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[Society]

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Title: 'Flow: God is dead'
Genre: Turn-Based Strategy
Graphics type: 3D (DirectX 7)
Version: v0.48 - Alpha
Dev.environment: PureBASIC v4.40
Distribution: FreeWare OpenSource.
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Warning:


Brief synopsis: this is one of my first projects. This is also my best project so far and, most likely, ever. It’s here since 2007 and still at alpha stage. I’ve changed my mind on some story aspects and even cancelled whole work, yet it’s still here and updated recently. Never meant to be cool, easy or pretty, it’s unlikely to be understood without reading (not looking at) ReadMe files. Some people can’t get idea of optic-based battles in world without entropy, most just unable to understand war without blows. However...
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I still need some help. Even since 99% of that game is managed by me, there are lots of things I just can’ do efficiently. So, list of things I asking for, down there:
*) Music. I’m not a musician and would never become one. Still, some fitting dark ambient tracks is needed for main menu and some more energetic tracks would be welcome in-game. Ideas, links ?
*) Graphics. Well, I’m not a painter as well. Some of GUI elements was made for me, yet right now it requires (and goes through) major overhaul. I’m not asking you to draw thins for me, but if you have some fitting ideas for new effects and designs – please, tell me.
*) Models. Yes, all of them was made by me. No, I’m not a modeler as well. Some optimization is needed and needed badly. Less polygons = more performance, and 3DS Max can’t make things better by itself.
*) Maps. Those editor isn’t too friendly, yet I was already able to make whole packed map set with it’s help. Problem is: I’m out of my topographical imagination right now, when 3-5 more interesting scenarios wouldn’t hurt. Not every planned feature is available right now (alliances, Ascenants, mark-up tags), yet still you are welcome to submit some successful map-making attempts.
*) Good guide. Yes, I’m a writer. No, was I never ever good at explaining things clearly. Especially in English, which is not my native language. Especially for game, cryptic by it’s own nature. If only there was some nice enough community...
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...And yet it moves. To nowhere.
Very official page on GameJolt
Download link: Flow.rar (~28MB)

[Theophilus]

Game jolt link is broken. I also recommend a non-rar file, even if it is huge.

[Society]

Fixed. Why no love for .RAR, btw ?

[Theophilus]

I have nothing against it, but there are weirdos out there without winRAR or 7zip.

[Society]

I would recommend changing the name, to avoid confusion with flOw.

Already noted: they have different capitalization. Just think about 2 NWNs to compare with - even worse case and no actual consequences.

[Zaphos]

Different capitalization won't avoid confusion, and the 2 nwns were much further apart in time and the second one was apparently intentionally referencing the first.  Still, agree there will probably not be consequences beyond the mild confusion.

Your synopsis does not actually convey anything about the game, except that it is intentionally uncool, difficult, ugly and confusing?  I tried the game out briefly, but it seemed nonsensical (I did not know even what was what on screen, or what my goal was) and given the synopsis I was not motivated to spend more time trying to understand it.  But -- good luck, all the same.

Re your specific questions, you could try reducing polycount with one of the automatic mesh simplification algorithms like qslim -- the free MeshLab program has an implementation (in the filters menu).  It's probably not as good as a human could do but is at least easy to try.

[Society]

OK, let's see:
->Yes, it's as uncool as abstract turn-based strategy could ever be. It doesn’t even involving killing people or people at all. Think about gloomy energy-management variation of chess – it's probably closest description of Flow if can't make your own.
->Yes, it’s as difficult as I could ever do it without breaking balance. AI still isn’t perfect, yet it doing it’s best to trash players out. There are no randomizing in game mechanics and time restrictions for turn, however: if you fail, it's your own fail, not some luck flux.
->Yes, it’s as ugly, as dead shell of deathless world could be. It’s rhythmic, looped and mostly using simple enough effects. I enjoy fine-tuning details, yet there still lot's of things lacking.
->Yes, it’s as confusing, as really out-of-box game should be. There are closely to no references on real world and own terms are forced hardly. I wrote lots of tips for beginners in my readme files, yet who would ever read'em ?
...For some reasons that game could also be considered as some twisted form of IQ-test: if you get it on your own, you are probable intelligent enough to become insane (like me, f.e.). Results are mostly predictable.

second one was apparently intentionally referencing the first

You know... Some reference could take it's place here as well. flOw is a game about evolution by integration, using cellar-based organisms to interface. Flow, on other side, is a game about evolution by integration, using quant-based Beings to interface. Different approach, pretty same mood. No, it wasn'’t actually intentional.

