Ask the head of Panzer Corps 2 your questions!

[Jean_Apple]

Greetings

We at the Single Malt Strategy Podcast are doing an interview with the lead developer of Panzer Corps 2. Before the interview we wanted to reach out to the community to see if you had any questions you wanted asked. Please list the questions in this thread and attach your first name to the post.

Deadline for questions will be 8 AM EST on Friday, May 22nd.

The interview will be posted on our Podcast which you can find here:

Streamer (Web Player) ‪ https://www.spreaker.com/user/single_malt_strategy ‬

Apple Podcasts ‪ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s ... 1148480371

PlayerFM ‪ https://player.fm/series/single-malt-strategy ‬

Spotify ‪ https://open.spotify.com/show/2YMkUR638 ... nRWNJZ9siw


I also post snippets on my Youtube Channel before the episode release:
https://www.youtube.com/thestrategywargamer

[Retributarr]

Forum Username: Retributarr------------------------ Given First Name: Richard

I have too many questions!, but for this instance... I will just bring up a 'recent posting' of mine... that I would like to see addressed in some manner.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"MAGNIFIER-TOOL"- Madness!!!:

I'm 66-years of age, and although my 'Vision' is still relatively good... my 'Eye-Sight' is not quite so good anymore when I'm having to deal with "very-small-sized-print".

For example!... when a 'Unit' is selected for purchase... I'm now at the 'Purchasing-Screen'... and I would now like to have a look to see what the information 'Icon' descriptions'... have to indicate ... I then access the 'Icon', and "behold!"... a 'Black_ Pop-Up_ Box'... with 'Tiny-Print' shows up!.

I usually 'Struggle' to read this micro-sized print!. At this point... I have to then make use of my Windows "MAGNIFIER"-tool to be able to comfortably read the given information.

Why-not instead... incorporate some 'User' features... to make this a much less taxing struggle or burden on some of us 'Older-Players'?.

Say... for instance... in that 'Black_ Pop-Up_ Box' put in or nearby have... an "+" access tool... so that the 'User' will then be able to enlarge the message-box to what-ever size he desires it to be so that the informative message can be easily read!.

What about taking a look at this particular issue and as well for other such similar situations in or at various points in this Game!.

[PoorOldSpike]

My question-
Congrats on PC2, can we also look forward to a stream of new DLC packages over the months and years ahead containing units and maps covering other wars?..
My cash is waiting, for example the Korean War, the Cold War, Yom Kippur War, Vietnam, OP Desert Storm/Desert Shield, Russia vs Ukraine etc.
Hey Uncle Ho, we're calling you out, how about it?

[Kerensky]

So, so this is a legitimate thing. Awesome, I look forward to listening in.

I would definitely like to hear some information about the still unrevealed Field Marshal package DLC.

It might also be neat to ask some questions about non DLC related updates. Not everything needs a price tag attached to it.

[Kerensky]

How about a hardball question.

There has been occasional strong negative feedback on some aspects of Panzer Corps 2. While its easier to dismiss someone yelling incoherently in all caps, sometimes negative feedback is genuine because it comes from a place of passion from someone who really wants the game to be 'better'.

Is there an example of a certain piece of negative feedback that you received that compelled you to attempt to improve it. Something that one of the recent, or planned, patches will address that you would like to highlight?

[gokkel]

Compared to Panzer Corps 1 you made some of the less popular unit classes like Recon and Anti-Tank units much more interesting, everything has its purpose. Do you strife to make some barely used units have their niche as well? For example Marder series (overshadowed by StuG series) or Jagdpanzer IV / Hetzer.

[Retributarr]

"Storming The Gates With Questions?:"------------------------ Given First Name: Richard
"So far!!!", there's "no-big-rush" to 'storm-down-the-gates' as it were as far as 'Posting-Questions'... so I have decided to start adding some other forum user posts and presently... a few more of my own.

Re: Ideas for Panzer Corps 2
"by SineMora » Tue Apr 21, 2020:"
pewp3w wrote: This also bugged me in PC1: You should be able to tell your units how they move. You can just set the end point and the unit will move there, but you have no influence how they get there.

"SineMora" response: I'd favour adding a simple mechanic such as holding down left control to allow a player to set waypoints and thus override the game's automatic pathing. The game already allows the player to override the unit selection by holding shift to allow units to switch places, so this should be doable.

[Retributarr]

A Valid!, but not yet "Practical-Complaint":------------------------ Given First Name: Richard
Pzc2 is still in its very-early-stages of development, now is not the time for deep complicated Game-Extrapolations. 1st!!!... Pzc2 needs to finish fleshing-out the 'Actual-WWII-Historical-Path'.

Re: Ideas for Panzer Corps 2

"by tigersnack" » 19 Apr 2020:
Same tired Campaign following the same tired scenarios. WHAT? DId you just convert the PG1/2 early German campaign into the PC2 campaign?!?!?!?!

