Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: brian brian

lookin' good - a couple notes:

there is also the -1 for anti-tank assets

you might want to note which modifiers come into play by selecting an optional rule? (co-operation, at guns, territorials)

a general note on language for MWiF - WiF frequently uses imperative verbs and the table above supplies one example - "Destroy units that can't retreat." In the paper game, this language works good because you have to physically move the counter to the force pool. On the computer, it somewhat implies the player has to do something with the mouse, when actually they won't, so "Units that can't retreat are destroyed" might be more clear.

I had the tense problem throughout RAC and decided I would not try to make all those corrections. Instead, I see RAC as RAW with changes necessitated by the computer. Precision of tenses I let slide.

I did go through and remove all references to face-up, face-down, flip, turn over, etc.. I also introduced a couple of new items: "interception unit" and "naval combat initiation unit" for example. In RAW these are referred to as 'face-down' units, which doesn't work in RAC. Likewise a Milchcow sub becomes an "at-sea-base" when serving that purpose, rather than simply a "face-down Milchcow sub". I thought about using "floating port" as mentioned in RAW, but that term is also used fro US naval supply units when they augment minor ports by becoming "Floating Ports".

ORIGINAL: brian brian
I never knew ENG factors could be doubled by terrain. put the Royal Engineers in Calcutta and it will perhaps never be taken. if the Italian TRS slip past the Rock in Sep '39, perhaps a good French build would be their Engineer to deploy in Toulouse. and maybe I should protect Leningrad with Engineers in the summer, switched out with a night air-lifted SKI div in the winter. and China's last-ditch defense should be the ENG for Kunming.

If you write that defensive ENG can be doubled by Terrain on the table, maybe you can also write that offensive ENG can be doubled by Offensive Chits.

ORIGINAL: Froonp

ORIGINAL: brian brian
I never knew ENG factors could be doubled by terrain. put the Royal Engineers in Calcutta and it will perhaps never be taken. if the Italian TRS slip past the Rock in Sep '39, perhaps a good French build would be their Engineer to deploy in Toulouse. and maybe I should protect Leningrad with Engineers in the summer, switched out with a night air-lifted SKI div in the winter. and China's last-ditch defense should be the ENG for Kunming.

If you write that defensive ENG can be doubled by Terrain on the table, maybe you can also write that offensive ENG can be doubled by Offensive Chits.

Someone said they would like to see all the possilbe modifiers on the table. Are there others missing?

We are doing more work on the production details of the Player's Manual. let me show you some of where we are, and at the end I'll present a few questions where I would like to know your opinion.
==========
Here is the first page of the Table of Contents. Examine section 3.4 in particular.
CONTENTS

Foreword
Preface
Audience
How to Use this Manual
Conventions Used in this Manual
Organization of this Manual
Acknowledgments
List of Figures

1.0 Matrix Games World in Flames
1.1 Minimum System Requirements
1.2 Installation Procedures
1.3 Uninstalling the Game
1.4 Product Updates
1.5 Game Forums
1.6 Technical Support
2.0 Introduction to Matrix Games World in Flames (MWIF)
2.1 Background on World in Flames Games
2.2 Differences between Matrix Games World in Flames and the Board Game World in Flames
2.2.1 Rules as Coded (RAC)
2.2.2 World in Flames Add-ons from Australian Design Group
2.2.3 Optional Rules
2.3 Opening Screen
2.3.1 How To Play
2.3.2 Starting a New Game
2.3.3 Restoring a Saved Game
3.0 How To Play
3.1 Tutorials Overview
3.2 Picture Plus Text Tutorials
3.2.1 Starting a Game
3.2.2 Countries
3.2.3 Map
3.2.4 Land Units
3.2.5 Naval Units
3.2.6 Air Units
3.2.7 Weather
3.2.8 Zones of Control, Hex Control, and Stacking Limits
3.2.9 Supply
3.2.10 Sequence of Play
3.3 Interactive Tutorials
3.3.1 Introduction to Interactive Tutorials
3.3.2 Land Unit Movement (Eligibility and Supply)
3.3.3 Land Combat
3.3.4 Naval Unit Movement (Eligibility and Supply)
3.3.5 Naval Combat
3.3.6 Air Unit Movement (Eligibility and Supply)
3.3.7 Air Combat
3.3.8 Production
3.3.9 Politics
3.4 Important Decisions
3.4.1 Setting Up Units
3.4.2 Action Choice
3.4.3 Committing Air Units
3.4.4 Deploying Naval Units
3.4.5 Using HQs and Armor
3.4.6 Air Combat
3.4.7 Naval Combat
3.4.8 Land Combat
3.4.9 Reorganization
3.4.10 Production
==============
Here is another segment of the TOC. I expect to show about 50 screen shots here - not every form will get a screen shot. Examine section 7.7.3 in particular.

