TheVulture Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Take it as generally or as specifically as you like (three best things you like about playing the game in general, three biggest improvements over CMSF or CMx1, whatever has caught your attention in comparison to the last CM game you played, however you choose to prune your list). And for the improvements you'd like to see, it's up to you whether you want to limit yourself to things that you think are plausible for BFC to do, or want to include things that would take years and involve re-writing the entire code from scratch. I'm just curious as to the range of view on these things. My '3 improvements' list are the things that have stood out most to me whilst playing the game as "I wish I could do this right now", or "I wish that hadn't just happened" moments. I can come up with a good five or more of each without trouble, but limit it to the three that have made the biggest impression on you for good or ill. Top three features ============== On map mortars that can fire on their own or be controlled by a forward observer. I love the flexibility this gives. And I hate the flexibility it gives to the enemy, when mortar shells come crashing down without warning... Fortifications. Both the variety that have been added in this game, and the fact that they are affected by fog of war. Kill stats with tracking over campaigns. Maybe I'm just a stats geek (well, I am), but for me, this adds a lot to the story. Looking over the end of game stats I see that my platoon that took out an AT gun in mission 2 after spending ages slowly working their way in to position under heavy fire, and got a lucky kill on a Stug in the next mission, was the same platoon that romped around the rear of the enemy in mission 4 and pretty much wiped out two german platoons and 3 HMG nests. They've now racked up over 60 kills, plus that StuG and AT gun, and taken a few prisoners to boot. I know which platoon they are now, and I kind of want to keep them alive, what's left of them. Put short, their fate matters more to me than the fate of generic platoon #7 Three desired improvements / things that have vexed me most =============================================== Bocage pathfinding for infantry. Any number of times I have plotted a movement command and seen infantry go running off in a totally unexpected direction. This has been due to gaps in the hedge that aren't gaps (it sure looks like a gap in the bocage, but isn't). Hedges that are impassable low bocage rather than hedges. Men taking a completely unplanned route because it turns out there is a gap in the bocage somewhere that means they find a shorter route than I had anticipated, usually along a suicidal short cut. And squads splitting up, some to go through one opening, some through another which I really didn't want them to go though (much like the old narrow passages between buildings and walls bug in CMSF, where one team would go down route A, and the second team in the same unsplit squad would see the 1st team as blocking that route and go a wildly different route). Oh, and the old finding paths at 0/45 degrees to the grid which can lead to them wandering out of a safe area for no good reason rather than staying along the straight line you plotted and staying safe. This last one is less of an issue in the terrain of most CMBN missions though; at least it has intruded less on my notice than it did playing CMSF. On map mortars - I'd love to be able to treat from the same platoon, located withing a few squares of each other, connected to the command network by the same HQ unit, as a single battery. Then an FO could call in a 3 tube strike using on-map mortars. I'd guess that's really non-trivial to make work (leaving aside the possibilities for users to complain like hell that it "is broken" because they don't have all mortars deployed / in command range / with ammo / etc. and haven't realised. Plus there seem to be issues with on map mortar accuracy when controlled by an FO in comparison to off map mortars. Armour only and infantry only covered arcs. I'm not the first to wish for these, and I won't be the last. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenAsJade Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Sounds trivial, but I hate the way tanks move. And to a certain extent HTs. Like the driver hasn't learned to slow down before stopping yet. I like the realism detail in general, all the "little things". GaJ 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broadsword56 Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Sounds trivial, but I hate the way tanks move. And to a certain extent HTs. Like the driver hasn't learned to slow down before stopping yet. I like the realism detail in general, all the "little things". GaJ More use of the "slow" command and use it around curves, through openings in hedgerows, etc. Intersperse liberally with Hunt and then even Fast on covered straightaways. Also place more order points. I do this and never see anything jerky or strange about tank movement. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejetset Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Likes: - Control over your squads ... being able to split off a scout or AT team etc .... I never played SF so this is a new feature for me! And I love it. - Mortars in general are great. They are so versatile and lethal. I like to deploy them just behind the firing line where they can rain in some hell whenever needed upon very short notice. - Level of detail. Seeing the trees getting chewed up and being able to watch the trajectory of almost every single round fired complete with ricochets. It makes for some pretty intense firefights. Top Improvements Wishlist: - Armor only cover arcs. The BF team must feel like a lone German MG gun hidden in the bocage with a full company laying down suppression fire on this point! ... - Being able to toggle some additional information either on the soldier base or the floating icon. Additional info could be C2, general ammo, moral etc .... - Being able to select the unit by clicking on their movement path. Sometimes, when you are trying to move a couple of platoons into strategic areas, it is hard to make adjustments because you have to go back to the original unit. It would be nice to just be able to click on the movement path that you want to make the adjustment to. