Panzer Command FAQ

[Andreas1968]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

Sorry, but we don't have the ability to develop for Mac at this time. We're open to discussing the possibilities if someone else would like to do a port though.

Regards,

- Erik

Thanks a lot Erik, I understand that it may not be possible for you to do that. Hopefully you'll find someone able to port it.

All the best

Andreas

[kipanderson]

Erik,

The fact that one can dig about in the text files is definitely a big plus. It means that we can all optimise the game to our own tastes to make up for some detail that is missing.

When it comes to operational games keeping it simple matters. Panzer Command with an additional operational layer that is fully playable would give the series legs even well after CMX2 moves to WWII.

You would no doubt be the first to admit that Panzer Command will not hold its own in depth of realism to CMX2, however you wish to define realism. But something along the lines of Panzer Campaigns, straightforward 2D look down, battalion, 1km to a hex operational game released as a package with each version of Panzer Commands and you could have years of life in the series. In my view. Just like Panzer Campaigns which we all know is in reality years out of date in the sense of not being cutting edge.

One point though, any operational game needs to be WEGO… for wargame it really is the future… in fact the present even .

All the best,
Kip.

[gammalget]

Looks really great..

Is there some kind of export of the results to xml or txt after a finished game?
Would be great to have, would be great to parse for info
for example a pbem club or something like that

--
Regards Folke
Sweden

[ASHBERY76]

It would be nice to see a movie of this puppy in action.

[OGSF]

This looks really good. Sorry for the CM comparisons, but I have been playing CM for over 5 years. Until I found this game, there was no other to match it. So, a few questions...

1) From the screenshots it looks like the infantry squads are represented by 3 figures. Is that correct and can a squad be displayed with all individuals represented (9 man squad = 9 figures displayed)?

2) How are ambushes handled, from the ambushers perspective? Cover arcs (to use a CM term)?

3) Does artillery and armour have the ability to fire smoke? And if so, can other units fire into the smoke blindly and potentially cause casualties to units inside or behind the smoke?

4) Do vehicles bog? Can they be unbogged?

5) Can structures such as buildings and bridges be destroyed by artillery or direct fire from tanks?

6) Will a playable demo be released?

7) In the Series, should it go ahead, there will be a Normandy based campaignwon't there, huh? Huh?

Thanks for any response, and thanks for developing this game. I wasn't looking forward to Syria that much!

-- OGSF

[madorosh]

I'm also curious about how deformable the buildings are, and haven't seen it discussed yet.

[Erik Rutins]

Looks like I've been missing some posts in this thread. Sorry about that!

ORIGINAL: kipanderson
The fact that one can dig about in the text files is definitely a big plus. It means that we can all optimise the game to our own tastes to make up for some detail that is missing.

Yep, that's the idea. You can customize every piece of data for any unit in the game. You can also customize the scenario data and the campaign structure. The graphics are also easily customizable. The only limitations come in with the maps and the models. The former we don't have a good map editor we can release yet, but we do have plans to do that much sooner rather than later in an expansion. The model info is in there, but you need software we don't provide to work with it. The terrain on the maps is customizable, but each map is currently its own 3D model, basically, and that makes the underlying map itself a big job to create or modify until we get a map editor finished.

When it comes to operational games keeping it simple matters. Panzer Command with an additional operational layer that is fully playable would give the series legs even well after CMX2 moves to WWII.

Agreed, we start with a campaign system, but we definitely would like to add an operational "layer" in the future to allow for some additional decisions. I'd like to see something like what we did with the SPWAW Mega-Campaigns at a minimum.

You would no doubt be the first to admit that Panzer Command will not hold its own in depth of realism to CMX2, however you wish to define realism. But something along the lines of Panzer Campaigns, straightforward 2D look down, battalion, 1km to a hex operational game released as a package with each version of Panzer Commands and you could have years of life in the series. In my view.

We're definitely not trying to, nor will we trump CM in terms of realism. I see CM as much more of a very realistic WWII combat simulator, where Panzer Command is a realistic WWII game. However, this is also our first release and we have plans to support the customers who help us continue development by releasing affordable expansions that add campaigns, units, terrain and additional rules and features. The end result should be a system that "matures" fairly quickly.

