Calling Brian Reynolds, come in please...

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Author Topic:   Calling Brian Reynolds, come in please...

OmniDude posted 12-21-98 11:51 AM ET
"Now that the game has mastered I will be available both here and on the
Alpha Centauri forums (www.alphacentauri.com) to answer questions."
(Brian Reynolds, quote from comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic 12/18/98)
This is primarily to check whether Brian actually DO find time to read both this forum and comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic:
Many of the suggested features and ideas discussed in this and (especially) the older forums did not make it to the final game (as far as I can gather, not having seen the game). Though the question may seem a bit immature, I wonder if there's any plans for a SMAC II (perhaps inter-planetary SMAC along the lines of MOO II).
BigER posted 12-21-98 12:04 PM ET
OmniDude, when I first started posting I asked the same question! So no it's not immature. I want Civ in space! I want to be able to colonize planets, I want to fight epic battles in space...etc, etc....Is this to much to ask, Brian?
DJ RRebel posted 12-21-98 01:53 PM ET
Well, my guess is that they'll do with SMAC what they did with Civ !!!
They'll let it stand as it is for a few years, in the mean time, they will bring us a couple more awsome games ... then .. if SMAC is a huge a success as Civ, they will eventually create a SMAC 2 ... but don't expect it for at least 4 years !!!
CClark posted 12-21-98 03:00 PM ET
I have a bunch of questions I'd like to ask, but...
Let them enjoy a long weekend, or even the entire Christmas week, eh!
From what we can tell, these guys haven't had a day off in who knows how long. I wouldn't be surprised if we don't here from them until the new year. Of course, they probably wouldn't know what to do with all that time off, so maybe they will be here. But give them a chance to rest and recharge the batteries.
Frank Moore posted 12-21-98 03:16 PM ET
Brian is posting, at least a little, over on usenet. So he does appear to be working today. Hopefully putting the final touches on the demo!!
WAS posted 12-21-98 04:37 PM ET
How do you access these newsgroups?
Gord McLeod posted 12-21-98 04:42 PM ET
Demo's already done and shipped off to Origin, he can't be putting the finishing touches on that.
Zan Thrax posted 12-21-98 04:43 PM ET
With a newsreader. Click on the read newsgroups button in Communicator, or go the news section in Outlook, or whatever program you've got. Then find the option to subscribe, then search for the group you want, and start reading!
SnowFire posted 12-21-98 06:15 PM ET
There's a thread called "Reasonable questions for Firaxis" that was started a long time ago in a galaxy far far away, and many of them have already been answered (like some of mine), but let's bring it back up again and you can look at THAT too.
Brian Reynolds FIRAXIS posted 12-21-98 07:35 PM ET
Yes, I'm reading. A space exploration game is certainly a possibility someday, though nothing like that is in the plans as of yet.
Brian Reynolds
Alpha Centauri Designer
FIRAXIS Games
SnowFire posted 12-21-98 10:20 PM ET
Ah yes. I see you liked Arnelos's ideas too? I believe that was actually the "Ideas for Firaxis Games" threads, another one which should be brought up. I think I'll bring both up now, I had meant to earlier but got delayed.
SnowFire posted 12-21-98 10:24 PM ET
<slaps self on head>
Ok, I missed the references earlier. Sorry, ignore everything in that previous post, I totally misinterperted Brian's last post by thinking that the world revolved around me. But oh well, I'm still bringing those old threads up now.
OmniDude posted 12-22-98 07:13 AM ET
Yahoo(tm)! Mission accomplished! Brian's here!
I look forward to see some excellent correspondance between SMAC Forumers and him when the demo and the game gets out! Being able to communicate directly with the designer of a game is a truly awesome thing and kudos goes to Brian and Co. for making themselves available to this end.
Only I can't help wondering, Brian: How come you chose to post the aforementioned quote (see threadstarter) in a newsgroup rather than here? At the danger of sounding rather unsympathetic: Didn't we here at the SMAC forums deserve to get first priority since we have demonstrated a dedicated interest in SMAC in particular? It seems to me that at least 80% of your posting have been in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic. Could it be that you found that we have turned too much off-topic or perhaps too "religious" in our devotion to SMAC...
Roland posted 12-22-98 07:29 AM ET
It's just like politics in the UK: When an area is voting 50%+ for a party, they will hardly campaign there. With our SMAC vote about 99+ % (excluding that chrisk thing), you can imagine why Brian went to the newsgroups. Don't forget, they gotta make a living out of the game...
OmniDude posted 12-22-98 08:21 AM ET
Good, if somewhat discouraging point there, Roland. But still, wouldn't it make more sense for Brian to advocate for the website in the newsgroups and then answer gameplay questions here. The site would be even more visited and oldtimers here in the Forums could probably answer a lot of the questions for Brian, freeing him up for more creative input.
And I'd like to think that we, the true followers, deserve some kind of special treatment for our dedication, especially since the've always written in the forum explanations that this would be where one could get responses from the team.
Roland posted 12-22-98 08:25 AM ET
Advocating SMAC via this board would be a very indirect approach. The "very" may be due to the off-topicness we enjoy so much. Though no one should underestimate the addictive factor....
Yes, it would be nice if us fanatics got some preferential treatment. But as I said above, just in different words: "In this business, "nice" doesn't put bread on the table..." (Who made that quote? Can't remember...)
