Matrix Games Forums

THE POINTS DEAR TO MY HEART

A transport TF, after it completes its mission, will return to home base. It should automatically begin loading for another voyage. It should continue transporting supplies/fuel/troops between one base and another until I tell it to stop. Currently it does one voyage then sits around doing nothing till I figure out what has happened.

When I wave the mouse over such a TF, the message “routine convoy” should pop up. This is to differentiate it from TFs that are not routine.

Transport by air. Again, I want to transport troops or supplies from one base to another. I expect the squadrons to continue working, day after day, till I order them to stop. Currently the crews make one flight then go for a beer. Why anybody would drink Queensland beer is a mystery to me.

When I wave the mouse over such a TF, the message “routine air transport” pops up. This is to differentiate it from those that are not routine.

POINTS OF MEDIUM IMPORTANCE

The save game file on my hard disk must have a name rather than a number. Makes it easier to send emails to a PBEM opponent.

At the scenario selection screen, the option to delete a file.

At the scenario selection screen, each scenario should have a start date, an ending date and the total number of days. It will help me to decide how to set the turn length for any given scenario. (I prefer a PBEM game to last no more than 3 months in real time).

On the toolbar, in the game screen, it needs to show the start date, current date and the ending date of the scenario now underway. It also needs to say “Day 28 of 254” or whatever it might be. This is totally independent of the turn length.

The ability to turn off the opening credits and videos.

The ability to turn off the closing credits.

When I insert the CD, the autorun menu ought to read “play” the game rather than “install” the game

For PBEM, it would be handy if the playback file was automatically packaged with the appropriate save game file


POINT OF LESSER IMPORTANCE

A dozen (or so) scripted tutorials. Each tutorial teaches about one
feature of the game. The intention is for players to be able to practice different
features without needing to practice every feature.

If I am playing against the AI and start a game playing as the Japanese, I might save the game and continue later. When I resume the game, I want to continue as the Japanese without having to advise the computer. It should be automatic.

In the various screens that list ships, beside the ship type abbreviation should be the ship type name. Example: AK Transport. BB Battleship. I know nothing about naval terms and the "handy reference card" is for board games.

The hex outlines are in 3 possible states: black, brightly coloured or off. We need a key so we can cycle between the 3 states.

A zoomed out map to see whole strategic map with base ownership. And the ability to receive the same base info that we do now.

Today, when I zoom in, a ground unit is quite often in the ocean. The graphics need a minor tweak.

Originally posted by Joe 98
THE POINTS DEAR TO MY HEART

A transport TF, after it completes its mission, will return to home base. It should automatically begin loading for another voyage. It should continue transporting supplies/fuel/troops between one base and another until I tell it to stop.

If I move 1 land unit from base A to base B I DON’T want the transport to go back to base A and move another land unit without being told to.

POINTS OF MEDIUM IMPORTANCE

The save game file on my hard disk must have a name rather than a number. Makes it easier to send emails to a PBEM opponent.

A number is easy enough to remember for the 20 seconds or so it takes to attach it to your email. I guess I could go either way on this one. For scenarios, however, I prefer numbers.

At the scenario selection screen, the option to delete a file.

Agreed.

The ability to turn off the opening credits and videos.

The ability to turn off the closing credits.

You can do this now. Delete everything in one of the sub-folders ( I forget which one right now). I have never seen a closing credit in UV.

When I insert the CD, the autorun menu ought to read “play” the game rather than “install” the game

I use a desktop shortcut. One would hope that you wouldn't even need the CD for WitP. It's not like all the Starcraft warez kiddies are dying to copy a monster wargame.

For PBEM, it would be handy if the playback file was automatically packaged with the appropriate save game file

Disagree. My opponent and I don't use the replay file because it is not 100% accurate. Instead, I record a video of my turn and send it to him.

POINT OF LESSER IMPORTANCE

In the various screens that list ships, beside the ship type abbreviation should be the ship type name. Example: AK Transport. BB Battleship. I know nothing about naval terms and the "handy reference card" is for board games.

Again, strongly disagree. For most of us, we have played wargames so long we know these things like we know our own names. Adding "Battleship" after "BB" would just be useless clutter for most of us.

I hope this doesn't come off as sounding too negative. I guess it's easier to shoot down ideas than to come up with new ones.

