Very disappointed! How to play this Game?

Rolfor · Post by **Rolfor** » Mon Sep 01, 2003 8:57 pm

Hallo,

I am new to UV. I bought the Game last week here in Germany.

First: I played a lot of Wargames (Talons WF+EF, TOAW 1+2, TacOps, Airborn Aussault, CM 1+2, panzer camapaigns and a lot of others. And I have no Problems to get in. But after some hours with UV I must say:

1) I buy the Game today here in Germanys Media-Markt
On the Gamepackage there is no Hint, that the Game is complete in english, that the Handbock (120 pages) is complete in english. Just a 19 pages hintboock is in German! And If so: Why are not at least the Mission-Briefings translated? I am waiting for the german Version because my englisch is not the best ...

2) I understand nothing!
The ultrashort Tutorial is NO Tutorial and explains nothing!
The Handbook ist full of tables and micromanagement-Lists. I would like to print it out. But a Demoprint shows me, the writing is so small, that I can't read it on the paper. So I MUST read it on the Monitor ...

3) I search the Manual, the Forums and the Web. But I can't find a Beginner Guide, a Step by Step Explanation, a Demo Tour trough a complete Mission, with clear and exactly Orders, Examples.

4) I find not one simple "How to's": (and this belongs to every manual, that has the right to call so !!)

- How to play this game?
- What are the first Steps?
- How to arrange an Assault?
- How to build your Defense?
- How to ...

Yes! I Found many AAR's, but with hyroglyphical Lists of Units without Pictures , and without helpfull Hints. AAR's for People, who know's, how to play this Game. But not for Beginners.

Sorry Matrix, Sorry Developper!
Sure, you are great Wargame-Guys.
But If you don't manage, that Newbee's
have a comfortable "come in" in your
games, i will by my Games in the
Future better from Firms like HPS, SHRAPNEL
or others. Take a Look at the Handbooks of
TacOps4 or Airborne Assault. Look at the
exellent Doc's from Panzer Campaigns (100
Pages only for Beginners PLUS a 200 Page
Manual with the Facts). Or other companies,
who have 5 to 10 Tutorials who covers the
singel aspects of your Games.

The Game is now over one Year old! And there
is no Beginner-Forum, ther is no sticky Thread
with helpfull links to advising Threads.

On your UV-Homepage, the Links to the
screenshots are without Function. Oh, oh, oh ...

Here I will Stop. And that is what I do:

In the next hour, I will go to a Friend, who has a A3-Printer
There I will print the Handbook. I hope I can read it than.
Than I will read the Handbook, make Lists and hope I found
some Hints for the Gameplay between the Lines ...
After this I will take a long search for an AAR, witch I
understand and will try to play it Line for Line.

And I hope, some of you can give me a Tipp, what goes wrong.

Greetings
Rolfor

Firefly · Post by **Firefly** » Mon Sep 01, 2003 10:49 pm

As another recent newbie I agree that the manual is not the best, even for the game mechanics and a game like UV which takes a different approach from most wargames really needs some sort of player notes or play examples. Having said that the good news is that once you know what you are supposed to be doing it's a great game. What I found very useful are the FAQs, there is one at the top of this page and one at Spooky's web site - http://uncommon-valor.chez.tiscali.fr/ . Also if you read the old threads on this board you can find some useful information, but it does take a long time to look through them as there are about 150 pages!. The AARs will make more sense once you get used to the format of the combat reports in the game.

Bobthehatchit · Post by **Bobthehatchit** » Mon Sep 01, 2003 11:54 pm

Hi Rolfor.

Hope you enjoy the game, it is very addictive once you get the hand of it.

If you get stuck just ask questions here, every one is very helpful and check out the faq thread at the top it has plenty of helpful information, tips and tactics.

I found it really useful to learn about all the units their capabilities and the actual history then have crack at one of the shorter scenarios.

I thought there was a short tutorial campaign in the list, but i could be wrong.

It is a fairly tough game to master every time you play you learn something new but its very rewarding.

Be sure to download all the updates before you start playing.

Drex · Post by **Drex** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 6:09 am

The Coral Sea scenario is the tutorial or easiest/shortest scenario.There is a tutorial on page 14 of the manual.

Rolfor · Post by **Rolfor** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 1:26 pm

Thanks for the Tips,

after my "research" I found some good hints

But what would realy help me a lot, is a short eplanation, what an
experience Player would do.

