Feedback: Update to version 2.168

[Arci]

We are looking forward to your feedback about version 2.168.

 

[Draba Aspera]

For a while players were asking us to add some animation marking movements on the map. As a first attempt to bring a feature like that to the game we will add animation showing movement of the troops between cities and Bandits Camp. Depending on the feedback, we plan on expanding it to other actions on the map. This new feature will already go live with the version 2.167.

I cannot imagine something less needed or less wished for in the game (apart from the "Domination" concept, that is^^). I´m glad that I will never again see a bandits´ camp in Grepolis, and I hope very much that you spare normal attacks and other troop movements from similar "animations".

Years ago we had supposed symbols on the map indicating to which cities you have support or attacks on their way - a feature quite helpful for farming and fake attacks and support. This suggestion had been (partially) implemented with the city info tooltips stating incoming own attacks and support, although at that time I had rather thought of respective symbols hovering over the attacked or supported city even if you don´t move your mouse pointer there. But we never suggested animations or symbols/icons moving over the map along dotted lines.

Imagine sending 10 or more attacks..... map will become a mess and will look like a spider nest.....

The most important question asked regarding the new animations, however: Can they be switched off in the settings? You should either add a respective checkbox in the "animation" section of the settings, or postpone the release to version 9. 999...^^

 

[Arci]

I think 95% of the graphics animations could be considered unnecessary. The game itself could also run via command line and HTTP calls, but I'm pretty sure not so many players would enjoy the game then
As long as each graphic animation has a button to be enabled/disabled, it's very welcome. If my computer can run it smoothly it's fine, otherwise I'm just going to hide it. That's my point of view.

But we never suggested animations or symbols/icons moving over the map along dotted lines

Well, maybe not from you, but I'm quite sure I've seen this suggestions many many times across forums and tickets in my experience ^^

That's also true that with several attacks from/to several towns may look like someone from Mount Olympus dropped some spaghetti on the world map, suggetions are welcome to avoid this

 

[Draba Aspera]

As long as each graphic animation has a button to be enabled/disabled, it's very welcome. If my computer can run it smoothly it's fine, otherwise I'm just going to hide it. That's my point of view.

Well, that´s the point: There is no button to disable the new animation, and (in the German forums, at least) players are asking for it. That´s all.

 

[DeletedUser4186]

As long as each graphic animation has a button to be enabled/disabled, it's very welcome. If my computer can run it smoothly it's fine, otherwise I'm just going to hide it. That's my point of view.

i am not sure if this is correct because each animation will still be cost a bit resources from the SERVER or not? So if i deactivate this but a few others not, then perhaps it cost enough server resources that ALL Players are affected from this.

And a question

you said you seen this suggestion in many many times in Forums and Tickets.

can you tell me what forum they were???

 

[Arci]

Well, that´s the point: There is no button to disable the new animation, and (in the German forums, at least) players are asking for it. That´s all.

This is just a test, if the animations will be extended also a checkbox will be added

i am not sure if this is correct because each animation will still be cost a bit resources from the SERVER or not? So if i deactivate this but a few others not, then perhaps it cost enough server resources that ALL Players are affected from this.

And a question

you said you seen this suggestion in many many times in Forums and Tickets.

can you tell me what forum they were???

The animations run client-side, on your computer. It doesn't require any effort from the server.
There isn't a list of markets that suggested a specific feature, I'm sorry.

 

[DeletedUser4186]

ok and you don´t remember one single market???

hmmm play more CHESS its good for that^^

 

[Arci]

Well, I'm not supposed to know all the supported languages and read each forum. End of the off topic please.

 

[DeletedUser4351]

• For a while players were asking us to add some animation marking movements on the map. As a first attempt to bring a feature like that to the game we will add animation showing movement of the troops between cities and Bandits Camp. Depending on the feedback, we plan on expanding it to other actions on the map. This new feature will already go live with the version 2.167.
  
  

I just want to raise a few questions / concerns.
What happens when 2 cities attack each other, how do you prevent confusion? (2 lines, 2 icons, use of arrows?)
What happens when 2 cities attack and support each other? (2 lines, 4 icons / 4 lines...)
Will you indicate movements from/to different islands?
Could players filter animations (only attacks / support, only incoming / outgoing etc.)?
When a player sent many attacks from same city the lines will often overlap, how will that not cause problems?

When a player has more cities on same island and has more movements too this whole thing can easily become a spiderweb... unless the animations only show the movements of the active city and my impression is it will lead to performance issues, which is already a problem for many players.

I share the opinion of the players before me that this change is not necessary and would suggest to focus on fixing existing problems, filter better the community requests.

 

[Arci]

The only plan now is hearing your feedbacks and suggestions before taking any decision for further development

 

[DeletedUser4186]

hmmm but on beta is only zz7 and zz8 with that bandits or not?

and how many players do have that bandits?

a few member said they cannot test this because they don´t have that bandits anymore

so no testing= no feedback or not?

 

[Arci]

You're already providing feedbacks as I can see

Moreover, this feature will be pushed to the live markets with the next update as written in the changelog, so testing it will be super easy, if you're interested in doing so.

