Slitherine

First of all I am running the game at 2560x1440 so I don't know how much that changes my comments about the interface and graphics and such.

The first thing I always do is go to Options, but there is no Options screen. As my comments will show, I really like to customize my game and interface as much as possible. The other thing I've always wanted to see with PC Wargames are Designer Notes. That is what I always read first with a board wargame and I think it would be equally helpful to have that on the main screen interface. Maybe an About button that will tell you the various builds and updates and include the Designer Notes about the philosophy and objectives behind the game.

I then pressed new game and I was really thrown by the small font in one big column. I would much rather have bigger print and separate columns for at least the four different sections. I think it would also be helpful to have a popup when I mouse over each choice. What does supply mean? What is the difference in difficulty levels? What does each scenario entail?

I pressed new tutorial and was immediately pleased to see the Turn 1 info on a black screen. Took me a minute to remember that it was from Panzer General but it made an immediate favorable impression.

As to the initial graphics I was struck by how faint the hexsides were. I was surprised to find out that setting was with hexsides on. I would suggest having none, light (the current one), and dark as choices.

I was initially confused as to who was fighting who. Red Germans vs. Blue Germans? Black vs. Green? Are the Blue German symbols objectives? When I mouse over units their info is all shown on the right side of the info screen but some are blue and some are red. Why aren't the differing units on opposite sides? Mine shown on the left and the enemy on the right. Why are Germans fighting Germans? (I think it would be better to have Germans fighting Russians)

I also think the info on the right is way too small and inadequate. I don't want to look away from the map to the right. It would be much better to have a popup right above the unit. The popup would have all of the detailed statistics for the unit. A large photograph or graphic of the unit and a button to read historical information about when the unit was used in the war, what its specific role was supposed to be, what equipment it replaced, what equipment replaced it, and what battles it was used in.

I then went through the information buttons on the right. I thought the pause before the popup of what each button does was too long. It should come up more quickly.

No popup for the yellow clock or two sun/clouds. Is the gold eagle a clock? What is 145 then? What are the suns? I pressed the yellow button and figured out it was the next turn button. I would think of a rightward facing arrow would be more intuitive and in red.

I would like to see the buttons above the minimap be the same size as the buttons under the next turn button. I think they are too small. I would also suggest having the Next Unit button be bigger and more distinct since that is what I would use most often. (Except for the next turn button)

I pressed the system button and found some options. I've already mentioned the hexsides, as for unmoved units I prefer to have units that have already moved be shaded so unmoved units stick out more and are brighter. I think that should be at least an option.

I like the graphics and color pallete quite a bit. However the panzer looks a little flat to me. Looks more stretched out than what I would expect. It doesn't seem like it has the right proportions. Still don't understand why the defenders are numbered in camo green and the attackers are in black.

I press a unit to move it and UGH! No big white dots! I found them very jarring and they ruined the map for me. I can see the use for the trucks but no dots. I also didn't like the white. Germans should be in black or at least gray. I think each country should have their possible movement hexes in their national color. Russians red, Brits blue, Americans Green. And maybe a little more translucent. I also think it would be helpful to show the hexes that would allow an attack to be highlighted in red or with a little explosion in the middle. So you could tell right away where you can move, where you can move to attack, and where you need to take transportation.

I would also like to mouse over the possible units to attack and what the predicted outcome of the attack would be without having to move next to it. I think it's better to have the predicted outcome shown so I can scan all possible attacks, rather than move, look at the predicted results, and then undo the move for each possible attack. I know hidden units, (with FOW on), can popup and force that move to stick and not be undone, but that also allows a cheap scouting tactic. Move a cheap unit to scout the different possible enemies and find the hidden units and then attack with stronger units. I think it would be much better to not allow you to undo a move. You know where you can move, who you can attack, and what the probable results will be. You should then have to commit to a move. To allow the endless undo moves of scouting units seems repetitive, tiring, and unrealistic to me. I shouldn't be able to use one recon unit to scout four different areas on the same turn. At least think about making this an option. I would prefer it a great deal and it would make air battles way faster. You wouldn't have to move next to each unit and then take them each back to determine which unit to attack. You could just mouse over each defender and see the probable results and then pick which one to attack.

I like the red crosshairs symbol for a possible attack but I don't like the beige spike circles around the cities. What are those for? How about having the city names popup when you mouse over them?

