So disappointed :(

[zopok]

I hesitated a long time to post this message but, I must let you know that I am extremely disappointed of HoI IV. So disappointed that I ended up to not recommended the members of the Historical Simulation club which I belong to get HoI IV ...

I started to play HoI in 2005 with the first title of the series and have since, I believe, several hundred hours of play, if not thousands.

I started playing HoI IV a few weeks in July and then, after being not fulfilled, I wait until the release of "Black Ice" mod, hoping that this mod would raise HoI IV to the historical level that this excellent series deserves.

I started to play it a week ago with Britain, I arrive in June 1943, and I note that:

Greek troops took Berlin.
The Soviets are deployed in southern India while the Caucasus fell to the German hands.
Italy conquer all of Africa to Cape Town, while my divisions are in Rome.
Mexicans infantries are on the gates of Madrid.
The Spaniards took Singapore.
Filipinos have conquered Korea and Japanese divisions are in Brazil.
The USMC have units in the Himalayas after travelling free true Siberia.

etc. ... etc. ...

So, I think I'll will close the chapter HoI this time for good.

Unless, some of you can persuade me to wait a while so that these ellipsis stops, I gone keep all my attention (and hope) to your comments.

Aquila non capit muscas

 

[Cpt Crash]

The AI is a mess, but they are working on it. I sympathize with your point of view, however, nothing remains the same for long. Check on progress once in a while. All in time, you will see the game that you will enjoy.

I use a bit of a cheat to make the game more rational. To avoid WW1 situations or forces going where none should be, I tag switch and delete units--sometimes hundreds of the ai "divisions". If you catch the craziness early enough, you can have a decent game. It is a dirty chore, but one that needs to be done.

 

[Count Blue]

I started playing HoI IV a few weeks in July and then, after being not fulfilled, I wait until the release of "Black Ice" mod, hoping that this mod would raise HoI IV to the historical level that this excellent series deserves.
I started to play it a week ago with Britain, I arrive in June 1943, and I note that:
Aquila non capit muscas

So I take it you played HOI4 with BICE ?
Thats pretty bad because if even BICE cant fix it whats left?

 

[safe-keeper]

I too shelved it until BICE came out. BICE does breathe a lot of life into it, but I still think I'll end up waiting for patches now and then, and I think it might be a while until I return to vanilla.

 

[Nobody987]

BICE indeed gives vanilla new level of complexity, but it cannot combat limitations of base game, especially AI part.
Still, i think that game will go forward with given time, so we can only wait for that moment, unfortunately...

 

[rjohansen]

I also tried BlackIce the other day. Sure it makes the game WAY better. But still way inferior to HOI3. It's not just the AI in my opinion either, it fails in many regards (some that might get fixed in expansions hopefully) - although it have some pros compared to HOI3 (production of equipment for the most part) - but the cons are bigger.

• Silly 3d units - if you turn them off, you miss out on a lot of information (like air warfare for instance)
• Air warfare in general... Also just a numbers game. Where are the wings? fleets? famous commanders?
• Lack of OOB - it just feels so incredible stupid right now with these random nonsense groups.
• Map... Why the need to make a 3D looking map? You can't tell montains, hills or desert apart in some places. Or other terrain. Need a simple terrain mode and need a political map mode and need a flat world.
• Templates - both good and bad - bad that you really don't hazzle with making unique divisions - as you need a lot of templates. Good, that it makes it easier. Should be able to have both. Either AS a template or as a unique setup. Ability to transfer batallions between divisions etc.
• History is out the window. No real care has been put to history i feel, it's more a funky what-if (although totally un-plausible) world

Most importantly it doesn't feel like WW2 at all. Not even remotely. Sure, the date can be 1940... But you don't get the feeling that this is WW2 or that it is the world in 1940. That is my main concern.

 

[zopok]

The AI is a mess, but they are working on it. I sympathize with your point of view, however, nothing remains the same for long. Check on progress once in a while. All in time, you will see the game that you will enjoy.