BUSINESS MODEL _ Here we go again......nickel and dime us with updates and new releases with the same tired scenarios we've already played in all the other wargames

SAME OLD TIRED CAMPAIGNS. We've been playing basically the same thing- WE KNOW THE ENDING- Germans, Japanese LOST. GIVE US MORE FICTIONAL CAMPAIGNS or ALLOW US FLEXIBILITY in designing custom Campaigns and 100% custom armies, countries and units.
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"by George_Parr" » 19 Apr 2020:
Are you seriously complaining about a WW2 strategy game having WW2-content in it?

Granted, it could be nice if future DLCs would also include rare mission-branches alongside the more obvious ones, but apart from that it would be really ridiculous if they just threw in random weird stuff instead of content that fits to what the game is about.

It's also rather odd to claim that it's basically the same thing all the time. The Grand campaign, just like the Sea Lion campaign were nothing like any of the stuff that came in Panzer General or Panzer Corps before.
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"by Retributarr:" » 20 Apr 2020
In a sense... your both correct?... or do I make "non-sense?"... "Yes!"...'Sense' it is. Why?... is that?.

In reality... WWII could have splintered off into many other 'Alternate-Pathways'... as has already been laboriously debated in this forum by many participants (a few of those discussions are definitely mine). Some 'pathways/choices'... will only result with minor deviations to the 'Historical-Time-Line' and yet... other pathway decisions... will result in more probable severe changing outcomes.

These hypotheticals are not just... "Fantasy/Fiction"... they are... in fact real-actual-possibilities!.
There are many other situations that could also have altered the war.

I wouldn't classify these 'Historical Alternatives'... as 'Fictional'... as that does give "no incentive" for the player to attempt anything like that. Instead... list it as... 'Historical Alternatives'.

[Retributarr]

'Atmospherics!!!:"------------------------ Given First Name: Richard
"by jira77:" » Thu Apr 09, 2020
Hello,
PC2 is trully great game but there is still a lot of opportunities to be even better.
I am not sure if devs are coming here at least sometimes (as I didn´t notice any reaction from them in this forum) but I hope that some of my simple ideas could be inspirative for them.

1) Build-up atmosphere
Some months ago devs announced they are gathering historical pictures and other material but it is really shame that there is virtual nothing like that in the game itself. Briefing before the mission is ok but there are no in-game messages with pictures, no outro/debriefing, no awards for general (congratulation with some historical pictures)... player´s immersion could be much higher with few such details.

2b) Hereos - pictures
Why the pictures are repeating? It is a detail of course with zero gameplay impact but it is about atmosphere. It is really shame to have roster of 10 heroes consisting of 5 or 6 pictures... I hope devs have enough pictures and short routine to not allow same picture to be attached again during the campaign should be really easy to write.

3) Bonus/side objectives
99 % of missions have main objectives only. Put more bonus objectives with some rewards (extra heroes, extra core slots for the current mission, interesting prototypes, aux units for current mission (or maybe for next one), extra prestige...) for more fun.

5) Captured units
I like the new method of acquiring captured units but they are unfortunately not very usable in missions. I had always better selection from regular units. The only method to make them usable is to lower their cost (especially their slots cost) -

[BaronVonWalrus]

Name = Tony

Whilst I appreciate that the devs have to cater for a range of player types, from hardcore min / maxers to hardcore WW2 purists and everyone in between, are there plans to further refine the game AI?

Imagine the AI having a genuine "reserve" available that it could use to respond in force to what it perceived as a very pressing danger? Currently it feels like the AI can be managed and, while there are clearly some scenarios where a reserve is ready and waiting, the triggers linked to them appear very narrow. They certainly shouldn't remain parked in place once the player starts bombing them without moving land units into direct contact range.

I don't know how workable it is, but could increasing difficulty levels increase the range of AI responses available?

[uneducated]

Forum Username: Retributarr------------------------ Given First Name: Richard

I have too many questions!, but for this instance... I will just bring up a 'recent posting' of mine... that I would like to see addressed in some manner.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"MAGNIFIER-TOOL"- Madness!!!:

I'm 66-years of age, and although my 'Vision' is still relatively good... my 'Eye-Sight' is not quite so good anymore when I'm having to deal with "very-small-sized-print".

For example!... when a 'Unit' is selected for purchase... I'm now at the 'Purchasing-Screen'... and I would now like to have a look to see what the information 'Icon' descriptions'... have to indicate ... I then access the 'Icon', and "behold!"... a 'Black_ Pop-Up_ Box'... with 'Tiny-Print' shows up!.

I usually 'Struggle' to read this micro-sized print!. At this point... I have to then make use of my Windows "MAGNIFIER"-tool to be able to comfortably read the given information.

Why-not instead... incorporate some 'User' features... to make this a much less taxing struggle or burden on some of us 'Older-Players'?.

Say... for instance... in that 'Black_ Pop-Up_ Box' put in or nearby have... an "+" access tool... so that the 'User' will then be able to enlarge the message-box to what-ever size he desires it to be so that the informative message can be easily read!.

