Matrix Games Forums

Been playing Titans of Steel for a couple weeks now. The game is a lot of fun, even playing just random missions and developing my squad. The turn system is great, there's a lot to try and the development of the jocks is exciting.

The biggest gripe I have doesn't involve the actual playing much but is that the menu interfaces are bad. Not bad looking but just bad usability. I wish somebody went through these with Nielsen's ten heuristics in mind and redid them. I could give more specific analysis if someone is interested.

A lesser evil is that I'd like more varied random missions. Haven't tried the campaigns or single missions yet but still I'd wish for different kinds of random missions too.

One nice thing would be including other types of units like infantry and tanks.

Last wish is just add more of everything. More different weapons, more systems, more terrains, more terrain types, anything.

As a summary, I think this game is very much worth the money if you're interested in mechs or such scifi turn-based strategy. I hope this game gets a sequel or at least upgrades.

Aside from not being able to change the objective in random missions (disable all opposition), they can be made pretty diversified. You can control almost every aspect of the battlefield (size, type, % of woods and hills, chance for a river/stream), and of the opposition too (rank, size, # of titans, tonnage balance, random tonnage balance).

No infantry and tanks in this game.

More weapons?! More systems?! Hmm, 2 weeks you said? Not too demanding are you?
More terrains? Like what? Between the 5 battlefield types there's a nice variety of terrain. They can't be combined in random battles, but they can in the map editor. Limited, yes, but.
More terrain types, what defines a terrain type is its characteristics. The 5 battlefield types currently in existence cover a lot of ground in that respect. What you can do if you want more terrain types is do your own mods of the HeightTexture files to suit what you want - for example, Eric (Rosary) did some textures for Lunar, Gaia, and some other settings some time back. All you have to do then is swap the files to get the visual effect, but with the same characteristics. The map editor allows some limited tweaking to terrain characteristics.

Speaking of those new terrains, Rosary, what's happening there? I'd still like to check them out if you're finished with them. I've been thinking about trying my own hand at making some modifications, but I'm not sure if I've the skill to do so.

Thorgrim wrote:Aside from not being able to change the objective in random missions (disable all opposition), they can be made pretty diversified. You can control almost every aspect of the battlefield (size, type, % of woods and hills, chance for a river/stream), and of the opposition too (rank, size, # of titans, tonnage balance, random tonnage balance).

Yes they can be made to look different but because the objective is always the same the missions play effectively the same. One thing I'd like is to include buildings and up to cities in the random maps and that would be an easy addition, don't you think? Still, randomised objectives would do a lot.

No infantry and tanks in this game.

Yeah, to my chagrin I noticed that. The part of the manual I did read was the background story and I don't quite buy that . I want to see total war like I saw in some other mech game some ten years ago. Duels in an arena are so limiting when there could be a lot more.

More weapons?! More systems?! Hmm, 2 weeks you said? Not too demanding are you?

This particular point is about the future. I always have thought the mecha games around have had far too few different weapons and systems. The situation has improved but that doesn't stop me from wanting even more. Surely it's not hard making different kinds of weapons now that the hard work is done and the game out?

More terrains? Like what? Between the 5 battlefield types there's a nice variety of terrain. They can't be combined in random battles, but they can in the map editor. Limited, yes, but. More terrain types, what defines a terrain type is its characteristics. The 5 battlefield types currently in existence cover a lot of ground in that respect. What you can do if you want more terrain types is do your own mods of the HeightTexture files to suit what you want - for example, Eric (Rosary) did some textures for Lunar, Gaia, and some other settings some time back. All you have to do then is swap the files to get the visual effect, but with the same characteristics. The map editor allows some limited tweaking to terrain characteristics.

Swap the files ... ok that's problem number one. They shouldn't overwrite any existing options. I should be able to make 10 terran sets if I want to. And I would very much like that the terrain characteristics would be in simple to edit files so that I could effectively add more terrain types or adjust them when I alter their looks. And if I change the swamp to something else it should also read something else than a swamp. I did check the images and there'll probably be some terrain mod from me too.

It's just that I see there is potential for much more.

