brianleeprice
Posts: 176
Joined: 10/5/2001 Status: offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Warhorse: As I'm not aware of all that went on, am playing catch up. What exactly was it you put in that isn't going to make it, Brian? I know how it is, since I worked on these originally over 2 years ago, and am aware of the "oob blues"! Not always is it a case of just can't use something, or whatever, like the motorized infantry, for example. At first, there wasn't such a thing, then people clamored for indigenous transport as part of the platoon for these troops, so it was added. Well, then the trucks would rush the front lines, and soak up the then uncontrolled op-fire, people clamored for this is unfair. The code was changed to make trucks retreat to the rear at enemy sight, now it appears that with CC on, the trucks are not able to change orders, and are a hinderance. So, it seems that the original doctrine of seperate platoons for transport was sound, although a pain for quick purchase of motorized units!! I don't know what all that you had done for the oob's I'm afraid, so can't help here much, just curious!!
I'll restate that I resigned because of having the rug pulled out from underneath us across the board by Paul. Basically all of the work the team and I had done was thrown out and not just the latest work, heck we'd have had to restart from scratch starting with the preliminary v7.1's sent by Paul. Paul isn't here to defend himself and I'm not going to say that he was right or wrong from Matrix's point of view on these things but I felt it was pointless to continue in light of my new understanding of the 'plan'.
As to the exact changes that would not be going in:
1) All cost 'fine tuning' - mainly adjustment to crew served and unarmored AA units. No biggie, just being thorough.
2) Workaround to the old SP2 inherited '0.1 delay' by any nation to any hex for the 0 unit artillery piece of a formation. The workaround was not perfect but it did additionally solve the problem of the 0 unit artillery piece 'forgetting' it's last target hex. And led to what may well be more historically correct leg infantry formations.
3) Full backwards compatibility with v6.1. Note that this involved having to throw out a number of post v7.0 changes introduced into v7.1 by Paul or someone else. Basically we were going back to v6.1 infantry units, unit slot order, and ammo positioning. We were thoroughly testing assault behavior to make sure we didn't reintroduce any problems there.
4) Offboard artillery load outs reverted to v6.1 values - this really was a cost adjustment in disguise as it was impossible to adjust them directly.
5) Motorized formation restructuring - in order to work 'realistically' with C&C on we modified the motorized formations to keep the trucks and infantry seperated - this had been undone in the prelim v7.1s - however we did it in such a way as to avoid the heavy truck platoon carrying a platoon and a half mess from v7.0. Also we avoided having three different types of transport with three different speeds.
6) Infantry formation restructuring - this had a number of different forms depending on formation type. Basically we were shooting for a 'least common denominator' formation approach and getting as inline with general doctrine as possible under the limitations - this was made possible in part by 2) above. Probably the biggest was removal of divisional, regimental, and independant assets from all but elite company formations. This is part of what made 5) above possible.
7) This is a small one, but was one of those 'nice' things for those who play with C&C on - we were making a special code '21' command car formation for each nation. It sounds simple - but believe me it isn't.
As you can see, the changes were interlinked to some degree - once one was removed, the others began to unravel. Oh some of them weren't all that important and could've been lived without. Some cost adjustments would have been nice and I'm pretty certain that most would have agreed, but they were by no means a 'back breaker issue'.
I stated at the very start of this whole episode that my primary criteria driving everything else was backwards compatibility with existing scenarios, campaigns, and mega-campaigns. I could care less about any internal Matrix political problems in the backwards compatibility issue - I believed it was important for us, the players, and for the scenario designers who have been put through the wringer by all the changes.
I'll admit I posted out of anger and haste in the beginning of this thread, but damnit, I was angry! I think most people would have been.
Once burned twice shy though, I've adopted a wait and see attitude. If there is sufficient demand after v7.1 is released I'll try to reform the team and finish the work we started.
Brian
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