Kudos on SC

Matrix Games Forums

Forums Register Login Photo Gallery Member List Search Calendars FAQ

My Profile Inbox Address Book My Subscription My Forums Log Out

Kudos on SC - WWI!

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

Logged in as: Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> Strategic Command Series >> Strategic Command: World War I >> Kudos on SC - WWI!

Page: [1]

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

Kudos on SC - WWI! - 10/13/2020 5:54:52 PM

Willard

Posts: 125
Joined: 2/7/2004
From: Up the Nung river past Do Lung bridge...
Status: offline

Just wanted to drop a quick post complimenting the design team on SC-WWI. I have the original SC game, which I still fire up now and again, but I skipped out on the previous SC versions. Recently picked up SC-WWI and played through a complete 1914 scenario. Ended my first game with a stalemate after some initial learning curve issues and mistakes. Very enjoyable game that does a great job at the WWI grand strategy ebb and flow. For me, it definitely had that "just one more turn" vibe, which is the highest compliment a game can get in my opinion.

Some initial thoughts...

Likes:

National Morale system - Really well done and something I should have paid closer attention to earlier in game. I made a poor transition to attritional warfare to really hammer the French, instead opting for a more defensive approach.

Operational warfare evolution - Liked the 1914 fast moving game switching into trench warfare before advancements open up the battlefield later in the war.

Sub warfare - Liked the impact on convoys and national morale system.

Trench warfare model - Thought this is very well down, especially with the need to keep reserves and shuffling units in/out of the line.

Possible improvements:

Artillery - Agree with some posts on this topic. I think it is almost at the right balance but probably needs some minor tweaks to limit number of shells per turn (perhaps by decreasing the shell limit per turn but increasing the stockpile rate to spread it out>?). Of course shells were in short supply so there was a need to stockpile for offensives.

Attacker casualty rate - Maybe needs to be upped a bit? Seemed a slightly lower than it should be. Probably lowering the arty shell rate will get this where it needs to be.

Sub attacks - Against conventional ship attacks, seems a bit OP.

Some suggestions:

Russian Civil War Scenario - The engine seems like a no-brainer to simulate the Russian CW. Any thoughts on a future scenario?

Reports Screens - Some good reports, but unless I am reading some of them incorrect, I found it difficult to assess impact of sub raids and offensives. Other than the national morale index, never really found another war report that was helpful in assessing how the war was progressing.

--------

Really looking forward to additional updates and enhancements to this game. Great job and keep up the good work!

_____________________________

Post #: 1

RE: Kudos on SC - WWI! - 10/13/2020 9:34:55 PM

OldCrowBalthazor

Posts: 1108
Joined: 7/2/2020
From: Republic of Cascadia
Status: offline

I think your spot on with your assessments about this wonderful game.

I also agree that a Russian Civil War scenario would be a great addition. The map is perfectly suited and at the right scale to give a feeling of the immensity of that conflict, (The periphery like Eastern Siberia and the Japanese occupation interesting but not consequential), with the theater space where all the myriad actors can play.

Oh, by the way, Captain Willard, there's that matter of the destroyed hotel room in Saigon....and the bill.

(in reply to Willard)

Post #: 2

RE: Kudos on SC - WWI! - 10/14/2020 5:53:41 AM

Tendraline

Posts: 36
Joined: 9/28/2020
Status: offline

I would also say that there should be a distinction between light/medium (e.g. FT) and heavy (e.g. Chamond) tanks, something which would have hammered the Allies' advantage in 1919. And also add armored trains (especially for that RCW campaign).

And also better naval/land interaction, not only with more and better naval landing mechanics but also land countermeasures such as coastal guns and rail guns.

Also, far more aggressive Ottomans. They tend not to push in my games. Like, not at all.

< Message edited by Tendraline -- 10/14/2020 5:54:16 AM >

(in reply to Willard)

Post #: 3

RE: Kudos on SC - WWI! - 10/14/2020 12:56:04 PM

Hubert Cater

Posts: 5199
Joined: 7/22/2013
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: OldCrowBalthazor
Oh, by the way, Captain Willard, there's that matter of the destroyed hotel room in Saigon....and the bill.

Good one! Hopefully his hand has healed up by now as well

_____________________________

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FurySoftware

We're also on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fury-Software/233842800005900

Join our Steam Community:
http://steamcommunity.com/groups/strategiccommand3

(in reply to OldCrowBalthazor)

Post #: 4

RE: Kudos on SC - WWI! - 10/14/2020 5:10:03 PM

Willard

Posts: 125
Joined: 2/7/2004
From: Up the Nung river past Do Lung bridge...
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: OldCrowBalthazor

Oh, by the way, Captain Willard, there's that matter of the destroyed hotel room in Saigon....and the bill.

