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>>>Ultimate General: Gettysburg Feedback <<< [UPDATE] Patch 0.85 31/7/2014


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Hey, all. My first post in a bit. First let me say I really do like the game a lot!  Gameplay is very smooth, the click & drag command protocal is excellent (simple, effective and easy to undo/redo, etc.).  Graphics are excellent; I have to say I very much like the little extra touches like puffs of smoke as both rifle and cannon fire is executed, the bodies strewn all over the battlefield, and more.

But I'm feeling very frustrated by not being able to just play through the whole three days.  Of course there has to be a pause at the end of each fighting day. No one is suggesting that the battle continue 24/7 for 72 hours.

 

But I find myself wanting to tear my hair out when dawn breaks on July 2 and my gray clad troops, who at nightfall of the 1st held Culp's Hill and occupied all of the town of Gettysburg, are now back on the left side of town, facing a re-constituted line of Yankees and have to start all over again to take Culp's and the town.  *sigh*

 

I admit I'm not a programmer, but I don't understand why the position of the troops can't be frozen at the end of each phase (ok, with a wee bit of cleaning up of the lines as could be expected in the non-combative darkness) so that the fight can continue from pretty much where it left off.

 

It's very cool that we can play any of the days of the battle as stand alone scenarios - and even more that we can chose morning or afternoon of each day -- but...

 

I WANT THE FULL BATTLE!  *pout* *whine* *sigh*

 

You guys have a fantastic product.  It's on track to be perhaps the best tactical battle simulation ever.  EVER!!  Seriously!  But give us a full three day battle without teleporting the *bleep*ing units around on us to change the entire face of the battle.

 

Ok - sorry for the rant...but...I think you get my point, right?

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In every next battle the units are placed to positions close to those they had in previous one. With the exception of some specific cases, the captured points should always remain at the side the has captured them. If this is not happening please, pause game and report the case to our Support sub-forum, attaching game's log file (see at http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/881-common-technical-problems-and-solutions/, how you can access it).

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In every next battle the units are placed to positions close to those they had in previous one. With the exception of some specific cases, the captured points should always remain at the side the has captured them. If this is not happening please, pause game and report the case to our Support sub-forum, attaching game's log file (see at http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/881-common-technical-problems-and-solutions/, how you can access it).

 

Sorry - this is not even close to what I experienced.  At nightfall on July 1, the confederates held Culp's Hill, had Archer and Davis' units in the town of Gettysburg, arrayed along the southern edge.  Starting the next morning neither Archer nor Davis were even on the battlefield.

 

I'll do as you suggested and send the data - but I did report a bug inside the game when I restarted the battle on July 2 - so you should have some data.

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Sorry - this is not even close to what I experienced.  At nightfall on July 1, the confederates held Culp's Hill, had Archer and Davis' units in the town of Gettysburg, arrayed along the southern edge.  Starting the next morning neither Archer nor Davis were even on the battlefield.

 

I'll do as you suggested and send the data - but I did report a bug inside the game when I restarted the battle on July 2 - so you should have some data.

 

 

I have had the same issue but do not think its a bug I thought if a unit uses too much Morale and Condition and get totally exhausted they will rest next battle and not fight. So of course you would not see them. This is what I thought anyway, I could be wrong.

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The game is getting better and more Super.

 

The game-play is Fast and Intense! The AI is Spectacular! ETW and NTW players Wish they had AI like This!

 

One problem; I bought the game from Steam and I still can not play "Day 4".

 

Also, I have several problems with the game-play; all of which could be solved with a Small Radar Window.

 

1) I can not find my generals during battle.

 

2) Moving around the battlefield is "Claggy". I have a good system with 6GB of memory, a 20 inch monitor and a top tier graphics card. I am using a keyboard and a mouse. But I can not "Flit" from my left flank to my right. Nor, can I see that I am being flanked on the right when I am fighting on my Left Flank! This is Not Good.

 

3) I waste A Lot of fighting-time just looking around the perimeters of the map! I do not expect to find anything, but I Have To Know what is there!

 

4) Radar Window, Radar Window and Radar Window.

 

Is there a Tutorial to teach me how to Aim my Artillery? I will pay $2.99 for that in a Flash!

 

Also, how do I Keep units from going into Melee? Can the AI make my flanks Smarter?

