Various Questions - Sean

[Andy Brown]

1. Does the random seed for each scenario also cover enemy deployment? For example, if I choose Barbarossa battle 1234567, will the enemy deploy in the same place on the map each time I generate the game.

2. Why does scrolling seem to break during setup? During setup, the map scrolls excrutiatingly slowly and jerkily. Interestingly, I've only noticed this since I started playing Firefight on a newish computer. It didn't seem to be a problem on my old AMD 650/Win98 rig.

3. (More of a feature request). I use an old 19" monitor that pretty much limits practical display resolution to 1024 x 768. Anything larger is just too hard to see and I begrudge the (admittedly very useful) data that usually covers up large parts of the main display

On the other hand, I also find the unit roster underneath the mini-map to be almost indispensible when playing the game. I was wondering, however, if it was possible to add an option intermediate between control panel "on" and "off".

My idea is to have a much thinner "control panel" without the mini-map and with the squad/vehicle/weapon status presented in an abbreviated form (say numbers for OK, wounded and dead). I would still be able to left-click on the roster icon to select the squad and right click on it to bring up the Troop Status report but, being abbreviated, it would take up much less of the display leaving a bigger field-of-view.

4. Killing or heavily wounding the primary operator of a mortar, MG etc basically writes off the unit. Is it possible to have unwounded "loaders" take over support weapons if the primary operator becomes a serious casualty? (I guess you'd have to "transfer" the weapon and ammo from one soldier to another - I don't know how easy that would be).

And a comment: I personally didn't mind the LMG always deploying on the right of the squad. Squad leaders usually deploy them out on the flanks anyway (where they can fire across the front of the squad) and it meant I always knew where they were.

Regards,

Andy

[Andy Brown]

And PLEASE:- That skull is way over the top!! Could I have the gravestone back?

[Guest]

yeah I agree on the gravestone vs skull thingy. It was much better before.

[Sean OConnor]

1. Does the random seed for each scenario also cover enemy deployment? For example, if I choose Barbarossa battle 1234567, will the enemy deploy in the same place on the map each time I generate the game.

Yes, at the moment they'll always start with the same troops in the same position. I thought this would be nice so you could play it again exactly, or compare with other people.

2. Why does scrolling seem to break during setup? During setup, the map scrolls excrutiatingly slowly and jerkily. Interestingly, I've only noticed this since I started playing Firefight on a newish computer. It didn't seem to be a problem on my old AMD 650/Win98 rig.

My guess is that your video drivers are not optimised for 32 bit colour, which is what XP defaults to.

3. (More of a feature request). I use an old 19" monitor that pretty much limits practical display resolution to 1024 x 768. Anything larger is just too hard to see and I begrudge the (admittedly very useful) data that usually covers up large parts of the main display

You can press F1 to toggle the control panel on and off, and I've just added the feature so that you can press a number key to select a unit (and hold the shift key down to select 11-20) and you can press the up and down arrows to rotate through the selection.

A mini control panel is a good idea - but it would take a load more work!

4. Killing or heavily wounding the primary operator of a mortar, MG etc basically writes off the unit. Is it possible to have unwounded "loaders" take over support weapons if the primary operator becomes a serious casualty? (I guess you'd have to "transfer" the weapon and ammo from one soldier to another - I don't know how easy that would be).

They've been able to do that since the first version, but let me know if you don't think it's working.

And a comment: I personally didn't mind the LMG always deploying on the right of the squad. Squad leaders usually deploy them out on the flanks anyway (where they can fire across the front of the squad) and it meant I always knew where they were.

Fair point!

[Sean OConnor]

yeah I agree on the gravestone vs skull thingy. It was much better before.

OK, I was thinking the skull was a bit morbid too. I'll go back to the gravestone - or maybe a poppy?

[Andy Brown]

4. Killing or heavily wounding the primary operator of a mortar, MG etc basically writes off the unit. Is it possible to have unwounded "loaders" take over support weapons if the primary operator becomes a serious casualty? (I guess you'd have to "transfer" the weapon and ammo from one soldier to another - I don't know how easy that would be).

They've been able to do that since the first version, but let me know if you don't think it's working.

I had an 82 mm mortar with the no 1 seriously wounded. The mortar icon in the unit roster has moved to the number two man but the ammo is still shown in the troop status screen as being with the wounded no 1. The mortar shows no inclination to fire by itself and pressing the "F" key does nothing (ie doesn't produce the expected line-of-fire cue)

So I'd have to say I don't think it's working. It doesn't seem to work for HMGs either (no sign that the no 2 has taken over the MG from a dead or seriously wounded no 1.). I've got a save game of the mortar situation if you need it.

