Back from the lake, what’s next?

By Frogboy on May 17, 2009 7:43:49 PM from

The last few weeks have been pretty intense. Demigod has been unlike anything we’ve released before. The good news is that its sales have been really good and despite that first week which saw our network brought to its knees, the game’s average review scores have been 4 out of 5 (well over 4 out of 5 after the first week).

Our chief technology architect, Jeff Bargmann, who I brought onto Demigod a couple of weeks ago when it became clear that we were going to need to develop our own network solution for the game is clearly obsessed based on the 4am emails he sent me over the weekend. Jeff is also the lead developer on Impulse, ObjectDock, ObjectBar, Fences, and numerous other projects. When I absolutely positively must have something amazing done right and quickly, he is my go-to guy. So this weekend he’s been working on various proxy solutions. Cari, our lead game developer also found ways to solve some of the Pantheon and Skirmish issues that were reported over the weekend.

I don’t want to make any promises but given the success of Friday’s update and the likelyhood that the proxies will go online this week, we should be nearing the point of diminishing returns for getting people connected on the multiplayer match making side. I also know that Gas Powered Games is looking seriously at in-game connectivity.

Personally, I think the long-term solution is for us just to host the games entirely. That’s what we’re doing in Elemental for its multiplayer – our servers host the entire thing from the start.

But with the connectivity issues in MP likely to substantially diminish this week, it’s time to start thinking about what we should do next.

Demigod v1.1

So on the horizon there’s Demigod v1.1. Now, question is, what should be in it? Now, these aren’t expansion packs but I can think of a few things on my personal list that may or may not agree with what you guys want so let’s talk about that.

Here’s my personal preference list for v1.1 in brief:

Favor points increased by a factor of 10.
Option to Concede. Would let players quit a game they feel they’re losing. Their Demigod is removed. If all players from that team concede, the game is over.
Smart Quitting. If someone exits within the first 3 minutes, there’s no harm, no foul. It counts as a disconnect but not a loss. Sometimes there’s lag or someone has a slow machine or whatever.
Random Demigod. Players can choose a Random Demigod to play.
Updated AI. Smarter computer AI.
Various balance tweaking.

Now, this doesn’t include DLC content such as Clan Wars, Scheduled Games, Group Join, etc. This is just v1.1. But it does give you an idea of some of the things we’re thinking of.

What would you like to see in terms of new features?

+912 Karma | 180 Replies

more kittens

and deff automatchup

and tournies

and more demigods and maps

and more kittens

In MP lobby, countdown for 3~5 sec after pressing the start game button to pervent groups of people from suddenly changing their DG to all Regulus or similar. To prevent sudden change of DG right b4 the game starts.

1. Replay Ability

I think that this would be great. This precedents any balancing issues, as it would be so much easier to judge. Then some more maps and those 2 demigods would be fun.

I don't know about everyone else--but I'd like to see the 'Friends' system streamlined a little bit--having to type their name in on the fly--lets say during the match--can be a bit bogged down. How about being able to right click people's names while in the lobby and add/block them? Maybe even give/take Karma?

In-Match, it would work the same way--open up the tab menu and you can right click names all the same.

Making the friends system mouse driven will increase the ease and speed of use, hopefully resulting in a better system.

Also--being able to open up a chat with more than one person would be nice--that way you could speak with multiple friends at once--but not have to do so in the main chatroom.

-Tero

I would like an update on what GPG is doing with Ingame connectivity. I've never had problems playing online until the last 2-3 patches, Connecting is no problem, but once were in the game after about 5 minutes I always get disconnected from everyone. Please ask GPG if they're looking into this.

What would you like to see in terms of new features?

Please, Please, Please, Please - There is one feature they I want and Demigod needs:
Replays

Regarding Smart Quitting, can you add an additional trigger that is basically... 3min OR player has died once... Most people rage quit after they've died once (it's the DOTA curse).

Sounds great!

Improvements;

Top 3 from this fella's list. https://forums.demigodthegame.com/351515

Fix that blasted bug that makes your character stand still like a tool. (I have a feeling it might be happening now when you get a lag spike and your click doesn't register so a bit harder to replicate in-house)

Ability to look at our allies gear.

{EDIT} Also I can't see the use in increasing favour x10 or in improving the AI. Especially the later, seems like time wasted. I'd rather see pathing improvements.

Yes, Replays, please! That's my top vote! After every Lan game everyone SOoooo wants to watch the game again. I would love to watch top players games too. And clan wars is really going to need replays.

