2024 Summary

Greetings conquerors, it's time for the 2024 recap. This year focused mainly on "tech debt", with the two largest efforts being the communication protocol switch and text message overhauls.

Switching from XML to JSON reduced the payload sizes by 10-30%. This helps with client performance on slower connections (see separate blog post for further details). Additionally, I recently removed the troop name (e.g., soldier, archer, knight, etc.) and mode (i.e., infantry, cavalry, flight) from the battle and spy reports. Sending this text was wholly unnecessary and further reduced the payload size for those reports. Imagine 8 armies (4 per side) with 8 troops each plus the casualties for each side; that is 80 instances per battle report where the troop name and mode were being sent. Yikes!

Conquest! has ~3000 pieces of text, which include button labels, tips, help, email notifications, and success/error messages. This text was developed over years and varied wildly in tone and grammar. Also, there were many duplicate messages. This year I focused on standardization and the removal of duplicates by creating server-side helper functions for common messages (e.g., cannot use an item or skill, capturing or destroying goods, etc.). These functions are called across the game as needed and provide a more consistent experience for players.

Here is the complete list of changes.

 Server

• Switched communication protocol from XML to JSON
• Removed unnecessary data from battle/spy reports
• Cleaned up dozens of messages, removed ~60 duplicate/unused ones
• Created functions for common messages
• Improved pushing updates to client

 Classes

• Created troops for Alchemist class
• Song of Celestial adds immortal reinforcements when attacking and defending
• Added "rugged" troop attribute

 NPCs

• Added Attacker/Defender personas for active NPCs
• Active NPCs will not randomly attack any PC unprovoked
• Overhauled active NPC logic

 UI

• Members in different alliances can be selected for spy/attack
• Clicking anywhere outside popup window will close it
• Added setting password to new player wizard
• Added support to email forgotten passwords
• Added one-time promotional code when setting an email address
• Fixed bug causing app to "forget" player

Misc.

• Reports for summoned battles copied to player using skill
• Rename "continent" to "region"