Movement woes

[Flop]

I've been playing the demo (1.05i) for a few days now. I've ordered the full game, but I understand that the demo is exactly like the full game, except for the 15 days limit.

Anyway, I'd like a function that lets me know how far I can expect my stacks to move. Having to check the weather and terrain and consult the manual for the MP cost for each region each of my stacks will move through takes a long time, not to mention that I frequently overlook stuff like fortresses (I'm still new at this ). So it would be nice if there was a function to let me know how far along the planned route a given stack can be expected to move during its turn. If there's already such a function I apologize for the inconvenience. I've read most of the manual, but I have probably overlooked/forgotten many important points.

Another thing I'd like is a different way of moving stacks. It annoys me greatly that I have to select a stack and then click it again to drag it. Half of the time I miss the stack when I try to drag it after having selected it, thereby selecting the province instead. This is doubly annoying if I have selected an alternative movement mode for the stack, because that is reset when the stack is unselected. This is a minor inconvenience, I admit, but with the number of stacks you have to order around the map during each turn of a game, it adds up.

A solution could be to just dump the drag/drop function and use a left click to select a stack and then a right click to select the region you want it to move to (first selecting an alternative movement mode, if you want to). Another, probably easier, way would be to make selecting the stacks less of a pixel hunt, by making them larger (perhaps not visually, just for the purpose of selecting them). Of course, if I'm the only one with this problem, I'll just go train my hand-eye coordination instead of bothering you with my problems.

[calvinus]

I've been playing the demo (1.05i) for a few days now. I've ordered the full game, but I understand that the demo is exactly like the full game, except for the 15 days limit.

Yes, it's so.

Anyway, I'd like a function that lets me know how far I can expect my stacks to move. Having to check the weather and terrain and consult the manual for the MP cost for each region each of my stacks will move through takes a long time, not to mention that I frequently overlook stuff like fortresses (I'm still new at this ). So it would be nice if there was a function to let me know how far along the planned route a given stack can be expected to move during its turn. If there's already such a function I apologize for the inconvenience. I've read most of the manual, but I have probably overlooked/forgotten many important points.

This feature is already present. Look at the yellow-pulsating highlighted areas.

[calvinus]

Another thing I'd like is a different way of moving stacks. It annoys me greatly that I have to select a stack and then click it again to drag it. Half of the time I miss the stack when I try to drag it after having selected it, thereby selecting the province instead. This is doubly annoying if I have selected an alternative movement mode for the stack, because that is reset when the stack is unselected. This is a minor inconvenience, I admit, but with the number of stacks you have to order around the map during each turn of a game, it adds up.

A solution could be to just dump the drag/drop function and use a left click to select a stack and then a right click to select the region you want it to move to (first selecting an alternative movement mode, if you want to). Another, probably easier, way would be to make selecting the stacks less of a pixel hunt, by making them larger (perhaps not visually, just for the purpose of selecting them). Of course, if I'm the only one with this problem, I'll just go train my hand-eye coordination instead of bothering you with my problems.

First, if you want to add a new movement step, you can drag by clicking from the animated shadow displayed on the currently last step.

Second, whenever you select a different movement mode, I must reset the moves, sorry.

[Flop]

This feature is already present. Look at the yellow-pulsating highlighted areas.

Ah, I actually wondered at one point what that meant, but then I forgot about it. Thanks for clearing that up.

Now that we're on the subject of moving, I have another question. I'm playing the 1914 scenario as the Central Powers in turn based mode, and I'm in the early august 1914. When I try to move the German first army the highlighted areas tell me that this army can reach Antwerp (provided I don't enter Liege first, of course, since there's a fortress there). However, if I remove the siege guns from the stack, the rest of the army can no longer reach Antwerp. Is it intentional that siege guns actually make a stack go faster? It's movement value is 3, whereas all other units in the stack have a value of 4.

Also, the siege guns alone can still reach Antwerp, according to the highlighted areas on the map, except it can't cross the river, so it would have to enter Liege first (which means it would have to stop there). However, when the siege guns are with the rest of the stack, that stack has no problem crossing the river.

First, if you want to add a new movement step, you can drag by clicking from the animated shadow displayed on the currently last step.

I know, but I was actually talking about adding the first step. Also, I find it a little bit annoying that if you have already added some steps and then try to add more, using the method you described, all steps will be cancelled if you make an illegal move (like trying to make the siege artillery of the german first army cross the river I was talking about ), meaning you have to start from scratch. Anyway, those are really very minor problems that I'm sure I'll get used to after playing a while.

Anyway, great work on the game. I can't wait for my copy to arrive, since my trial period with the demo expires tomorrow.

Edit: One more question about movement: are you supposed to be able to coordinate movement with an army that has already moved? I was able to do that in the scenario I described above. More precisely, I moved the second German army to besiege Liege, after which I activated the third German army. By chance I realised that I could now coordinate it's movement with the second army, which I'd just activated and moved, and thereby move that army again.

[calvinus]

Edit: One more question about movement: are you supposed to be able to coordinate movement with an army that has already moved? I was able to do that in the scenario I described above. More precisely, I moved the second German army to besiege Liege, after which I activated the third German army. By chance I realised that I could now coordinate it's movement with the second army, which I'd just activated and moved, and thereby move that army again.

Wow, you discovered a cheat. I will remove it as soon as possible!

[calvinus]

Now that we're on the subject of moving, I have another question. I'm playing the 1914 scenario as the Central Powers in turn based mode, and I'm in the early august 1914. When I try to move the German first army the highlighted areas tell me that this army can reach Antwerp (provided I don't enter Liege first, of course, since there's a fortress there). However, if I remove the siege guns from the stack, the rest of the army can no longer reach Antwerp. Is it intentional that siege guns actually make a stack go faster? It's movement value is 3, whereas all other units in the stack have a value of 4.

