Slitherine

Wow, this game has really improved over the first build I tried, I guess that's why it is called beta.

I like the hovering damage that was added.

Some things I would still like to see:

I think anti tank guns are overpowered when attacking. They are static defense and should not be much good moving and attacking the more mobile tanks.

I still cannot tell aux from core units. This is quite irritating.

I would still really like to see a hulk for a couple seconds after a unit is destroyed. I know it is pretty late to be adding graphics, maybe you could increase the possibility to see the fire on the bottom to 100%, and that would show a defeated unit? I just played a game, and thought I had killed a unit, but it turned up later taking a city behind the lines that I thought was secure. It must have retreated out of sight.

I think anti air has too much range, shooting 3 hexes after moving gives them quite a punch.

I question the ability of having artillery fire after moving, at least the kind that has trucks and has to deploy, this seems unrealistic and allows you to concentrate artillery too much.

My biggest complaint continues: Anti air units should not be so powerful on defense! I used to play multiplayer PG1 and we had to make a rule that limited the number of anti air units a defender could build. It is possible to just spam cheap anti air units all around a city. That with a little defensive artillery can make quite a fortress. This is highly unrealistic,and is almost a game breaker for me.

That said, you have done a great job at making a worthy sequel to one of the greatest games ever!

Thanx for allowing me to have some input.

dave

I still cannot tell aux from core units. This is quite irritating.

Core have gold/red twisted borders, auxiliary silver around their strength plate.

Also when you toggle the Unit List on the Main UI you will see all your cores are gold, auxiliary silver borders.

My biggest complaint continues: Anti air units should not be so powerful on defense! I used to play multiplayer PG1 and we had to make a rule that limited the number of anti air units a defender could build. It is possible to just spam cheap anti air units all around a city. That with a little defensive artillery can make quite a fortress. This is highly unrealistic,and is almost a game breaker for me.

I agree AA could be perhaps toned done a bit more on ground defence.

Ok, I see the gold and silver lines now. It helps, but I would like to see them thicker.

Playing now, some thoughts as I go:

In the old PG, even if my core slots were full, I could buy aux units. I guess you can't do that now?

It seems that mobile artillery has become the most effective unit in the game. PG1 it was all tanks and stukas. My core units are 1/2 artillery. I would like to see stukas be better against tanks and artillery less effective against tanks. I think that would be more realistic.

Actually AA is really balanced now.

Let's talk about ground defense.

They are tuff and they are suppose to be tuff.
They are suppose to be able to hold ground as in history. they can do that.
I think they are just right.

You need an Art to soften them up first or an infantry unit.

I've been asking for more differentiation between core and auxiliary units but nobody listens ;(

Seriously though it needs to be clearer! Its the most common issue I've seen reported with newbies.

I agree with Razz. In a couple of the previous versions, AA were practically ineffective. I could bomb them with Stukas and receive little damage. If my Stukas were overstrength at 13+, you could just go in at will. Now (since .99 or .98, I think), they inflict some serious damage so you have to attack with artillery first, then swoop in with the Stukas. Much more realistic since divebombers shouldn't be able to attack directly, it would be suicide. I like that the AA now has to be suppressed in order to attack. I also like when the AI encircles his cities with AA and artillery. Makes it more challenging plus have more units to gain experience against.

Seriously though it needs to be clearer! Its the most common issue I've seen reported with newbies.

Sorry Iain, I disagree people are just used to the black and white strength plates of PG so look for that, once they read know it is the red/gold and silver boxes and the gold/silver cadres in the unit list, it is perfectly clear to them.

We can make it as obvious as we like, pulsing big cadres, purple borders, but like this is it is subtle, calm and clear enough, once people know what to look at. It is not shouting but once explained clear.

Maybe a but more gloss, shine...

iainmcneil wrote:I've been asking for more differentiation between core and auxiliary units but nobody listens ;(

Seriously though it needs to be clearer! Its the most common issue I've seen reported with newbies.

I agree with you, actually. I've seen so many newcomers people commenting about this issue, I actually elevated it from 'nice to have' to 'critical to have'.
viewtopic.php?t=24157

And as people are still gripping about it, I can't bring myself to cross it off The List. Sorry, it needs to be a stark difference, not a slight one. The difference between the green movement arrow and the red attack arrow, I would opt for a difference of almost that magnitude.

Even though I know exactly what to look for, I have to stop and stare for a half second or so to make absolutely sure.

We have a look, but it sounds simple to find something that is clear but not butt ugly or too shouting.

How about changing the background color for Aux units? So, core units stay gold border with black background and white strength numbers. Then, have Aux units with silver border, white background and black strength numbers. Or, maybe have the Aux unit have a gray background and keep the white strength numbers.

But we use now the background plates to see difference between allied green and axis grey and this consistent throughout the game.

Well we have a look again for something clear, fitting not too shouting or ugly and consistent with the whole design.

Green Allied, different/lighter shade of green for Allied Aux.
Grey Axis, different/lighter shade of grey for Axis Aux.

And in the distant future it would be nice to have a large array of colors to choose from, as well as being able to customize this in the editor. Set one side as Blue, set the other as Red.

Green and Grey is okay for basic Axis vs Allies, but as the game grows, it's going to need more than two colors to represent opposing nations.

lordzimoa wrote: Sorry Iain, I disagree people are just used to the black and white strength plates of PG so look for that, once they read know it is the red/gold and silver boxes and the gold/silver cadres in the unit list, it is perfectly clear to them.

Absolutley no.
At first i didn't notice those tiny borders at all,and even now that i know what to look for the issue i far from perfect.
Those borders are 1 (in words ONE) pixels in wide,my screen has 1920x1200 pixels...

This is not just a matter of beeing used to PG style,those borders are simply a bad idea even if they were 3 pixels wide.

The old PG style is a perfectly working concept and i strongly recommend to reconsider this matter.

Sorry

Kerensky wrote:Green Allied, different/lighter shade of green for Allied Aux.
Grey Axis, different/lighter shade of grey for Axis Aux.

And in the distant future it would be nice to have a large array of colors to choose from, as well as being able to customize this in the editor. Set one side as Blue, set the other as Red.

Green and Grey is okay for basic Axis vs Allies, but as the game grows, it's going to need more than two colors to represent opposing nations.

Fully agree,good post.

Green and Grey is okay for basic Axis vs Allies, but as the game grows, it's going to need more than two colors to represent opposing nations.

Of course, but it will be us expanding the game series I believe, so we need some options for ourselves.

We have a look at a solution conform our design, we will think of something.

Its now a little bit better to discover aux or core but it isent optimum ... i often have a hard time to discover it
so it would be really good if yo meke it more different and really clear ... maybe my eyes are bad ... but this themes to be a wish for many beta testers

Some first impressions on the new build:

1. Air Defence units- I notice that unless you park directly next to other units, the range does not matter to AD units. I am used to the 2 or 3 range of AD units from PG and that does not happen with the new build. I like the idea of large guns having a 3 range.
2. Tanks should be able to overrun other units.
3. Leaders should be noticable. Like in PG.

Still playing along. And why can't reserve units be deployed so you have the use of all of them in the scenario? Maybe take a victory hex and then get room to deploy them.

The auxiliary/core difference will need to increase before release - it is just not obvious.

If you want I can draw it myself but that wont be pretty! Much better Lukas has a go!

We are on it!

I like the touches of the bridges on the maps and I think the cities are better defined.I have just been playing the multiplayer Naval game and i noticed that you can see the Torpedoes leaving the subs. A very nice touch.

Everytime I play this game I notice something new and just want to play more.