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[Girlinhat]

http://support.screeps.com/hc/en-us

TL;DR - you get little bots.  They're empty.  Write code to make them function.  Compete with other players with bots vs code ability.  Sometimes you have the weight of numbers, sometimes they've written better code and flounce you.

It's in Javascript, or anything comparable, like C++ or Python, it's somewhere in the whole family of code.  All logic functions work the same (for loops, if conditions, etc) and you use the game-specific commands to perform actions (DELIVER_ENERGY() or ATTACK() and such).  Since everything is code-based, you either need to know some code, steal some, or simply use this as a method to learn on your own.  Includes a tutorial, though it assumes you have some knowledge already.

Formerly used a pay-per-server-ms subscription, where you bought credits, and it would use 1 credit per millisecond of CPU time used to process your code.  More efficient code got more efficient use of credits, and smaller number of bots also meant less loops to run through.  NOW they've moved to flat monthly fee.

[Girlinhat]

The old payment model may have been pay-to-win, it's kinda hard to say because this is unlikely every other game.  Having more milliseconds of server time to run your code doesn't have to make it better.  It just means you can be sloppier with your code.  You could throw together poor code and make up the difference in cash.  Or you could be naturally skilled at coding and make something efficient and agile.  Or you could be skilled and have cash and go both routes at once.  It's really too strange of a game to quantify like that.  And it wasn't as if you could directly buy more energy/creeps/etc.

I may have forgotten to mention the game has a 'simulator' mode where you run it on your desktop, not their servers, and is thus free.  It's one 'room' to play in with staged threats, but is still a good feel.

[Girlinhat]

They went on Steam, at least, and went to 'pay once play forever'.

[sambojin]

Is it any different from the other "robot simulator" games around? I've toyed with a few over the years (mostly in js-like languages), and while they were all graphically poor, wire-frame 2d mostly, they were all completely free.

I'm assuming this is like a little robot tank game. Move tank, swivel turret, aim within a certain detection range, work out how to lead shots, etc? Is this one more complex/pretty than that?


Ok, bothered to look at it. It's an RTS, where you program the creeps/units/buildings. With a bit of base building/resource gathering involved, building/unit upgrades, etc. It even has fake-chemistry for resource use. Sort of a RTS/tower defense, but the whole thing auto-runs depending on how well you programmed the little buggers.

That's a hell of a lot more complicated than a robot tank simulator. Almost intriguingly so.

[LoSboccacc]

I got this from indiegogo but never got interested enough to play.

looks too much like work. now, if one could have basic code element at the ready for a functional startup even if sub-optimal, then you could reduce the amount of work needed and still have fun. but coding everything is daunting.

didn't followed it in a while tho, is there a common library?

[Madmachine]

Is it specifically Javascript, or just a Javascript-like custom language for the game itself? I've worked in C(++), Java, and recently Scheme but not Javascript. Will that be a major obstacle?

[lastverb]

I looked at it (tutorial) on coffee break. It seems to be using node-js, but I'm not js programmer, so don't take my word for it.

[Finndibaenn]

It is nodejs yes.
I think it's a great way for people like me that both like to play games AND program !

It's definitely a good way to dig into JS, bringing some fun in the learning, and it's also a game of its own, with opponents that will try to be smarter than you, both in pure programming skills but also in analyzing what are the good decisions to take

[LoSboccacc]

One just has to remember than node js is less strict than a browser on certain stuff. It's easy to pick bad habits and then become hard to move code around