Balanced wishlist
Hi guys,
Here is my 5 cents on the issue. Generally speaking, I think our friends at Paradox will publish a new version of HOI at some point, if for nothing else, then to update graphics and sell some games ;-)
On improvements on graphic, I think HOI3 should try to steal a little from civ4, like the zoom in, zoom out globe view and also a few videos for events (like a movie clip with Germans in Paris, when Vichy is created etc). Also, a zoom-in to major battles (kinda like risk) would be cool. Also, looking at EU3, something like the grapical "peace" menu should probably also make into HOI3.
On interface, I think the overall game screen should be kept. After all, this defines the game a lot. One should, however, review the current overview screens (army leaders, units position etc) and either make the current ones more accessible or delete them. A good replacement for the leaders screen might be "bio's" for the leaders as has been suggested by others. A funky overview imho is the ships sunk overview, thought the battles fought doesn't quite work as well (simply too complicated) - maybe one could add a "wars overview" screen, ala "Germany declared war on Yugoslavia on XX. War ended YY with ZZ German losses and WW Yugo losses" etc. The overview screen should help build the "story" of the game up.
On gameplay, I heard a lot of good ideas about expanding the gameplay by increasing depth, however, it is important not to lose the simplicity of gameplay when doing so. One way of doing both (increasing depth and maintaining simplicity) is to create good automanager. I think one good automanager that Paradox was the merchant autosend for EU2 (I could imagine similar autosends for diplomacy or spies in HOI).
One innovation in EU3 was the "national ideas", which is sort of a combination of the land strategy tech doctrines and the ministers in HOI2, this could also be considered for HOI3 in the sense of different countries pursuing different paths.
Another steal from CIV could capturing blueprints from capitols, key cities or peace settlement, like it historically happened, when Germans took over Prague and Paris, and later when when Germany was divided up. Historically many innovations came from attempts to match or better the weapons used by the enemy and this would be a good reflections of this and also add some fun to the gameplay.
There is a lot of good ideas in the mods out there. My personal is Stony Road, which is very event heavy. I am assuming that Paradox tries to avoid too many events because they are a lot of additional work, however, good events really add a lot, however, they need to be flexible in some maner. A fav event of mine from EU2 is the series of events leading up to the Dutch revolution as this combines a historical trend (the dutch desiring independence) with flexibility (happens to whomever controls the territory). In HOI2, a huge event is the Motolov-Ribbentrop pact. However, it should be more flexible in the sense of starting whenever war starts and including more options for the soviets like aligning with the UK, such reflecting the historical trend of the sovs desiring to align themselves with one of the waring parties with some game flexibility.
Also, like in EU3 or CIV4, there should be the posibility to add cores through other ways then events. I know that things like forced relocation are touchy subjects which the game shouldn't go into, but the difference between core and non-core is a big one, and historically a huge focus for the Germans, the Japanesse, the Soviets and even to a lesser even the allies. The Stony Road mod has some events adding cores, when one liberates/releases nations and this is perhaps a good way to go about it.
Another idea from Victoria is the split of the army between a standing army and a reserve army. It is just plain silly to see the huge armies that the small nations are building up over the course of the game, and a good split between reserves and standing armies could help on this. Or maybe a country should have a cap on the numbers it can maintain.
An additional small idea from EU2 is a unit limit to a province. I mean 80 divisions in Moscow without any heavy attrition penalities shouldn't really happen.
However, clearly the most effort of HOI3 should be given to improving the AI. Right now, it can simply be tricked too easily and doesn't take advantagde of your mistakes easily enough. Two key things I notice is that encirlement is fairly easy (even with similar troops numbers), simply open a gap, allow a small breakthu, close the gap and mop up. Repeat again as needed), while the AI never seems to go for this, and that ambitious assualts are fair, well weak. British AI keeps landing 1-3 units at the time, which are quickly eliminated and German never attempts Amb assualt even when capable of this. I have very little experience in programming, so it is easy for me to say this, but the AI in HOI2 just doesn't feel "smart".
In summary:
A1) Add globe view
A2) Add Movie clips
A3) Add Zoom-in to battles
A4) Add graphics to peace settlement menu
B5) Review Overview screens for usebility
B6) Add overview of "wars fought"
C7) Add automanagers for spies, dipl and build
C8) "National ideas"/Combination of doctrine techs & ministers
C9) Add posibility to capture blueprints thru conquest
C10) Add more events with flexibility
C11) Possiblity to add cores / have liberation serve as pacifier
C12) Add reserve forces, only called up when mobilizing
C13) Add unit limit to province
D14) Improve AI, especially amphibious assualt and ability to encircle.
/J
