beta 4 feedback

[zakblood]

downloaded and installed fine, this is all new so i will quickly get up to speed...
what's this ids

as no manual it looks like a placeholder is missing a picture or something, sorry if it's been asked before or a simple answer...

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and each other unit gives a better box, that's all

next is hidden txt, you move you mouse up to these 2 boxes but the reply / answer is under it, i know what both does, but this seems strange to me for a almost released version

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transparent or not, it's not fully clear either

next minor issue, is if you put your mouse cursor at the bottom of the screen so it can't scroll any more, and keep it there, all units of mine shown in yellow start to shake... not really a bug any of these, just pointers from new eyes

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the scroll shake only happens at the bottom and top of the screen so north and south axis or points on the compass lets say, east and west are fine / ok...

[Kerensky]

Each unit gives a better box? Are you saying each time you select a unit, this message is popping up?

[zakblood]

Each unit gives a better box? Are you saying each time you select a unit, this message is popping up?

no only the one shown, thought it may have missed it's info as it doesn't say much and i have no idea what ids is

sorry if any of this has been brought up before, but as i'm not up to speed, i'll play / test and comment as i go, that's my style, so sorry if this gets to be a larger than normal sized thread

[Kerensky]

All feedback is good feedback, no worries.

Even if it's an issue already brought up, the more reports we get on the same issues just means it's that much more important to address.

[Kerensky]

Also, I inquired about this, and it just appeared to be an errant tutorial pop up message. A more informative tutorial is something we want to try and have for 1.0, and this is just a part of the process in putting that together.

[bech1303]

might want to remove transports for Rough Riders... seems a bit... to much

[zakblood]

played all way through the act 2 campaign, was good, but i sold all the units i could when given a chance and bought all tanks, a few artillery pieces and the odd scout unit, had massive losses, but won so far...

the bigger units don't seem to be worth the cost, 3 to 4 smaller cheaper tanks can take out most units in the game once weakened by artillery, so surround and conquer, and as long as you don't mind the losses, which i didn't, you get plenty of replacements next turn / mission anyway...

apart from the troopers with flags, not used or bought any of the others infantry types as far too weak to use..

so far i have nearly all used tanks and gone into a tank slugfest like command and conquer of old, same tactics still works it seems

tomorrow it's act 3 quick play / test, again with editor being used if needed

[zakblood]

on to act 3 today, as finished act 2 in quick play

if you want to know what quick play is then i'll give you the quick tour...

as always i'm a rubbish teacher so if you do anything wrong, you also may be poor student...

please back up first you game or at least keep a copy of you exe and SN as you may need it if you go wrong....

quick play for me is when you run straight through a campaign or mission and don't careless of casualties or anything else, you just want to finish that level and go onto the next, your looking at the units involved and the terrain and other stuff, but what your not doing is playing it properly either, yes you can have fun, but your here to try and break it, find bugs and give reports etc, if you have fun on the way consider it a bonus..

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while i play in quick play mode, which isn't a real mode in the game either, it's only in my head, i cheat, i alter stuff just to see what i can do, and what the developers have done.

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WARNING using the editor not only spoils the game and campaign, it also can crash it if you don't know what you're doing either, i dont have that much of a clue but don't at least crash the game no more using it, so if you have no idea on it's use, then move along and forget all that you see there will not be a second warning, so please don't post you followed it and broke the game either, TY....

[zakblood]

map use for each level are also handy tbh in quick play, so again i used the editor and cheated to print them, these one i show have had the units removed also, as i cheat for myself, not for others

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map printing 1.jpg (239.25 KiB) Viewed 5149 times

[zakblood]

why cheat at all?

why use quick play a made up name and do it anyway?

why use maps?

all 3 above will ruin you're gaming experience of the game...

using the editor to do game alteration like shown is cheating and frowned on...

maps again is the worst form of cheating as if you have them with other side unit placing, the can see all, and can alter your troops / units accordingly and buy to counter them if needed....

so why do any?


i'm a game beta tester, not a game player (yes i do play games, but now i'm testing it only)

i haven't the time to learn and play the game properly before release date, there just isn't the time tbh..

