Recap of the latest developments!

[Oleg Mastruko]

We got REAL lazy here lately. No real reason for that. Lets give a little recap of the latest developments just so you see something is actually moving behind the scenes.

Game is getting polished day by day, and we are expecting to enter "beta" testing proper (we're still in alpha phase). Beta testing will be somewhat different, as the game will be feature complete by then. I believe the latest "big" feature that remains to be implemented before beta is "turn replay" tool, or as it is also called VCR because it's meant to work similar to VCR or any audio player you have on your PC (Windows Media Player or WinAmp). This tool is not operational yet, so it's really difficult to know what exactly happened during your opponent's turns in PBEM (vs AI you can see what happens for yourself).

One of the coolest features implemented in last weeks are so called animations. Previous to that, every movement happened instantly. Now the pieces (figures?) move accross the screen, using player-preset speed: real fun to watch the AI do it's "dance" and you get to analyse it's plans!

Our 4-player PBEMs slowed down, for which I am personally very sorry. I do think 4-player PBEMs are the BEST way to have fun with this game. Other games are fine for classic 2-player games, but one of the best features of WAW is having 2 2-player teams, trading insults and taunts on the board, with allies perhaps not always having best cooperation among themselves etc. Turns out all of us beta testers are very BUSY people in real life, lots of business travels, work, families etc. and sometimes new versions break old saves etc. that's why PBEMs either slow down to a crawl or stop altogether. But take my word: 4-player games RULE.

OK. In the following posts I'll try to re-cap some of the graphical improvements in the game (I believe some of the art is now frozen ie. won't change until the final version of the game).

Oleg

[Oleg Mastruko]

This is the opening screen (I hope Joel and Maurice won't mind me posting this "sensitive" stuff [:D] - just trying to keep the board alive).

I usually resize my screens at 75% but this one I didn't resize so you can admire the soldier icons in top left [:D]. We had long and funny discussion about those icons (known as the "Helmet thread" on the beta board) and this is Marc's final work. GI is the best IMO. Personally I don't like the Chinese dude but WTF [:D] Russian dude is Kozak cavalry guy or something.

Note that you can set any of the sides to AI (PC icon). In this case I set Germany production and WA Control to AI just to show you how the icons look like, though this particular setting does not make much sense. Usually, you'd either put both Control and Production for any given side to AI, or to human control. "Control" in this case covers movement and combat, so, perhaps for total beginners there is some sense in putting production on AI setting, but there's no sense at all in putting "Control" on AI setting, while human player (yourself) controls the Production.

You can also see four planned scenarios for the game (we almost exclusively played 1940 scenario till now cause others aren't quite finished yet).

O.

[Oleg Mastruko]

This is the User preferences sceen - very nicely laid out, very easy to see everything. Note the two new options in lower right hand corner I can't remember whether we told you about? "British graphics" and "One western ally icon".

Brit graphics, if checked, will use British set of icons for Western Allies untill US enters the war or depending on the nationality of unit. Brit set of icons is not done yet, but should have Spitfire instead of P47 as fighter icon, probably Swordfish (??) as CV aircraft icon... stuff like that. Also, you'll have Brit roundels instead of US stars on your unit chips. Not sure about the details, but should make UK fans and players happy, and help ease the sorrow they don't get UK as separate playable side in the game [:D][:D]

If you check "One WA icon", then you get ALL WA units in same icon set (whether British or US). Otherwise, you'll have both sets of icons in game, depending of whether the unit is Brit "nationality" unit, or not (or perpahs also depening on a year? not sure about that). I'll try to post examples of British icons in the game later.

This image is also not resized, should take some time to load, well sue me...

Oleg

[Oleg Mastruko]

Game options screen. Things to note are two relatively new options in the lower left corner. No auto victory means the game continues even if the auto victory conditions are met (so you can kill the enemies to a last man if you wish). No end date means the game goes on beyond 1946 if needs be, but then all the game balance issues are thrown outta window, and player(s) continue the game until the final victory, but are on their own (no play balance testing will cover period after 1. Jan 1946.)

Will post more later...

O.

[Oleg Mastruko]

This is showcase of some of the new icons in the game, in this case German. This screenshot is taken at max zoom level (usually not used to play the game) and without resizing. Heavy bomber icon is He-111, Stuka with tropical paintjob is Tac bomber, Me-109 (you know from our AARs) is unchanged as fighter icon. Tiger, representing Tank units, also got a new paintjob and looks terrific. Note also the new SU fighter icon and slightly changed T34.

(Call me shallow but I'm sucker for nice graphics in a wargame.)

O.

[Oleg Mastruko]

Japanese didn't get any new icons but you can see new (new?) movement arrows in use here: green for normal movement, blue for strategic movement, but ships never get to use strat move, so what you see here is BB fleet wandering into US controlled portion of the Pacific (not recommended).

This screen is resized.

O.

[Oleg Mastruko]

Some assorted British/WA icons. UK should be green but is not, because of what I assume is minor bug introduced in latest alpha, so ignore that for now. What you see here is British roundels instead of US stars on WA chips I told you about few posts above.

Brit-specific fighter and CV air icons ARE planned but are not implemented yet, so what you see here is "regular" US figher and CV air icons (shiny metallic P47 I personally don't like very much [:D], and SBD Dauntless which looks magnificent). These icons are also new.

Also note the "limit of permanent ice" in the upper left - another "new" feature on the map.

Oleg

[Oleg Mastruko]

This is newly introduced Production summary screen - one place for all your production needs [:D]

And that, I think, concludes todays presentation. We showcased some of the new, primarily but not exclusively graphical features of the upcoming game GG WAW, to let you know the stage of the development this game is at. Don't forget to file your praises or complaints at the desk left of the entrance. Our hostesses will see that you get the goodbye drink and a snack. See you next time and goodbye [>:]

O.

[SeaMonkey]

Very Nice Oleg.....Thanks

Tell Gary, Maurice, and Joel to give you a break,... this is marketing at its best

[Oleg Mastruko]

ORIGINAL: SeaMonkey

Very Nice Oleg.....Thanks

Tell Gary and Joel to give you a break,... this is marketing at its best

[:D][:D] I'm not exactly "working" for G&J, I'm volunteering some of my time to betatest and raise general public "awareness" of this great game. Noone is forcing us to do anything (although Maurice sometimes plays "little Hitler" on the beta board [:D][:D]: "Vee need more tezting, men! Test, test, play play, schnell!" but luckily we're free to ignore him [:D])

O.

[WanderingHead]

Question on game options: I've seen that you can select "No End Date", can you select no date for US to automatically (without direct provocation) enter to war? Or better yet (more flexible), select a later date like summer 1944? Same for USSR?

Or would this require the mod editor?

Thanks for the graphical update. It looks good!

[Oleg Mastruko]

Yes that would require modding. I think USA-USSR entry in the war is easy to mod, but it is not currently available as game option. They enter the way in January 43 or when attacked (whichever comes first).

O.