The biggest flaw of OHOL its the foundation

Dantox · 2020-01-15 08:11:35

I dont think the engine is capable to actually bring OHOL beyond the stone age (and with that i mean to actually *feel* that we are progressing, having steel tools or fancy clothing is pretty much just an illusion of progression)

I am not a programmer, neither a game designer, so i am mostly talking out of my butt here, but if i understand correctly the engine works mostly on timers, transitions and tiles (you can see this with Onetech) which not only limits what can be realisticly added to the game but it also is pretty time-consuming with the implementation of all sprites.

We cannot have seasons, day and night cycles, any type of bodies of water aside from ponds and having more than one person to seat in a vehicle wtihout requiring to rework the engine or having to work your way around it without making barely working and making it buggy. Everything that it seems to be important for the progress of a civilization seems impossible or very hard to make with the current engine. And having only *one* person working on it seems almost crazy for me. Crazier the fact that last year was mostly spent on gathering data and broken mechanics that do not longer apply or are unusable due to hyper-nerfing (example swords!) with also a pretty confusing design choices on progress (Ability to fly to the skies, extract oil from the ground and use working cars, but still dependant adobe stations and round-stones)

Dont get me wrong though, i am not saying that the game should be focused on adding new content instead of clearing bug fixes or gathering data to see potential healthy changes, but it feels like the end product that OHOL aims to be is not achievable without flipping it at last second and saying "well, we tried and we failed, have this 5-step process to make this atomic-robot! thanks for playing the game!" I mean, it wouldnt be better if there if 2 more persons were hired to at least do some basic functions like bug-fixing or the collection of data?

I cant be the only one thinking this, right?

Dodge · 2020-01-15 08:32:46

Adding new sprites and objects is actually pretty easy and fast not sure what you are onto here

Also it's technically possible to have seasons and day/night cycles it's just not interesting at all compared to the work that would be needed (adding snowy version of every item, i guess it could be done procedurally or something)

About the one person in vehicle, i'm pretty sure it can be done but not 100% sure.

Yes only one person is working on it but as long as the game is doing "good" in terms of sales and such i dont see any reason he would stop doing it until the game is really satisfying unless he gets burned out by it but then he can always take a brake or focus on doing less intensive stuff like bug fixes and light content.

Sure the engine has limitations but it also has big advantages and a lot of potential in terms of scalling up and such.

And the limitations are only relative to other game engines but in terms of making it a truly interesting game that you enjoy playing there is no real limitations.

Dantox · 2020-01-15 08:53:04

Dodge wrote:

Adding new sprites and objects is actually pretty easy and fast not sure what you are onto here
Also it's technically possible to have seasons and day/night cycles it's just not interesting at all compared to the work that would be needed (adding snowy version of every item, i guess it could be done procedurally or something)
About the one person in vehicle, i'm pretty sure it can be done but not 100% sure.
Yes only one person is working on it but as long as the game is doing "good" in terms of sales and such i dont see any reason he would stop doing it until the game is really satisfying unless he gets burned out by it but then he can always take a brake or focus on doing less intensive stuff like bug fixes and light content.
Sure the engine has limitations but it also has big advantages and a lot of potential in terms of scalling up and such.
And the limitations are only relative to other game engines but in terms of making it a truly interesting game that you enjoy playing there is no real limitations.

I hope i am just being over-pessimistic then, maybe i have just grown tired and need to take a break

JonySky · 2020-01-15 10:13:19

Dantox I totally agree with you
I think that many of OHOL's problems can be solved by improving the game engine
Many "patch" solutions are currently being made due to engine deficiencies
For example:
The seasons of the year can relantizar the technological tree without having to "invent" a limitation of absurd abilities
Natural disasters can generate new challenges for families
The seas and rivers are essential in any real civilization and I believe that in a game that is sold as "a multiplayer game of parenting and civilization building" this should be implemented from minute 0
Another of the many problems that an improvement of the engine would solve is that of shared vehicles
We are currently obliged to travel to other cities and live with families, but we cannot transport our family in any vehicle and we are obliged to walk in the monotome world of Ohol, instead we have completely useless airplanes and cars.

