What Changes in the CD Version

[DRG]

M256 said:
Don and Andy,

I would like to thank you for listening to us and altering the code to give the MBT's with better FC and RF more hit to kill probability. I really think that this is the kind of attitude that makes the difference.

There is another thing that I discovered we (specially the scenario/campaign designers) really need, and it is the capability of changing the experience, moral, armor, infantry and artillery levels of all units of a given scenario. It's really a pain to go from unit A0 to the last unit of a scenario changing each value for every unit, uint leader, and formation leader.

The clone feature is really great, but it is only related to the hardware items such as weapon ammo modification. Perhaps it could also include the other values also, but what I would like to suggest is an application like the WAWed that Fred Chlanda developed for SPWAW. That, if possible in any way, would be a most useful tool.

Again, thank you guys for a fantastic game. I really love WinSPMBT and apologize for my rants on the accuracy issue, but please understand that my previous experience with game developers was not exactly with the kind of people that actually listen to us and (this is too good to be true...) bother to alter the code to accommodate our needs.

Finally, I want to say that the Armorsite is at your disposal, if there is anything you want me to do to help your efforts (besides buying the CD, which I already did) via my web site, just drop me a note : fprado@fprado.com.

Well, this is it.

Best regards,

Fabio Prado

If we get a complaint or concern that we consider valid we will deal with it but only if we consider it valid. We are not changing anything we feel changes things in ways we disagree with or "dumbs down" the game at all. FC and RF accuracy has been tweaked slightly and we are looking at a couple of issues involving high vision number spotting ATM. All combine, ever so slightly, to fine tune accuracy for the "high end" equipment

If you know about WAWed then you also know there is a WW2ed. if you ask Fred nicely maybe he'll build you a winMBTed

Don

[DRG]

DRG said:

If you know about WAWed then you also know there is a WW2ed. if you ask Fred nicely maybe he'll build you a winMBTed

Don

Actually you may be able to use WW2ed with WinSPMBT. I just tried to modify moral and experience in winspmbt with ww2ed and it *appears* to work. This is NOT a full recomendation. You would need to do some SERIOUS testing with WW2ed before issuing a scenario altered by it but it appears to do what you want it to do. You may still want to contact Fred for a proper version built for winspmbt

Don

[Fabfire]

DRG said:
If we get a complaint or concern that we consider valid we will deal with it but only if we consider it valid. We are not changing anything we feel changes things in ways we disagree with or "dumbs down" the game at all. <snip></snip>
Don

Sure. That is the *obvious* right way to do it, and I assumed it was clear that I feel exactly the same way, too. I couldn't agree with you more on this subject than I actually do. What I meant, however, is that *if and when* you get a *valid* comment, you will take action, and will do your best to find a solution. This is healthy practice and deserves recognition. Not everyone in your position would think and act like you and Andy do.

DRG said:
Actually you may be able to use WW2ed with WinSPMBT. I just tried to modify moral and experience in winspmbt with ww2ed and it *appears* to work. This is NOT a full recomendation. You would need to do some SERIOUS testing with WW2ed before issuing a scenario altered by it but it appears to do what you want it to do. You may still want to contact Fred for a proper version built for winspmbt
Don

I haven't tried WW2ed. I should have done that. My mistake.
Anyway, I will accept your suggestion to contact Fred. Hopefully he will built a version for WinSPMBT, to the benefit of all its community.

Thank you for your kind attention,

Fab

[DRG]

M256 said:

Sure. That is the *obvious* right way to do it, and I assumed it was clear that I feel exactly the same way, too. I couldn't agree with you more on this subject than I actually do. What I meant, however, is that *if and when* you get a *valid* comment, you will take action, and will do your best to find a solution. This is healthy practice and deserves recognition. Not everyone in your position would think and act like you and Andy do.


Fab

The point I wanted to emphasize was that we do not change the game just becasue someone thinks something should be different or to make a particular group of people happy even if we think it's wrong. It may seem "obvious" that is the wrong way to do things but the " give 'em what they what no matter what" school of thought is alive and well in many businesses if they think it will increase sales. Increasing sales ( although desirable ) is not our main motivation.

Don

[Listy]

My turn...

Walls? there are at current no walls in the game.. is it possibly to have one of these? (I know the hedge works fine, but it's just as an eye candy thing).

I found a bug, in the force selection screen. It was a PBEM game and both sides had alot of stuff, enough to bring in the arty not canceling bug.

The "Previous" link at the bottom of the force buy screen (The green writing on the right hand side) took you to the start of the display while the "First page" link took you up a page.

[DRG]

Listy said:
My turn...

Walls? there are at current no walls in the game.. is it possibly to have one of these? (I know the hedge works fine, but it's just as an eye candy thing).

I found a bug, in the force selection screen. It was a PBEM game and both sides had alot of stuff, enough to bring in the arty not canceling bug.

The "Previous" link at the bottom of the force buy screen (The green writing on the right hand side) took you to the start of the display while the "First page" link took you up a page.

