What's next? - VOTE!

[Jay Mattis]

Originally, I really wanted a ninja rope too, but with the snails' high jumping, it's not toooo much of a problem. I think even more creative weapons are the way to go, and I really do think water at the bottom would add a nice degree of fun to the game. Optional maybe? Why don't you guys like that idea?

[Robotbeat]

Here is what I'd like (in order from good ideas to stuff to program if you're really bored):

1) Bigger arenas, with maybe more snails and maybe you can move more than one snail at a time.

2)Smarter AI. I have played the demo and now the toughest AI is pretty beatable, although I need plenty of money.

3)Crumbling structures/landforms. That way you could have realistic physics and stuff. Have you played RocketElite? It's really a great game (Well, a good little demo, at least. You know what? I need a job.).

4)Water sounds cool. Not that important, but it could add a little more to the gameplay.

5)SCALABLE vector graphics. It would be tough, but then you could make the screen anti-aliased.

6)Internet/Infrared/Bluetooth multiplayer.

7)3d acceleration . Maybe you could make a 3d voxel version of Snails? Maybe next year.

Real-time Snails? Kind of an oxymoron. Kind of.

[Rirath]

I'd like to add my support for water/lava as well. Normally I wouldn't push it, but you say it's easy to implement. So, what's the problem? If you just implement support for it and put it into even a few maps, that'd do. Then when custom maps start coming out, we'll have all the water/lava pit maps we could want.

If you want to be different from Worms, then you could always try and make Snails better. For example, multiple levels of water. Like small pools of water on platforms/asteroids/whatever above the ground level. Or ground level that has waterfalls, for example. (I realize that would all be tricky to do. You'd probably have to get into indestructible land or else you'd have floating water, but something to think about later.)

As for Snails vs Worms, I don't think anyone expects a clone. I like the differences in Snails. If I wanted to play Worms, I'd play one of the many versions to come out over the years. I doubt that anyone here is disappointed in Snails. I have a lot of respect for you developers. First, for making a game as impressive as Snails. Second, for making a game as fun as Snails. And third, for listening to the gamers and our comments.

[Guest]

[Linus]

1. Smarter AI
2. Smarter AI


....

xx. More Missions
xy. More Options

[bob (adam)]

it would be great for more devices to be supported - because then:
a) u guys will make more money
b) i'll be able to plat the game!!!

U should deffinitely focus on the jornada 690 (which has nothing to do with the fact that i have one - i just think its a good idea - REALLY!).
Developing for the 720, which u mentioned u were planning to do, would also be good - because there is a great demand for games for that device.

I played the game on my friends pocket pc - its great. i just hope u can find it in ure hearts to develop it for my device.
thanks
bob

[R0B]

I get to try snails out today, and I am sure that I will have a lot of sugestions once I do. But, for now, I think that a deadly substance that you can fall into (like maybe (this may be a little hard on the processor) spinning blades or something). It wouldn't have to be in every level, but it would create more veriety in the game. Some of the best tricks of that other game was (don't hate me for saying this) using the ninja rope to slide several enemy worms together, and then using the baseball bat to smack them into the water. If you have a big time limit, you can literaly wipe out the entire team with one turn.

[R0B]

[R0B]

[Peter Balogh]

Rob: I guess Snails should be handled partly as 'work in progress'. We have lots of ideas, improvements and stuff, but we decided not to keep it for ourselves for too long.
We'll make free updates every few weeks, making it worth replaying many times.

[R0B]

Well, as I said before, it's a great game. In fact, it is the only game/program I have every bought for the ppc/hpc. And, aside from argentum (which I will probably buy) it may be one of the only games I ever buy. You guys did a great job.

[Rirath]

[AnaNg]

After playing the game some more, I really do vote for better AI. A few things about the current AI bother me in particular:

1. Often, when it doesn't know what to do it will use Snail-flight, sometimes to about the same place it left from, and often killing itself in the process.

2. If your snails are all in isolated areas, the computer AI doesn't know what to do about it. Sometimes doing nothing or flying randomally (see 1) and sometimes doing uneffective stuff (like sending mosquitos that get blocked by the wall between you)

3. It uses a limited amout of weapons (or so it seems). Maybe I just didn't play it enough, but I did finish all the missions and I have never seen the AI using stuff like tear-gas, air-strikes, etc.

4. Not really an AI issue but still bothering: If the system doesn't know what to do, you just wait for the time to end while the snail does nothing (or maybe one Snail Flight). If it's your turn and you don't want to do something you just shoot in the air or something, but with the computer you have no choice but wait. Kinda annoying when it happens.

[Rirath]

It's always extremely hard to strike a perfect balance. I find the snails do a pretty good job as is of using the right weapon for the job, using skill, and still being properly imperfect. I'm sure it'll improve over time. I agree though it would help if they could use the air strikes. I almost fear the thought of the enemy having the same abilities, but I would certainly be more concerned with keeping a shelter over my Snail's heads. It might be nice if the AI was more concerned about air strikes as well, they leave themselves open for air attacks quite a bit.

As for the wait times when Snails doesn't find a good attack, I highly doubt the system is just sitting idle. It's more than likely calculating any form of attack or movement that would be an advantage. I admit just earlier today I thought about this though. I was waiting for an installation to finish on my PC and playing Snails in the mean time. During the AI think times, I watched some TV. A distraction from a distraction.

I know it'll probably never make it into the game, but I almost wished for some type of simple mini game to play during the wait in a corner of the screen. Something simplistic, but enough to keep you busy for the few seconds per turn. Kinda Mario Party minigame style, but simple so it doesn't take up much processor. Actually, I would love to see that! A bunch of tiny Snails mini games. Examples starting with simplist:

Root Beer Gulp - Tap a button as quickly as possible to drink Root Beer before the time limit.

Snail Shell Memory - Sequences of red/green/blue shells simular to Simon. possible tap screen, or one button per color.

Rocket Pilot - Use a up/down button (maybe a rocker) to pilot a rocket in side or top-down view. Dodge rocks/whatever and reach the enemy base.

Like I said, slim to no chance. Still, you've surprised me enough times that I figured it was worth mentioning.

[TheMadWelshWizard]

Wotcha,

I've noticed that the developers want to keep the game as individual from other games of this genre as possible. Why not bring in more stuff about the Snails ? I'm not talking a 40,000 word study into each group, but hows about some special abilities for each group of Snails (I know they'd have to be balanced, I'm not just saying this to get more snacky weapons ). A bit more plot and reason for the Snails fighting could lead to some well designed levels and mission briefs, and the seemingly much sort after Snails individuality as a game.

This would allow for variant mission types both single and multiplayer (i know this has appeared in other games of this type, but it worked quite well ).

I'm new to these boards so I apologise if I any of this has been said before.

C