Development

Time of Fury spans the whole war in Europe and gives players the opportunity to control all types of units, ground, air and naval. Not only that, each player will be able to pick a single country or selection of countries and fight his way against either the AI or in multiplayer in hotseat or Play by E-Mail. This innovative multiplayer feature will give player the chance to fight bigger scenarios against many opponents, giving the game a strategic angle that has no equal in the market. The game uses Slitherine’s revolutionary PBEM++ server system.

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Rasputitsa
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RE: Development

Post by Rasputitsa »

ORIGINAL: Ostwindflak

How does this compare to the other game this company did, Strategic War in Europe? I have that one and honestly, it stinks something awful. It was one of the worst purchases I ever made.

I haven't used SWiE, but it looks the same as ToF in a different scale and Wastelands have not been good at supporting these games.

I prefer the scale of ToF, which allows some flexibility, without being over complicated with too many units.

Vanilla ToF has many faults, but with modding most of these can be eliminated, or at least managed.

I am using the Fall Gelb scenario as a basis, because during the early war period alternatives were possible. After 1942/43 the end is predictable, just shovelling units around into an inevitable finale.

The AI is not good in attack, so that means playing as Axis in those early years, but how bad does the AI have to be to represent the Allies and Soviets of that period.

As part of the text modding, I have categorised nations by a command rating and applied mods to suit. This produces something nearer to the Blitzkrieg historical situation, avoiding a WW1 slug-fest, but even then the AI can be smarter than the real Allies.

The game needs constant attention and adjustments to keep on course, for instance whenever the US tries to enter the game it crashes. The fix is to use F12 to keep the US diplomatic points low, or take over manually, as the most the US can do at this stage is provide economic support to the Western Allies and the Soviets. This can be replicated by transferring PPs in F12.

There is a lot more, but with these reservations I can get a good game, sometimes a very good game.

I have reduced the number of images in the units_images pack from over 1000, to less than 700 and substituted colour where possible. I have removed many of the scenario folders which I don't use. All this reduces the amount of data that the game has to load on start, which has stopped the CTDs on start.

The appearance of the game has also been modded, but that is a matter of personal taste and I prefer the board-game 'look'

I am using Windows 10 and by gently starting the game, I have very few CTDs.
"In politics stupidity is not a handicap" - Napoleon

“A people which is able to say everything becomes able to do everything” - Napoleon

“Among those who dislike oppression are many who like to oppress" - Napoleon
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Ostwindflak
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RE: Development

Post by Ostwindflak »

Thanks for the responses guys. I like the looks of the modded game you have going. My experience with SWiE makes me leery or anything else put out by Wasteland. This of course is just my opinion and I realize many people like their games. I honestly wanted to like SWiE because it has some neat concepts. After many hours with it learning the game, I just couldn't like it enough to enjoy it sadly.

My biggest complaint is the whole time table of the game seems way off. From production times and technology research time to how much time passes each turn, it feels like the games ends way before you have fun in a campaign. I guess to me it feels like the timetable is rushing you through the game.

Anyway I thought the screen shots of this looked nice and had contemplated maybe giving this a go after mods.
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Rasputitsa
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RE: Development

Post by Rasputitsa »

ORIGINAL: Ostwindflak

Thanks for the responses guys. I like the looks of the modded game you have going. My experience with SWiE makes me leery or anything else put out by Wasteland. This of course is just my opinion and I realize many people like their games. I honestly wanted to like SWiE because it has some neat concepts. After many hours with it learning the game, I just couldn't like it enough to enjoy it sadly.

My biggest complaint is the whole time table of the game seems way off. From production times and technology research time to how much time passes each turn, it feels like the games ends way before you have fun in a campaign. I guess to me it feels like the timetable is rushing you through the game.

Anyway I thought the screen shots of this looked nice and had contemplated maybe giving this a go after mods.

However good 'Wastelands' may have been in game design and ToF does have some good ideas, I am not sure how good they, or any other developer is on WW2 economics and production. At least the game contains the tools to adjust and experiment, not the editor, which is very poor, but in the ease that game files can be adjusted.

The most important feature here is, as you mentioned, to have fun and that doesn't mean you have to have an 'I win' key, that can be set in preferences any time. The object is to get a game which represents the realities of the historical situation as much as is possible.

The way I am looking at production is from a Supreme Command perspective, not interested in the nuts and bolts of production, someone else is doing that. Men are being trained, designers are working on new tanks and planes, as supreme command you call off what you want.

For example the Hurricane fighter was put into production before any orders were made, in anticipation that there would be a need. All through the war equipment was being designed, some was never used, men were being trained waiting to be allocated. So when you call for an armoured division to be activated, the game time is how long it takes to shake out a unit already available, but working up for active service.

