The special unit buff update (which does not have a very catchy name) is still in Apple’s review queue at the moment, but should be arriving soon. We’ve already had a few inquiring minds asking about what’s next: Gametypes? New team? New maps? We haven’t actually decided yet. It’s what we’ve been thinking about all month.
Around the start of the new year, Alex and I decided that January would be dedicated to experimentation. A time to explore different prototypes of things that could be, before we dive back into the production grind. We’ve still got one more week of exploration before we have to figure out that whole “what’s next” thing.
24 responses to “One Week Left”
Glad to hear the buff will be here soon!
I urge you to consider adding official support for the “no spawns” game mode. I had a lot of fun with it, and it definitely adds a fresh and different kind of strategy. Among other game types, of course. 🙂
If there are enough maps, for Season 3 maps could be rotated out and in, Starcraft II style.
I suggest a speed game mode with a 5 minutes turn time counter
Random task is right! Quick play option like in Carcassone or blitz chess is the most important improvement needed.
I really think a new team would be awesome. The teams are the heart and soul of the game, and I was eccastic when the Veggienauts were announced!
I third the “quick play” option! Many times I want to sit down for an hour and playing a rousing match of Outwitters. instead My only option is to play one or two turns on 5 to 10 Simultaneous games, not very satisfying. And waiting for up to almost 5 days for the next turn can be incredibly frustrating.
Since games typically last 20-40 turns, I think five minutes is too long though. That would mean being locked to the iPad for one and a half to three hours. So how about real speed games, like two minute turns!
5 minute turn limits doesn’t mean each turn would last the full 5 minutes. That sounds about right to me. I also like the “no spawns” idea a lot.
I have mixed feelings about additional teams. When Hero Academy started releasing lots of new teams I felt that it lost a lot of its balance and simplicity. I stopped playing around the time the TF2 team came out (I might be in the minority, I dunno). I would prefer new game modes or tournaments or somehow developing the league system further.
I like a blitz option. (Chess (essentially) gives you a flat allotted time plus a smaller time for each turn. Really nice balance of flexibility and speed.)
A Facebook / Android app would also be awesome! Too many people that I’d love to play with, but can’t. You could contract out the programming; the profits would almost certainly be worth it.
(Randomized/procedural maps would also be great! Half the fun of the game initially was figuring out a new map. You can still sell map theme packs as well as new procedural options.)
I think it’s worth adding an FTA fix (wit bonus) for 2v2s before anything else. It should be relatively simple if I’m not mistaken and would make a world of difference (especially on questionably balanced maps like Machination).
Seriously though… I’m the only one who wants a new team? D:
Thanks to OMC, there are much of fanmade maps, with can make an expansion to the standard ones. It would be really cool to can play on these.
New teams would be really thing, too, but it need a bit more of work.
FFA! Or a new team!:)
@ Piko I don’t know OML’s process, but I imagine it involves lots of hands on beta testing for maps to make sure that they are balanced across races, player orders, and ~skill levels. In addition to be strategically robust.
I’m all for more maps. *ALL FOR IT*. Procedurally generated or user submitted. But I think it would require either a computational analysis system (doable, but possibly not in OML’s skill set) or it would require separate maps for league play vs. non. The latter would divide the player base. Hybrids can be imagined, but it’s complicated (e.g. invited games only allow custom maps; from which statistics are collected allowing public betas of new maps).
[Note: While I would also love a speed play option the same problems with new maps exist. (1) Division of player base. (Maybe player statistics could support this, maybe not.) (2) Very efficient server code. (Maybe OML is an old hand at this, maybe not.) ]
New team idea. A zombie race. The special unit infects the opponent causing them to lose health every turn, and after every turn the disease spreads to another unit. It can be healed by medic.
Or special unit with ability to move hit and then move again.
Or special unit that can stay underground for around 3 moves then has to come up, but if it comes up on an opponent it kills then opponent.
Some form of damage spreading (disease or otherwise) could make for an interesting abilities with fun dynamics. The time component added to damage could be interesting too.
I’d love to see a creature like the aumtlich (sp?) from Deadly Rooms of Death? Not sure if devs want to introduce facing as a component though.
(If you don’t know DRoD and are an Outwitters fan then definitely check it out!!!: Journey to Rooted Hold demo:
http://caravelgames.com/Articles/Games_2/DownloadJtRH.html
Has the same elegant brilliance as Outwitters. Most people find it gets very hard eventually.)
@JaKarta – I don’t know how OML mapmaking process looks, but I’m almost sure it’s not necessary to make many betatests. It’s possible to make map without FTA, STA and balanced through all the specials without making any testgame.
Two minute turns, or perhaps a game clock (like in chess or go / igo) plus pauses allowed (which fog the screen up so you can’t see what’s next).
Here is an idea for a unit, and I’m stealing it from Starcraft: a burrow ability. Something that can slowly burrow a couple spaces per turn and is invisible to the enemy, and can pop up and do some sort of splash damage attack, or if a unit lands on top, insta-kill at the beginning of the next turn. Sounds powerful, but can only be used once, so expensive to use. Just throwing it out there.
Game modes. Here are some ideas:
Standard – Just a regular Outwitters game.
Wit Thief – Be the first one to control all wit spaces. Bases would have unlimited health.
Tower Defense – P1 has some units trying to get across, P2 has snipers and bombshells trying to stop them.
Spawnless – No matter how many times you tap, you will never see the spawn menu in this mode.
Of course, on the subject of new teams, quality over quantity…
Then again, you and Alex have definitely shown that there’s no lack of quality in OML products. 😛
how about a game that doesn’t take so long that you are bored half to death. Great graphics but gawd it is boring. I actually enjoyed growing a full beard in the last game. I mean sure, this game saw me through puberty, but that was just to get ranked(5 games, maybe). Now that I’m turning 44, I gotta wonder if I didn’t miss out on something waiting all this time for someone to go. it’ll all be worth it once I get that illustrious 10th game in. I’m just afraid my opponent is going to de of old age before he finishes. Damn this game is boring.
@Josh Powers Thats been a pretty fundemental unit in the game Advance wars with similiarities to Outwitters: Produce units using income each turn, 5 hp bases, etc. However they have submarines instead that submerge themselves from view and block unit paths and it’s usually too detrimental.
How about building tournaments into the game somehow so that there is less forum work needed.
I would definitely pay for that kind of upgrade.