An idea for the game

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All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War II] >> War In The Pacific - Struggle Against Japan 1941 - 1945 >> An idea for the game

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An idea for the game - 6/17/2002 12:05:35 AM

Posts: 3332
Joined: 7/17/2001
From: V�ster�s,Sweden
Status: offline

Hi

How about this:

When you click on a land unit and get a window with that units info why not include the divisional sign and the same goes with air sqaudrons. In UV we have a nice picture of the aircraft type and these sort of details will make the gamer better. But I guess its hard work but it was just an idea. Perhaps a units symbol should be used for Gary's Eastern Front game. Now that would be fun!
Dan

Post #: 1

- 6/18/2002 6:45:58 AM

byron13

Posts: 1589
Joined: 7/27/2001
Status: offline

I doubt Matrix will want to put the effort into creating squadron emblems and whatnot. However . . . .

The gaming community is terrific about creating unofficial modifications to artwork, databases, TO&Es, OOBs, etc., that are more accurate than produced by the game companies. Let's face it, some of us gamers are more rabid about certain battles, armies or whatever, and have more information at our disposal than any game designer would have at its disposal. I've always wondered why game designers don't set some issues before the gaming community to get their feedback. Matrix has actually done this with the fuel question in UV.

So, I pose this question to Matrix. U2's suggestion would be some nice eye candy, but I understand that finding divisional patches, squadron emblems, etc., is probably more than you all wish to undertake for the limited return. If a digital format were agreed upon, would you be willing to consider adding U2's suggestion to the game if the gaming community provided the information? I could foresee that the patches or emblems would be posted for all to see, vetted, and then processed by one member of the public to provide a uniform database from which you all could implement the suggestion. The onus would be on the public to find an emblem for the 5th Portugese firefighter regiment or the 2d Indian coastal battery battalion. If the public can't find them all (or a sufficient percentage), the suggestion is not implemented. I'm sure it only adds to your programming problems, but I would bet that an eager community would surprise you with its resources. My guess is that you'd have the vast majority of the information within three weeks.

Worth considering? Likewise, consider using the community's resources on other informational issues as well.

(in reply to U2)

Post #: 2

- 6/20/2002 3:11:42 AM

Posts: 3332
Joined: 7/17/2001
From: V�ster�s,Sweden
Status: offline

Hi Byron

Sort of knew from the start that this was asking for too much but I am sure that most players, just like you did, would like this. Willing to help with unit patches and sqaudron emblems if we could find enough people to share this burden of making it an even nicer looking game than it allready will be. For sure some units and unit types will be impossible to find patches for.
Dan

(in reply to U2)

Post #: 3

- 7/2/2002 4:32:31 AM

Sabre21

Posts: 8231
Joined: 4/27/2001
From: on a mountain in Idaho
Status: offline

I'll tell you what...if Matrix will leave a spot available on the unit and squadron screens where a unit patch or crest can be added thru editing...I am sure you will see a bzillion mods or so to this after it's release. Every US army division had a patch and every army regiment had a crest...those shouldn't be hard to find...not sure about the Marines...and I'm sure just about every air suadron had some kind of emblem. That would be kind of a cool add on.

Andy

(in reply to U2)

Post #: 4

- 7/5/2002 10:13:51 PM

byron13

Posts: 1589
Joined: 7/27/2001
Status: offline

The reality is that Matrix can't take the time to either do this themselves or provide for the option of allowing the community to do this for such a minor gain. It would be an endless nightmare to try and put all of this into game, and it is, in reality, nothing more than eye candy. Undoubtedly, there would be mistakes, and people would whine. Some unit would have changed its marking in the middle of the war, and some grog would whine about the fact that the game does not update it automatically. And then there is the problem of providing crests or marking for obscure foreign units. If you can't do it for all units, best not to make them for any. And, finally, I'm sure we're probably talking about a lot of effort to get the markings into a common format and a lot of space on the CD and in the computer to store all of the information.

Perhaps the best idea was Sabre's, but I still think that allowing the gaming community to insert the information into a blank space provided by Matrix is more trouble than its worth for Matrix. They have a budget and are trying to put out a clean, debugged game. This idea - in any form - simply causes more problems than its worth.

But I do emphasize to Matrix that the community has excellent resources and that Matrix should rely on the community for information when Matrix does not have the information readily available. We are, after all, a free and eager resource.

(in reply to U2)

Post #: 5

- 7/6/2002 10:01:40 PM

Spooky

Posts: 816
Joined: 4/1/2002
From: Froggy Land
Status: offline

[QUOTE]Originally posted by byron13
[B]The reality is that Matrix can't take the time to either do this themselves or provide for the option of allowing the community to do this for such a minor gain. It would be an endless nightmare to try and put all of this into game, and it is, in reality, nothing more than eye candy. Undoubtedly, there would be mistakes, and people would whine. Some unit would have changed its marking in the middle of the war, and some grog would whine about the fact that the game does not update it automatically. And then there is the problem of providing crests or marking for obscure foreign units. If you can't do it for all units, best not to make them for any. And, finally, I'm sure we're probably talking about a lot of effort to get the markings into a common format and a lot of space on the CD and in the computer to store all of the information.

Perhaps the best idea was Sabre's, but I still think that allowing the gaming community to insert the information into a blank space provided by Matrix is more trouble than its worth for Matrix. They have a budget and are trying to put out a clean, debugged game. This idea - in any form - simply causes more problems than its worth.

But I do emphasize to Matrix that the community has excellent resources and that Matrix should rely on the community for information when Matrix does not have the information readily available. We are, after all, a free and eager resource. [/B][/QUOTE]

Yep, things such as patches or crest are only eye candy ... but it is what many people are looking for !

Sabre's suggestion is very good. Matrix would let a blank space in the unit screen - space that could be filled by a graphics file (jpeg or bmp or whatever ...) with a file name such as unit_name_flag.jpg (if jpeg file).

It would be the job of the WITP community to provide a mod containing some or all of the graphics file. Of course, Matrix would not have to provide any tech support for it.

In a more general point of view, the more "mod-able" WITP is, the more it will sell. For instance, the unexpected success of complex games such as CM, Europa Universalis or Space Empires 4 is in part caused by the developement of many user-created mods.

Spooky

(in reply to U2)

Post #: 6