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All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [American Civil War] >> Forge of Freedom: The American Civil War 1861-1865 >> RE: Wish List

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RE: Wish List - 3/29/2007 5:53:00 AM

Drex

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A supply wagon would realistically service only one brigade at a time anyway. This way you get to choose which brigade gets supply, that is, if you can get the wagon there.

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Post #: 601

RE: Wish List - 3/29/2007 3:57:01 PM

Ironclad

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Automatic supply would be handy to ensure that the lowest supplied unit within a supply wagon radius gets topped up particularly if there are a lot of units to keep track off. However If one wanted to resupply one unit repeatedly (ahead of others with less supply) then you would need the facility to turn if off.

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Post #: 602

RE: Wish List - 4/3/2007 4:27:42 PM

Paper Tiger

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Have been playing with randon hidden leader stats and finding it a bit below par to be fair.
I was wondering if it would be possible to keep the leader ratings non random but hide both the ratings and the leaders name and portrait until all the ratings become visible.
So all leaders would start as 1 star, all leaders would have a blank or generic photo and either a random name or a blank name with a random number USA01, USA02, CSA01 etc
Those names and photo's would remain in place until all 4 of the main stats are visible on the leader at which point the name and photo would become those linked to the actual general.
I would also randomise the start position of each general similar to the disease trigger, so that each leader would turn up in an area with at least one brigade but would have a better chance of appearing in areas with larger groups of troops.

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Post #: 603

RE: Wish List - 4/4/2007 12:15:43 AM

General Quarters

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It seems better to me to generate entirely new leaders, as the game does now. Otherwise, the player is just trying to guess which one is Grant, which one is Lee, etc., and would have a good chance to deduce it from a couple of ratings or teachable skills. That would be less like the real situation of Lincoln and Davis than the current game.

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Post #: 604

RE: Wish List - 4/4/2007 3:46:01 PM

Paper Tiger

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The problem with straight random leaders is that you will very very rarely get a Grant or Lee or Jackson or Sherman etc even a leader with an average of 6 is highly unusual.
Of course a way around that would be to have two level randomness, first one is for an overall level Terrible to Superb and variation 1 to 5. Then a Superb leader with a variation level of 1 would be Grant or Lee effectively only a -1 variation could drop them below 8 average would be 8887 sometimes 8877 as a 0 or +1 variation would leave the leader at 8 while a Superb with a 2 variation could end up say 6788 and a Superb with a 5 variation could end up 3688 you can still end up with a flawed genius or an idiot with one good trait Normal 4 variation 5 could easily give 0181 or 0786.
Would need to tweak the % chances for the different levels and variations but my guess is that a Grant or Lee should turn up on average once a game each side.
As it is I have never seen any random general with a skill even approaching those two the best random I have had was 6756 good but a way off the top guys.

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Post #: 605

RE: Wish List - 4/4/2007 7:18:31 PM

General Quarters

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Ah, I see your point, Paper Tiger. I was assuming that the formula for generating random generals was tailored to producing, within each game, a talent distribution similar to historical numbers, but I haven't played enough to know. Who wants to refight the war with no generals of the caliber of Lee and Grant?

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Post #: 606

RE: Wish List - 4/5/2007 11:33:45 AM

Paper Tiger

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Casualties in a seige should be linked more to the level of supply, and the defender should lose supply based on the time and type of seige.
Encirlce should reduce supply by 1 per turn, normal by 2, bombard by 1 plus a chance that the bombardment may destroy some additional supplies etc.
Perhaps level of supply should affect things in a similar way to the artillery bonus for attackers and as a engineer bonus for defenders. For an attacker higher supply means more ammunition to throw at the defender, for the defender medical supplies, food, and ammunition to fire back and try and keep the beseiging gunners quiet.

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Post #: 607

RE: Wish List - 4/6/2007 2:36:43 PM

General Quarters

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Army and Battle Reports

It irritates me that, to see the results of battle, I have to look in two places -- the Army Report in the Events Report and the Battle report along the top edge. Battles are the main event of the game, and I want to know what happened. It is important to me to know if I am picking up or losing weapons.