so any feedback i can give may help, so i decided to get a heads up and learn the ropes quicker than most, not saying my way is better, or i will find more or even play it good, as tbh i'm useless at games anyway... but that's not the point...

so now on to act 3, again using quick play...



then on Monday i will play through all of act 2 again, with no cheats used, other than maps maybe and then and only then have or maybe have a better understanding of game mechanics etc

with the rest of the week being spent on getting through act 3 and given feedback etc etc

so by the weekend maybe at the earliest i should have a few finishes under my belt, one way or another and hopefully have a better understanding and can contribute to something in this beta test, well that's the plan....

enjoy, so far i have...

[zakblood]

3rd mission in on act 3, with fast play. so far game act 2 and these few in act 3 tested / played have been quite balanced, enough time to do objectives and also enough troops, still wish right from the start that you could have all the troops types to pick / select yourself, maybe once you have finished the game that option could be available to you, as i like the build my own armies all the time and fight with what units i want, not pre done fro you and then wait until they die to replace them, it's only an idea and feedback and not a complaint, just an idea

the mix of orc units seem good but they still send more infantry and bikes than any others so can be matched and beaten with my layout...

AI is strange with mines, as it seem to want to clear them before taking out (ME) the units that are shooting at them and wiping them out, i do 70 to 90% damage to them before all mines are cleared, so maybe that needs looking at sometimes before release...

not great at guarding the objectives either, as if you place a unit out of there range and keep snipping them from distance they just sit there and die, when one move forward i would be in range and could be hit back

the unit choices you have to make seem vast at later levels of play, but as most like infantry are all near all the same with only little minor changers, there's little point other than to get there name into the game for the fan's etc etc...

still don't see the point of the different colour units, i see they are from different squads. but same as above they add little for me, as i don't really still use infantry apart from taking objectives or holding the odd one, seems again more for the fans than the real difference they actual do in the game...

air power for me is sadly lacking for a space type game, with little use or scope for it seen so far...

[zakblood]

it's a good job the orc's don't really attack much on mass, as they always seem to out number you, but aren't that good at amassing overwhelming fire support against you, or not seen it so far....

have a tendency to make lots of smaller cheaper infantry type units or biker squads which do little damage but if used correctly could over power a larger unit...

not seen a great deal of air power from them used, some great long range weapons they have but again seem rather poor at adding them in battle, seen the odd one or 2 so far, fixed emplacements could be used more, same as more defences...

these notes are made while playing / testing it on a quick run through using my quick play method so may not be very accurate or look good either as they may be jumbled and get edited later on a re read

but will do for thoughts and comments for now...

[zakblood]

well almost done act 3

a tank rush with all new bought units, all tanks, 3 titans and some infantry units that i can't sell either

rest of map you can't see all has tanks in it as well, same tactics used in all missions and wins all with lots of loses, but no real challenge

command and conquer all over again

fun but in the end a bit too easy

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all fall before me in my tank wake, everything so far just bouncers off, and i hit them mutliple times and do damage, so the one with the most wins all...

nothing can stand for long against my horde, if or when a unit dies i just buy another, and another, either way i'm at there lines in 4 moves, take some VL in a few more, will have them all by 25 / 28 and then it's all over

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for saying i'm in the top 10 of worst players in the world, this game so far with all i have used, maps etc isn't a hard game, yes if you play it properly then it maybe, but as a tank rush type game it's not hard at all, and htis is the first play through as well, yes i know where and what is everywhere, so cheated

but will tomorrow re play with maps only and see if i can do any better...

[zakblood]

last thought of the day and yes i mean last one, as i see my thread getting longer already,

idea's for next one as it's too late for this,

play the Orc's

random mission generator

once you have finished a mission, gives you the option of replay, but with your own set up and purchase and placements of units

larger maps

some avi to tell the storey instead of all txt

cursor or other keys to move the map also would be great

end of battle report to upload and share would also be in my wish list

will add more as soon as more stuff pops into my head

[zakblood]

turn 6, not a single loss so far for my tanks or one point even of damage, forget how many losses Orc's have had, they are trying to slow me down but i don't fall for it and push on not even firing that much now and onto the objectives, then will surround them once taken with tanks so that the Orc's can't counter attack and re take any, game over...

