Development Diary #3 - 29nd of October 2008

[dpdlc]

I'd guess that it effects general ability to withstand damage - increase in both defensiveness and toughness in HoI2 terms. Nothing that was stated suggests that there will be 1:1 ratio of upgrades and stats.

I wonder how producing older models will be handled with this detailed upgrade system? If I design new armour (thus probably increasing costs) will I be able to produce both better and worse armoured tanks?

Maciek

My best guess is that relibility is for Org damage, and armor for Strength damage. If your tanks breaks down, your out of formation and disorganized, it will take you a while to get back into the fight. While armor protects your tank from blowing up, strength.



Now for the reaserch system
+ Minors can be effective since, with more granular research they can research somethings and completely focus on few fields
+ Theoretical+Practical, allows specialization
- No research teams, they added lots of historic flavor....
-Unit granularity is lost, Minimuim stats should be used to convert generic units into specific unit types
-Will all branches be somewhat useful especially if you have to take penalties to other research?

[Alex_brunius]

No ... not really. The way the EU3 combat system works is by picking a terrain where the fight is taking place at random, weighted by the percentage of each terrain type in the province. So your subs might get caught in shallow waters if you're in a province with a lot of it, which would suck for them, or they might avoid that mostly while being in a province in the middle of the ocean. On the other hand, they might get a slight nudge in the probabilities depending on your technology level, stuff like that.

This also means that warships that are supporting a amfibious assault with shore bombardment can be intercepted by subs (randomly) in very deep sea. And that you can't choose yourself. No thanks.

Isn't it logical to ask for a few more sea provinces anyway since they are making something like 4 times as many land provinces? Besides its a much easier thing to do and random EU3 engine or not, it would increase the possibilitys and accuracy of naval warfare. Something we almost have been promised

[Egan]

There are of course exceptions to the theoretical and practical rules. One of these is land doctrine’s. Here the theory is focuses in on specific doctrine paths, while the practical, which is gained from more general combat, covers all of them. So in the pre-war countries will be at the more efficient researching inside their area of doctrine expertise but you gain new experience from combat continues will able to ‘steal’ doctrine ideas from other countries.

Superb stuff. It's all sounding great but this bit in particular is just fantastic! The map is looking beautiful as well. It certainly looks, to me at least, to have a certain wartime charm to it. I hope you don't play around too much with the colours - the slightly washed out look is really nice.

[Gen.Schuermann]

It will just be replaced with "My light tank with the following research is better than your light tank that you got by researching that"

I am curious to know what part, if any 'tech stealing' would play? Can you learn about certain improvements the enemy has by facing them in battle numerous times?

I just hope that the different tank research is having each a very nice distinguishing fact that makes them unique worthy to have. Not an approach of "bigger is better". So i want to see a sense of having light tanks, and not like in hoi where you only shell out as many main battle tanks as you can.

On the other hand, i am looking VERY forward to my Maus Heavy Tank division

Speaking of which... i hope one model won't make another model immideately obsolete. Over the course of the war, the Panzer IV for example was still the work horse of the Wehrmacht even late into '44/'45, while in Hoi2 you got rid of those in 1941 already, replacing them already with Tiger, Panther, Königstiger, E50, etc. So i'd love to be able to build older models as well, if for example i lack IC, or dont wanna wait for an elaborate Panther II to be build, just churn out some IV's so i can have numbers, as in having to choose from different models.

[Snowmelk]

My best guess is that relibility is for Org damage, and armor for Strength damage. If your tanks breaks down, your out of formation and disorganized, it will take you a while to get back into the fight. While armor protects your tank from blowing up, strength.

That would indeed make sense!

-Unit granularity is lost, Minimuim stats should be used to convert generic units into specific unit types

What do you mean by that?

[Mædhric]

Wow, this sounds (and looks!) great!

I love the new terrain mapmode, it looks more like a map from a contemporary atlas than a satellite image. Which is nice.

The new tech system sounds interesting, too. A nice and elegant solution, though I am surely gonna miss the tech teams. And as I understand it, every country starts with an advantage in certain tech fields? I'm gonna love this.