GAH!! I had replied to this, but one wrong keystroke made it all disappear... not in the mood to do it over again.

tarendelcymir wrote:Speaking of those new terrains, Rosary, what's happening there? I'd still like to check them out if you're finished with them. I've been thinking about trying my own hand at making some modifications, but I'm not sure if I've the skill to do so.

Visit the Titans of steel Warring Suns icq group to find out more.

Thorgrim wrote:GAH!! I had replied to this, but one wrong keystroke made it all disappear... not in the mood to do it over again.

I know the feeling. What happens to me is I'll take so long typing the reply that my login times out. Somewhere in the process of logging back in my reply goes bye-bye. And yes, I know I can click the "remember my login" box, but I refuse to use it. Call me stubborn.

widowmaker

That's what used to happen to me. I then started copying my replies before hitting the post button
This time it was the backspace thing

Thorgrim wrote:GAH!! I had replied to this, but one wrong keystroke made it all disappear... not in the mood to do it over again.

I know the feeling. I just spent a couple hours on one post. When I write anything, I usually save after every modification, at least after every sentence, but there's always the write cache that's not written immediately. Power went out but fortunately I only lost one sentence . Yes, I was prepared and wrote that post in a text editor since browsers are much more unreliable and I've lost power or crashed some program more than once in my life.

I feel about the same as Mac on about all points. Been playing about two weeks as well.

- I saw The Heuristics in concert once. Annie Lennox rocks! Anyway, I agree the menus etc. are a little clunky. Doesn't take too much away from the game but it could be made better.

- More varied random missions would be nice but I would also like to see more user created missions available for download. Anyone out there working on some? Modding is huge these days. Modding put a lot of life into games like Morrowind and Neverwinter Nights and even Matrix's SPW@W. Is this the calm before the mission/campaign storm or am I kidding myself? (I know Eric Petersen has a few on Game Depot but anyone else? Beuller? ....)

- More everything is exactly what I was thinking too. Granted, I haven't thoroughly gone thru it all yet, customizing my favorite Titans just so... but adding significant content could really blow the roof off (AP or Incediary ammo for MGs, energy capacitor for a one-shot fast reload for energy weapons, etc.) Call me greedy but more IS better.

Seems like every random mission now is a lot like the last. I did dip a tentative toe in the campaign (and promptly got it shot off), but it would be nice if TOS: WS could maybe take a cue from SPW@W and offer a little more variety in the random missions. By that I mean offer Assault, Meeting Engagement, or Defend. Maybe add objectives -- defend this building, capture that peak, etc. I feel like I have to build up my team before I take on the current campaigns so it would be nice to have a wider variety of challenges in which to do that.


My $.02 (and then some),
KDog

KDog wrote: saw The Heuristics in concert once. Annie Lennox rocks!

Uh, I think more fitting music is Manowar, Kings of Metal album. Hail and Kill!

Anyone out there working on some (solo missions)?

I might do some. I'm experimenting with some graphics modifications first. A question about that: Anybody got a list of which trees are used in which terrains?

By that I mean offer Assault, Meeting Engagement, or Defend. Maybe add objectives -- defend this building, capture that peak, etc.

My thoughts exactly.

Small thing I forgot last time. It would be nice if I could fire many guns at the same time. It quickly becomes boooooring firing four machines guns every few seconds. Now if I could fire them all simultaneously or perhaps link them together in some way it would be great.

KDog wrote: - I saw The Heuristics in concert once. Annie Lennox rocks!
KDog

Isn't that the Eurythmics?

KDog wrote:- I saw The Heuristics in concert once. Annie Lennox rocks!
KDog

tarendelcymir wrote:Isn't that the Eurythmics?

Forget it, he's rolling.

widowmaker

Mac wrote:Uh, I think more fitting music is Manowar, Kings of Metal album. Hail and Kill!

I might do some. I'm experimenting with some graphics modifications first. A question about that: Anybody got a list of which trees are used in which terrains?

My thoughts exactly.

Small thing I forgot last time. It would be nice if I could fire many guns at the same time. It quickly becomes boooooring firing four machines guns every few seconds. Now if I could fire them all simultaneously or perhaps link them together in some way it would be great.