The AI will try and keep up the game pace, but if you use house rules you can keep a more realistic pace. Amphibious Operations take months to prepare and you can have rules for that, the AI will drop a landing in any time, so you have to be ready.

Keep all cities in range of an airdrop, naval landing, or partisan attack garrisoned with low tech infantry divisions, which is quite realistic.

Most things can be changed in text files, production can be slowed down if you wish, I sometimes speed up, I have introduced the Italian CV 'Aquila' at minimal cost and time on the grounds that construction started well before the war.

Here is the readme for this mini mod:

.........................................................

Narrative:

During the 1938 Munich crisis Mussolini realises that Hitler will inevitably have a war sooner, or later. Hitler expects to contain any hostilities by continuing to diplomatically outmanoeuvre the democracies, but Mussolini fears that Britain will become involved. There will be great opportunities for Italy from a successful conclusion of a war and Italy must be involved to reap the benefits. However, if Hitler's diplomacy fails, a war with Britain will involve confronting the RN Mediterranean Fleet, which will include carriers. Italy begins work on CV 'Aquila', as an insurance policy against any future major war, good decision. It is expected that the experience gained in building and operating this ship will enable the development of fleet carriers that will permit the Regia Marina to project operations beyond the Mediterranean, to threaten the French Atlantic coast and the RN in its home bases, thereby heading off the vulnerability of the homeland's extensive coastline. Il Duce, in discussion with the Fuehrer, believes that war with not be provoked before 1945, as neither state will be fully ready before that time. However, as an essential first step into naval aviation, the 'Aquila' is be given priority to be operational by late 1941. (Turn 60-70 ‘Fall Gelb’ scenario)


Intent: Set Italian CV cost at 20 PPs in 'consts.ini' file to activate ship (normally 200PP), reduce Italian CV build time, to be available next turn, assuming build commenced immediately after 1938 Munich Conference. This assumes that most of the cost has been expended before the war starts.

Application: in new game - data/scenarios/1940 Fall Gelb/consts_Italy
or, Turn 60-70 in running ‘Fall Gelb’ game - documents/My Games/Time of Fury/game save name/consts_Italy

Add (text change)
[CostOfNavalUnit]
UnitType40 = 20 ....... reset PP cost
UnitType41 = 150
UnitType42 = 70
UnitType43 = 30

[UnitsBuildTime]
UnitType0 = 4
UnitType1 = 10
UnitType2 = 9
UnitType3 = 14
UnitType4 = 8
UnitType5 = 18
UnitType6 = 8
UnitType20 = 6
UnitType21 = 8
UnitType22 = 10
UnitType40 = 1 ........ reset build time
UnitType41 = 96
UnitType42 = 48
UnitType43 = 24
UpgradeCostModifier = 2.0

In-Game Procedure
After applying the above changes, when you want to activate CV 'Aquila', go to unit build during the Italian turn, purchase a CV for 20PP and it should be available next turn, to re-name as you wish.

Note 1: Unit type 40 = CV

Note 2: All files for modification have to be set with a security setting to allow edit and save by your user account

.............................................

With two text changes you can have an Italian carrier in the Med, it can be argued that the Italians could never have operated a carrier, but with enough priority on the project, maybe. I don't want to play the same game over and over, ground hog day, but reasonable what-ifs open up the game.

The appearance of the game can be changed, which is what you are seeing in the screen-shots, some which is not the stock graphics. There is a lot of work in managing the game to get the best out of it.

I can read the history books as well as anyone and the object is to have fun, but realistically as possible, ToF allows this to happen.[:)]
"In politics stupidity is not a handicap" - Napoleon

“A people which is able to say everything becomes able to do everything” - Napoleon

“Among those who dislike oppression are many who like to oppress" - Napoleon
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Rasputitsa
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RE: Development

Post by Rasputitsa »

Here is the readme for 'Fall Gelb' starting in January 1940, the game doesn't have to run on rails, there are realistic alternatives to be had.

Readme:

Initially Hitler outlined his requirements for an attack against the Western Allies in ‘Fuehrer Directive No. 6’, dated 9th October 1939 :


………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
The Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

Berlin. 9th October, 1939. 8 copies


Directive No. 6 For The Conduct of the War

1. Should it become evident in the near future that England, and, under her influence, France also, are not disposed to bring the war to an end, I have decided, without further loss of time, to go over to the offensive.

2. Any further delay will not only entail the end of Belgian and perhaps of Dutch neutrality, to the advantage of the Allies; it will also increasingly strengthen the military power of the enemy, reduce the confidence of neutral nations in Germany's final victory, and make it more difficult to bring Italy into the war on our side as a full ally.