I don't like the little probable combat result numbers. I would much prefer a bigger popup that would have a graphic of each unit and what combat factors are affecting the result. (eg Defending in city, Fortification level, and so on) In other words why that is the predicted outcome. What factors that are knowable by the player are affecting that combat. Again I think the little box in the right hand column is inadequate and why is my unit now on the left? I want bigger numbers predicting what damage I will take and give below our respective national flags in the popup.

The combat sounds are okay but I don't like the smoke. If it was an airstrike that might work, but here there should be little bullets flying to cause damage to my panzer or something more closely related to an infantry attack. I guess the red slash means I am done attacking but I don't like it covering my strength at all. Either shade it darker, which I would prefer, or outline the square in red. I don't like to have to look more closely to determine my strength. Instant recognition would be much easier and better with no slash.

I hope this is what you wanted and that I wasn't too negative. I just did a stream of consciousness about all of my initial impressions. Let me know if I'm on the right track.

Thanks great feedback. Dont worry about being negative. If there are things you dont like we want to hear abotu them so we can address them!

The designers notes is a really nice idea.

Your resolution is extreme but we do have to deal with it.

Tooltips/pop ups are in but there is a delay before they piop up. I would like to remove the delay but opinion is split.

Horvo wrote:

...I would also like to mouse over the possible units to attack and what the predicted outcome of the attack would be without having to move next to it. I think it's better to have the predicted outcome shown so I can scan all possible attacks, rather than move, look at the predicted results, and then undo the move for each possible attack. I know hidden units, (with FOW on), can popup and force that move to stick and not be undone, but that also allows a cheap scouting tactic. Move a cheap unit to scout the different possible enemies and find the hidden units and then attack with stronger units. I think it would be much better to not allow you to undo a move. You know where you can move, who you can attack, and what the probable results will be. You should then have to commit to a move. To allow the endless undo moves of scouting units seems repetitive, tiring, and unrealistic to me. I shouldn't be able to use one recon unit to scout four different areas on the same turn. At least think about making this an option. I would prefer it a great deal and it would make air battles way faster. You wouldn't have to move next to each unit and then take them each back to determine which unit to attack. You could just mouse over each defender and see the probable results and then pick which one to attack.

How about having the city names popup when you mouse over them?

I don't like the little probable combat result numbers. I would much prefer a bigger popup that would have a graphic of each unit and what combat factors are affecting the result. (eg Defending in city, Fortification level, and so on) In other words why that is the predicted outcome. What factors that are knowable by the player are affecting that combat. Again I think the little box in the right hand column is inadequate and why is my unit now on the left? I want bigger numbers predicting what damage I will take and give below our respective national flags in the popup.
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I agree with most of his points but most especially these ones.

Orchrist

Hi, thanks for your feedback.


Things like campaign menu, scenario menu, briefings, missing tutorial pop-ups, graphic effects, animations, main UI, MP UI, SFX, missing icons... and another big list are most of the time placeholder or unfinished art.

We add stuff every new Beta build, so you will notice the difference and get rid of all the temporarily art and media.


Cheers,

Tim aka LZ

Here are some more of initial impressions from the 3rd tutorial scenario.

It was really really slow to enlarge the window after I had narrowed it. Is there a way to have a full screen button?

I like the movement sounds quite a bit, but the combat sounds don't ring as true to me. Can't always tell who is attacking from the battle sounds.

I think there should be a quick combat option because I am already impatient with the combat results.

With the gold eagle at the top it might look less like a clock if you had a "/" instead of a ":". (ie 1/18 instead of 1:18 for the turn numbers)

I don't think you need to have the change in color for the combat strength of weakened units. I think the number tells you enough and the red on green for enemy units is pretty difficult to see even if you aren't color blind.

I'm surprised you can move artillery and still attack the same turn. (As well as AT units that aren't on tracks) I'm not sure if it is good or bad, but that is certainly not the norm. If you think that is more realistic than so be it, but I think people may object.

Really like the angled tank graphic on the unit purchase screen. That should be used in the large tooltip for each unit.

It seems like there is enough space to write out what each symbol means for the individual unit characteristics. All of them are intuitive except for the two tanks symbol to represent initiative. Maybe "1st=>" would be more intuitive.

I really like that the replacement and elite replacement buttons tell me exactly how much experience and prestige I will lose.

What is the sleep one turn button for? If it's to skip over a unit that will remain in place, it should be right beside the next unit button.

