Comprehensive Wishlist

[josant]

I would like to be included in future versions the Galix/Shtora systems of the Leclerc, T-90 and T-80 Tanks.

Those systems have:

1. A bank of forward firing grenade launchers or dischargers mounted on either side of the turret, which can fire grenades dispensing an aerosol smoke screen opaque to infrared light
2. and only in the sthora system Two infrared lights, one on each side of the main gun,
continuously emit coded pulsed-infrared jamming when an incoming ATGM has been detected.

In toaw it can be modeled adding a new flag like the type of armor(composite, laminate, reactive) to the different equipment systems of the database and modify the source code, so that when one of these equipment (Tank, IFV...) is attacked by an ATGM or Helicopter (or if is more easy to modify the source code when is attacked by a HEAT weapon), who have Targeting++++, Targeting+++, or Targeting++ this value is decreased to the most simplest Targeting+ due to interference of these systems.

[88mmshock]

I suggest a "rally to" or a "move to" command whereby all elements of a formation can automatically move to the HQ's location. Their moves would be subject to all the penalties and restrictions that are imposed by manual moves of course.
This would relieve the overall commander (player) of the administrative burden that is more properly handled by a staff.

[ColinWright]

Here's one.  Since it also offers hope of marginally expanding the market for TOAW, it may be worth implementing.  One can't really produce a perfect replica of most board war games in TOAW.  They have too many specialized rules, etc.  But no need to give up hope...

The simplest way for me to explain the idea is to quote a post I made elsewhere:

"...It's just that as noted elsewhere, Ben and I were playing Caucasus Campaign, and I finished it up after he left.

Point is, in that period it was occupying about half the dining room table, and the other residents of Chez Wright were growing restive.

So I got to thinking.  Wouldn't it be convenient if all these games had a 'semi-computer' analog.  The computer would essentially just provide a display -- you would just remove and relocate units as you saw fit.  It'd at least get the game off the dining room table.

Then came inspiration.  No reason at all TOAW couldn't be used this way.  Just use the editor mode.  In fact...

Take Caucasus Campaign.  The map can be done -- everything there can be represented one way or another in TOAW.  Counters can be given a lot of the right values by adding rifle squads and trucks as needed (value highlights are an exception).

So I've got my map, and got all the units.  I 'take' the German turn one by rolling the dice and relocating the units.  I save the edit and mail it off to Ben.  I suppose since I'm the only one with a physical copy of the game, he'll have to trust me to draw his random units, and of course we both have to trust each other to roll the dice, but essentially...

TOAW should be able to be used to play most board war games by e-mail."


So TOAW can be used to play a wide range of board war games by e-mail.  If options were added to alter the values displayed on the tiles at will, display three values, highlight some, etc. its utility in this respect would increase still further -- and I imagine with relatively little programming effort.  Fer a real Cadillac, throw in a 'die roll' function with the moving player having to specify what the die roll pertains to before 'rolling.'

[sPzAbt653]

ORIGINAL: mfr

I suggest a "rally to" or a "move to" command whereby all elements of a formation can automatically move to the HQ's location. Their moves would be subject to all the penalties and restrictions that are imposed by manual moves of course.
This would relieve the overall commander (player) of the administrative burden that is more properly handled by a staff.

Have you looked into the 'PO Assist' feature ?

[jmlima]

ORIGINAL: ColinWright

Here's one.  Since it also offers hope of marginally expanding the market for TOAW, it may be worth implementing.  One can't really produce a perfect replica of most board war games in TOAW.  They have too many specialized rules, etc.  But no need to give up hope...

The simplest way for me to explain the idea is to quote a post I made elsewhere:

"...It's just that as noted elsewhere, Ben and I were playing Caucasus Campaign, and I finished it up after he left.

Point is, in that period it was occupying about half the dining room table, and the other residents of Chez Wright were growing restive.

So I got to thinking.  Wouldn't it be convenient if all these games had a 'semi-computer' analog.  The computer would essentially just provide a display -- you would just remove and relocate units as you saw fit.  It'd at least get the game off the dining room table.

Then came inspiration.  No reason at all TOAW couldn't be used this way.  Just use the editor mode.  In fact...

Take Caucasus Campaign.  The map can be done -- everything there can be represented one way or another in TOAW.  Counters can be given a lot of the right values by adding rifle squads and trucks as needed (value highlights are an exception).