Also, the siege guns alone can still reach Antwerp, according to the highlighted areas on the map, except it can't cross the river, so it would have to enter Liege first (which means it would have to stop there). However, when the siege guns are with the rest of the stack, that stack has no problem crossing the river.

The matter of artillery unit making the stack able to move faster is very strange indeed. I will investigate on that.

For what concern the pulsating yellow filter, I must say that this informations are calculated without considering the presence of obstacles that would stop the move, sorry. Indeed the algorythm is already quite complex, and I cannot do it thougher, because the risk is to have a 5-10 secs delay each time you click on a stack!

I know, but I was actually talking about adding the first step. Also, I find it a little bit annoying that if you have already added some steps and then try to add more, using the method you described, all steps will be cancelled if you make an illegal move (like trying to make the siege artillery of the german first army cross the river I was talking about ), meaning you have to start from scratch. Anyway, those are really very minor problems that I'm sure I'll get used to after playing a while.

The reset of the move steps in case of an illegal move is indeed on point that I should remove! Thanks.

[Kaiser1918]

For what concern the pulsating yellow filter, I must say that this informations are calculated without considering the presence of obstacles that would stop the move, sorry. Indeed the algorythm is already quite complex, and I cannot do it thougher, because the risk is to have a 5-10 secs delay each time you click on a stack!

But Calvinus, then the yellow is worthless...I cannot trust the markings if I am not sure that the stack can really make it there in one turn...sorry to say.

[calvinus]

I guess the only blocking obstacles are fortresses...
You would have also the large rivers (such as the Danube) that give a 50% chance of stopping (and bringing big losses).

But all other stuff is not worring.

So the yellow filter is not worthless... you have simply to take in mind that a fortress blocks your movement and a large river can do it too.

Edit: the fact is that if I consider the obstacles in the yellow filter algorythm, that is recursive, I risk to increment considerably the timings providing even wrong infos!

[sval06]

Edit: the fact is that if I consider the obstacles in the yellow filter algorythm, that is recursive, I risk to increment considerably the timings providing even wrong infos!

So don't consider please

When will the next patch be released?

[calvinus]

If I will receive no news from the guys of Friendware, I'm planning to release a new beta-patch on Wednesday.

[Flop]

For what concern the pulsating yellow filter, I must say that this informations are calculated without considering the presence of obstacles that would stop the move, sorry. Indeed the algorythm is already quite complex, and I cannot do it thougher, because the risk is to have a 5-10 secs delay each time you click on a stack!

That's ok, I guess. I just need to get used to looking out for fortresses (something I should probably be doing anyway ). Thanks for the answers.

How exactly do you tell a huge river from a large river, and a large river from a small river/canal (and is there any difference between a small river and a canal)? Is it simply the size of the river on the map?

[calvinus]

How exactly do you tell a huge river from a large river, and a large river from a small river/canal (and is there any difference between a small river and a canal)? Is it simply the size of the river on the map?

Small rivers are clearly distinguishable from major rivers. The only large river present on the map is the Danube, so I recall.

[Flop]

Seems I had the terminology a bit messed up there, but thanks for the answer.

[Flop]

The matter of artillery unit making the stack able to move faster is very strange indeed. I will investigate on that.

Sorry for doubleposting, but did you get a chance to look into this? I just started a new game (the full game this time - not the demo - 1.05l), and this problem is still there. I have discovered that the 1st German army does in fact have 4 movement points after I remove the siege artillery, but for some reason it can't enter Antwerp without the artillery. It can, however move through Maastricht, Hasselt, Louvain and into Namur (but not into Bruxelles).

Since the terrain of all these regions are plains, and the weather is sunny in all of them, I don't understand why I can't move into Antwerp (without the artillery), or Bruxelles (without the artillery, since the artillery can't move that far anyway).

I've posted a save game. Am I overlooking something?

[calvinus]

It was a display error. It means that if you planned a movement to Antwerp, the movement was fully enacted! Sorry...

Bug fixed. Next patch.

[Flop]

Thanks a lot.

I can't wait untill the next patch is out. I'm especially looking forward to the combat logs.

[calvinus]

Combat Logs will take much time, mainly because I'm now freezed waiting the Spanish texts and I cannot go forward on the new features that require new game texts...

[Flop]

Damn those Spaniards! First they get me hooked on gazpacho and now this!

Well, I'm still looking forward to it, even if it takes longer than expected.

[calvinus]

Confirmed. The display bug is fixed. When selecting a stack you will have a delay a bit longer than usual (due to recursive calculations, indeed the error was caused by speed optimizations), but the yellow filter now is without errors!

[tagwyn]

Duh?! What you say?? t

[calvinus]

Confirmed. The display bug is fixed. When selecting a stack you will have a delay a bit longer than usual (due to recursive calculations, indeed the error was caused by speed optimizations), but the yellow filter now is without errors!

Dear Flop, the fix (removal of speed optimizations in yellow pulsating filter calculation) made the game extremely slow and almost unplayable on a lot of PC configs...
So I've been forced to roll back the fix for the official patch 1.06A.

Sorry,
Calvinus.

[Flop]

Well, that's too bad. I haven't tried the new patch yet, since the motherboard in my desktop was fried the other day, but i guess it is unacceptable to have the game slow down to a crawl. I hope you find some other way of correcting the filter, though, since as long as it's inaccurate, it might as well be disabled completely.

[calvinus]

I will do my best, but I have only today to work on WW1, because tomorrow (moday) I must absolutely commit the 1.06a to Ascaron company!