Ed,
You seem to be saying that players aren't learning these skills Now. Pretty sly using the "teach a man to fish" metaphor when really, it would seem you prefer them not knowing... 
The "crutch" actually, is a teaching tool. Most players don't use these tools anyway. Those who do mostly use them to increase the slope of their learning curve, or it's the real accountants who are doing the same thing and this technology is simply increasing the quality of their life (read: less time spent on this, more on that). It's not as much dumbing down the game, as it's raising the overall level of play.
One common gaming strategy I've noticed is for "experienced" players to simply wait....wait until enough of the lower level players either explode, implode, or wander off bored. I like the more realistic aspects of the game. A nation as rich and powerful historically as the North Kingdom should not disappear, pops, character actions, armies, virtually overnight because someone "oops"'ed his orders. The more help that can be provided to players to ensure that nations and characters rely on overall strategy/skill/imagination the better.
Brad
Mike:
Admire, very much, your skills with the computer and IT generally.
That said, roughly 50% of the general population (and probably MR players)
are unable to budget or plan financially. It is a big element in the USA's
'poverty group'. It is a big element in ME bankruptcies and degraded nation
performance. Instead of providing a 'cruch' wouldn't be more useful if
these individuals wewe forced to learn these skils?
Ed Mills
From: "Urzahil"
Reply-To: mepbmlist@yahoogroups.com
To:
Subject: [mepbmlist] AutoMagic UPDATE
Date: Wed, 28 Sep 2005 02:37:52 -0500
I'm working on some enhancements to the next revision of AutoMagic, (as
well as fixing minor bugs), and I'd like to get some input from the
players. First, a couple of items I'm currently working on.
1. EXCEL 2003 & XML ISSUES: Thanks to some vital info from Richard
Farrer, the next revision of AutoMagic won't have problems importing XML
files, even if you're using Excel 2003. (For those of you currently
using Excel 2003, you know that you now need to convert your XML file to
a TXT file before importing. With the new revision, you won't have to.)
2. AUTO-COSTING: Thanks to some equally vital info from Kyle Caruthers,
I may finally be able to have AutoMagic automatically update the orders
costs on the Economy sheet as you enter your orders on the Orders sheet.
(Even the variable cost orders!)
My plan was to have all the orders costs automatically update on the
Economy sheet except for the actual buys & sells. However, I've had a
request to have all the 310/315/325 orders on the Orders sheet also
update the Econo sheet automatically.
The way I figure it, if I have all 310/315/325 orders automatically
update the Econo sheet, then you'll have to go back and forth between
the sheets every time you update the Orders sheet if you want to tweak
your natsells. Personally, I think it's better the way it is, as I can
tinker with the buy/sells right on the Econo sheet to see how it turns
out, but I'd like some opinions from you guys.
Next...Do you guys have any issues with AutoMagic that you'd like to see
resolved? I can't promise that I can fix everything, but I'd like to
hear about any problems you've encountered.
Lastly, are there any ideas for how to make AutoMagic better? Once
again, no promises that I can make your requests happen, but I'm open to
suggestions.
Thanks,
Mike Mulka
Middle Earth PBM - hit reply to send to everyone
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Ovatha Easterling <ovatha88@hotmail.com> wrote:
