Ok, let's start some comment around the base after check that supposed demo.

Before start discussion,

I suggest you to read the whole message before starting any discussion.

And remember to keep discussion around the game-play and control of
it,other things like MP, STATS, SERVER issue and so will come later.

a note from the Developers:
--------------------------

The Fireglow Team want to thank all players who participate in the test by post report
on the forum and welcomes any comments, whether good or negative.
Some reports are found to be VERY helpful. Although developers ask
you to take into account that this is not a complete game but a Beta
where some features are inaccessible.
The test already helped to fix some compatibility issues but the
primary goal of this Beta was to give us a general idea of the game
play and the basic features (like Strategical Map).

At this stage it's still possible to improve things, adjust the balance and so on
(and yes, the game should run o.k. with the recommended hardware).
-------------------------

- Some basic info arround the demo.

demo is not fully optimized - this will mean that we provided a
product of bad quality. And of course, lag is not normal.
I understand that and I think there's no need to stress it.
most of know of feature is not accessible (in the demo) most of them
was locked and some other non functional. I mean houses, view, line
of fire, no access under 3D object, (port) and many others, some
command like assault is not used and most of special command of
specified units is limited.

As you can read the document provided with the demo in the final
product you can customise group of command and use it as you like to
decrease micromanagement, that can be useful for player who want to
play with lower needed command.

The AI of the engine can help you more, in this case micromanagement
are limited and the player can use only basic order.
For problem like LAG, it's normal, the distributed demo are not
optimised and a reason for that supposed demo Was to give to the
community a real feeling (limited) of what the SS3 can be in future.

I believe, many fan found good to have another view that a video or
screen shot, where some rumours was out around diffused videos,
like "- they are cinematic preview" and no from the main product!

Rumours appears after some other product videos where they present
false info about IN-GAME and most of what they see on screen are not
in the original final product. Now that rumours are stop and
community now know what we mean about LARGE AREA MAP and extended
possibility around RTS.

The demo provide a 2 klm square map and in some player comment they
found the size too big compared to already know product,
Include past 2D Sudden Strike Series, the island are just 1.7 KLM x
700m. Just imagine when a 8x8 map are used.

With that demo the community have a real idea around the already
range size, not only map size but the size of view and fire range are
adapted to that new proportional scale.

We believe to use high range fire for specific units based on
historical values and need to be adapted to some change for the use
of the game to be more playable, could be a free limit of fire range
can destroy game-play and it's the reason in some case we need to
drop some realistic value to make the game-play more exiting.

Fireglow have already ideas about the scale of range for use in the
final product, some value can be adjust, but they use the 'open way'
to discuss around that values with the community.

There is it, now community can participate to the product and can
feel happy to be ear by developer, at last the game are for player
And what better than, an open communication.

- Before that demo, our wish and suggestion was for in general RTS
games, most of player exchange features knowledge based in past SS
series games and other RTS product experience.

Now discussion can increase quality and focuses especially for the
SS3 based to what the player discover in that demo.;-)
The feeling who are provided with SS3 are unique, no other product
combines features mixtures of large scale combats and full

Use of all army type in use (Naval, Air, Ground), already in that
limited demo some player was exited to discover all those thing where
they see in videos and screen shot and now they burn more than before
to see faster the game and play on it!

Now I try to give you some SS3 important part of the product where
after this we can discuss on it on the main forum.

All that part is a mixed feature where one by one they can affect the
final game-play of the product.

So be careful when you discuss around one feature, it must be
compatible with the other features.

- Command interface:

Interface command are created for that use, player finally discover
the famous command interface of the game, actually it was it can be
in final product, even if some added feature can be done, the basic
stay the same as it found on the demo.

Low expert RTS player can control in easer way all that units and
more expert player can use full micromanagement control.
Depend of the profile of player we can adapt some command and after set out
custom command for use, the engine AI can make those secondary action for us.

- MAP SIZE:

For some player the use of large map was a shock! Some comment was
around it, where they found so large and the need to clear all area
are too much, Yes, if a map are large maybe the mission can be play
for day's but mission are adapted to the situation, where map creator
can give to the player more power to beat easily the enemy or the
reverse, so map size are not a problem, the size needed for a map
depend of the mission use.

- Camera:

Some point was around the camera, we already give some info around
it, camera are defined by the map creator, depend of the used
mission, in some case the creator can decide to use closest camera
view or higher position, depend if the mission are large scale use
with big size army or limited to some squad where the mission can
turn in Commandos type intrusions.


- AI and support player:

AI, can't compare it with the actual demo, AI are more sophisticated
and we are proud of it, they make action itself to help player support.
The player is alerted, but you can let fight alone, they are hard to
defeat on a simple strike on it.

Most of mission are double impact, in past 2D series the player need
to acquire mission target and move forward, all time the computer was
in defensive position, in the SS3 you need to protect your ass,
because enemy are not stay on place, they are in patrol and try to
find you, in some case you are attacked, time are against you, more
time you loose the enemy are more powerful, your tactic must be more
faster than anymore, of course, that depend again by the script used
in the mission, not all mission can be same, and the use of level
difficulty can help player to play more fun or more strategic. It's
depending of your choice the way to win a mission and battle.

