HOI4 - Development Diary - October 12th 2016

[KiwiNoob]

Paid Feature: Blitz Command

Down voted for this. Giving players the right tools to play the game is not a paid feature.

 

[grandad1982]

@podcat @SteelVolt

Regardless of whether this is free or not or whether the player owns the dlc, I think the ai should be able to use the blitz command. I think it could really help it.

 

[Pete0714]

I will buy the DLC almost regardless of content, because I find HoI4 very enjoyable and want to support HoI4 that same way I did with EU4 which turned out to be such a great game.

However, I have to say that putting this Blitz-Strategy behind the paywall is a horrific idea. Ever since the game was released there have been people complaining about the lack of flexibility of the battle planner, people made suggestion of how to improve it to have more control over the provinces the AI will take and which it should ignore. This is such a basic feature, it belongs in the main game. As I said, I will buy the DLC regardless, but I am worried about the rest of the DLC's content if you feel the need to mark such a basic feature as a paid one. Whoever thought, that this was a great idea: think again! This shatters trust the community puts into your work.

But if you buy dl c, they will justify their choices based on sales. Just saying..

 

[Tasmosunt]

I would like to register my protest at blitz being a paid feature even though I've already payed for it via the field marshal edition.

 

[Aries666]

I will buy the DLC almost regardless of content, because I find HoI4 very enjoyable and want to support HoI4 that same way I did with EU4 which turned out to be such a great game.

However, I have to say that putting this Blitz-Strategy behind the paywall is a horrific idea. Ever since the game was released there have been people complaining about the lack of flexibility of the battle planner, people made suggestion of how to improve it to have more control over the provinces the AI will take and which it should ignore. This is such a basic feature, it belongs in the main game. As I said, I will buy the DLC regardless, but I am worried about the rest of the DLC's content if you feel the need to mark such a basic feature as a paid one. Whoever thought, that this was a great idea: think again! This shatters trust the community puts into your work.

Problem is that by paying for the DLC you give your tacit approval for what you say is a horrific idea. Short of the decision being revered the best thing people can do is not buy the thing. One thing companies understand more than anything is poor sales.

 

[Xaelyn]

The sad thing is that no, even they wont have a working battle planner. Because now they are going to be two different things forever. If they are hidden behind a DLC, paradox can't correct their mistake and fix the battleplanner because they cant make everyone pay for the DLC. Paradox will not be trying to balance and playtest two completely different games and doing a half-coined job on each.

So it's not just a matter of shelling out another 10 bucks. We are now stuck with a broken battle-planner forever because of this stupid DLC business model.

If it's any consolation I wouldn't be surprised if the new trend is to totally abandon all attempts at fixing or balancing game versions that don't include all of the latest dlc.

 

[Sleight of Hand]

I don't think the AI will be restricted from using DLC features. I'm not aware of that ever having been the case in previous games.

 

[Martenzo]

The battle plan mechanic needs to synergize with player micro, not get in the way of it. Currently, units assigned to a front will start moving out of their intended position in completely idiotic ways after completing the player orders that created a pocket. Not using the battle planner is not an option either: the planning bonus to combat is an absolutely necessary core mechanic. The attack and defense values are clearly balanced around units having a planning bonus on the offensive. Blitz is a way to fix this issue. If Blitz is going to be a paid feature, rather than a patch for a glaring deficiency, then we are still in need of a free patch that fixes core flaws in the battle plan system.

Perhaps a free "Move Only On Player Order" tickbox for individual units? Whatever the fix, the current Battle Plan system remains glaringly flawed and needs comprehensive patching. Currently, half the difficulty of managing a theater of war is fixing the stupidity of the AI that's supposed to be helping you focus on the grand scheme of things, instead of getting bogged down micromanaging the details.

 

[rjohansen]

This news is not enough for me personally to be buying this expansion. However, both garrison and blitz look good though and will improve the game somewhat. Just not enough. I feel that both of these should be included for free.

I feel that letting the AI control your units in HOI3 was superior in some ways. You could set axis-of-advance. You could let AI control a (minor) theater and never worry about partisans again. You could do blitz, different aggression levels. Also, you could do it in different levels (corps, armies, army groups or theaters) for different effects. Worked like a charm. Now it's just one big front... Draw a line. Never worry about a thing, you don't fight WW2.

 

[rcbricker33]

If I understand this DD correctly, the Blitz-Feature basically offers a fix for this, enabling a use of the battle planner as described in the 45th Developer Diary. There may be a misunderstanding regarding both DDs on my part, but you sure made an impression that these feature were meant to be in the game from the start.

