Get a Sneak Peek of the Upcoming Forge of Freedom Update!

[jack616]

but whens the patch expected???  old saves aren't compatible...so at this point, FoF is doing little besides taking up room on my hard drive...

[Gil R.]

Here's how the set-up screen is looking these days, what with the new options we've added:

[Dasara II]

Wow, look at all those options [:)]

I like the No European War option, I will be definitely be using it when I play as the Union. I have found that the British join the CSA too often when I play the AI.

[ericbabe]

ORIGINAL: m10bob
The only negative reports I had seen by 3rd parties, was a clunky interface in a couple of areas, like movement of units..I hope this is one of the interface problems being fixed, (or has it been already?)..I will be donning my civil war garb shortly..[:D]

We made a few changes to the way the interface allows for the movement of units -- we made a few of the things that used to trigger error messages now just do the thing that the user probably expected them to do in the first place.

One example: say you have a corps selected and you click on an army, if the corps won't fit inside the army you clicked on then instead of getting an error message the game now just selects the army.

We've also made attaching units to a top-level military group a little more intelligent: if you grab a bunch of brigades and drop them into an army they now will trickle-down into the corps and divisions in that army rather than cluster at the top; similarly, dropping a general into a military group now puts that general into a container appropriate for his rank.

[ericbabe]

ORIGINAL: Dasara II
Wow, look at all those options [:)]

I like the No European War option, I will be definitely be using it when I play as the Union. I have found that the British join the CSA too often when I play the AI.

We've made a few changes to the way this works in the game. We lowered the monetary cost of diplomacy and added a rule that gives the winner of a decisive battle a chance of gaining support from Europe and the loser a chance of losing support from Europe....our goal is to make these two factors about equal in importance in a typical game, more or less. We've then raised the level at which GBR/FRA declares war from 7 to 9.

[Ironclad]

Eric this and all the other changes discussed sounds great. I am very impressed with the effort that you guys are making to address so many of the issues raised (plus some unasked extras) in one patch. The readme is going to be fun reading and then its back to relearning the revised game.

Much appreciated and thanks to all the team.

[christof139]

We've made a few changes to the way this works in the game. We lowered the monetary cost of diplomacy and added a rule that gives the winner of a decisive battle a chance of gaining support from Europe and the loser a chance of losing support from Europe....our goal is to make these two factors about equal in importance in a typical game, more or less. We've then raised the level at which GBR/FRA declares war from 7 to 9.

Any chance for Imperial Russia to get involved??? They, as you know, were very pro-Union, and even sent a flotilla to NYC, if my memory is correct. i saw photos of a few Russian ships back east in NYC or Phill, where ever. There were a good number of Russian ships I do believe.

A 'Volunteer' Division of the Tsar's troops showing up to fight with the Union would be neat, if the Brits and/or French come in on the side of the CSA.

Juts brainstorming, or brainwandering, what ever and however one views it.

Dostvedonya, i Stolat!!! in Polski, Chris

[ericbabe]

I do remember seeing some nifty photos of Russian sailors in New York harbor in photos on the Library of Congress' memory website -- we may have used one of those photos in FOF's opening montage.  We probably won't be able to add this in a patch, but be sure to drop this idea in our Wish List thread -- maybe we can use it in an expansion pack.

[christof139]

I do remember seeing some nifty photos of Russian sailors in New York harbor in photos on the Library of Congress' memory website -- we may have used one of those photos in FOF's opening montage. We probably won't be able to add this in a patch, but be sure to drop this idea in our Wish List thread -- maybe we can use it in an expansion pack.

That could be where I saw them, and I know it was on the inet. There are several photos of the Russian sailors gathered on deck. There were maybe 5-7 or so ships, maybe even 9, I can't remember, but most were large.

Chris

[Gil R.]

ORIGINAL: Ironclad

Eric this and all the other changes discussed sounds great. I am very impressed with the effort that you guys are making to address so many of the issues raised (plus some unasked extras) in one patch. The readme is going to be fun reading and then its back to relearning the revised game.

Much appreciated and thanks to all the team.

We have to write a readme file documenting all these changes?!? Oh, hell, you just delayed the patch another three weeks...

[ABridgeTooFar]

ORIGINAL: Gil R.

We have to write a readme file documenting all these changes?!? Oh, hell, you just delayed the patch another three weeks...

That is a cruel joke....[:-]

[Andy Mac]

[:D][:D] Only one question when will it be ready.......

[Dasara II]

Considering that the existing 'Standard Scenario' starts November 1861, I am wondering if the new 'Southern Steel (Nov 1861)' scenario is an enhanced version of the existing 'Standard' scenario?

Will there still be a 'Standard' scenario or will it be replaced by 'Southern Steel'?

[Gil R.]

We'll keep the old standard scenario, and add the new one, which also begins in November. We also plan to add more scenarios in the future, but for now are devoting our energies to programming features rather than scenarios.

[Gil R.]

And another screenshot, now that the artwork is done: a new "Overview" screen that lists every battle and provides casualty figures. (Note: This screen includes avoided battles and battles from which one retreated without fighting, which explains the zero casualties battles.)

[Hard Sarge]

Ohhhh, those 2 DV for the Union gots to hurt
 
looks like the worm has turned

[christof139]

Great report screen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I still need to get new bifocals though, and quick!! [X(][8|]
 
Chris [>:][>:][>:]

[Greyhunterlp]

One question I have is now that casualties are being tracked a lot more carfully (which I think is great btw) is there going to be a total casulaties screen? or a section on the graph that runs total casualties rather than casulties per turn? that way we could compare our losses to the real war. (although the numbers lots ot disease would have to be added seperatly I guess.)

[Dasara II]

Now that's what I am talking about, this is looking better each day.

I love stats, so the more of this type of enhancement the better. You can put a lot of time into a single game and it is always good to see the history/stats that got you to where you are.

The bulk of the fighting is in the in the west and West Virginia. This is generally what happens in my games also, the big battles between AoP and ANV around Richmond are a rare event in the first two years.

I have been playing on 'sergeant' maybe that has something to with the small amount of activity in the east.

[Ironclad]

These new screens are really good stuff. It does lead me to conclude however that my request for an option to limit information about the other sides exact casualties (as well as details on enemy units and unit types) is probably going to be impracticable. I have mixed feelings because I want detailed stats whilst also liking anything that helps to replicate the FOW (before and after battle) faced by Civil War commanders.