To kick things off... a poll of sorts...

[SKELLEN]

5 New Things:

1) Ability to select number of rounds fired from Mortar teams.

2) AI keeps its units in foxholes while in defense.

3) Include a built-in mod editor if possible and done in a similar fashion to scenario editor for ease of use.

4) Indicate scenarios previously played in menu by a simple tick if need be.

5) Engine failure on vehicles or Tanks could/would add another dimension to the game.

5 To Stay:

1) PBEM

2) WW2

3) EFOW

4) Quick Battles

5) Mac Compatibility (OS X goes without saying)

[...................................]

Please Change:

1) Drop all placeholder graphics - they ruin immersion. Fewer units done well is better.

2) Rolling barrages (plan at scenario start, shift barrage to location X on turn Y etc).

3) AI artillery - especially pre-planned barrages. Simply shelling a random terrain feature near to any objective at the start would force players to rethink deployment, and definitely help the AI attacking. Especially useful if combined with rolling barrages shifting between several random terrain features near to objectives. No more useless drops in the middle of nowhere and players stuffing handy woods with units to wipe out the AI without concern.

4) An end to the AI's procession of units in huge streams bunched together between terrain features en-route to whichever flag it has decided to attack. There must be a better alternative.

5) An AI which can keep the front armour of its tanks facing the most likely threat direction at all times.

Overall it's the AI which needs most attention. TCP & PBEM will always be great fun with much better use made of units. However a reasonably challenging AI is priceless these days, especially one which can attack, and we all have times where we need a quick wargaming fix against a computer.

[ August 26, 2005, 05:44 PM: Message edited by: Pheasant Plucker ]

[General Bolt]

When you include resupply (So many have asked for it you gotta give it to us) a pop up will be there at the start of a turn "You have more Ammo" kinda like the "Reinforcements have arrived" popup.

[Andrew Kulin]

Five I'd like to see:

1. LOS Tool during set-up - place a unit at a location and all areas visible from that spot are highlighted

2. Borg Spotting - Click on a unit and only the units it sees/can see are shown to it on the map - other units, even if spotted by others on your are either invisible or shown as last spotted markers or infantry sounds etc.

3. Fix Road travel and reinforcement arrival

4. Map editor - allow for smoother contouring (to get rid of the blockiness now present in the topogrpahy, and allow for unlimited elevations. It would be nice if some way of importing maps (and only maps) into the editor using outside programs could be permitted) - it would also be nice if the map editor would allow you to import BMP/JPEG files of map scans/airphotos to help in the map creation.

5. Permit crews to re-man weapons and squads to pick up dropped weapons

Five I'd like to keep:

1. I never had a problem with the graphics as presented in CMX1. The graphics should be kept behind the bleeding edge - I'd rather the CPU cycles be used for game physics, unit tracking and AI rather than generating eye candy

2. PBEM ability (of some sort) to let us play at our own pace against folks on the opposite side of the world

3. The way turns are played out. Both plot moves and then movie runs w/o intervention.

4. A HARD-COPY MANUAL! (Charge us more if you have to, it's still cheaper than getting 200 plus pages of PDF printed out somewhere)

5. The goal to provide the richest, deepest, most realistic war game experience out there and the great customer support and communication with your customer base.

[Stryker]

1) AI progamming (waypoints, objectives, etc...)

[Guest ExplodingMonkey]

I want:

1. AFVs not being "see through" i.e. Troops can run behind them for cover, tanks can use burnt out hulks for cover, ect...

2. Better bunker and trench system. I'd like to see a modular system where you could attach gun pits, foxholes, trenches, and bunkers in a complex and realistic manner

3. 3D representations of close support aircraft.

4. Toggle for arty shockwaves (please bring these back).

5. Limited squad construction kit in the EDITOR ONLY. I think the replayability would soar with this tool made available for scenario designers! Just keep it out of the QB generator and we're good.

[ August 26, 2005, 07:58 PM: Message edited by: ExplodingMonkey ]

[SgtMuhammed]

Sorry, one more.

Variable Command Delay. Each unit could have a base of so many seconds with a random factor added that is independent of experience. I have had a lot of time commanding troops in the field and you can never predict how long it will take someone to get moving. Guys are always messing with their kit or trying to fix something or looking at their map to figure out where the hell they are. I would actually accept delays that can last a minute or two for even vet units.