Useless fact - Martin Sheen was completely trashed when filming that scene!

Unrelated...one of my favorite movies of all time. Prefer the theatrical version as Redux really incorporates some M*A*S*H (the movie, not the tv show) type humor elements that I don't think work within the larger context. I like the plantation and elements of the Bunny firebase show scenes, but prefer to do without the Kilgore chasing them down river for his surf boards (right before the tiger / mango scene in the theatrical cut).

(in reply to OldCrowBalthazor)

Post #: 5

RE: Kudos on SC - WWI! - 10/14/2020 8:25:48 PM

FOARP

Posts: 641
Joined: 12/24/2012
Status: offline

Apocalypse Now (just like Blade Runner and, in another way, any film made recently by Peter Jackson) really proves that the studio execs who relentlessly cut down movies to make them audience-friendly knew what they were doing. There is just no excuse for films being longer than two and a half hours.

_____________________________

American Front: a Work-in-progress CSA v USA Turtledove mod for SC:WW1 can be seen here.

(in reply to Willard)

Post #: 6

RE: Kudos on SC - WWI! - 10/15/2020 1:47:22 PM

Hubert Cater

Posts: 5199
Joined: 7/22/2013
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Willard

Unrelated...one of my favorite movies of all time. Prefer the theatrical version as Redux really incorporates some M*A*S*H (the movie, not the tv show) type humor elements that I don't think work within the larger context. I like the plantation and elements of the Bunny firebase show scenes, but prefer to do without the Kilgore chasing them down river for his surf boards (right before the tiger / mango scene in the theatrical cut).

Agreed and it is one of my all time favourites as well. I also found the plantation scene interesting but the whole feel of the film changed with what felt like goofy elements in Redux... the mood was more serious/dark for sure in the original theatrical release.

Forgot to add, very glad to hear you are enjoying the game as well!

_____________________________

(in reply to Willard)

Post #: 7

RE: Kudos on SC - WWI! - 10/17/2020 7:45:44 AM

Willard

Posts: 125
Joined: 2/7/2004
From: Up the Nung river past Do Lung bridge...
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: FOARP

Apocalypse Now (just like Blade Runner and, in another way, any film made recently by Peter Jackson) really proves that the studio execs who relentlessly cut down movies to make them audience-friendly knew what they were doing. There is just no excuse for films being longer than two and a half hours.

The BR dilemma is an interesting one. The theatrical cut of BR is really burdened with Harrison Ford's crappy narration element, which was included to add a film noir element. Ford purposely hammed it up because he didn't want to do it. The ending is a bit of a mess as the end cut scene of Deckard and Rachael driving away in the mountains is actually left-over stock from the intro drive seen to the Overlook Hotel from Kubrick's The Shining.

The BR director's cut, gets rid of the narration, which I think is good, while also tweaking the ending. Instead of Deckard and Rachael driving away the movie ends when they leave the apartment and the elevator doors close. I like this ending better as it really fits better with the broader themes of the movie - the future, after the elevator closes, is wide-open for Deckard and Rachael...and Rachael doesn't have an "expiration date" like the other replicants.

I don't like the aspects introduced in the director or final cuts hinting (or as Scott claims now) that Deckard is a replicant. The movie works better with Deckard as a human, as it creates the broad contrast necessary with the other replicants - Ray Batty, Leon, Rachael, etc. The bigger point for me is that the humans - Deckard included - are living a miserable human experience and are hollowed out of any emotional core due to their circumstances. It is the replicants - who are not human - who are striving to live and squeeze ever last precious second of their existence. This "doesn't" work if Deckard is a replicant.

Ford has stated that Deckard is human, and Scott - only after the fact - started to tweak this in the multiple follow-up cuts. Personally have no issue with creating the ambiguity but I think Scott really is stretching things in the follow-up versions. Ultimately it is his movie and he can tweak it to fit his vision, but I think you are spot on that sometimes these directors need push back from the producers and editors to get the best product.

(in reply to FOARP)

Post #: 8

RE: Kudos on SC - WWI! - 10/17/2020 8:16:27 AM

OldCrowBalthazor

Posts: 1108
Joined: 7/2/2020
From: Republic of Cascadia
Status: offline

This "doesn't" work if Deckard is a replicant.

[/quote]

As a film buff, I agree with this sentiment. I did like the ambiguity of the premise that Deckard 'could' be a replicant, but I think you are correct in the observation that if he was, it would of diminished the lust for life and morale justice that the replicants were seeking.

One other thing, speaking of long movies...there is one I'm glad is long, and that is Lawerance of Arabia. That's one on my top 10 greatest, which includes Apocalypse Now, and Bladerunner.

(in reply to Willard)

Post #: 9