I actually disagree here. I believe that the vanilla BP works exactly as described in DD45. I think that it should work better than described in DD45. Mainly the ever expanding frontlines need to be fixed.

However, from DD45

The battle plan system in HOI4 lets you draw plans on the map which are followed by assigned divisions, but at any point you can go in and reassign things or issue manual overrides. The player's role is then basically to draw up high level plans and to watch for opportunities and situations to take advantage of (such as small encirclements, or prioritizing fighting a certain enemy, or cutting off someone's retreat). Generally the strategic situation will change over time, so while you may have prepared a longer plan expect that you will need to improvise and adapt parts as you go or break off a group to manage some emergency, or particularly stubborn enemy section.

It is quite clear here that the battle planner was not intended to do encirclements. that is clear from the player's role is to draw the plan and then to watch for opportunities.

 

[Xaelyn]

I don't think the AI will be restricted from using DLC features. I'm not aware of that ever having been the case in previous games.

Do you mean restricted when you have the dlc or don't? The latter has been the case in a great many dlc's. The former would just be stupid.

EDIT: Technically the former has been true as well, because they have introduced dlc features that the AI was incapable of using due to programming constraints.

 

[him_15]

I really love both features and will surely pay for it, but to be honest I really believe that the Blitz option shall be free and it should be included in the battle planner from day one.

 

[safe-keeper]

On a side note, I really like the DLC policy of Paradox so far, and while I feel that the Blitz feature should be free, I'll buy the DLC for sure.

With HOI3 many really, really bad problems were fixed with paid expansions, but I didn't mind because I can afford it and I'm happy paradox produces games like this.

Same (well, I'm getting it through the pre-order bonus, but still, I'd get it anyway, probably). I'm just wondering, like, surely there must be other features they could have put in the DLC? Maybe the backlash here will make them reconsider. We can hope.

 

[Uglyr]

I will consider Blitz feature usefull only if AI will start to close pockets auto. I'm mad about having 1 enemy inf with 0 org sitting in 1 tile and AI surrounding it with 6 my divisions instead of simply attack and move on.

The other must have feature for me - alert about enemy capturing my territory without frontage assigned. I hate those moments like annexing Turkey (no frontline to assign), concentrating on other theatres and then several months after see that half of Turkey was captured back.

All other things are not so important.

 

[captainobvious2]

@podcat & @SteelVolt,

You need to rethink the blitz command being a paid feature. Blitzing is a critical aspect of armored warfare in World war 2, and it should have been in the base game. It is kind of insulting that you would think this would be ok.

I know it is way to early to tell, but I hope this is not indicative of what the field marshal owners can expect for pre purchasing two DLC's

 

[bERt0r]

Ok I don't think blitz is the only content that is going to go into that expansion that's coming. Without knowing how big this expansion is going to be, it's hard to say if the blitz feature is a major part of it. I don't really care since I'm a field marshall too but I think you could have improved your way of communicating this feature to us if you wanted to limit this shitstorm. Kudos to you for pointing out it is a paid feature right away, hey thats probably not even your decision and any feedback from us could convince those evil capitalists on the top to give us more free stuff.

 

[Alex_brunius]

Given how important allowing the player to execute precise plans with minimal micro is in MP, doesn't that basically make the DLC Pay2Win?

Doesn't everyone in a Paradox MP game use the same expansions of the host ( regardless of if you have them or not )? In that case it doesn't matter for MP since it's the same for all.

 

[Gen. Skobelev]

Finally something interesting in the DD, however …

… I would rather read something about

Paid Feature: Messages Settings!’

(as it seems only some more money would convince you to do this obvious move… Am I wrong?)

Those commands are really needed in the game so good news (disregarding the fact that it's paid content). But yeah, I agree message settings would be very nice to have finally.

 

[bERt0r]

@Alex_brunius I don't think everyone can hear Sabaton music when I host a game.

 

[Miaow]

Doesn't everyone in a Paradox MP game uses the same expansions of the host ( regardless of if you have them or not )? In that case it doesn't matter for MP since it's the same for all.

I'm not 100% certain but I believe it is handled like for the SP game—the features are actually there but only unlocked if you have the DLC. Gameplay DLC have most or all of their code integrated into the main game and the AI has always been able to use new features, only the players without the DLC are restricted.

Cosmetic expansions might use the host's expansions, I'm really not sure.