I can't really figure out how resupply and replacements work. I had a tank that could add replacements even though it was next to an enemy unit, but couldn't resupply. Why would that be? (It's supplies were not maxed out already.) I also had an engineer next to an enemy unit that couldn't add replacements or resupply, but another infantry unit could, even though it was also next to an enemy unit and didn't have a shorter or clearer path to a friendly city.

Tank units still seem a little flat and squished to me.

Think that most of the times, it would be positive to have the small pop up text when selecting an option (like resuply or upgrade optins have) telling also why you cant resuply or upgrade - as for example, depending on the situation see any of such 3 posible messages:

+2 strength / 43 prestige - not in town / near enemy unit

+4 strenght / 86 prestige - not in town

+6 strength / 129 prestige - no penalizations

Maybe this way the rule learning wont be too stepped.

More impressions of the interface while starting the campaign.

Planes are very difficult to see when in a hex with another unit, especially when over a city hex. Enemy infantry are also very difficult to see when in a city hex.

I think left clicking on one of your planes when it's over an enemy unit should bring up the plane. Left clicking an enemy unit doesn't do anything, and if you left click it is unambiguous that you want to control your air unit. Much easier than having to switch to air mode each time.

I think right clicking should still allow you to place a newly bought reinforcement. You become used to right clicking the white highlighted hexes for movement, so it might be a common mistake. Right now it just kicks you out of the reinforcement placement. I don't think there is any other reason to right click other than placing a unit at that step so I would advise letting right clicks and left clicks place a unit. (Even if there is a previously placed reinforcement in the hex your intent must be to replace it with the current reinforcement.)

The next unit button doesn't seem to work consistently with me. I need to press previous unit then next unit to get it to work. And sometimes it switches to a unit that has already moved. Right now there is a big problem finding units that haven't moved. Apparently the red slash means they have moved and attacked. So no red slash can either mean they haven't moved, haven't attacked, or both. I think the "some units haven't moved" warning at the end of your turn should highlight the units that haven't moved so it's much easier to find them. (And again units that haven't moved should be shaded darker in my opinion.)

Artillery units are now able to attack adjacent units and not be counter attacked. I'm not sure that's the norm. Usually they run a risk if at close quarters in games at this scale. Not sure if everyone will like it, but again if you find it more realistic than go with it.

My vertical scrolling is very fast. Could there be an option to slow that down?

I was thinking the spiked circles around objectives could be replaced with waiving flags. Right now they still seem jarring to me and very different than the flavor of the rest of the map.

Also, couldn't the tooltip delay be an option so people can choose whatever delay they like.(instant, short, normal)

Horvo wrote:Artillery units are now able to attack adjacent units and not be counter attacked. I'm not sure that's the norm. Usually they run a risk if at close quarters in games at this scale. Not sure if everyone will like it, but again if you find it more realistic than go with it.

It is considered combat takes place on defenders terrain. If your unit is adjacent to enemy and has range of 0 it is like going to defenders terrain to fight. If your unit has ability to shoot at range 1 or more than defender doesn't have chance to strike back because he is pounded from distance.

Here are some impressions of the 4/27 Beta4.

Some glitches:
I had the replacements buttons lit, but I couldn't press either of them to get replacements. The toggle of ground/air units became stuck.

I like the new combat explosions a lot better and I like that they are so quick. (I might even keep them on if given the option.)

The lighter background shading for units in cities/forests works well, but planes are still very difficult to see if they are in the hex with another unit. (The lighter background doesn't extend up to where the small plane icon is.) Also I think it might be better to do without the plane's shadow in the hex. I think that might streamline things and make planes easier to see.

I think the yellow/red numerals for damaged units should be changed to indicate when a unit is low on ammo or fuel (yellow), and out of ammo/fuel (red). I think the numbers are easy enough to recognize the weakened strength of units, and fuel/ammo can really sneak up on you and would be more helpful to know. (Not sure what the red box outline indicates now, but that might be better used to indicate out of ammo or fuel, since I think the red numbers are difficult to see especially on the green units. Or maybe use the red slash to indicate out of ammo/fuel so that would be much more rarely used since it blocks the easy reading of the numeral.)

Horvo wrote:Some glitches:
I had the replacements buttons lit, but I couldn't press either of them to get replacements. The toggle of ground/air units became stuck.

Can you be more specific? I just tested reinforcements, elite reinforements, and the ground air toggle. All functioned without error.
Are you clicking on the tooltip text....? Click the button, not the pop-up tooltip.