The Battle report would be more useful if it contained the info you get right after a battle, showing unit casualties, quality gain, number of rallies, etc. That way you would have a chance to go back and review that detailed info.

(in reply to Drex)

Post #: 608

RE: Wish List - 4/6/2007 2:49:26 PM

Ironclad

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Yes or alternatively I would be happy if one could could go from the battle history report to see the original casualty report. Even as things stand the beta reports are a great improvement and much appreciated.

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Post #: 609

RE: Wish List - 4/6/2007 10:02:28 PM

pzpat

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From: California
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     Of the things I think about while I'm playing the game, I remember only a couple. One change I would very much like to see is the ability to access the events page for the entire game you are playing, not just the previous turn. That would let you see the flow of the game, and show you what had happened, so you could track things, like the surrender of enemy generals and economic and political events.
    Second, there are so many changes that different people have suggested, perhaps it would be advisable to present many of these changes as options, or to allow these changes to be incorporated by the individual gamer to reflect his preferences.
    I like the beta a lot, and wholesale changes are bound to affect the balance, playability and enjoyment of what would for other games be considered a finished product. Just my cent-and-a-half.

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Post #: 610

RE: Wish List - 4/7/2007 11:08:12 AM

christof139

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Let me redo the entire Guns.txt file. What is the scale of HWs?? i see about a 200-yard/meter per hex scale more or less now. if this is in the manual then I missed it.

Chris

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Post #: 611

RE: Wish List - 4/7/2007 11:09:54 AM

christof139

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I'd just rather hide/fire etc. some Leaders and see their stats, rather than the opposite, so i don't use hidden stats.

Chris

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Post #: 612

RE: Wish List - 4/11/2007 4:25:13 PM

General Quarters

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Statistics screen:

When I go to this screen, all the buttons are lit up and the chart is a maze of lines. I always want to look at one thing at a time, so I have to go "turn off" all the buttons but one. It would save considerable clicking if just one report -- such as Strength -- were lit up at the outset.

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Post #: 613

RE: Wish List - 4/17/2007 9:01:09 PM

Paper Tiger

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How about a sliding difficulty bar which shows swing to/from US/CSA based on the scenario and options picked.
So if you choose Southern Steel you get Historical, if you choose Standard scenario you get Even balanced game, you can then adjust things further by tweaking the various other optional settings.
A Red/Blue bar with Historical and Even points marked and a slider moving along as you choose options would be good. You could then calculate a victory level at the end of the game based on the game balance and the end date.
An end screen noting major game points, total casualties, leader casualties and a final score would be great. Better than a simple end screen saying CSA/US victory which is a bit of an anticlimax.

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Post #: 614

RE: Wish List - 4/18/2007 11:08:31 PM

pzpat

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I agree with paper Tiger's request for an end screen that will give you information about the game you just finished. Matrix Games' War in Russia has it right. After Stalin surrenders and the game is over you can examine the enemy cities and their forces and see what is there, see how the computer organizes its armies and see the attributes of the units that were most effective against you. Very satisfying.

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Post #: 615

RE: Wish List - 4/19/2007 7:46:39 PM

General Quarters

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Battle Meter:

Some games have some meter or visual representation of how the battle is going. I play only QB at this point, and it would be great to have such an indication.

Oddly, there is a declining number of total troops involved in the combat. If nothing else, it would be good to have two numbers, one for each side.

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Post #: 616

RE: Wish List - 4/23/2007 5:00:10 AM

gregbcs@yahoo.com

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i haven't bought it yet..... but I promise I will. I just bought k. pocket, and i want CAW, and i want X-Com..... and I want... anyhow..... I noticed in the tactical battle screens you have pictures of miniatures doing battle. Is there an option (or can it be added) to have counters instead of miniatures? more of a board game feel.

