide alliances with a "easy" way to get all their incs reported straight into their own tools. If that's by default good or bad is a different matter.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Heartless
Regarding ticker and e-Mail options: ... However, these issues are rounds and that leaves somewhat an impression of you people slacking instead of actually doing something about.
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We've actually tried getting white listed several times, with varied success. This started years ago, but some mail providers aren't all that helpful and despite several requests and attempts at contacting them we've had no response or no real prove that they done anything about it. But as i said, it has been getting better, hopefully we can keep improving it.
As for the ticker impacts, while things still has to be lightened and improved (as this is unrelated to adding this feature or not) i actually found a solution that probably means very little impact on the ticker. While there's still a few days before this round starts i don't want to try and implement this for r33 though. I don't like having untested additions to the game or adding things late "just to make it in". Specially not to the ticker, we made it through last round without a crash \o/ hopefully we can do that this round as well. Don't wanna have a last min addition screw it up
__________________
Requested: 1,000 kilometres of fulcrum cable, 1 Mark 5 ECM unit, one low yield nuclear weapon.
Purpose: Surprise party for foreign dignitary
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24 Aug 2009, 12:22
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#45
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: In bed with your mum.
Posts: 664
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Quote:
Originally Posted by Heartless
And, err, don't be a moron here. We both know that this does not enable account sharing.
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It does however enable people other than the account owner to obtain important information, which they otherwise would not be able to obtain by the use of ingame features, or from the account owner.
Shall we split hairs with regards to what to call this break of game rules?
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by JonnyBGood
Can people please stop pretending they have no chance of winning at tick 300, you just end up looking retarded later.
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^^^^ Can you blv that sh*t?
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24 Aug 2009, 13:00
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#46
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PA Team
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,874
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Re: Notifications on in-game events
Quote:
Originally Posted by [JungleMuffin]
It does however enable people other than the account owner to obtain important information, which they otherwise would not be able to obtain by the use of ingame features, or from the account owner.
Shall we split hairs with regards to what to call this break of game rules?
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They can't already gain that info, while it requires a bit more work it's accessible.
Planets can be scanned at the beginning of each tick, and there's always the report system...
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Requested: 1,000 kilometres of fulcrum cable, 1 Mark 5 ECM unit, one low yield nuclear weapon.
Purpose: Surprise party for foreign dignitary
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