I like the current loading screens but we can use them more to explain the game basics to new players. While the map is loading it's the perfect time for this. I already made some example screens. They could look better with some more players in action and also the phrasing of the messages could be for sure enhanced by a native English speaker. When the developers agree, that they will add new screens for the next version it will easy to get some good screens from the community. More screens will follow if the devs agree.
I wouldn't make suggestions telling what the players should do, rather telling them what things do. Like, for instance; "Seismic grenades are the best choice for eliminating enemy buildings, as they do no damage to infantry or vehicles."
You should remove "newbie" and use random numbers, as if it's a random tip extracted from the manual. Also, most of these are far too detailed and descriptive. For instance, the walls one can actually turn counter productive, building up walls is not something you'd want everyone to do. Secondly its not so much a tip as it is a direct procedure. Same for grenade spam, describing some procedure is bad, they should remain tips to make them aware of how things can be used or of features they weren't aware of. #1: Telling them not to steal it doesn't give them any new information, its also like telling a kid not to do something, it'll just make them do it when they're bored. The picture also doesn't necessarily have any relationship with the text, saying "these are the command vehicles" only works if that picture comes up with the text, which isn't always the case, both the text and picture are seperate and chosen at random. It would also be inconsistent with the other tips that don't have pictures to accompany them. The rest of your tips have this same issue with the pictures. How I would write it instead: (#1 is pointless, just remove it) #8: Seismic Grenades are an effective way to take down buildings, combined with a nearby engineer ammo crate, giving you unlimited ammunition, allow you to take down buildings in rapid succession. Be aware that ammo crates disappear after a while. #3 Built walls can offer protection to players, tanks or structures. They can also be used to hide behind. You can also consider to keep walls unbuilt, allowing you to shoot from behind them, or simply to block passage for enemy tanks. #5, this one has 2 different things explained, the explanation of mines is again too descriptive, not much of a tip. Tips don't serve as a real manual and shouldn't be treated like it. I'd remove the defuse part into a seperate tip and write #5 as: "Structures have high resistance against the Grenadier's RPG." #5.b "The grenadier's Defusal skill allows them to defuse mines by holding the use key while in close proximity to a mine." #1 (This one is describing a whole scenario that isn't always what your commander might want you to do, it shouldn't give this info) "Base defense in the form of turrets can be vital for your team on open maps. When facing an imminent attack on your base, the quickest way to get back to base is to 'kill spawn' (Typing kill in console)." #14: "The engineer is the most versatile class, not only can they build structures the quickest of all classes, with the revive skill they can resurrect fallen soldiers." #15: "Teamwork is the key to success, at the start of the game players can decide to form squads and have a squad leader appointed."
less slang make it more professional, and by the way sounds like we are built on 12 year olds, use Predoms scentence.
Good suggestions but I agree with dizzyone, should be more like tips instead of "Do this and not this" as we want people to have an independence in the game and an unpredictable strategy of attack or defense or whatever. We should also have an entire manual on the main menu for those who want to be experienced before they even play.
agreed. the screens should give general information, like THE NF CV IS BIG. THE BE CV IS SMALL. think, childrens' books. or, you can show different parts of the UI, like an explanation for tickets and spawning and whatever. diagrams.
For those of you bashing #1: CV theft is a serious problem, and our children most be made aware. "These are the command vehicles, they should only be used by the elected commander" might work.
These are the Northern Faction and Brenodi Empire Command Vehicles. Keeping your team's CV alive is crucial in triumphing over the enemy team as it enables the commander to build structures and conduct research. Its destruction results in your team's defeat. Leave commanding to experienced players.
Great idea! more professionalism required! Dizzy is hero! Man, it feels like I'm repeating things....
we should be able to watch porn in that box thing while empires is loading. Put it under the options menu or something so that it's not enabled by default.
Do want! I've seen enough new players running around spamming seismic nades at me thinking it will kill me.
Thanks for the suggestions for improvement. I will continue work on the additional loading screen as soon I have an agreement from one developer. And I have also a lot of ideas for more screens like: -General tips for first time commanders -Showing that building and defending refineries is the longterm key for win -Tactical advice that defending a single barracks forever is often useless when the enemy can capture the rest of the map in the meantime. -General tips for driving tanks (rush, shoot, rotate, don't overheat, retrieve, repair) -Advice that there are additional informations on the wiki (like research tree) -Maybe advice, that when your voice sounds like from an eight year old boy you shouldn't use a mic. -... I can also make a template for Gimp (and Photoshop) to make it easier for everybody to create own screens with the same layout.
awesome sip! but from what ive heard, these screens are static and all contained in one file. this needs changin, SCRIPTING SYSTEM NOW! example: Code: LoadingScreenData { Hint { ImageFileName "command_vehicles.png" IndexNr "1" TipText "This are the ..." } Hint { ImageFileName "bases_overview.png" IndexNr "32" TipText "On open maps ..." } } you get the concept ... btw, why aint scripts xml?
xml is overrates, if i had made an engine i would have chosen json for the data, and valves kv system is pretty much the same. alsp making that scriptable sounds like a fun project
Since new players start out as emp_recruits, I suggest that "recruit" is used instead of the word "newbie", eg "Recruits Manual Extract #XX".
We should integrate manual into the main menu, people who didnt RTFM have their names changed to emp_recruit,when they read it, they get their steam name.
Word of warning: too many "advice" choices will make it difficult for the most important/useful ones to show up. See NeoTokyo. They have helpful hints show up at the beginning of each round. However, more often than not you figure out quirks int he gameplay AFTER getting beaten by them for 5 rounds. And if you're a player who gets frustrated wtihin those 5 rounds and leaves, you'll never get a chance to find out about the tips.
