Hmm..that looked abit disappointing

[wodin]

I was hoping the series would return to CC2 levels of infantry survivability. However just a couple mins in t became apparent it wasn't the case. Such a shame. I do hope their survivability is something that can be modded.

[Wiggum]

Yes it looked disappointing.

Graphics look cartoonish. Infantry seems to have no survivability at all (looks like a bad casual RTS) and worst of all, i get the feeling that the AI is as bad as in the old titles. Seems like its just rushing its units towards the units of the player in a straight line most of the time and getting killed in the process. If there was one thing that should have been improved it was the AI since the AI was awful in all previous Close Combat titles. Also, in the Stream it looked like the AI was on the defense....but what does it do ? Running out of defensible positions right into the kill zone just like the old AI...

[PipFromSlitherine]

Infantry in cover are extremely survivable, but out in the open they are (quite rightly) in trouble. That said, we agree that the balance isn't quite there yet, and are still tweaking how easy it is to spot and engage the enemy. That said, we certainly don't want to make infantry into unrealistic bullet sponges [:)].

Cheers

Pip

[Wiggum]

What i saw in the stream looked like every german squad on the map running in file formation towards the americans. First two germans get killed, other germans kepp running, crawling towards the enemy with...next two guys get killed...rest still pushes forward in the same formation. I saw no effect of suppression, no taking cover, just mindless running towards the americans. I really hope this is not representative for the AI.

[PipFromSlitherine]

There are a number of AI settings we use during development. It is possible that the AI was set to be hyper-aggressive to ensure there was more predictable action going on for the stream. I wouldn't try and dissect the AI behavior from this demo is I guess what I would suggest. [:)]

Cheers

Pip

[SteveMcClaire]

Keep in mind that the scenario shown on Twitch was set up to show action: US troops in cover behind hedgerows and the Germans were making an attack on that central victory location. So yes, the attackers were running in the open and many were cut down. The US unit in the stone farm house on the VL was engaged in several close range fire-fight / grenade exchanges and took a few casualties, but they survived.

Steve

[Wiggum]

Honestly it did not look like the germans were the attackers. The US troops were on the bottom of a slope and there was a hill with a building. German troops came running from everywhere towards the americans while the us player talked about how he needs to secure the objective (the building on the hill.

Now if you set the AI to be "hyper aggressive" which made it act like the Age of Empires AI then i would say it was probably not a wise choice since your fanbase wants "realistic" (to some extend) combat. Also, the AI was THE weakness of all previous CC titles so again, maybe not wise to set it to "rush the enemy" for the stream.

Greetings

Also, it looks like there is no "reverse" command for vehicles. Is this true ?

[PipFromSlitherine]

The stream is a first look to talk in general about the game while seeing it running. It's not a real Let's Play, so trying to infer real behaviours from the demo isn't useful. With only a short time to show it, as said, the scenario was set up to show action. There will be plenty chances to see actual scenarios as we approach release.

Cheers

Pip

[wodin]

Obviously not bullet sponges..certainly don't want that. Harder to actually hit though, that's the way to do it. Take Stalingrad for instance. Casualty rate is known as very high. Now lets take the Pioneer attacks in the Factory district. During a whole days fighting if a company of say 100 men lost 20 soldiers during the day killed and wounded that would be considered extreme attrition. In games casualty rates are way over the top. One reason I think is due to them being hit way to easily. Lots of others like self preservation etc.

Anyway to maybe get as close to historical casualties make them much harder to hit and kill but pinned and suppressed more to slow game down and make up for lower casualties. That's how I prefer to see it. Certainly dom't want soldiers with health bars, one max two hits and out of the game is what I want. Just make it much harder to hit.

[Wiggum]

@wodin the same can also be said about Combat Mission 2, the casualties in these games are also extremely high.

I just really hope that the AI is not as bad as the old AI.

[wodin]

I agree. Same with all games. However some are worse than others. CC2 had it right out of all the CC games. Then they went and changed it in later games.

ORIGINAL: Wiggum

@wodin the same can also be said about Combat Mission 2, the casualties in these games are also extremely high.

I just really hope that the AI is not as bad as the old AI.

[AFANAS]

I've just see that https://youtu.be/gt5kZi3NrR8
Man, its looks cool but:
1. most important impression that the soldiers and landscapes is from different parts of game. I mean, no interactive of soldiers with ground and its elements. It is looks too schemathics. Soldiers walk through walls of buildings and through stone fences. Its looks like soldiers is levitate off the ground. When your soldiers come in to the building not by door in side there enemy have their position, but another side through the wall, its not looks like tactisc realism. Fog after shell hit is huge and have bad detalisation. Its 2019, not 2001!
3. Tracers is too thick, looks rude.
4. Fire and smoke of destroyed vechicles - again 2001. Man, last parts of CC have incredible visual effects! Super explosions, super smoke! Do it like that please!
I do not saying anything about AI because I not have understanding by this video.
All is my IMHO
Thanks. Best regards.

PS Sorry for bad English

[SteveMcClaire]

Casualty rates are super high in games for many reasons. The player tends to have perfect knowledge about what is going on and perfect control over his units, accelerating the action to a pace far beyond reality.

Casualty rates will be high if you order your troops to attack across open ground against prepared defenses at close range, as in the video in question. They'll be lower if you're more cautious. It's up to the player to decide how to play the game.

Steve

[Kilovski]

Saw the twitch stream. Interesting. Taken that this is an early beta iteration with the AI set to hyper aggressive for stream purposes, these are all things that can be worked on and any wrinkles sorted out. One other thing struck me however, the b&w skull graphic that appears when a soldier is wounded/killed. This, in my opinion, makes it look a bit arcadey. This might be great for newer players, but for old timers, it just looks a bit meh. One possible way around this would be to make it a clickable option that can be turned on/off like soldier outlines etc. [:)]

[wodin]

Still wish you'd bring it to CC2 level. There are reasons it's touted as the best CC released.

ORIGINAL: Steve McClaire

Casualty rates are super high in games for many reasons. The player tends to have perfect knowledge about what is going on and perfect control over his units, accelerating the action to a pace far beyond reality.

Casualty rates will be high if you order your troops to attack across open ground against prepared defenses at close range, as in the video in question. They'll be lower if you're more cautious. It's up to the player to decide how to play the game.

Steve

[Wiggum]

Not really in the hands of the player if the AI always attacks in a straight line over open ground frontal no matter the odds or overall situation

[PipFromSlitherine]

ORIGINAL: Wiggum

Not really in the hands of the player if the AI always attacks in a straight line over open ground frontal no matter the odds or overall situation

I guess we should have clarified that the AI here only did that because the map was specially set up and it was using a special AI mode.

Oh wait... [;)]

Cheers

Pip

[Duck Doc]

Agree completely about excessive casualty rates in CC and CM. Very helpful thread. Seems to be hard for games and their AI to get silicon soldiers to survive by seeking cover. This elementary tactic should be the starting point but, sadly, it is ignored and it becomes impossible to suspend disbelief while playing.

Whatever...

ORIGINAL: wodin

I agree. Same with all games. However some are worse than others. CC2 had it right out of all the CC games. Then they went and changed it in later games.

ORIGINAL: Wiggum

@wodin the same can also be said about Combat Mission 2, the casualties in these games are also extremely high.

I just really hope that the AI is not as bad as the old AI.

[Bradley62]

From what I've seen in a few vids the kill rates are quite good. There are more wounded but I'm liking inf toughness in general. Waiting to see more.

[zasgard]

The Das Tactic video was disappointing. A Sherman tank missed a halftrack at damn near point blank. Took something like 6 or 7 shots. The AI is a concern.