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Author	Topic: Calling Brian Reynolds, come in please...
OmniDude	posted 12-21-98 11:51 AM ET "Now that the game has mastered I will be available both here and on the Alpha Centauri forums (www.alphacentauri.com) to answer questions." (Brian Reynolds, quote from comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic 12/18/98) This is primarily to check whether Brian actually DO find time to read both this forum and comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic: Many of the suggested features and ideas discussed in this and (especially) the older forums did not make it to the final game (as far as I can gather, not having seen the game). Though the question may seem a bit immature, I wonder if there's any plans for a SMAC II (perhaps inter-planetary SMAC along the lines of MOO II).
BigER	posted 12-21-98 12:04 PM ET OmniDude, when I first started posting I asked the same question! So no it's not immature. I want Civ in space! I want to be able to colonize planets, I want to fight epic battles in space...etc, etc....Is this to much to ask, Brian?
DJ RRebel	posted 12-21-98 01:53 PM ET Well, my guess is that they'll do with SMAC what they did with Civ !!! They'll let it stand as it is for a few years, in the mean time, they will bring us a couple more awsome games ... then .. if SMAC is a huge a success as Civ, they will eventually create a SMAC 2 ... but don't expect it for at least 4 years !!!
CClark	posted 12-21-98 03:00 PM ET I have a bunch of questions I'd like to ask, but... Let them enjoy a long weekend, or even the entire Christmas week, eh! From what we can tell, these guys haven't had a day off in who knows how long. I wouldn't be surprised if we don't here from them until the new year. Of course, they probably wouldn't know what to do with all that time off, so maybe they will be here. But give them a chance to rest and recharge the batteries.
Frank Moore	posted 12-21-98 03:16 PM ET Brian is posting, at least a little, over on usenet. So he does appear to be working today. Hopefully putting the final touches on the demo!!
WAS	posted 12-21-98 04:37 PM ET How do you access these newsgroups?
Gord McLeod	posted 12-21-98 04:42 PM ET Demo's already done and shipped off to Origin, he can't be putting the finishing touches on that.
Zan Thrax	posted 12-21-98 04:43 PM ET With a newsreader. Click on the read newsgroups button in Communicator, or go the news section in Outlook, or whatever program you've got. Then find the option to subscribe, then search for the group you want, and start reading!
SnowFire	posted 12-21-98 06:15 PM ET There's a thread called "Reasonable questions for Firaxis" that was started a long time ago in a galaxy far far away, and many of them have already been answered (like some of mine), but let's bring it back up again and you can look at THAT too.
Brian Reynolds FIRAXIS	posted 12-21-98 07:35 PM ET Yes, I'm reading. A space exploration game is certainly a possibility someday, though nothing like that is in the plans as of yet. Brian Reynolds Alpha Centauri Designer FIRAXIS Games
SnowFire	posted 12-21-98 10:20 PM ET Ah yes. I see you liked Arnelos's ideas too? I believe that was actually the "Ideas for Firaxis Games" threads, another one which should be brought up. I think I'll bring both up now, I had meant to earlier but got delayed.
SnowFire	posted 12-21-98 10:24 PM ET <slaps self on head> Ok, I missed the references earlier. Sorry, ignore everything in that previous post, I totally misinterperted Brian's last post by thinking that the world revolved around me. But oh well, I'm still bringing those old threads up now.
OmniDude	posted 12-22-98 07:13 AM ET Yahoo(tm)! Mission accomplished! Brian's here! I look forward to see some excellent correspondance between SMAC Forumers and him when the demo and the game gets out! Being able to communicate directly with the designer of a game is a truly awesome thing and kudos goes to Brian and Co. for making themselves available to this end. Only I can't help wondering, Brian: How come you chose to post the aforementioned quote (see threadstarter) in a newsgroup rather than here? At the danger of sounding rather unsympathetic: Didn't we here at the SMAC forums deserve to get first priority since we have demonstrated a dedicated interest in SMAC in particular? It seems to me that at least 80% of your posting have been in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic. Could it be that you found that we have turned too much off-topic or perhaps too "religious" in our devotion to SMAC...
Roland	posted 12-22-98 07:29 AM ET It's just like politics in the UK: When an area is voting 50%+ for a party, they will hardly campaign there. With our SMAC vote about 99+ % (excluding that chrisk thing), you can imagine why Brian went to the newsgroups. Don't forget, they gotta make a living out of the game...
OmniDude	posted 12-22-98 08:21 AM ET Good, if somewhat discouraging point there, Roland. But still, wouldn't it make more sense for Brian to advocate for the website in the newsgroups and then answer gameplay questions here. The site would be even more visited and oldtimers here in the Forums could probably answer a lot of the questions for Brian, freeing him up for more creative input. And I'd like to think that we, the true followers, deserve some kind of special treatment for our dedication, especially since the've always written in the forum explanations that this would be where one could get responses from the team.
Roland	posted 12-22-98 08:25 AM ET Advocating SMAC via this board would be a very indirect approach. The "very" may be due to the off-topicness we enjoy so much. Though no one should underestimate the addictive factor.... Yes, it would be nice if us fanatics got some preferential treatment. But as I said above, just in different words: "In this business, "nice" doesn't put bread on the table..." (Who made that quote? Can't remember...)