We have a bit of a hill to climb though. For one thing I'm the first to admit that CM really did 3D tactical combat well. I own all the CM titles and enjoy playing them. There are many conventions that are in CM that really make sense on the 3D tactical side. With CM as the pioneer, a fair amount of what is done in Panzer Command may look like CM. In a 3D tactical game, using rubber bands for order location and targeting makes sense, as does using lines to show platoons, etc. Nevertheless, I give the folks at Battlefront a lot of respect and credit for the great job they did with the CM series and I tip my hat to them and their influence in the 3D tactical genre.

I think Panzer Command may be more accessible to some gamers who found CM to have a higher learning curve than they wanted. I've found that it's a bit easier to play and master than CM. As I said above though, this is only the beginning of the Panzer Command story and we've got a lot more to tell!

Regards,

- Erik

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: folke
Is there some kind of export of the results to xml or txt after a finished game?
Would be great to have, would be great to parse for info
for example a pbem club or something like that

Not at present, but there is a scenario end screen that shows all the results. We can certainly add a data dump to our future features list as well. Also, for PBEM each phase is saved as a separate file, so going back and reviewing is easy.

Regards,

- Erik

[Erik Rutins]

OGSF,

ORIGINAL: OGSF
This looks really good. Sorry for the CM comparisons, but I have been playing CM for over 5 years. Until I found this game, there was no other to match it. So, a few questions...

Yep, thanks and understood. You've picked almost all the areas where we don't compare well to CM by design. Part of that is because this is the first game in a series and we focused on implementing things that would give us the biggest bang for the buck, so to speak, in the year of development that we had. The good news is that we can do a lot in a year and we have plans to implement much of what's not in this release in the future. I'll note that below as I answer.

1) From the screenshots it looks like the infantry squads are represented by 3 figures. Is that correct and can a squad be displayed with all individuals represented (9 man squad = 9 figures displayed)?

Yes, by default we show three figures. However, there is a "Limit Infantry Off" option which shows as many as is defined in the data for that squad type. In the release version, this ups it to five figures, but we include an example in the manual of how easy it is to edit that up to 8 or 10 figures and give them the weapons you want them to have when they show up in-game. The reason the default is three is for performance. We don't want folks to have a bad experience performance-wise with the default settings, so we keep them conservative. However, on my Athlon XP 3000+ with 1GB RAM and a GeForce 6800, I run a version where squads are at their historical numbers and the performance is fine for me.

2) How are ambushes handled, from the ambushers perspective? Cover arcs (to use a CM term)?

No cover arcs at present. CM added that in CMBB as I recall and we may add something like that in the future as well. However, there are targeting rules built into each unit type. Infantry, for example, will tend to hold fire on vehicle targets until they get into close assault range. Infantry in cover is very tough to spot, so there's a good chance of springing an ambush. AT guns won't fire until they have at least an "average" shot. By default, an AT gun has a 90 degree arc of fire so you can position it to take that into account and create an ambush through the combination of line of sight and targeting rules. Also, being "hull down" for vehicles makes you harder to spot and limits where you can be hit. Being stationary in general helps a lot with not being spotted before you fire, etc.

You can't fine tune an ambush in Panzer Command the way you can in CM, but I have sprung many ambushes nevertheless just based on terrain, LOS and unit type.

We made a good deal of choices for the initial release based on the campaign. This was largely a high speed, dynamic armored duel over open terrain so a lot of what got in and what was pushed to future expansions came down to how useful it would be for this campaign.

3) Does artillery and armour have the ability to fire smoke? And if so, can other units fire into the smoke blindly and potentially cause casualties to units inside or behind the smoke?

Not in this release. Degrading smoke and dust, not just from deliberate smoke generation but also from general battlefield smoke and movement, is planned for a future expansion. Area fire is in this release so once you get degrading smoke, you'll be able to fire blindly into it. [8D]

4) Do vehicles bog? Can they be unbogged?