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lookeylou Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 :Drelative spotting :Dgraphics/detail- I think its at an happy medium of performance and look :Dthe simplicity of stacking commands no hold fire command. I like cover arcs but its a little tedious, especially with my playing style I like to get into position and SPRING my trap. So everyone gets cover arcs except tanks. They need to be weapons free to shoot enemies of opportunity. can't adjust way points. And can't arc the line between 2 way points by dragging it to make a smooth path for a tank. :sadface: the floating icons don't indicate what type of squad it is. Like on a map like Pointe du Hoc I couldn't locate my engineers quickly. Playing in RT, I was like nope that's not it. nope that's not it. nope that's not it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flanker15 Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Pretty much everything is great and works 99% of the time. Many Great possibilities for the future. AT arc, I've been stung by this one now too. No network wego or RT pauses. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonC Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I really like the ability to split squads into realistic teams for the purposes I actually want - 2 men scouts, assault team with SMGs and grenades, split into fire teams so the LMG can remain at the base of fire, and the like. I really dislike the way the second man in sniper teams opens up with his MP40 and gives away the sniper's location. Sniping is about stealth. I want a way to ensure only the sniper rifle is used, and haven't found one. I've been rather unimpressed with the AI as an actual commander, especially when it is trying to attack with infantry - but to be fair that is an impression created by small QBs (which I like), and in purpose built scenarios it is probably significantly better. I think average morale is a bit too "uber", but that is tweakable... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunnersman Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 First the dislikes: Impenetrable trees. Lack of 180 arc key combination Hunt is too fast me thinks End on a good note: Hi fidelity all around How tanks point turrets at known enemy positions Love the sound of Ma deuce 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwolf Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 + general speed and battle flow. Instant reactions, good turn rates, can now plot along roads without penalty. Etc etc. + fire support control options. + looks low level. %% - concerns about cover and concealment provided by fortifications. Namely for towed guns against all fires, and for everybody against indirect fire. - concerns about HMGs' maximum rate of whoopass unleashed on infantry advancing in the open without support. - looks high level (LOD is naive). 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tactical Wargamer Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Some sort of Multiplayer support with a pause or WEGO system (besides the snail pace of PBEM). 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 + Relative spotting!!!!!!!! + New artillery handling is great + 1:1 scale infantry on the map -----8<----- - Inability to predict if terrain is passable by a unit. This is the number one cause of the surprising path mapping problem. If I was told while plotting my move orders that the unit could not follow *my* path from A to B and instead would need to plot its own way then I would know what I was getting. For example right now you can sometimes get the ghost buster symbol if you try to plot a move into a building for a unit that cannot go in there. If I could see that ghost buster symbol as I hover over the bocage while placing a way point on the other side I would have a tool to verify if an opening is really an opening or not. If I get the tools I can control my own surprises. - Really want armor cover arcs (or some other way to manage ambushes and or make sure my AT teams and guns don't expose themselves too early) - I love snipers. If the sniper team assistant is going to do dumb ass stuff like expose their position then I would like to be able to ditch him in the woods:) Please either loose him or get him to hold his fire. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holman Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Five Worst Things: --Lack of AT-only target arc. --Difficulty of seeing breaks in Bocage. --Local mortar targeting takes too long. --Probably still a few modeling tweaks necessary (armor accuracy?). --Infantry firing small arms at armor. Five Best Things: --(Compared to CMx1) Much less abstraction, almost WYSIWYG, sheer amount of detail that's being simulated. --(Compared to CMSF) Symmetrical warfare with great potential for both sides. --All the little details (from graphics to behavior) I keep discovering. --Powerful editor for maps and AI behavior, lots of community scenarios to come. --Expansions and sequels will give us a huge war to play in. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antig3n Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I love the tank-turret-towards-known-threat and anything else the AI does to reassure me that it will take care of itself reasonably if trouble arises while I am floating over a different section of the battlefield. Or, as the enemy, indicate that it will give me a good challenge with proper deployment, calling in effective support fire, etc. Believable ai behavior seals the immersion deal for me. