Petition for Combined Arms

[jamespcrowley]

I would love to see this released, especially as so much work seemed to have been spent on it.

One wonders why it was never finished. My guess is that designing the AI proved problematic but who knows.

Petition or not, I'm not wildly optimistic as to the outcome.

[shunwick]

It was a hugely ambitious project and cutting-edge innovative. A brilliant idea.

But the AI, completely central to the whole WEGO system, requires a considerable investment in time and expertise to create. It was, I assume, beyond the capabilities of the developer. It might even be, at this time, completely beyond the capabilities of AI programming in general.

I don't think anyone fully realized just how innovative this title was. It is a great sadness that it could not be pulled off despite the valiant effort to try.

But such is life.

Best wishes,
Steve

[76mm]

ORIGINAL: shunwick

But the AI, completely central to the whole WEGO system, requires a considerable investment in time and expertise to create.

OK, I have to confess that I don't understand why AI is so central for a WEGO system--I would think that each player would give commands to their units, and the orders would be executed simultaneously--where does the AI bit come in?

Obviously, I understand what you mean if you are talking about one-player vs the AI rather than multiplayer...

[shunwick]

ORIGINAL: 76mm

ORIGINAL: shunwick

But the AI, completely central to the whole WEGO system, requires a considerable investment in time and expertise to create.

OK, I have to confess that I don't understand why AI is so central for a WEGO system--I would think that each player would give commands to their units, and the orders would be executed simultaneously--where does the AI bit come in?

Obviously, I understand what you mean if you are talking about one-player vs the AI rather than multiplayer...

It was the way it was designed. Someone, many years ago now, asked if the game could be released without an AI. Ludo explained how the AI in the game was central to how the WEGO system worked and removing it would essentially leave no game.

If you would like to delve into the Combined Arms forum you should be able to dig up that post somewhere around 2005-2008 if I remember correctly. The whole forum makes for interesting reading especially if you go to 2000 and move through the years.

Best wishes,
Steve

[76mm]

ORIGINAL: shunwick
If you would like to delve into the Combined Arms forum you should be able to dig up that post somewhere around 2005-2008 if I remember correctly. The whole forum makes for interesting reading especially if you go to 2000 and move through the years.

Heh, thanks, I'll pass... But thanks for the explanation, interesting.