No, we left this out in favor of terrain movement speed modifications which are generally less frustrating to players. Adding in terrain immobilization is definitely something we'd like to do , but for the initial release you'll see vehicles slowing down, sometimes a lot, when in difficult terrain but they will make it through.

5) Can structures such as buildings and bridges be destroyed by artillery or direct fire from tanks?

Nope, no destructible terrain in this release, however it's definitely on the list. We want to start blowing up those buildings too!

6) Will a playable demo be released?

Yes, we plan on one but we don't have a timeline on that as yet since we are focused on the release. I would guess that sometime after the first post-release update we will start looking at creating a demo.

7) In the Series, should it go ahead, there will be a Normandy based campaignwon't there, huh? Huh?

Yes, our current plan is for the first expansion to be an earlier East Front Summer campaign to allow us to bring in terrain that's a bit more varied in color and some more of the earlier German units. This would also add some new features to the game, more info on that later. The second expansion would take us to the West Front, but we have not yet decided on the exact location.

Thanks for any response, and thanks for developing this game. I wasn't looking forward to Syria that much!

No worries. I realize Panzer Command won't have everything you want in it, but we hope that you and others will give it a try. It's a fun game and we plan to run with this ball and grow the series in a lot of ways.

Regards,

- Erik

[Erik Rutins]

FYI, for those that haven't checked lately, the Games section for Panzer Command (it's under Coming Soon) has a number of new screenshots and more will be added as we move towards the release date of June 29th.

Regards,

- Erik

[madorosh]

Good answers, Erik, thanks, but you didn't respond to the questions on deformable terrain.....?

[Marc von Martial]

ORIGINAL: Michael Dorosh

Good answers, Erik, thanks, but you didn't respond to the questions on deformable terrain.....?

He did [;)]:

Nope, no destructible terrain in this release, however it's definitely on the list. We want to start blowing up those buildings too!

[Erik Rutins]

Michael,

ORIGINAL: Michael Dorosh
Good answers, Erik, thanks, but you didn't respond to the questions on deformable terrain.....?

I sort of buried it into the middle of another reply, sorry about that. To follow up, destructible buildings are very high on our future "to do list", they'll definitely get done and will be much more necessary for campaigns that are less about open terrain and tanks.

More terrain deformability beyond that we'd like to do as well, but haven't planned out yet.

Regards,

- Erik

[madorosh]

Not caffeinated yet - sorry bout that! [:(]

I guess it is up to us to support the first release in order to get to the good stuff, eh....fair enough. You mention not having a 3D model editor in the game and I took that as a hint it might be possible you're considering including one in the same way that a map editor will be (hopefully) released? I've never seen a model editor included in any game release before - if so, that would be quite a coup. I would have loved to created models for OFP, for example, and many talented guys did just that, but downloading de-pbo, Oxygen, and a host of software with manuals written in Czech was too much for me to bear!

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: Michael Dorosh
You mention not having a 3D model editor in the game - is it possible you'll ever have one included in the same way that a map editor will be (hopefully) released? I've never seen a model editor included in any game release - if so, that would be quite a coup.

Honestly, we hadn't even discussed that idea, so there are no plans for it at present. As for how difficult it would be, I'd imagine fairly darn so, since these are usually full applications in their own right, but it's worth bringing up in our next discussion to see what ideas it might generate. I think that having a model _viewer_ and texture swapper in-game is do-able and something I'd like to see in the future, but actual model editing is probably a tall order. We'll probably have a better idea of how tall once we've finished the map editor.

Regards,

- Erik

[madorosh]

Incidentally, what do you see as future titles in the series? I loved that Winter Storm is not another Arnhem or Battle of the Bulge game. I hope you'll continue to support lesser known but still interesting campaigns. 
 