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dietrich Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 New animations, especially casualties — no longer just falling backwards Hollywood-style Infantry firing from inside halftracks (though I could've sworn I saw some Marines start blazing away from the bed of a pickup truck in the "From the Dawn to the Setting Sun" campaign) Kill stats — when a squad of mine gets decimated in seconds, I like to know which enemy unit was responsible ------------------------- "Supporting players" in a team opening fire — sure, the target is within rifle range, but why are the MG team's leader, loader and ammo bearers firing as well? MG-Schützen using their pistols instead of their MG34s/42s for no apparent reason (though I have seen MG-Schützen really blazing away under appropriate circumstances; not the 5- or 10-second bursts that some have doggedly advocated, but still) ...and actually no other "worst" things are coming to me at the moment. *shrug* Guess I've been doing too much modding and not enough actually playing the game! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steiner14 Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Tactics even more realistic More difficult Relative spotting No armor cover arcs No target lines & C2-lines No unit data window & showing unit's firepower over distance No switchable terrain grid 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenAsJade Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 More use of the "slow" command and use it around curves, through openings in hedgerows, etc. Intersperse liberally with Hunt and then even Fast on covered straightaways. Also place more order points. I do this and never see anything jerky or strange about tank movement. Such micromanagement needed?! That's exactly what I'm talking about needs improving Commanders say "go go as fast as you can, to the other side of town". The don't sit in the back seat saying "speed up slow down turn carefully"... GaJ 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosseau Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 After a short amount of playing time: 1. Graphics look much better than at least one "competitor's" game I am also playing. 2. To my relief, it is not CMSF in WW2. It just feels right and appears to play even smoother than CMSF and its expansions on my computer. 3. The Battle briefs are truly works of art. I have not seen better in any other wargame I have ever played. Not good: So far, just the hedgegrow thing mentioned by the OP. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LemuelG Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Good - relative spotting - 1:1 scale - AI plans in scenarios, limited but mostly effective input from tacAI I Want - this is #1 with a bullet - AI plans with Boolean triggers, ie: give unit an order to attack an objective, but with a condition: if casualties >20% execute Plan B (which might involve withdrawing and trying another approach) etc - dug-out fortifications, the compromises made here are obvious, wouldn't it be nice if we could have our cake and eat it too? - more effective and sophisticated light effects on terrain, just to crank the immersiveness (not a word eh?) over-the-edge. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shredder Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 + 1 to 1 modeling of infantry. This IMHO is the biggest positive. I now care about my troops and the immersion factor is huge. + stacking of commands + relative spotting - no armor only arcs - no command lines showing whether units are under control of their HQ - no movable waypoints 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredrock1957 Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Scenario Author Testing Mode Spotting relative Squad fire from H/T Indirect Fire spotting C2 Multiple commands at waypoints Overall graphical feel The Editor No Armor Cover Arc Can't Split Up Squads while in H/T or Truck Manual is tough to read (old eyes here) Single core processing 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Mike Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Good: - Overall presentation / graphics - FOW-trenches / foxholes (not so easy to guess the enemies defensive setup) - On-board fire support (mortars / field guns) Areas for Improvement: - Infantry behaviour: don't shoot at armoured targets with small arms which are 200 to 300 meters away (or, at all) -> futile, resulting in the armour spotting and hitting the infantry - Infantry behaviour: Noticed this while clearing a town with my paratroopers .. one soldier was standing at a window, shooting at a german maybe 30m away across the street in another building .. then he had to reload .. which he did, standing in front of the window .. consequently resulting in his death .. he should have knelt down to reload at least .. this could be enforced for stationary units - no armor only cover arcs 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zukkov Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 good and bad has been pretty much covered by previous posts with one exception. would like to have the ability to issue multiple orders without having to create way points. ie firing a spread of smoke rounds or any number of targeting commands that involve changing targets during a turn. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canada Guy Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 + The sheer beauty of the game + One to one representation + What I can all do and play and I only have parts of 2 armies + Partially destructible terrain + Stable game engine with only a few tweaks (not overhauls) needed --------------------------- - No Command Lines - Movable waypoints - Command delays - The UI is still a little wonky (Is shaken better/worse than nervous - how many men have I lost without having to read each hard to see green line) - When turning some vehicles (e.g. jeeps) slow down too much to execute the turn - Armoured Covered Arcs 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrold Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 I like the bacon scratch and sniff BFC applied to the DVD's in the pre-order Steelbooks. I do not like the amount of time real life interferes with my CM time. BFS5 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisND Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 3. The Battle briefs are truly works of art. I have not seen better in any other wargame I have ever played. Thanks man, I appreciate it. A lot of love went into them. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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