So I've got my map, and got all the units.  I 'take' the German turn one by rolling the dice and relocating the units.  I save the edit and mail it off to Ben.  I suppose since I'm the only one with a physical copy of the game, he'll have to trust me to draw his random units, and of course we both have to trust each other to roll the dice, but essentially...

TOAW should be able to be used to play most board war games by e-mail."


So TOAW can be used to play a wide range of board war games by e-mail.  If options were added to alter the values displayed on the tiles at will, display three values, highlight some, etc. its utility in this respect would increase still further -- and I imagine with relatively little programming effort.  Fer a real Cadillac, throw in a 'die roll' function with the moving player having to specify what the die roll pertains to before 'rolling.'

That's called VASSAL, and the Caucasus Campaign module is already there. (Funnily, VASSAL belongs to Matrix...)

TOAW development is in the same status as Combined Arms, either you're happy with what you have, or move on.

[ColinWright]

ORIGINAL: jmlima



That's called VASSAL, and the Caucasus Campaign module is already there. (Funnily, VASSAL belongs to Matrix...)

TOAW development is in the same status as Combined Arms, either you're happy with what you have, or move on.

Embarrassing. I really am behind the times.

As to TOAW, that may be true, but it's frustrating. I'm not aware of anything to move on to. Add that I suspect some of the tweaks we've been getting lately seem to be ill-considered; they may actually make things slightly worse.

[Oberst_Klink]

Speaking about... what use is a wishlist if there's an advanced FOW clouding any feeback or update regarding 3.5?

Just a thought...

Klink, Oberst

[jmlima]

ORIGINAL: ColinWright

ORIGINAL: jmlima



That's called VASSAL, and the Caucasus Campaign module is already there. (Funnily, VASSAL belongs to Matrix...)

TOAW development is in the same status as Combined Arms, either you're happy with what you have, or move on.

Embarrassing. I really am behind the times.

As to TOAW, that may be true, but it's frustrating. I'm not aware of anything to move on to. Add that I suspect some of the tweaks we've been getting lately seem to be ill-considered; they may actually make things slightly worse.

You just gave your own answer, move back to boardgaming. VASSAL solves your requirement for live or pbem gameplay, there's enough solitaire games these days to keep the solitaire player busy for a long time, and if you do not like something in the rules just tweak. Heck, I can grab OCS's supply model, implement it on the Caucasus Campaign, and for a variant bring in extra units from any other game. It's that easy, nobody to debate it with until the end of times.

That's what I did and I do not regret it.

[sPzAbt653]

... I can grab OCS's supply model, implement it on the Caucasus Campaign ...

I don't know anything about the systems you are talking about, so I have to ask : Can you grab V4V's supply model and implement it on a TOAW scenario ?

[jmlima]

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653

... I can grab OCS's supply model, implement it on the Caucasus Campaign ...

I don't know anything about the systems you are talking about, so I have to ask : Can you grab V4V's supply model and implement it on a TOAW scenario ?

I was talking about how flexible boardgames are.

What you suggest could be done if Matrix so choose to, but it would be a major exercise and quite frankly there would be no money in it, unless they could market it as TOAW 4 and sell it for $1000000. Like I said before TOAW is what it is and that's what it will be.

(At some point we should be realistic. How long did it took for a single patch to be done? How long do you think would take for Matrix to pull something major as a full overhaul of the supply system? They had nearly 10 years to do combined arms for example. Matrix is good at marketing, not developing. That's why they get guys like Panther, SSG, and the likes. It's when they try to do what they do not do best, like develop, that they get in trouble.)

[Curtis Lemay]

ORIGINAL: jmlima

(At some point we should be realistic. How long did it took for a single patch to be done? How long do you think would take for Matrix to pull something major as a full overhaul of the supply system? They had nearly 10 years to do combined arms for example. Matrix is good at marketing, not developing. That's why they get guys like Panther, SSG, and the likes. It's when they try to do what they do not do best, like develop, that they get in trouble.)

I certainly agree we should be realistic. But I hardly think you can blame some shortcoming of Matrix. The problem is the subject itself. It's a micro-niche market. If we had a staff of a dozen full-time programmers there's no limit on what we could do. But we don't even have one full-time programmer. We have a tiny fraction of one programmer.

So the progress is slow - and not even steady, at that.

Now, if Matrix really was good at marketing...

