HOI4 Dev Diary - Reflections and Romania

[kauzer]

Can we have an elite units added in game without mods? Would be nice if they will be with different 3D models. I mean SS with mp-40 (or STG-44) and soviet Guards with Ppsh-41(+new sounds and animation). Dont tell me that it is not possible, i already saw same work but with AKs and M16s done in Economic Crisis mod.

 

[Opanashc]

Can we have an elite units added in game without mods? Would be nice if they will be with different 3D models. I mean SS with mp-40 (or STG-44) and soviet Guards with Ppsh-41(+new sounds and animation). Dont tell me that it is not possible, i already saw same work but with AKs and M16s done in Economic Crisis mod.

PPSh-41, MP-40, STG-44 - all in game. Elite units are made by prioritizing reinforcement of equipment to the unit. Different sprites? Flavor...

 

[kauzer]

PPSh-41, MP-40, STG-44 - all in game. Elite units are made by prioritizing reinforcement of equipment to the unit. Different sprites? Flavor...

You just talking about role play with yourself. Elite units should have increased stats or some anoter bonus, but production cost and time should be higher aswell. They should have special 3D Sprite and different animation because of anoter weapon type (+sound of it). I thinik this is stupid when you have full equiped with MH-42 division with bolt action rifle animation and sound.

 

[Axe99]

Not impressed. Pimping focus trees is just in-house modding. How about some new functionality? There are troves of great suggestions in the forum. Leave the modding to the community and start coding!

This issue has been done a bit on the forums lately (but not in DDs, so you may have missed it), but there are definite and substantial benefits to content in the actual game (beyond from a modding perspective having examples of how to use new things introduced in the DLC), including:

• Not everyone uses mods, and expecting all players of the game to have to use mods to have a decent experience wouldn't exactly be a step forward for the industry.

• Focus trees in vanilla allow the base game to be balanced for the focus tree (obviously the base game can't be balanced for mods, and mods that do individual focus trees can't balance the rest of the game)

• There's often (not always, but often) a huge gap between the quality of what's done in a mod and that done by the devs, particularly when it comes to things like content and balancing (the two most important elements of a focus tree, at least imo). The good Archangel outlined the process to us in this post. Very few mods are as quarter as thorough as that, and it generally shows.

• There aren't mods for everything, particularly updated to the current patch. It's very easy to say "it could be modded, do something else", but there's a big difference between "it could" and "it is". Now, for Romania, I'd be very surprised if there wasn't a decent NF tree, but this is far from always the case. Also, at the end of the day, the argument that "it could be modded" could also be made for the game engine (it's not as if making a game engine is black magic - although I'm in no way trying to downplay PDS' codes, just noting that work is work) - I mean, why play HoI4 at all if you could "just" grab unity and build your own GSG? Plenty of unity tutorials and WW2 info on the net for free, so hop to it .

• As mentioned in the DD, this particular focus tree covers new mechanics (which we're going to hear about next week). Modders couldn't do at least parts of the focus tree, and it's likely that the new mechanics needed testing and prototyping. In other words, if the devs stopped making content, it could well have a negative impact on the mechanics in the game as well. Also, when I'm modding, I often have new ideas while I'm producing content - remove that process from game development and I'd wager that we'd not only have one rather odd-looking game (a game with no content that was produceable by mods would be a thin shell indeed!), but the mechanics for that game would be more limited.

But Belgian Congo should? (Since they are one of the historical locations of Uranium used for the Manhattan project).

Your obvious prejudice against the mighty Belgian Congo has been noted .

Ive noticed that you are always positive and pleasant. I always enjoy reading your posts axe99. You are a ray of sunshine in the often dark place of the internet. Its easy to get carried away with our typing and forget that there is a person at the other end.

You're far too kind . I've had (and probably will have) my moments, but while I don't always succeed I believe very strongly in trying to communicate respectfully whatever the medium.

 

[Coozer]

I loved Together of Victory, the expansive focus trees and choices you had to make in them. The Commonwealth has been my go to since. I just wanted so show my support for a game I love and I cant wait to see why you are developing next.

 

[Opanashc]

You just talking about role play with yourself. Elite units should have increased stats or some anoter bonus, but production cost and time should be higher aswell. They should have special 3D Sprite and different animation because of anoter weapon type (+sound of it). I thinik this is stupid when you have full equiped with MH-42 division with bolt action rifle animation and sound.

Why should they have increased stats? They get most advanced equipment, yes, but produce enough of said equipment - and non-elite units will get it too. More experienced - sure, but experience is gained through fighting. All real-life elite (in effectiveness) units started out average, and became elite through combat.

 

[scroggin]

Can we have an elite units added in game without mods? Would be nice if they will be with different 3D models. I mean SS with mp-40 (or STG-44) and soviet Guards with Ppsh-41(+new sounds and animation). Dont tell me that it is not possible, i already saw same work but with AKs and M16s done in Economic Crisis mod.

I like the Jaeger units mod

 

[KittyTeam]

Yay

 

[scroggin]

Think the game need real costs associated to holding down whole countries in annexation. And down the line decent rebellion, insurgency mechanics to give post major killing a bit of life.

