Grab Your Can of Raid: BugLord is Out!

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.handango.com/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&platformId=2&productType=2&catalog=0&sectionId=0&productId=60101' target='_blank'>http://www.handango.com/PlatformPro...productId=60101</a><br /><br /></div><img src="http://www.handango.com/include/pictures/287262/screen2.jpg" /><br /><br />"An original real-time strategy game of entomological combat, BugLord pits armies of bugs against each other in a struggle for survival. The player commands a diverse colony of insects, from simple worker ants to mortar-firing beetles, and fights to conquer as much territory as possible. In this world, only the strong will survive, and the dominant army feeds off the spoils of war. To be victorious, players must wage war on multiple fronts, and an ever-evolving enemy is sure to keep things challenging.<br /><br />All the elements of classic real-time strategy games are available to explore: resource management, army building and tactical combat strategy. Players will explore rich forests, vast deserts and bubbling swamps as they conquer territory and fight to keep it. The multi-player aspects of the game bring BugLord to a new level of excitement, with up to four players able to challenge one another on over 12 maps and fight to be the supreme BugLord. Head-to-head play will be supported over infrared, Bluetooth and Internet connections (coming soon)."<br /><br />This game looks very, very cool, and it's great to see them pushing the envelope with multiplayer options. Look for a review right here soon enough! [Affiliate]

[backpackerx]

This is definitely a must have game for RTS lovers. I did some Beta testing for this game and couldn't put it down. The game is HUGE and is well worth the money.

[TawnerX]

download the demo.

It's excellent. sound effect is good, graphic is excellent. Scrolling is very smooth, and fire attack is very good. The unit seems balance, at least on initial small skirmishses before my machine freeze.

need fixing:
-Path finding for long distance group travel. Units tend to stuck. (Boy isn't this always the case for any RTS game)
-Large group have difficulty settling down upon reaching destination. Unit gyrates and flicker trying to find space to park. (yet another typical RTS problem)
-No 'Cancel' command. Pointer keeps sticking to the last unit selected, causing last unit to cancel intended task and doing whatever the cursor happen to point the latest. repairing building, attacking enemy instead of retreating or doing long distance recon. This one should have been cought during Beta test.
-It crashesn low end machine , on big battle with about 15 units on screen or so. (I can't find what is the minimum mHz and run time space)

can't wait for the 1.05b patch to come out. (why is it the best RTS game always have 1.05b patch? lol)

It's definitely worth the $19 bucks just for what I see so far. (except the crashing, the rest are pretty minor tweak, and typical 1.0 patch)

Also need to test overall unit balance for online battle, that's always the difference between the merely good one and the great RTS.

cheers. very cool game.

[backpackerx]

To deselect units just drag the stylus over an empty patch of ground.

Also, my experience with pathfinding is that the units usually work out the difficulty on their own. It's nice to be able to double tap a bug to select all the same bugs on the screen and then use the minimap to send them to scout or attack and not have to worry if they get there.

[TawnerX]

OK, I tried tapping empty sand but didn't think it was dragging. It's much better to tap IMHO specially in frenzied battle.

Pathfinding definitely needs fixing. I am not sure how the game was tested but it definitely is not sufficient for upward of 10-12 units close combat skirmish.

The time to find path is much longer than battle time. By the time units sort their path, the skirmish is over and double/triple fronts attack strategy will collapse since they cannot make it on time. If the Path finding is not fixed, I am afraid it's very difficult to develop elaborate tactic and strategy, which is very important for interesting online battle. Otherwise all battle will be reduced to straight one front attack without variation, since it's too difficult to control the several groups to attack from multiple direction.

[backpackerx]

I know in the update that there is supposed to be a grouping function. I agree this would help a lot in the battle strategy.

[TawnerX]

Suggestion/comments:

1. instead of spending too much time trying to make a super intelligent path finding, why not have a 'waypoint' feature? Let player decide whice route a unit or group should go. The current normal pathfinding for normal traveling/directing including uncovered area, and waypoints for "patrol/attack route". One won't be able to make coordinated attack when the map is still black anyway.

Random idea way to create way points route: select unit, hold "waypoints button" for eg. the calendar, and tap the way points. Upon releasing the calendar buttons, the unit will execute the route. select units/groups and hit calendar buttons again to cancel waypoints comand.

2. I think double tap to select all same units is a receipt for battle disaster. Most attack will no doubt be composed of mix type units goup, instead of same unit type group. Grouping is much better.

3. need read.me file for minimum RAM

[ralliart12]

If I hard reset & reinstall this game, wat files should I backup to preserve the level(s) I'd attained? & when's the update gonna be released?

[backpackerx]

The levels are stored in the registry. You need a registry editor like PHM registry editor and you go to Local Machine> Software> beardedtoad> buglord. The Adv value is the level and it should be set to the number of the level you were at as a decimal number.

Haven't heard anything on the update yet.