Panzer General CIV

[kazapp]

I've realized I'm not alone in realizing Civ5's moving to hex maps means the path to a Panzer General mod is open!

Here's hoping to the talented community perfecting such a mod mere days after general release!

 

[kazapp]

Let's discuss what is needed to make this happen (in my case from a mod-newb's point of view):

* hexes - check
* decent combat AI - check
* ability to distinguish between "hard" and "soft" units - ?
* ...

more...? (I.e. was it only the square maps that kept Civ4 from getting a WWII mod in the specific style of the grand old PG game?)

 

[kochman]

Yes, it would be cool to recreate that... though it would be a more complex version of PG than PG ever was.

Definitely a better system of combat than... SoD.

 

[killmeplease]

i prefer SOD personally

 

[kochman]

Really? You think stacks of doom of 100+ units marching unimpeded through enemy territory to get to the capital city is preferable? With no zone of control, or any other mechanism to limit the size of the stack?
You find that to be challenging?

As they say, there is no accounting for taste.

 

[Chazcon]

Steady Kochman, we're all on the same team.

Regarding Panzer General, it is certainly one of my all-time favorite games (and I know I'm not alone).

ANYTHING that comes from PG has to be a good thing!

 

[killmeplease]

i do not like the sod that (any) much
but i think its more suitable for global strategy game than Panzer General model - its too tactical.

 

[killmeplease]

double post

 

[r_rolo1]

I just hope that Civ V as it will come from the box will be a little bit more than a PG expanded to early ages All this talk about one unit per tile and making fronts ... If I want to play PG , I play PG, not Civ

 

[Seven05]

The number of units per tile is irrelevant as is the number of tiles around a city or any of the other things people are making a stink over. They are nothing more than small pieces of the bigger picture. Without knowing how the combat mechanics work, what promotions (if any) will be available, the strengths and weaknesses of the units themselves all you can do is speculate based on your experience with Civ4. Personally, I'm looking forward to not spending an hour waiting for the AI to move hundreds of units.

As for making a PG mod for Civ5 there will be a lot more to consider than just the shape of the tiles. Granted the square tiles of Civ4 played havoc on ranges that alone won't make you game more like Panzer General, it'll look more like it though

You'll need to mod the AI both to encourage more historical behavior and to adjust for a world war scenario. You obviously don't want Russia building the Eifel Tower when they should be trying to fend off the impending invasion from the Germans in the west. Maybe this will be easier in Civ5, maybe it will be impossible at first, who knows.

You'll need a LOT of custom art assets. If you're lucky and can port over Civ4 models you'll be in good shape, if not... your kinda screwed.

You'll need custom leaders and civilizations. If you're lucky you can cheat and use 2d images like we can in Civ4. If you're really lucky, it will be easy to modify the leaders provided with Civ4 or they'll have multiple era versions so you won't have to try to make Caesar's robe look like an outfit from the 40's or make all of your leaders using Roosevelt's suit

You'll likely need a lot of custom coding to shift the game from empire building over centuries to war over a few years.

Remember the scale too, in Panzer General you weren't moving your units around a hex based map representing all of Europe of the entire world. So you either need significantly smaller scale maps representing a single, small area or you need 'units' to represent larger collections of units instead.

It's certainly not impossible, but it involves a lot more than hex based maps

 

[Chazcon]

Naw, a PG mod would be a blast to do. It wouldn't mirror PG in gameplay or in many details, but it is certainly doable and a valid mod idea.

 

[12Voltman]

I love the idea and have been surfing the web for years hoping that there would be a new PG...someday. With the engines and graphics today and the fact that PG had so many fans I always wondered why nobody picked up where PG left off. Anyway, sorry for the rant but I'm so fired up to think that there could be a PG mod in Civ...my 2 favorite games. SWEEEET!

 

[Afforess]

i do not like the sod that (any) much
but i think its more suitable for global strategy game than Panzer General model - its too tactical.

No worries KillMePlease, I'm sure you and I will mod SoD's right back in once we get our hands on the SDK.

 

[killmeplease]

No worries KillMePlease, I'm sure you and I will mod SoD's right back in once we get our hands on the SDK.

you are right Afforess. SoD will be back again

 

[Steenberger]

I can see how SoDs are terribly unrealistic. I however have great fun all the same!

 

[PPQ_Purple]

I too prefer SODs and CIV4 gameplay.
Quite honestly I hate the idea of making civ into PG.
That would make another PG not another civ.

 

[krasny]

SoDs are realistic.

Indeed, prior to the modern era, armies would move about in SoDs.

However the absence of supply / foraging in Civ4 lets SoDs get abused.

If armies (SoDs) relied on foraging it would limit their stacking, and if they were limited by supply, they would be forced to protect it by creation of front lines, lines of depots, etc.

However I do look forward to Panzer General Civ, and I do have high expectations for it, after all I had low expectations for Civ4 and it's the best Civ by a country mile.

 

[AlpsStranger]

after all I had low expectations for Civ4 and it's the best Civ by a country mile.

I think this is the reality here. People panic when a new Civ comes out because it is different. When the dust clears I predict that Civ5 will be at least as popular as Civ4. If people can force themselves not to panic I think the mood in this subforum can be a lot more positive.

 

[kochman]

Stack of Doom has gone the way of the Do Do Bird...

 

[PPQ_Purple]

Stack of Doom has gone the way of the Do Do Bird...

Not as long as there is still a beat in my hearth and CIV4 on my hard drive.
If you want to take away my SOD. You will have to pry it from my cold, dead hands!