Fix for 7000 series Nvida cards; we can't see many important effects (like the TB circle of fire) that effect gameplay.

Also, AI replacements in MP that give little or no gold for being killed to the other team (you'd WANT an AI stand-in then). A game setting that does not allow duplicate DGs on the same team (yes, I know that would limit games to 4v4 in custom till more DGs are released). A pause button that does not force you to look at the menu (so you can look things over or read or think in solo/lan games). Ignore or mute buttons/settings (can you make one for Rush Limbough?). A way to "contribute" gold to Citidel upgrades (everyone on a 5 player team could have 3k gold, but still, no one can buy a 3.6k upgrade???).

Quoting DalzK,

reply 6

This sounds awesome and connectivity this week is the first time I have ever seen Demigods connectivity as....good Of course it has room for improvement, but I can get 3v3's going easily under 5 minutes. Imo thats a success. Amazing work guys!

What would you like to see in terms of new features?
Please, Please, Please, Please - There is one feature they I want and Demigod needs:
Replays

Replays and the option for random demigod/random map/random SMALL map AKA: crucible, prison, and the mine map.

yeah replays would be great

I'm not so sure I like the Concede and Smart Quitting options. They seem like something that could be easily abused by rage quitters.

quoting post

Random Demigod. Players can choose a Random Demigod to play.
Updated AI. Smarter computer AI.

And if you have the time :

Right click on mini-map
A simple way to see health and mana of your teamates and cast ability on them (a small window ?).

+1 to giving Friends some more love

The first thing to do is definitely to make new messages pop up some kind of visual/audio notification - the lack of this makes the whole thing pretty useless atm. It would be even better if you could receieve the messages outside the game if the impule client is running.

Joining your friends into a game and arrange matches would be number two, but I guess that's Clan Wars territory...

I mean... the gist of it is... ok, you don't wanna go the Steam route because you got your own thing (Impule) - fair enough, BUT, that also means we're going to expect at least some feature parity with Steam. This is the kind of thing where nobody would really balme you for just copying them 1:1 - Steam's friends system is just good common sense.

Replays. A clan wars system within a few months and not late summer. 1 Sponsored Summer Tournament. Arranged Automatch. Nerf Kittens.

Other than arranged automatch the first three are very reasonable within a few months

and IMO Updating AI is a waste of resources.

wut nerf kittens?

than the puppies will be op, there bark would be counterbalanced by meow if kittens are weaker!

Look into this: https://forums.demigodthegame.com/352130
Any official response would be much appreciated. The game is playable (for me) but when this does happen it is disconcerting.

Next: built in VOIP

MAPS, MAPS, and MAPS!!!!

Something I DESPERATELY want from Demigod that I really think should be in 1.1:

The ability to join Skirmish and Pantheon games as a team. I'm NOT talking about the strange Clan Warfare stuff you've mentioned before. All I want is to get online with my friend, join a team, and find a game to play 2v2 or 3v3.

I want to play in rated games, but I also want to play with my friends, and use auto-matchup. Please! PLEASE.

A toggle for A.I. difficulty, allowing or disallowing cheating/handicap modifiers.

I can get supremely frustrated when despite superb tense tight 'crackerjack' playing the A.I. players are all keeping pace with me or even progressing better than I Gold or Experience-wise.

Again, I can handle tougher A.I., but I want to see it fair.

More variety in A.I. activities would be an arguably better way to look at the difficulty subject, imo.

Yes - and built-in Voice Comms would be nice (although Teamsqueak 2 works well enough).

Please add a karma system...PLEASE!. There are people that just play to disrupt others, insult, disconnects and lags. Would be nice to have a way of adding or substracting karma to someone.

I'm with the rest of us on Replays.

Also my other top concern is UI Enhancements for Generals. Specifically how many active minions you have. What kinds, and how much health they've got. This info should be displayed clearly on the HUD.

UI Enhancements for Allies would also be useful. As in, be able to see icons for your allies on the HUD, with health bars and other status. And the ability cast spells on them directly via those icons.

I think the best solution here would simply be to allow UI Mods Online.

And when you mention updated AI I hope you also mean improved Demigod and Minion pathing. It's really a pain to see them get stuck on corners.

That's the short list. And they are all things that seems reasonable.

Quoting PurplePaladin,

reply 10

A way to "contribute" gold to Citidel upgrades (everyone on a 5 player team could have 3k gold, but still, no one can buy a 3.6k upgrade???).

This. And replays.

The Forums Are Now Closed!

The content will remain as a historical reference, thank you.

Back from the lake, what’s next?