Attention Matrix Staff: Aircraft Upgrades

Gary Grigsby's strategic level wargame covering the entire War in the Pacific from 1941 to 1945 or beyond.

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Apollo11
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RE: Aircraft Upgrades

Post by Apollo11 »

Hi all,
ORIGINAL: Lemurs!

I think this scenario editor is quite well built. If I were to ask for one piece of added functionality it would be a button that upgrades all ships or airgroups to their coresponding class values.

I hate modding an american destroyer class and then having to mod 67 individual ships as well.

Michael here is what I had in mind:

http://www.matrixgames.com/default.asp? ... m%3D680456


Please support my effort... [;)]


Leo "Apollo11"
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ZOOMIE1980
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RE: Aircraft Upgrades

Post by ZOOMIE1980 »

ORIGINAL: Mr.Frag
I am mildly surprised to hear you arguing the points that you have made in this thread. You are hereby reclassified to "Member: Axis Booster Club" status.

While I happen to be a Axis Fanboy, I prefer to win on my own with the crap that was available, not double the forces at the disposal. It just doesn't sit well with me that we are simply glossing over the completely well known reality of Japan's aircraft production numbers and their massive problems making anything of quality.

There was a reason they couldn't make a thousand A8M's ... and it had nothing to do with the state of their factories from Allied bombing (which was shown after the war to be largely ineffective - based on the USAAF post war studies).

Japan simply did not have the skilled manpower, the production abilities, the raw goods, and so on and so on.

They fielded what they could based on what they had. We have a grossly simplified model and people are neglecting the reality completely and saying lets just add this little interface toggle to let me do this because they are hung up on the interface mechanics of the game which has absolutely nothing to do with reality.

If you want to go down this path, fine, I have no issue with it BUT I expect it to be done *right* with all the *real* inhibiters that *REALY* controlled Japan's outcome, not some little box that lets you pick any aircraft there was and just start researching it and magically get it before any of the preceeding aircraft that made it possible have been created.

Half of Japan's aircraft are not even real aircraft, they are a future aircraft with a past aircraft engine because thats all there was available. These threads completely gloss over reality and are hung up on a silly picklist. Unless that level of simulation is available to make half aircraft (which most of the aircraft past '42 are), then this becomes so gamey it is embarrassing.

It's like saying that Germany *knowing* the Panther was the best tank didn't make any other and went straight there instead of wasting time.

All that being said, the designers did 2 things that run counter to everything you have just said.

1) They specced out later models with exaggerated specs making the equal, if not BETTER than Allied a/c.

2) They gave us the freedom to alter production SUBSTANTIALLY from historical reality.

So SOMEONE on the design team fundementally disagrees with you.

BUT, the also gave us fixed upgrade paths, that in many cases dead-end on some pretty bad models. So someone else on the design team must agree with you.

It's like 2x3 could figure out which way they really wanted to go either. So what's the answer?

1) Make the Japanese production system like the Allied system. Out of reach of human intervention. Enforces your view of the game.

2) Make upgrade paths user configurable inside the game and give the allies the same system. Enforces the "Warcraft" view of the game.

So which choice to make? Well, for that, they go back to the market. The market is overwhelminingly clammouring for #2. IF it is technically feasable to do so, they should do #2, because that's what the users want. For those that don't want that, make houserules. If NOT technically feasible, then go with #1 and at least be consistant in design philosophy....
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Apollo11
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RE: Aircraft Upgrades

Post by Apollo11 »

Hi all,
ORIGINAL: mdiehl
Is that Croatian thingie an ex Texas-class or something? And forgive me for not recognizing those things sticking out .. are they torpedo net spars or just -- well, since it is the Croatian navy... err, hmmm, oars? [;)]

Croatia was for several hundred of years kingdom that was part of Austrian-Hungarian empire.

But since the Croatian Adriatic coast was the only sea empire ever had most of sailors and many officers were Croats.

