Idea: in-game notepad

The diplomat · September 20, 2003, 22:31

What if civ had an in-game notepad so the player could write stuff down during the game? The player could open the notepad at any time during their turn to make a to-do list or just write little reminders or whatever.

Good or bad?

Rasbelin · September 21, 2003, 04:08

I think that's a very intriguing idea.

pg · September 21, 2003, 04:11

i think if you need a notepad the game has become too involved for most players. i think simplifying the game would be much better than having an in game notepad.

Asmodean · September 21, 2003, 10:45

May I expand a little on this?

I would like it if this notepad was at least city, if not even unit specific. Ie if you right click on the city or unit, you get access to the notepad for that specific city or unit.

You could maintain your plans better, that way. Even cooler would it be if you could create reminders for those cities/units.

Asmodean

Leland · September 21, 2003, 10:45

If there's a need for the player to write stuff down, it means that the user interface doesn't give out all the necessary information at the right time. It's a bug, not a feature.

The diplomat · September 21, 2003, 10:50

Quote:

Originally posted by pg
i think if you need a notepad the game has become too involved for most players. i think simplifying the game would be much better than having an in game notepad.

I am not saying that a notepad is a neccesity. But it could be nice even in a simple game, if you want to jolt something down to remember later.

Were civ2 or SMAC too involved? No, but I bet there were times when a notepad would have been a nice thing to have.

With a notepad, you can write down ideas for later in the game like, "the zulus are a pain in the ass, I should wipe them out." Or "remember to build Leo's workshop as soon as I get the tech for it".

The notepad would also allow a player to write down what their strategy is, for when they take up a save game after not playing for days.

It would also be good for those players who like to keep a record of their games for AAR and fiction.

Asmodean · September 21, 2003, 11:02

Quote:

Originally posted by The diplomat

It would also be good for those players who like to keep a record of their games for AAR and fiction.

Yeah. That would be a great use for it.

Asmodean

Colonel E · September 21, 2003, 22:53

Just have an "annotate x" feature. Be able to attach a note to anything: a minor village, a unit, a road, a city, a place on the map, a border, a region, &c.

DarkCloud · September 22, 2003, 21:12

I'd never use it- it's just a tacky addition to a game... like the notepad on apolyton

but the annotate 'x' feature might be interesting... but a regular notepad for everything... I just don't see how it would well-serve the game at all?

TimeTraveler · September 23, 2003, 00:29

Whether most people find it useful or not, the notepad add-on would probably be a very easy and inexpensive item to add to the game, which may be a way for it to catch on.

Oerdin · September 23, 2003, 01:04

If you really wanted something to write out your plans then why not just use an old fashioned piece of paper?

Asmodean · September 24, 2003, 09:24

Quote:

Originally posted by Oerdin
If you really wanted something to write out your plans then why not just use an old fashioned piece of paper?

Well with the keyboard and the mousepad there just doesn't seem to be enough room on my desk for paper. And mindlinks are still to expensive.

Asmodean

Sore Loser · September 24, 2003, 12:30

In my book, anything that can save time and concentration is a great boon to any player. Of course players can keep his notes in any way he desires, but the more convenient and time-efficient those notes are, the more useful they are. The reminders in particular are a great idea, I have often found myself in need of those.

Inverse Icarus · September 24, 2003, 14:43

we're not talking a notepad then, it's more like "post-its" you tag onto things.

it's as simple as adding a string variable to each class (unit, city, etc) and having it pop up on a mouseover, or a click, or something.

would they be global (ie, all players see them), private, or a mix?

also, there should be a line. all those strings will add up and be memory intensive. you shouldn't be able to "post-it" every terrain tile, IMHO.

and how much info are we talking? per unit and per city?

DarkCloud · September 27, 2003, 16:05

Quote:

Whether most people find it useful or not, the notepad add-on would probably be a very easy and inexpensive item to add to the game, which may be a way for it to catch on.

But it would still look tacky... I've played games with notepads- they looked tacky.

Sticky-notes, however (a la SimCity2000/3000) looked good!

Vince278 · October 2, 2003, 01:15

Always could just open the Windows notepad and alt-tab.

(Unless you're still getting that directx error

)

Brent · October 2, 2003, 22:45

Yes! a notepad is one of my ideas that I haven't remembered to post about yet! I want the game to remind me of things I wanted to do when things happen. Hovever, there seems to be less need now than in Civ2. A note within the software would be easier to find than on a scrap of paper when you come back to a game you haven't played in a while.

Vince278 · October 2, 2003, 23:42

I'm a micro-managing Emperor at heart who can remember the myriad details of everything that is happening in my current game but I can see the problem if you have to step away for more than a few days. Unfortunately it would be a pain to type the necessary detailed brief on what I'm doing.

Paddy · October 25, 2003, 07:43

I like the idea of a note pad.

large civs can get a tad untidy when you are also working fulkl time and looking after your child...

DarkCloud · October 25, 2003, 11:42

I usually just do what vince suggests when I play my games... And it'll save some coding and make the game less unweildly if more people just did that instead of using one in-game

DrSpike · November 1, 2003, 08:41

I like this idea. It can't be hard to include, and I'm sure it would get used.

Asmodean · November 1, 2003, 10:02

Championship Manager 4 has something like this. You can attach notes and reminders to the players. I use this feature a lot.

Asmodean

Spiffor · November 1, 2003, 12:10

An "annotation" feature would be nice indeed. I sure wouldn't use it often, but it can be useful when you want to note down your plans, if you have to leave Civ for some time.

Panag · November 2, 2003, 15:28

hi ,

definatly something to be looked at by game makers , it would be great to get an automated program for screenshots

now the idea has to be sold , .......

and the main Q is how , ....

have a great day

MattH · November 22, 2003, 18:18

What would also be interesting is a "future marker" where you can place colored markers or arrows to indicate locations to build a city, roads, mines, and for troop movement. What would make that even cooler is a a way to assign 'future builds' to units and specify a priority rating. Talk about 5-year plans

DrSpike · November 22, 2003, 19:52

Quote:

Originally posted by MattH
What would also be interesting is a "future marker" where you can place colored markers or arrows to indicate locations to build a city

Yeah I'd love this, given the amount of times I've spent ages on a pattern of cities then forgot exactly where I decided my cities should be.

Asmodean · November 23, 2003, 06:09

Hey, Matt: That's actually a great idea. I have, as DrSpike, spent too much time deciding on city locations, then to firget them again. Would be a nice addition to civ games

Asmodean

Kuciwalker · November 28, 2003, 02:32

Quote:

Originally posted by Vince278
Always could just open the Windows notepad and alt-tab.

(Unless you're still getting that directx error

)

That's what I do, when I feel the need (rarely) to mark something down.

I once used that to name all of my ships, before we were able to rename units

Torkkeli · December 10, 2003, 07:43

I think it would be very handy for example when saving the game. You would be able to write down your plans for the future.
And when you load up the game, say after some while you are instantly brought back to the game as you can read what you or someone else was doing before saved.

Nimrod · December 10, 2003, 19:17

Here is the scenario, you take over a PBEM game for some one who has left. Instead of going back and looking through all the related threads, you can open the notepad the previous player started and see that civilization x is not to be trusted because of a land dispute around turn x.