Zin

I think a way that could help with the artillery issue is having them limber and unlimber, that way when they unlimber, they're stagnant. You would have to limber up the battery again to make it move. Maybe have a pop-up screen that acknowledges when a arty unit has to move (WARNING! The unit you selected for bombardment is out of range, limber up and set up a better firing position? Yes/No). Or something of that variety. I think that would put a lot of the arty issues to rest. Additionally, I think having a color modifier on the terrain over what's available for bombardment and what is not would help the LOS issues with arty. I think the game should go for full customization. Those who want an arcade style SMG battle should be able to get it, and those who want Take Command should be able to have their take too. Have cake and eat it! Though of course, not being a developer myself, I have no idea how feasible this is. Additionally, when the idea of this game first came out a year ago, I made a post I think needs reiteration (at least on my part, so I'm not typing the same ideas again.)

Since the most recent patches have come out, I haven't had any issues with this error. Well done! Now I know kind of how the game is supposed to be played, hahah.

I've only been able to play the game for 12 minutes, I keep getting an error which causes my game to crash after a few minutes. Based on the limited action I've seen though, I have some general thoughts. For terrain, I think contour lines would be terrific, or topographical indicators which would show the change in elevation. As it is, I have a bit of trouble delineating where exactly elevation changes (except for obvious terrain features, a hill or creek). This nuance would help, I think. I think the gameplay is too fast. Units travel too fast, and casualties accrue too quickly. This gives me shades of a traditional RTS like Supreme Commander, rather than a methodical encounter I think this game is trying to be. Hopefully the error is fixed quickly so I can dedicate an entire hour or eight to this game!

I just had an opportunity to play for a few minutes before the game crashed on me. From what very little I have played so far, the gameplay seems too fast for a civil war era engagement. Hopefully I will be able to play longer in the next few days and really get a feel for it.

I also have the same error: That's the screenshot I took from the game, when it stopped working.

I'm wondering if you thought @Nick Thomadis to include a random terrain generator that would allow for an infinite number of plays and variations, kind of like the Civilization V model. Especially for multiplayer (if it's included) this would add dynamism to the game in a way that the Total War series cannot.

I believe that is conceptual art.

The standard in the field is James McPherson's The Battle Cry of Freedom. There are much more concise books too, that deal with the battle and the history of the war as well. There are approximately 100,000 books on the Civil War, of varying quality, length and description.

Hello Nick, I am always quite excited for new Civil War games coming out. If there's any historical research/input you may need, I am beginning my doctoral studies at Mississippi State University in the fall, with history, with an emphasis on Military History. I will do what I can to help! Have you ever played Sid Meier's Gettysburg or Antietam? Or Civil War Generals 2? If not, I'd recommend a quick look at those. The Sid Meier games remind a me a lot of this one, as they are RTS without the game building aspect. Purely strategy, (realistic LOS, rallying for tired and wavering troops). The Sid Meier games also had one soldier represent 20 I believe it is, due to the system limitations of the late 20th century. CWG2 was a turn based game released in 1996 by Sierra, which contains unit supply, morale and excellent use of terrain, and some of the best LOS attributes I've ever seen in a game ( though the AI was lacking). Another game you may want to take a look at is Take Command and Take Command 2 at Mad Minute Games. http://www.madminutegames.com/ Perhaps any and all of these games can provide some insight or inspiration on where you want to take this, or ensure you don't repeat their mistakes etc! One aspect of the Total War series I always appreciated was the ground littered with the dead bodies of soldiers who fell in battle. Unlike FPS games (like COD or Battlefield) which remove bodies of dead players frequently during the course of a match, you gain a true appreciation of the sacrifice these soldiers make. As a commander, it is your duty to attempt to win with the fewest casualties possible. One way to realize this responsibility is to have as many men as possible represent the fallen on the field. ___________________ I would also like to see the ability to replay the battle once finished, from a top down view as such: For history gamers (as I am sure many will be drawn to this game), this would be a very welcome addition. I suppose the map could be represented as it is in Supreme Commander, that kind of top-down view the commander has. It gives the player a chance to analyze mistakes, missed opportunities and the ability to develop AARs should one be so inclined. One print screen later and now viewers can follow the battle as if it was an actual historical engagement. Or time stop moments, such as above. Or "critical moments" in the battle, where major engagements occurred that shaped the course of the battle. These decisive moments in review I believe would add much more depth to the playing experience, and would be utilized to great effect.