I use a bit of a cheat to make the game more rational. To avoid WW1 situations or forces going where none should be, I tag switch and delete units--sometimes hundreds of the ai "divisions". If you catch the craziness early enough, you can have a decent game. It is a dirty chore, but one that needs to be done.

Thank for your encouragement. I will take your advice and look forward with impatience.
One question: what do you mean with "craziness early enough"?

 

[zopok]

I also tried BlackIce the other day. Sure it makes the game WAY better. But still way inferior to HOI3. It's not just the AI in my opinion either, it fails in many regards (some that might get fixed in expansions hopefully) - although it have some pros compared to HOI3 (production of equipment for the most part) - but the cons are bigger.

• Silly 3d units - if you turn them off, you miss out on a lot of information (like air warfare for instance)
• Air warfare in general... Also just a numbers game. Where are the wings? fleets? famous commanders?
• Lack of OOB - it just feels so incredible stupid right now with these random nonsense groups.
• Map... Why the need to make a 3D looking map? You can't tell montains, hills or desert apart in some places. Or other terrain. Need a simple terrain mode and need a political map mode and need a flat world.
• Templates - both good and bad - bad that you really don't hazzle with making unique divisions - as you need a lot of templates. Good, that it makes it easier. Should be able to have both. Either AS a template or as a unique setup. Ability to transfer batallions between divisions etc.
• History is out the window. No real care has been put to history i feel, it's more a funky what-if (although totally un-plausible) world

Most importantly it doesn't feel like WW2 at all. Not even remotely. Sure, the date can be 1940... But you don't get the feeling that this is WW2 or that it is the world in 1940. That is my main concern.

I totally agree with you, and late we hopefully waiting after some miraculous expansions.

 

[zopok]

BICE indeed gives vanilla new level of complexity, but it cannot combat limitations of base game, especially AI part.
Still, i think that game will go forward with given time, so we can only wait for that moment, unfortunately...

So than, late we hopefully waiting after some miraculous expansions.

 

[zopok]

So I take it you played HOI4 with BICE ?
Thats pretty bad because if even BICE cant fix it whats left?

That is what I note in fact, unfortunately.

 

[Arot]

I hesitated a long time to post this message but, I must let you know that I am extremely disappointed of HoI IV. So disappointed that I ended up to not recommended the members of the Historical Simulation club which I belong to get HoI IV ...

I started to play HoI in 2005 with the first title of the series and have since, I believe, several hundred hours of play, if not thousands.

I started playing HoI IV a few weeks in July and then, after being not fulfilled, I wait until the release of "Black Ice" mod, hoping that this mod would raise HoI IV to the historical level that this excellent series deserves.

I started to play it a week ago with Britain, I arrive in June 1943, and I note that:

Greek troops took Berlin.
The Soviets are deployed in southern India while the Caucasus fell to the German hands.
Italy conquer all of Africa to Cape Town, while my divisions are in Rome.
Mexicans infantries are on the gates of Madrid.
The Spaniards took Singapore.
Filipinos have conquered Korea and Japanese divisions are in Brazil.
The USMC have units in the Himalayas after travelling free true Siberia.

etc. ... etc. ...

So, I think I'll will close the chapter HoI this time for good.

Unless, some of you can persuade me to wait a while so that these ellipsis stops, I gone keep all my attention (and hope) to your comments.

Aquila non capit muscas

I too have been playing this series since 2005 and have had the same experience about HOI IV. When it was first announced one of the most advertised things about this project was its AI. Well, look how that turned out
The sunflower patch did little to improve AI and we may have to wait some time before we see some significant change in the way the AI works.
However I still play this game and rather than being disappointed (which is hard when you bought Field Marshal Edition ) I try to enjoy it out of respect for the previous parts and hope that next updates will fix it to the point where I can enjoy it as I enjoyed previous parts. Game has potential to be great it's just not there yet.

 

[Nobody987]

So than, late we hopefully waiting after some miraculous expansions.

