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85% (17)It's since been outshined by changes across BYOND, but I changed the guild's CSS last week. I've been wondering for a while if the guild should adopt (just) the colors of the main site. Whether you like the blue and orange or not, some have expressed a desire for consistency. If the main site changed colors, so would BYOND Strategy.
As for BYOND's layout changes, I like them. However, it's a bit harder to bribe developers into polishing their games without as much advertising to gain. Prove me wrong for my birthday on Tuesday!
Acebloke updated his featured boardgame, Exploder, with interface changes and Elo ratings. The skin has mostly improved. For instance, players can now chat without their eyes jumping around the screen. However, there are some negatives such as a new verb panel that doesn't meet the feature requirements. Acebloke says he'll provide another update so I'll give him a chance.
The Efencea team appears to have settled on their next project. Titled Scorn Earth, they're describing it as "Post Ancient Apocalyptic Turn-Based Strategy Efencea Tribes". It's a unit-centric empire-building game with multiple victory conditions. Both single and multiplayer modes are planned. Read their blog for more design notes.
BTW, is the team just Vermolious and Tayoko now?
The Magic Man has begun development of an RTS, continued providing progress reports and might even be ready to host a testing session tomorrow. I'm a bit wary as it sounds like more of a team-based action game where each player controls one of 30 types of units. I'm guessing that it's going to BYOND Action unless there are mechanics focusing on a commander. However, I'm not writing it off yet. =)
As an example of what would go in this guild, Tag You're Pregnant is looking into creating an RTS with a mecha theme. Players will control a single unit like an action game, but they will be giving orders to units controlled by AI... Hopefully this will be made so I can stop feeling guilty about my unfinished design inspired by Herzog Zwei and Goblin Commander. ;)
Foomer has handed the reigns of BYOND Casual to BYOND RPG's former guildmaster, Tiberath. This comes after I added both Casual and Foomer's personal Single Player Games guild as BYOND Strategy associates. I don't know whether we should be gloating about territorial conquest or singing that cool version of Close To You from MirrorMask. ;)-
I released what appears to be the final update to my abstract competitive dungeon crawl, GrimTunnel. I never added sound, but I hope the interface is more clear. At issue is the fact that the entire game was an experiment and I only appreciated some of the results. I'll probably add the good parts to a different game later.
Got news? The judges chose Brigitte Dale as the Good Mood Blooger. =)
If I gave units an AI and let players issue them commands, instead of letting players directly control their actions, it would in every sense of the word be a strategy game.
Combat in the game is indeed more action based than most RTS games, and plays similar to something like Proelium.
But except for that, it has everything a RTS game would have. One player is a commander, and builds a base. Buildings provide various bonuses to the team. Whether it is a tower than attacks enemies, a fountain that restores health, or barracks to upgrade melee units.
Gathering resources is also an essential part of the game, you cannot build anything without resources, and running our of resources can result in you losing (if you have no living units and cannot afford to make anymore).
Units are also like typical RTS units. They all have highly specific roles. You get typical gathering units, attacking units, scouting units and siege units.
A single unit will not win the game, and players will have to form a team consisting of appropriate units for the job to have any hope of winning.
It will definitely be more action based than a typical RTS. But provided it fits all of your requirements it will be going to BYOND Strategy and not action.