BYOND Strategy Tech Tree: 159

I have to admit that some of the HDH Invitational matches have involved lame mistakes.  (Enough for some to joke about another StarCraft gambling scandal.)  Perhaps I've just been spoiled by match replays that went through a filter before those I watch bothered to commentate.

Either way, I've still been enjoying it overall.  I'd mention who I'm cheering for, but it might involve spoilers.  A recap of the first round can be found on HDstarcraft's channel.  The matches themselves can be found on that and HuskyStarcraft's channel.  Check them out...  This post is not sponsored by iRip.

Of course, if you stick around then there were enough Tech Tree items to warrant a column this week.  I'm right back to link digest mode.  Sorry, pretty green label.  Tech Tree has seniority and is the comment-less devil I know.

This edited version of Along The Tech Tree comes to you from BYOND Strategy, a guild run by unpaid volunteers on a game/development portal and software engine called BYOND.  Tech Tree focuses on recent developer activity.  For play suggestions, visit the guild.

Developous' Stratagonia has been added to the guild.  It's sort of a real-time competitive base defense game with scoring and automated unit battles.  Developous is currently asking for feedback.  Feel free to check it out before he changes his mind and turns it into a dungeon crawl. *shrug*

I thought it sounded nifty, but DarkCampainger's graphical redesign of his boardgame, Breach, has not turned out as he hoped.  Apparently, the pieces are too small for the level of detail he desired.  He describes the combat as "Rock-Paper-Scissors played with two hands: there is both a defensive and offensive attribute."  He's currently looking for real world symbols that people already understand the relationships of.

I'm wondering if DarkCampainger is thinking too hard.  Perhaps a simple picture of the relationships, like a Chinese element cycle, would be enough.

Vexonator is working on a custom character engine for the tactical fantasy, Surreal Dreams.  Suggestions are welcome.  However, note that special abilities and attacks are preferred over entirely new units.

Geldonyetich has put his Dwarf Fortress/M.U.L.E. hybrid, Planetbreakers, on the back burner so he can take his finals and fix his computer...  At least that was the theory until he chose to work on Project Shock instead.  Unlike Planetbreakers, it qualifies for the Get Something Done challenge.  He's scheduling and making plans.

Something is going to get done, right? ;)

Kylemark is looking for someone to help program his RTS, World At War.  The job involves improving the current code base and adding a couple new features.  Money is offered.  Some experience is desired.

IainPeregrine has posted his rules for this year's Get Something Done Challenge.  Entry notifications are expected between May 1st and 7th with final projects being sent by June 1st.  He also made sure to clarify what sort of entries are allowed:

I implemented the interactive phases of my mining card battle, Grim Prospects.  I think I'm going to allow those who collapse an opponent's tunnel to add the segments to their own and hope it discourages early winner predictions.  I'm still a bit worried about not having enough cards though.  They get played faster than they get restocked.  I could duplicate some, but I'm not sure how large a role predicting cards will play.