What about taking a look at this particular issue and as well for other such similar situations in or at various points in this Game!.

Some games have a feature called "user interface scaling" which permits the user to "zoom in" the text and info boxes etc. Since this is a modern game, it ought to be possible to implement something like this.

[uneducated]

Thanks for the opportunity to pose some questions.


1) Creating Panzer Corps 2 must have been a lengthy process, involving much work with no financial return until release of the game. How did you manage to convince yourself and others to go ahead with the project and the risk involved?

2) What might it take for your own team to combine forces with developers on similar projects, like Order of Battle, Command Ops or Scourge of War?

3) What do you think publishers should be doing, rather than games developers, in order to make the games developed more popular?

4) Have you tried experimenting with machine learning for game artificial intelligence?

[ManniW]

My questions:
1. Can we import old PC1 maps in an right way ? For now they all in wrong positions !
2. Can we import our bigger PC1 maps in the future and run it at PC2 ? For now PC2 allows only very small maps !
3. Can we have an exact tutorial, how to produce an own campaign ?
4. Can we have an exact tutorial, how to import self made 3d units ?

[Retributarr]

Aircraft Basing and distancing to Targets:-------------Given First Name: Richard

"by Wushuki:" » Thu May 21, 2020
wecker wrote: Wed May 20, 2020
They {Aircraft} } return to base in random order. I remember I could bomb a ship at Los Angeles and the next round not – because the bomber was on the other side of the Airport and therefor the ship was suddenly out of range.


I think this is a good point. They should change the rules so that it counts the number of hexes from the airport to the target. For aircraft carriers it should use the starting position of the aircraft carrier. That would make a lot more sense to me.

Now you see situations where one fighter can attack an enemy aircraft, but another of the same type cannot due to range limitations {Because of where the Aircraft are positioned on the Airfield} despite that they both take off from the same airfield.

[PanzerCro]

My name Filip

Is Cold War/WW3 DLC planned in the future, something like People's General sequel ?

[Retributarr]

My name Filip

Is Cold War/WW3 DLC planned in the future, something like People's General sequel ?

I am heartened to see that some are still... 'Looking Ahead'... to future 'Gaming' possibilities and that... that starry-eyed hopefulness still resides in those so predisposed. I too... someday would like to see that as well... and also many other potential possibilities, However... for now!... there are so many other hurdles to leap over first before we can even consider such possible 'Gaming' avenues.

But!!!... let's keep these idea's rolling in!.
=========================================================================
"I-FOGOT" to Mention!!!:
If enough effort is put into making the 'Modding' effort... simple and easy to do... even for a 'Simpleton' like myself!... then we could create a whole lot of 'User'-made scenarios... and perhaps even some 'user'-"Campaigns'... if the Modding-Utility will permit it?. "I THINK"... that we have the 'Talent' here already!.

[PoorOldSpike]

We at the Single Malt Strategy Podcast are doing an interview with the lead developer of Panzer Corps 2. Before the interview we wanted to reach out to the community to see if you had any questions you wanted asked.

Yup, how many PC2's have been sold so far, and when you have enough cash to buy a millionnaires yacht, will you please invite us to visit you as guests at its mooring in Monaco harbour..

[a432]

Could we get an actual garrison unit instead of making due with bridge engineers?
Could we get weather as an adjustable setting in multiplayer games? For example I would like the ability to make a winter only random scenario multiplayer match.

[Retributarr]

------------------------ Given First Name: Richard
'Range-Rings' "Simplicity" :

Re: Update suggestion: Range rings option

"PoorOldSpike" wrote: ↑
19 May 2020 22:48

Imagine this is an enemy force below, there are 4 ranged units in there and we have to spend time carefully identifying which are the ranged units, and then check their data to see what their range is, so that we can adjust our tactics accordingly, all of which takes time- "Major-WunderBar-Idea!!!"... us 'OFG's... "Old-Fat-Guys" do come up with some incredible startling ideas!

So here's my update idea to identify them quicker-let the range ring appear around enemy units (below) when we simply mouse over them or click on them so that we can see in an instant what their range is and won't have to fiddle around looking up their data.. "No needless Buggering-Around... wasting lots of time!"

Alternative suggestion- let there be a Hotkey that toggles ALL ranged units range rings 'On/Off' including our own friendly units) "However!"... I suggest to make the said 'Range-Rings' to correspond to the 'Identies-National-Faction'... so that this lessens any possible confusion.

Naval wargames like Harpoon all have just such an option because it's vital to know what your and the enemies missiles and guns can reach. Here all the range rings are 'on'-
Again!!!... another 'Tremendous-Idea'.
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"by pewp3w" » 20 May 2020 10:19
100% agree, would really like to see this.
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"by Horseman" » 20 May 2020 11:32
Top suggestion 10/10
Please implement Devs!
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"by Izanagi" » 22 May 2020 09:52

This would be a wonderful addition to the game! It'd be helpful for remembering which of my own units can hit the enemy from afar too, heh.