I tried the game out briefly, but it seemed nonsensical

...Yet it isn't. Everything you doesn't understand could be formed into questions. Try asking /me.

(I did not know even what was what on screen, or what my goal was

Your goal is to wipe your opponents. Their followers are made of energy (everything unstable is made of energy here), so you should just take it by absorbing enemy Beings. Multiply and dominate – easy as life. Hard as life.

MeshLab program has an implementation (in the filters menu)

OK, I would investigate that later. Thanks for suggestion.

[dasdsad]

No Tim Langdelism here please.


Let Flow flow freely.

[Society]

When I started the game, I clicked Random Map and after clicking "generate" on the pop up window, the game crashed.

When I went to Load Map, I chose a default map, and when it started displaying the story, I pressed space to skip it and the game crashed.

Same for me on that machine, also crashing in main menu. Could be because of multi-threading\DX7 mix (no problems with map editor), yet never got any error like that on my old PIV. Try this and report me results:

"Properties->Compatibility->Run this program in compatibility mode: Windows 98"

No Tim Langdelism here please.

Psygnosis. The only word here: 'Psygnosis'. Think about it.

[dasdsad]

Cheer up chap, I'm defending you.  

Also, I have no idea what you mean. 

[JamesGecko]

The UI is kind of clunky. It's hard to navigate using the minimap, and it's hard to move around by moving the mouse to the edge of the screen because the game is windowed. I couldn't find an option to turn on full screen.

It was also running at 12 FPS for me (with sparks, noise, blur and model picking turned off), which made things even slower.

[Society]

Cheer up chap, I'm defending you.

Yesterday was birthday as well, so I was very dazed and unable to recognize such details. Finally got that my husband is an idiot, however.

Also, I have no idea what you mean.

Brief hint: notice what Sentries become after Reincarnation. It’s a direct reference.

The UI is kind of clunky.

Hm: clunky in terms of visualization or usability ? More details, please.

It's hard to navigate using the minimap, and it's hard to move around by moving the mouse to the edge of the screen because the game is windowed.

Any ideas how to improve that ? Never got any problems with navigation myself.

It was also running at 12 FPS for me (with sparks, noise, blur and model picking turned off), which made things even slower.

Specify your system configuration, please: I’ve managed to get ~25 on PII back in 2007.

I couldn't find an option to turn on full screen.

Was unable to find any good custom GUI library for Blitz3D SDK as well, so yes, there are no full-screen yet. Things, of course, may change if those experiments with BitBlt and WM marshalling would finally turn into something more-or-less workable... Problem is, there are too many other fields to improve and not enough /me to handle’em (alone). Patience, what else could I say ?

troll sense tingling

Stand down: false alarm.

[Ichigo Jam]

I immeadiately got a The Sentinel vibe from the readme, which was nice 

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the game (although I think the concept has potential)

The biggest problem for me was the inadequate communication in the game for what was happening - even watching the AI's turn didn't really give me much idea of what was going on.

The camera doesn't even show you which piece the AI is moving, and the little particles floating up from something losing energy give no indication as to who is draining it, or how much is being drained.

If you added an effect of energy visibly moving from one piece to another (with a number saying how much) I think it would really help in getting some idea of what was happening. (And it sounded from the readme like some of the other pieces will need a lot more communication for all their special rules!)

[Qqwy]

if you get it on your own, you are probable intelligent enough to become insane (like me, f.e.).

Aha! You convinced me. I really have to try this as soon I have some spare time.

[Society]

Here. Kind of.

I immeadiately got a The Sentinel vibe from the readme

Well, my project’s visuals was mostly modeled in Sentinel Returns's vein, yet basic concept is pretty same there, I agree.

The biggest problem for me was the inadequate communication in the game for what was happening - even watching the AI's turn didn't really give me much idea of what was going on.

