Well done rules!

[bo]

Just finished reading the PDF rules that were just released. Rules are right on, excellent, all the rules make sense to real life war situations at least at a strategic level which of course what this game is.

The PBEM of human against human will be an excellant vision of WW2 provided I do not have to play someone who is talented in this type of game [:(].

IMHO the success or failure of this game will come down to the AI, I do not like to put that kind of pressure on the AI [:-] but it is what it is. I could be wrong but most gamers want to play when they have time and not at someones else's time availabilty to play. I am guessing but I would estimate 80% will be solo play, if anyone has different estimates I will except that.

Even though this is primarily a land combat game the naval aspect, AI wise, needs some tweaking from all that I read and watched in films.

I know Hubert will do everything in his power to make sure the AI is at least acceptable to the majority of players, Not being snarky or in anyways mean but, no small but, "He had better get it right" Hopefully [;)]

Bo

[Toby42]

ORIGINAL: bo

Just finished reading the PDF rules that were just released. Rules are right on, excellent, all the rules make sense to real life war situations at least at a strategic level which of course what this game is.

The PBEM of human against human will be an excellant vision of WW2 provided I do not have to play someone who is talented in this type of game [:(].

IMHO the success or failure of this game will come down to the AI, I do not like to put that kind of pressure on the AI [:-] but it is what it is. I could be wrong but most gamers want to play when they have time and not at someones else's time availabilty to play. I am guessing but I would estimate 80% will be solo play, if anyone has different estimates I will except that.

Even though this is primarily a land combat game the naval aspect, AI wise needs some tweaking from all that I read and watched in films.

I know Hubert will do everything in his power to make sure the AI is at least acceptable to the majority of players, Not being snarky or in anyways mean but, no small but, "He had better get it right" Hopefully [;)]

Bo

From watching the AAR from Paradogs it looks interesting. I'm not sure about the naval battles, Malta interdicting supply when it's surrounded by the Italian Navy and units rebuilding while they are surrounded? So it will be a wait and see when the final product is released!

[sPzAbt653]

I would estimate 80% will be solo play, if anyone has different estimates I will except that.

The people at Civ estimate 95%.

[bo]

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653

I would estimate 80% will be solo play, if anyone has different estimates I will except that.

The people at Civ estimate 95%.

Good lord 95%, you have more posts than I do sPzAbt653 so that automatically makes you right [;)]. Pressure is building Hubert [:(]

Bo

[James Taylor]

I know the majority of game play is against the AI, but let me implore you about how great this game is against your fellow humans.

After becoming familiar with the AI nuances this game has tremendous potential in email and TCP type contests. The most memorable gameplay is against your forum friends, win or lose, doesn't matter, you'll love the mechanics. A little good natured trash talk included, makes for a dynamic forum.

So gentlemen, clear your schedules, because you'll miss the beauty of this game if you don't get into P vs P, I promise you![8D]

[bo]

Hi James, you are 100% correct about playing against humans, but reality tells me that will not be the case. Most play will be against the AI, and some players might like to play solo, no AI, no Pbem.

As a beta tester for MWIF we could only play solo as there was no AI, Pbem, or Net play, there is still none of these features even though Steve is still working on net play.

Even though I do not participate in testing anymore, I still feel it is [MWIF] the most intricate, complicated game ever put on a computer, personally way too complicated, way to intricate to be programmed the way it was intended by ADG, and these many years later it still consumes me as to what it could have been, just an opinion

That is why this effort by Hubert is very important to me, nor can I speak for the many others here who might be looking for that one great strategic game that I feel has eluded me these many years.

P.S. I see no mention of net play which is the best way to play human vs human without the beers of course [;)], any possibilty in the future.

Bo

[RodyMetal]

Playing PBEM++ is great for me, and sometimes I do it just after one game with AI, playing against human is just experiencing the game mechanisms with its full potential.
I play PBEM because I do not have time, really. I play one to three turns per day depends on how big the game is. The difference is when I play against AI I get the just one more turn syndrome and start wasting my day, so usually the next day I will not start a game fearing I will have to spend more time.

The other amazing thing about PBEM, that I have all the time for my turn, and I know that the other is human player and not AI (that usually you will predict his next move), so I plan to cover everything, every single information to be recognized in order to make the right move.

Strategic command will be PBEM focus for me, and I hope more people will try it out against human at least for once.

[James Taylor]

Don't fret bo, there's a similar version to net play.

[bo]

ORIGINAL: James Taylor

Don't fret bo, there's a similar version to net play.

Ok James now I am confused [easy to confuse me [:(]] Please explain in detail, you know like Net play for dummies [&:] really I like what you brought up in the post, please give me some insight as to what could be done with netplay, thank you in advance James.

P.S. Go Aggies [&o]

Bo

[James Taylor]

I'll try, but I'll admit I never played the TCIP mechanics, only email. What players do is set up a face to face internet connection where they can chat and exchange turns. Now I would imagine that will be through a Matrix server in the future, but I assume it was through one player or the others as a host in the past.

So its a direct, live connection to exchange turns. Does that explain it?

[bo]

Thank you James, I thought you were referring to something else, like Hubert had some kind of netplay that I was not aware of.

I am assuming that Matrix has that server now, could be wrong though. When another beta tester and myself were testing MWIF netplay we could both see the same game board or playing field as each other, and made moves of ground, naval, and air units like we were right next to each other [drank our own beers [:(]] We were both on skype and conversed constantly, the game flowed very well until a bug stopped us every so often.

I stop in to the MWIF beta testing now and then and the problems still exist with netplay. Very dedicated people over there and I wish them all good luck, they have put in tremendous effort over many years, all good guys.

Bo

[IainMcNeil]

Strategic Command uses our asynchronous PBEM++ system. You do not have to be online when your opponent is playing their turns so play at your own pace but the game automatically passes turns around and notifies you when it is your turn. You get a full replay of the opponents actions when you load the game and while they do their turn you can be playing a different game so no sitting and waiting for them to move. It really is the best way to play turn based games like this.

[RodyMetal]

ORIGINAL: Iain McNeil

Strategic Command uses our asynchronous PBEM++ system. You do not have to be online when your opponent is playing their turns so play at your own pace but the game automatically passes turns around and notifies you when it is your turn. You get a full replay of the opponents actions when you load the game and while they do their turn you can be playing a different game so no sitting and waiting for them to move. It really is the best way to play turn based games like this.

Amen to that.

[bo]

ORIGINAL: Iain McNeil

Strategic Command uses our asynchronous PBEM++ system. You do not have to be online when your opponent is playing their turns so play at your own pace but the game automatically passes turns around and notifies you when it is your turn. You get a full replay of the opponents actions when you load the game and while they do their turn you can be playing a different game so no sitting and waiting for them to move. It really is the best way to play turn based games like this.

Thank you Iain for commenting on this, I guess my question might be, if Matrix does have a netplay server, now they might call it something else but I sure would like to know what we were using beta testing MWIF for netplay, and if they have one why can't Hubert create a netplay version of SC. Not trying to be negative Iain but that would be the best way to play human vs human IMO.

Bo

[IainMcNeil]

World in Flames has decision points inside your opponents turn so you both have to be online all the time and it is not compatible with an asynchronous system like PBEM++. To use the system you game must be designed without decision points for the inactive player. There are various ways around this at the design stage but when taking an existing completed game like WiF from the board to the computer its often impossible to change things at that point without ending up with a completely different experience. In other games we deal with it by setting stances and reaction levels - e.g. hold fire or weapons free and then units low level AI reacts to enemies within the confines of the orders you gave.

[bo]

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Bo