Summary of OP1 playthrough with Notes

cugone commented 4 years ago

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFTDBbYrcivqJ0p92yI4sxtduAfgV89J-

This is a good and complete playthrough of OP1 (courtesy of OPU!). This is a good source of real player frustration and confusion that can be alleviated in OPHD. Any time the player says "I don't understand...", "The game doesn't explain...", "I don't know why...", etc. that might be a thing to look in to.

Here's a detailed list of confusion and concerns separated by video and timestamp. I've created a list of actual User Stories as a separate issue.

I've included my own comments and suggestions in parenthesis. Square brackets for summarizing game events and user actions; Regular parenthesis for comments and suggested solutions.

NOTE: Some of these issues and stories have already been enumerated. I'm including them for completion sake only.

Note: Many of the complaints, confusion, frustration, and concerns regarding colony building, tiles, and structure functions enumerated in these videos are clearly stated and explained in the "Help..." contents of the game which serves as the manual. This game was made in the early '90s. People were expected to RTFM. In 2020, however, no one RsTFM and in order to save on money, producers stopped making them. So game designers started putting everything in-game as tutorials. We should do the same.

Video 1: "Let's Play Outpost #⁠01 Any mistake at this point will doom you and your colonists..." Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq9934Dtjzw

13:29 Shoutout to OPU. (He is unsure if site is still active)
13:54 (Re: Automatic Trucking option.) Manual says "Always leave it on automatic."
- Why give me the option in the first place?
- Starts the game on MEDIUM DIFFICULTY
19:04 The cargo supplies and what each value represents is not explained.
- The number of units of food each feeds 10 colonists. This is not explained, you just have to figure it out.
- (Provide hoverable tooltips on each cargo type.)

Video 2: "Let's Play Outpost #⁠02 ... to certain death. Have a nice day." Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0jqmq76AmY

06:38 The music is really loud. (There is no volume option. It's either on or off)
11:04 I'm waiting for the music to die down, otherwise I can't hear myself think.
11:42 From this point forward, there is no music. The game is played in complete silence except for of course... [plays AI voice].
14:08 The AI is obviously cheating. It's already calling down landers... (while seed buildings are still building).
15:10 The game will be a little bit quiet if I'm not talking or thinking things over.
- (More than just 1 song? Have them play throughout the game.)
- (Should implement a music player.)
- Plays the OP2 soundtrack for the rest of the playthrough.
17:15 We have to keep in mind we need minerals and other resources.
- The rebels do not. In fact, their base is about on schedule. We can see what they are doing underground because we have an observer satellite.
- I have no idea how they are doing [building so much], they shouldn't have any resources.
18:58 The game explains in the manual but doesn't really tell you otherwise: all the seed buildings have a lifespan of 150 turns, no more, after that they will simply automatically collapse. Except for the command center.
- Again, something the game really should tell me.

Video 3: "Let's Play Outpost #⁠03 The Eagle has landed. Thank you Neil." Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfg224t60GE

08:35 The storage tanks are where you put all the minerals from the mines and smelter.
- How that works, don't ask me. It's just the game's logic.
09:53 There's a life indicator for robots in the Robot Command.
- What does that mean?
- All the robots have batteries that last 200 turns. That seems like a lot until you realize you can't replace the batteries.
- I don't know why I can't just simply replace [robot] batteries. But I can't.
11:51 The game never really tells me what a turn exactly entails.
- I used to think it was either a day, that seems too fast, and a year seems too slow.
13:38 Supposedly this game has included the ability to build Geothermal plants by finding fumerols. I have not found one of those ever. I would like to.
- (Make Fumerols more likely to appear on Venus-type planets)

Video 4: "Let's Play Outpost #⁠04 Research underway" Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1bI8JzrfwU