7.0 Player Interface
7.1 Introduction to the Player Interface
7.2 Main Screen
7.3 Menus
7.3.1 File Menu
7.3.2 Command Menu
7.3.3 Info Menu
7.3.4 View Menu
7.3.5 Player Interface Menu
7.3.6 Windows Menu
7.3.7 Help Menu
7.3.8 Unit Menu
7.3.9 Other Menus
7.4 Detailed Map
7.4.1 Zoom
7.4.2 Scrolling
7.4.3 Map Views
7.4.4 Display Controls
7.4.5 Flyouts
7.5 Global Map
7.5.1 Terrain View
7.5.2 Weather View
7.5.3 Control View
7.5.4 Unit View
7.5.5 Marker View
7.5.6 Convoy View
7.5.7 Global Map Legend
7.5.8 Linkage to Detailed Map
7.6 Screen Layouts
7.7 Forms
7.7.1 Informational Forms
7.7.1.1 Action Limits
7.7.1.2 Captured Facilities
7.7.1.3 Carrier Classes
7.7.1.4 Convoy Information
7.7.1.5 Die Rolls
7.7.1.6 Distance Calculations
.
.
.
7.7.1.29 Unit View Filter
7.7.1.30 Weather Chances
7.7.2 Sequence of Play Forms
7.7.2.1 Action Choice
7.7.2.2 Add Minor Units
7.7.2.3 Air Attack
.
.
.
7.7.2.58 Weather Report
7.7.2.59 US Entry
7.7.3 Internet Play Forms
7.7.1 Chat
7.7.1 Bid for Major Powers
7.7.2 New Message
7.7.3 Password
7.7.4 Recipient List
7.7.5 Test Communication Links
================
Here is the third and final piece of the TOC. RAC will not be included here in its entirety, but instead a general description of the document will be provided and the reader told to look at the actual PDF of RAC for specifics.

9.0 Rules as Coded (RAC)

10.0 Appendices
10.1 Sequence of Play Reference
10.2 Standing Orders
10.3 Data Files
10.3.1 Map Data Files
10.3.2 Unit Data Files
10.4 Bitmap Files
10.5 MWIF.INI
10.6 Scenario/Player Created Files
10.6.1 Screen Layouts (SLY)
10.6.2 Map Views (MVW)
10.6.3 Optional Rule Sets (OPR)
10.6.4 Scrap Lists (SCP)
10.6.5 Saved Setups (SET)
10.6.6 Saved Games (GAM)
10.7 Other Files Included with MWIF
10.8 Combat Tables
10.9 Other Tables
=============
My questions:

1 - How does section 3.4 look for completeness and organization? I do not want this to be a long-winded discussion on how to play WIF but I would like to give new players some help in understanding what is important. WIF is very complex and could be quite disorienting when you face it cold the first time.

2 - Does section 7.3.3 cover the things that you would like to know how to do/how they work for internet play? Is there something that has come up when you were playing other games that should be described here?

3 - Are the appendices complete? Sections 10.8 and 10.9 are somewhat vague at the moment (I am waving my hands in the air rather having something specific to say). What is your opinion as to what should be included?

4 - Matrix Games has a standard manual size for its games that fits in a DVD case. It is 7 inches by 5 inches and has a maximum size of 200 pages. Going to a larger page size (e.g. 8.5 inches by 11 inches) has a lot of ramifications. If you were buying a boxed version of the game (instead of a downloaded copy), what is your opinion? It is possible that a larger page size might drive the cost up (but that's just me making a guess).

5 - Other comments?

Thanks for reading this far.[:D]

Here is my first draft on the opening salvo of text in the Player's Manual. A couple of pieces are still empty at the moment.

