Re: How to hide this formula?

From: sjc@cs.purdue.edu (Steve Chapin)

Date: Thu, 24 Jun 1993 19:24:03 +0000

}} In article <20bs50INN25p@coli-gate.coli.uni-sb.de> ulim@coli.uni-sb.de (Ulrich Mayring) writes:
}}
}} This example taken from an actual game gives you 16 pieces of data for one
}} unit. If you give it all away, you simply list them in a table. Do this for
}} all 152 types of troops and that still leaves you with an impressive
}} knowledge base that takes very, very long to master, even for veteran
}} players. And that although the data is all there.
}}
}} How would you now hide this data?

I wouldn't.  The point of this game *IS* to do all that "geeky"
minimaxing stuff.  To do that, you need the formulae.

The point of grand scope, high-level simulation games is NOT to do
that.  If I want to spend a week figuring out the details of my next
move, I'll play a game like Advanced Squad Leader.  If I don't want to
do that, I'll play Diplomacy.  Both are fun, with completely different
emphasis.

If you want a wargame, expose the formulae.  If you want a
high-fantasy simulation, hide them.  Someone expecting a pure wargame
playing Olympia won't be happy (why do you think Russell wrote
Atlantis?  Olympia had too much non-wargaming stuff in it), and
likewise someone expecting a high-fantasy simulation won't be happy
playing Atlantis.  Both are fine games, but aimed at players with
different expectations.

sjc@cs.purdue.edu                 Steve Chapin                 ...!purdue!sjc
here is a place; hear == perceive by ear;  advise is a verb; advice is a noun

"Because there is good and there is evil, and evil must be punished.
       Even in the face of Armegeddon I shall not compromise in this."
                         (Rorschach, in "Watchmen")

References

How to hide this formula?
ulim@coli.uni-sb.de (Ulrich Mayring)
Thu, 24 Jun 1993 09:29:04 +0000