The One Thing I Would Like To See

[JWE]

This game is so sweet! It has everything! and modders are focusing on many of the individual aspects; OOBs, air combat, gunnery, ASW, and the like, and making those aspects more realistic in game terms. But ...

The game is structured along the lines of what actually transpired over a 4 year period of warfare, and is predicated on what actually happened. Ship building (the ship OOB list) is represented as what resulted from Midway and the submarine campaign. Certain ships were built, others converted, and much time and materials were wasted by the dithering, backing and filling of the IJN Design Bureau.

Shoot, I am the IJGHQ. I'm also the Combined Chiefs of Staff. I'm the Materials Resources Board, and for all practical purposes, the god of Things. If I suceed at Midway, or decide not to burn my resources on it (i.e. KB lives and thrives), the game's ship building and availability program is "poop in a jar". What to do, what to do?

Each scenario is flat (linear). It can't be re-directed in midstream as a result of circumstances. But what if it could? What if Cid's BBO and CVO scenarios could be dynamically adjusted as a game progresses?

The save-game file seems to be the key. We are all able to devise, and agree on, a set of 2-3 alternative scenarios dependant on "major" circumstances. The base scenario should be pegged on the 1937-39 Replenishment Program for Japan, with the war progressing according to a player's competence and pinache. When things begin to suck, there should be some alternatives that a smart (winning) player can do. Why be saddled with numb-nuts decisions in 1943 by an historical Imperial Bozo that have no relation to the Hakku Ichiru that the player has imposed on South Asia.

OK, enough of the rant. I would like to see an editor, capable of editing a save-game file. Players could agree on a set of alternative scenarios (15a, 15b, 15c, etc) and when sh*t happens to one layer or another, the game came be adjusted to accommodate the new reality.

JWE

[m10bob]

If I understand the concept of your editor correctly, maybe the existing number of PP's you have would allow the modification to go to a certain extent and direction.
Maybe the editor screen itself would have 3 pics, (land/shipyard/aircraft factory.
Then, you click on one of the pix and the CPU looks at your total PP's and tells you what you can "buy"..
Maybe the army gets SMG's for its' troops, (or the late war tanks get researched and developed earlier)?
Maybe you wish to convert CA's or BB's to carriers sooner??
Maybe a 4th window could be for "SPECIAL OPERATIONS", like sending I-boats to Germany to bring technology like the rocket fighter to Japan sooner than it happened??
Since the game goes to 1946, (which is a hypothetical), maybe other options can be realized with this editor??

NOTE: ALL of the options I mentioned actually happened, (except only the paratroopers got the wide spread use of the SMG's).