==============
Foreword

Player’s manuals are notoriously difficult to write. That’s because there’s a lot of information to present to an audience with diverse backgrounds. Adding to the problem is that players use the manual for different purposes as they gain familiarity with the game. At first they just want to install the program and get it up and running. Then they want to learn the game, according to their own preferred method, which may involve reading the manual in detail, focusing on just a few sections, or referring to it rarely as they explore the game by using tutorials or simply jumping into game play. And after mastering the basic game, players will return to the manual for a better understanding of specific areas of the game, including controlling how the game plays: from changing player interface settings, through modifying data files that define the simulated world.

Supporting these different uses puts heavy requirements on the manual. In writing this manual for Matrix Games’ World in Flames I have attempted to satisfy these needs, though I seriously doubt that I have succeeded in all particulars.

Yet another problem with software manuals in general, is that while the program can be easily updated with patches and new versions, the printed manual the player received when he first purchased the software does not change. Attempts to remedy this by printing errata and addenda alleviate the mismatch to some degree, but in the end are unsatisfactory solutions. While electronic versions of the manual are nice, and can be kept up-to-date easily, many players want to hold a hard copy in their hands, to examine at their leisure, without having to sit in front of a computer. I know of no solution to this aggravation, and apologize in advance for the inevitable mismatch between the content of the printed manual and later versions of the program.

Dozens of people, listed in the acknowledgments, have contributed to the creation of this manual. However, the final decisions were mine, so when you are reduced to muttering under your breath about the deficiencies of this manual and its author, it is my name you should use.

Steven Hokanson

Preface

Audience

This manual is written for the players. Some will know little or nothing about World in Flames (WIF), some will have played the board game version years ago, and some will be World in Flames afficionados: keeping up with each new add-on, playing games over the board weekly with a group of close friends, and even going to WIF tournaments. Quite probably some players will have had an opportunity to play the earlier computerized version of World in Flames sold by Australian Design Group.

I have structured and written this Matrix Games’ World in Flames (MWIF) Player’s Manual with the above audience in mind. In addition, I expect the reader to open the manual at different times in his ownership of the game: when it is a brand new purchase, after he has played through a scenario or two, and later when he is an old hand at MWIF and is hunting for an answer to a specific question.

How to Use this Manual
At first, you should scan the table of contents (TOC), to get the lay of the land. When you have a specific task you want to accomplish, like how to install the program, the TOC is the best place to start. To familiarize yourself with World in Flames, read section 2.1, which gives a background on the game. Or if you are an experienced WIF player, read section 2.2, which enumerates the differences between the board game and MWIF. Then everyone should read about the Opening screen in section 2.3.

As you go through the tutorials, you might want to come back to the manual to examine the descriptions of the player interface components. That is especially true of the numerous forms that provide information about your units, and aspects of the simulated world in which they are engaged in combat. While seeing the forms for decision making in the interactive tutorials will help you learn, it is equally useful to read about them in the manual, when there is no pressure on making an immediate decision. The manual and the tutorials are intended to be used together, with each providing an opportunity for exploring and learning about MWIF.

Finally, there are detailed explanations of the optional rules, with appendices on the sequence of play, standing orders (for PBEM), data files, and WIF charts and tables. For finding answers to questions, the index and glossary should be of assistance.

Conventions Used in this Manual


Organization of this Manual
Bracketed by the Table of Contents and the Appendices, this manual contains 9 primary sections. Section 1 is for getting the game installed on your computer and associated ancillary issues. Section 2 provides an introduction to Matrix Games’ World in Flames and a quick overview of the Opening screen. Sections 3, 4, and 5 expand on the 3 major elements of the Opening screen: How to Play, Starting a New Game, and Restoring a Saved Game.

You might notice that this manual has some redundancy, where a topic is given a quick overview (e.g., section 2.3.1, How To Play) followed by a longer section that goes into the topic is greater detail (e.g., Section 4, How To Play). Besides the 3 sections listed immediately above, that is also true for Section 6, Modes of Play which expands on section 4.1. Likewise, Rules as Coded (RAC) appear in overview in section 2.2.1 and in more detail in Section 9, while the complete RAC document is a separate PDF file. Lastly, the optional rules are introduced in section 2.2.3 and explained in careful detail in Section 8.