As long as the mechanism isnt a whack-a-mole type of mechanism, it sounds like a good idea to me.

One other thing I would like to see is more automation of trading. At the moment its just tedious having to stop every five minutes and reset the trades. The developers did a good job in reducing most micromanagement. But they slipped up on trade micromanagement.

 

[grandad1982]

- Battleplans. the part where they become absolutely crazy just after taking 1 or 2 provinces is an horrible problem. it was discussed heavily when you decided to put the blitzkrieg plan behind the paywall of the dlc. Still is a problem, and still is absurd to have to delete or edit (A LOT) the frontlines because they become a mess after some changes in the provinces' ownership.

Honestly is how battleplans work that impact my enjoyment of the game the most, even more than the enemy AI. I Want to use them and love them but instead I use them and get frustrated.

 

[Aodhan_]

I Want to use them and love them but instead I use them and get frustrated.

This sums battle plans up in one sentence for me anyway. Nearly as frustrating as Italy marching it's troops up through Germany and sailing them home via the channel, only that can't be bypassed battle plans can.

 

[Aodhan_]

Not impressed. Pimping focus trees is just in-house modding. How about some new functionality? There are troves of great suggestions in the forum. Leave the modding to the community and start coding!

What about those who only play Ironman mode and don't use mods, are they to stay with the basic focus trees?
I'm weak and only play Ironman mode to stop myself having any thoughts of reloading the game if I mess up.

 

[grandad1982]

This sums battle plans up in one sentence for me anyway. Nearly as frustrating as Italy marching it's troops up through Germany and sailing them home via the channel, only that can't be bypassed battle plans can.

I think for me they are more frustrating because unlike the enemy ai behaviour that is largely hidden in the fog of war it right there in your face.

The worst offenders for me are the plan suddenly jumping up massively in size when you have moved a few provinces and the plan sending divisions from one end of the plan to another to fill a gap rather than moving a free adjacent one (this often leads to another unit moving to fill a new hole or weak point etc etc and means I often just end up hitting hold for all units in the plan so they stop going sideways and will go forwards instead).

 

[Aodhan_]

I think for me they are more frustrating because unlike the enemy ai behaviour that is largely hidden in the fog of war it right there in your face.

The worst offenders for me are the plan suddenly jumping up massively in size when you have moved a few provinces and the plan sending divisions from one end of the plan to another to fill a gap rather than moving a free adjacent one (this often leads to another unit moving to fill a new hole or weak point etc etc and means I often just end up hitting hold for all units in the plan so they stop going sideways and will go forwards instead).

I wholeheartedly agree with you Grandad, and what you mention could even go as far as making one go bald prematurely . But sadly I only play Germany so it's for me it's not hidden by the fog of war and has made me set the game to the side unfortunately.

 

[grandad1982]

I wholeheartedly agree with you Grandad, and what you mention could even go as far as making one go bald prematurely . But sadly I only play Germany so it's for me it's not hidden by the fog of war and has made me set the game to the side unfortunately.

HoI 4, Toupee for Victory

 

[Aodhan_]

HoI 4, Toupee for Victory

Lmao very good Grandad .

 

[kauzer]

Why should they have increased stats? They get most advanced equipment, yes, but produce enough of said equipment - and non-elite units will get it too. More experienced - sure, but experience is gained through fighting. All real-life elite (in effectiveness) units started out average, and became elite through combat.

Some of the elite units has a special equipment for any purposes, which you will not see in simple division, like assault equipment or something else. Besides that most of elite units has completely another training programs then simple army forces. Thats why true elite units should be expensive, much longer in production, but with better stats or bonuses.

At the moment in game you can just prioritize top equipment delivery for some divisions, but it does not make them elite imo. As i said it is role play.

 

[Ketasosa]

Okay

 

[podcat]

Any chance for more AI DDs like the ones Steelvolt did leading up to 1.3. They were absolutely fascinating regarding how the AI was thinking the way it would.

We have 2 or so planned at least before release.

Hey Paradox is nice to hear new news about HOI 4 I would like to hear your option about adding new strategic Resources like Uranium, Heavy Water into HOI IV? Is stupid that every Country can build Nukes without access to these resources...

Yeah, I actually miss those two from HOI3 as well. They made for strategically interesting stuff for areas you wouldnt care about otherwise.

Not impressed. Pimping focus trees is just in-house modding. How about some new functionality? There are troves of great suggestions in the forum. Leave the modding to the community and start coding!

The person making a focus tree isnt a programmer, so while the ones we do usually come with some new code feature they are light on programming need compared to a big feature. The advantage of this is that we can spend a lot of programmer time on free patch features like working to improve the AI, or redoing air interfaces etc that the community has been requesting.

could you guys give south america some more love? they are actually the most boring continent to play

its a pretty popular area that can get very interesting to the balance of power in the world so they are definitely pretty high on our list of nations we want to give the focus tree and immersion bump treatment.

 

[Xuanzue]

its a pretty popular area that can get very interesting to the balance of power in the world so they are definitely pretty high on our list of nations we want to give the focus tree and immersion bump treatment.

the day you do it, please fix all the rivers.