Matrix Games Forums

LOS has always been that way in SP, increasing visibility not only affects the distance, but the "openness" of teh terrain as well.

Actually, the resolution at 800 x 600 is quite good. The suggestion about more zoom
is more on the mark. Experimentation seems to reveal that graphic size 3 brings the closest thing to proper scale relationships
between icons and terrain; the problem is
that at that level, my poor eyes cant
distinguish a t34 from a haywagon. Dont, get me wrong, I like icon level 3. It makes
for a beliveble overall map view. I just wish I could zoom it a little more.

Thanks so much for all your hard work.
I hope the game gets even more publicity
than it already has.

Originally posted by Alby:

Originally posted by GW:
Why can't the game look as great as it plays?
The option for higher graphic resolutions or the option to at least outline the unit icons in black would sure be nice. This is such an outstanding game! It deserves better graphics.

More Zoom,More Zoom More Zoom!!....hehehehe

I'm with Ilja Vahra. Expanded elevation system. That would make the mountainous battle maps a lot more interesting and adds a lot of options to scenario design.

Also, I would like it if in the scenario editor the designer had the option to give the player messages based on which turn it was. Some kind of mission update, or recon alert, or something. Some way to communicate to the player. Right now I'm changing the names of reinforcement units to say things like TANKS NORTH!! and ALERT! ENEMY MOVING. But I only have a few characters in that name field. Anyways.

Tomo

Hi Guys

We have will not be adding higher terrain. The reason is simple the game engine can not support it and will destory the great combat system we have. I know there has been a lot of chat about this in the sp mailing list but its just plain silly to add a piece of terrain and say it now 90 meters high and have no other effects. The game now is not 100% right and we didn't want to just expand the problem. We may fix this in a future patch... we do promise if we do it will be done right as close to the real world effects as possble. Just like out combat system.

On a new subject we will be adding some new terrain. You will now have

Trenches, improved looking Gully, Sand Dunes, Sand Depression, Snow Banks, Cliffs (Impassable Terrain except for Special Forces), Small Rocks, Large Rocks, Desert brush and we are hopinghills that you can really tell a level difference and maybe different Ice with differnt thickness.

How does that sound.

David

[This message has been edited by David Heath (edited 07-13-2000).]

Sounds really David. With the ice thickness is there a chance tanks and the likes can break through the ice and become lost or stuck?

Tankhead

------------------
Rick Cloutier rcclout@telusplanet.net
Coordinator: Tankhead's SPWAW Resources
http://sites.netscape.net/rcclout

Any chances of the new (and "old" new) terrain making their way into the campaigns? *fingers cross*

Originally posted by David Heath:
On a new subject we will be adding some new terrain. You will now have

Trenches, improved looking Gully, Sand Dunes, Sand Depression, Snow Banks, Cliffs (Impassable Terrain except for Special Forces), Small Rocks, Large Rocks, Desert brush and we are hopinghills that you can really tell a level difference and maybe different Ice with differnt thickness.

How does that sound.

David

[This message has been edited by David Heath (edited 07-13-2000).]

Sounds super! We'll be able to design some really cool scenarios! Just imagine what Wild Bill will do with it...

FAP



------------------
Fabio Prado fprado@fprado.com
Webmaster - The ARMOR Site!

Yum yum! My dreams for SP are coming true. I am one happy camper!

Wild Bill

------------------
In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games

David,

The new terrain sounds good. I am disapointed that we won't see higher terrain in Version 3, but I do respect why you don't want to put it in right now. The addition of impassible cliffs is great, as that is one of the things I really wanted higher terrain for. However, PLEASE, don't give up on higher elevation levels. As others have said, it will add yet another dimension to this great game by allowing awesome mountain scenarios. But I'm perfectly willing to wait until it can be done right. Wouldn't want it any other way!

One other suggestion: Another member of this forum mentioned once about an impassible wooded hex or "roadblock" hex made of fallen logs and such. Could this be added?

Thanks for keeping us informed and many kudos to you and the staff for a superb game that keeps getting better!