No plans to add walls. I know some people think they are a wonderful addition but I don't.
There was a problem with overrun text on that screen that we cleared up some weeks ago. I haven't seen it since so I'll say this has been fixed. If you see it again save the game and post it and I'll look at it if possible. What you describe doesn't quite fit with what I recall the problem was though. Like I said, if you see it again send it along

Don

[Nox]

Hi again. I have 2 more questions if I may:

1st. Correct me if Im wrong but I can not find a logic in choosing battle sides. If I select player1 to be USA and player2 to be Viet Cong, player1 USA appears on the right side of the map. Now the problem is that I can not choose USA to start on the left side at all it always starts on the right side of the map. Some Vietnam maps are designed so that USA should start on the left side however this is impossible to do... So could it be changed so that Player1 would start Left and Player2 would start Right by default?
Or even better have a Swap Sides option like there is in the Editor Screen.

2nd. This is more of a cosmetic thing, but anyway:
In enclypedia if there is no Picture available for a unit it does not show the Pm00000.lbm "No Photo Available" -picture. It only shows the picture in purchase screen. In enclypedia and battle it shows nothing at all. Was this done intentionaly?

[DRG]

Nox said:
Hi again. I have 2 more questions if I may:

1st. Correct me if Im wrong but I can not find a logic in choosing battle sides. If I select player1 to be USA and player2 to be Viet Cong, player1 USA appears on the right side of the map. Now the problem is that I can not choose USA to start on the left side at all it always starts on the right side of the map. Some Vietnam maps are designed so that USA should start on the left side however this is impossible to do... So could it be changed so that Player1 would start Left and Player2 would start Right by default?
Or even better have a Swap Sides option like there is in the Editor Screen.

There is a logic in choosing sides. We set that down when the game was first being developed and picked the "most logical" sides for each pairs of nations. Now.. there are 92 nations so the chance of someone not liking the choice we made for one combination is quite high.. Yes? It was decided that the US player in Vietnam plays from the coast and faces inland for generated battles. I have no idea what the "swap sides" button could potentially screw up in a generated battle or campaign. We'll put that on our "maybe think about" list

Nox said:
2nd. This is more of a cosmetic thing, but anyway:
In enclypedia if there is no Picture available for a unit it does not show the Pm00000.lbm "No Photo Available" -picture. It only shows the picture in purchase screen. In enclypedia and battle it shows nothing at all. Was this done intentionaly?

That's the way those screen have always worked AFAIK. The "no Picture available" LBM was only originally intended to be used by OOB developers and a blank one inserted for release but we left it in right from the start and it's always stayed in. If the blank one was inserted you'd see nothing on all screens

Don

[DRG]

Here is are the latest additions to the patch


50) The vehicle Load / Unload screen would not allow you to scroll around the map. FIXED

51) The game maps can now be scrolled in all directions using the up, down, left and right arrow keys. If accessed from the numeric keyboard Numlock must be OFF

52) AAA reaction fires has been tweaked a bit . If they are hidden they will fire at very short ranges only or if the to-hit is better than 9%. Therefore,- hidden tanks will not pop off at passing planes unless these spot them by flying close enough, or if the aircraft or Helo gets to a 9% to hit OR at 3 or so hexes, they will blaze away as the thing is too close.

53) There has been a slight adjustment upwards for spotting hidden vehicles when using vehicles with a Vision rating of 40 and above especially if the "hidden" tank fires

54) Spotting with TI ( vision 40+ ) decrease slightly with speed. You'll spot things a bit better if you are not moving at top speed

55) There have been slight alterations to the accuracy numbers for smoothbore guns. The length/calibre cals did not give accurate numbers with shorter barrelled smoothbores like the German L44 or the US M256 and the longer Russian barrels gave them slightly higher accuracy than reality. As well. Fire Control ( FC ) and Range Finder ( RF ) ratings were not quite giving the added benefit to higher end equipment that they should have so the formulas have been slightly altered to give greater benefit to the vehicles with the higher end equipment. Each of these factors, if overdone, have a HUGE effect on gameplay and we have endeavoured to strike a fair and balanced compromise.

Sometimes even slight changes can make a noticeable difference so we've been careful not to overdo it

Don

[Nox]

DRG said:
There is a logic in choosing sides. We set that down when the game was first being developed and picked the "most logical" sides for each pairs of nations. Now.. there are 92 nations so the chance of someone not liking the choice we made for one combination is quite high.. Yes? It was decided that the US player in Vietnam plays from the coast and faces inland for generated battles. I have no idea what the "swap sides" button could potentially screw up in a generated battle or campaign. We'll put that on our "maybe think about" list

Ahh so all the nations have different pre-set starting sides. Got it.


As for the "swap sides" button definately not place it in the generated campaing screen. But in the Battle screen it could be quite useful especialy when loading custom maps for e-mail play when you may need to have players on different sides because of the design of the map. As you said maybe think about it. If it presents more problems that its of use then ofcourse not.

Great game! keep up the good work!