3. I therefore issue the following orders for the further conduct of military operations:

(a) An offensive will be planned on the northern flank of the Western front, through Luxembourg, Belgium, and Holland. This offensive must be launched at the earliest possible moment and in greatest possible strength.

(b) The purpose of this offensive will be to defeat as much as possible of the French Army and of the forces of the Allies fighting on their side, and at the same time to win as much territory as possible in Holland, Belgium, and Northern France, to serve as a base for the successful prosecution of the air and sea war against England and as a wide protective area for the economically vital Ruhr Basin.

(c) The time of the attack will depend upon the readiness for action of the armoured and motorised units involved. These units are to be made ready with all speed. It will depend also upon the weather conditions obtaining and foreseeable at the time.

4. The Air Force will prevent attacks by the Anglo-French Air Forces on our Army and will give all necessary direct support to its advance. It is also important to prevent the establishment of Anglo-French air bases and the landing of British forces in Belgium and Holland.

5. The Navy will do everything possible, while this offensive is in progress, to afford direct or indirect support to the operations of the Army and the Air Force.

6. Apart from these preparations for the beginning of the offensive in the west according to plan, the Army and Air Force must be ready, at all times, in increasing strength, to meet an Anglo-French invasion of Belgium, immediately and as far forward as possible on Belgian soil, and to occupy the largest possible area of Holland in the direction of the west coast.

7. These preparations will be camouflaged in such a way that they appear merely to be precautionary measures made necessary by the threatening increase in the strength of the French and English forces on the frontiers between France and Luxembourg and Belgium.

8. I request Commanders in Chief to submit to me their detailed plans based on this Directive at the earliest moment and to keep me constantly informed of progress through the High Command of the Armed Forces.


Adolf Hitler.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………




The strategic problem was to attack, avoiding the fortifications of the Maginot Line, and to organise an advance through the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg to the greatest advantage. It was recognised that the attack would predictably have to be into Northern France, but how to achieve a decisive result. Hitler was anxious to start the offensive as soon as possible, not withstanding the winter weather, this is clearly stated in the Directive.

It should be noted that the intent of this directive is not the destruction of France, but merely to win enough territory to provide bases to attack Britain and to ensure protection for the Ruhr industrial area.

10 days after the issue of this directive, General Franz Halder produced the first ‘Deployment Directive’ to turn the Fuehrer’s requirements into an operational plan, however, Hitler was not impressed as it was judged to be too conservative and merely a re-run of the failed 1914 plan, which itself was an adaption of von Schlieffen’s 1906 theoretical wargame exercise.

The first Deployment Directive was dismissed by Hitler as ‘the ideas of a military cadet’ and to concentrate minds, announced that the invasion should start on the 12th November 1939.

Halder delivered the Second Deployment Directive on the 29th October, which shifted the weight of the attack further into the Army Group B Northern front, with even less emphasis on the AGrpA Ardennes axis. However Hitler was still dissatisfied, as the plan did not promise a decisive result and now he began to show interest in the Ardennes region as a decisive attack route.

Against the fears and complaints of unreadiness from his generals, Hitler was still insisting on an early attack. However, the start date of a proposed Western offensive was postponed 28 times, well into 1940, as there was no agreed plan and there were concerns over weather and resources.

However, on the 10th January 1940 Hitler received a weather forecast of two weeks clear weather, which would start in 5 days’ time, this was the opportunity that he had been waiting for and he immediately gave orders that the offensive would start on 12th January 1940.

The only plan available was the second Deployment Directive, which although it lacked finesse, as an unimaginative drive through Belgium, Luxembourg, into Northern France, if launched at this time of year would catch the Allies by surprise and unprepared. The Netherlands had been included in the plan, as Goering insisted on access to aerodromes for a campaign against Britain and also to avoid the Netherlands being used by the Allies, as a base to attack the flank of the German offensive.

This much is history, but on the same day that Hitler gave the order for the Western offensive, two Luftwaffe officers, on a flight from Munster to Cologne, made an unexpected landing at Vucht in Belgian territory, carrying documents that contained information on the planned offensive.

Jodel’s diary entry of the 12th January reflected the enormity of the event – ‘if the enemy is in possession of all the files, situation catastrophic’ – and the offensive was cancelled.

‘Fall Gelb Mod’, commencing in January 1940, is a viable what-if and it would have become historical fact, but for the miss-directed flight of Major Helmuth Reinberger and his incompetent pilot, reserve officer Major Erich Hoenmanns.

END
"In politics stupidity is not a handicap" - Napoleon

“A people which is able to say everything becomes able to do everything” - Napoleon

“Among those who dislike oppression are many who like to oppress" - Napoleon
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