SOWGB wish list

[Yltenheimer]

Tried playing the game demo a short while and had to buy it. This is great stuff.

A couple of ideas for future updates (this is petite stuff):

1. When on the map, you press "M" again to return to the game view. I would like to avoid moving my hand to the ESC key.

2. When surfing my units with the arrow keys, I would like to NOT neccessarily move the camera view to the unit. When moving individual units, you waste a lot of time moving the view around (fx back to the place where you want to move the unit). By holding the CTRL key (fx) while pressing one of the arrow keys you move to the next unit on the info display, but not the camera view.

If I want to place four arty units on certain locations I can quickly to that in my suggested my without having to move the camera view a lot around (or using the map view every time).

3. How about a sticky note for posting suggestions to the developers or modders?

4. Couriers: I'm sure they were smart people IRL. So I suggest that SOW's couriers find their way away from direct contact with enemy units by an alternative route/leg, at least from the point where they are in LOS with the enemy.

Best regards, thanks for a supremely great game, and keep up the good work.

[RebBugler]

2. Done...un-check Camera stay w/OOB Navigation...in the 2nd page Options menu.

[Yltenheimer]

Got it! Thx!

[Willard]

Thanks for a great game and keep up the good work.
Below are some suggestions based upon my 3-4 days of playing.
None of them are games stoppers and they obviously reflect my opinion of what can be done to improve the game:

#1 - Pull-up map isn't very detailed. I like the "period piece" effect, but a bit more detail would be nice.

#2 - Scenario list for SP was a bit more streamlined in TC2M.

#3 - I prefered the OOB screen format in-game and in open play in TC2M - perhaps some more spacing in the MP staging room to clearly delineate the opposing sides?

#4 - Sound effects need some work as they are choppy at times.

#5 - Multi-play troop command/selection is a bit weird. I haven't figured out if you can command multiple units ala SMG. If you don't have at least one person select a Corps or Army Command, the AI will control everything else which becomes problematic. Plus, if you are in OVERALL command you can't assign a player additional units like in SMG. I would like to see that option or where a player can select an AI controlled unit and "TAKE COMMAND" of that unit.

#6 - MP scenarios aren't as intuitive as in SMG where you clearly had objectives, VPs and a clear time limit.

#7 - I thought artillery is still a bit off IMO. Counter-battery seems to be a big waste even at distances of less than 500 yards. I had Confed batteries concealed in woods battering a Union battery on a ridge at 500 yards and I took big time losses from them without even putting a dent in them. That being said, 12 pdrs up close in defense rule!!!

#8 - Need a team chat function (X = chat for everyone but there is not a discrete team chat). I would like the option to use a team chat OR to modify the current courier system to allow team chat via courier. Meaning I could type my message in the courier screen and that gets sent off via courier vice "instant chat."
That would be more historical than instant commos and would provide a built in delay in orders, etc.

#9 - No volley fire option.

[Criztian]

1) I'd like to have a map that tells me more then my position in relation to the town of Gettysburg. The map gives me no information on hills forests or anything like that. I know I know, realism. But honestly... I'd like to think Lee and Meade had a more detailed map then a low resolution 4 inch cut out from a real map.

2) Sound effects, obviously.

3) I dislike playing pixel hunter when trying to get a regiment into cover. Cover needs to be extend somewhat.

4) This one is probably asking too much considering the game engine, but for the future it would be nice if a regiment wouldn't receive cover bonus when its position is perpendicular to the cover it is currently getting a bonus from. It seems absurd for 400 men to get cover from a fence that's providing cover for maybe 1 guy.

5) As mentioned artillery duels are a waste of time. Exchanging fire for a good hour and you'd be lucky to take out a single gun. Almost all long range artillery fire is a waste of time. It was the same in TC2M in 2 hour you're guns would be lucky if they managed to kill more then 10 men, unless they are using canister.

6) AI needs to learn to get past batteries. I honestly feel like I'm cheating every time I have an artillery battery supporting my defense. It seems 400 casualties inflicted by 4 cannons in a 30 min battle might be a bit... much. It feels like I'm deploying machine guns around my line every time I use them. Granted I'm not a the biggest Civil War history buff, but from what I've read about battles like Fredicksburg I never heard of Hooker dragging along a bunch of Artillery to place 180 yards away from Marye's Heights so he could pepper the Confederates with canister. Something about it just seems... unrealistic... Two things that I thing should be done. Reloading should be DRAMATICALLY reduced when a cannon comes under fire. It seems insane to imagine a group of artillery men calmly reloading with 400 men peppering them with bullets. Speaking of which, why is it that 400 men fire at an a group of 20 men manning a cannon from 60 yards away and after 1 min of constant firing they'd be lucky to manage to kill 5 of them. I don't know, even with TC2M the whole canister thing seems absurdly unrealistic.

[PANGI]

I agree with all notes from Criztian...

I have also one suggestion. Technically similar with cover ground note from Criztian: I think speed penalty should be removed when crossing wall/fences unless you will be able to map regiment position towards the wall. Practically, only effect now is that your men are slow down when marching along fence and this isnt logical...or maybe set it to the regiment give lets say 5 seconds penalty from crossing each line to represent crossing and to let ground covered with wall and fences to be more speed demanding than open field...dont know

One question: Is there speed and fatigue penalty when your men marching up the hill?

[GShock]

I only have 1 wish at present time, to see the artillery working. While I see other wishlists very nice and I would too like to see the mentioned features, the arty to me is a real priority and this is a game killing issue.

[DrMike1997]

A quick couple of questions re Arty: One to the players and one to the dev team:

1. To the players complaining about long range Arty effectiveness; Are you playing as the Rebs? If so, Confederate long range guns at G'burg were particularily poor. Poorer even that usual. From lots of research on the question it seems that the fuses the ANV received before moving north were terrible. Witness the hours long punding with virtually no effect on the afternoon of July 3rd. Union guns however should be much better at long range fire.

2. To the development team: Is this difference in the long range accuracy in the two sides modeled in the game?

[norb]

I do not play test. But I can assure you that our team tested arty and that it's working. There may be a few minor bugs, but to say that it's completely broken makes no sense to me. Jim is unavailable due to family matters right now and he is most qualified to answer this. The difference in the two sides as far as arty goes is definitely modeled in the game.

Of course, when the SDK is released, you can change them all to howitzers if that is how you like to play. But I am certain that our team was able to use the arty as they are currently designed to win the scenarios.

[GShock]

I have not seen anything past the 4th tutorial but I am telling you neither in the 3rd nor in the 4th tutorial the arty is working. I am not talking about a minor bug I am talking about *completely broken*.

In the 4th tutorial I quit after having one of my guns shot by musket. The whole northern bde advancing against my guns in open field (4 regiments) took in overall ONE loss (My score=1) before I quit.

In the third tutorial the same was going on with my guns being so ineffective that one single enemy regiment (manually targeted by all 4 guns) actually captured my guns.

It is the same as Tc2M so far with the arty: not working. At least in the 3rd and 4th tutorial.

I suppose the arty IS working in the scenarios and MP but trust me, in these tutorials it isn't.
I believe it's MANDATORY to fix it because tutorials are the "business card" of the game for all new players.