Do you have any better solution to test this feature? Let us know.

 

[Draba Aspera]

I really don´t see why this "feature" must be "pushed to the live markets" with version 2.167 and even before a checkbox for its deactivation has been provided.

 

[DeletedUser4186]

You're already providing feedbacks as I can see

Moreover, this feature will be pushed to the live markets with the next update as written in the changelog, so testing it will be super easy, if you're interested in doing so.

Do you have any better solution to test this feature? Let us know.

Yes i am providing the feedback that this feature can´t be tested much enough because to less betatesters can test it. and THIS is a very bad feedback or not?^^

And to hear from you that a feature that isn´t tested enough will go life is even worser or not?

Its not supereasy to test something on LIFE because if the feature brings THERE problems with it, its really really bad.
Why inno have an BETA(Testserver) if its not used in the way a betaserver should work (to TEST Things before the went life)

a better solution that testing on life? i think quite nearly EVERY Solution is better than this^^

wait what about implement the whole feature including all animations and uncheckbox and so on an BETA to test it here 2 3 weeks and if all is ok than go life?

crazy idea i know^^

 

[Arci]

Thanks for your feedback

 

[Mim le Fay]

The only plan now is hearing your feedbacks and suggestions before taking any decision for further development

Presently the performance is so enormous and it can not be that you need high-tech devices for a simple browser game. So ultimately, surplus actions has to left out in the backend.

 

[Draba Aspera]

In all my Grepolis years I have come across exactly one type of animation that made sense: When I started in 2011, there still were "animated" battle reports showing exactly what happened in the land and the sea battle. That´s how I learned what happens in the two phases of a sea battle when fire ships are involved in the fight on the defender´s side, and - most important of all - that there are two phases.

Of course I deactivated those animations as well after a while but I still think that they were very helpful for beginners, showing them exactly how important it is to have battle ships in their attack in order to clear the defender´s harbour prior to their land units taking effect in the fight. None of the (too many) quests - tutorial quests, island quests, bandit camp quests - introduced since have been able and apt to teach beginners as much about the game (mostly because they all seem to be denying that battle ships even exist in the game, let alone emphasizing their importance) than those simple animated battle reports that have been abandoned a long time ago. Why?

That is, I am not opposing animations because they are animations - all those clouds and waves and little working people in the city overview, and now those icons moving along spaghetti (or rather lines of kritharaki^^) on the map might be nice to have (as long as they can be deactivated). However, I´d rather see animations that make sense, that help beginners understand the game mechanics - that´s all.

 

[DeletedUser]

I think 95% of the graphics animations could be considered unnecessary.

True words my friend..but here as a player you can't deactivate everything..here it shines like a Christmas tree chain of lights..only say forum..

..every new feature in the game gets its own around light from you..you're competing with every string of lights for Christmas..here it only blinks..

regrards
Geisti

 

[Draba Aspera]

When talking of "blinking", I guess you are referring to the highlighting of spell effects. I agree - those "neon signs" are awful and confusing, and I hated them at first sight, and even more so after I had noticed their inconsistencies. But they can be deactivated in the settings, and that´s what makes them tolerable.

Spoiler: German for Geisti

Wenn Du von Blinken sprichst, beziehst Du Dich wohl auf die "Neonreklame" bei den Zaubereffekten. Die ist furchtbar und verwirrend, und ich habe sie vom ersten Augenblick an gehasst - und noch mehr, nachdem ich gesehen hatte, wie inkonsistent sie ist. Aber diese Blinkerei kann in den Einstellungen deaktiviert werden, und deshalb rege ich mich nicht weiter darüber auf.

 

[Arci]

In all my Grepolis years I have come across exactly one type of animation that made sense: When I started in 2011, there still were "animated" battle reports showing exactly what happened in the land and the sea battle. That´s how I learned what happens in the two phases of a sea battle when fire ships are involved in the fight on the defender´s side, and - most important of all - that there are two phases.

Of course I deactivated those animations as well after a while but I still think that they were very helpful for beginners, showing them exactly how important it is to have battle ships in their attack in order to clear the defender´s harbour prior to their land units taking effect in the fight. None of the (too many) quests - tutorial quests, island quests, bandit camp quests - introduced since have been able and apt to teach beginners as much about the game (mostly because they all seem to be denying that battle ships even exist in the game, let alone emphasizing their importance) than those simple animated battle reports that have been abandoned a long time ago. Why?

That is, I am not opposing animations because they are animations - all those clouds and waves and little working people in the city overview, and now those icons moving along spaghetti (or rather lines of kritharaki^^) on the map might be nice to have (as long as they can be deactivated). However, I´d rather see animations that make sense, that help beginners understand the game mechanics - that´s all.

That's indeed a constructive feedback! Thanks

The problem behind these "helpful" animations is once again that not everyone may like or need them.
The best example ever: tutorial arrows. As a new player I may find useful a blinking yellow arrow pointing me where I should click, but as an expert player that arrow is super annoying and only pushes me to find the disable button as soon as possible.

Do you already have in mind some useful animations that could be added?