02:05 The game gives me absolutely no warning if something is about to run out.
- It'll tell me when it's completely gone. But then it's too late.
- (Implement negative delta warnings or low warnings on resources.)
04:47 As far as I know there's no difference in what kind of tube you use. They all use the same resources to build although the game doesn't tell me what resources it takes.
- (Let the player know what resources are required to build a structure before trying to build it.)
12:00 The research in this game is weird.
- I have no idea what any of it does.
- All I know is that [describes color legend].
- As I do research, discoveries will be added to list;
- The game will not tell me how I got them.
- The game will not tell me what they do.
- The game will not tell me how they are applied.
- The game just tells me that I have them.
12:50 Anyways, I'll start with Basic Research.
- I have no idea what it does. But it's something I can keep doing for a long time.
- I'll just wager that the Basic Research is necessary for something.
- The game never tells me what it is for, just that it is important
- (Add actual Lore descriptions to the research)
- (Add Results descriptions to research)
17:05 Let's go into Applied Research. Like I said, is weird.
- Especially considering you need to work towards a specific path that the game never tells you.
- I can't replace the batteries in my robots yet.
- There is technology to do that, but bugger all if the game ever tells you.
- I've played this game enough that I have a general idea of where I need to go.
- But it is not something that's immediately obvious.
- Normally, you'd think, "Biology! Of course! You want to get "Medicine", then "Plant Biology" to make your food stuff better..."
- That is true, and you do what that, eventually.
- But you REALLY, REALLY, want to be able to resupply your robots because having to rebuild them, especially once they go all offline AT THE SAME TIME, because, remember, their batteries all exactly the same strength.
- That causes a problem. 'Cause suddently your trucks can't move minerals and stuff, and if you don't have the minerals you need in your base, YOU ARE SCREWED.
- You're also working towards another goal that is a little bit more esoteric, but basically, all the mining facilities you see on the map, about 40 sites, I can only go down 2 levels. Those mines will eventually run out.
  - When they do, I am screwed if I don't have a replacement.
  - There is a replacement in-game for having to mine.
    - BUT YOU DON'T KNOW THAT, when first playing.

Video 5: "Let's Play Outpost #⁠05 Time Travel experiment succeeds" Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuZ9ndGzXDQ

00:08 Right, so, funny thing.
- I tried to save, but the game wouldn't let me.
- I accidentally closed the game. Without saving.
  - I had to start over.
  - (He had yet to figure out that the game won't let you save if you start any action during a turn).
    - (The game doesn't tell you this).
  - (Make it easier to save the game at any time).
03:01 The manual explains sort of what each mineral is.
- Bugger if I know.
- (Add individual resource descriptions)
03:57 I have no real idea what some of these researches do.
- Some of them I do know.
- Like, "Artifical Intelligence" that is pretty much par for the course.
- "Systems Analysis" I know has something to do with the Administrative Building, although I do not know exactly how many levels of that I need to develop so that I will get what I need.
- (Show research required to get a structure)
05:04 (Re: The mining summary.) I couldn't possibly tell you how all of this exactly works because all of the mining is automated and I don't have to worry about it.
- All I know is that as long as the mine is operational it brings in resources that I need to process.
11:30 (Re: The event animations) Some of the animations feel unfinished.
- The sound and image are not always fully integrated properly.
20:35 (Re: Colonist class promotion, Infants to Students to Workers) I have no idea how time is calculated per turn.

Video 6: "Let's Play Outpost #⁠06 Morale no longer going down, for now" Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNk95Z4vf0o

08:30 Results. I can now build a Hot Lab facility.
- Why?
17:40 (Re: Seed Factory collapse after Turn 150) Maybe some of the buildings can have animations showing they have collapsed.
19:08 Heeey, we have unemployed workforce. How odd. I didn't get any new people did I?
- (Not clear that people from Rebel colony are defecting to Player's).
21:52 These buildings can wait...[stops construction on several buildings]; because I don't currently have enough people to do everything, I'm running out of workers, and my workers are turning into scientists.
- STOP THAT! Don't get smarter! I need you to work!
- (Disable buildings manually)
- (Provide manual teaching of Workers)

Video 7: "Let's Play Outpost #⁠07 The Objective: Survive. Build, Grow and Thrive" Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUTkpvrc9Ro