There are many problems that can be solved by improving the engine (1 date tip occupies a tile, characters with differentiated features, genetics, etc ...) but I think that all this will never come ...

as dodge says well ... if sales work, everything will stay the same

Dodge · 2020-01-15 10:26:22

JonySky wrote:

as dodge says well ... if sales work, everything will stay the same

I never said that

On contrary if sales work he will keep improving the game until it becomes as close as possible to his vision.

And maybe even changing some aspects of the engine if necessary.

JonySky · 2020-01-15 10:34:49

Dodge wrote:

JonySky wrote:
as dodge says well ... if sales work, everything will stay the same
I never said that
On contrary if sales work he will keep improving the game until it becomes as close as possible to his vision.
And maybe even changing some aspects of the engine if necessary.

True Dodge, I misunderstood your comment, I apologize ... I hope the game continues to improve regardless of sales

testo · 2020-01-15 15:30:20

Then again we are just building castles at a dead end here, Jason works alone in his vision and we are practically free alpha testers. Considering all the work in thought, playtesting and code some people have put in the game (for free) it is pretty clear this game could go way better with a team behind it.
The truth is, this is not going to happen.

DestinyCall · 2020-01-15 15:43:33

Yeah, this game does feel like building sand castles at the beach. Eventually, the tide will come and wipe out all our hard work ... or some asshole will kick it over.

JonySky · 2020-01-15 16:36:27

DestinyCall wrote:

Yeah, this game does feel like building sand castles at the beach. Eventually, the tide will come and wipe out all our hard work ... or some asshole will kick it over.

+1

PXshadow · 2020-01-15 17:50:02

Dantox wrote:

I mean, it wouldnt be better if there if 2 more persons were hired to at least do some basic functions like bug-fixing or the collection of data?

I thought the exact same thing now 6 months ago, and since I am a developer I've been actively working on a solution. An open architecture for the game with multiple language targets, an easier code base to work with and easy extending in functionality for moders, to attract as many devs as possible to work and improve upon the game, while still being backwards compatible to Jason's protocol spec found here.

Dantox wrote:

We cannot have seasons, day and night cycles, any type of bodies of water aside from ponds and having more than one person to seat in a vehicle wtihout requiring to rework the engine or having to work your way around it without making barely working and making it buggy. Everything that it seems to be important for the progress of a civilization seems impossible or very hard to make with the current engine. And having only *one* person working on it seems almost crazy for me.

If you want a new foundation for the game to be supported and the potential for these ideas to happen in the game please contact me! (preferably on discord) I'm actively looking for more developers, but also I'd love any type of help from non-devs too, with work such as finishing up api documentation found here marketing, community management, ui/ux design, non dev game designers etc.

Feel free to take a look at my README on the github repo, and let me know what you think Cheers!

One Hour One Life Forums

#1 2020-01-15 08:11:35

The biggest flaw of OHOL its the foundation

#2 2020-01-15 08:32:46

Re: The biggest flaw of OHOL its the foundation

#3 2020-01-15 08:53:04

Re: The biggest flaw of OHOL its the foundation

#4 2020-01-15 10:13:19

Re: The biggest flaw of OHOL its the foundation

#5 2020-01-15 10:26:22

Re: The biggest flaw of OHOL its the foundation

#6 2020-01-15 10:34:49

Re: The biggest flaw of OHOL its the foundation

#7 2020-01-15 15:30:20

Re: The biggest flaw of OHOL its the foundation

#8 2020-01-15 15:43:33

Re: The biggest flaw of OHOL its the foundation

#9 2020-01-15 16:36:27

Re: The biggest flaw of OHOL its the foundation

#10 2020-01-15 17:50:02

Re: The biggest flaw of OHOL its the foundation

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