FOG2 Developer’s Diary – Innovations and Differences

[Scutarii]

Thanks for the reply.

With all the video i see i really like game and cant wait to have it BUT are a pair of things in visual area...

In old FOG you can diference very well heavy infantry from medium infantry because one has 6-5 soldiers and other 3... here is not possible do this because representantion focus only in unit size... is possible use the unit flag to diference between diferent unit types??? even show units special atributes??? i think in drilled-undrilled... you know in old FOG 5 VS 6 soldiers in heavy infantry and in medium-cavalry 3 figures BUT undriller dont have them in line.

I think in for example made that medium infantry has a big roman number one (I) and heavy infantry a big number 2 (II) and to diference between driller undrilled add a bar under or over them.

For light i think in a system to help know what type of weapon is used by the unit based in range... javelin can have a simple dot, slingers-arcabuzeros-crossbowmen 2 dots and archers 3 dots with the gold bar to diference between drilled-undrilled

Cavalry... light cavalry similar dot system from light infantry and for heavy... one big (I) for the normal cavalry and (II) for he mounted-unmounted ability for medieval lists.

Other point is that in cenital view units are not very visible... maybe on this kind of view the ability to activate or not an icon using the flags system i say previoulsy help play on this view and see battlefield in a simple view.

[rbodleyscott]

Thanks.

[JaM2013]

Also i think you should consider replacing units with icons for strategic top down view.. From what i saw in some gameplay videos, top down view is actually very confusing.

[DonCzirr]

Also i think you should consider replacing units with icons for strategic top down view.. From what i saw in some gameplay videos, top down view is actually very confusing.

+1



On another note, any enhancements for using fortifications, towers ?

One thing I like with HPS Roman Civil War etc was the ability to put archers up on towers etc ....

[rbodleyscott]

Also i think you should consider replacing units with icons for strategic top down view.. From what i saw in some gameplay videos, top down view is actually very confusing.

+1

We don't intend top down view to be used for playing the game.

[rbodleyscott]

On another note, any enhancements for using fortifications, towers ?

One thing I like with HPS Roman Civil War etc was the ability to put archers up on towers etc ....

That would be appropriate if we were doing siege games, but currently we are doing field battles.

The Romans built a lot of camp and other fortifications, to guard them against surprise attacks. However, Roman strategy was not to actually fight from fortifications but to march out and engage the enemy in the open.

[Scutarii]

I think that is possible create fortifications very easy in game... create a "defensive tower" with 0 action poitns, that work as heavy armored archers, with 360º fire angle (you dont need turn to fire and has 100% fire power all around) and you have the defensive structure... you only need ass walls like in FOG I or defensive works like in P&S... avaliable in editor and in campaign you can buy them in specific battles... defensive battles.

I know the core of FOG II is in open battles but in future you are going to need expand options if you add other periods... i think for example in longbow units and the portable defensive pikes.

The top view problem for me is that is less informative than normal view... top view for me is a way to see battlefield... and if player want play... the problem with FOG II is that is harder know what you see in a single view compared with FOG... the improvement in graphics has as colateral damage made less intuitive know what you see.

[jamespcrowley]

The Romans built a lot of camp and other fortifications, to guard them against surprise attacks. However, Roman strategy was not to actually fight from fortifications but to march out and engage the enemy in the open.

I can't claim any great expertise in this matter but I had always thought that the use of entrenchments in battle, by the Romans, was quite widespread.

Quickly checking a few of my books on the subject I came across their use at: Orchomenus - 86 BC - River Rhyndacus - 85 BC - and Uzitta - 46 BC.

These were field battles and not sieges, as such, although Rhyndacus was a sortie out of a Roman encampment.

[rbodleyscott]

The Romans built a lot of camp and other fortifications, to guard them against surprise attacks. However, Roman strategy was not to actually fight from fortifications but to march out and engage the enemy in the open.

I can't claim any great expertise in this matter but I had always thought that the use of entrenchments in battle, by the Romans, was quite widespread.

Quickly checking a few of my books on the subject I came across their use at: Orchomenus - 86 BC - River Rhyndacus - 85 BC - and Uzitta - 46 BC.

These were field battles and not sieges, as such, although Rhyndacus was a sortie out of a Roman encampment.