[jmlima]

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay

ORIGINAL: jmlima

(At some point we should be realistic. How long did it took for a single patch to be done? How long do you think would take for Matrix to pull something major as a full overhaul of the supply system? They had nearly 10 years to do combined arms for example. Matrix is good at marketing, not developing. That's why they get guys like Panther, SSG, and the likes. It's when they try to do what they do not do best, like develop, that they get in trouble.)

I certainly agree we should be realistic. But I hardly think you can blame some shortcoming of Matrix. The problem is the subject itself. It's a micro-niche market. If we had a staff of a dozen full-time programmers there's no limit on what we could do. But we don't even have one full-time programmer. We have a tiny fraction of one programmer.

So the progress is slow - and not even steady, at that.

Now, if Matrix really was good at marketing...

We may do a Colin - Curtis thing here and discuss minutia until we reach no conclusion, and loose sight of the bigger matters in discussion, but since I'm neither of you, I'll say this, whatever the reason the fact is it's not going to happen. And that is the fact.

[Curtis Lemay]

ORIGINAL: jmlima

We may do a Colin - Curtis thing here and discuss minutia until we reach no conclusion, and loose sight of the bigger matters in discussion, ...

Are you just going to sit there and take that, Colin?

...but since I'm neither of you, I'll say this, whatever the reason the fact is it's not going to happen. And that is the fact.

Then you know more than I do.

[jmlima]

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay
...

...but since I'm neither of you, I'll say this, whatever the reason the fact is it's not going to happen. And that is the fact.

Then you know more than I do.

Feel free to prove me wrong. Tell us the date the release with the new supply system will be available.

[Curtis Lemay]

ORIGINAL: jmlima

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay
...

...but since I'm neither of you, I'll say this, whatever the reason the fact is it's not going to happen. And that is the fact.

Then you know more than I do.

Feel free to prove me wrong. Tell us the date the release with the new supply system will be available.

Since I don't know when the next hurricane will hit Houston that must prove it will never happen. That's great news!

[sPzAbt653]

I was talking about how flexible boardgames are.

Ah, ok, I misunderstood.

How long do you think would take for Matrix to pull something major as a full overhaul of the supply system?

I'm in no hurry, I've got plenty of time (I hope). Battleships and Federal Projects take time, too. And, when it comes time to redo the supply system, I hope you are still around, too.

[88mmshock]

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653

ORIGINAL: mfr

I suggest a "rally to" or a "move to" command whereby all elements of a formation can automatically move to the HQ's location. Their moves would be subject to all the penalties and restrictions that are imposed by manual moves of course.
This would relieve the overall commander (player) of the administrative burden that is more properly handled by a staff.

Have you looked into the 'PO Assist' feature ?

I have not. I need to become familiar with that. But I understand it does not work with PBEM games.

[jmlima]

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay
...

Since I don't know when the next hurricane will hit Houston that must prove it will never happen. That's great news!

Not sure in the context of hurricanes (BTW, throwing the discussion in a tangent might work but probably only with kids, it's disrespectful between adults), but in the context of TOAW means you guys have no project for the development of it, which is fine, because it's what I've been saying all along, to deny my claims all you managed was to discuss hurricanes, which shows a lot.

Might we now talk about sandy beaches, or are beaches too much on topic since they exist as a terrain in TOAW?

[Curtis Lemay]

ORIGINAL: jmlima

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay
...

Since I don't know when the next hurricane will hit Houston that must prove it will never happen. That's great news!

Not sure in the context of hurricanes (BTW, throwing the discussion in a tangent might work but probably only with kids, it's disrespectful between adults), but in the context of TOAW means you guys have no project for the development of it, which is fine, because it's what I've been saying all along, to deny my claims all you managed was to discuss hurricanes, which shows a lot.

Might we now talk about sandy beaches, or are beaches too much on topic since they exist as a terrain in TOAW?

The point was that your argument had about as much basis as someone claiming no hurricane will ever hit Houston again - just because we can't predict exactly when one will. Did you really need to have that explained to you?

I don't know how far and how fast TOAW's further development will be. But I'm sure you don't either. There most certainly are intentions for plenty of developments, though.

[sPzAbt653]

But I understand it does not work with PBEM games.

I don't Pbem so I did not know that PO Assist wasn't available. I suggest that you look in the 'Player Options' menu to see if 'Show PO Assist buttons' is available.