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Post #: 617

RE: Wish List - 5/16/2007 12:02:44 AM

dolphinsfan9910

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I'd like to have some historical battlefields. For instance, if I got into a battle in Chatanooga, have the actual layout of the town. If I have a battle in southern Ogio, and I have the scounting check advantage, I would like top pick Gettysburg as an option.

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Post #: 618

RE: Wish List - 5/16/2007 12:10:01 AM

dolphinsfan9910

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Sorry, that's Southern Pennsylvania

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Post #: 619

RE: Wish List - 5/16/2007 12:21:41 AM

General Quarters

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I would have sworn it was southern Ogio, or at least somewhere in Ogio.

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Post #: 620

RE: Wish List - 5/16/2007 12:24:14 AM

dolphinsfan9910

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I'm not doing to good here.

Additionally, maybe offer a scenerio like the one in the Book "1862". In this book, they take a historical incident in which a British mailboat was intercepted by a Union warship after it left Havana, Cuba. The Union forced the mailship to stop, and "kidnapped" 2 Confederate politicians headed for London.

The historical incident took place, but it was dealt with politically. In the book, the British use the incident to go to war with the Union, and form a semi-alliance with the South.

By the way, a great book, but it was definately written by a Yankee, as the South and the British combined get their buts whipped.

I'd also like to see start dates for games, like right after Vicksburg and Gettysburg were won by the North. Or better yet, have a new game start in a detailed battle of Gettysburg, and take it from there.

Other ideas:

have a list of the states and times you can get special units, like the Extra Billy Smiths or Ellsworths......

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Post #: 621

RE: Wish List - 5/16/2007 12:34:48 AM

General Quarters

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Interesting ideas. And from a Dolphin's fan!

Keep 'em coming.

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Post #: 622

RE: Wish List - 5/16/2007 3:27:10 AM

dolphinsfan9910

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This probably isn't the place to discuss this, I remember an overall Matrix wish list, but can't remember where it was.

I don't know if you guys talk with the other Matrix war games makers, because this game (FOF) is the absolute best thing I've played. At 33 years old, I've been playing video games since the "good ole days". I think my first "war game" was combat on the Atari 2600.

Anyhow, If more games offered both the strategic and tactical play that is offered in this game, I would likely buy them all. I absolutely love GG World at War. It has great strategic play, but the battles are automatic. If they went into player controled tactical battles like the ones in the old Panzer General, it would be so much better. That game kicked butt but had no strategic play.

I would also like to suggest that the Matrix games offer graphics on the tactical field like those in FOF. For some reason, I can't get into a game with Chit View graphics. I would love to play Conquest of the Agean or any other number of Matrix games, but I have this minor neurotic issue.

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Post #: 623

RE: Wish List - 5/17/2007 1:09:00 AM

Mugswumpy

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All,

Just jumping in quickly...been playing FoF for about 3 weeks now, and my main complaint is the whole generals tracking/movement system. Again, this is only a suggestion (and possibly a toggle), but is it possible to create a 1 star general inherantly with the creation of a unit? And when a div/corps/army unit is created, have the game ask for a suitable general from the immediately lower ranking group be promoted to command the unit? This way all units would have a suitably ranked general of some quality at all times.(I am no ACW historian in any sense, but I am assuming that all units would have had a commanding general, regardless) The player would still of course have the option to reassign/trade/demote/promote, but you would never be left in a situation where your groups are "leaderless" due to the wrong mix of general ranks in the area, nor have "extra" generals with no proper sized group to command.
Vacancies due to combat losses would be delt with immediately after the battle, with manditory promotions and new 1 stars being created to fill in the ranks.

Since this would require a immense number of generals (1 per unit after all) -- another option: one star generals would be ignored completely and just assumed to exist with the unit, only div command and higher would be represented with a named general with stats.

If you need to limit the availability of higher ranked generals(ie - USA has 2 4 star generals assigned to armies already), do it through limiting the ability to create additional container units.