While this redundancy runs the risk of being possibly confusing, it is intentional. The hope is that players will be able to get a grasp on a topic quickly by reading the shorter introduction sections and yet have the detailed discussions accessible when they want a more complete understanding.

Section 7 covers the Player Interface in depth, which involves separate subsections for 90+ forms. Perhaps this is overkill. Yet, as a serious war game player myself, I am often annoyed by thin documentation manuals, that treat most of a program’s numerous screens and forms as self-explanatory. Besides, I believe presenting the author’s perspective on all the forms can add to a player’s appreciation of their purpose and utility.

Acknowledgments

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

We are doing more work on the production details of the Player's Manual. let me show you some of where we are, and at the end I'll present a few questions where I would like to know your opinion.
==========
Here is the first page of the Table of Contents. Examine section 3.4 in particular.

3.4 Important Decisions
3.4.1 Setting Up Units
3.4.2 Action Choice
3.4.3 Committing Air Units
3.4.4 Deploying Naval Units
3.4.5 Using HQs and Armor
3.4.6 Air Combat
3.4.7 Naval Combat
3.4.8 Land Combat
3.4.9 Reorganization
3.4.10 Production
==============
Here is another segment of the TOC. I expect to show about 50 screen shots here - not every form will get a screen shot. Examine section 7.7.3 in particular.

7.0 Player Interface
7.7.3 Internet Play Forms
7.7.1 Chat
7.7.1 Bid for Major Powers
7.7.2 New Message
7.7.3 Password
7.7.4 Recipient List
7.7.5 Test Communication Links
================
Here is the third and final piece of the TOC. RAC will not be included here in its entirety, but instead a general description of the document will be provided and the reader told to look at the actual PDF of RAC for specifics.


10.0 Appendices
10.1 Sequence of Play Reference
10.2 Standing Orders
10.3 Data Files
10.3.1 Map Data Files
10.3.2 Unit Data Files
10.4 Bitmap Files
10.5 MWIF.INI
10.6 Scenario/Player Created Files
10.6.1 Screen Layouts (SLY)
10.6.2 Map Views (MVW)
10.6.3 Optional Rule Sets (OPR)
10.6.4 Scrap Lists (SCP)
10.6.5 Saved Setups (SET)
10.6.6 Saved Games (GAM)
10.7 Other Files Included with MWIF
10.8 Combat Tables
10.9 Other Tables
=============
My questions:

And some answers...

1 - How does section 3.4 look for completeness and organization? I do not want this to be a long-winded discussion on how to play WIF but I would like to give new players some help in understanding what is important. WIF is very complex and could be quite disorienting when you face it cold the first time.

Maybe add a section for politics (e.g. declaring war & aligning minors for the most part, but maybe also border claims for USSR and peace treaties?)

2 - Does section 7.3.3 cover the things that you would like to know how to do/how they work for internet play? Is there something that has come up when you were playing other games that should be described here?

Seems reasonably thorough, aside from the numbering being off.

3 - Are the appendices complete? Sections 10.8 and 10.9 are somewhat vague at the moment (I am waving my hands in the air rather having something specific to say). What is your opinion as to what should be included?

For a player's manual, especially if it is to be printed, I would exclude tables & charts, myself. It seems to me that they would take up a fair bit of space for little gain.

4 - Matrix Games has a standard manual size for its games that fits in a DVD case. It is 7 inches by 5 inches and has a maximum size of 200 pages. Going to a larger page size (e.g. 8.5 inches by 11 inches) has a lot of ramifications. If you were buying a boxed version of the game (instead of a downloaded copy), what is your opinion? It is possible that a larger page size might drive the cost up (but that's just me making a guess).

7x5 would be my preference for a player's manual. A full-size one just seems too big for a computer game manual, especially if I'm getting it delivered.

5 - Other comments?

None from me. It seems like a pretty thorough document.

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

Here is my first draft on the opening salvo of text in the Player's Manual. A couple of pieces are still empty at the moment.

This is looking pretty good so far.

A keen eye Christopher, thanks.

Here is the corrected numbering.