In the "War-Rom" I answer of the thread: "Pre-Turn-Checklist" the following (sorry for jumping *g*):

---------------------------------------------------------------
... I wish I had TWO Checklists:

1) What a) to do and what b) to consider when the game starts

and

2) What a) to do and what b) to consider in every turn.

That would be verry nice.
In this moment - after tutorial and after reading the table-type-manual - I have NO Idea how to play this great game.

EXAMPLES for the two Checklists:

A simple "First-Turn-Checklist": "In the first Step you must consider that yor ships and bases need supply. Therefore you shout .... Step 2: Analyse the Situation: a) ...b)...c)... Now its Time for ... After this its time for step 3 ........"

A simple "Every-Turn-Checklist" :
1) Check ...
2) Organise ...
3) Analyse your Subs ...

-------------------------------------------------------------

Only one page! But many (!) newbees would this help, to become
an Idea HOW to play this game and to understand what are the
main-focus, what are the inessential matters, what is importent.

Greetings
Rolfor

Francis Drake · Post by **Francis Drake** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 2:23 pm

Hello,

look at www.luftschlacht.de !

Stell dort einfach mal ein paar Fragen, bin selber noch ein Anfänger. Vielleicht kann man sich ja austauschen.

Bis dahin,

Francis

nico71 · Post by **nico71** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 2:39 pm

Joysoft verramscht gerade Kopien. Meine müßte morgen eintrudeln! Wenn ihr Jungs Lust habt können wir uns ja mal zusammen dransetzen! Wir kriegen das schon irgendwie hin. Außerdem teste ich gerade die beta für den neuen Battle of Britain patch. Ja, ich meine Rowan's Flusi! Der Wargame-Part ist nur unwesentlich unkomplizierter!

Rolfor · Post by **Rolfor** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 3:31 pm

@ Francis Drake + nico 71

Hallo ihr zwei

Zunächst mal danke für den Link! Luftschlacht.de gefällt mir sehr gut. Hab mir übrigens - nach dem Lesen der Previews - sofort bei Ebay BoB und 12oH per Sofortkauf bestellt *g* (kannte ich beide noch nicht).

Ich werd mal folgendes machen:
- Heute arbeite ich mich nochmal quer durchs UV-Manual.
- Und morgen meld ich mich im Luftschlacht.de-Forum
Da können wir alles Weitere bequaseln.

Bin froh, zum Thema eine deutsche Seite gefunden zu haben.

Grüßle
Rolfor

Firefly · Post by **Firefly** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 3:49 pm

Drex wrote:The Coral Sea scenario is the tutorial or easiest/shortest scenario.There is a tutorial on page 14 of the manual.

The problem is that it's not a very good introduction to the full game, I'd suggest moving onto one of the 3-6 month scenarios, as soon as possible, as UV comes into its own over the longer term. The very short scenarios are good for getting used to the interface, but that's about it.

Marc von Martial · Post by **Marc von Martial** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 4:43 pm

I am new to UV. I bought the Game last week here in Germany.

Just curious.

It that the european version , published by JustPlay for Europe, or an US import version (I doubt it since you mention Mediamarkt).

Joysoft is selling the US version and clearly states that too.

Marc von Martial · Post by **Marc von Martial** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 4:47 pm

On your UV-Homepage, the Links to the
screenshots are without Function. Oh, oh, oh ...

An ASP glitch, they are there, will fix that now.

Drex · Post by **Drex** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 4:48 pm

That's all a tutorial is meant to do: get you used to the mechanics of the game. You have to play the game to really learn to use it. This is the same for any game. Tutorials aren't meant to divulge every facet or nuance but to just give you a taste of it. The tutorial could be re-written but I seem to remember jumping right into the long game after the Coral Sea. In fact I haven't even played alot of the other scenarios since I began pbem early on.

Rolfor · Post by **Rolfor** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 5:13 pm

@ Firefly
Thx for yor comment about the scenarios. I think, I will get in the 3-6 month scen. and Learning by doing (like DREX said)

@ Marc Schwanebeck
It is the Version from JUST>PLAY.
- Covertext in german language (no hint, that the Game is in englisch)
- Tutorial 19 Pages german l.
- Game english.
- Manual 70 pages english (as you print it out, you can't red it. The Writing is so small: 75 Lines at 7 or 8 Pt. / sheet)

Marc von Martial · Post by **Marc von Martial** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 6:58 pm

Rolfor wrote:@ Marc Schwanebeck
It is the Version from JUST>PLAY.