The game does in fact include field fortifications. They just don't appear in any of the historical battles included in the game. I have no doubt that user scenarios including field fortifications will appear before long.

[DonCzirr]

The Romans built a lot of camp and other fortifications, to guard them against surprise attacks. However, Roman strategy was not to actually fight from fortifications but to march out and engage the enemy in the open.

I can't claim any great expertise in this matter but I had always thought that the use of entrenchments in battle, by the Romans, was quite widespread.

Quickly checking a few of my books on the subject I came across their use at: Orchomenus - 86 BC - River Rhyndacus - 85 BC - and Uzitta - 46 BC.

These were field battles and not sieges, as such, although Rhyndacus was a sortie out of a Roman encampment.

The game does in fact include field fortifications. They just don't appear in any of the historical battles included in the game. I have no doubt that user scenarios including field fortifications will appear before long.

Excellent - will be looking forward to that !

[jamespcrowley]

The game does in fact include field fortifications. They just don't appear in any of the historical battles included in the game. I have no doubt that user scenarios including field fortifications will appear before long.

Ah, that's good to know, thanks.

Just looking through the historical battles and it seems that at Chaeronea 86BC, entrenchments and palisades were used by the Romans.

Perhaps the included scenario does not focus on that part of the battle, although it seems to be fairly integral to it.

[TDefender]

Are camps still in multiplayer games with the chance to "sack" them?

[rbodleyscott]

Are camps still in multiplayer games with the chance to "sack" them?

No. They are sort of a marmite thing. We went without them.

[Brenmusik]

That's me out

[JaM2013]

sacking camps was a "profitable distraction" for troops, which sometimes lost the battle for the side that sacked the enemy camp, as troops that managed to break through went pillaging the camp and left the battle.. good example for this is battle of Asculum where quite a significant force of Roman Allies went after Pyrrhus camp instead of attacking Epirote phalanx in the rear.. anyway while Pyrrhus eventually won the battle, destroyed camp also meant that all his wounded men could not get any help and large majority of them died on the battlefield which weakened him even more.

[TDefender]

Are camps still in multiplayer games with the chance to "sack" them?

No. They are sort of a marmite thing. We went without them.

Thanks a lot for reply but it's a bit sad to hear about that, it's quite obvious that , as I was worried about, everything that was not in Pike and Shot it's not now in Field of Glory 2. New graphics are simply outstanding but as to gameplay, which is in my opionion the most important thing, I don't think that just the new "army movement" can compensate a lot of gameplay features lack from FoG.

[rbodleyscott]

Are camps still in multiplayer games with the chance to "sack" them?

No. They are sort of a marmite thing. We went without them.

Thanks a lot for reply but it's a bit sad to hear about that, it's quite obvious that , as I was worried about, everything that was not in Pike and Shot it's not now in Field of Glory 2. New graphics are simply outstanding but as to gameplay, which is in my opionion the most important thing, I don't think that just the new "army movement" can compensate a lot of gameplay features lack from FoG.

There are other additions - such as generals and Undo - and the whole UI and flow is much more streamlined.

[skc]

Can Fog2 play "Human vs Human" and if it can where does one set it up?
I have been playing against my boy in a variety of PC games, including, I think Fog 1. He has Down Syndrome and although a good tactician, struggles with the rules used in normal Tabletop Figure gaming. Using PC takes all that complexity away from him so he can instead concentrate on the actual battle play.
Please advise.

[rbodleyscott]

Can Fog2 play "Human vs Human" and if it can where does one set it up?

Yes. You just have to turn Hot Seat on in settings. (It defaults to off, and you have to set it on again next time you start up the game. This is intended to stop people starting hot seat games by mistake).

I have been playing against my boy in a variety of PC games, including, I think Fog 1. He has Down Syndrome and although a good tactician, struggles with the rules used in normal Tabletop Figure gaming. Using PC takes all that complexity away from him so he can instead concentrate on the actual battle play.

Hope you both enjoy the game.

I have to say that having got a bit fed up with "disagreements" over the rules in tabletop games, I now much prefer to play the computer version myself too.

[skc]

Thanks for the reply. It's nice to know there is ability to play human/human. My boy will be pleased.
Fortunately I belong to a very relaxed wargames club, which does not take kindly to these egoistic, "win at all costs" players, who can be so disruptive.
Looking forward to getting into FOG 2!