03:00 (Re: Side-goal of Terraforming planet) You never see any real effects of Terraforming other than a text box.
08:37 It's annoying that you can only go to a level if you can actually see visible tiles.
- (If underground, it jumps to the surface; otherwise the level is unavailable in the context menu)
14:42 The AI Rebel colony is absolutely brainless.
14:51 Essentially I'm just waiting for a News Brief to pop up. [The rebel colony defectors] doesn't happen all at the same time. There will be a small trickle of rebels coming in just before the event fires. I want to be appraised of that.
- (Notify player when defectors arrive even before the Rebel Colony Surrender Event)
15:52 Research Results. Administration Facility, and Factory Productoin Increase. Yay.
- Where did that come from? [Guesses]
- Now I have a new building.
17:17 [Places Admin Building] ...and then put an administration here...which has people in it! Already? I think it will always say that when you put down a blueprint. But that's actually a lie...unless of course I've been getting more people but that seems not entirely accurate.
- (Currently constructing buildings shouldn't show people manning the building on the summary screen)
18:55 [Mathematics research completes]...which leads to no further research, as a result, I've got now got a Factory Efficiency Increase...I think. It's a little bit hazy on what it actually does.
19:39 I've also finished Basic Research. I don't know if there is any benefit to that, but since I can do that forever, I will.
- (Instructions unclear on what Basic Research actually does).

Video 8: "Let's Play Outpost #⁠08 The People love you, commander" Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh3W-szsv4E

03:34 (Re: Manually changing every factory's product/pause) Micromanagement is tedius.
- (Have the ability to change all labs/factories product at once.)
- (OR just pause)
- (Have a Master Storage Tanks report)
- (Have a Master Warehouse report)
04:20 I'm at loss as to where to go now with the research.
- (More detailed Research tree.)
- (Tree should show entire research tree instead of just the next immediate child node. See Civilization 4/5/6 for example.)
05:08 First disaster. Meteorites.
- (He did not research anything that would uncover this event. That leads me to believe it is directly related to difficulty selection.)
- (He issues an Evacuation Order)
- (Plays with Panic Button.)
- (Disasters don't seem to do anything)
09:03 Mentions student-based death spiral bug.
- (Students shouldn't move into worker/scientist roles automatically.)
10:55 What are the labs doing?
- You really need to tell me when you stop doing anything.
- (Notify when a lab is not researching anything longer than a few turns.)
12:40 Checks Research Discoveries.
- We have "Tech Level Advance". What? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WHAT DOES THAT DO? GAME! TELL ME WHAT DOES THAT DO?!
- Which lab is not operational anymore?
- (Provide Research Discoveries descriptions)
14:20 Hypothesises that "Tech Level Advance" is what caused his buildings to change appearance.
- I tend to not research things in the correct order.
- Because the game doesn't tell me.
- (Provide full research tree view from the start. Not just one level at a time. See Civilization 4/5/6 for example.)
17:21 - "The people love you, commander"
- Thank you for telling me.
19:12 Annoyed with Morale pop-up.
- (Provide a "do not show me again" option.)
19:17 DARN IT! Stop turning into Scientists, you brainless idiots!
- (Provide classes to turn students into Workers OR Scientists)

Video 09: "Let's Play Outpost #⁠09 The Hotlab is operational" Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvxO7ti9YVg

00:08 Waiting for class to finish training.
- (Provide notification that a university class has finished.)
00:30 The univerisy training is slow.
- (Provide early research to directly affect teaching speed.)
01:06 I'm waiting for the Rebel base to surrender. I thought it was 700 morale, apparently it isn't.
- (It's not clear that it is 800 Morale.)
- (It's also not clear that YOUR colonists defect at 200 or lower)
04:27 Starship crashes after Turn 300.
11:53 The game states that Universities as they grow older, become less efficient due to materials aging. Unsure how much is actually true.
16:33 Stop saying you're doing nothing!
- (The Master Lab/Factory reports should update in real-time, not just when the sort view is changed.)

Video 10: "Let's Play Outpost #⁠10 Finally I can research Repairbots, also the Rebels surrender" Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvP0h2JLgvY