Actually, it shouldn't: being something like a godsim for godless world, Flow was always centered about results, not process details. Talking in particular, there are no reason to care who doing what – just make sure that everything going as planned ("Beings count" helps a lot). Still, there are 'I' button to show action field and 'Pause between AI actions' to delay things. Dat's pretty much enough for most cases, yet you could always suggest some improvements for current interface – I'm quite open to new ideas here.

The camera doesn't even show you which piece the AI is moving

...And it is one of reasons why minimap was added – camera jumps on large maps would rather daze you.

little particles floating up from something losing energy give no indication as to who is draining it, or how much is being drained.

There would never be any direct connections between absorber ant it's victim: I decided it from first lines of code and ain'’t going to change at any conditions. Just like in world around you, there are no way to see the sight itself – only it's consequences (if any). This could and should be scary - fear is one of reason why things are moving there. One, but not only...
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Regarding amounts: I thought about some 'damage indicator' too, yet never get any good solutions. Some kind of energy transactions log seems like appropriate solution here, yet it’s not that easy to implement right now. Patience, just 'patience' one more time. I’m doing my best.

If you added an effect of energy visibly moving from one piece to another (with a number saying how much) I think it would really help in getting some idea of what was happening.

Quant packets (yes, those green things) was meant to close that gap, yet well – they aren't too handy when things coming to tens and more. If only there was some support for 2D transparency in Blitz3D (SDK)... Well, I would reconsider those problem one more for you.

(And it sounded from the readme like some of the other pieces will need a lot more communication for all their special rules!)

They are. I'm working on it, and visual freezing should come first. No ideas when it's going to be, however.

I really have to try this as soon I have some spare time.

...It's only me, or we really differs in terms of subjective 'soon' definition ?

[Taiko]

Hello!  Your game crashes for me whenever I start a try starting a random game with the default settings.  It also crashes whenever I try to load a new map.  The crashing occurs after pressing space to skip the story.  I am running Windows 7 with all recent patches.

I'll give some feedback on what I could see before the crashes:

• You might want some music on the intro screen.
• When you mouse over the options on the intro screen it would be nice if there was some audio feedback of some sort.
• There are lots of options presented to the user when they start the game.  It's a little overwhelming to see them all when you first start out.
• I liked the way you showed the story through the chat logs.  It might be nice to have some sound effects for "typing" as the chat appears.  Just a little touch.

Hopefully you can get the crash resolved so I can do a more thorough testing.

[Society]

Hello!  Your game crashes for me whenever I start a try starting a random game with the default settings.  It also crashes whenever I try to load a new map.  The crashing occurs after pressing space to skip the story.  I am running Windows 7 with all recent patches.

...Yeah:

Same for me on that machine, also crashing in main menu. Could be because of multi-threading\DX7 mix (no problems with map editor), yet never got any error like that on my old PIV. Try this and report me results:

"Properties->Compatibility->Run this program in compatibility mode: Windows 98"

You might want some music on the intro screen.

...Yeah:

some fitting dark ambient tracks is needed for main menu

When you mouse over the options on the intro screen it would be nice if there was some audio feedback of some sort.

Ahem... Some annoying clicking, like pretty everywhere ?

There are lots of options presented to the user when they start the game.  It's a little overwhelming to see them all when you first start out.

May be. Any ideas how that could be improved ?

I liked the way you showed the story through the chat logs.  It might be nice to have some sound effects for "typing" as the chat appears.  Just a little touch.

I thought about it as well: this sound becomes very annoying after 15 seconds or so.

Hopefully you can get the crash resolved

Quite unlikely, actually: most of time it’s just invalid memory access while flipping buffers, which done by internals of Blitz3D SDK’s «Flip» procedure. That's just outside of my reach without some low-level debugging, while actual problem may lay very deep inside DX7-related (legacy) parts of modern Gfx drivers. Just not worth it.

[Aquanoctis]

I have nothing against it, but there are weirdos out there without winRAR or 7zip.

And unfortunately I'm also experiencing similar problems to reinebold.

[Society]

And unfortunately I'm also experiencing similar problems to reinebold.

Just use same tip - it's pretty universal (and working for me). System configuration, btw ?

[Aquanoctis]

Yeah, I'll give that a try.