AI War Beta 5.052-5.057 "From The Shadows" Released!

[keith.lamothe]

You could give them a 1/1 income rate.  It'd be so small as to be insignificant, but it would allow them to build their own stuff.

I don't want them to be able to do that, actually; the idea is you can switch your modules while near your support base but not while out in the field.

[x4000]

Eep, I hate to be that dude, but I work with fonts all the time and...

Algierian? (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algerian_%28virtual_typeface%29 | "Algerian is reviled for its overuse.")

It's not like it's MS Comic Sans or anything, but please consider something a little more unique for the box shot! The box shot is your ambassador!

(and not Bleeding Cowboy)

Interestingly, the logo has been public since sometime in mid July, and nobody mentioned this until now.   I know of Comic Sans like pretty much anybody even marginally familiar with typefaces.  But Algerian hatred was a new one on me.  The actual font has been heavily post-edited so that it's not really true Algerian anymore.  I wonder if that's what has had it go unnoticed until you brought it up now.

Actually, I noticed it before, but figured I should keep my counsel because I thought it would change. Bad decision.

I might just be a guy with delicate sensibilities or something, so don't let a single voice shake your faith. But honestly, it looks like it's a font with some pretty simple effects applied to it. Unless it's a special pain to proliferate amongst game assets, I can't imagine it'd be too tough to change.

A few alternative sources, to show I'm not just capable of complaining, but also offering terrible suggestions as well:

Blambot (non-free): This site has comic fonts, so they often skew a bit toward silliness, but they're still very good quality, and probably not overused to the point that they'd stick out like a sore thumb: http://blambot.com/fonts_design.shtml (take a look at the Sci-Fi and Blocky sections)

DaFont.com (mixed): A good site that tells you up front whether a font is free for personal or commercial use (most of the time). Downside is that many of these are overstyled or entirely too evocative of established franchises: http://www.dafont.com/theme.php?cat=402&text=ANCIENT+SHADOWS ("After Disaster" $40, is a semi-serious comicky gothic font)

I understand that as a for-profit enterprise, you have more to consider than the average schmoe. I know it ain't as easy as download-n-embed, there is licensing and other stuff. So I personally understand if you decide to stick with what you have, even if there may a few eyeballs here and there that will make a negative association when they see that font (consciously or unconsciously).

In other words, thanks for considering my nitpicky input. I'm willing to do more searching and head scratching if you're interested.

Well, it wasn't really super simple effects, I actually hand edited it a bit, but that's not enormously complex.  I could indeed change it if a certain percentage of the playerbase (or members of the press) are going to have a negative gut reaction like you did.  It's somewhat of a pain, but not enormous.  And given how the logo is just about all that you can see on Steam's listing pages of smaller icons, that has to not give that sort of reaction to anyone if possible.

Anyhow, I'll take a look at it when I get a chance.  Thanks!

[x4000]

A question from the forever alone people:

Is the champions thing somehow doable in singleplayer, and if its not, are there any major features planned for singleplayer?

Sadly this is causing confusion, but no it's not multi-only: http://www.arcengames.com/forums/index.php/topic,11323.msg114827.html#msg114827

[Draco18s]

PURCHASE MADE.

You could give them a 1/1 income rate.  It'd be so small as to be insignificant, but it would allow them to build their own stuff.

I don't want them to be able to do that, actually; the idea is you can switch your modules while near your support base but not while out in the field.

Fair point. *salute*

[TechSY730]

A question from the forever alone people:

Is the champions thing somehow doable in singleplayer, and if its not, are there any major features planned for singleplayer?

Sadly this is causing confusion, but no it's not multi-only: http://www.arcengames.com/forums/index.php/topic,11323.msg114827.html#msg114827

To clarify what the linked post says, it is multi-only, but it is compatible with the ally control logic, meaning one player can control both a normal player and a champion player. This makes it effectively single player capable, even though the game considers it two human players.

[keith.lamothe]

Update: 5.053 hotfix is now out, correcting a problem with loading a few textures on OSX and making it a bit clearer how you can add a champion player to the game (particularly in singleplayer).

Thanks for the feedback   If the lobby still doesn't make things clear, let us know, this just seemed better than more invasive (for us or you or both) changes that came to mind.

[x4000]

Update: 5.053 hotfix is now out, correcting a problem with loading a few textures on OSX and making it a bit clearer how you can add a champion player to the game (particularly in singleplayer).

Thanks for the feedback   If the lobby still doesn't make things clear, let us know, this just seemed better than more invasive (for us or you or both) changes that came to mind.

Indeed, much better.

Two suggestions:

1. The "Open (Can Add Champion)" is hugely confusing when you see it in the dropdown.  That only makes sense when it's seen as the selected item.  I'm not sure what to do about that, but it's an observation.

2. Adding tooltips to those dropdowns that are open or closed (and which don't have a player in them) could help explain some things here.  You're already doing it on the Role dropdown, after all.

[Lancefighter]

kinda looking forward to messing around with this, but sadly my group of regulars has long since broken up

We need more regulars in #aiwar..

[Martyn van Buren]

By the way, the Ancient Shadows banner on Arcen's front page is still linking to the AVWW purchase page.  Might want to change that

[Martyn van Buren]

By the way, before I buy, I've developed a perverse interest in merchant services fees while trying to help my mother reorganize her small business.  Do you guys have a preference between credit card and PayPal payments in terms of paying less fees?

[Lancefighter]

I believe I tried to ask that once, and the answer was "I cant say as long as all parties are in good standing" >_>

[x4000]

By the way, the Ancient Shadows banner on Arcen's front page is still linking to the AVWW purchase page.  Might want to change that

Yeah, I just had noticed that myself, too.  Thanks for the catch!

[x4000]

By the way, before I buy, I've developed a perverse interest in merchant services fees while trying to help my mother reorganize her small business.  Do you guys have a preference between credit card and PayPal payments in terms of paying less fees?

I believe I tried to ask that once, and the answer was "I cant say as long as all parties are in good standing" >_>

That's with regard to other distributors.  With fastspring, we get the same amount of money whether you use paypal or a credit card or whatever other form of money.  So no worries!

[Martyn van Buren]

Coolio, in that case my money is on the way!

[orzelek]

PURCHASE MADE.

You could give them a 1/1 income rate.  It'd be so small as to be insignificant, but it would allow them to build their own stuff.

I don't want them to be able to do that, actually; the idea is you can switch your modules while near your support base but not while out in the field.

Fair point. *salute*

This has one significant drawback - they can't rebuild their own shields so they are kind of one use right now.

It's quite tricky to play in first nebula you find with lvl 1 champion. I managed it but counted quite a few deaths before leveling champion up and getting better weapons