Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!unix.cis.pitt.edu!bluecow
From: bluecow@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Tobish E Smith)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
Subject: Re: Robot Battle (was Re: Chipwits, where'd it go?)
Message-ID: <113300@unix.cis.pitt.edu>
Date: 9 Apr 91 21:12:27 GMT
References: <1991Apr8.102234.8262@dartvax.dartmouth.edu> <112574@unix.cis.pitt.edu> <1991Apr9.173104.10322@dartvax.dartmouth.edu>
Organization: University of Pittsburgh
Lines: 47

In article <1991Apr9.173104.10322@dartvax.dartmouth.edu> Fermat@Dartmouth.edu writes:

>I think there is a real flaw in taking comments only from registered
>owners of the game.  Personally, if those things above were in, as well
>as a few other petty changes, I would not hesitate to send my $15. (I
>might send it anyway, but still thinking about it)
>
>M.Glenn (Fermat@Dartmouth.edu)

We agree with you.  The comment in the manual talking about that is
referring more or less to making major revisions at a few number of
users' request; however, it's vague and misleading and should be
ignored.  :-}


We have been accepting suggestions from people on the net who have
brought up points that truly make the game easier/more fun to play.  We've
changed the program already to include arrays and for-next loops due to
this kind of input.  However, major revisions like tournament mode and
more than two players are things that we've already thought about doing
and _will_ do if we receive a favorable response to the version posted.
  There's a dilemma here: do we hold off on distributing the game for
another month or two while we add yet _more_ features, all the while not
knowing what the public's response will be at all, or do we decide at some
point that we've expanded enough and get the thing out the door?  Robot 
Battle has been functional since late '89.  The reason it's just being 
released now is due to this exact kind of thing - well, let's just add this
ONE MORE feature...  It's addictive, and with a program as open-ended as
Robot Battle, it could continue indefinitely.  We finally had to draw a
line, saying "this is what will be distributed.  These other ideas are
great, but let's see what people think about what we have first."
  As an aside, all the registered users we have so far are from CompuServe.
A few days ago, messages about Robot Battle accounted for over 50% of the
messages posted here, and yet we've received no commitment (though maybe
there are some letters in the mail) from anyone from internet yet.  If this
is because too many features are lacking from the current version, so be
it; would the addition of a tournament mode swing the tide that much?  And
yet we receive enthusiatic letters from people wanting to moderate a 
Robot Battle tourney.  The fact this this enthusiam exists while playing
without the advantage of the better weapons leads me to believe that there
_is_ an interest.  If we receive _any_ reasonable amount of support from
the people on the net, we'd love to add features galore, knowing that our
efforts aren't going to be for naught.  

Tob
bluecow@unix.cis.pitt.edu