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Post #: 624

RE: Wish List - 5/17/2007 1:30:13 AM

moose1999

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What a wonderful idea dolphinsfan - being able to do battle on a historical battlefield from time to time.
But I am sure adding historical maps would be too time-consuming for the developers.
However, what if they let a handful of devoted volunteers take a crack at it...? Much like the general's biographies project...
I'm sure the community could produce some wonderful maps - and all the developers had to do was find a way to implement them.
Perhaps let the historical maps be triggered by things like date, place, army sizes etc.
Man that would be cool...

Norman

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Post #: 625

RE: Wish List - 5/17/2007 10:12:26 AM

pixelpusher

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quote:

ORIGINAL: briny_norman
But I am sure adding historical maps would be too time-consuming for the developers.
However, what if they let a handful of devoted volunteers take a crack at it...? Much like the general's biographies project... I'm sure the community could produce some wonderful maps - and all the developers had to do was find a way to implement them.
Man that would be cool...
Norman

Hey, this is actually something we're seriously talking about doing, for a Forge expansion pack! The historic maps would come up when you were in the right province, and you would choose between them. ie When you win the scouting check you could pick between 'forest' (random) 'swamp' (random) and 'Gettysburg' (a loaded map). Having a community-based project could be an excellent way to do maps, because it would allow people to do whichever areas they found interesting. We could set up a voting thing to rate the maps before they'd be distributed. We'd also need some way to make sure that everybody playing head to head has the same mapset synched up.

Some of the battlefields don't quite fit onto a HW map, but maybe we could do them in chunks or something. ie Wilderness1, Wilderness2, etc.

We've also been thinking about having a Hexwar-only mode, so you could play historic maps / battles in sequence, for a score. Like a ladder.

Anyway, great ideas, guys!

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Post #: 626

RE: Wish List - 5/17/2007 5:23:27 PM

cerosenberg

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Railroads and the war

"...professionals study logistics." I am new and may have missed points in the manual. I apologize if anything I mention has been incorporated.

The American Civil War was dominated by logistics; hence, railroads, rivers and seas. Not only did the south have fewer railway miles but significant problems in its infrastructure. While Northern lines used an "I" beam, southern used a "J" beam. The "J" beam limited speed and weight, slower with less capacity. The Union government encouraged and forced different railroads to connect their lines, esp in cities. Southern military units would often have to disenbark and transfer to a new train when moving between railraods. I imagine these features are incorporated into the railway points.

In an historical senerio the CSA should not be able to increase railroad points. The South did not lay one new mile of track though they did occasionally move track from one place to another. More important, the South did not have a single factory able to build locomotives. Is this or can this be implemented in a senerio?

These limitations are important in supply. The primary military (as opposed to psychological) effect of Sherman's march through Georgia was the destruction of the railraods. The actual destruction of supplies was minimal compared to the stores which existed in the whole state. The destruction of the railroad kept all those supplies from going anywhere useful to the war effort. Is there any way to eliminate railroads? If eliminated the Union should be able to repair railroads, which the South could not (see above).

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Post #: 627

RE: Wish List - 5/17/2007 9:26:02 PM

Gil R.

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cerosenberg,
You should start this in a separate thread, lest this thread suddenly turn into a debate about railroad capacities.

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Post #: 628

RE: Wish List - 5/17/2007 10:02:18 PM

cerosenberg

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Dear Gil,

Sorry, I was not trying to strat a new debate. The "wishes" are to be able to eliminate railroads and repair them. The rest was merely the reasons behind the request. I should be happy to start a new thread if there is any interest.

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Post #: 629

RE: Wish List - 5/18/2007 3:11:00 AM

dolphinsfan9910

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Something like that might make sense.

Lets say I'm CSA and had Kentucky, made and nice little run into Ohio, but viewed on the horizon a larger and more formidable force coming my way. I would at least damage the train tracks to stop my enemy from using it. You couldn't "destroy" rails in the entire province, but you sure could damage them.

Of course the ability for the North to repair rails would be much higher due to steel producing towns like Pittsburg, Baltimore, New York, Boston, and so on.

(in reply to cerosenberg)

Post #: 630