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basic tank attack doctrine 101

AI tactics are mainly one on one affairs, where mine are surround and conquer with multiple attacks on one unit by the many

not going to post any more as it spoils it for others who may not be here or haven't or don't want to be or see it either...

[zakblood]

turn 9 i finally lose one point off a tank, but soon heal that, so yes they can be damaged, but now it's too later, the first few objectives are in my sights and i have my total force still intact with the Orc's being decimated before my eyes, no matter how many they will now field, think its to late tbh, i must have destroyed 20 to 25 units so far at least, all useless light ones, a few bigger ones but not many tbh...

battle is almost over on around turn 20, with victory mine after turn 25 and just need to hold out and clear the last remaining ones for a few more turns...

battle, slaughter done

would be nice if you had a end of battle report to share, but it doesn't, something else to add to the wish list then it seems....

no real end seen, or nice video to show you how well you have done so far and a pat on the back from your commander and a parade for you troops....

nope, hope that's added to the gold version as it's a anti climax without, all the hard work with no rewards, no medal, no thanks even, ah well time to watch some film with the GF as she's not seen me all weekend, so will replay all again on monday and look more for things that don't seem right etc and post more comments....

not that i have had any replies as such yet, ah well not everyone works weekends it seems

[Kerensky]

AI behavior on defence is always a point of contention. In Panzer Corps, players were annoyed to see the AI abandon defensive positions to attack their enemies. Since then, we've pretty much forced units defending VH to hold their ground. Outranging enemies is a part of 40k gameplay, so it's not too concerning. There are always other AI units with AI settings that make them more mobile.

Mines, if there is time, definitely is something that needs a look at.

Infantry are required to take most victory hexes, and the assaults versions are especially important to root out entrenched enemies. They have their niche, especially with heavy armored infantry they are in a far better place than they were in late game Panzer Corps.

Overall through, thanks for the extensive feedback. I didn't see any reports of serious problems in there, and that makes me extra glad!

[zakblood]

as stated this is only quick play, next week i test properly, and will give more and better feedback

[zakblood]

any guidance on what to really go to town on?

i see act 2 and 3 and that's not a problem, as Monday i'll do and finish act 2 in a day or so with act 3 being done the next...

but any pointers or advice on what you really want the effort to be spent on, will get act 1 done as well towards the weekend.

AI is defensive and can be worked around i have already seen, i see what your saying about the AI has been kept on the lease etc as if not if would be too powerful etc, but from what i've seen or used as in all tanks so far where i could, some more orc's here and there or everywhere tbh wouldn't go a miss...

some of my questions have also gone un answered but i guess i post to much so time is also an issue for you.

but only one really is, why is there no difficulty slider or place to change it, as i posted a file found that has it in so know the engine supports it, so why not use it in the code / scripts, or is that a time thing as well and also wont make it to 1.0

thanks...

[KenAllen]

• 1) All Input boxes need a flashing curser (input commander name and save game name)
  
  2) Dialog boxes need clearer interaction notifications. There is no indication that you just click anywhere to proceed.
  
  3) The dialog font is hard to read. The letters are almost the same height and thickness which makes it look like it's all in capital letters (which is what makes it hard to read).
  
  4) Music is low in game and menus.
  
  5) Although the terrain graphics are very basic for a game of today and disappointing that they are not animated, they do in most part fit together very nicely with the exception of two things. First, some tiles still have a 1 pixel fault line around them where you can see the hex outline. Second is the bridges, these just look out of place and as though they have been stuck on top as an afterthought. It would be nice to see them merge with the other terrain better and to look a part of the landscape.
  
  6) Some weapon SFX are not playing.
  
  7) Seems a bit odd that bolter and lasgun have big hit explosions. Maybe these sort of weapons do not need any hit FX. I think the explosion hit FX are only needed for the big guns.
  
  It would look better if the attacking and defending units could properly face each other while shooting. I'm sure I read somewhere that the units had 360 degree rotation (I could be wrong).