HOI4 Dev Diary - Cosmetic tags, art, gameplay and AI

[TartanClad]

I'll let you guys see if you can identify all the vehicles

Right! *rubs hands*

From top left to bottom right, I think it's a CAC Woomera (had to autocorrect that one), CAC Boomerang, No idea (Never seen that big one before!), the Bob Semple, a Schofield tank, a Sentinel, and a Thunderbolt.

A Churchill Kangaroo and a Bren Gun Carrier. A Ram Kangaroo, a Grizzly(?), a Ram I, a Valentine and a Bedford Lorry(?). The biplane is a Hawker Hart.

The infantry is, I'm assuming, Australian, Canadian, South African, and Indian. I mean, one has the slouch hat, one has the slightly greener dye that the Canadians sometimes used, one actually has the SA flag on its helmet and the last is wearing a Dastar Turban.

These sprites are beautiful guys. Just one question; if players have the British tanks sprite pack, will commonwealth players also see those same tanks for their own game? (for example, if the Australians were using Centurions).

Edit: I have been corrected by Sleight of Hand. It is not a Bedford, but rather an Austin K5.

 

[Pallidum]

I noticed in the last stream that the Yamato now has its own icon (and 3D model also?), and I think I saw one for the Baltimore class too... so it's good to see we're getting some unique naval GFX at last.

I've been playing a lot of World of Warships recently. My push for anime ship gfx is gaining support!

 

[WarDog]

Best DD so far. Can't wait to see the AI changes.

 

[Tirenedon]

@podcat, would it be possible to use cosmetic tags to make an interdependent Fascist France different from the German Puppet Vichy France.

 

[Nelfe]

I've been playing a lot of World of Warships recently. My push for anime ship gfx is gaining support!

Oh no, not those ARP japanese ships

 

[Sleight of Hand]

@podcat, would it be possible to use cosmetic tags to make an interdependent Fascist France different from the German Puppet Vichy France.

Presumably not, given that they are simply a cosmetic device? The best way of doing that would be - IMO - to move Vichy France to being non-aligned, as I believe it ought to have been originally.

Cosmetic tags are just for flag and name changes by the look of it.

I mean, you could do it, but it wouldn't fundamentally change anything.

 

[The_Meme_Man]

British puppet under America: "Future 51st State"

I will make that name a reality.

 

[Sleight of Hand]

@CornishScotsman

I think the truck may be the Austin, judging by the name on the 2D artwork.

 

[magistrat70]

why do not the Japanese port arthur?

 

[Sleight of Hand]

@podcat

I know this is a Commonwealth-themed expansion, but will other countries also get some love in terms of 2D artwork, or is that for a future expansion? For example, will France and Italy also get unque 2D artwork for equipment and tanks?

 

[Sleight of Hand]

Also, if you want a fascist party name for Manchukuo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concordia_Association

 

[Lukevan16]

I see you've added the Maple Leaf flag for Canada, does this mean it has a cosmetic tag when it's a Dominion?

 

[Jurkus1000]

So, one of the problems that mods like Kaiserreich and Millenium Dawn have is that, because so many tags are added, when you zoom out the flags of units change. Does the addition of these cosmetic tags mean that you are going to fix that?

 

[CaribbeanBlues]

That's amazing! One extra thing that would be cool is if certain countries could change colour upon changing governments. I'd love for non-communist Russia to return to its dark green. I know it was possible back in Victoria II, would it be possible in this one?

 

[Praetori]

That's it for round one, and I have to tell you I am really stoked about getting the update into your hands. If your pet peeve was not covered in this text, just relax and wait for the other ones. The next will be more about bug fixes, and after that I will go into improvements.

Any hints on improvements on senseless/unsupported AI naval invasions of opportunity (ie doomed to certain failure from the beginning)?

 

[Temudhun Khan]

Cosmetic tags? Autonomous Manchukuo? Belarus and Rhodesia are now into the game? AI improvements? AA warfare? Motorized with their own names and models? Churchill Kangaroo???!!!

YES!!!

By the way, could you tell us if other countries than those we've seen so far will be added to the game? You don't have to say which one, just... do you still hide something in your sleeves? Maybe something related to triangles buildings and ancient corpses?

By the way, I don't think the cosmetic tag for soviet puppets should be "Autonomous SSR". ASSR historically existed and were actually LESS autonomous than union republics (and sometimes part of them).

 

[podcat]

LOVE the anti-air changes, but are they part of the expansion or the patch?

free patch

My biggest pet peeve is that as the axis or comintern, you need to play whack-a-mole with the remaining allied nations once you defeat them. There's no way to force an early end to the war.
You may have defeated Britain, France, Canada and USA but until you siege down every last province of every last country you're at war with throughout Africa, India the pacific ocean, you cant end the war

We've done some changes to how majors are handled so no longer can tiny members promote and keep the war going forever. it doesnt fix every case, but a lot of them. You'll get patch log for bug fixes next week.

if players have the British tanks sprite pack, will commonwealth players also see those same tanks for their own game? (for example, if the Australians were using Centurions).

UK tanks are used as art if you dont have your own (like australia)

@podcat

I know this is a Commonwealth-themed expansion, but will other countries also get some love in terms of 2D artwork, or is that for a future expansion? For example, will France and Italy also get unque 2D artwork for equipment and tanks?

Eventually we want to add art to everyone, its a question of time and in what order France and Italy do have custom 2d art for their tanks and planes though already

I see you've added the Maple Leaf flag for Canada, does this mean it has a cosmetic tag when it's a Dominion?

yes

 

[Centuria]

So, one of the problems that mods like Kaiserreich and Millenium Dawn have is that, because so many tags are added, when you zoom out the flags of units change. Does the addition of these cosmetic tags mean that you are going to fix that?

This. It's an incredibly annoying bug, and every mod that adds tags, even converted saves, have it. @podcat & others , can you say if it's fixed or being fixed? Thanks in advance

 

[Sleight of Hand]

@podcat

Yeah, sorry, I meant to say equipment and trucks, not tanks.

By the way, I know there's a patch change log next week, but could you perhaps say if there have been any changes to the vanilla focus trees? Are there any new or revised focuses?

 

[Sleight of Hand]

Oh hey, don't forget that you need to change the Soviet Border Incident events so they refer to MAN and not JAP. I mean you've probably already done it, but it was something I overlooked originally so just thought I'd point it out.