In 1918 when Austrian-Hungarian empire crumbled "Viribus Unitis" was taken over short lived Croatian state and sunk by Italian commandos in port when war was over.

BTW, almost all Austrian-Hungarian fleet was always based in Pula (there was shipyard that build some of them though most ships were build at Trieste - now Italy but then long standing integral part of Austrian-Hungarian empire).


Here is interesting site about 4 sister ships Viribus Unitis, Tegetthoff, Prinz Eugen and Szent Istvan (by my countryman):

http://www.geocities.com/pentagon/bunker/5294/main.html


So... the picture you were commention on was WWI battleship (Dreadnouht) build in 1912.

BTW, as my friend Oleg (he also often posts here) says:

ORIGINAL: Oleg Mastruko

These must be holders for anti torpedo netting. Though the practice of using anti torpedo nets on ships themselves (as opposed to having nets as part of harbor defense) was abandoned by many navies by mid-WW1, many ships retained the "poles" for anti torpedo nets even after that.

When travelling, whole "contraption" (poles, net and all) was lined alongside ships hull, well trained crew was able to extend the "poles" and lower the netting in a matter of 10-20 seconds.

Apparently nets proved unable to stop the torpedo and were thought as ineffective way to stop the torpedo based on experience from Russo-Japanese war. Then there was possibility of fouling the screw with the net etc.


Leo "Apollo11"
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Mr.Frag
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RE: Aircraft Upgrades

Post by Mr.Frag »

The market is overwhelminingly clammouring for #2.

How does 5 or so people constitute the market?

If 100+ people were saying to hell with history, I want this you might have a slightly better point.
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RE: Aircraft Upgrades

Post by SunDevil_MatrixForum »

Mr. Frag,

I think that zoomie has a point. Which one does Matrix want. Number 1 or 2. Because there is a conflict of design here.
There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.
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RE: Aircraft Upgrades

Post by SunDevil_MatrixForum »

If you are letting the Japanese player modify production and industry, it was already said to hell with history.
There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.
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Oznoyng
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RE: Aircraft Upgrades

Post by Oznoyng »

ORIGINAL: Mr.Frag
If you want to go down this path, fine, I have no issue with it BUT I expect it to be done *right* with all the *real* inhibiters that *REALY* controlled Japan's outcome, not some little box that lets you pick any aircraft there was and just start researching it and magically get it before any of the preceeding aircraft that made it possible have been created.
I'd trather not even have research, just the ability to modifey production numbers once the aircraft was in an active squadron.
ORIGINAL: Mr.Frag
Half of Japan's aircraft are not even real aircraft, they are a future aircraft with a past aircraft engine because thats all there was available. These threads completely gloss over reality and are hung up on a silly picklist. Unless that level of simulation is available to make half aircraft (which most of the aircraft past '42 are), then this becomes so gamey it is embarrassing.
What aircraft (aside from the A6M8, Shinden, and the Reppu) are "not even real aircraft"?
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RE: Aircraft Upgrades

Post by ZOOMIE1980 »

ORIGINAL: Mr.Frag
The market is overwhelminingly clammouring for #2.

How does 5 or so people constitute the market?

If 100+ people were saying to hell with history, I want this you might have a slightly better point.

Of the people that have enough concern over the issue to post to this thread on it, the OVERWHELMING MAJORITY, want #2.
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RE: Aircraft Upgrades

Post by Mr.Frag »

Of the people that have enough concern over the issue to post to this thread on it, the OVERWHELMING MAJORITY, want #2.

[:D]

2 out of 100,000 people responded to our survey and stated that they prefered Coke over Pepsie. I guess it's ok to infer that the other 99,998 folks must love Coke too.

[8|]
mdiehl
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RE: Aircraft Upgrades

Post by mdiehl »

While I happen to be a Axis Fanboy, I prefer to win on my own with the crap that was available, not double the forces at the disposal. It just doesn't sit well with me that we are simply glossing over the completely well known reality of Japan's aircraft production numbers and their massive problems making anything of quality

I'm sorry, but that post takes you off even the booster club membership list and puts you on the "Axis Fanboy: Do not call" list.

