Panzer Corps 2 - Dev Diary #1

[pipfromslitherine]

Looks like a sh...t. 3D sh...t.
I mean screen from Alpha, not Rudankort.

PS Too many words, my dear zakblood. Sh..t off.

I will make it clearer. Any more posts of this kind of high quality will lead to a ban.

Short enough?

Cheers

Pip

[kondi754]

Honestly, I was hoping that the visual design would be, for example, a 3D terrain maps stylized to old operational / staff maps from the Second World War period, while the models of units and equipment which would appear on these maps will be a bit "comic" style - combining Battle Academy units with the climate of Heroes of Normandy ...

Why do you think that "comic" style would work better for Panzer Corps 2?

And why Panzer Corps 2 is meant to be a "normal" game that looks like many others now?
Besides, it seems to me that 2D models of PzC 1 units are also not super-realistic.
It would be an interesting contrast with the pastel colors applied to stylized military maps in the background

<Sory, I repeat my post so that Rudankort wouldn't overlook him >

[Rudankort]

And why Panzer Corps 2 is meant to be a "normal" game that looks like many others now?

Simply because all "Panzer" games in the past used realistic/serious style. If you make a radical style change in the sequel, there must be some reason for this.

Besides, it seems to me that 2D models of PzC 1 units are also not super-realistic.

I think, they look every bit as realistic as their relatively low resolution allows.

It would be an interesting contrast with the pastel colors applied to stylized military maps in the background

Okay.

[Uhu]

Nice new information and features! On the other hand, the graphics is very inferior compared to OOB, so I hope, it will develop further...

[Rudankort]

Nice new information and features! On the other hand, the graphics is very inferior compared to OOB, so I hope, it will develop further...

I hope so too. Can you elaborate a bit more? What are the biggest graphics issues, in your opinion?

[kondi754]

I would like PzC 2 to have its own unique style when it comes to the visual side. That's all.
What I saw now is similar or almost identical to many other productions

[Uhu]

While I'm just 40, but my eyes are not fully sharp (too much wargaming...? ), I like to play with my 24" monitor on 1280x720 - that way, the icons are also bigger, so I can impressed more of the nice armor.

Same here, mid-fifties now and I'm having to consider trading in my 14" 1920 x 1080 laptop for something bigger as despite its beautiful screen those unit strength numbers are getting a little difficult to see sometimes. I guess there are quite a few of us Panzer Corps/Panzer General veterans who are old-timers

[TSPC37730]

Are there any plans for an end of game summary? Some sort of rankings, tables or scoring system at the very end of the campaign?

[Uhu]

I understand your point, this is only an alpha stage 2D pic of a 3D graphics, but... I hoped, when you step over to 3D, than units will be much more detailed. I think, Talonsoft's East/West Front is also a good example, to make a more detailed graphics (there with trees/forest) in 2D, while not loosing the overlook. I imagined with a 3D motor, that player can zoom out, where things are not so detailed and fancy, but if I zoom down, than units will very detailed presented, like moving tracks, moving turrets, etc. These tank models on the pic are... low detail level. Also the terrain could be more detailed, while having the good overview - Talonsoft's game could it made, while the units in OOB are more detailed. These two shall be mixed.

By the way, parachutes and other transports: PLEASE, give them fuel limitations and the parachutes bad weather jumping limitations too! They were so unrealistic in that part.

The parting of units is a nice feature, I would be happy to see more of this option in the game: joining same units together (scaling allowed), of course with some XP penalties and replacement option to one point/click.

Nice new information and features! On the other hand, the graphics is very inferior compared to OOB, so I hope, it will develop further...

I hope so too. Can you elaborate a bit more? What are the biggest graphics issues, in your opinion?

[Rudankort]

Are there any plans for an end of game summary? Some sort of rankings, tables or scoring system at the very end of the campaign?

We are considering a scoring system with the option to upload your score to the server, but there are several things to figure out regarding the server and protocol.

[Rudankort]

I understand your point, this is only an alpha stage 2D pic of a 3D graphics, but... I hoped, when you step over to 3D, than units will be much more detailed. I think, Talonsoft's East/West Front is also a good example, to make a more detailed graphics (there with trees/forest) in 2D, while not loosing the overlook. I imagined with a 3D motor, that player can zoom out, where things are not so detailed and fancy, but if I zoom down, than units will very detailed presented, like moving tracks, moving turrets, etc. These tank models on the pic are... low detail level. Also the terrain could be more detailed, while having the good overview - Talonsoft's game could it made, while the units in OOB are more detailed. These two shall be mixed.

Thanks for clarification. In my desire to show more of the map, I'm afraid I did not do our units justice. Here is an example of how units look more zoomed in. This is actually a pretty extreme zoom level, so I'm not sure we'll use it in the game, but it should give some idea regarding the models.

By the way, parachutes and other transports: PLEASE, give them fuel limitations and the parachutes bad weather jumping limitations too! They were so unrealistic in that part.

This is in the plans.

[Uhu]

Thanks for clarification. In my desire to show more of the map, I'm afraid I did not do our units justice. Here is an example of how units look more zoomed in. This is actually a pretty extreme zoom level, so I'm not sure we'll use it in the game, but it should give some idea regarding the models.