BTW HMG's should probably have crews of at least 3 men. Tripods and hundreds of rounds of ammo are heavy burdens to carry round.

My problem with jerky scrolling only happens during setup. During actual play, everything's fine.

Thanks for the feedback,

Andy

[Andy Brown]

Yes, at the moment they'll always start with the same troops in the same position. I thought this would be nice so you could play it again exactly, or compare with other people.

That's fine. I just wanted to make sure that was the case.

Does changing the difficulty with the same random seed produce the same map?

Andy

[Sean OConnor]

just wanted to make sure that was the case.

Does changing the difficulty with the same random seed produce the same map?

Andy

Yes, the map would be the same but there would be more bad guys.

[Quitch]

I think Andy is right on both points:

1. Once you lose the primary operator of a weapon the weapon ceases to function. I believe I've mentioned this before (or maybe not ). Anyway, my experience supports this view, at least with machine guns (never lost a mortar guy).

2. Again, the scrolling during setup does appear jerkier. Personally I think it's to do with the black overlay over the top two thirds of the screen.

[TheKangaroo]

BTW HMG's should probably have crews of at least 3 men. Tripods and hundreds of rounds of ammo are heavy burdens to carry round.

Actually Heavy Machinegun teams could have a size of around six people, since HMGs often were water-cooled, providing even more pretty heavy stuff to carry around. Two man teams were quite more common for Medium Machineguns, but I think it's alright the way it used to be.

[Sean OConnor]

I think Andy is right on both points:

1. Once you lose the primary operator of a weapon the weapon ceases to function. I believe I've mentioned this before (or maybe not ). Anyway, my experience supports this view, at least with machine guns (never lost a mortar guy).

2. Again, the scrolling during setup does appear jerkier. Personally I think it's to do with the black overlay over the top two thirds of the screen.

I've checked out the program (by killing off or immobilizing the heavy weapon carrier) and there was a bug in that mortar shells weren't being picked up when the mortar was taken, and that's fixed now. I can't see any bug with HMGs though. The loader picks up the weapon and takes the ammo. Maybe when you saw it not working the team had completely run out of ammo?

I'll have a look at the jerky scrolling at the positioning men stage. It's not because of the dark overlay, it's to do with how I allow extra frames to be drawn. It's a bit slower on my old 266Mhz computer but liveable with, so if a modern machine is having problems there then I think its video drivers are seriously unoptimised for the colour depth it's set to!

[Sean OConnor]

I think Andy is right on both points:

1. Once you lose the primary operator of a weapon the weapon ceases to function. I believe I've mentioned this before (or maybe not ). Anyway, my experience supports this view, at least with machine guns (never lost a mortar guy).

2. Again, the scrolling during setup does appear jerkier. Personally I think it's to do with the black overlay over the top two thirds of the screen.

I've checked out the program (by killing off or immobilizing the heavy weapon carrier) and there was a bug in that mortar shells weren't being picked up when the mortar was taken, and that's fixed now. Thanks! I can't see any bug with HMGs though. The loader picks up the weapon and takes the ammo. Maybe when you saw it not working the team had completely run out of ammo?

I'll have a look at the jerky scrolling at the positioning men stage. It's not because of the dark overlay, it's to do with how I allow extra frames to be drawn. It's a bit slower on my old 266Mhz computer but liveable with, so if a modern machine is having problems there then I think its video drivers are seriously unoptimised for the colour depth it's set to![/quote]

[Sean OConnor]

BTW HMG's should probably have crews of at least 3 men. Tripods and hundreds of rounds of ammo are heavy burdens to carry round.

Actually Heavy Machinegun teams could have a size of around six people, since HMGs often were water-cooled, providing even more pretty heavy stuff to carry around. Two man teams were quite more common for Medium Machineguns, but I think it's alright the way it used to be.

Increasing the team size is probably a very good idea so that they can have a load more ammo. I think I'll do that.

[Quitch]

Would make HMG a more viable choice too

[Andy Brown]

OK, I was thinking the skull was a bit morbid too. I'll go back to the gravestone - or maybe a poppy?

The gravestone does it for me. A poppy seems a bit too ambiguous (and politically correct )

BTW, could you post a list of the gradings awarded after each battle. I'd like to know, for example, if "adequate" is better or worse than "average", "excellent" better or worse than "superb".

Andy