Amused as I am by the plethora of banners boasting membership in a fanboy club ([:)]), the term was never meant to describe players who like the challenge of playing the Japanese (or for that matter, the Allies in the early part of the war -- which is my favorite challenge).

It's meant to describe a different mindset... the guys who really believe that the AVG (Allied Fanboys) shot down 512 a/c, that the historical "confirmed kills" awarded to Japanese pilots by Japanese commanders based on Japanese AARs (Axis Fanboys) are anything near reality and to be taken at face value etc. And a host of other things I've kicked around before. And yes, the guys who think you can have a game in which the Japanese produce legions of their best aircraft, have it perform better than the real thing, and still have the game resemble the look and feel of WW2 in the PTO.
Show me a fellow who rejects statistical analysis a priori and I'll show you a fellow who has no knowledge of statistics.

Didn't we have this conversation already?
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Mr.Frag
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RE: Aircraft Upgrades

Post by Mr.Frag »

I'm sorry, but that post takes you off even the booster club membership list and puts you on the "Axis Fanboy: Do not call" list.

<sob> <takes down wall plaque that has hung for 30 years> <sob>

Ok, so I guess that makes me a Historical Fanboy now?

I'll go suggest the "I win" button for Japan, that will get me back in the family!
anarchyintheuk
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RE: Aircraft Upgrades

Post by anarchyintheuk »

I don't care enough about this issue to post to this thread, but i guess i will anyway. I don't want #2.
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RE: Aircraft Upgrades

Post by SunDevil_MatrixForum »

All that being said, the designers did 2 things that run counter to everything you have just said.

1) They specced out later models with exaggerated specs making the equal, if not BETTER than Allied a/c.

2) They gave us the freedom to alter production SUBSTANTIALLY from historical reality.

So SOMEONE on the design team fundementally disagrees with you.

BUT, the also gave us fixed upgrade paths, that in many cases dead-end on some pretty bad models. So someone else on the design team must agree with you.

It's like 2x3 could figure out which way they really wanted to go either. So what's the answer?

1) Make the Japanese production system like the Allied system. Out of reach of human intervention. Enforces your view of the game.

2) Make upgrade paths user configurable inside the game and give the allies the same system. Enforces the "Warcraft" view of the game.

So which choice to make? Well, for that, they go back to the market. The market is overwhelminingly clammouring for #2. IF it is technically feasable to do so, they should do #2, because that's what the users want. For those that don't want that, make houserules. If NOT technically feasible, then go with #1 and at least be consistant in design philosophy....


Mr. Frag,

I think that zoomie has a point. Which one does Matrix want. Number 1 or 2. Because there is a conflict of design here.

If you are letting the Japanese player modify production and industry, it was already said to hell with history.
There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.
ZOOMIE1980
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RE: Aircraft Upgrades

Post by ZOOMIE1980 »

ORIGINAL: Mr.Frag
Of the people that have enough concern over the issue to post to this thread on it, the OVERWHELMING MAJORITY, want #2.

[:D]

2 out of 100,000 people responded to our survey and stated that they prefered Coke over Pepsie. I guess it's ok to infer that the other 99,998 folks must love Coke too.

[8|]

Well that's about the dumbest post you've made in a while as it is not even a remotely applicable analogy.

If 5 of 7 people who care about a feature want it one way and 2 want it the other way, it goes the way the five want if anything is changed at all. The other 4993 are IRRELEVENT because they don't care one way or the other.
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RE: Aircraft Upgrades

Post by Mr.Frag »

If you are letting the Japanese player modify production and industry, it was already said to hell with history.

I think you will find out that the issue completely resolves itself after 300 odd days of play when japan is completely bankrupt having made massive production changes to bring aircraft into play that they can not support.