The way cover works [Its possible I got this backwards but I haven't done anything to cover for a while]: Having a graphic viewer like ACDSee is really helpful for this.

Example ntree1_1, 2_1,3_1,4_1.bmp is regular cover on heighttexture1. ntree1_2, 2_2, 3_2,4_2.bmp is cover for heighttexture2. ntree1nl_1, 1nl_2 is burned cover repectively. Both terrains are pretty similar so if you get these backwards its usually not a big problem. I like to grab a color directly from the texture and use it on the cover then lighten it a little to let it stand out while matching the ground. Of course, what and how you mod is up to you.

You will also want to ensure that the background is RBG value 255,0,255 or equivalent otherwise you'll find they lay as pink squares, if its slightly off it will show up in battle and your trees will look like they are fruity.

KDog wrote:I feel about the same as Mac on about all points. Been playing about two weeks as well.

- More varied random missions would be nice but I would also like to see more user created missions available for download. Anyone out there working on some? Modding is huge these days. Modding put a lot of life into games like Morrowind and Neverwinter Nights and even Matrix's SPW@W. Is this the calm before the mission/campaign storm or am I kidding myself? (I know Eric Petersen has a few on Game Depot but anyone else? Beuller? ....)

- More everything is exactly what I was thinking too. Granted, I haven't thoroughly gone thru it all yet, customizing my favorite Titans just so... but adding significant content could really blow the roof off (AP or Incediary ammo for MGs, energy capacitor for a one-shot fast reload for energy weapons, etc.) Call me greedy but more IS better.

Seems like every random mission now is a lot like the last. I did dip a tentative toe in the campaign (and promptly got it shot off), but it would be nice if TOS: WS could maybe take a cue from SPW@W and offer a little more variety in the random missions. By that I mean offer Assault, Meeting Engagement, or Defend. Maybe add objectives -- defend this building, capture that peak, etc. I feel like I have to build up my team before I take on the current campaigns so it would be nice to have a wider variety of challenges in which to do that.


My $.02 (and then some),
KDog

A) You have just described the campaigns. Much work has gone into making them feel unlike a random map.
B) TOSWS is a playground. It is theoretically a limitless RPG experience using Giant fighting Robots. It does come with a map editor and I put together a map editors guide. So make some maps.
C) Mods will probably be available eventually.

What you can do with this game (and what you cannot) is (mostly) the designers' choice. Just like with any other game.
The best way to make suggestions is to first learn all the ins and outs of the game, what is possible and/or desired, and what's not. That takes time. Most if not all of what's been addressed here has been discussed in the past, and should be available in some threads way down there. Some other reasons are classified

rosary wrote:A) You have just described the campaigns. Much work has gone into making them feel unlike a random map.
B) TOSWS is a playground. It is theoretically a limitless RPG experience using Giant fighting Robots. It does come with a map editor and I put together a map editors guide. So make some maps.
C) Mods will probably be available eventually.

A) Excellent. I'm holding off getting into a campaign until the patch is posted and until my squad is a little less ... crappy.

B) Oh, I've got a few ideas in mind (and that should make you all sleep a little less easy at night ) but I thought I should get a little more experience with the game before I attempt one. I still think that a more varied set of objectives in a particular mission is in order. Right now, every mission's objective is, "Kill 'em all, let God sort 'em out" right? Give the mission designer some more options and they can really get creative.

C) Maybe I'm jumping the gun. I'm starting to get the impression this game hasn't been out long. True?

B) If you haven't tried it yet, how do you know what is available and what isn't? Did you check the objectives in the missions and campaigns? They use a variety of them.

Thorgrim wrote:B) If you haven't tried it yet, how do you know what is available and what isn't? Did you check the objectives in the missions and campaigns? They use a variety of them.

I have looked them over. It seemed I could have the computer squad go after buildings and such or patrol or seek and destroy but I didn't see anything like victory conditions for the player's team. Did I miss it?

I think you're confusing things. The victory conditions *are* for the player. There are defeat conditions, those are for the AI, but you shouldn't have access to them.