Development Diary #27 - 6th of May 2009

[King]

Can you assign a combination of both your own and opponents provinces at the same time?

If yes - if you choose the Defend stance - would the AI try and capture the opponents provinces and then hold them - or is this too complex a scenario for it?? (could see it being useful if you wanted to straighten your line and remove a salient)

yes you can.

[Rocket88]

yes you can.

Brilliant - getting better and better!!

[Syntalynder]

I am so happy now!

[Daffius]

My first post in a looooong time. Good to be back, and excited about the game. Read all development diaries till date and this is the first time I felt the urge to ask. Apologies I'm not a native speaker. So:

Do you not fear exploits? I mean AI behaviour is after all a set of logical codes. If we as players have the possibility to see how the AI works, we get a clear understanding of when it will attack, how it builds up, what fronts etc. All the factors will be clear to us and the AI basically looses the possibility of suprise. I assume the enemy AI will be based on the same behaviour as our AI. Although it will be an interesting addition (and I understand that it is non compulsory), I feel a fear on the long term for predictability.

Just my thought and worries. Still looking forward to it none-the-less.

[King]

My first post in a looooong time. Good to be back, and excited about the game. Read all development diaries till date and this is the first time I felt the urge to ask. Apologies I'm not a native speaker. So:

Do you not fear exploits? I mean AI behaviour is after all a set of logical codes. If we as players have the possibility to see how the AI works, we get a clear understanding of when it will attack, how it builds up, what fronts etc. All the factors will be clear to us and the AI basically looses the possibility of suprise. I assume the enemy AI will be based on the same behaviour as our AI. Although it will be an interesting addition (and I understand that it is non compulsory), I feel a fear on the long term for predictability.

Just my thought and worries. Still looking forward to it none-the-less.

Sooner or later the player will always figure out the AI and exploit these weaknesses if he/she/both decides to, so if this system allows the palyer to figure it out sooner then then it is only a question of when not if. However the benefits to us for testing and imrpoving the AI outweight this downside in our opinion.

[Daffius]

Thank you, fair enough!

[Sensemann]

I wonder what happens when you give the ai stupid orders like Blitzkrieg as Soviet Union in June 1941. Will it maybe even ignore the order?

[Joppos]

I wonder what happens when you give the ai stupid orders like Blitzkrieg as Soviet Union in June 1941. Will it maybe even ignore the order?

The key word here is 'orders'.

[King]

I wonder what happens when you give the ai stupid orders like Blitzkrieg as Soviet Union in June 1941. Will it maybe even ignore the order?

It will do the best it can with the assets you have given it.

[Grey Wolf]

Is the Blitzkrieg available for all from the start? If no - then the Germans should have it as doctrine first and the rest 'learn it' from them or develop but 'after'. If not then why is it named Blitzkrieg?

EDIT:
I know thats a silly question - but IMO the Blitzkrieg was something doctrinal that was started by Germany first.

[King]

Is the Blitzkrieg available for all from the start? If no - then the Germans should have it as doctrine first and the rest 'learn it' from them or develop but 'after'. If not then why is it named Blitzkrieg?

Because we like the name

[Grey Wolf]

Because we like the name

So no impact by doctrines? I would like to see it first developed by Germans... Is it at least moddable? I guess no... its AIs standard option so would cause troubles.

[FOARP]

The key word here is 'orders'.

"Das war ein BEFEHL!" *slams table!*

[Derek Pullem]

So no impact by doctrines? I would like to see it first developed by Germans... Is it at least moddable?

British blitzkrieg = infantry with brigaded artillery and heavy tanks = snailkrieg

Germany = light tanks, CAS plus doctrines

You want to do the same thing - except Germany does it so much better

[Grey Wolf]

"Das war ein BEFEHL!" *slams table!*

I cant wait to see an AAR with full AI control of all aspects (production, policy, war) and a player as fuhrer giving only general orders/directives. "Das war ein befehl!!!"

[Grosshaus]

Sounds extremely impressive, especially if one can put air units as part of the command structures.

[CaptRobau]

HoI3 just got a lot more complex and at the same time simpler. I love it.

[Alexander Seil]

It will do the best it can with the assets you have given it.

If I have an army along a frontline, and tell the AI to defend a province behind it, will it know how to execute a fighting withdrawal?

[vertinox]

EDIT:
I know thats a silly question - but IMO the Blitzkrieg was something doctrinal that was started by Germany first.

Actually, the Germans never ever used the term Blitzkrieg and called it something else:

Vernichtungsgedanke

But like most German war terminology, that twisted the tongue of English newsreel speakers so they called it "Bliztkrieg"

And the type of doctrine was unique to the Germans either, because both Liddell Hart and Tukhachevsky had pushed the ideas in their respective nations but it wasn't popular with the upper brass.

[Quorthon]

I am for a full control. But this feature can be useful in case of offensives occuring in multiple fronts contemporary.

A graphic question:
in the divisions information window, the type of division/brigade is rappresented using the counters style, i guess. For example the infantry division (i'm always talking about info window, not the map) is rappresented by the rectangle with an X inside.


Will you stay with this choice or you will add a more detailed icons (same as HOI2) ?


thanks and keep up the good work.