The problem is most of the folks in this thread read a line in the editor and scream, but have yet to actually play the game far enough to even know that what they are talking about is completely pointless. [;)]

This is one of the reasons that releasing editors at the same time the game comes out is dangerous. People look at the data and extrapolate things with no actual knowledge of real situation.

You can break down this entire thread in one point: "I hate Nates, I don't want to have to wait for Oscars to upgrade!"
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Arnir
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RE: Aircraft Upgrades

Post by Arnir »

Or perhaps the other 4993 don't want to get into what is considered to be a fruitless debate. Some of us might be waiting until it appears that the debate might have a purpose.

Of course, if the "silent majority" never speaks up then they will become the "irrelevant majority." I would imagine that if Matrix/2by3 publicly announces their willingness to consider changing the issue, more players will become involved.
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RE: Aircraft Upgrades

Post by SunDevil_MatrixForum »

Fair enough Mr. Frag. Thanks for the reply.
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RE: Aircraft Upgrades

Post by Lemurs! »

Frag,

you keep going on and on, ad nauseum, about Japan not having the resources or skilled manpower to build high tech aircraft. You are overlooking everything we have said.

We are not asking for extra aircraft factories. We are not asking for extra resources. Do you know anything about Japanese industry in WW2? They actually improved their production line ala America during the war. Did you know that before a new worker started working on the line they had to have 1 months training before starting? That did end in early '45 but 9/10s of the war is over by then.

We did not ask for anything outside the bounds of the game or, indeed, reality. If I as the Japanese player spend 100,000 supply and heavy industry, that i really can't afford to spend, to build extra (not early) Ki-84's why can we not use them?
Your answer is 'Japan doesn't have the resources to integrate the new aircraft'. What Integration? You give the planes you have already built to a unit and they learn to fly it the same as the allied pilots!

There are no resources required for this! Except fuel which is already represented in the game, and if 2by3 did a good job, in your average game the Japanese player will be short of fuel/supplies.

Did you know that the Ki-84 was a less complicated plane to build then either the Ki-43 or 44? The Japanese planned it that way because they had learned about simplifying design to help automation.
This is one of the main reasons the Ki-84 was able to be produced in the numbers it was even though their country was having the hell bombed out of it.

The old chestnut of 'The USAAF said after the war strategic bombing had very little effect' is a joke!
Do you know about how the airforce gained control of the atomic weapons programs? They whined that conventional bombing had very little effect, and as soon as they had control of the atomic weapons the air force started writing plans to immediately use atomic weapons in a future war.

I have read Japanese accounts of the bombing of the Nagoya Mitsubishi plant. One raid by B29's and the plant was unable to produce for a week and after that NEVER made it back to full production. Or half production.

We do not want to hear about the Japs did not have the resources to build this plane or that! The resource system is already in the game so, unless you are saying that the screwed the resource system, what i choose to squander my resources on is my business.

In my scenario 26 there are no dead ends in the upgrade process.

Oh, and i also toned down the A7m which is the only Japanese aircraft overrated.

Mike
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Mr.Frag
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RE: Aircraft Upgrades

Post by Mr.Frag »

The other 4993 are IRRELEVENT because they don't care one way or the other.

You are beyond belief! So every person who simply how don't like jumping into a flame post is irrelevent? I'm sure they all have the same high opinion of you [8|]
ZOOMIE1980
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RE: Aircraft Upgrades

Post by ZOOMIE1980 »

ORIGINAL: Arnir

Or perhaps the other 4993 don't want to get into what is considered to be a fruitless debate. Some of us might be waiting until it appears that the debate might have a purpose.

Of course, if the "silent majority" never speaks up then they will become the "irrelevant majority." I would imagine that if Matrix/2by3 publicly announces their willingness to consider changing the issue, more players will become involved.

That's fair enough. But if you want a say so in a feature, speak up. If you don't until AFTER a decision gets made, you akin to the person who whines about their government representatives but never votes...
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