 

Typically I put 2 units on each flank to block or stall an enemy charge on my flanks. However, No sooner do I return from the Other flank to find that My Blocking Force is out of Position and getting their Ass Kicked in a Melee!

 

This happened to me several times during my Union defence of Pickett's Charge. My left flank Consistently charged down on CSA forces, got enveloped and overwhelmed in a 2nd CSA attack. I wanted them up on the ridge to Bleed those forces. Hold, Delay; do Not get engage and Do Not get your ass kicked. They just do not listen.

 

Any help?

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llcw08,

 

Long range artillery fire does as much, or more, damage to the battery firing as it does to its target.

Watch how quickly the morale and condition crash if you leave your artillery on "auto".

"Auto" just ain't worth the cost.

Reset your guns to "canister" on the defense or "shell" on the offense.

 

On the defensive I'm putting my batteries on heavy "cover" on "canister" supporting infantry divisions.

When my artillery fires "canister" I hit "fallback".

After the artillery reloads I hit "fallback" for the infantry until the guns have a clear field of fire.

Iterate.

When the AI attacking your position routs you can move forward to take any ground you've lost.

 

On the attack I set artillery on "shell".

I move my infantry forward at the same pace as the artillery - glacial.

I try to keep 3 or 4 batteries together with one always set on "canister".

If counter attacked I "fallback" any batteries that are at less than 100% and set them on "canister".

When reloaded if the enemy is still attacking I let the battery fire "canister" then hit "fallback".

Usually with 3 or 4 batteries together they can rout attacking infantry.  Especially if the guns are properly supported with advancing infantry.

 

The shorter range of "shell" & "canister" ensures that aiming the artillery is a non-issue.

 

Note the defensive tactics with artillery support presented above are really important to protect your flanks.

The best method of flank protection is heavy cover on a hill, artillery support, and rotating infantry periodically to keep them fresh.

 

You can send my $2.99 to...

 

Cheers

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Sorry - this is not even close to what I experienced.  At nightfall on July 1, the confederates held Culp's Hill, had Archer and Davis' units in the town of Gettysburg, arrayed along the southern edge.  Starting the next morning neither Archer nor Davis were even on the battlefield.

 

I'll do as you suggested and send the data - but I did report a bug inside the game when I restarted the battle on July 2 - so you should have some data.

 

Thanks for the report, will be checked. In every next battle, the choice for the units that will be involved is depending on the location and the historical data. For example if the Confederates decide to flank the Union left at Devil's Den, you will do that always with the fresh 1st Corps and some elements of the 3rd. So most of the units of the 3rd and 2nd Corps, that fought the previous battles of the 1st day, won't be available for the specific battle. The same stands for the Union where the III Corps and elements of the II will defend Peach Orchard and Devil's Den.     

 

One problem; I bought the game from Steam and I still can not play "Day 4".

 

Also, I have several problems with the game-play; all of which could be solved with a Small Radar Window.

 

1) I can not find my generals during battle.

 

2) Moving around the battlefield is "Claggy". I have a good system with 6GB of memory, a 20 inch monitor and a top tier graphics card. I am using a keyboard and a mouse. But I can not "Flit" from my left flank to my right. Nor, can I see that I am being flanked on the right when I am fighting on my Left Flank! This is Not Good.

Is there a Tutorial to teach me how to Aim my Artillery? I will pay $2.99 for that in a Flash!

 

Also, how do I Keep units from going into Melee? Can the AI make my flanks Smarter?

 

Typically I put 2 units on each flank to block or stall an enemy charge on my flanks. However, No sooner do I return from the Other flank to find that My Blocking Force is out of Position and getting their Ass Kicked in a Melee!

 

4th Day is not implemented yet. We are working on the lag and some scrolling issues and soon they will be fixed. You cannot avoid a melee if your units are being charged by the enemy, unless you keep falling them back (which cannot be done if you pay attention elsewhere than your flank). You can place some strong brigades and order them to Hold position with a couple of batteries armed with cannister. Or you can keep those strong brigades as reserves in the bag. In this case when your flank units retreat after melee throw your fresh reserves on the tired attackers.

 

so when will be patch????

 

Some last minute issues forced us to postpone it for a couple of days. Programmers are working hard to prepare also the multiplayer UG:G and there is currently a heavy load of work.