03:30 New research discoveries. No idea where they came from.
04:00 Rebel colony surrenders.
09:28 Dispite the new storage tanks looking more advanced, they do not have more space. I would have preferred they had more space in them, it gives a reason to advance in technology.
- (Advanced Storage Tanks shold increase their storage.)
- (Advanced Warehouses should increase their storage.)
13:20 Not entirely sure what is the point of this "Diplomacy" option.
- I think at some point they had planned multiplayer.
- Not entirely sure how they thought that was going to work
- There's not much interaction going on.
- It's not like I can send robots over to the enemy camp and bulldoze their buildings.
- Let alone attack them in any real way with guns or anything like that, because there's no guns on this planet. Yet.
- (Weapons? Multiplayer?)
14:14 "You've made a bold new discovery."
- It would be kind of nice if the game told me what it was I had just researched.
- (New Research Discovery pop-ups should tell the player what they just finised.)
14:55 We finished "Theoretical Physics".
- What would be the most useful thing to research in "Theoretical Physics"? Because I have NO IDEA what any of these things do.
- [Checks Research Discoveries] What is new in this?
- I have no idea what has actually improved.
- (Provide a way to note what research discoveries are new and unread.)
- (Possibly with a different color text)
17:10 Second disaster. Earthquake.
- Issues Evacuation Order. I'm actually not entirely sure that's the best idea during an earthquake. But the game says it is, so, well, I can't argue with Game Logic.
- (He had not researched anything in Planetary Sciences. More evidence that disasters are related to difficulty setting.)

Video 11: "Let's Play Outpost #⁠11 Research power overwhelming" Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GQvfVQguOs

00:00 I had to advance the turn so I could save.
00:58 [Advances 5 turns. New discovery animation plays] Yes, we have indeed! We have unlocked that animation which tells me...something?
02:16 What would be the most useful to research?
- (Unclear what research leads to what)
03:20 [Accidentally clicks Evacuation Order] I'm not sure that does anything if nothing is going on.
04:05 (Perusing the Research Topics in UG Lab)...Well something in this is going to give me something to research in the Hot Labs. Lets go with Antimatter...that sounds like fun.
- And in the Hot Labs we have.....nothing.
- What actually did that do?
09:22 [Clicks the directional arrows all over the place.]
- (Provide keyboard camera movement.)
11:55 Do I have anymore space in my Robot Commands?
- [Proceeds to manually check every tile with a Robot Command.]
- (Provide a Master Robot Command Report)
12:35 How's the warehouses doing?
- [Proceeds to manually check every tile with a Warehouse.]
- (Provide a Master Warehouse Report)
18:49 "The people love you, commander"; Yeahyeahyeah, suresure. The people can love me all they want, just don't get in my way.
- (The constant morale notifications are annoying.)

Video 12: "Let's Play Outpost #⁠12 Alien Virus Cure" Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tia3gwcPTgc

03:19 [Starts researching Planetary Sciences > Geology]
03:42 Let's go with Social Sciences, in particular Urban Studies (Applied Research > Social Sciences > Urban Studies) because I kinda want the better buildings; or...I think they're better. Again, the game is a bit vague on what it does.
05:19 Gets "Alien Virus Cure" via finishing Finishes [Applied Research > Biology > Medicine > Pharmacology > ] Alien Pharmacology.
05:55 Entomology, Not entirely sure what the study of bugs on an alien planet that doesn't have any; but I'm sure it has some kind of application.
06:27 I am building Road Materials, but I'm not entirely sure why.
- I don't think I can build any roads...Oh, I can build roads.
- Roads build similarly to the Tubes.
- Their only purpose is to give the Trucks a better means of getting from one place to another.
- And that is not really any use, because they get where they're going anyway.
- (Make roads more useful to use.)
- (He does have automatic trucking turned on...)
- (Maybe road structures should be unavailable if you have automatic trucking turned on?)
07:42 I kinda wish I knew how many robots I had.
- The thing is, Repairbots do not show up on the list of robots you are actively controlling.
- Because you don't actively control them.
- Repairbots go around repairing other robots using the Fuel Cells I'm building.

Video 13: "Let's Play Outpost #⁠13 The road to somewhere" Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5dqoVfNQiA