WW2'er

Originally posted by David Heath:
Hi Guys

We have will not be adding higher terrain. The reason is simple the game engine can not support it and will destory the great combat system we have. I know there has been a lot of chat about this in the sp mailing list but its just plain silly to add a piece of terrain and say it now 90 meters high and have no other effects. The game now is not 100% right and we didn't want to just expand the problem. We may fix this in a future patch... we do promise if we do it will be done right as close to the real world effects as possble. Just like out combat system.

[This message has been edited by David Heath (edited 07-13-2000).]

For Roadblocks, just an idea that can give the same effect with what is available, plop a hedge, or stone wall, across the road. (don't know, but imagine this would block movement across, if you laid the wall afterwards) And, it would have to be destroyed be engineers, or some big HE weaponry. Not perfect, but doable.

Hi David , no time for us to rest in this vulcanic Matrix games activity ...you are doing more than we can update ..that'is greater then any other software house in wargaming world !
Excellent..
I examined points in to this letter...
A,B,C,D very interesting..

Point E : Reinforcements...
the sense of this should be to take remedy to a wrong choose of purchased units once battle has begun..so something to do once
you saw the first enemy units and you realize something different is needed to face them ..so I would let the player decide when to call reinforcement and after that a random time should pass starting from that turn..several factors could make influence the delay of reinforcements from High command
like wheather conditions for instance or location in which battle take place...year of the battle and player's nation...
Germans in North Afrika in 1942 should receive reinforcements
not so easy as Germans in Poland in 1939 ....and much more easily than italians
Generally the 1-2-3 turns are only used to reach the enemy positions ..engagements coming always further ..so having it
at the third turn without knowing what is needed put the player in the same conditions he is at the purchase menu while choosing initial units..no way to adapt to enemy circumstances

GREAT IDEA having a penalty in victory points by using reinforcements !!!

F,G,H, very good ..high quality for point F

Point I
very interesting armor and vehicle breakdown even if we hope breakdowns will not be too intrusive in the game managements

Point I3 : sorry for ignorance..what does it mean "TO" ?

Point L : Dust trail...maybe when it's rainig and there is
a lot of mud ..but this option makes me wondering :
how this will work with spotting environment ?
should we be able to track trails but not vehicles
producing them ?

Point O-P-Q : New Age of Steel Panthers life ..The Gold AGE !

Point R-S : Always a vast amount of work from from Matrix Games
About Generated Campaigns with branching scenarios..
I should notice there is the lack of transferring units
and their characteristic from battle to battle..I think should be
introduced something like an editor to manage creating and
transferring BATTLEGROUPS , KAMPFGROUPPE from a
battle to a new one that could be activated at the end of each battle if needed..
This editor will create a file in which you store
characteristics and levels of the units remained after current battle and that you can use on a new map in a new battle..
nothing too sofisticated..a icon button such as Bombardement 'B' which pressed takes you into this screen where you decide what could be used for next battle...
then should be modified the 'purchasing screen' to let importing
a file with that units .There some of the points of a battle could be used to improve or repair units imported..same lieutenant...same kills...ame experience and damages
of the last battles...a new concept that makes also easier the branching in Campagns , freeing you from try to determine a branch on battle results...with alla approximation this could
bring to player idea of a sequence of events...
Sorry for I was filled with fervour in this...it's just an hypotetical
suggestion..

Point U - very intelligent

Point V _ different sounds for different artillery guns...
Why not also different explosions for different vehicles ?
I mean a Tiger sholud be different from a Kubelwagon while
exploding....and what hearing a low sound about someone
screaming while dying ? ( as Close combat series I mean..)


