Hi all,
first let me say a big THX to Quintelosky and any other devs involved for continued support of IC. I have started a few playthroughs as minors just to see what happens in this latest IC release. I have seen Vichy fleet event working correctly now, Hungary entering the Axis much later, after Polish defeat. Because it was inconceivable for Hungary to go against Poland in RL. There are probably many more improved events and event chains which have not fired in my playthroughs, but... There still is a need for corrections as:
- Chilean - Bolivian NA pact. Went like this for me: Chile proposes NA to Bolivia, Bolivia declines, Chile signs pact, Bolivia signs pact also. All on the same day. No = Yes in IC on occasion, strange in my eyes at least.
- USA, 16 Oct 1939: "Situation in the Pacific allows no more resources for the Atlantic in AoD" event. Great I think, we`re on our own in Europe, it will be an interesting game.
USA, 5 Nov 1939: "Don`t end it" in Armaments for the Allies evt. OK I think, they will continue supporting us on current lvl. A good thing.
USA, 16 Nov 1939: L-L act passed. Actually not unrealistic, but needs an earlier USA evt like: "After reappraisal of current geopolitical situation we realize that increased support for the European democracies is necessary." Yes or No? This evt, if yes, should give dissent.
All USA provocations vs European Axis countries prior to their war entry should give dissent BTW. The nation WAS isolationist, only the administration was interventionist.
UK, 7 Nov 1939: "Plan for an intervention in Norway". GER same day: "Scandinavia is not important". Then, nothing... Actually in such a case UK should invade Norway around 10 Apr 1940 or issue an ultimatum to Norway and maybe Sweden: "Join us or else..." unless there is an earlier UK evt "Cancel intervention in Scadinavia." Today we know that Swedish iron mines were the reason for this plan disguised as help to Finland. Consequences could in any variant be Norway and Sweden joining the Axis.
IC has over 6000 events and a multitude of event chains. They need to be coherent, plausible even if not very probable and in many cases have several possible end outcomes depending on choices made.
For several reasons I doubt that above issues will/can be fully dealt with in IC 1.03 Final. I do think IC deserves even more effort and improvement. It can have a bright and long future yet.
So what to do? I see some solutions:
- community made IC sub-mods. Modular with events in one module, AI improvements(think Dr. Bob`s) in another, corrected/added equipment/equipment names/pics for included nations and so on. A very time consuming project.
- a payable series of IC enhancement addons, in principle like above but published by P-dox. P-dox uses this approach for some games at least and I don`t mind paying for a good product. I fear that they might consider making that unprofitable though.
- IC2, perhaps as a kickstarter project. But here is a risk of making a "new" game which calls for new "features" while coherence, consequence and logic take a second place in the development work.
Well, what do YOU think?
Rgds, Oldtimer
first let me say a big THX to Quintelosky and any other devs involved for continued support of IC. I have started a few playthroughs as minors just to see what happens in this latest IC release. I have seen Vichy fleet event working correctly now, Hungary entering the Axis much later, after Polish defeat. Because it was inconceivable for Hungary to go against Poland in RL. There are probably many more improved events and event chains which have not fired in my playthroughs, but... There still is a need for corrections as:
- Chilean - Bolivian NA pact. Went like this for me: Chile proposes NA to Bolivia, Bolivia declines, Chile signs pact, Bolivia signs pact also. All on the same day. No = Yes in IC on occasion, strange in my eyes at least.
- USA, 16 Oct 1939: "Situation in the Pacific allows no more resources for the Atlantic in AoD" event. Great I think, we`re on our own in Europe, it will be an interesting game.
USA, 5 Nov 1939: "Don`t end it" in Armaments for the Allies evt. OK I think, they will continue supporting us on current lvl. A good thing.
USA, 16 Nov 1939: L-L act passed. Actually not unrealistic, but needs an earlier USA evt like: "After reappraisal of current geopolitical situation we realize that increased support for the European democracies is necessary." Yes or No? This evt, if yes, should give dissent.
All USA provocations vs European Axis countries prior to their war entry should give dissent BTW. The nation WAS isolationist, only the administration was interventionist.
UK, 7 Nov 1939: "Plan for an intervention in Norway". GER same day: "Scandinavia is not important". Then, nothing... Actually in such a case UK should invade Norway around 10 Apr 1940 or issue an ultimatum to Norway and maybe Sweden: "Join us or else..." unless there is an earlier UK evt "Cancel intervention in Scadinavia." Today we know that Swedish iron mines were the reason for this plan disguised as help to Finland. Consequences could in any variant be Norway and Sweden joining the Axis.
IC has over 6000 events and a multitude of event chains. They need to be coherent, plausible even if not very probable and in many cases have several possible end outcomes depending on choices made.
For several reasons I doubt that above issues will/can be fully dealt with in IC 1.03 Final. I do think IC deserves even more effort and improvement. It can have a bright and long future yet.
So what to do? I see some solutions:
- community made IC sub-mods. Modular with events in one module, AI improvements(think Dr. Bob`s) in another, corrected/added equipment/equipment names/pics for included nations and so on. A very time consuming project.
- a payable series of IC enhancement addons, in principle like above but published by P-dox. P-dox uses this approach for some games at least and I don`t mind paying for a good product. I fear that they might consider making that unprofitable though.
- IC2, perhaps as a kickstarter project. But here is a risk of making a "new" game which calls for new "features" while coherence, consequence and logic take a second place in the development work.
Well, what do YOU think?
Rgds, Oldtimer