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Hi Nick,

 

Some gaming i did a bit, i noticed that i had difficulties seeing the height off areas, so is there a key or a modifier key, where a player can see a terrain height overlay in colors/terrain height markers ?  ( i found out that there is option for this, but how, still eludes me :D )

 

I mean its very hard to position artillery if one does not see the heights of hills etc. or even plan flanking out of sight.

 

Second, i noticed the player can take Victory Points with relative ease by nonstop sending 60-70% off his troops in narrow zone towards a victorypoint. The key to overrun the AI is to nonstop send the routing units back when you get command ability back on em.

 

Just something i noticed in 30min gameplaytime.

 

Unfortunately my time is limited at this moment so my testing has to be done in between my gaming. All in all this game looks and feels good. Thanks.

 

around 1.9. (30d vecation starts, yey)  i will have plenty of time to test this game and i will have video material with pointers done for well, everyone to see.

 

thx again for UGG.

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Hi Nick,

 

Some gaming i did a bit, i noticed that i had difficulties seeing the height off areas, so is there a key or a modifier key, where a player can see a terrain height overlay in colors/terrain height markers ?  ( i found out that there is option for this, but how, still eludes me :D )

 

Select M key to show/hide topographic lines.

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Second, i noticed the player can take Victory Points with relative ease by nonstop sending 60-70% off his troops in narrow zone towards a victorypoint. The key to overrun the AI is to nonstop send the routing units back when you get command ability back on em.

Just something i noticed in 30min gameplaytime.

What difficulty setting are you on? Cause that will make a difference.

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They are not really difficulty settings more like AI aggressiveness and IQ. Some are less aggressive and less smart than others.

Well I know that, I was actually getting at is if he's playing against a Cautious AI then it may seem easier or less difficult.

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Technopiper,

Did you watch the video you posted?

I did. I think it was a great lecture but I do not agree with the speaker's conclusion that Lee's motivation was to destroy the Army of Potomac. I pointed to that video because it provided some great insight. For example, the North's vast superiority in industry, economy, and manpower. I watched that video quite a while ago and that's what left an impression. I obviously forgot about his conclusion because I don't agree with him. What's the point of destroying yet another Union Army when you take the North's material advantage into consideration? I believe Lee's objective was to destroy the Union's will to carry on. To do that, he must win victories close to Washington DC, and cause panic and discontent in the North.

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I did. I think it was a great lecture but I do not agree with the speaker's conclusion that Lee's motivation was to destroy the Army of Potomac. I pointed to that video because it provided some great insight. For example, the North's vast superiority in industry, economy, and manpower. I watched that video quite a while ago and that's what left an impression. I obviously forgot about his conclusion because I don't agree with him. What's the point of destroying yet another Union Army when you take the North's material advantage into consideration? I believe Lee's objective was to destroy the Union's will to carry on. To do that, he must win victories close to Washington DC, and cause panic and discontent in the North.

 

In this case you are wrong. The point of the Battle of Gettysburg was to DESTROY the Army of The Potomac so he could have a clear way to march on Washington DC and force the Union Government into a peace treaty.

 

After the failure of the Battle of Gettysburg, Lee change his strategy to focus on destroying as you say "The Union's will to carry on". This was not the point of Gettysburg. If you read the Order of Battle reports from Lee before his march north he clearly defines his motive was to destroy the Union Army and then march on Washington. Afterwards he clearly changes his overtone. To one of sapping the Union will to fight and just to allow his army to survive. Towards the end of the war he was even thinking of creating a guerilla war. Running to the mountains and using hit and run tactics to destroy the Union will. Before he could do this he was surrounded, starving and with little ammo at Appomattox Court House. He decided enough was enough and they had lost.

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Excerpt from a letter from Lee to his wife dated April 19, "...next fall there will be a great change in public opinion at the North. The Republicans will be destroyed & I think the friends of peace will become so strong that the next administration will go in on that basis."

I think both of the arguments are valid, but you're both getting away from the original discussion about the removal VPs.

Which IMO wouldn't be very beneficial. I'm sure the VPs act more than just objectives but in the tech side of the gameplay they act as triggers for the choices for the next phase of battle.

Also if you notice, the VPs are all places of strategic importance. One can still win a battle with recieving more casualties than your opponent as long as you can drive them from the field or the objective.

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Hiner,

 

Why do you insist on controlling others to lock them into your perspective?

 

All we are asking for is an option to make the VPs transparent so they aren't considered in Victory Metrics.

