Design Model Suggestion

[Mercutio]

Most of the units aren't too bad, but aircraft is terrible (sorry)
I think it would be good if the design screen had all the sections listed on the left side. You could click to expand that section and see your choices. When you select something, on the right there is the "final" panel. So you can play with engine types and sizes, pay loads, weapons, etc. and see the final stats and costs. You wouldn't have to "start over" to redesign it. Perhaps some helpful information like a help that says "Do you want more range, speed, glass cannon, allrounder, tough to kill" etc. Land unit models aren't too bad, aircraft I feel like I am throwing darts on a board at times. I just want to change one thing, why make me go through EVERYTHING?

However I feel this could improve even the simpler models. What if I change this engine or armament, etc.? Not having to go through all the screens again would be a blessing.

[Zanotirn]

I agree. Something like this would be nice (even without the 3d models):

[BlueTemplar]

For those that might have missed these :

... Damn it, can't find Pymous' Design GUI mockup(s?), please help ?

Anyway, it(?) has been made into a spreadsheet (only for tanks so far, but it's already a big deal !) :

Tank Design Calculator
https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4959387

[Pymous]

Hey BlueTemplar, you mean this one?



But someone did something way better than my concept, more complete and very cool looking, all in one page (while I am still using here 3 pages..) but cannot find the topic either where it was posted... If someone can help too ^^

[BlueTemplar]

Yes, this one !

----

Also, I only just figured out that you could select multiple lines (= subforums) in the "Search in Forum" field...

(Not that it would have helped me here...)

[Pratapon51]

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4942381

I did one, too, but it's certainly less sexy. [:D]

[Coin]

Yes please!
This would be a game changer for me. Any of these suggestions would be fantastic!

[Bernard_Black]

A model designer menu would be great but I do kinda like the 'random' model gen you get now, as it occasionally mirrors real life to a certain degree.

I mean look at us brits, we used to have the greatest armies and navies the world ever seen and now we have a new tank that deafens any crew that uses it, two aircraft carriers with no aircraft that can use them and you could make a soap opera about our nuclear submarines... and for the US I would only have to mention the "F-35"... enough said!

Back to the game, what we should be able to do though is more accurately tweak the models that have been developed instead of always starting from scratch.

[postfux]

I dont think that having a better designer menu would interfer with the random part of designing.

After puttimg everything together there are the design rolls to show wether everything works out as planned.

[Coin]

ORIGINAL: postfux

I don't think that having a better designer menu would interfere with the random part of designing.

After putting everything together there are the design rolls to show whether everything works out as planned.

Exactly this.
I really don't want to take away any of the randomness that's currently in the process, but I want to be able to see things like total weight of the vehicle so that I can make an informed decision on which kind of engine to put in. Every engine currently has a rating of what it is expected to deliver and I'm not asking for more information than that, just that it is all on one screen with drop down menus.

The current "pick your own adventure"-style design hides a lot of the fun involved in the process and limits the time I'm willing to put in to come up with a useful design. Thus I often end up reusing "recipes" from previous play-throughs rather than make up new and interesting designs every time.

[zgrssd]

ORIGINAL: Coin

ORIGINAL: postfux

I don't think that having a better designer menu would interfere with the random part of designing.

After putting everything together there are the design rolls to show whether everything works out as planned.

Exactly this.
I really don't want to take away any of the randomness that's currently in the process, but I want to be able to see things like total weight of the vehicle so that I can make an informed decision on which kind of engine to put in. Every engine currently has a rating of what it is expected to deliver and I'm not asking for more information than that, just that it is all on one screen with drop down menus.

You already have all that information.
When you hover over any option in the designer, the tooltip will show you the total weight with that item selected. Even on the engines.

[Coin]

ORIGINAL: zgrssd

ORIGINAL: Coin

ORIGINAL: postfux

I don't think that having a better designer menu would interfere with the random part of designing.

After putting everything together there are the design rolls to show whether everything works out as planned.

Exactly this.
I really don't want to take away any of the randomness that's currently in the process, but I want to be able to see things like total weight of the vehicle so that I can make an informed decision on which kind of engine to put in. Every engine currently has a rating of what it is expected to deliver and I'm not asking for more information than that, just that it is all on one screen with drop down menus.

You already have all that information.
When you hover over any option in the designer, the tooltip will show you the total weight with that item selected. Even on the engines.

Fair enough, but when I’ve come to the engine stage I can’t instead choose a smaller gun instead of a bigger engine without going back.
Don’t get me started on the plane design...