Movement Arrows for Convoys

_Augustus_ · Post by **_Augustus_** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 5:01 pm

Hello,

Does anyone else wish movement arrows for the convoys would be shown when playing Axis? Because the convoys move end of the Axis turn the Axis player won't see them at the start of his/hers(do we got any?) next turn. Now you can try be alert and try remember the movements that flashed quickly at the end of your previous turn. Or take notes or something. But for ease of gameplay it would make much more sense to show the movement arrows at the start of the turn?

Would this be even possible using the code of game?

_augustus_

joerock22 · Post by **joerock22** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 5:48 pm

I would love to see this. It gets hairy trying to remember where convoys appeared, especially during winter, especially if you have multiple Axis games going at the same time.

_Augustus_ · Post by **_Augustus_** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 2:16 pm

Hi,

Judging by the lack of replies I guess I and Joe were the only ones interested in seeing this and the issue isn't on the todo list for the mod team. If it's not possible or really cumbersome to change the code I'd appriciate a reply to that effect so I could put my mind to rest on this

Wasn't the 2.0 going to introduce randomness into convoy movement? I'd imagine the convoy movement arrows would be appreciated by more people in that case.

Or something,

_augustus_

Peter Stauffenberg · Post by **Peter Stauffenberg** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 3:01 pm

We looked into this, but the problem is that the convoys are moving at the end of the Axis turn and not the Allied turn. The arrows are visible until a unit moves and that will be in the Allied turn. We tried moving the convoy movement to the Allied turn, but then the problem was that the convoy would move AFTER the escorts had move and you couldn't anticipate where the convoy would end up. That meant the escorts wouldn't be adjacent to the convoy after the Allied turn. That means the subs have an easy task attacking the convoys.

So the convoys must move BEFORE the Allied escorts. We even tried letting the move at the beginning of the Allied turn and that meant the arrows would be visible until the Allied escorts were moved by the player.

The only way to solve this is to store the convoy movement arrows and show then at the beginning of the Axis turn. That would mean all existing save games would be invalidated and the beta testers didn't want that.

Plaid · Post by **Plaid** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 3:46 pm

Stauffenberg wrote: The only way to solve this is to store the convoy movement arrows and show then at the beginning of the Axis turn. That would mean all existing save games would be invalidated and the beta testers didn't want that.

But can't it be done in release version? Its annoying when you see how convoy moves by your naked eye, but can't see it on the map next turn. Its not information, which should be hidden from axis player, logically.

_Augustus_ · Post by **_Augustus_** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 4:39 pm

Greetings,

Thank you for the reply and for the information. Sounds fair enough. I guess posting onto the forum is a double edged sword for the team. If you don't post replies and inform what's the "official view" on the issues raised by players the players stop posting ideas here. But if you do post that takes up some of team's time available for the "hobby". It's good to hear that my post lead into some thinking inside the team/test team. I just had no way of knowing that not being part of the test group.

I had the same thing flash in my brain as Plaid did when I read your reply. Introduce it in the release version. Of course that would mean releasing a version with a non-playtested element or to have some really quick playtesting to see the feature "ought to work OK".

_augustus_

Peter Stauffenberg · Post by **Peter Stauffenberg** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 4:57 pm

That was what I intended. I've playtested this functionality for myself and I get the convoy arrows on the next Axis turn before the Axis player moves any units.

We just need find the right time to get the functionality available to the playtesters. Invalidating save games is certainly something the playtesters don't like.

massina_nz · Post by **massina_nz** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 9:20 pm

If that functionality can be included it would be great. Really handy when some PBEM turns are days apart.

rkr1958 · Post by **rkr1958** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 9:31 pm

What do you think?

massina_nz · Post by **massina_nz** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 11:01 pm

If that's what you see at the start of the Axis turn, then that is excellent.

joerock22 · Post by **joerock22** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 12:41 am

That is excellent. Now subs can finally see what sails within their spotting range!

richardsd · Post by **richardsd** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 10:10 am

which is great, but have a xmas thought for the beta testers, for some thats six or more games that will need to be restarted!

_Augustus_ · Post by **_Augustus_** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 12:58 pm

Looking great

richardsd wrote:which is great, but have a xmas thought for the beta testers, for some thats six or more games that will need to be restarted!

Weren't these photos just for demonstration purposes of the arrows to be? But if not, lot of holiday spirit to the beta testers.

_augustus_

Peter Stauffenberg · Post by **Peter Stauffenberg** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 2:01 pm

Nope. They will be able to play with the arrows showing from convoy movement. It's really in the game.

massina_nz · Post by **massina_nz** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 7:53 pm

_Augustus_ wrote:Looking great

richardsd wrote:which is great, but have a xmas thought for the beta testers, for some thats six or more games that will need to be restarted!
Weren't these photos just for demonstration purposes of the arrows to be? But if not, lot of holiday spirit to the beta testers.

_augustus_

Yes Amen to that. I trend to forget about the beta testers, those folks who really don't get much praise.

Thanks guys for all your efforts, and Merry Xmas to all those on the fourm.