Gameplay Logistical Improvements

[metalsquid]

(07-06-2012 12:37 AM)timcoffman Wrote:  

• spawning a new unit next to my base: inconsequential, because I have not penetrated the fog of war. I should be able to undo this, in case I mis-tapped
  

There exists situations where this is not true eg. you only have heavy units near base. You may only see 3 hexes out from base but enemies might be on the 4th or 5th hex away, hidden by the fog. If you spawn a scout the fog would retreat and subsequently reveal those enemy units. To be allowed to undo that, as you are suggesting, would be an unfair advantage. To then have to create exception cases based on this just to accommodate your 'feature' would just complicate the gameplay further.

As far as the comparison to chess goes, once you take your hand off a chess piece after a move, you have 'committed' to the move and can't take it back. Keeping your hand on the piece lets you take it back and 'try out' another move, but imho, the more skilled chess player can visualize the scenarios in his mind without having to physically move the pieces. You have to think 2 or 3 moves ahead of your opponent in chess, and the only way to do that is in your head. Outwitters requires this same ability. Just because you can add an undo feature easily in software, doesn't mean it's warranted in every game. It was deliberately left out by the creators as a design choice and increases the skill level required to be a top player. It's just as valid a choice as your idea to include an undo feature. Personally I'm glad they went with that decision. Can a basketball or football coach 'try out' different plays before committing? No, he has to call a play and go with the consequences.

I understand your frustration with mistakenly clicking on units and wrong actions. I've done it myself with the Bombshell. IMO, the problem is not with the lack of Undo or Commit feature, it's with the fact that that unit very rarely gets the chance to enter the field due the high cost. Therefore, even though I had figured out how it worked, sufficient time had passed since I last got the chance to play the unit that I briefly 'forgot' the mechanics of it and mistakenly shelled up at the wrong moment and lost the match as a result. It's all about learning how your units work and getting familiar with them. Reducing the cost of the unit, allowing more frequent practice with it is the way to get better at it, not preventing mistakes with undos. You can improve your skill to the point where you stop making erroneous taps. On the other hand, introducing these undo/commit actions to accommodate inexperienced players' lack of skill merely obfuscates gameplay unnecessarily. It may even drive away as many new players as the frustration of wrong taps does.

tl;dr - Think with your brain, not your eyes and fingers.