More like patches, most of AI issues are being resolved in free updates like in other pdx games.

 

[Dott]

Personally I find this game works best in a player versus player multiplayer setting. The AI is pretty pants on head stupid, but having players on all sides can make the game 100 times better.

 

[Meglok]

Personally I find this game works best in a player versus player multiplayer setting. The AI is pretty pants on head stupid, but having players on all sides can make the game 100 times better.

Which does nothing for the majority of players (per steam stats PDS posted) who either can't or don't want to play strictly multiplayer.

@zopok Many customers feel your pain. The only thing I can say is since you have already bought the game, wait and see what the next patch does. But at this point without a huge improvement in balance and game play in 1.3 I won't be investing another penny into HOI4 (I do not pre-pay for DLC - learned my lesson long ago). After 3 patches a game should be out of advanced beta player testing. I can understand a limited AI, but an AI that makes Gomer Pyle look like a military genius is absurd.

 

[Nobody987]

After 3 patches a game should be out of advanced beta player testing

Oh, imagine the wonders if release version was not postponed

 

[Cpt Crash]

One question: what do you mean with "craziness early enough"?

At the start of the European war Germany will start destroying its manpower base in WW1 type battles against massive Dutch and Belgian army's. I keep and eye on that area--regardless of which alliance I'm with. As soon as the great mess begins, I tag switch to each nation and eliminate what I deem to be excess units--there are masses of those. The same situation arises with the start of the war with the USSR. (which can start anytime--even in the middle of winter). Prior to the patch it seemed like Japan would always crush China in short order--now it seems to go the other way. If one wants a historical start to the war years, it is a bit frustrating to see China (and its full blown ally, PRC) stomp the hell out of Japan and taking all but the home islands. So, the same procedure is needed in the far east. If you try to manipulate the AI like this, don't forget about units being created--delete those too.

The other place to watch out is the Sahara. Without the mods that prevent this, the AI will send massive amount of troops right through the desert to attack rear areas. So, it's the same procedure there too--tag switch and delete. This sort of behavior by the AI can be easily exploited, but maneuvering hundreds of thousands of soldiers through a sand sea is not my idea of a WW2 war game.

 

[Atomcreator]

I hesitated a long time to post this message but, I must let you know that I am extremely disappointed of HoI IV. So disappointed that I ended up to not recommended the members of the Historical Simulation club which I belong to get HoI IV ...

I started to play HoI in 2005 with the first title of the series and have since, I believe, several hundred hours of play, if not thousands.

I started playing HoI IV a few weeks in July and then, after being not fulfilled, I wait until the release of "Black Ice" mod, hoping that this mod would raise HoI IV to the historical level that this excellent series deserves.

I started to play it a week ago with Britain, I arrive in June 1943, and I note that:

Greek troops took Berlin.
The Soviets are deployed in southern India while the Caucasus fell to the German hands.
Italy conquer all of Africa to Cape Town, while my divisions are in Rome.
Mexicans infantries are on the gates of Madrid.
The Spaniards took Singapore.
Filipinos have conquered Korea and Japanese divisions are in Brazil.
The USMC have units in the Himalayas after travelling free true Siberia.

etc. ... etc. ...

So, I think I'll will close the chapter HoI this time for good.

Unless, some of you can persuade me to wait a while so that these ellipsis stops, I gone keep all my attention (and hope) to your comments.

Aquila non capit muscas

Thanks for the info. Wont waste my time.

 

[zopok]

I too shelved it until BICE came out. BICE does breathe a lot of life into it, but I still think I'll end up waiting for patches now and then, and I think it might be a while until I return to vanilla.

Lets Hope you're right.

 

[skippy boy]

Thank god I refunded mine. This is by far the worst sequel to any Paradox game.

 

[confinement]

I had posted many of these concerns a few weeks ago. Jacked up AI that we're made to rely on, broken battle planner, lack of individual naval and air movement, etc. That post got 6 "respectfully disagrees". That's funny in a sad kind of way.