Here is a snippet of the "readme" that will be shipping with the product. Matrix Games calls this file a "WhatsNew". Thought you might be interested, since one of the questions asked by most everyone is "Are there enough changes for me to buy this game again?" If you read my interview, over at Armchair General magazine, you'll see why I think you should. However, some people just need "more proof"...[;)]
So, without further ado, here it is. Read on...
[font="times new roman"]Change History:
V1.00 – June ?, 2006 (Initial Release of TOAW III)[/font]
[font="times new roman"]
TOAW veterans, as well as beginners, should read the TOAW III manual carefully before playing. Many changes exist from The Operational Art of War: Century of Warfare, version 1.04. What follows below, is a partial list:[/font][font="times new roman"]
Revised the manual and help file, to get rid of incorrect data and references going all the way back to TOAW I.
The manual is now on .pdf and is searchable. Also, the manual is more up to date than the Help file at this time.
You now put the scenario bitmap (BMP) in the same directory as the scenario instead of in the graphics directory.
New method of creating BMP files for scenario briefing illustrations, which is described in depth.
Scenario related documents should be put in the same directory as their scenario. A button on the 'Start A New Game' screen will indicate whether a scenario has an associated document. Clicking on this button will load the appropriate reader for the document.
Scenario specific graphics and sound are enabled.
A full description scenario list is included as a start menu item, along with a how-to on creating scenario briefing BMP files, the equipment database, and the manual.
New terrain and GUI graphics incorporated. Classic TOAW terrain graphics are included and can be easily swapped.
Expanded the sound library.
Number of available events allowed doubled to 999.
Number of supply points that may be placed in the scenario editor was raised to 99.
Supply calculation algorithm enhanced to reduce time spent during the Automatic Bookkeeping Phase.
Memory management issues with previous versions of TOAW under Windows XP have been solved. This now allows scenario dumping in the editor that caused previous versions to crash when running Windows XP.
Resource leaks in previous versions of TOAW found and plugged. You can easily more run multiple copies of the program, and editor, without crashing.
French and German are now supported.
There are 3 dlls, English, French and German. If one of these is renamed to 'language.dll' then it will be used for the strings, etc. while playing. You can also rename the DLL to 'Arracourt 44.dll' (for instance) and place it in a sub-folder called Arracourt 44 within the Graphics directory, and it will override the strings in the normal program.
PO logic substantially improved, especially for a PO attacker. PO uses its artillery more effectively. It will seek to both split units, and recombine them, as a situation warrants.
Max Rounds Per Combat feature implemented as a scenario design option, which can dramatically reduce the turn burn from earlier versions of TOAW.
[/font]
[font="times new roman"]Incorporates an updated anti-armor combat model, Norm Koger's farewell gift to the TOAW engine, which allows for hits to be made against weaker side armor.
Major ferry capacity is no longer required for land units entering an anchorage hex on Major River, or Suez Canal hexes.
Other movement costs have changed slightly, and are noted in the manual.
High Altitude bombers are now subjected to anti-aircraft fire. Equipment which fires at Low Altitude only, also lends a small proportion of its strength to High Altitude fire. AA fire is made "at range” as well, subject to communications checks. You will not see the numbers in the database changed, but all AA attrition rates were increased in the code.
Ships strengths are no longer considered in the unit strength scaling.
Turn used and planned attacks indicators show in the "bolted” display panel and the information panel.
Selected unit supply, proficiency and readiness stats now share the display in the turn info panel.
Numerous additional hotkey commands. See manual for details.
Nuclear release event can now be set from 0-99.
Nuclear effects are properly scaled per hex size.
Replay issues on maps with x>255, y>255 hexes resolved.
PBEM cheating addressed, with warnings to affected players. PBEM loading and saving options changed. No longer able to load in-process PBEM games into the scenario editor.
High supply, No borders, Movies, and SitRep Log options are now available in the Advanced Game Options pane. See manual for details.
Naval units now only reconstitute in deep water hexes.
Low MP unit combat is improved. Zero MP units may now fire without using the entire turn.
You may set Windows file associations for .SAL, .PBL, and .SCE so that TOAW III will automatically start, when these file types are selected to open from any directory. Note, this loads .SCE files into the regular game for playing, and not into the editor for editing.
Adding, or deleting units in the force editor will no longer mess up the events for following units.
Sea-borne units should now work better in going around corners. In CoW, the Attu scenario was broken because the pathfinder couldn't find a path to the final destination.
Database change: F 22 Lightning is now F-22 Raptor
Display problems in CoW for the last lines of OOB's in formation reports, and equipment in the unit report were fixed.
Inoperative Theater Option scroll bar removed. Limit of available TO's is 16. This was true before, but the bar confused everyone.
Inserting an event, should no longer screw up those in the list below it.
Events that activate themselves no longer cause the program to crash.
Entrained, embarked and retreated artillery no longer provides support.
Menus no longer take up 100% CPU cycles.
If you put graphics files into the AltGraphics directory, TOAW III will read from this folder first.
Dropped the Targa format (TGA) for maps, and now using bitmaps (BMP).
Clicking on HQ button toggles between HQ units and artillery units.
You can't use your opponent's fording ability while attacking any more.
Enemy traffic jams no longer impact your ability to attack any more.
Event trigger for starting between turns X and Y was NOT working linearly. There should now be an equal chance for each year.
When splitting or recombining, replacement priority was not held over. It now is.
Fixed a bug allowing mountaineers to cross a Major Escarpment at no additional cost.
Fixed a bug where retreats of an HQ unit did not retreat towards the nearest HQ unit.
Fixed a bug where you got a supply boost by being adjacent to ENEMY HQ units.
Fixed an obscure bug where player 2 got the benefit of player 1's ESS checks.
Hotseat no longer affected by variable initiative, and follows the same order as PBEM.
Several other obscure bugs squashed[/font]
Edit: to clean up the text formatting. It did not come across from the document as nicely as I would have wanted. That's what you get for rushing it to the screaming masses, in a hurry before heading off to work...[:D]
Dutch
