Midway and Guadalcanal Wishlist

[ivanmoe]

I suspect that some game designers really hate threads like this, but I thought that I'd offer some suggestions that could serve to make Midway and Guadalcanal more powerful and interesting simulations.

1. A game log would be greatly appreciated. I'm talking about a simple text file here, output that indicates what took place in the battle, who hit what, and so on. As is, players are frequently in the dark. In the absence of a log, it can be difficult to asses one's play.

2. An improved AI for friendly subs. As is, friendly subs are really just targets for the computer player. The darn things won't even dive when spotted or <gulp> attacked by the enemy AI. In Midway, I often simply try to hide my subs from destruction by sending them off to the far reaches of the maps.

3. AI surface assets show a ghastly tendency to maintain course and speed in combat. "Damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead" will get them killed, PDQ, in both Midway and Guadalcanal. In short, they may need to be more capable of evasive maneuvers. AI vessels will do so occasionally, but not often. I hate to ask for this, BTW, as it will drive my scores down!

4. Intel in the game may be too good. Once a group of vessels is spotted, I know EXACTLY what's in it. This is in contrast to what actually occurred in so far as reports on numbers and types of vessels were frequently inaccurate, historically. This may the most difficult of my list of wishes for the designer and/or programmer to lay a glove on. If implemented, this is another instance of an "upgrade" that would drive my scores down!

That's really all for now. Great to have a place to share!

[Cédric Monget]

The log of a torpedo battle at night on Guadalcanal must bring tears to the eyes of even the most hardened of grognard...

[GMcClellan]

Most of those things are things that have been discussed in the past, and may (MAY) make it in eventually. Improving AI is very much on the need list, I will agree.

[Wychopen]

I can't wait to see the updated version of Guadalcanal. My grandfather was a marine aboard the USS Houston (CA-30) and I love to play the Java Sea and Sunda Strait scenarios. Luckily, he survived the war after being a Japanese POW for 3 1/2 years on the Thai-Burma railroad. He is even on the cover of Hornfisher's book "Ship of Ghosts". He was an amazing man who admired the Japanese for their resilience and ingenuity after the war.

[ivanmoe]

Was creating a Midway SAV file tonight, and I recalled something that bugs me silly. It would be marvy if the game could announce sightings of enemy aircraft as they fly within visual range of one of my vessels or aircraft. As is, I only realize that the encounter took place if I notice the red icon on the jump map or it takes place on the location that I've got the game focused on. Predictably, such an eventuality is far from a certainty during play.

[ranknfile]

I would love to see more emphasis other actions in this part of the Pacific. Increase the map to include, say such as depicted below, including the land airfields. Great for those of us who like to modify scenarios too!

[ivanmoe]

Genuinely wish for a way to toggle the clouds off and on!

[ivanmoe]

Consider this a cry for help...

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Above you see a drop-down menu that allows players to modify/redirect missions from one target to another. Note that the list doesn't offer the faintest smidgeon of discreet detail that would allow players to know one vessel from another, apart from type, CV/BB/CA/DD, when playing AI/FOW. In other words, on the front end, when playing in Fog-of-War mode, players don't know which ship their flights are actually going to hit when they hit "OK," and the dialog closes. On the back end, said player can click on a plane in a package and go looking for a vessel with a target symbol on it. Even, then, however, our hero is reduced to making a series of guesses until he gets it right.

The bigger the scenario, in terms of ships, the more acute the problem that I mention above becomes. I'm unsure of the extent to which it impacts other games, Kriegsmarine, for example. I'm likewise unsure of how to effectively address the issue, as it's been a "feature" of the game(s) for more than a decade. What I do know is that it's absolutely maddening, and hopefully will someday be remedied

[parmenio]

One option would be to have the game provide a incremented identifier other than just Unknown + Hull notation for each enemy ship as it hoves into view - "DD Unknown 001" for example. If that's on the Main Chart Display as well as in the drop-downs you'll know which target you're dealing with.

Edit: Further enhancement - allow the player to input a designation like he/she can for Location Markers.

[parmenio]

I would love to see more emphasis other actions in this part of the Pacific. Increase the map to include, say such as depicted below, including the land airfields. Great for those of us who like to modify scenarios too!

There are hard limits on the map sizes where land is included. Would most likely need the Naval Campaigns engine upgraded to 64-bit.