01:45 I'm just trying to spread out where I'm doing all my science.
- It's a bit difficult when every tree has its own embedded section.
- (Provide viewing more than one level of reports at once)
02:12 Getting the "Urban Studies" I think allows me to build extra colonies.
- Why we would want to do that, I'm not entirely sure.
- There is a "conveluted" transport system that I've never actually bothered to use.
- Essentially, you're able to build a Monorail between colonies.
- Supposedly that is useful for some reason.
- I don't know what that reason is, but I'm curious.
- I just have no idea what the use for that [is].
- (The road system is highly under-used because they don't really make a difference and "Automatic Trucking" is almost always turned on.)
- (The monorail system is highly under-used due to no player ever building more than one colony or using the Rebel colony.)
04:20 I suppose I could build a road. Lets start slowly building a road [towards the Rebel colony].
- Why not? A road is not necessary to build between colonies. Absolutely not. But, fun to find out.
- The road is used to transport between the mines and the colony, but like I said, I don't think it's necessary.
- (Road system is redundant.)
07:11 [Building road] I have not checked if I am going through any impassable terrain. I could check the elevation map. Right now I'm going through easy and medium difficulty terrain. I think the yellow is unpassible or unbuildable at the very least. I can't use my [dozer] on that.
(and later...)
11:05 Alright, still going through [hostile] terrain. That's impassible. Can I bulldoze? No. Hmm. So I can't go that way.
- (The game does not make it clear that you can use digger's "Self-destruct" ability to clear impassible terrain.)
12:40 [Finishes Anatomy, starts Comparative Physiology, Checks results...] If you can see what has changed, I would be interested to know how you figure that out because I can certainly not figure that out. I really wish those topics would tell me why they were unlocked.
- (Provide post-research descriptions that mention in the lore/flavor text why they were unlocked.)
14:20 [Road building and road building limitations...] I don't know, it's never really been properly explained. Hence why I've never bothered with roads. If you don't explain to me why something is useful, then it's not useful to me.
- (Again, road system is redundant)
16:06 [Third disaster, High velocity wind storm] "Oh noo" [sarcasm, issues Evacuation Order]. It sounds more serious that it is after all, go to next turn...Nothing happens. Nothing ever happens.
- (Make it clear and obvious that if you do not issue an evacuation order, people actually die and buildings receive more damage if people are not evacuated. Can explain as buildings were reinforced prior to evacuation, like when hurricanes are forecast in real life.)
20:14 [6 turns later, Fourth disaster, Volcano. Does NOT issue evacuation order.] I'm calling BS. If there were volcanoes on this planet there would definitely be an atmosphere.
- [Does NOT issue Evacuation Order]

Video 14: "Let's Play Outpost #⁠14 Resources running low" Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaJCsxRu2XE

