New Scouting Change is a step in the right direction

[Whis]

While I cannot/won’t go into detail, I can confirm there are steps being taken already to add onto and improve upon the feature.

As stated by Wizard, they are being implemented in pieces for several reasons. One of them is to weight feedback vs balancing for the next step.

I do believe after it’s all implemented, that this will be the biggest change to gameplay since Beta server was launched.

[swearengen]

While I cannot/won’t go into detail, I can confirm there are steps being taken already to add onto and improve upon the feature.

As stated by Wizard, they are being implemented in pieces for several reasons. One of them is to weight feedback vs balancing for the next step.

I do believe after it’s all implemented, that this will be the biggest change to gameplay since Beta server was launched.

i just figured things might work better if he used the forums
maybe a player would recommend something thsts
1. a good step
2.be a bit more involved with the AE cmmunity
just my 2 cents

[CrazynTough Kiwi]

I'm delighted to hear that this is part of a process - as I probably should have realized with two scouting related changes within close proximity of each other. I do applaud the cautionary approach as I believe getting this right may help to breathe life into the game, particularly if it's done in such a way to address the negative impact blobstaring currently has on the game.

I hope AE can rise again from your changes, because I love how the game is put together mechanically, particularly where combat is concerned. I also would love to see these forums return to the funlands they once were.

[Rajam]

If I'm on the boards then it must be funlands.

[efanton]

While I cannot/won’t go into detail, I can confirm there are steps being taken already to add onto and improve upon the feature.

As stated by Wizard, they are being implemented in pieces for several reasons. One of them is to weight feedback vs balancing for the next step.

I do believe after it’s all implemented, that this will be the biggest change to gameplay since Beta server was launched.

Is there any hope of a general road map, an indication of what functionality will be included. surely this can be done and still allow for change or new developments.

With regards to what has been done already, Its hard to say whether its good or bad, how can you judge something that has no real or current functionality. I find it incredible that auto scouts have been implemented yet no simple way of querying the data generated provided.
In fact some simple query abilities in the dynamic maps ( list fleets or bases belonging to a certain guild or player for instance) would have been far more useful and benefited those that are scouting without the use of a 3rd party scouting DB immediately.

I understand that a in depth road map might not be possible but surely an overview is. also it would be an opportunity for feedback before time and effort is spent on further development. We can be pretty certain that those that do use a 3rd party DB will reject these updates if they dont deliver, so surely feedback DURING development would be all the more important rather than everyone wait for the final release.

I think an opportunity was missed by not adding some query functionality into AE first, it was the obvious starting point and would have benefited everyone playing AE. Hopefully AE devs can prioritise basic query functionality, as the work already done is wasted without it.

[Rajam]

Historically speaking, Wizard doesn't make changes by vote. He does what he feels is best for his game.

At what point did we forget that?

[swearengen]

Historically speaking, Wizard doesn't make changes by vote. He does what he feels is best for his game.

At what point did we forget that?

And that's exactly why the playerbase is like it is.

[Rajam]

Awesome and Elite at the same time?

[efanton]

Historically speaking, Wizard doesn't make changes by vote. He does what he feels is best for his game.

At what point did we forget that?

So are you are jumping to the conclusion that no reporting or ability to query scouting data will be implemented?

I would assume that any scouting/db addition would require by default the ability to interrogate scouting data. If my assumption is correct would you not agree that it would make sense to implement this part of any updates first would make sense.

Its the order of implementation of new functionality that I am questioning.

I am not dictating what wizard should do with his game, I am how ever pointing out that the work so far done has little or no effect. Being able to do simple queries could have been implemented instead of or before the autoscout and that on its own would have been a massive improvement on the game and I would imagine greatly appreciated by the players

The point I made regarding 3rd party DB's was valid. If it is the intention to provide scouting and DB abilities to all players and guilds through updates of the game and I would strongly support this, then these new additions must at least be comparable with what is available to those that use these 3rd party DB's. Surely publishing a brief synopsis of what will be implemented makes sense. Players might well have a wish list a mile long, request features that wizard had no intention of implementing but just because he allows player to see an overview of his intended modifications to the game and players might comment on them, it does not mean he is forced to follow any suggestion.

[Nvek]

Wether this is a step in the right direction depends on the next steps that the devs take.

The reason DSIS and its predecessors were created was not to make auto scouting possible, it was to allow players in a guild to share scouting date with eachother.
The first versions didnt even have an auto scout option; you had to manually copy/paste the source code of a system to upload it to the database, auto scout options were added only later.

If this is the first step to adding a guild database it is a step in the right direction.
If a database is not going to be added and the devs are going to use the new auto scout option as a reason/excuse to crack down on players using DSIS it is a step in the wrong direction.

[Philosopher Cody]

If it is any indication of the past. Wizard should have the next step to roll out any day. Seems to be about 13 days or so in between the releases lately. Of course the next step might take him longer to code. I think the next big thing has to be a searchable/useable database for guildmates to use.

So far as things are, the scouting is worthless and useable. So big deal if my scouts are always collecting information 24/7 if I have no way to view and access that information. The only way I can somewhat see the info is if I go into a region, and find a base of a player and then get into the player's profile and click to see fleets and bases. By that time, I could have just scouted manually.

I am hopeful that more changes are coming soon so that the in game scouting is more effective.

[Whis]

viewtopic.php?f=3&p=2279026#p2279026

[Philosopher Cody]

http://forum.astroempires.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&p=2279026#p2279026

Perfect just as I expected. Getting a report feature. Now the scouting will be useable and informative.

[Rajam]

Good job Wizard. Keep "NOT" listening to the forum crybabies. Your additions to the game are welcome and well done so far.

[naethel]

I'm here to add my joy to this feature implementation. Since destroyers were changed i see there have been some minor updates incoming KINDA regularly.
While i agree that the feature is still not PERFECT it's an huge improvement. We all want to get rid of DSIS tbh since i enjoy a fair fight, the fact that wizard recognizes that scouting must be automated to make this game more friendly to everyone imo is pretty important. My 2 cents on this are that it needs a Guild Database to share scouting infos with your guild. What makes this game amazing is guild gameplay, the JGs being shared, info too. I imagined a guild technology feature to expand the guild dtabase, but that's me.

Anyways to sum it up i'd copypaste DSIS or at least make it useless by updating the game, some of the features of that thing are gamey but most are quality of life features. Really i'm excited about this