7.7.3 Internet Play Forms
7.7.3.1 Chat
7.7.3.2 Bid for Major Powers
7.7.3.3 New Message
7.7.3.4 Password
7.7.3.5 Recipient List
7.7.3.6 Test Communication Links

EDIT: I also added a section 3.4.11 Policitcal Relationships, in response to your suggestion.

I think you are incredibly well prepared to answer the question - 'so how do I play this game anyway?' But it would be pretty hard for me to look at it from the perspective of someone who has never played the game before, since I've been playing since before the units had names on them.

I can't remember if there will be a "replay" feature to let the computer 'playback' a turn or impulse, but if there is, that would be an ideal tutorial. Take the first impulse from the Barbarossa scenario and let new players 'watch' it happen. Maybe just use one from any playtest you got... ?

ORIGINAL: brian brian

I think you are incredibly well prepared to answer the question - 'so how do I play this game anyway?' But it would be pretty hard for me to look at it from the perspective of someone who has never played the game before, since I've been playing since before the units had names on them.

I can't remember if there will be a "replay" feature to let the computer 'playback' a turn or impulse, but if there is, that would be an ideal tutorial. Take the first impulse from the Barbarossa scenario and let new players 'watch' it happen. Maybe just use one from any playtest you got... ?

Yeah. But I had to move the Replay game feature to MWIF product 2.[:(]

now as we all know the Wif Rules are vast and not easy to skim through, just looking at the players handbook is making my headspin. Good work keep it up.
On a side note, with the tutorial will thier be an idiots guide so that new players can move say at least 1 or two units of each type to find out the strengths and limitations of each.

I have been looking at Post 96.  Is this really going to be the number-cruncher in MWiF?  Converting odds into DRMs throws up strange anomalies.  Thus, a 6-1 attack into jungle suffers a -4 DRM, which pushes the result down to the equivalent of a 4-1 attack (i.e. 67% of face value).  But if the attack happens to be at 2-1, the -4 DRM converts the battle into a 1-2 (i.e. 25% of face value).
 
Or looked at from the defender's point of view, faced with a low odds attack, jungle quadruples; faced with a high odds attack it only adds 50%.  While mountain doubles at all odds.
 
So, on the Indian-Burmese border, if you as the Japanese are expecting to be hit with a high-odds attack defend in the mountains, but if you and the enemy are at rough parity abandon the mountains and defend the jungle.
 
In the immortal words of Sgt Wilson "Are you sure that's wise, sir?"

Also, where can I find the TEC?  I know that tracing supply through desert costs double (never understood why - I think the designer imagined the North African desert is sand-sea, whereas most of it is hard and flat and easy to supply across - just ask Rommel when he turned the Bir Hacheim box!)  So I am assuming that tracing supply through mountains is at least doubled, mountains being far more difficult terrain than non-sand-sea desert.

ORIGINAL: marcuswatney

I have been looking at Post 96.  Is this really going to be the number-cruncher in MWiF?  Converting odds into DRMs throws up strange anomalies.  Thus, a 6-1 attack into jungle suffers a -4 DRM, which pushes the result down to the equivalent of a 4-1 attack (i.e. 67% of face value).  But if the attack happens to be at 2-1, the -4 DRM converts the battle into a 1-2 (i.e. 25% of face value).

Or looked at from the defender's point of view, faced with a low odds attack, jungle quadruples; faced with a high odds attack it only adds 50%.  While mountain doubles at all odds.

So, on the Indian-Burmese border, if you as the Japanese are expecting to be hit with a high-odds attack defend in the mountains, but if you and the enemy are at rough parity abandon the mountains and defend the jungle.

In the immortal words of Sgt Wilson "Are you sure that's wise, sir?"

Your arguments here are with Australian Design Group and WIF, not with MWIF. My task is to render WIF onto the computer, not redesign it.

ORIGINAL: marcuswatney

I have been looking at Post 96.  Is this really going to be the number-cruncher in MWiF?  Converting odds into DRMs throws up strange anomalies.  Thus, a 6-1 attack into jungle suffers a -4 DRM, which pushes the result down to the equivalent of a 4-1 attack (i.e. 67% of face value).  But if the attack happens to be at 2-1, the -4 DRM converts the battle into a 1-2 (i.e. 25% of face value).

