Future Directions - Features

[Frank.Costanzo]

Is there a way to auto determine distance from one point to the next?

If not, I would like to see a distance indicator at the end of the LOS line.

Also, I would like to see a more dramatic graphic at the when showing rocket FFE.

Frank

[RayWolfe]

Well, you have the KM grid. In normal combat (WWII) you would take the KMs (miles) then take tenths and hey presto, you're within 100 metres.
They didn't have GPS back then! [;)]

[Frank.Costanzo]

Understood. Still, there are many weapon platforms in the game with various ranges, and using the grid to determine distance many times during the game is not very efficient. Having a distance indicator at the end of the LOS line would make the game more enjoyable, and give the commander the ability to quickly evaluate the battlefiled.

Frank

[wodin]

How about when you click on a weapon in the est you get a circle (like you have now) for it's min and max range...at the moment we can see a generic one for anit personel and anit armour.

Frank what graphic do you mean?

[FredSanford3]

How about an Autosave with adjustable save time in game time units? Also with the option of overwriting the existing autosave or giving it a unique name in order to save a game series. <steps along the way to a 'playback' feature.

It's be nice to autosave every [set] period of game time for AAR's and ctd's. 20 minutes of real time can be many hours of game time lost.

[Frank.Costanzo]

I like to check out LOS's from areas on the map that I have not occupied yet. If I am checking a LOS from some unoccupied postion (to maybe a choke point), I would also like to check the distance from point to point using the LOS line, so I can determine the right type of unit to move to that postion. A distance indicator at the end of the LOS line would be great!

Frank

[RayWolfe]

Sorry guys. I'm not disagreeing that it would be great to have a distance indicator, I'm just saying that it's unrealistic to have it in a WWII context. We have all grown up with hex based games where you, the player, has god like abilities. This game is trying to simulate a real commanders perspective. A real commander takes distances from grids on the map, not laser measuring instruments or GPS systems.

[wodin]

Ray,

I agree....maybe need to change the way we think about wargames with this particular game system. I think alot of the problems that are being reported are because we are so used to other systems that it requires a total rethink to analyse what is going and what is WAD and why it is WAD.

[FredSanford3]

You can measure distances already-just count the tick marks on the LOS tool

[Fred98]

ORIGINAL: Franklin Nimitz

You can measure distances already-just count the tick marks on the LOS tool

Yes, the marks are 100 meter intervals.

-

[Count Sessine]

Many good suggestions in this thread - I'd like to add these:

1/ Map: I'm not a bad map reader, but if a 2D map is way to go, then I'd like to see more information in it, like overlays (height, impassability etc) - as it is it is sometimes difficult to decode. A 3D map would of course be sweet

2/ Better implementation of artillery command and control. It seems unrealistic to be able to call in fire missions with dozens and dozens of artillery batteries within 2 mins on any point of the map with the 'bombard' order. There need to be some kind of artillery organisation and C&C restrictions. I know its probably a tall order with big differences in how different countries organised their artillery, capabilities in training and equipment (radios), circumstances (were wires laid out) and many other things... but any kind of abstracted system is better than the current one, imo.

[RayWolfe]

Here is the dilemma:
In 1 you want it to be unrealistic in the sense that a commander at the time had ONLY 2-d maps. In two you want it to be unrealistic because it was possible for big shoots to be called at a few minutes notice.
I go for realism every time.
Poor developers can't win! [;)]

[wodin]

Z axis is the height....just right click on the map

[Morg]

Hi,

I am new to this type of wargame and I find it very hard to evaluate my own performance. I would like more statistics about kills/death when reviewing the final situation. As it is now I have no idea how effective for example my anti-tank units were. I know kills isn't everything but it would still be a good indicator to which units I placed at good positions during a defence.

The ideal would of course be a list of exactly the equipment/men each unit destroyed, but just a kill indicator would go a long way!

Regards
/Martin

[GoodGuy]

ORIGINAL: RayWolfe

Sorry guys. I'm not disagreeing that it would be great to have a distance indicator, I'm just saying that it's unrealistic to have it in a WWII context. We have all grown up with hex based games where you, the player, has god like abilities. This game is trying to simulate a real commanders perspective. A real commander takes distances from grids on the map, not laser measuring instruments or GPS systems.

Right. And how does he take distances from a point between the grid -> then half across the map -> to a point between another 2 grid lines? With a pair of compasses and a ruler.
He'd then compute say something like 5" on the map = XY kilometers in RL, and he'd instantly know the "exact" (well at least with the corresponding accuracy of common WW2 maps) length or range of a given line/circle.

A RL commander could touch the map, fold it, draw on it, carry it with him, measure it, eat it, stomp on it, sleep on it, or use it as cover when he'd decide to take a nap.

The players can't do these things.
So you could give them compass and ruler, at least.

[RayWolfe]

So.
Use a ruler on the screen!
Sleep under a laptop.
Eat off the keyboard.
I do all these. Don't you?

[moet]

ORIGINAL: RayWolfe
Sorry guys. I'm not disagreeing that it would be great to have a distance indicator, I'm just saying that it's unrealistic to have it in a WWII context. We have all grown up with hex based games where you, the player, has god like abilities. This game is trying to simulate a real commanders perspective. A real commander takes distances from grids on the map, not laser measuring instruments or GPS systems.

You are certainly right. But is it realistic that in BFTB we can get a quite fine information with the LOS and AOS tools on any part of the map, including what exactly the enemies can see of our forces from their positions or what exactly we will be able to see when we will reach a far-away position ? I think this is about giving a god eye to the player, which I personally appreciate a lot.

ORIGINAL: RayWolfe
So. Use a ruler on the screen!

The demand from Costanzo is not unrealistic : a distance indicator would just give the player the information that a real commander would get using a simple rule on his map.

[moet]

My suggestion : add an "UNDO" button that give the player the opportunity to cancel the order he just gave. The canceling window would remains few seconds or till the player give another order.

[FredSanford3]

ummm....everyone....its already there

ORIGINAL: moet

ORIGINAL: RayWolfe
Sorry guys. I'm not disagreeing that it would be great to have a distance indicator, I'm just saying that it's unrealistic to have it in a WWII context. We have all grown up with hex based games where you, the player, has god like abilities. This game is trying to simulate a real commanders perspective. A real commander takes distances from grids on the map, not laser measuring instruments or GPS systems.

You are certainly right. But is it realistic that in BFTB we can get a quite fine information with the LOS and AOS tools on any part of the map, including what exactly the enemies can see of our forces from their positions or what exactly we will be able to see when we will reach a far-away position ? I think this is about giving a god eye to the player, which I personally appreciate a lot.

ORIGINAL: RayWolfe
So. Use a ruler on the screen!

The demand from Costanzo is not unrealistic : a distance indicator would just give the player the information that a real commander would get using a simple rule on his map.

[Frank.Costanzo]

Yes, I see now that a distance indicator of sorts is "already there". The realisim argument goes away because the distance indicator feature is already included in the game LOS tool. From my point of view, I do not like counting up the ticks on the LOS tool, so it becomes a matter of enhancing a existing feature by adding a number at the end of the LOS tool to indicate the current distance.

Frank