Editable??

Matrix Games Forums

Forums Register Login Photo Gallery Member List Search Calendars FAQ

My Profile Inbox Address Book My Subscription My Forums Log Out

Editable??

View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

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

Page: [1]

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

Editable?? - 10/28/2006 8:03:19 PM

hmssws

Posts: 26
Joined: 7/1/2004
Status: offline

Will this game be editable, where one could use it strictly as a strategic engine and fight the tactical battles on another tactical game if one wished to do so, afterwards, editing the results back into this game? I ask because I have done this with some other Strategic engines in the past (Thank you Frank Hunter) and this game does look like it may be very useful to my ambitions....Regards, Hank Smith

Post #: 1

RE: Editable?? - 10/29/2006 8:12:04 AM

gazfun

Posts: 1046
Joined: 7/1/2004
From: Australia
Status: offline

Yes I believe also this is an issue, that need to be looked at as there are editable software out there for a Tactical Battlefiled like ACDN Dividied Nation

_____________________________

(in reply to hmssws)

Post #: 2

RE: Editable?? - 10/29/2006 8:45:34 PM

Oldguard

Posts: 94
Joined: 9/15/2005
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: hmssws

Will this game be editable, where one could use it strictly as a strategic engine and fight the tactical battles on another tactical game if one wished to do so, afterwards, editing the results back into this game? I ask because I have done this with some other Strategic engines in the past (Thank you Frank Hunter) and this game does look like it may be very useful to my ambitions....Regards, Hank Smith

You have the option of turning tactical (detail) battles on or off in your options settings, so if you only want to play the strategic game you can and leave the tactical decisions to the computer. I know of no way to "edit" battle results back into the game, though - you'd be tinkering with the game files then, and I would personally want to try to avoid that.

(in reply to hmssws)

Post #: 3

RE: Editable?? - 10/29/2006 10:55:10 PM

Gil R.

Posts: 10821
Joined: 4/1/2005
Status: offline

According to Eric (= programmer), this would be VERY difficult to do. As Oldguard points out, one can just have the game automatically resolve battles and stick to the strategic game. But the truth is, our system should resolve battles better than another game would.

When the game comes out, if this is still something you're interested in attempting then ask again, and Eric will respond in a more detailed manner. (Right now, he's too busy with the flash intro, etc.)

(in reply to Oldguard)

Post #: 4

RE: Editable?? - 10/30/2006 6:30:42 PM

Oldguard

Posts: 94
Joined: 9/15/2005
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Gil R.

When the game comes out, if this is still something you're interested in attempting then ask again, and Eric will respond in a more detailed manner. (Right now, he's too busy with the flash intro, etc.)

It's my deepest wish that, once the game is published and we're playing, available programming time is spent on bug fixes and desirable (and workable) new features rather than on redoing something that can already be done in the existing game.

I have a feeling that player feedback after release is going to keep all of you guys very very busy for a while.

(in reply to Gil R.)

Post #: 5

RE: Editable?? - 10/30/2006 6:36:55 PM

Jonathan Palfrey

Posts: 535
Joined: 4/10/2004
From: Sant Pere de Ribes, Spain
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Oldguard
It's my deepest wish that, once the game is published and we're playing, available programming time is spent on bug fixes and desirable (and workable) new features rather than on redoing something that can already be done in the existing game.

Agreed. It sounds like a significant amount of work to satisfy a small minority of players. I have no disrespect for those players, and it would be great if everyone could be happy; but making everyone happy may not be feasible at reasonable cost.

I've already identified several ways in which I'd like the game to be changed; but those changes will probably never be made. It looks like being a good game; but perfection is forever unattainable.

< Message edited by Jonathan Palfrey -- 10/31/2006 7:16:53 AM >

(in reply to Oldguard)

Post #: 6

RE: Editable?? - 10/30/2006 7:29:19 PM

dh76513

Posts: 131
Joined: 9/19/2006
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Oldguard
It's my deepest wish that, once the game is published and we're playing, available programming time is spent on bug fixes and desirable (and workable) new features rather than on redoing something that can already be done in the existing game.

Oldguard, I could not agree more! This is the very problem with American Conquest: Divided Nation. Even after the latest release (1.86), the game seemingly still has numerous bugs and new patches are nowhere to be found! Furthermore, who would want to edit the geography of the United States during the Civil War era?

_____________________________

(in reply to Jonathan Palfrey)

Post #: 7

RE: Editable?? - 11/1/2006 8:44:53 PM

*Lava*

Posts: 1924
Joined: 2/9/2004
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Jonathan Palfrey

Agreed. It sounds like a significant amount of work to satisfy a small minority of players.

That's because the feature wasn't planned for at the beginning of production.

As a miniatures wargamer as well, I can only say that computer wargamer designers continue to ignore a significant population of potential buyers.

This is especially true because many miniatures players have difficulty finding opponents. To have a strategic game "setup" a tactical battle for a miniatures wargamer to play out on his own table has a huge potential for crossover and even franchise sales of miniatures designed to be played with the computer game.

