From: ipacs@solomon.technet.sg (IPACS PTE LTD)
Subject: Re: Dune II Review: Mediocre at best
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 13:57:35 GMT

: Here's what ruins the game:
: First and foremost, the computer's "strategy" is to always attack in a straight
: line from his base directly at your base.  This means that if you build up a
: defensive line of sufficient force in this path, you can stop worrying about

Most of the time, this is true.  However, there ARE occasions where the
computer does attempt a sneak attack and I'm sure you've also encountered
airborne attacks.  But I agree, it relys on brute strength rather than
tactics.

: his attack.  Secondly, there are no group movement commands, so when you want
: to move a large group of units you need to select a specific unit, then select
: the "move" command, then select the destination, then repeat this process for
: every unit you wish to move.  My six-year old Empire game allows me to select
: a group of units and then issue one command to move them all to a specific
: location.  The designers of DuneII should have played Empire to pick up many
: of the excellent features of this classic.

The manual makes mention of a similar feature.  The only way I've gotten it
to work is by selecting a unit and making its destination a unit which is
already moving to the target area.

: Related to this, there is the cumbersome handling of the spice harvesters.  
: Mining spice is the critical component of this game.  This is the only way to
: build up resource credits so that you can obtain new structures and units.
: But there is no way to automate this so that you can forget about your
: harvester and concentrate on the battles you are fighting.  Once the harvester
: is full and returns to the refinery, it just sits there and waits for your
: orders.  Sometimes an airborne "carry-all" will come by and pick it up and
: drop it back in the spot where it had been harvesting, but other times it drops
: it at some random location on the map and if you are not paying attention you
: find that your harvester is sitting idle somewhere.

If you play it enough, you'll notice that harvesters can either crawl back
or be airlifted to your base.  If the spice area hasn't been completely
mined when they're airlifted back, the carryall WILL return the harvester to
the appropriate area; but ONLY if they were airlifted to base in the first
place.  Those which crawl back usually rely on your control.

: There are other minor flaws that are related to these issues.  There are no
: reports to show you the location of certain types of units (i.e. show me a map
: that highlights my harvesters only).  There is no way to tell a structure to

Hmmm... weeeeell, OK I guess it would be nice to have it.

: produce a certain type of unit and keep doing it until told to halt.  There is

I suppose the idea was for you to place and give orders to each unit as it
was produced.

: no way to remove a structure once it is in place.  I once build a production
: facility inside a walled section of my fortress.  When this facility produced
: some vehicles for me, they were placed INSIDE the walls and there was no way 
: to get them out!  

Yes there is!  Blast the wall apart with your own troops.  Rather a crude
way, but considering that demolition of structures is basically blowing up
the object, I think it's acceptable.  You can't remove a shopping centre
once it's built without tearing it down can you? 

What I object to is the inability to demobilise units... once you reach the
maximum number, the only way to build more (which is advocated by the
manual) is to wipe out some of your own units.

: Lastly, the documentation is very poor.  Certain structures/units are only
: available after other structures/units have been produced, but there in
: no discussion anywhere about this relationship.  There is no discussion of
: the battle resolution algorithm either so you don't know what types of units
: are effective against other units.  Many other aspects of the game do not
: become known until you "stumble" upon them.  I am still trying to figure out
: if I can command my airborne "carry-all" to pick up a unit and move it, or it
: it only acts on its own. 

Some authors believe in keeping some things secret :).  Some gamers like to
find out things on their own, some don't.  It's up to you.

: To summarize:
: DuneII is a cute little game that is fun to look at, but it is a failure as
: a complex strategy game.  I'd pass on it.

No, not quite V for Victory is it?  But then, whoever said it was?

: Marc Fairorth
: marc@wizards.austin.ibm.com

Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games