Over the Reich - Creation Thread

[McMonkey]

I think the surplus was about 15000 and is only going to grow as I have way more procurement managers than I need to keep the science rate going for a while.

Regarding flying into flak units. I tend to fly at high altitudes as much as possible so as not to keep bumping into ground units ZOC, so I don't think that would be a big issue.

 

[JPetroski]

So I'm working on the new version, this time as an original rather than fantasy game, and whenever I place a city, I cannot change its name - it just comes up as blank. It will name cities appropriately from city text, but any attempt to change it wipes the name. Any idea why this is occurring and how to fix it?

 

[McMonkey]

I'm not sure about the city names issue but wanted to mention one of the aspects of the game that has been bugging me. I'm not sure what you can do to fix it as it's hard wired into the game engine, but I thought I would mention it.

The issue is the game engine switching between the various maps based on the nearest available unit. Ideally I would like to work through the maps methodically, starting with night radar, then day and on the Luftwaffe turn the low altitude then high. The flitting back and forth between maps can be pretty disorientating.

I thought I would mention it just in case there was some solution I'm not aware of, a setting or a line of code that can be added somewhere. Perhaps something TheNamelessOne could have looked into.

 

[JPetroski]

So I'm working on the new version, this time as an original rather than fantasy game, and whenever I place a city, I cannot change its name - it just comes up as blank. It will name cities appropriately from city text, but any attempt to change it wipes the name. Any idea why this is occurring and how to fix it?

This bug right here is going to make it impossible to complete this scenario. I cannot understand why it is happening. It happens in all game modes for me now, even ones I've never tinkered with (like the science game), so I don't think it has to do with any text that I've modified. It seems to be something to do with windows.

When I go to change a city name, I'll start typing a few letters, then suddenly it "auto guesses" what I want to type (inaccurately) but even if I stop it and manually change, nothing "sets."
On occasion, I can hit delete several times and then type in some letters and sometimes they take, but other times they don't.

This is a giant pain. The only workaround I can think of is to manually type out all the different cities I want in city.txt and then make darn sure that I build them in THAT order. I think I'll have to basically place every single city in one sitting like this. Ugh.

Edit--Just tested something on the science game... Even when I just use the standard names and go one by one, they don't all "set" with the game. So the first two cities will have names and the next 2 won't.

I'm going to try a reinstall later but if that doesn't work I'm at a loss as to what to do and figure it must be a windows update that got me. Anyone else with Windows 10 having this issue?

 

[JPetroski]

A reinstall worked... Onward we go.

 

[McMonkey]

Good to hear. That is one peculiar and frustrating bug!

 

[Patine]

Oh no worries - you are helping! I want to get this right and I've never created a MP scenario before.

I don't think you should send the money - that is a balance flaw - the intention is for the Luftwaffe to have to ground or at least not build more aircraft if the Allied attacks on industry are successful (because they start selling happiness improvements if they don't have a positive cashflow, and all of their aircraft are "attack" meaning that they upset the population regardless of where they are). If you transfer money, things aren't working as intended. How much is your overflow at this point, roughly (I don't think it's giving anything useful away to me to know how much $ you have given that I've only hit one target that affects it).

Also - one issue with the plan of giving flak to the Luftwaffe - your aircraft are going to to get stuck on these flak units if you fly into them, because they will be carriers... Acceptable trade off? I would have a house rule that aircraft aren't to do that, and I figure any mistakes will only hurt the Luftwaffe as they will likely come when they're trying to intercept something, so I can live with it if you can.

Is the "happiness" mechanic a renamed abstract stand-in of the literal Civ2 Vanilla idea? I don't recall Hitler and Himmler doing too many opinion polls on how the German people felt about the war effort at any given time during the conflict, and Goebbels' propaganda machine was quite good at distorting and twisting what was really going on.

 

[JPetroski]

Yep - exactly.
- The Luftwaffe is a Republic and their cities are capped at a certain level and can't expand.
- All air units are coded "attack" (meaning they naturally cause unhappiness)
- The Allies get more and more and more units (they can build 40 bombers per turn once they get rolling, at least in this version)
- For the Luftwaffe to keep up, they have to build units to replace their losses
- If their cities are in disorder, this can't happen.
- Hence when Allies attack synthetic fuel plants or other targets like that, "happiness" wonders go obsolete, making it more difficult for the Luftwaffe to build more units as you can't rush buy a unit in a city in disorder.

 

[JPetroski]

Update...