 

This will have no impact on you - it will simply be an option for others to enjoy and you to ignore.

 

IMO the VP structure is wrong historically, logically, and thus, impacts the playing of the game to UGGs own detriment.

 

I'm not asking you to agree or disagree - I just want freedom to enjoy my entertainment differently from you.

 

I don't care that you think it wouldn't "be very beneficial".

 

It is beneficial to me with no impact on you.

 

Why?

 

You are using Lee's letter to his wife out of context - as the video you posted stated Lee was furious that his subordinates did not understand that Lee's goal was to destroy the AoP.  Indeed, the destruction of the AoP would ensure that, "...next fall there will be a great change in public opinion at the North. The Republicans will be destroyed & I think the friends of peace will become so strong that the next administration will go in on that basis."

 

The fact that you disagree with military professionals is of little interest to me - but you are welcome to your opinion.

Your statement that VPs "are all places of strategic importance" is ridiculous IMO.

None of the real estate at Gettysburg was strategically important - only tactically important once the armies ran into each other.

 

Gettysburg Strategic Topography:

There was no critical infrastructure, raw war materials, or supplies at Gettysburg.

There was no critical production capability at Gettysburg.

There was minimal population at Gettysburg.

The fodder and food supply was exhausted at Gettysburg.

​Strategically there is nothing of value at Gettysburg.

Thus it follows that there is not strategic topography at Gettysburg.

 

As a result, IMO, you've turned history, the video you've posted, and Lee's letter to his wife on their heads.

 

Tactically the topography mattered for the conduct of the battle.

But the tactics should not be used as a metric to interpret the strategic results of a battle.

VPs turn military logic on it head by inverting strategy and tactics.

 

You are welcome to your own opinion - but when your opinion infringes on the entertainment value of others - with no impact on you - why are you expressing your opinion at all?

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Well I'm impressed with the new patch!

 

Playing as the North I got a good thrashing in the first three phases on determined and loved every single part of it. Got the initiative back in the last phase and had a ball...

 

No matter what some people say, this wargame veteran - who's played these types of games since my ZX Spectrum 48K back in 1984, where I played Desert Rats and Arnhem - is convinced, that this must be the closest yet to a clever AI.

 

Really, really impressed at the battle lines which the AI makes and challenges me.

 

Way to go boys!

 

 

(Btw: No crashes this time around)

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Oh ya, I did play a new game on the new update as Union on Dynamic difficulty.

 

I really enjoyed the new Artillery mechanics. It does make the game more enjoyable when my artillery does not roam around and actually targets what I click it to target. Great Job!!!

 

It was a bit of a learning curve to have to remember I do not need to babysit my Cannons any longer. HAHA!!!

 

One thing I did notice and can't remember if that is new or how its always been or how it is suppose to be, but when I click my Cavalry to attack a unit if that unit is not in my Cavalry line of sight the Cavalry unit will not move to attack. They tend to act like the way the new Cannons feature acts (They just sit there). In order to get my Cav to attack my target I need to click and drag towards the enemy and then I can target it. Not sure if that is meant to be or what, Skirmishers do not face this problem and you can click and they will attack. Brigades the same you can click and they will attack.

 

Even though I captured all the VP's on the first battle. I wanted to play a more Historical game so i fellback my Brigades through town and set them up on Cemetery Hill and Culps Hill Anchoring with Iron brigade on my far right and bringing the new reinforcements into the center and left just as they did in the real battle. I just let my skirmishers and horses run defense while I fell back.

 

When the Confederates launched their attack I was ready. Rebs attacked my right flank and the Iron Brigade never waivered. I was able to easily push Johnny Reb back. 1st Corps was still in tact with majority of the men still alive. Standing on great defensive ground and with my cannons on strategic hills and flanks with a few at the center of each mass of confederate attack. Have not played the final battle as of yet its getting late and I have work in the morning. Will finish it soon but I have high hopes the Rebs will be defeated in the end.

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Well first thing I noticed was that on day 1 - if Conf. leaves the oh so tactically all important 3K VP spot to attack the union, a unit of videttes will take the large swing around to cap it - just as it allways does.

Very clever "game-AI", made possible by the use of VP sites and the fact that the Union has lots of small units.

 

2nd - Man, the union was aggressive (played on the middle agg. level at the top), charged right in at melee rather than slugging it out. Didn't experience that before.

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