00:00 [Still same turn from ending of previous video].
- 01:28 [Ends turn. Does not issue evacuation order.]
- As far as disasters go, that I have to press the evacuation order, I'm a little bit iffy on why they are triggered. It seems you only get the "Volcano" [disaster] once you research "Volcanology" or something. Not entirely sure that is the case. I'm pretty sure I've not done that. Something to keep an eye on.
- [Loses no people.]
- (Proof that disasters do literally nothing.)
- (Proof that evacuation order is useless.)
- (Proof that disaster occurances are not related to research.)
2:02 [New discovery. Looking for new reseach to study.] That's still going...still doing that...So what could have finished? Something in [Theoretical Physics]?...[Picks Political Science, moves to different lab.]. Must be something in Physics. I keep pushing the same buttons hoping for a different outcome. Ah. Mineral Resources. [Chooses Terrestrial Mining]
- Lets see, I need results. We have Geothermal Power...Trade improvement. Trade improvement?
- I can build geothermal facility, I just haven't found any fumerols.
- Though, ... the fact that a volcanoe erupted suggest there is a fumerole somewhere.
- I can't build what I can't see.
- (Fumerol's do not appear.)
- (Make fumerol's more prominent.)
4:17 [Successfully starts Diplomacy with Rebel Colony...] That's something I may have needed to do while the place was still being inhabited.
- But given this game's propensity for you know...BSing me.
6:58 [Starts Trade with Rebel Colony.] So now I can trade with [my colony and rebel colony]. Something is seriously not entirely correct. I should have way more materials than that. I've got plenty of raw totals. So why are my storage tanks filled with Fusion?
- Enough of this. All the underground [factories] that are not producing anything [useful]...Just. Stop.
- [Clicks through every UG factory from the Master Report to pause them. Except Alien Virus Cure.]
- This is part of the micromanagement I dislike. Entirely.
- I'd much rather the factories just made "Luxury Goods" and not bothered me with the details.
- (Simplify the luxury goods system.)
- (They don't even need a product selection. Just have their "Product" automatically produce "Luxury goods" in an amount per turn.)
- (It could cause issues with the AVC, but that might be alleviated by having the UG Medical automatically produce it once its researched.)
9:55 At least this interface [Master Factory report] is somewhat more convenient than checking every building by hand. But it's still a hassle.
- (Provide "All" functions for Master Reports of every type.)
- (Useful for "Pause"ing all buildings of a type.)
11:55 [Looks through every storage tank looking for non-Fusion materials.]
- (Definitely provide "Master Storage Report".)
12:55 I do kind of wish I knew what kind of Raw Materials [The executive report is] talking about here.
- (Provide button that shows breakdown of materials in Executive Report. Similar to "Population Details" button.)
14:22 [Clicks through turns watching Nanotechnology progress bar from Hot Lab.]
- Keep on waiting until this finally ticks over.
- Come on, nanotechnology, Nanotechnology!
- [New Discovery.]
- It's not nanotechnology!
- I'm almost tempted to say I don't care, but I do care.
- I care about all the things, because you are my people and you need to be safe.
- [Checks report for finished research.]
- And you need to do as you're told...
- and I would really appreaciate if you'd told me what you are doing so I could put you to work on something useful.
16:07 [Checks Research Discoveries] "Improved Colony Planning"...whatever that does! I'm not entirely sure what that did.
- (Not clear which Research Discoveries do what.)
- (Provide research discovery descriptions.)
17:30 Let's see where I cannot find where I am building the road.
- (Roads are invisible on the map.)
- (Show road tiles on map.)
17:33 Let's see if I can keep going down until I can get around the [impassible] terrain. Even if the art assest don't make it all that clear what is [impassible] and what is not.
- (He does not know you can use the RoboDigger's "Self Destruct" option to turn impassible terrain into cleared terrain)
- (Art assest for different terrain difficulties is not distinct enough.)
19:19 [Searches research tree for finished topic and new topic to start...] It's gotta be something in physics then. [Checks on Physics > Electrical Engineering even though the entire tree is complete.] I'VE ALREADY DONE THAT. STOP CHECKING THAT!
- We've finished Humanities > History. Now we study Music!
- [Checks Research Discoveries.] "Local Planet Data", well that's cute...Biology...No we've not finished that yet. Social Sciences? No that cannot've been it. There's nothing behind Economics. It's gotta be something in Physics that I -- [Checks Physics > Electrical Engineering again, less than 60 seconds later...] STOP CHECKING THAT ONE!
- (Add new color to Master Lab report's "Color Legend" that denotes "This tree is complete. No more research")

Video 15: "Let's Play Outpost #⁠15 So close to Nanotechnology" Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIjzZ3RS0J8

01:33 [New Discovery] I'm not checking the News Brief because whenever it says new discovery because I want to see the message again. I just want to make sure I'm not missing a message of some other kind.
- (Provide "Do not show again" for certain News Briefs.)
02:32 [Searches for new interface window] I kind of would like to see the rest of the planet now that I have the information, apparently. But it's just not possible.
- (Once your initial landing site is chosen by placing the Seed Lander, clicking on other Site location markers in the Planet Display do nothing.)
- (Therefore, after adequte and appropriate research, provide for opening multiple Site windows in order to manage multiple colonies and mining operations across the whole planet.)
19:49 Looks like the residental buildings got another upgrade. I'm not entirely sure if that improves their capacity. [The artwork suggests this.] It's difficult to tell.
- (Tier Two and Tier Three Residential tiles should increase residental capacity from Tier One's 25 to Tier Two's 50 to Tier Three's 100.)
- (Provide a way to upgrade buildings from a lower tier to a higher tier in-place by building the newer building on top.)

Video 16: "Let's Play Outpost #⁠16 Where'd our food go?" Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wXNdJ-vTFs

7:57 ...And I've stopped caring about the road again.
- I like the idea of building a road to the other colony.
- I just wish it had more of a purpose.
- I just don't think it does.
- Especially since roads don't seem to have any tangible benefits to the colony.
- (Roads are useless and redundant)
8:46 [Fifth Disaster. Electrical Storm. Issues Evacuation Order.]

Video 17: "Let's Play Outpost #⁠17 We're unstoppable now" Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwPiC-djMQ8

No new unique complaints.

