Automatic Rail Repair

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> Gary Grigsby's War in the East Series >> Automatic Rail Repair

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Automatic Rail Repair - 12/18/2010 2:44:39 PM

HHI
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I don't know what others are experiencing, but it seems to me that the construction batallions dumped out by various HQ are looking for the most useless conceivable location. It would be helpful if we could get control of where these units are being placed.

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RE: Automatic Rail Repair - 12/18/2010 4:05:10 PM

karonagames
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As the auto repair cannot repair rail lines in front of your rail heads, they are not adding to the logistics ability, simply "back-filling the rail grid". There have been many comments about them repairing "Blind alleys", so perhaps Joel has put this on the list to be optimised.

During testing, we all thought they were a great idea, as they saved a ton of micromanagement time.

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RE: Automatic Rail Repair - 12/18/2010 4:54:38 PM

Redmarkus5
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I'd like to see this either:

1. Abstracted, so that rail repair just automatically radiates out from higher HQs in supply and cities (some rail repair would be done by civilian workers assigned to the task, no?) or;

2. Micro-managed so that the player decides where each rail repair should be done by spending 'rail repair points' with a mouse click.

Either way, I would lose the units from the map, which is already complex enough.

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RE: Automatic Rail Repair - 12/18/2010 5:02:39 PM

elmo3
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Unlikely the whole rail repair part of the game will be redesigned at this point. I have found it to work quite well. Just let the AI handle the side lines while you focus on the main lines with your FBD's. I really don't see the problem here.

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RE: Automatic Rail Repair - 12/18/2010 5:13:09 PM

Redmarkus5
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I really wish you guys would stop responding with "I don't see the problem here", or "It's not a Bug". It's a comment I'm making. A preference. A small point about user experience that relates to customer satisfaction and customer reference's.

If my corporate clients raise an issue like this, we respond by describing an option (possibly in a patch 12 months down the line) to toggle between solution A and B. Then we take that to our next User Group meeting (this Forum is your real-time User Group) and ask for opinions. If there is good support for the change, we view it as a factor affecting customer experience, word-of-mouth marketing and, ultimately, sales. We dovetail it into our product roadmap, with a score for prioritisation, and list it for a specific release. The roadmap is published for all to see and we reference that when future complaints are raised.

Finally, we cover the cost of dealing with Change Requests through Support Fees - you will cover them by selling expansions to a happy client base.

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RE: Automatic Rail Repair - 12/18/2010 5:31:50 PM

elmo3
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You were asking for a major redesign and I don't see enough of a problem to justify that but it's just my opinion. You are entitled to your opinion as well. But it's not a bug.

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RE: Automatic Rail Repair - 12/18/2010 5:51:19 PM

Redmarkus5
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I agree it's not a bug. It's a comment on a feature. Please note that I didn't even start this thread... :)

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RE: Automatic Rail Repair - 12/18/2010 6:01:17 PM

PyleDriver
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Really the 5 FBD units are a game in its self. In my two AAR's you will notice I put alot of planning on where they go for future coverage of supply. If you do it properly it really doesn't matter what the AI does with CB's...By spring of 42 those little suckers have the entire rear convered. I really don't want to deal with that task...

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RE: Automatic Rail Repair - 12/18/2010 6:04:00 PM

Flaviusx
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Personally, if I had to micromanage my CB's for rail construction, it would drive me mad. I'm perfectly content using them as a fire and forget subunit to backfill the rail line, and directly control the big boys so far as the most important rail lines go.

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RE: Automatic Rail Repair - 12/18/2010 9:54:47 PM

IdahoNYer
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Think it works great as is - pretty much like the old SPI War in the East, except with additional automated help to police the spur lines.

One question though - what happens if one of those player controlled FBD units gets destroyed - is it rapidly reconstituted?

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RE: Automatic Rail Repair - 12/18/2010 10:09:29 PM

Joel Billings
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I realize that the CBs on the map are a pain and kind of clutter the map, and I can sympathize with those that want them removed. However, it is unlikely that this item will get a redesign as it's a low priority. If down the road there was a way to add an option not to show the CBs on the map but to simply have them be removed, perhaps that would be an improvement. Of course, we'd have to make it so they didn't count against stacking or one wouldn't know why they couldn't put units in a hex that contains them and there would be no way to get rid of the CB if it was in the way. That kind of exception code might turn out to be more trouble than it's worth. I think it's all a matter of priorities, and as I said, I see this very low on the priority list.

FYI, we encourage comments from users on how they would like to improve the game. All improvements have to be weighed against the opportunity cost of the time spent on them versus other possible changes, so a discussion of the merits of a suggestion is also welcome. As long as everyone keeps it civil these discussions can go a long way to improving the game. Thanks all.

< Message edited by Joel Billings -- 12/18/2010 10:10:16 PM >

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