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:
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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
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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.[:)]