[Boris Balaban]

I have been folloing the development of this game since they split up from Avalon Hill when Avalon Hill was bought up by Hasbro Toys. I hope I can add some positive points.

1) Leadership , I remember that this game was based on a game called Squad Leader (Avalon Hill); you are assign a mission and played it. At the end of the game you added up points to see if you got a promotion or a demotion . Can this be implemented in a campaign game? With the ability to be edited (were the goals met) for a major campaign game of more then 3 (or more) players.

2) Weapons , the ability to recrew weapons (especially AT guns) if guns are not knocked out, if the crew is to small to more the weapon then vehicles or an infantry unit can help move the weapon (redeploy) at the cost of loading up and unloading time. I have lost heavy mg’s for the last man could not move the gun and with plenty of ammo he became useless as the battle moved on.

3) Campaign , multi player game (3 or more players) to play PBEM.

4) Convoy/Waypoint movement , the inability of vehicles to travel down a stretch of road without setting all the waypoints. Infantry also given waypoints will be told to use cover or move fast as possible. If enemy spotted the units will have in orders to stop and go for cover or attack.

5) Reinforcements , the units coming in that turn have a map extension only for the order of marching in assignment. If they all come aboard the map extension disappears and no unit may enter it. Units can be set in order and mounted.

[BloodyBucket]

Wish list:

Some kind of convoy order.

Capture/recrew weapons.

Linked campaign.

Full game playback, with ability to jump in at any point.

Maps printable as contour map.

Don't change:

The outstanding customer service and support, and all else will be fine.

[ErikinWest]

Ok. Well here it goes:

1. Allow player to change the 3d model. Total conversion ability. (Basically you could make a Boeing out of a panther.)

2. Let the player control the physics. Another modding necessity. That way mods of other wars could be implemented.

3. Better terrain. More shrubs, mountains, squirrels.

4. Combat atmosphere. Just a bit more to their moral and such (ex. Nervous, scared, excited),

5. On screen artillery.

6. Motorcycles and horses. Transport people!

Erik

[GreenAsJade]

I didn't use up all my five, so I thought of one subtle but EXCELLENT graphical effect that would be REALLY NICE...

... proper transparency of trees.

I'd like to be able to see through the trees in a way that is acceptably close to the way that the troops can!

If LOS is blocked by trees to some feature, then I should not be able to see it through the tress (that is how it is now).

If there is LOS through the trees to something then *I should be able to see it through the trees*

That would be wonderful!

(As it is, I play with trees off 99.9% of the time)

GaJ

[REVS]

Keep

1) World War II topic

2) PBEM

3) WEGO

4) Simple user interface/playability

5) Quick Battles and Meeting Engagements

Improve/change/add

1) Better towns please (ie, narrow alleys, etc)

2) Use of large vehicles as cover for infantry & small vehicles

3) Crews be able to occupy or re-occupy abandoned guns/vehicles

4) "Follow road" vehicle/convoy command

5) Savable replay movie at end of game

I'm hoping we don't have to ask for OSX support. That's a given, aint it?

[Hensworth]

Keep :

1) Wego system.

2) FOW system.

3) Editor.

4) Ability to represent action from broad scale

conflict (if necessary by building it up over

multiple modules).

5) Quality of research and historical depth.

Improve / change / add

1) More realistic maps, ability to create an

inhabited world rather than a sterile arena

for fighting in.

2) Some form of event triggering.

3) Convoy movement.

4) A C&C role for higher echelon HQs (additive

command bonuses for example, a good captain

makes all the lieutenants a little better).

5) Enable weapons crews to fight as riflemen

when the enemy is below the effective range

of their main weapon.

[Steiner14]

Keep:

WEGO

PBEM

MODDING possibility, but

HARDCODED MODELS

PLACING AVAILABLE UNITS DIRECTLY ON BATTLEFIELD (i just read, a few are really suggesting to put available units in a separate window - that would mean the end to learn the units, putting them in an order prior to the setup and to choose their tasks accordingly to their qualities)

Want:

FULL MOVIE REPLAY

VEHICLES - mobile cover

VEHICLES - commanders can leave for spotting

3rd party campaigns - kind of .txt output/input

BATTLE DESIGN - much more commands for scenario designers supporting the TAC-AI (trigger points, trigger cover-arcs, trigger levels (plus time), on contact/enemy-fire retreat to point X, don't move,...)

[ August 27, 2005, 03:38 AM: Message edited by: Steiner14 ]

[sonar]

1.Cover arc for move to contact.