Well, they looks preaty nice and detalied! OK, than only just the forests, cities, airfields should be more 3D, because they are more plain 2D. It's always a complex issue to show detailed terrain, while having the good overlook, but your team is talented, so...

By the way, parachutes and other transports: PLEASE, give them fuel limitations and the parachutes bad weather jumping limitations too! They were so unrealistic in that part.

This is in the plans.

Very well!!

[kondi754]

It's all secondary to pain.
The models are nice but it was all before!

[Andre73]

The 3d art of the OOB maps are very good - but needs also more detail and much more different variables. The biggest problem in OOB is: The terrain looks to flat - same also in your Alpha !!! You need a basic 3d terrain relief generator. Look at the map art style of WOT - they use also low poly, limited - but nice produced details - and after the last visuel upgrade it looks photo realistic. Its possibe to produce also a military overview map in the same quality !!!
What we like to see is an real (google earth like !) terrain with real hills and valleys, little streams, rivers, many different bridges, hunderts of different houses, trees and country detail variants.
Units should animated also vertical, vehicles and guns should have animated crewman - but all in the same human scale - not chess figures in your Alpha please.
If you need help - I have all the 3d stuff to support you for an better product.

[SERGBOX1]

Добрый день. Если это скриншоты игры.... это провал... в такую игру играть не будут... поверьте...

[Rudankort]

Добрый день. Если это скриншоты игры.... это провал... в такую игру играть не будут... поверьте...

Если расскажете, что конкретно не так - тогда поверю.

[Uhu]

Also many real-time WW2 "strategy" games have great 3D environment - sure the scale is different, but it cannot be an obstacle, as unit (icons) in PzC do not represent also one single unit, so it is just a symbol, as the terrain too. But still, it can be made nice.

The 3d art of the OOB maps are very good - but needs also more detail and much more different variables. The biggest problem in OOB is: The terrain looks to flat - same also in your Alpha !!! You need a basic 3d terrain relief generator. Look at the map art style of WOT - they use also low poly, limited - but nice produced details - and after the last visuel upgrade it looks photo realistic. Its possibe to produce also a military overview map in the same quality !!!
What we like to see is an real (google earth like !) terrain with real hills and valleys, little streams, rivers, many different bridges, hunderts of different houses, trees and country detail variants.
Units should animated also vertical, vehicles and guns should have animated crewman - but all in the same human scale - not chess figures in your Alpha please.
If you need help - I have all the 3d stuff to support you for an better product.

[IainMcNeil]

Unfortunately Andre73 turned out to be HBlack with another username and so has been banned again. I think this is the 10th time though I could easily have miscounted.

We're still determining if any other accounts are under his control. It is so very sad that he keeps trying to derail discussions. Anyone who has had the misfortune to deal with him knows he is rude, arrogant, unpleasant, self absorbed and the community is far better of without him and I wish he could take the hint and stay away. He does nothing other than put down other people mods and work and proclaim his work is better and he is better.

[Kerensky]

Thanks for clarification. In my desire to show more of the map, I'm afraid I did not do our units justice. Here is an example of how units look more zoomed in. This is actually a pretty extreme zoom level, so I'm not sure we'll use it in the game, but it should give some idea regarding the models.

I'm massively disappointed in that zoomed in screenshot. Not because I hate it, but because I like it and you aren't using it in any promotional reveals of the game and instead hide it away as a forum response instead of a promotional screenshot. As I said in some other thread, show off the 3D in glory, not try to show everything at once when many other aspects of the game clearly aren't ready for it.

This game just went from 'disgustingly ugly I'll just play it for the gameplay' to 'has serious potential' in my book. That potential still depends on how the units interact in motion, so we'll see how that ends up. But it would be nice to be able to make more cool and neat looking screenshots and video clips of actual gameplay. That was rather difficult to do in 2D Panzer Corps, compared to say my library of Xcom and Xcom2 screenshot material.

Unfortunately Andre73 turned out to be HBlack with another username and so has been banned again. I think this is the 10th time though I could easily have miscounted.

We're still determining if any other accounts are under his control. It is so very sad that he keeps trying to derail discussions. Anyone who has had the misfortune to deal with him knows he is rude, arrogant, unpleasant, self absorbed and the community is far better of without him and I wish he could take the hint and stay away. He does nothing other than put down other people mods and work and proclaim his work is better and he is better.

That's incredible. 0.o

[Kerensky]

Specific scale between unit and terrain never really bothered me (I always prefer this as vague and flexible as possible for more creative design space anyways) so I don't have anything to add to that discussion.

However looking more at that good screenshot, I finally am able to articulate something else that has been bothering me a lot about PzC 2 screenshots. They're all so... grey. Like there's a light fog over the world, or the Saturation setting of the color palette has been set way down and the Vibrant setting is also way down.

For example, original image on the left, decreased saturation and vibrance on the right.
https://i.imgur.com/7envCYO.jpg

To my eyes, the colors of the terrain in the screenshot look more like the right side of that image than the left.

Taking the big unit screenshot and throwing it into photoshop, I'm confirmed again. Original on the left, and much more vibrant and colorful versions in the middle and right.
https://i.imgur.com/DWGzkQG.jpg