20 mile hex

[btd64]

Hey, Does anyone have an opinion on whether or not WITPAE could be made to work with a 20 mile hex?
Obviously movement and range and a large number of other things would have to be changed. But the ground combat system could improve. Just friendly opinions and thoughts please. All others need not post.
....GP

[dr.hal]

As I've indicated in other threads, the move from 60 to 40 NMs was great and I would think the move from 40 to 20NMs would also be good, but it would entail a LOT of work and might even require the division of a day between two phases and two day time pulses might have to be expanded. If that happens then the playability on a STRATEGIC level might be compromised. The beauty of this game is that the tactical level is largely left to the computer... Many of us like the game for it's strategic vision. Expanding one might impair the other. Not sure, but something to consider. Hal

[wdolson]

You would probably start seeing memory problems with such a map. Currently the entire map is loaded into RAM, which speeds up moving around the map. With a larger map, the map may have to be loaded in chunks, or just take up more RAM. On some 32 bit Windows systems, you only have effectively 2 GB or RAM available for all programs (there are ways to push that to 3GB, but it's not for a novice). Right now the game takes about 1/2 GB. With a larger map it could top 1 GB.

Then you have to deal with the issue of guns that can now shoot into the next hex. Most speeds of things in the database are already in nautical or statute miles rather than hexes, so little would have to change there.

I'd be most concerned about breaking computers without enough RAM.

Bill

[dr.hal]

Would streamlining the details of the map help in this?

[wdolson]

The size in memory has to do with the size of the bitmap files. They are essentially BMP files and their size is based on the number of pixels in the file. If you make the image of the hexes smaller or the game lower resolution you can reduce the memory footprint, but I don't think either one of those is feasible.

Bill

[dr.hal]

And I would assume not desirable to many players... ok thanks for the response Bill. Hal

[jmolyson]

General Patton:

IMHO it seems that the perspective of those who controlled the operational campaigns in the southwest Pacific was very different than those who fought the tactical war. I think this dichotomy is reflected in the game design, which emphasizes decision making at the operational level.

The current hex size certainly supports playing the game at an operational level. Essentially there is one Allied Corps-equivalent in Australia, one in New Guinea (after you build it up) and one in the Solomon Islands - New Caledonia area. The Japanese counterparts in these three areas were somewhat similar in number of troops and deployed as Area Armies.

So to make the game even more detailed will improve the players tactical perspective, but at the expense of losing the so-called Big Picture. I would personally prefer to play at the tactical level in a different game engine.

Joe

[Dili]

20nm is necessary for European mods.