Game improvements ?

[Hellfirejet]

After many months of sitting on the fence,wondering if I should buy a copy of this very interesting game,I decided after reading a great many threads on the forum, that I should buy a copy,so that is what I have done.

I like to tweak the in game settings,and this game allows me to do that,because its data files are fairly easy to modify.

THE GAME HAS BEEN OUT FOR 10 YEARS,AND THE LAST PATCH UPDATE WAS I THINK 6 YEARS AGO. I THINK THAT MAYBE THE GAME CAN DO WITH SOME MORE TWEAKS AND IMPROVEMENTS.

In one of the threads I read,sorry but can't remember which one, something caught my attention, and it was that the player, did not feel that Building a BANK was worth the cost,so I went into the data files,and altered the in game Bank building cost,and its effect. In the screenshot highlighted in red, you can see the stat's that the game uses for a BANK.It used to cost 200 money,I halved that to 100 money and doubled the % you gain on savings from 1% to 2% this small change, I feel should now make building BANKS a viable financial tactic.[;)]

There are other things within this one Building text file, that don't look right, whether it be Cost, or build time, or what the building actually benefits you when built.

If anyone has something else, they feel could be improved upon, within the game play,please add it to this thread, and if I can alter the game data files, in order to change what bugs them about the game, then I will change it.

[Hellfirejet]

Banks now provide 2% interest on saved money,and can be built for 100 money instead of 200 previously.

[Randomizer]

One edit that I have found helps to reduce the tendency of the Confederate AI to concentrate the vast majority of its forces at Richmond and ignore the Western theatre.

Open the ACWConstants.txt file and save the original somewhere safe then with any text editor. Find the line:

AI_OutOfTheaterMultiplierOnValuex100 15

and change it to:

AI_OutOfTheaterMultiplierOnValuex80 10

It appears to reduce the relative value of Richmond causing the AI to retain more units and containers in the lower value western areas.

I never liked the cost and requirements for Union fleets and so edited the ACWUnits.txt file to read (with edits shaded Green:

5 Fleet Ft 5 1 1 4 0 63 2 0 3 20 0 5 0 20 3 0 5 0 1 1 100 -99 400 0 15 123321

Stock:
Cost = 20-Money, 20-Labour and 20-Iron. Time 4-Turns
Upkeep = 3-Money per turn.

Modded
Cost = 20-Money, 5-Labor, 20-Iron. Time 1-Turn
Upkeep = 3-Money and 5-Iron per turn.

The rationale for this is that creating naval squadrons was relatively easy and needed only a senior officer and some specific logistical arrangements to provide rations and coal. Since the latter is not represented in the game, the resource Iron is substituted.

While I would certainly like to see FoF get some more attention I actually do not agree that game publishers should be expected to continue free improvements for the life of their product. Forge is (in my opinion) a great game that models many aspects of the US Civil War in a reasonable and interesting manner and there are many areas where the game might have been improved but realistically expending money and resources for a game whose community have largely moved on to other things and that is probably producing negligible revenue makes zero business sense. The reality is that the ball has now been passed to those who still play FoF.

-C

[Hellfirejet]

Thanks Randomizer I will add these to my game.[;)]

[nadia911]

Thanks Randomizer, any form of play in 1680x1050 resolution?