Other Means

All the camera controls need work IMHO. Clicking on the map should always have the place clicked in sight, tab should always show the unit with the correct facing, you should be able tab to a dead unit etc.

You know...we could say ANYTHING here. Quick! Play the forbidden music!

M1A1TankCommander, you've broken your NDA. Expect a visit from Matt - I'd try and get back in that tank if I were you.

You should see it on "best".

OK so I sound about 10, but I've just hit a BMP with a Javelin and the driver got out the hatch and ran away from my infantry. Brilliantly done.

Here's my hotkeys.txt file: http://othermeans.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/hotkeys.txt Save that page as hotkeys.txt, back up your old one and replace with mine. It suits me and is probably closer to what you want than the stock one. Tell me how you get on with it

I'm a simple man thewood. The action spots to me are like Michel Jackson in "Billie Jean" treading on the pavement. They light up and you got LOS. LOF will then piggyback on that to say, "I know you're in there - git some". Therefore the Action spot just provides a quick way to initiate the larger - but much less used - action of firing. If they had an effect on movement wouldn't each squad member teleport from one to the next? But there's also a virtual spot that's the centre of a squad, and it's that that the game tries to optimise in terms of cover, movement etc. So what's needed is a way for that centre of the squad to perform better, hence my suggestion that the point man in a movement order is considered the centre of the squad, so when he triggers an action spot (..not mah luver...) there's only him exposed, which makes sense to me from a reality point of view. What's also needed is better micro behaviour around this spot which is the focus for 1.05, AIUI.

I don't think it's anything to do with action spots. AIUI action spots are just short cuts in the LOS calculations, not the actual map itself. Other than that, yes, I'd agree. The squad is just trying to keep its formation around a specific point rather than being a bit cleverer about what needs to happen. But AIUI this kind of squad micro behaviour is the focus of 1.05.

I think the core of the matter is; what would you do on a battlefield. I think the only thing that would get me out of that trench is Huntarr's: TBH, I'd like the movement commands to be things like: </font> On the double (Direct to the waypoint as fast as possible)</font>Make best speed (To the waypoint with a small deviation to cover)</font>Cautious (In as much cover as possible, route can be circuitous)</font>Move to contact (Skirmish line, small deviation to cover)</font>Assault (Direct to the waypoint in bounds, the lead elements to be seeking the enemy and returning fire on contact, the firebase auto area-firing where the lead element shoots)</font> I'd also like the route to be highlighted as soon as the waypoint is placed - this alone would save a lot of heartache.

Saying stuff about how the reactive armour blew a panel would be cool. AIUI, this is one of the things that was always wanted on the To Do list.

This is a particularly apt example. </font>

Yeah the Uncanny Valley idea: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_Valley AIUI, squad micro behaviour is the main focus of 1.05.

I think having the first soldier in the group being where the squad’s action spot is attached would solve a lot of these problems. It seems to me that many of the issues we currently get is because several of the soldiers are in an exposed position before the system checks LOS, which leads to several soldiers being in LOF by the time anything changes. If only the point man was in LOS/LOF, the AI could take appropriate action without endangering the squad. This seems realistic to me. The point man being shot would, IMHO, be a realistic risk. It could also bring something good to the game, like the point man throwing the appropriate hand signals to the squad (Like “Please fetch the medic I appear to have been shot”) or jumping backwards etc.

Other Means, You are correct, the company I worked for was Frasier Williams Logistics. I also remember that Amaze moved offices and FWL acquired their office space. This must have been back in the 90s sometime. I did know someone called Alan at FWL but it is so long ago now I can't remember his second name. All I remember is that he played SimCity a lot and kept tropical fish. Is this the same guy? I parted company with FWL in 2004 when they made half the office redundant. Some time later they went into receivership and ended up being bought out by an Indian company called Four-Soft. I worked there for 15 years before I was made redundant. It's sad how some things just come to an end but I can't say I'm too unhappy about it. Now I work for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) in Wavertree, Liverpool in the games testing department. The money is a lot less but the work is a lot more fun! I'm studying web development and hope one day to get back into software development but I'm not holding my breath. At my age (41) I'd probably have to start my own company! Small world indeed, as they say. </font>

Exactly. There's issues, yes. But I think the perception of them would have been a lot less had 1.04 been the release version.

No I think it's valid, what with BFC's reputation for patching etc. If we started higher up the slope to a great game people would be enjoying it but with niggles. As it is, people think it's fundamentally flawed and will look for fault before fun. I think it's already a good game, and will become a classic when certain things are worked on.

I think if 1.04 had been release everyone would have been doing cartwheels and talking about how they'd be playing for years to come.

Jeez, why not just use a Staghound or sumfink?

No mate that thing is there IS interest, as you've seen from all our answers. We want to see how your battles are going, cheer from the sidelines kind of thing. But instead of illustrating that for us, you've just given us an outline. What are your plans, how are you setup, what changes to them do you need to make, how do you change them in the fact of their failure or success? We're also simple folk. The more images the better to help our imaginations the better. I'm not try to piss in your chips, I just want to be able to see how you think.

You mean Frasier Williams Logistic? They are in the Port of Liverpool building aren't they? I worked in a company called Amaze from out of there. I knew a guy called Alan who works for FWL though. I'll try and remember his last name if you think you might know him.

AIUI the micro scale infantry handling is the focus of the next patch. I'd like some basic camera operations to be included, such as tabbed-to units/clicked on terrain always being in view at whatever view height etc.

Just hope these guys ain't there! </font>

I agree, but think it should be target and target light.

I know the game scales the models to as much as your system can handle, what's your spec?

No no no. THIS is an AAR. THIS: Is a shopping list.