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All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War I] >> Guns of August 1914 - 1918 >> New player questions and comments

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New player questions and comments - 2/11/2008 8:17:25 PM

Sabre21

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

Hey guys..I downloaded this not long ago just in time for all the recent updates..including the beta patch, so I have a few questions I would like to ask. I read thru here and the rulebook and didn't find what I was looking for.

One of the first screens that come up is the set-up screen. I noticed if you choose too large of a screen size..that part of the display is missing and once the game commences..that you're pretty much screwed at this point because you can't advance past the first attack. It took me awhile to figure this one out..there was nothing in the documentation and having to restart the game a couple dozen times was frustrating. Why isn't there an option to change set-up during gameplay? Why do I have to quit the game and re-start it in order to change set-up? Why isn't there a "Full-Screen" option that uses my entire monitor? This is a pretty common feature in all other games that I've played. I've never before encountered a game where parts of the screen are out of view that I can't access.

I initially played as the CP but realized rather quickly that it was a pretty tough going and not the best way to learn the game mechanics. Speaking of which I didn't find any type of tutorial..is there a tutorial? Having played a large number of strategy games over the last few decades..this one wasn't all that difficult to eventually understand..but a tutorial at first could have helped.

I switched over to the Entente side and played a few games just to get to know the game mechanics and saw the AI pretty much has 3 strategies as the CP. East first..west first..and a crush the serb scenario.

Both games I played thru when the computer had the east first scenario ended in a German surrender at the start of 1916 and the removal of all their units and the game just ended. It was pretty anti-climatic..and a bit frustrating because the game was getting pretty good..I was just starting to make a come-back on the eastern front and was 4 hexes from berlin on the western front having just taken prague when the germans gave up. There were tons of german units on the board and just didn't understand this. Is there a way to turn off the auto-surrender? I would have liked to play thru that game. Also Is there a way to turn off the annual victory point screens? I would just like to play from 1914 till 1918 without any intermediate stops.

I don't really get the point of airpower. Sure you can recon and eventually shoot down the other side..and from what i read it helps in arty..but is there any form of air support affecting land combats other than arty? If not why not? Both sides had bombers and at the very least fighters strafed ground troops and trenches. Germany even bombed England in WWI with both zepplins and bombers both of which seem to be missing.

I noticed that during the Strategic phase when I am placing my points for R&D or building a new unit..or any of the other strategic functions..that when I select OK on that particular screen..I can no longer edit those options. If I hit "Cancel" while the screen is initially up..I can re-start that particular process but I can't go back to it once the "OK" button has been pressed. This is frustrating in two way. First I have to re-do the entire screen just for a single edit and secondly, I have to make darn sure it's the way I want it before hitting "OK". What was the reasoning for this method? Seems pretty awkward and un-forgiving.

As for the Research screen in the Strategic phase..I don't have a clue on how close I am to acheiving the next level of a particular R&D type. Those percentages that are given seem to do nothing but confuse me. I can be at the same percentage level for a few turns despite putting points into it then all of a sudden I'm at the next level. Is this function broken? Why can't I allocate more than one point a turn in a specific area? I can understand it..maybe..for game-balancing..but if the answer is to maintain some form of historical semblance..is there a way to turn that off..I'm trying to play a game..not re-do history..because I already know the outcome.

Well this should be a good start..I'll probably have more later:)

Sabre

Post #: 1

RE: New player questions and comments - 2/11/2008 11:35:53 PM

SMK-at-work

Posts: 3396
Joined: 8/28/2000
From: New Zealand
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sabre21
Why isn't there an option to change set-up during gameplay? Why do I have to quit the game and re-start it in order to change set-up?

You can save setups and reload them then alter them as you want and save them again.

quote:

Why isn't there a "Full-Screen" option that uses my entire monitor?

dunno sorry

quote:

is there a tutorial?

Nope

quote:

Both games I played thru when the computer had the east first scenario ended in a German surrender at the start of 1916 and the removal of all their units and the game just ended. It was pretty anti-climatic..and a bit frustrating because the game was getting pretty good..I was just starting to make a come-back on the eastern front and was 4 hexes from berlin on the western front having just taken prague when the germans gave up. There were tons of german units on the board and just didn't understand this.

surrender is a function of national morale - not how many units you have left - morale calculations are shown in the resources allocation screen each strategic phase & the history of morale factors can be viewed by clicking yuor country on the victory screen IIRC.

quote:

Is there a way to turn off the auto-surrender? I would have liked to play thru that game.

You did play through the game - it ends when you're beaten!! :)

No you can't turn the surrender off.

quote:

Also Is there a way to turn off the annual victory point screens? I would just like to play from 1914 till 1918 without any intermediate stops.

IIRC they only show once - 1 year after teh start of whichever campaign you've started isn't it?

In any case it doesn't take long to cancel them.

quote:

is there any form of air support affecting land combats other than arty?

quote:

If not why not?

Because at this level they had little or no effect.

quote:

Both sides had bombers and at the very least fighters strafed ground troops and trenches. Germany even bombed England in WWI with both zepplins and bombers both of which seem to be missing.

Yes they are missing - the only effect of strategic bombing was to use up valuable resources on both sides that could have been better used elsewhere.

They could be in to allwo such decision making...but they are really quite peripheral to the winning or losing of the war.

Tactical air attack was nothing like as useful as it was in WW2 - increasing the effectiveness of artillery in the attack is probably ample to cover it.

quote:

As for the Research screen in the Strategic phase..I don't have a clue on how close I am to acheiving the next level of a particular R&D type. Those percentages that are given seem to do nothing but confuse me. I can be at the same percentage level for a few turns despite putting points into it then all of a sudden I'm at the next level. Is this function broken? Why can't I allocate more than one point a turn in a specific area?

I agree the %'s are confusing & I don't really know what they mean either!

But the function is not broken. you can only put 1 point per area per turn because that's teh way the game works - it took time to develop stuff, so you have to make an ongoing investment in research to get any benefit.

IMO it's a superb system that many other games shuold be copying!!

quote:

I can understand it..maybe..for game-balancing..but if the answer is to maintain some form of historical semblance..is there a way to turn that off..I'm trying to play a game..not re-do history..because I already know the outcome.

no you can't turn it off.

You get to alter history plenty in this game - but only within systems that are designed to mimic the way things were done at the time - no-one if forcing you to develop tanks for hte Allies, or Storm Troopers for the CP - you get to make those decisions yourself - it's a WW1 game - not a free-form RPG

- so it reflects the state of things in WW1.

(in reply to Sabre21)

Post #: 2

RE: New player questions and comments - 2/12/2008 1:47:31 AM

wargamer123

Posts: 278
Joined: 9/30/2007
Status: offline

I think some of the selections make it difficult during reinforcement and Menu selection, they could be streamlined and or there could a failsafe in case of errors. You will however learn your way through them during a few games. It's best not to make errors. Since the game has WEGO turns you can always reload so long as you do not attempt to do a PBEM cheat.

Usually if you take your time though and breath the interface works, at first I admit I wasn't sure if it was...

The game has a good accuracy feel, second to none for Strategic WW1 games, which I don't know of too many. It's the best I've ever tasted.... I have some very very historic games, nearly down to the battles... I admit WW1 casaulties were a bit higher in a shorter period but you can pretty much simulate them if you're patient.

(in reply to Sabre21)

Post #: 3