The board game people seem to "get it." The computer folks.. still don't.

Ray (alias Lava)

_____________________________

(in reply to Jonathan Palfrey)

Post #: 8

RE: Editable?? - 11/1/2006 10:10:50 PM

Joram

Posts: 3198
Joined: 7/15/2005
Status: offline

Very well put Lava.

Though in fairness, unless you have a ton of manpower it's very difficult to think of everything to start with. But I do think they have some issues they need to address if they truly want the game to fulfill it's true potential. And is exactly why I want them to spend more time on the tactical battles. I'm one of those crossover people. :)

(in reply to *Lava*)

Post #: 9

RE: Editable?? - 11/2/2006 3:17:10 AM

ericbabe

Posts: 11927
Joined: 3/23/2005
Status: offline

Having the game halt so that players can get a printout of the OOB for a battle, then resolve the battle on their miniatures board, then type the results of the battle into the game and then continue the game is something a handful of people asked about for COG as well. Such a thing would be a major game feature, and we may consider adding such a thing in an expansion pack if enough people are interested in it. However, I didn't get the sense from COG that there were more than a small number of people interested in such a thing.

(in reply to Joram)

Post #: 10

RE: Editable?? - 11/2/2006 10:23:00 PM

Oldguard

Posts: 94
Joined: 9/15/2005
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lava

As a miniatures wargamer as well, I can only say that computer wargamer designers continue to ignore a significant population of potential buyers.

As a former miniatures wargamer, I can understand why. I have my own preferences in wargame themes and scale, and I have to acknowledge that the wargaming market (particularly computer wargames) is driven by economics. Developing and producing a top-quality wargame is not for the feint of heart or the light of budget. It can be a major undertaking in research, art, design, and coding. You simply must have some return on that investment or you can't pay the artists, coders and musicians who give your game life even if you're Gary Grigsby or Norm Koger.

quote:

This is especially true because many miniatures players have difficulty finding opponents.

See above - part of it is because it's now a niche hobby. Computer wargames have already put a huge dent in the old tabletop groups - at least in the U.S.

quote:

To have a strategic game "setup" a tactical battle for a miniatures wargamer to play out on his own table has a huge potential for crossover and even franchise sales of miniatures designed to be played with the computer game.

My local miniatures store has changed hands at least 4 times in the last 10 years because the owners keep going broke. It got to the point that I was ordering all my supplies online - then finally got frustrated with the lack of resources and opponents and went to electronic simulations. I'm apparently not alone there. Shame too, because I had several hundred dollars invested in a scale Panzer brigade.

(in reply to *Lava*)

Post #: 11

RE: Editable?? - 11/3/2006 12:34:35 PM

*Lava*

Posts: 1924
Joined: 2/9/2004
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Oldguard
See above - part of it is because it's now a niche hobby. Computer wargames have already put a huge dent in the old tabletop groups - at least in the U.S.

Ya think?

I've been painting and wargaming with miniatures for over 30 years. I have never seen the quantity and quality of miniatures companies as exists today.

You should stop by The Miniatures Page every now and then. Those folks host a continous stream of new products on a daily basis.

While I do agree that most business has moved online, that is a pretty natural deplopment, similar to computer games, which optimizes cost/benefit.

Having said that, I'm not going to engage in some sort of arguement over whether or not FoF is "good or bad" because it doesn't cater to miniatures gamers, because that is not what I was doing. I was merely making an observation of the computer wargaming industry in general, and in general, they ignore miniatures gamers.

The most glaring example is in advertising. The "Tin Soldiers" series and even the "Take Command" Series which seem naturals for miniatures players, were never advertised at The Miniatures Page.

On the other hand, although I don't remember the titles but there are at least a couple, the board game folks have come out with products which use miniatures instead of counters. One of them is a WWII game in 15mm which offers pre-painted miniatures which are compatible with the excellent and prosperous Flames of War series. This game (though I don't have much interest in it), WAS adverstised on The Miniatures Page and got a fairly good reception there.

Say whatever you want, but as a committed miniatures player (I will spend probably 3 times more money on miniatures this year than on computer games) I just don't see any attempt to try to woo this community and build bridges to prompt crossover.

Again, this is not game specific and I am looking forward to FoF, it's just an observation.

Ray (alias Lava)

_____________________________

(in reply to Oldguard)

Post #: 12

RE: Editable?? - 12/16/2006 6:32:44 AM

hmssws

Posts: 26
Joined: 7/1/2004
Status: offline

I have not purchased the game yet....I am sitting on the fence....I will probably purchase it regardless, but cannot till after Christmas in case my wife is buying it for me........but if the ability to edit battle results back into the strategic version was there, it would be a definate thing....I would hope that your game would do an adequate job of resolving battles with an excellent tactical portion to the game, but if not, then this would be a nice feature. I would not want to have the battle results determined without fighting a detailed battle....as much as I enjoyed Frank Hunter's game, I would have preferred it to have had the extra level....he did make me an editor for the purpose I requested though.....Good guy!!!!!

(in reply to *Lava*)

Post #: 13