Suggestion: Scenario Editor

[mwyeoh]

As briefly mentioned in my last post, a scenario editor would probably be good for an open/sandbox style game such as Capitalism (The old 'multiplayer' icon could be used for this, and a new icon could be designed for screen resolution)
I know its a big committment and would take up a large amount of resources however, but with the experimental nature of CapLab, this would be a good place to start.

The attraction would be two fold:
1) The community contributes extra material for the game, resulting in more (free) content, potentially a larger userbase from the general public. (Free for both users and for enlight)
2) If the scenario editor is extensive enough and includes triggered events, you may be able to sell licenses to educational institutions (Such as capstone units) as they require plenty of control over what happens.

Something similar has been implemented quite successfully in a few games recently, such as Tropico 4

The scenario builder could be developed in stages with initial versions requiring manual download and install, later versions having direct download from a server and a later iteration even possibly a score reporting system.

Both 'official' scenarios and 'fanmade' scenarios could be developed

[baz]

Sounds like a good idea to me, Especially for educational use. If I recall, Cap or cap plus had a editor built in but I could be wrong.

[piermario]

It would be good an editor where we can able to:
1) change company names (add real names company example coca c., nike, apple, fuji..)
2) change people name (add real businessman name examples b. gates, w. buffett...)
3) add more city (10..100...1000 new cities?)
4) add infinity new product with its own carachteristics... fruits, food, electronics......
it's ok that is my dream for last 2 points, but almost first 2 please add... (i did before with an exadecimal editor and it was very very funny play against true businesman and true company).
Grazie, sorry for my english but i'm italian!
P.

[baz]

Poll it, get the forums support. I like what i'm reading so far.
Regarding cities, that maybe a bit to far. I'm finding 7 in the Beta to be alot. I reckon 10 would be the limit, we have to be realistic.
Certainly more products wouldn't be a bad thing, Expand more on IT, Maybe have a software and applications element, more fruit and veg, food.
Maybe been able to edit the exisiting database of goods could be a way forward.

More Potential CEO's too, that would be great.

Keep the ideas comming

Another dreamer hey, Why not dream my friend, I always do, when we play Italy. One day my friend, we shall beat you in football, at penalties Rugby just isn't the same buzz

Chow and arrivederci

P.S. Sorry for England beating you at football in Brazil in 2014 BTW Look who's dreaming now.

[Cyklonix]

I would really like an editor for this game. That way people can make there own scenarios and distribute them around. The scenario should be able to modify everything from the map to building up all the companies and the stock market.

[City Builder]

I'd like an editor as well.

Maybe a scenario editor and storing the scenarios on the Enlight server might also help towards sales instead of pirating the game where people have to login to get the scenarios from the Enlight server (just thinking outloud here, not trying to turn this into a DRM discussion of any type).

Of course that wouldn't prevent people from just uploading their scenario to third party sites but it might be an incentive to get people to buy the game instead of pirate it. I've seen some other games do this type of thing in the past.

Either way, would love to have a scenario editor so as to share scenarios made by others to add more divirsification in the way that I might otherwise play the game.

[David]

I'd like an editor as well.

Maybe a scenario editor and storing the scenarios on the Enlight server might also help towards sales instead of pirating the game where people have to login to get the scenarios from the Enlight server (just thinking outloud here, not trying to turn this into a DRM discussion of any type).

Of course that wouldn't prevent people from just uploading their scenario to third party sites but it might be an incentive to get people to buy the game instead of pirate it. I've seen some other games do this type of thing in the past.

Either way, would love to have a scenario editor so as to share scenarios made by others to add more divirsification in the way that I might otherwise play the game.

When I play other strategy games, I rarely played user created scenarios because of one of the following reasons:
1) I couldn't even finish the original scenarios that come with the game.

2) If I played a user created scenario and found it mediocre, I would tend to get the impression that other user created scenarios are also inferior and thus didn't want to waste them trying them and give up on user created scenarios.

I was wondering how you guys feel about this, and if there are any examples that you could bring up about games that you fondly play user created scenarios.

[mwyeoh]

When I play other strategy games, I rarely played user created scenarios because of one of the following reasons:
1) I couldn't even finish the original scenarios that come with the game.

2) If I played a user created scenario and found it mediocre, I would tend to get the impression that other user created scenarios are also inferior and thus didn't want to waste them trying them and give up on user created scenarios.

I was wondering how you guys feel about this, and if there are any examples that you could bring up about games that you fondly play user created scenarios.

Hi David

One of the games where I play alot of user created content, which I have mentioned before, is Tropico 4

The game comes with 20 preset campaign maps and if you buy the DLC, 3 more extra missions (plus extra features), but after that, the scenarios are the same.
Some of the user created maps are very very good (But I will admit that some are mediocre or not very good at all)

One of the big differences with the game though (Which is part of the game itself) is the trigger system, allowing user created events/storyline within the scenario

Also, the rating system which is employed by gaming website Kongregate (Rating what you thought of games) would be a good way to gauge what players thought of the scenarios. Highly rated games can appear higher on the list, and poorly rated games would be lower down the list.


Another one I used to play alot of user created material is Railroad Tycoon 3 (Again which has a very good trigger system). Its been a while since I played the game though and its user/fanbase is definitely alot smaller now

[Dordanov]

I agree David, most of the user generated content regarding scenarios is usually not really interesting for games that have those features.

This could ofcourse change if there is some sort of a rating system for scenarios and/or a sort of "editor's pick" list for high quality user content.

If it's just one big pile of data with different quality levels mixed I will most probably not even bother trying one anyway, just because the sheer numbers tend to be overwhelming, and the data not worth it (quantity over quality).

[David]

The game comes with 20 preset campaign maps and if you buy the DLC, 3 more extra missions (plus extra features), but after that, the scenarios are the same.
Some of the user created maps are very very good (But I will admit that some are mediocre or not very good at all)

Do you get new user created maps regularly that you find interesting to play with? For instance, do you get 1-4 new user created maps per month that you find refreshing to play or they are more or less the same as previous maps?