berto
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A couple of (private) Dev Forum posts, from quite a while ago, late February. Some minor changes to the Awareness System since then, and many other changes to the Vietnam game in general, including the ALPHA graphics, what you see here.
quote:
ORIGINAL: berto
About the new Awareness system:
In recent VN play testing, I have observed that sighting in general, and helo spotting in particular, is way too all-seeing. The Americans & co. especially have been enjoying way too much intelligence of the enemy's whereabouts, also his fortifications etc.
In the new Awareness system, I have nerfed the omniscience. [The omniscience has been nerfed in other ways besides.]
Here, for example (a screenshot taken from a game last December), is an example of how it has been, the before:
How is it, even allowing for the high flying helos, that the Americans can see enemy units and their entrenchments even through Dense Jungle? How can the Americans possibly know about that IE(D)? Under any reasonable portrayal of FOW, they can't, or shouldn't.
Here is the new, the after, in the scen editor:
Whenever you select any of
Set/Clear Mines
Toggle Cave Hex
Toggle Tunnel Hex
Toggle IED Hex
whether through the menu, or the toolbar, a special "Awareness" overlay displays on map.
Initially, when you place one of those four markers, a "n/a" (not "not applicable", rather "no awareness") label overlays the marker. "n/a" means there is no awareness of that mine etc.; neither side is aware of its existence.
If you cycle to the next awareness setting, whether by Map -> Cycle Awareness or by pressing the Tab key, "A" replaces the "n/a". This signifies that Side A (but not Side B) is aware of those mines etc. Whether because they laid the mines etc., or didn't (or had forgotten about them), but have since (re)discovered their placement.
If you cycle to the next awareness setting, "B", this signifies that Side B (but not Side A) is aware of the mines etc.
At the next cycle, "AB", both Side A and Side B are aware of the mines etc.
At the next cycle after that, it returns to "n/a". Thus, there are four Awareness possibilities:
n/a, neither side aware
A, Side A (only) aware
B, Side B (only) aware
AB, both sides aware
(Note by means of Map > Reverse Cycle Awareness or the Ctrl+Tab hot key that you can reverse cycle through the possibilities as you wish.)
When you select a different action item, such as marking a Trench, placing a Wreck, etc., the Awareness overlay vanishes, any n/a, A, B or AB all disappear. If you press one of the highlight buttons, the awareness overlays stay. They only vanish if you select one of the competing action items. Or deselect Set/Clear Mines etc. (toggle OFF the toolbar button).
I will demonstrate the effects of these different awareness settings in a moment. Let me first say: Think of the possibilities.
With (most) every mine etc. marked n/a, this might suggest a situation where one side laid the mines etc. days, weeks, or months before; later, an engagement happens here where neither side is mine etc. aware.
With (most) every mine etc. marked A or B, this is the typical situation where one side laid the mines etc., knows and retains awareness of them, while the other side is unaware. To the other side, they are (initially) hidden from view.
With (most) every mine etc. marked AB, this might suggest a situation where Side A laid the mines etc. in an earlier scenario in a LCG; that this is a later scenario in the LCG where by now the other side has learned about, has become aware of, the first side's laid mines etc.
This opens up some interesting new scenario design possibilities, I hope you can see.
About the list
Mines
Cave
Tunnel
IED
These are hex features that intrinsically, by their very nature, are hidden (or meant to be). Why are Trench, Bunker, Pillbox etc. not included in that list? It's because they are not intrinsically hidden. They could be hidden, but due to surrounding terrain, not by themselves. So for example if a Trench is placed in a Light or Dense Jungle hex, it too would be hidden, but because of the jungle cover. A Trench in less obscuring terrain would be seen according to the ordinary (legacy) LOS rules.
In the screenshot above, by means of the appropriate Awareness cycling, I have assigned side awareness as shown. Side A (Americans) is aware of the mines & IEDs around its firebase (to the east); and Side B (NVA) is aware of its IEDs (scattered about to the west).
Here is how the Americans would see -- rather, not see! -- those IEDs:
Even though the American helo is flying high and can survey the battlefield widely
It cannot sight the TRenches, BunKers etc., due to the jungle terrain.
It cannot sight the IE(D)s, because they lack Side A awareness of thos IE(D)s.
Compare with the very first screenshot above, where then the high flying helo could see absolutely everything. Dumb! Much better now!
Here is how the Side B NVA would see the scene:
Even though some of those IE(D)s are out of LOS, still the NVA are aware of them, hence can see them, because they have been marked Side B aware (see above).
[to be continued ...]
quote:
ORIGINAL: berto
[... continuing]
Turning instead to Middle East (and a modified Saasa test scenario as an example), here are some minefields with various side awareness markings, as seen in the scen editor:
After the Side A (Israeli) first move, this is what they see in game:
Compare with the scen editor view above to verify that the Side A Israelis can only see mines marked either A or AB.
After the Side B (Syrian) move, this is what they see in game:
Compare with the scen editor view above to verify that the Side B Syrians can only see mines marked either B or AB.
Compare also to verify that neither side can see any of the mines marked n/a.
If a blind side stumbles upon a mine etc., does it then become aware of the mine etc.? But of course! A side can become newly aware of a mine etc. whether through movement, or assault, or perhaps a few other sensible ways.
Once a side gains awareness of a mine etc., it retains awareness of the mine etc. to the end of the scenario. There is not losing awareness, no forgetting of discovered mines etc.
That then is the new Awareness system. You can appreciate how this will signficantly impact game play. Because of that, it is an optional rule, sort of. Meaning to say, it is a -- no choice -- intrinsic feature of the Extreme FOW optional rule. But if you really want to retain (legacy) all knowing, all seeing awareness (within LOS) of mines etc., then play with ordinary FOW. (Wimp!)
This new feature, together with other recently added new features (many of them designed to nerf the "queen" helos) will be available in the forthcoming VN EXEs, to be released later this week.
I mentioned above where the Vietnam game system has since seen many other changes. Here for example is the latest scen editor Map menu:
Compare with the above, and maybe you can spot some of the changes, and at least one new feature (to be more fully revealed in some future Sneak Peek, maybe).
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< Message edited by berto -- 4/17/2018 4:12:38 PM >
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