Or looked at from the defender's point of view, faced with a low odds attack, jungle quadruples; faced with a high odds attack it only adds 50%.  While mountain doubles at all odds.

So, on the Indian-Burmese border, if you as the Japanese are expecting to be hit with a high-odds attack defend in the mountains, but if you and the enemy are at rough parity abandon the mountains and defend the jungle.

In the immortal words of Sgt Wilson "Are you sure that's wise, sir?"

Remember OPTION 67: 2 DIE 10 LAND COMBAT RESULTS TABLE is just that an option.

You can always just use the 11.16.5 LAND COMBAT CHART (BLITZKRIEG TABLE and ASSAULT TABLE) instead.


Personally, I prefer the 11.16.5 LAND COMBAT CHART with Option 39: (Blitz bonus).

ORIGINAL: marcuswatney

I have been looking at Post 96.  Is this really going to be the number-cruncher in MWiF?  Converting odds into DRMs throws up strange anomalies.  Thus, a 6-1 attack into jungle suffers a -4 DRM, which pushes the result down to the equivalent of a 4-1 attack (i.e. 67% of face value).  But if the attack happens to be at 2-1, the -4 DRM converts the battle into a 1-2 (i.e. 25% of face value).

This is with the 2D10 CRT, but Japanese, white print US MAR and white print Australian units offst this penalty, 1 per unit. so if 4 Japanese units are attacking, there is no more penalty. With the 1d10 CRT, there is 1 odd ratio penalty, offsetted if all attacking units are Japanese.
There is nothing that offset the penalty of attacking someone in the mountains becase the penalty is derectly imbedded in the defensive factors.

ORIGINAL: marcuswatney

Also, where can I find the TEC?  I know that tracing supply through desert costs double (never understood why - I think the designer imagined the North African desert is sand-sea, whereas most of it is hard and flat and easy to supply across - just ask Rommel when he turned the Bir Hacheim box!)  So I am assuming that tracing supply through mountains is at least doubled, mountains being far more difficult terrain than non-sand-sea desert.

Desert is the only place that cost double, with desert mountain. All other terrains cost normaly.
Supply distance is 4 hexes from a supply source, 2 hexes if weather is rain storm or blizzard, and 3 hexes if weather is snow. HQ are supply sources, as are controlled or captured capital cities, as well as your home cities.

I would still like to see the TEC.  Anyone know where it is?
 
I suppose the design philosophy here is to use the weather to mess up Pacific supply rather than the terrain, which is fair enough.
 
Whew!  I was afraid the 2D10 approach to combat resolution was going to be mandatory.  I completely agree with Mziln: traditional CRT with Option 39 every time!
 
According to the RAW (11.16.1), jungle only causes a single odds shift (none if Japanese).  Is this still the case with MWiF?  The difference between the two forms of combat resolution is most marked when it comes to jungle.
 
I am pleased to read that rivers still offer doubled defence.  And the fact that mountain units can attack (and so presumably also move) across Alpine hexsides makes them not such a fearsome barrier after all.

It is a small but sometimes important distinction that rivers do not double the defenders but halve the attackers.
 
The 2d10 is more widely used nowadays, and I would not be going out on a limb to suggest it is now the preferred land combat chart in terms of numbers of players using it. If I am not too far off the mark it is generally considered superior to the 1d10 because of the difference in the way it handles blitz combat, the effect of airpower (especially successful ground strikes) on combat, and the 1/2-disorganized result offers a less "binary" outcome for attacks.
 
Pacific supply, in WiF:FE, was extremely precarious due to weather and map scale. In MWiF, on the new map scale, it is a good deal more forgiving.
 
As long as you play the 1d10 land CRT in MWiF, you get -1 odds level with the offset if the attackers are Japanese.
 
The -4 for the 2d10 is not, in my estimation, such a bad thing: how many modern motorized/mechanized armies actually function well in the jungle? Plus, merely analyzing the penalty from the pure numbers approach ignores the context in which the penalty operates - jungle is found, for the most part, in three areas: South America, Central Africa, and S/SE Asia. The first two almost never see combat in WiF; the third is usually the combat zone of the very units that are able to offset the penalty.

ORIGINAL: marcuswatney

I would still like to see the TEC.  Anyone know where it is?

Maybe Steve will post a screenshot.