2.reassign squads to h.q.'s other than parent due to casulties or for example pioneer squad assign to infantry plt as assault/anti-tank asset.

3.Set squads reaction to threat on a sliding scale.So for instance set to 150m squad will only engage within radius this would save having to set loads of cover arcs just to prevent squads blasting away at useless ranges.

4.Triggers for A.I. and scenario design.e.g.flag A is only contested by force in blue set up,flag B by force in yellow set up while force in green set up is free to contest any

5. REMOTE DEMOLITIONS and smoke for pioneers for bridge/building/obstacle removing.

[Mad Russian]

Things I'd like to see changed:

1) Convoy movement. There should be some. A convoy order so that click the order then the front and back vehicle and everybody keeps the spacing. Give the front vehicle movement orders and watch them all move. Combat breaks the convoy order.

2) Realistic modeling of night combat...flares, shadows, very selective LOS. I know that from reading some of your comments on file size this may have to wait for a later fix. In place of night combat, in case that isn't on the menu or isn't possible to integrate at the moment, then aircraft using the correct armament. No more

P-38 bombing attacks using a total of 10 bombs...that, of course, was an exaggeration but not by much.

3)Accurate leadership model for both infantry and armor. Make the Bn/Company commander worth more than an extra Lt. on the map. Do a leadership Chain of Command for armor that has a leader higher than a Lt.

4)Artillery with smoke shell capability that is not all or nothing. The game should be able to handle an amount of both HE and smoke rounds assigned to an artillery unit without too much problem I would think.

5) Remanning guns and vehicles. This should include enemy guns or vehicles as well. While a case can be made for all guns and vehicles, machineguns should be an absolute. There are litereally thousands of examples of enemy MG's being used during tactical engagements against their owners. Not to mention any other types of weapons that would help. It goes without saying if enemy weapons would be crewed upon capture your own weapons would be recrewed as soon as possible during the fight.

Don't change:

1: PBEM. It is the preferred way to play. I know you will do your best to keep it.

2: Some sort of After Action Report page. There are multiple possiblities that an AAR page can bring to the game. If that data could be easily transferable to a spreadsheet so much the better.

3: The ability of the modder's to continually take all aspects of the game to another level. The modding community has increased the value of CM for most gamers by multiples.

4: The simple CMBB/CMAK style of giving commands. While there are some more commands I would like to see, I have no problem playing the series with those already in place.

5: Aircraft. While I have a couple of issues with the way aircraft are modeled, I would rathere have them the way they are than to lose them. Most gamers seem to prefer CM without aircraft but that just wasn't the reality of a good share of WWII combat.

Thanks for listening.

[Mike Churchmoor]

Inprovements in general:

- Inproved air-support. For example, at least in assault possibility to point/pre-plan (area)targets.

- Inproved on-/off-map indirect fire. For example, ability to give orders like: "82 mm, hit that at-gun with 5 rounds". Maybe possibility to add this to the movement command.

- Abilility to use tanks as a cover.

- Better infantry graphics.

- Ability to atg-/mortar-/inf.gun-/ etc. crews to use their personal weapons when enemy is close (as IRL).

For single-play:

- Some sort of campaign mode (Steel Panthers, Close Combat ).

- Better AI.

For multiplayer:

- Ability to inspect the map before QB.

- Movies.

Keep:

- PBEM & tcp/ip.

- WW2 (maybe...?: The Early Days, 1939-1940).

- Realistic and funny as hell.

- Modding possibility.

- QuickBattle

[General Bolt]

1)KOed and living tanks as inf cover.

2)Ammo resupply - even if 5 or 10% during the game. Even for Arty Spotters - another truck load of shells just arrived at the battery. Provided you keep the spotter alive and near the front. Capture ammmo - even 5 to 10%. A pop up saying "You've got Ammo!"

3)More terrain damage - knocked down trees become cover. Knocked down large buildings put rubble in street. Knocking holes in walls to allow inf to pass thru.

4)secondary explosions: Rounds cook-off in burning tanks causing nearby damage maybe for 5 minutes after being destroyed. Other secondary explosions around bigger guns and mortars. Secondary expolsion of hit FTs guys.

5)At startup, instead of a long list of scenarios, a list with some folder selection capability. That way we can put our already played games in the Played folder, the H2H games in the H2H folder and the AI games in the AI folder. These folders would be user generated. Also the list should be sortable by more various columns: Title, Date, Size, Country, Weather, day/night etc.

