In Response to Holt's Review

Holt,

It's true that there's a lot of randomness in the game. It's true that some levels are randomly easier than others. Some levels require you to adapt your strategy to win, such as going for tech instead of treasures when cities are spread out. On some small fraction of the levels, winning is impossible and your goal becomes simply to survive. And sometimes an otherwise winnable level can be made unwinnable by the "randomness" of which direction you chose to explore. Certainly skill helps here; a player who is more efficient at exploring can adapt more quickly and win the levels that are "randomly harder."

This is why we designed the game to be 12 glyphs rather than just 1 level. We wanted part of the skill of the game to be in recognizing what kind of level you are on and changing your strategy to suit. We wanted to give you chances to cut your losses by playing for survival rather than for the glyph, or to stick your neck out by going for the glyph (or the advisor) on a dicey level.

Rather than try to "overbalance" the game by squeezing all the variability out of the level generator, we tried to embrace the dramatic highs an lows caused by that variability. It's your call whether or not we succeeded.

To that end, I have a proposition for you, Holt. Play Oasis every day for two weeks, and if you still want your money back, I will personally send you a check for $20. Manifesto can put you in contact with me for the money. If you do change your mind, all I ask is that you show the game to 3 people you think would like it. I have no way of knowing if you hold up your end of the bargain, and will take you at your word whatever you end up deciding. You're completely on your honor.

Deal?

- MAHK

P.S. This is a one-time deal. Other folks should not think that they can bilk me for $20 just by writing a negative Oasis review.

P.P.S. As I mentioned before, many good Oasis strategy hints can be found at http://community.oasisgame.com. Though, if you're reading this and have not yet bought Oasis, please support Manifesto by buying Oasis from here rather than from some other site.

That's pretty cool mahk, :)

I definately see the "12 glyph" strategy that you're talking about. It's helped me to enjoy the game more by thinking that way. :)

I still think that the randomness can - at times - detract from the game, but it's also an essential element of the game. I guess my best recommendation is that people play some NetHack before this, it'll soften them up. :P