AI War Video Tutorials - I need suggestions for topics

[Mánagarmr]

Hi guys!

I just cleared this with Chris and I'm going to create 2 tutorial videos on AI:War to post on a public place (will be YouTube). The first is going to go over the basics of the game. Essentially explaining the menus, settings screens and also how to set up a game. The intermediate tutorial will go over the basics of playing games. How to build stuff, unlocking techs, shortcuts, galaxy map, priorities, basic gameplay strategy and similar things.

In the future, I might add more in-depth strategy or situation specific videos, but these two will essentially "This is what you need to know to start playing, without plowing a ton of text."

The videos will be voice narrated, and if I can be arsed, they will also be subtitled.

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Your mission
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I need suggestions on what to go over, what to include and generally how to structure these videos. I already have a pretty firm idea on what to include and how to do it, but I'd like for you, the AIW community, to chime in on things I might've looked over and/or forgotten.

[x4000]

My only suggestion would be maybe something related to tactics.  But I know the game too well, I'm not the best one for knowing what's needed in a tutorial of this fashion.

[keith.lamothe]

Wow, sounds great

I don't really have any suggestions since I haven't seen anything  But generally it would be good to cover "how to solve problems" since you won't have time to talk about specific solutions to specific problems.  For example, how to use unit data on a new or difficult target to figure out what you can do against it.

[Mánagarmr]

Wow, sounds great

I don't really have any suggestions since I haven't seen anything   But generally it would be good to cover "how to solve problems" since you won't have time to talk about specific solutions to specific problems.  For example, how to use unit data on a new or difficult target to figure out what you can do against it.

Good suggestion! That will most likely be in the intermediate tutorial. I have plans to make some specific "problem-solving" videos (like how to deal with guardians, AI-Eyes, Hybrids and similar units) but for these I want to go with the barebone basics. I don't want to completely overwhelm the viewer, only give him the tools to start playing, exploring and at least have an idea how to solve upcoming problems.

[zebramatt]

Although they're specific tactics, personally I consider the following absolute basics of the game:

• Warp Gate raiding
• Wormhole tower defence
• Command Centre popping

Once the player knows the controls, the basic units, how to weigh up threats & solutions (like Keith said) and those three strategies then they're set to take on a pair of AIs, I reckon, albeit on a lowish difficulty.

[Mánagarmr]

Good idea!

[Ktoff]

For the early tutorial it might also be helpful to include a 'how to take my first planet' and talk through which planet to take and why.

Intermediately it might be interesting to showcase a couple of units and to show the strength and weaknesses (a group of ships completely destroying their intended victims only to be obliterated by their counter...

But great idea! I'm looking forward to those vids.

P.S. Defenitely include some lines about the supply logic. Even if it is less important, now that the AI does not have turrets anymore.

[Mánagarmr]

I had in mind to focus the first (Basic tutorial) on actually getting into the game. The intermediate tutorial will handle the actual gameplay. Maybe I should make an "Advanced" tutorial for the commonly used strategies like gate raiding, surgical strikes and different defense options?

[Mánagarmr]

BASIC
- Settings
   General overview of tabs (graphics, interface, audio)
   Network port

- Setting up a game
   Generating a map
   Selecting ships
   Selecting color
   Choosing AIs
   Speed settings
   Plots

- Starting the game, what am I looking at?
   UI, resources and AI progress
   Moving around
   Selecting buildings
   Galaxy map
   "Overview"
   Buttons

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INTERMEDIATE
- Gameplay
   Building stuff
   Rally points
   Unlocking tech
   Moving ships around
   Control groups
   Waves
   Basic home defense
   Attacking the enemy
   Colonization

- Strategy
   Making sense of the galaxy map
   Prioritization
   Supply and alerts
   Overall strategy
   Gate raiding

- Combat basics
   Basic stats (Speed, ammo, damage, range)
   Armor
   Hull types, bonuses and the combat system
   How to think
   

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ADVANCED
The rest xD

[Lancefighter]

i think itd be important to explain what ranges mean..
I personally tend to play a great deal of the time with z+x held down, so I know exactly where hostile units can and cant shoot.
When you combine this with some high-range units like bombards or, fortresses(hostile), siege starships, your range means a great deal.
important things to note might be that while siege starships have a large range, its important to still have them in the right place to shoot up guardians or hybrids - similarly to how you might position your artillery in a standard rts.

[Mánagarmr]

Yeah, I was thinking about going over ranges in the "Basic Stats" explanation and further expand on that in "How to think".

[Sizzle]

Include in intermediate the concepts of

1) Supply
2) Alerting adjacent planets!  (we want to avoid parking next to IV or Core worlds and sitting there for 3 hours!)

[Mánagarmr]

Include in intermediate the concepts of

1) Supply
2) Alerting adjacent planets!  (we want to avoid parking next to IV or Core worlds and sitting there for 3 hours!)

- Strategy
   Making sense of the galaxy map
   Prioritization
   Supply and alerts
   Overall strategy
   Gate raiding

It's in there. Will certainly do!

[keith.lamothe]

Heh, this is the usual overall thought process when it comes to designing the tutorials:

Q: What does it need to cover?
A: Everything!

[Mánagarmr]

Heh, this is the usual overall thought process when it comes to designing the tutorials:

Q: What does it need to cover?
A: Everything!

HAHAHAHAHA! Yeah, I've come to that conclusion as well. I've already finished the first tutorial, but I'm not sure I'm happy with it, so I might remake it. This is tougher than you think