Video 18: "Let's Play Outpost #⁠18 And with the launch of this vessel we have ensured out survival [Finale]" Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWS1rK4RotI

11:27 I do want to show off the terraformation, just to show how lame it is and what it actually does.
- I was kinda hoping with terraformation we'd actually get greening of the planet, maybe an ocean forming. Not necessarily in [the map view] but on the globe itself.
- Some idea that there were actually an atmosphere forming of some kind. Especially when you're playing on a Mars-like world, that's sort of what you want.
- Not necessarily on this Venus planet. But you do want it, eventually.
- (Planet view window should change to show terraformed status)
15:21 [Sixth Disaster. Solar Flare. Issues Evacuation Order.] Alright I'm calling BS, in space no one can hear you flare.
16:25 [Advances 100 turns at once several times in order to finish Terraforming. Takes a long time, no user input is available during that time.] Wow, it is not liking this at all...Come on game, you can do it. It's just 100 turns [encourages game to go faster and not crash]. Luckily I saved.
- (Running Multiple Turns should not take a long time.)
- (If long-running operations cannont be minimized further, multi-threading of turn calculations when Multiple Turns is selected.)
- (Provide progress bar callback for Multiple Turns.)
- (Provide "cancel" button for progress bar during Multiple Turns.)
- (Progress Bar "cancel" button should finish the current turn before returning.)
26:03 I did have plans for the series to go a bit bolder than this.
- Setting up some external colonies, setting up the monorail system.
- So much pointless work...so much pointless work.
- (Extra features such as more colonies and monorail system are useless.)
27:23 [Turn 1546. Finishes Terraforming.]
- (The only thing to show for Terraforming is a lame 5 second video and a textbox.)
28:28 [Issues Launch Order. Finishes Game.]
29:48 [Game abruptly closes immediately after final video ends.]
- (Game should show credits after final video.)
- (Game should return to the main menu screen after credits.)
- (Game should provide "skip" credits feature to prematurely close credits.)
30:15 [Closing Remarks]
- That was "Outpost".
- A game by Sierra Online that promised so much more than it could actually ever deliver.
- It is a real pity because I do see some brilliance behind this [...] project.
- It's quite clear they [over-]extended the reach of their grasp.
- I really would have liked to be able to actually Terraform this planet.
- Have some actual point in establishing Diplomacy with the Rebel colony.
- Building up extra colonies.
- Having something actual more to do than just randomly plopping down buildings.
- [Quits without saving to show off "Game Over" video of planet exploding.]

ldicker83 commented 4 years ago

100% -- it's why I ask users who want to help but aren't programmers to tell me their experience. Let me know what confuses you. What breaks? What isn't explained well?

It's a great way to be able to determine development goals and targets. As much as I know the direction I want the game to go in, I'm also intimately familiar with the inner workings of the game and so I don't have the perspective of a user coming into this with no real knowledge before hand.

This is a pretty good find.

cugone commented 4 years ago

I will re-watch the playlist later, adding his comments and concerns as a list to this issue.

DanRStevens commented 4 years ago

That would be appreciated. I don't think I have the time or patience to sit through that many videos of that length.

Another part of that is I think my personal focus is more on the support code, rather than the gameplay mechanics.

ldicker83 commented 4 years ago

I've been watching the video and finding it entertaining for the most part. A lot of the questions he asks (e.g., "I don't know why it does that") are things that are already sort of addressed in OPHD using an interface that at least provides some feedback. With some user feedback I've been able to improve it considerably but it still needs work -- very much a minimalist programmer interface.

cugone commented 4 years ago

Yeah, I mention in my notes that several of his complaints have already been resolved. I'm on video 12 so far.

cugone commented 4 years ago

@ldicker83 @DanRStevens

I've added my notes on each video and suggested ways to fix the issues mentioned.

A further analysis of suggestions into an actual User Stories format so things can be broken down into tasks will follow later.

DanRStevens commented 4 years ago

Thank you so much for the time it took to summarize all that. It's going to be helpful to have that summary around.

ldicker83 commented 4 years ago

Extremely helpful, honestly. Will give a good direction for the UI to develop and other game play issues.

Slowly getting back into the development thing as I'm beginning to recover from a few medical issues -- will be looking over this and the other linked topic and try to address each point.

cugone commented 3 years ago

Re-opening this and #241 to keep them from falling off the wayside.

OutpostUniverse / OPHD

Summary of OP1 playthrough with Notes #201