What the Dot?

World in Flames is the computer version of Australian Design Group classic board game. World In Flames is a highly detailed game covering the both Europe and Pacific Theaters of Operations during World War II. If you want grand strategy this game is for you.

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76mm
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What the Dot?

Post by 76mm »

I've read through all the manuals and watched most of the tutorials, but must have missed the sections that explain the various multi-colored round and square dots that seem to indicate some kind of unit status...

Could someone please give me a reference to a section in the manual, etc.?
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AxelNL
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RE: What the Dot?

Post by AxelNL »

ORIGINAL: 76mm

I've read through all the manuals and watched most of the tutorials, but must have missed the sections that explain the various multi-colored round and square dots that seem to indicate some kind of unit status...

Could someone please give me a reference to a section in the manual, etc.?


There is an item in one of the pull-down menu's of the main form explaining this.
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76mm
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RE: What the Dot?

Post by 76mm »

hmmm, ok, thanks.

Although I find it rather odd and frustrating that this rather basic and important information does not seem to have been included in the 600 pages of materials in the manuals that I read...somone please correct me if I'm wrong.
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RE: What the Dot?

Post by captskillet »

pg 215 in the appendices, I printed that chart, the unit descriptions (pg 213 appendices) and combat charts etc (click on charts on the main game screen)
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76mm
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RE: What the Dot?

Post by 76mm »

pg 215 in the appendices, I printed that chart, the unit descriptions (pg 213 appendices) and combat charts etc (click on charts on the main game screen)

cool, which manual, the RAC?
lecrop
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RE: What the Dot?

Post by lecrop »

Manual vol.II
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RE: What the Dot?

Post by chuxdecator »

ORIGINAL: 76mm

hmmm, ok, thanks.

Although I find it rather odd and frustrating that this rather basic and important information does not seem to have been included in the 600 pages of materials in the manuals that I read...somone please correct me if I'm wrong.

So in reality you simply did not read through all the manuals but just thought you found something that wasn't in the manuals you could gripe about.
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76mm
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RE: What the Dot?

Post by 76mm »

ORIGINAL: Chux
So in reality you simply did not read through all the manuals but just thought you found something that wasn't in the manuals you could gripe about.

In other words, RTFM? Not really. I actually have read the manuals, and did not see any specific reference to "See Appendix X for explanation of the dots".

Perhaps I missed the specific reference, but if there isn't one I'm not sure I should be expected to guess that these would be explained somewhere in the appendices. Also strange that these dots--which are pretty important--are not addressed in the voluminous tutorials. Whether a unit is organized or disorganized is a rather huge difference in the game, but I didn't see any explanation in the rather voluminous text of how to tell if a unit is disorganized or not. If it is there, someone please correct me.
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RE: What the Dot?

Post by bo »

ORIGINAL: 76mm
ORIGINAL: Chux
So in reality you simply did not read through all the manuals but just thought you found something that wasn't in the manuals you could gripe about.

In other words, RTFM? Not really. I actually have read the manuals, and did not see any specific reference to "See Appendix X for explanation of the dots".

Perhaps I missed the specific reference, but if there isn't one I'm not sure I should be expected to guess that these would be explained somewhere in the appendices. Also strange that these dots--which are pretty important--are not addressed in the voluminous tutorials. Whether a unit is organized or disorganized is a rather huge difference in the game, but I didn't see any explanation in the rather voluminous text of how to tell if a unit is disorganized or not. If it is there, someone please correct me.

Are you gripping again 76mm, shame shame [:D]

Bo
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RE: What the Dot?

Post by Shannon V. OKeets »

ORIGINAL: 76mm
ORIGINAL: Chux
So in reality you simply did not read through all the manuals but just thought you found something that wasn't in the manuals you could gripe about.

In other words, RTFM? Not really. I actually have read the manuals, and did not see any specific reference to "See Appendix X for explanation of the dots".

Perhaps I missed the specific reference, but if there isn't one I'm not sure I should be expected to guess that these would be explained somewhere in the appendices. Also strange that these dots--which are pretty important--are not addressed in the voluminous tutorials. Whether a unit is organized or disorganized is a rather huge difference in the game, but I didn't see any explanation in the rather voluminous text of how to tell if a unit is disorganized or not. If it is there, someone please correct me.
Rather than call them dots, the Players Manual refers to them as status indicators.

Picture & Text Tutorial #9 on supply mentions these one pages 1, 4, and 5. Perhaps elsewhere too, I didn't do a detailed analysis. Tutorial Video #5 covers the same material that's in Picture & Text Tutorial #9 so the status indicators are mentioned there as well.

They are probably also mentioned whenever they become relevant. For instance, when placing units aboard naval transports or carriers, when choosing units to make land attacks, and so on.

The first time they are mentioned in the Players Manual is on page 3 of volume 1, when describing the Essential changes from the board game.[;)]
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paulderynck
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RE: What the Dot?

Post by paulderynck »

Love the dots! [:)] Compared to my risk of carpal tunnel with Vassal and either flipping the units or rotating them endlessly (tastes vary)!!
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henri51
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RE: What the Dot?

Post by henri51 »

I understand that because of the large number of pages, it can sometimes be frustrating to look for something when one has no idea where to look. However something that is in the appendices, the tutorials, the help menu and many other places hardly justifies asking where it is in an aggressive manner.This is a very complex game and much better documented than the vast majority of wargames, so although I still have to play the game (except for a couple of impulses in the Barbarossa scenario), I am absorbing it a spoonful at a time, and who cares if it takes a month before I play my first move?

This game is like a beautiful intelligent and charming woman: you can dive right in and see what you can get, but the wise man will take his time to evaluate the circumstances to ensure that his reward is not a slap in the face...[:'(]
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LiquidSky
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RE: What the Dot?

Post by LiquidSky »

I found it strange that something like the dot graphics wasn't put on the back of the overpriced manuals...instead of an advertising blurb for a game you already bought.

If you want to bitch about the manuals there are lots of stuff in them to complain about.

My favourite so far is the paragraph on supply talking about tertiary supply sources. There is no such thing in the RAC or RAW. And there is no explanation of what a tertiary supply source is in the players manual.
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76mm
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RE: What the Dot?

Post by 76mm »

ORIGINAL: henri51
However something that is in the appendices, the tutorials, the help menu and many other places hardly justifies asking where it is in an aggressive manner.

The manual mentions the dots many times but never says what dots mean what. I looked at the tutorials Steve referenced and indeed in Tutorial 9 it says: "That the unit is disorganized is indicated by the orange dot placed above it", so I stand corrected about that. And the fact that everyone seemed to figured it out OK probably means I'm more than a bit slow.

That said, as helpful as the manual is for us "clueless noobs", it doesn't mean it can't be better. And for me, a simple statement (preferably with a picture) explaining in the manual (rather than in buried in Tutorial 9) that I can distinguish a disorganized unit by the orange dot above it would have been very helpful, given the importance of the concept.
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RE: What the Dot?

Post by Numdydar »

Did you try looking in the index under Units? Under Information charts? I mean it really is not hidden and there is indead a nice picture on 215 showing exactly what the dots mean.
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