If you want a suggestion, I've always thought the South Beveland campaign of October 1944 would lend itself well to coverage in a campaign type tactical game such as PC: OWS appears to be. The terrain is expansive but the forces are relatively small a Canadian Division with support by British commandos against a German whitebread division backed with StuGs and a parachute division. The battle advances from east to west, and culminates with amphibious landings on Walcheren Island to take out huge German bunkers there. Little bit of everything, and with the virtue of never having been the subject of a game before that I am aware of. Only drawback might be the terrain - it was low lying, open, and flooded.  Research materials are readily available, notably Whitaker's book TUG OF WAR - and I have access to wartime 1:25000 and 1:50000 scale maps of the entire area through our regimental museum. I had hoped to take the info and create an operational type game using CM to resolve the battles but never got beyond the planning stage - perhaps if CM:C takes off and they design one for CM:AK or even CM:X2.  Sounds like one of many battles to consider for Panzer Command though.
 
But I would still pay money for another Arnhem or KG Peiper game played out in Panzer Command, too, naturally.

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: Michael Dorosh
Incidentally, what do you see as future titles in the series? I loved that Winter Storm is not another Arnhem or Battle of the Bulge game. I hope you'll continue to support lesser known but still interesting campaigns. 

Thanks, we've been thinking along similar lines, though we don't want to be completely obscure in our choices so there will likely be a mix of well known and less well known battles. We would like to allow for both sides to have a chance to attack and defend if possible as well. For the first expansion, while this is not set in stone, we were thinking about the Second Battle of Kharkov (May 1942).

If you want a suggestion, I've always thought the South Beveland campaign of October 1944 would lend itself well to coverage in a campaign type tactical game such as PC: OWS appears to be. The terrain is expansive but the forces are relatively small a Canadian Division with support by British commandos against a German whitebread division backed with StuGs and a parachute division. The battle advances from east to west, and culminates with amphibious landings on Walcheren Island to take out huge German bunkers there. Little bit of everything, and with the virtue of never having been the subject of a game before that I am aware of. Only drawback might be the terrain - it was low lying, open, and flooded.  Research materials are readily available, notably Whitaker's book TUG OF WAR - and I have access to wartime 1:25000 and 1:50000 scale maps of the entire area through our regimental museum. I had hoped to take the info and create an operational type game using CM to resolve the battles but never got beyond the planning stage - perhaps if CM:C takes off and they design one for CM:AK or even CM:X2.  Sounds like one of many battles to consider for Panzer Command though.

I will definitely take a look at that. Feel free to e-mail me at erikr@matrixgames.com with any suggestions on subject and reading material as the West Front campaign choice is still up in the air.

But I would still pay money for another Arnhem or KG Peiper game played out in Panzer Command, too, naturally.

I think we're bound to hit the famous battles eventually. [8D] Of course, once the map editor is released, I'm sure a lot of folks will be eager to fill in with their own works as well.

Regards,

- Erik

[Marc von Martial]

If you want to create 3D content for games there is simply no other choice then learning one of the various 3D modelling applications out there. There is no way a complete modelling and texturing application will ever be shipped with a game [;)], Oxygen is rather limited.

I think people really underestimate how much of learning you have to do to actually model, animate and completly texture a tank (for example). It will take you quite a while to get that right. Most of the good modders out there have a graphic, CAD, or 3D background anyway.

However, we have been putting together a decent guide on how to ad 3D models, new units, mod textures, etc. for Panzer Command.
Doing and adding a complete new unit will need you to have a background in 3D, animating and 2D graphics.

We will go over this guide(s) in the next days and make it available after release.

[FNG]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

I will definitely take a look at that. Feel free to e-mail me at erikr@matrixgames.com with any suggestions on subject and reading material as the West Front campaign choice is still up in the air.

The Guns of War, George Blackburn, ISBN 1841192104
Blackburn was a FOO with the Canadian 2nd Div in NW Europe. Lots of excellent material

With The Jocks, Peter White, ISBN 0750930578
White was an infantry subaltern with the KOSB (King's Own Scottish Borderers). A superb book with significant detail of amphibious assault on Walcheren.

[Trigger Happy]

ORIGINAL: FNG


The Guns of War, George Blackburn, ISBN 1841192104
Blackburn was a FOO with the Canadian 2nd Div in NW Europe. Lots of excellent material

And a damn good read at that!