Quote:
Originally Posted by Jakys
This second update does little to alleviate the disappointment of the first update. Still no word, or really any serious acknowledgement, that we need to have saved decks or a /parleyload 1 "Elven Wisdom" type command available so we can switch decks before you go and hugely increase the number of cards to futz around with. That needs to be done *before* the increase in card numbers, not "some day in the future."

Same thing with the increase in the total number of cards available. The NPCs will be getting all of their new cards when this huge revamp goes live. We'll get quests added to *find* our new cards, "some time later on." Thanks, but the opinions of several other members here aside, I am finding each new NPC I now go to parley with at the 225/250 level to be quite challenging already. Cart before horse.

The UI questions? It sounds to me like the answer is, "Yes, we know that this is going to basically wipe out your screen, and we hope to do something about that later on, but for now here's a klugy workaround."

No mention of the promised (and hopefully additional unknown) new and expanded content, particularly for the later stages of the diplomat's progression. Was new content put aside for a while in favor of doing a whole revamp of a sphere that really wasn't broken?

The increased number of slots is really not needed, as I've stated before, but if you insist on doing it couldn't you hold off until all of the known and anticipated issues (which you've already acknowledged) have been resolved? What's the rush?

Some of the other changes sound very exciting and should make diplomacy a much stronger sphere. Better AI and multiple decks for the NPCs will remove or reduce the snooze factor in some grind situations. New cards, particularly for higher level diplomats (to keep up with the awesome power cards of the NPCs) sounds great. Couldn't some of these things be put into the game in stages, and in a logical order, rather than rushing to shove everything out there in one massive revamp that's bound to cause issues?

This revamp makes it sound like you think diplomacy in its current state is "broken", when actually it's been a fair bit of fun and challenge, and really just needs some polish and a lot of additional content. The sphere isn't broken, it just wasn't finished in time for launch. Let's not throw out the baby with the bath water.

We identified in Beta that we needed to greatly expand the card choices for players and NPCs, but held off for a UI revamp. The way things these things work, the art/coding/design triangle could not match up for this then or now.

Since our goal is to provide fun gameplay first and foremost, we decided last week to go ahead and push this new functionality - despite the UI issue we are all discussing. As an advocate of clean, consistent UIs and a harmony of design for a game, this was a particularly difficult choice for myself - and the team. We acknowledge that a number of highly necessary functions - like saved decks - will make the whole even more fun. Allowing the NPCs to play against players, and allowing players to make choices IN a parley is too important to continue to hold off.

There's a number of minimum functions in Diplomacy that we feel are necessary that we currently lack - AIs that provide a risk of defeat in most even-skill parleys, the ability for a player to quickly and cleanly search their Repertoire, build and manage their decks easily, and predict victory consistently, the ability for players to play one another for benefit and loss, and the ability for NPCs to choose from a menu of decks to provide challenge and randomness in most parleys.

Does this mean the Sphere is "broken" or that it isn't fun now? No, I don't believe so, but I also am responsible for utilizing the opportunities and resources we have to bring this Sphere to where it belongs in the overall vision of Vanguard.

We actually are pushing things into the game in stages with this revamp. The card number change is matched with NPC deck migration, and alongside that is a push of new cards and opportunities for players. Due to circumstances beyond our control on Diploisland, this was a "do this now or wait" sort of situation with the Strategy size increase - ideally, we'd overload you with cards and THEN push the code.

In the end, in addition to our commitment to open avenues of communication, we have the health of the game on our minds. This is ultimately the direction Diplomacy needs to take, and thus we are forging ahead to this match-up of gameplay and rewards.

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