KEEP: Everything not listed in my five wishes.

[ August 27, 2005, 06:13 AM: Message edited by: General Colt ]

[Other Means]

Casting my mind back as a virgin player, who are the untapped revenue pool BFC want to tap, the things that I remember really wanting are;

1. Campaign system - I hear this is in.
   
2. Variable camera heights/configurable keys/storing camera angles - it's hard to find your way around at first
   
3. Formation grouping - like "keep 25m apart"
   

The main thing that stops me playing games is the setup. There are countless ones I've started and abandoned (sorry Elmar), therefore;

1. Default layout of own troops done by the AI - this would at least give you a start point if everyone was in a reasonable formation
   

And of course we need to keep

1. Asynchronous play
   

These are all about gameplay, rather than units etc. Which I think is what's required?

[dangerousdave]

The most important thing to do with CMX2 is to create another game that I will want to play over and over for a long time. Given past performance, I have no doubt but that BF will do that. I trust you guys to figure out great ways to dazzle your audience.

My suggested improvements center around making it less likely that we players will feel like something fundamental is happening that just shouldn't. Such as...

Ability to give more types of orders to prevent units from behaving extremely irrationally and to improve responses under fire.

The traffic jam is the worst feature. No real tank driver would just run into the tank in front of him because he is blindly following orders to move to the next waypoint... I want units under fire to behave like men who want to live. When a platoon of tanks is ordered to advance across a RR track, e.g., and the first two brew up because of the hidden 88, then the rest of the platoon should stop and think thrice (at least) before proceeding up over the tracks (let along running into the back of the burning hulks!). Of course, I want to be able to order the whole platoon to charge no matter what happens as well. Perhaps a greater variety of move orders.

I want to be able to order my tank destroyers to retreat back into cover after shooting ... automatically, not just when the numerically superior enemy returns fire at my thin skinned Marder. TacOps has an order like this (retreat after firing).

I want to be able to see the terrain without having to adjust my camera several different ways. Perhaps a feature that allows one to toggle contour lines on and off. I also want to be able to figure out what a given unit can see without having to drag blue LOS line around the map ... perhaps like in East Front, etc, where the areas that are visible can be toggled with light, vs darkness for areas which are not visible.

I can't wait to see what you have in store for us. Keep up the great work!

[Panzer76]

Originally posted by Shmavis:

Whoever said Denmark could have Greenland?

The stupid Swedes in 1814. We all know it's Norwegian.

[jim crowley]

Originally posted by dangerousdave:

I want to be able to order my tank destroyers to retreat back into cover after shooting ... automatically, not just when the numerically superior enemy returns fire at my thin skinned Marder. TacOps has an order like this (retreat after firing).

So does CMX1; its called "Shoot and Scoot"

[stikkypixie]

Yes but not automatically, like an ambush. Wasn't there talk for a modular aproach to orders (I believe he term SOP was used).

[Aacooper]

I would like to change:

1) PBEM so you could have more than one-on-one. Two-on-two with your teammate having fog-of-war rules would be a lot of fun, and very realistic.

2) Mapbuilding to be a little easier. Maybe one idea would be to put in elevations in meters, and then let the game calculate whether the scale should be 2.5m/level, 5.0, or 10.0, or whatever.

3) Exit victory conditions. Somehow, you never get the result (win/loss) you expect, or feel you deserve. Something has just never felt right.

I would like to keep:

1) The current lack of any convoy or formation rules.

2) Most everything else is pretty good. I still play CMAK/CMBB, however you guys want to improve it will probably be fine with me.

[SlowMotion]

Ignoring the things that will be there according to recent announcements, like better graphics, more detailed terrain, SOPs and improved arty.

Also ignoring requests that seems won't make it, like scenario file import/export.

CHANGE:

1. Campaign system

2. Multiplayer

-for all game modes (qb, scenarios, operations, possible new ones)

-several human players against human player(s) or the AI

Improved Scenario/Unit editing, including:

3. Alternative reinforcements (say 3 unit lists defined, randomly selected one arrives.

This could simulate among other things: some of the vehicle column breaking down/getting destroyed during transport)

4. Alternative reinforcement arrival places

5. Map copy/paste - possibly only selected layers

HarryInk had a good list about map making, but if you can change only one thing, add copy/paste first - please)

KEEP:

-WEGO

-Asynchronous game play (PBEM now)

-Easy to use UI