Thanks for the quick answer, you´ll have to direct the ciritcs to JustPlay then, they do their own manuals (at least they did for UV) and everything else is in their hands, we simply provide them with the game files and basic promotional artwork, which then is adopted by JustPlay for the european market (You´ll notice that the logo and box for example are different from the US version). So localization (if any) is in JustPlay's hands.

All I can tell you is that the US manual font is readable when printed

Since I havn´t got the european version yet of UV I can´t judge on what´s in the manual and not. Sorry.

Firefly · Post by **Firefly** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 7:13 pm

Drex wrote:That's all a tutorial is meant to do: get you used to the mechanics of the game. You have to play the game to really learn to use it. This is the same for any game. Tutorials aren't meant to divulge every facet or nuance but to just give you a taste of it. The tutorial could be re-written but I seem to remember jumping right into the long game after the Coral Sea. In fact I haven't even played alot of the other scenarios since I began pbem early on.

I agree that a tutorial can't teach every nuance nor shoudl it, but unless I didn't understand Rolfor, he was looking for some player hints as to what he's supposed to do once he understands the interface. Something like the Boot Camp tutorials in Talonsoft's West Front or the advanced tutorial in Combat Mission 2, that gives you an introduction to the type of tactics you should be using. That's why I referred to the two FAQs.

Rolfor · Post by **Rolfor** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 8:26 pm

@ Mark Schwanebeck

> you´ll have to direct the ciritcs to JustPlay then, they do their own manuals <

*hehe* JustPlay offers YOUR game here in Germany, and when the buyer are unsatisfied it is in YOUR interest (hope my english is correct) to give them support! If Matrix would be my company, I know what I would say to JustPlay. I would ask them, if they recognizes, what they do with your valuable Company-Name ??

And than I would send an original english PDF-manual to the customer.

Here ist another example of the greaat work from
JustPlay.
"German"-english-Manual on page 6:

" ...Veteran wargamers can play the Players Guide to get a basic feel for the newcomers to computer wargaming should play the tutorial while gradually familiarizing themselves with the rules."

The tutorial is translated to german OK. But there is NO PLAYERS GUIDE!
Not in the 70 pages manual and not elswhere ...

If UV where my baby ... *g*

Greetings
Rolfor

Drex · Post by **Drex** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 9:47 pm

Right Rolfor, the FAQs should answer most questions. That's what I cut my teeth on.

Marc von Martial · Post by **Marc von Martial** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 11:26 pm

Rolfor wrote:@ Mark Schwanebeck

> you´ll have to direct the ciritcs to JustPlay then, they do their own manuals <

*hehe* JustPlay offers YOUR game here in Germany, and when the buyer are unsatisfied it is in YOUR interest (hope my english is correct) to give them support!

Of course, but since I don´t have the european versions yet here on my desk, I can´t say what´s wrong and what is not (in the sense of what´s an original problem brought up by Matrix Games). Even if it´s our game the first adress for problems would be JustPlay (for example regarding the german translated box without hint that the game is in english), since they know what they did and what not

.

Spooky · Post by **Spooky** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 2:19 am

Rolfor wrote:
4) I find not one simple "How to's": (and this belongs to every manual, that has the right to call so !!)

- How to play this game?
- What are the first Steps?
- How to arrange an Assault?
- How to build your Defense?
- How to ...

The Game is now over one Year old! And there
is no Beginner-Forum, ther is no sticky Thread
with helpfull links to advising Threads.

Welcome to this forum

Well, to answer your critics, there is a sticky FAQ thread at the top of this forum

However, one thing to know about UV is that the community around this game is really helpful to beginners so please feel free to post as many gameplay questions as you need ... and maybe in a few days (or weeks ?), you are going to be a contributor to the UV FAQ

Rolfor · Post by **Rolfor** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 1:17 pm

Hi Drex,
Hallo Spooky,

after reading the manual, the exxellent FAQ, found your (Spookys) great website AND start scenario 17 (only with the goal to see what happend) I think (at 2 o clock in he morning *g*) i get the idea!

Now I have a big picture, how this game work and what kind of gameplay I have to master. There are many question but now I can imagine how I get the results. Practice makes perfect.

In this moment I collect all the questions, experimet with the interface and try to understand how it works. Every time one singel aspect.

Later I will come back with my "colletion of questions" *hehe*

Thanks for all the help
Great community!

Greetings
Rolfor

One question: I am searching for a website, who I can get more information about the ships and planes witch are part of UV.
Has someone a good link?