Yamamoto

Transporting land based units; I have discovered, after having the game for 3 months, that if a TF is set to computer control, it will do exactly as I requested.

The first time I played PBEM, I sent a file no 6 to my opponent who saved it over a previous file no 6 and thereby lost the game – unless he had done a backup. This is the only game I have ever seen that does not use names.
My game with Ted I name “Ted” and the game with Future is named “Future”. Neither name could be confused with “6”.

As for the opening/closing videos and credits, what you are doing is fiddling with the software. I come from the days of the Black Screen of Death – which preceded the Blue Screen of Death by many many generations of computers. Fiddling with software causes trouble. An option, included in the software, to turn it off would be better.

I too use a desktop shortcut. But for the shortcut to work requires the CD to be inserted first. I could disable the autorun but autorun is a way of life.

My current procedure if the CD is not in the computer:
Insert CD
Exit game
Read closing credits
Click on Icon
Hit escape 10 times till the game has loaded
Start playing


Played wargames so long? I have played wargames for 30 years. I have never played a naval game. Even reading the forums I haven’t the faintest idea what most of the initials stand for. And I have seen initials that are not even on the card.


The replay. You say it is inaccurate. But if the FOW is on, it will always be inaccurate. In fact the manual says your information is inaccurate and you will discover the truth after the game is complete.

And how can you send a video to your opponent? And how can you hide your moves?

Please consider this a very meek, inoffensive, and merely suggestive post. Inside the plastic box my copy of UV came in, there is a 4-page player aid. Within it is a list of ship abbreviations and what they mean ...

Originally posted by Joe 98

As for the opening/closing videos and credits, what you are doing is fiddling with the software.

The programmers told us we could remove those files without causing any problems so I think its pretty safe. Actually, I do that with many games. It beats hitting escape two or three times. Like I said, I didn't even know there were closing credits.

Played wargames so long? I have played wargames for 30 years. I have never played a naval game. Even reading the forums I haven’t the faintest idea what most of the initials stand for. And I have seen initials that are not even on the card.

Ok, I guess I’d be in the same boat if we were talking about land terms. I really don’t know the difference between a regiment and a battalion. I do know that a division is bigger than either, though, so I’m not entirely hopeless.

The replay. You say it is inaccurate. But if the FOW is on, it will always be inaccurate. In fact the manual says your information is inaccurate and you will discover the truth after the game is complete.

And how can you send a video to your opponent? And how can you hide your moves?

I’m not talking about FOW. I’m talking about some battles that turn out COMPLETELY different. In one battle, my CV group pounded a surface combat group that was in the same hex with me. Sunk them to the last ship. When my opponent played the replay he saw no air combat and instead saw his surface group engage my CV group and sink a DD (that’s destroyer for you land lubbers ).

I use a program called CamtAsia to record the combat portion of the turn. I cut off the last two seconds because after the combat, it goes right into the Japanese turn and I don’t want him to see where my ships are. The program is free but the files can get kind of big if the combat runs long. If you are interested, it can be found at www.techsmith.com . I also send the text file of the combat, which is really all the other player needs to find out what happened, but watching the pretty pictures is always nice.

Yamamoto

It varies a bit from one army to another and from one era to another, but generally:

A squad is made up of 10 men. (Its called a section in the Commonwealth countries)

A platoon is made up of 3 squads. Platoon headquarters is made up of an officer, a sergeant and 1 or 2 privates.

A company is made up of 3 platoons together with a company head quarters consisting of 2 officers 2 sergeants and a few privates.

The company commander is called the “OC” or officer Commanding.

A battalion is made up of 3 rifle companies and usually a support company which has heavy weapons such as mortars, heavy MGs and pioneers.

The battalion also has a headquarters with officers, sergeants, privates, cooks and truck drivers. It also has its own trucks.

The battalion commander is called a “CO” or Commanding Officer.

A brigade is made up of 3 battalions. (In the US a brigade is often called a regiment). A brigade also has various head quarters staff and various other assets.

A division is made up of 3 brigades again with head quarters staff and usually its own artillery.

A corps is made up of 3 brigades

An army is made up of 3 corps but sometimes has only 2 corps.

Above armies we get Macarthurs and Eisnhowers and Powels.

And above them we get civilians. As it should be.