-Rules text is complete
-Units graphics are as complete as I can make them (hopefully some kind unit makers will draw a few more aircraft for me before I release this)
-terrain graphics are more or less complete (just need to change the irrigation and mining icons)
-Both low-alt maps are complete as is high-alt daylight. I still need to finish up adding clouds, flak, and searchlights to high-alt night. This will probably occur by Monday at the latest (it's been tough to stay focused with the holidays)

I've decided to remove raw materials and keep a small amount of finished goods. This should bring the number of industrial units one needs to move each turn from 100-200 to about 10-15. I think we can all live with that!

 

[Fairline]

What planes did you need drawing John?

 

[JPetroski]

Hi Fairline,

I've gone through your units and didn't see these though I may have missed them. Attached is the unit file I'm using. Even simple color variations for the Mossie's / Ju88's would be fine. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated! The units I need to change have a little yellow mark on them.

* He219
* P-51 skin in 332nd Fighter Group (Red Tails)
* Insignia for 15th USAAF that I can add to a B-24
* Do217 (could have sworn we had one of these already but can't seem to find it)
* I can only find one Ju88 - I have two in my scenario, both night fighters (C and D). If someone could modify a Ju88 to make it look more like a night fighter, I'd be obliged.
* Likewise, I have two night fighter Mosquitos in my scenario and 1x bomber mosquito. I can only find art for one type of Mosquito. Anyone want to take a stab at creating a few more?
* Some sort of unit that looks like a radar wave going through the sky

 

[Fairline]

I'll see what I can do

Just a couple of questions:

Mosquito NF II and NF XVII ok, or did you have something more specific in mind?
Do217 bomber with the full glass cockpit or the earlier night fighter?

 

[Fairline]

I've already made Ju-88 night fighters for Open General; they are a Ju-88C and a G apparently - will they do? Let me know if they're too 'contrasty' / bright / dark against your terrain as OG terrain is a lot more desaturated compared to ToT.

 

[JPetroski]

I appreciate the help!

Any night fighter variant of the Mossie you feel like drawing is fine by me - those two may well be the ones I'm using, anyway (I don't have the rules.Txt in front of me).

The Ju88s are perfect! Thank you!

I do intend to use the Do217 as a bomber rather than a nightfighter, so the glass cockpit would probably be best.

Very much appreciated! We designers might make these scenarios work, but you artists make them come alive!

 

[JPetroski]

I forgot to ask - did you ever make a flak train for OG that you could send?

Also - for anyone watching (as I know buildings aren't your thing) but if anyone has ever come across a unit that does a good job of looking like a dam, I could use one of those too. I'll have to check River War and see if there is a start (I don't have a copy of Market Garden, where I'd think I also might find something).

 

[Fairline]

As in a Dambusters raid dam? Can't think I've seen anything in a scenario but I'll look into it.

I don't think I got round to drawing a flak train, but I can have a go now.

Here's the easier stuff:

- EDIT: see below -

 

[JPetroski]

These look absolutely gorgeous, Fairline, thank you! I think an He219 is the only aircraft missing now, if you have that in your records.

Yes, as in dambusters - one of the targets the RAF can attack once they research low-level heavy bombers are dams. Destroy enough of them, wipe out the German electrical system (Germans get Flight, which reduces payout for the caravans [procurement managers] that fuels their research [production], and you also knock out the Möhne Dam WoW (Cure for Cancer).

 

[CurtSibling]

Didn't the He-219 only really exist as a series of prototypes and one operational test craft? (Which did kill a dozen bombers and crashed)
This killer bird was terminated due to high-level rivalry between the designer and the moron who was in charge of Luftwaffe procurement.
That top brass officer done the allies a real favour in killing off what might have been a serious nocturnal predator on our bombers.

PS
I saw a semi-dismantled example in the Smithy air museum, and this twin fighter has a sinister, yet wonderful look to it.
You get the impression it was a war-winning design, only created too late, and fighting on the wrong side.

 

[JPetroski]

I think you're thinking of a different aircraft? I'm talking about the he219 uhu, operational from 1943 with about 300 built.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinkel_He_219

Edit - perhaps it was the one you're referring to - hard to tell with Wikipedia. This scenario does feature a few of the superweapons the Luftwaffe developed. I'm trying to make there be a choice between going after them, or maximizing production of more regular types.

 

[Fairline]

I'm really liking the 'Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe' vibe here (remember that old flight sim? classic). Is this scenario multiplayer-only or will there be a solo version?

I've significantly tweaked all the planes John, so please discard the ones I posted earlier and use these. There's a couple of different versions of the Uhu and Do-217 to try, so take your pick.