Reiner Knizia's Battleline [v2.0 - Online Multiplayer]

[funambulist]

Originally Posted by ojtitus

This another solid Knizia game

This is another VERY solid Knizia game. If Knizia's Labyrinth is perfect essence of Rogue-like, his Battleline/Schotten-Totten is perfect essence of war game.

[clarsonx]

Originally Posted by funambulist

This is another VERY solid Knizia game. If Knizia's Labyrinth is perfect essence of Rogue-like, his Battleline/Schotten-Totten is perfect essence of war game.

We must be playing different versions of the game. Maybe the underlying game is solid but the implementation is not. It is filled with obvious bugs and the AI is a pushover. Knizia shovelware.

Don't buy this, get Labyrinth instead or Through The Desert when it comes out this week.

[LordGek]

Originally Posted by clarsonx

We must be playing different versions of the game. Maybe the underlying game is solid but the implementation is not. It is filled with obvious bugs and the AI is a pushover. Knizia shovelware.

Don't buy this, get Labyrinth instead or Through The Desert when it comes out this week.

How do you KNOW Through the Desert will be well implemented?

[funambulist]

Originally Posted by clarsonx

We must be playing different versions of the game. Maybe the underlying game is solid but the implementation is not. It is filled with obvious bugs and the AI is a pushover. Knizia shovelware.

I haven't come across any bugs yet. What bugs have you found? As to the AI strength I understand that a stronger AI is forthcoming...

One can always play against another human being...

[acrotran]

Originally Posted by funambulist

I haven't come across any bugs yet. What bugs have you found? As to the AI strength I understand that a stronger AI is forthcoming...

One can always play against another human being...

You know what, I don't want to play against another person because it creates bad feelings. Besides, I want games I can play anytime.

[LordGek]

Originally Posted by acrotran

You know what, I don't want to play against another person because it creates bad feelings. Besides, I want games I can play anytime.

Same here. A strong non-cheating AI is very important to me. Once in a blue moon I might play against real people but I far prefer going against AI as you can play as friendly or sleazy as you want, stop at any point, and pick it up again from exactly where you left off. Even if playing a play by mail situation, there is this underlying understanding that you'll not waste the other player's time and try to complete your turns in a timely manner or, just as likely, you might really be hoping to play through as quick as possible and it is another player that is holding up the works.

[polycontrale]

I've run into a bug with two games now where playing a leader card as part of a Phalanx (three of a kind) simply isn't recognized as winning.

In one game I had two winning flags on each side of my phalanx with the unrecognized leader. (flagiwon/flagiwon/phalanxwithleader/flagiwon/flagiwon)

In this game, the formation facing my phalanx was an unwinnable attempt at a Wedge (straight flush). I had already played the card that would have completed the AI's straight flush (it was in the fifth column in this example, forming a phalanx of 9s), so the best the AI could have done was a flush, which would have lost to my phalanx w/leader in any case. Not to mention that I should have won this this game with a breakthrough if it would have recognized my leader card. I won the game by winning five flags, before the AI finished its formation that was opposing my one with the leader card.

In another game, it also ignored my leader card. My leader, again, formed a phalanx (I also should have won this game with a breakthrough, again). The AI then completed its formation of a Batallion (flush) after I had finished my phalanx, and it rewarded the flag to the AI.

I'm not sure if this applies to every formation a leader card is played in or not, but something isn't right here.

[cprloe]

Originally Posted by badmanj

Great game, brilliant mechanics. Terrible AI. I have yet to lose a game on either basic or advanced. Still, this is such a great game I will buy the board game...

Can't wait for the improved AI update too...

Jamie

I agree with the criticism of the AI. I won my first ten "basic" games playing against both the weak opponent and the strong opponent. This game will be one of my Knizia favorites once the AI is strengthened, as I really enjoy the poker aspect to the game.

Any word on whether online multiplayer is in the works?

[medianotzu]

What's New in Version 1.1

Weak AI rewritten and made stronger.
Strong AI rewritten and made strong.
Fixed an issue that would cause AI to think forever.
Several flag claiming issues resolved.
Resolved a bug that would cause leaders to not be honoured correctly.
Fixed a bug that would cause app to crash on some devices when returning to game.
Fixed a bug that would cause music volume to default to 0.

Intriguing...those who update please report on whether the AI is noticeably stronger.

[abstractgamefreak]

Originally Posted by medianotzu

Intriguing...those who update please report on whether the AI is noticeably stronger.

Finally! Updated 15 minutes ago. And lost the first two (basic and advanced) games against the updated KI, surprise surprise... This is fun. The KI is much more cautious than before. Try it out!

+++Update: Ok, the KI is better, but still not very strong. I like the advanced game best- the KI's use of the tactics deck is quite good.