- Other support units:

Train are used where they give us supply and reinforcement, train are
move form station to station and our role are to protect it from
ambush and attack from opponents, in many case we need to repair
railroad (when it needed) or the AI repair it itself, just keep an
eye on it to not be out of material for repair.

For naval convoy a good patrol of the sector are need to be sure they
are not enemy naval strike force around, they can cut your supply and
it's what we want to give to a player a new challenge than to fight
all time in ground like many other product games.

Facilities are used in the SS3, some product material, ammunitions;
other product Fuel and a mix of all are needed for a successful mission.

- Again all that feature are used in the map creation via the editor,
the possibilities are many and the use can be great point to increase
realistic mission or fatal for player who want just fight without the
need to use so many micromanagements.

Best part of supply strategic point are PORT, they can't HIDE it,
those point are know from player when they start a game and the
challenge are to protect it more than ever, because not only supply
are transferred but stock are set around it.

- Setting defence:

About construction facilities, No time for that, even if repair truck
are used in the product, you can repair some damaged structure,
construction are not the main action of SS3, trenches are inserted by
editor and the use of it are not helpful because they are know by
player and that defence line are not useful against player.

In SS3 a good key are to not stay on same place, when you are
detected the best strategy are to move away, campers need to change
their strategy due to the use of LR weapon the best use are the
mobility, Ambush are a best use than campers.

AA gun must be a key in the sky defence because planes are not only
destroy your army but as EYE for player they can found you and LR
weapon make the rest, when you are detected by planes, better RUN..

Of course the use of interceptor plays another good point in your
defence and anti detection by enemy air actions.

Again the SS3 are based to the same spirit where Sudden Strike series
was created, SEEK AND MOVE, you can't go forward if you not use
patrol check of the field or you will be destroyed and loose, is the
reason infantry must be your preferred units, to preserve more
support units where they are more powerful but without infantry they
are just obsolete. What is the interest of a powerful LR weapon if
you can't see where the enemy is?

- Engine issue:

Player must keep in mind about the SS3, engine and AI are created for
that, it's not a simple 3D graphics generator product where it show a
good view on screen, the engine was designed especially for RTS
structure where after 2D experience we found impossible to continue
to improves more possibility under limited by 2D structure engine and
parameter was just one way fiction.

Calculation of impact weapon and target are increase to a high level
where from a simple flat horizontal view we pass under a spherical view.

In 2D calculation are under flat 360° (circle) in 3D parameter
increase to a spherical parameter when X,Y,Z are get in count and
more realistic result can be used. In 2D a simple rock in map or a 3
level houses can cut the line of fire of a tank, in the 3D the line
of fire recognise the rock a low size object and houses are high size
obstacle, it can pass over the rock with the use of ballistic-
distance result. And depend of the curve (speed/distance/calibre) of
the weapon you can pass over a house.

Closer units curve change depend of the distance, sometime you need
to stay more back to hit a target just after an obstacle.

exit:

that is a good start arround the demo, now it's up to you, as
community member you can start arround discusion and put some point
arround what you feel it need to be in SS3.

official thread for hardware problem and bug report open as sticky to
let this thread for suggestion.

Regards.

I notice that aircraft have a large field of vision from take off to the destination, revealing many enemy locations.. Will this be the standard for the game?

the reason to start discusion are to define those view

Fireglow want to adapt all that based values after community wish.
normaly large view must be for Spy planes and no for air-strike type planes

What is the maximum number units/objects that can be placed on an 8x8 map?

RTINAT yes
are there objections?

Re: Aircraft view. IMO it would be better to have a limited view of the designated target area. (I like a little mystery)

devteam..I realize many new, as well seasoned, gamers will play the game. I think seasoned players would want not too easy a way to know where all enemy are located. New players might find it too difficult to play like that..Can that function be recalibrated in maps created by map makers?

@RTINAT

that is on the hand of the map creator,

it can provide more precise information on briefing to give to the player all needed information arround location of target and where units are found on the map.

personnlay i prefer to play as reality level where i don't know where the enemy are wait for me.

Trees don't look natural and tend to look alike.. Most look like they are on poles. My personal preference is I like DARK green trees along with my light green trees. But what do I know.

trees are many in the demo and they are different in color and size,
more can be added in furute like burning forest or autom season.

Will supply trucks be able to construct pontoon bridges as in SS2?

I found the action to launch aircraft a little cumbersome. Maybe I missed something. After clicking the "aircraft icon", it might be better to have the smaller map appear after clicking on the larger strategic map, and then designating the target. This would give better targeting.

23/08/06 13:43, RTINAT wrote:

more hard air-strike damage can be with heavy bomber group.
and not for mobiles target

we must consider to give a chance to the opoment if we use "super
weapon" who are designed to create in some case carpet bombing.

again the use of specific weapon are in the hand of map designer.

when the SS3 goes out we can discover many different combinaison of
weapon use and next we can decide what is the better use of it.

I like the idea of using the alt key to display the individual units. However, it might be helpful to display certain icons in different color (for Officers, and other specialized units),, for example.

sure, and i use a version with colored icon