I wonder how research will be done, then, as it is no more tied to IC - does that mean it's no more tied to money? Maybe certain research field will require certain resources in addition to money, manpower should also have a say in it. But I'll guess I'm gonna have to wait til next week

[Seten]

And since production is tied to research...
Now player have a good opportunity to think about easy mass produced tank versus elite tnk wich cost a lot.
Because, the more mass produced tank you make, the more faster you research....

[Van Diemen]

The only thing I'm a little afraid of in this new system is the lack of models. Surely the models in HoI2 were far from perfect, since improved tank country A did not differ from improved tank country B. However it did tend to create an atmosphere that let you feel the game as being a WW2 game. I'm thus afraid that with the new system (and probably the lack of divisional pictures too) the atmosphere will be much less, just like in EUIII at first. Because having to look at the stats of your tank division and having to imagine that these stats would be comparable to for example a Tiger, makes me a little sad. Also will the other nations not choose a totally different approach every time, making this game feel like out of historical context?

[TheCrimsonMajor]

Sad about the loss of tech teams and the loss of models. I hope historical accuracy will be maintained.

[Zaki]

The Hesnchel 129 and Breguet 693 are two engines Close Air Support aircrafts
And heavy fighters ?...

But it's nice

...

And Savoia-Marchetti three engine bombers?

[Zuckergußgebäck]

What should also have noticed here that we no longer have models, instead we have technologies that increase the maximum values a unit can have and if unit can upgrade to these values it will.

I just hope that there will be names, so that while there aren't any specific "models", we should still be able to see some nice names for the tanks that we put in our divisions.

[The Starfox]

I just hope that there will be names, so that while there aren't any specific "models", we should still be able to see some nice names for the tanks that we put in our divisions.

Whith reguards to this specific issue, it will probably work closer to the HOI 1 model.

[The Great Duck]

Looks good.I am just worried if there can be unit icons now.
When will we get something on diplomacy or politics?

[Rompa]

I'm a bit worried that without models, we won't have the flavour of the wonderful pictures of the different models. Hope it won't be just all strategy and no historic feel, I'm confident Paradox will prove me wrong, though.

[Van Diemen]

I'm a bit worried that without models, we won't have the flavour of the wonderful pictures of the different models. Hope it won't be just all strategy and no historic feel, I'm confident Paradox will prove me wrong, though.

Sadly I do not share your confidence ever since EUIII and EU: Rome. The way these games handled things also triggered the "lack of historical feeling" complaints from the community. I just hope paradox can prove me wrong on this issue, since I have the feeling some time now that they are ever more becoming a game development factory like EA, instead of the exception to the rule "I don't care as long as we can sell our games", which they will surely do well with HoI3.

[Earl Uhtred]

Well I can kiss my old exploit of never bothering building ships below a certain class on the arse

Great update.

[Enzo]

Great update thanks.
what I really like is the philosophy behind these features : set initial condition and give the player the choice to really steer his country. If we can baptize our creation this would be even better. "look at my new tank model, I've called him T-34, now I will build tons of it"

[richtern]

This new research system sounds great. Keep up the good work.

[TheLand]

Also will the other nations not choose a totally different approach every time, making this game feel like out of historical context?

I imagine the AI will be programmed to go along a particular route, which will produce a relatively historical set of opponents.

To people who are worried about historicity:

Bear in mind that "models" as used in HOI2 and to an extent HOI1 themselves pose some problems of historicity. For instance, there never was a division of Panther tanks, or an air wing of He111. Even less did "1941 Infantry" duke it out with "1943 Infantry" in the Western Desert ....

Every operational-level unit was a mixture of equipment, and it was often the humble equipment which was just as important as the famous stuff. While the "Panther divisions" are fun it's not necessarily very historical.

[Thork]

This is just a a quick stop-by to tell you guys that I think most of the planned changes I read about and the screens look really nice.
Doesn't leave much to be desired if done right.
I'd also very much like to express my thanks to Paradox for publishing underdogs like Mount&Blade etc. which most likely could'nt have done it otherwise.
I hope there will be more general ways for scripting/modding (f.ex. AI but also Event-Triggers etc.) than we had in HoI2 to make it less time consuming.

In hope for a great HoI3 - Best regards from heartsofiron.eu