Matrix Games Forums

Finally! Here are three screenshots for you to take a look at. Without further ado..

Bart

Shot 02

Shot 03

Very nice!

We luv ya Bart[:D][:D][:D]

I have some question, comments and praise.

Praise: [:D]
I like the textured look of the map.
I think the terrain features also look cool.
The classic style fonts give the map a more period feel, good idea.
The art work for the battle screen is real nice.
The battle interface looks user friendly.

Comments: [;)]
It is hard do distinguish between garrison and corps makers. The markers are the same size and the artwork (which is cool) is similar for the two counter. At first glance I thought the corps and garrison markers were corps makers (screenshot 1). But after looking closer I could distinguish between the two. This could cause confusion in the game. Corps markers should be bigger than garrison markes and the art work should be differnt. Players should be able to quickly, without thinking be able to distinguish between corps and garrison. There are no numbers to tell the size of the garrisons.

The cities seem to look the same for the most part. Except for Constantinople which is a large icon all the other cities are the same or very similar. Provincial capitals like Belgrade and Bucharest (which is in the wrong area) have an additional spire to idicate what they are but that isn't very noticeable. In the case of Sofia the spire is covered-up by the garrison and can't be seen. If I hadn't been familiar with the boardgame verison I wouldn't have guessed those cities to be capitals. Also what about garrison capacity, Nish and Nicopolis look like the same size city but in the board game Nicopolis can hold 15 factors but Nish can only hold 10. The same holds for defense value of the city. Nicopolis has a defense value of 1 and Nish has no defense value but you can't tell that by looking at the map.

It appears that you can find out this info be clicking on the city (assuming that's why there is a red border around Constantinople). But people who own the boardgame will have an advantage in games because they will have maps which give that same info at a glance. While people who only have the comp game will have to click on each city.

The borders need to more easily differentiated. Area and provencial borders look very similar. Also there are no broders along rivers. There should be a national border seperting Turkish Belgrade and Schabcz from Austrian Temesvar and Peterwardien.

Questions:[&:]
Will you be able to zoom in and out? Screenshot 1 is fine for moving corps around but I would like to be able to zoom out and see the whole theater of comabt. It will be more important for moving fleets.

release date?

I don't mean to come across negative or nitpick. I just want this game to be the best. I think my comments are of sufficiently important matters to warrent discussion. I really do think you guys are doing a good job

[&o][&o][&o]ALL HAIL MARTIX!!!! [&o][&o][&o]

Great Job Bart. I really like the look of the screen shots. [8D]

Very Nice map...I like the faux oil look of the water! Counters could use some apparent depth perhaps. Fantastic idea. This game calls out for computer adaptation


Are you chaps planning an AI?

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Are you chaps planning an AI?

I believe so.

Yes, AI is included in the game. We are fleshing out some recent updates to the combat system to make sure that we are true to the EiA game.

Bart

Looking good Bart. Keep up the fire!

Great stuff, Bart, thank you for all your efforts in the design and in trying to keep all the impatient muppets happy.

I think the map is absolutely excellent, although I hope the plan is to darken the divisions between sea areas so that they are easier to see.

The unit counters? I assume that further development is planned. To be honest with you, I think that they should be wider (possibly even oval rather than rectangular, more artfully bordered (to blend with the map artwork more pleasingly to the eye), emphasize the nation identification disc at the bottom, and include a larger image of the unit type. The background landscapes, it seems to me, are a waste of graphic imagery and confuse the eye of the beholder (just a paean to you old fantasy game players).

What about making the unit type image the full upper portion of the icon, figurine fashion, with the nation ID disc a full base for the image, with the text information, now in that unattractive lilac-colored box, in between?

Of course, I would be happy if the unit counters looked like a pile of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog's poop as long as the game itself is as fun to play as I hope it will be.

ORIGINAL: Hoche
[&o][&o][&o]ALL HAIL MARTIX!!!! [&o][&o][&o]

[&o]

Seriously it looks nice and I'm stil waiting for the release as many others... Hoche had some good points expecially about the graphics.

Zooming out and being able to easy see what is Corps and what is garisons when viewing in "zoomed out" mode is very helpful.

Don't you hate it when we beg for screenshots and then blast 'em when you post 'em?

Tough being a game producer.

Anyway, I really like the screens except - you knew it was coming - the tendency for all games, not just this one, to move toward smaller fonts. We weak-eyed folks have a really eye-weary time of it.

Now for the good part - the game looks real good.[:)]

I agree the screenshots are great!

I also agree that a different shape for corps and garrisons is a good idea. Making corps a little wider (almost square?) would leave more room along the bottom to make what appears to be the movement allowance stand out from the corps name. In the screenshots, the movement allowance stands out on the fleet counter, but is hard to make out on the corps.

There's no "blasting" going on here. I merely suggest that the unit representations might be improved, but maybe it's just my aesthetic preference. As I said, I have no real problems with what I see, and would be happy to buy this game without graphic changes. I'm just trying to be helpful.

ORIGINAL: pasternakski

There's no "blasting" going on here. I merely suggest that the unit representations might be improved, but maybe it's just my aesthetic preference. As I said, I have no real problems with what I see, and would be happy to buy this game without graphic changes. I'm just trying to be helpful.

Same here I'm very excited about the game. I am just pointing out things that could be better. I don't think I blasted the screenshots. But seeing the game's progress and making comments is one reason I was begging for screenshots.

Hi Guys

We always welcome your comments, its one of the things we think really make us differernt at Matrix.

I can't figure out what you're doing with the fonts.

In the third screenshot the words "Round 1" "Round 2" are quite readable but the words "Attacker select your strategy" are very rendered like a dot-matrix printer from 1980... Dot-Matrix... Matrix... is there an inside joke happening here?

Very impressive!

ORIGINAL: Greyshaft

I can't figure out what you're doing with the fonts.

In the third screenshot the words "Round 1" "Round 2" are quite readable but the words "Attacker select your strategy" are very rendered like a dot-matrix printer from 1980... Dot-Matrix... Matrix... is there an inside joke happening here?

I believe this is the reason matrix was reluctant to release screenshots at this time. That font will not appear in the final version of the game...they'll wait until everything else is finished until they do the final graphics changes...which I assume will include changing that font.