Point Y: PAUSE KEY , TIME OUT ecc.
you did not mentione the very important option
I think a strategy game needs when playing multiplayer
on the net : "saving a battle to be continued" with
the possibility -offline- to inspect troops and situation..
Often people do not like stay 3-4 hours on line..they agree
to play an hour every day ..you would answer that PBEM
is made for this...yes I agree but we missed all interesting
option of a multiplayer game..I say that possibility of having trusted savegames will be the right compromise...
I repeat that encription is really important..just a 'false' PBEM game ! in this way life is simpler to a variety of daily activity of all four players..and is easier having tournaments...
Roger Wilco should be something in addition to a more safe text-box system to discuss a general pausing of the game..
So first players find themselves out of SPWAW ..they decide a day and they play until messages talk about a 'temporary cease-fire'
The next time the same battle will be continued using the same file shared by all player and which represents that battle on course...maybe after during the night each one studied new tactics to apply the next day (but HONESTLY)

ALSO REMEMBER that as I actually know SPWAW is not a real-time strategic game ( and I hope this will remain only
an option at all.I prefere chess instead of epilepsy ..) ).
So if four players have a turn 10 minutes long , you would probably stay 30 minuts on line without doing anything....
the problem is : "more than talk or write to other players
not active ,what can I do meanwhile ? "
(and I say 10 minutes..no Time out or Intervention Pausing..
considered to enlarge this busy-waiting time....)
What can you do ? something related to supplies for that
turn ? somthing related to breakdown , refueling , medical
option ? this could be a problem if you do not want to decay in
3 minutes turn long that is a SPWAW similar to real -time...

The best new incoming of this Point Y is that FINALLY I can
assist to my Op-fire while other player's turn instead of
going in the other room for not to see my enemy moving his
units..and discover his positions! SO WELCOME AT IT !!


Point Z : -Surrender Keys...
I played PBEM battles that often ended with bilateral agreements about ownership of flags ..after we enjoyed in waiting for final victory points...we played without knowing for certain value points of losses inflicted upon the enemy and
value of flags...now we have a way to determine final
results..so surrender key could be improved in a final treaty of
agreement in which you can offer flags rather than units to the
opponent to obtain a partial retire ..ecc.ecc. that is something more abstract

Point A1
GREAT GREAT GREAT """VICTORY EXIT ""..some thing that
I used with paper because not supported by the game...
GREAT IDEA !!! You try to save your crewmen because
of their experience and points of battles you save...!
You can purchase differently ..more trucks in order to be
eventually prepared to retire...
Likewise more importance to units should be given to units
you succed in saving trhough retreat hex when battle is going bad..
In addition there could be "Victory by time" an objective holded for a xxxx number of turns or " Victory on HQ " the objective is to destroy the A0 or a particular enemy unit or group of units..
In this case a supplementary intelligence service let you know
the supposed area where unit is or moves.....( game should not became craziness in searching out a unit..)
These victory conditions are less important in campagns if
the game supports the KAMPFGRUPPE concept...victory depends on what you still have in your group and how
little it will costs re-equip the survivors

As you can see I told you everything I could ! sorry for
kilometers of lines your eyes may not stand..I seldom write
suggestions ...but sometimes..
Bye to everybody I hope you will be patient..
Hi from Francesco

Hi everybody!

I agreed with Ilja Varha about German 88 -gun. It was designed to shoot mid or high -flying bombers not ground-attacking planes.

That's why I think that German 88 AA-version and other nations similar guns should not shoot planes just ground targets.

Steel Thunder

my mouth is watering cant wait for the new version!

question though....any plans/thoughts on implementing either a seperate delay setting for AFV hits (so we can digest all that juicy info without slowing the whole game down to a crawl) or a 'pause' feature so one can freeze the msg window before it disapears?

What the system really needs is some kind of rarity factor. Not an increased point cost, but an actual chance that a rarer tank may not be available on a given day. I'm a real lover of the obscure weapon (my personalised OOBs always contain speculative stuff like vehicles that never went into service), but if I add them, they're always available on the given dates. I think that uncommon vehicles and troop types should be available in the same way that Air Strikes are available. That way using it becomes a novelty and not the norm. Also this would prevent the automatic upgrading of units to the toughest types. They may not be available on the day.

I agree with Nikademmus. A pause feature so so you can freeze/pause the "hit" window on demand.

Nik

Originally posted by David Heath:
WHAT TO EXPECT IN SPWaW v3.0:

Some are what you can expect to find in version 3.0.

David Heath

David, How about variable visability? Examples, raining, cloudy moonlight, dust, dawn or dusk? Interesting or just crazy?

Ummm...those are already there, except for dust, which might be neat for desert terrain.