Alpha-11 Arriving!

[Skeksis]

20 minutes ago, madham82 said:

I don't read that it is being abandoned, but that they are removing the option b/c of the confusion it was causing. Since the option was added in a previous alpha, but no changes in actual difficulty were being made. 

There wasn’t a future reference so take it at face value, it’s gone.

[madham82]

47 minutes ago, Skeksis said:

There wasn’t a future reference so take it at face value, it’s gone.

Understandable. If it had worked before, and they removed it then I would worry. Since it wasn't, I'm assuming the idea was to stop the continuous questions new players have posted about it not affecting the mission. 

@Nick Thomadis can you confirm?

[o Barão]

After many hours playing war on the sea it will be nice to comeback and test the new features.

[TonedMite]

I think that the AI will be a long-term issue for designing ships. For this reason, I suggest that we as a community start building up a database of ships that the AI can use as an intermediate-term solution.

[Nick Thomadis]

3 hours ago, madham82 said:

Understandable. If it had worked before, and they removed it then I would worry. Since it wasn't, I'm assuming the idea was to stop the continuous questions new players have posted about it not affecting the mission. 

@Nick Thomadis can you confirm?

Yes, the difficulty options were not really working. We remove and later we can revisit such a feature, properly done.

10 hours ago, Cptbarney said:

@Nick ThomadisSorry to bug you, but i also like to know if the old ladies will be making any appearances from 1875-1900? Maybe 1-3 hulls per patch or something?

In later patches we want to offer more hulls of the early era. We cannot promise yet though.

6 hours ago, Shiki said:

@Nick Thomadis If you can provide the information, what base will these new cruiser hulls be using? Will they be using existing assets or will we be obtaining hulls modeled on the County class vessels and potentially the Town-class light cruisers? The latter were the basis for several heavy cruiser studies in the 1930s, so I'm curious about the visual aspects of these new ships.

Additionally, I'm curious if it would be possible to add variants with a displacement of 9,500 to 11,500 tons, to simulate Treaty-bound cruisers, available from 1920 onward.

Those cruisers use as assets new parts and existing parts in various combinations. Mainly, the new King George parts and new gun models are used.

Certainly we want to cover the cruiser range with more towers and models, later.

[Nick Thomadis]

9 hours ago, coalminer said:

First off, good work on the new patch and on the designer changes. Heres hoping for more parts in the future.

Secondly, this is going to sound nitpicky but some points to consider:

1. The claim of low/high freeboard offering more design choices is not appropriate. Armour is not accurately modeled to factor in coverage of belt/decks/below waterline nor does the weather/sea interact with the hull. Besides visual choice, freeboard does not matter at all (short of stat tweaking which is not at all related to the claimed freeboard difference) and i have not noticed any significant difference for existing hulls which do have some form of difference in freeboard. If freeboard affects damage calculations (e.g. impact angles due to larger belt area) then we must be given the ability to tweak freeboard values (even if its just between low, normal and high) with the respective impacts to flooding survivability and stability.
2. Linked to the first point but it demonstrates clearly why the armour system needs a rework. Weight rebalanced against what? what historic data is there to back the rebalance? is it yet again another arbitrary change to armour effectiveness against X calibres because they offer the best balance of firepower/weight/cost? can we have the rationales and what has been changed in the armour numbers?
3. Could we also explore 7" secondaries on armoured cruisers to allow accurate modelling of certain prewar designs where its all about slapping on the most variety of guns everywhere? (e.g. minotaur class, SMS Scharnhorst, etc.)

Here's hoping to more future patches to address the points the community has brought up.

1. Currently each hull shape has some initial unique characteristics which affect several design aspects. If a hull has high freeboard, it is wide etc., it is represented in game stats in various ways. We will make beam/draught configurable soon, to allow more flexibility on those design choices.
2. You can check in-game when we offer the patch and we talk then.
3. 7 inch turreted guns are available to make Warrior/Minotaur type cruisers of the 1900s. SMS Scharnhorst, which is a model on our list to add, had 5.9-inch casemate guns, but nevertheless, we will see how we can improve the system and allow more casemate flexibility.

[Shneemaster]

Does the new British Modern Battleship 2 have a transom stern?

[prreich]

Very excited about more flexibility in placements. Also looking forward to configurable beam and draughts in the future!

[Bluishdoor76]

quad secondaries yay!!!!!!!!!

[Bluishdoor76]

16 hours ago, Nick Thomadis said:

• Increased the flexibility for all mount types. For every hull, you will notice much larger freedom in placing the various ship parts. Moreover, you can override the mount snap points by pressing the CTRL button so you can add the part (Towers, Funnels, Barbettes etc.) in a continuous area between the allowed space.

 

 

Finally, thank you this is such a welcomed change, long awaited change

Edited February 24, 2021 by Bluishdoor76

[Cptbarney]

4 hours ago, Nick Thomadis said:

Yes, the difficulty options were not really working. We remove and later we can revisit such a feature, properly done.

In later patches we want to offer more hulls of the early era. We cannot promise yet though.

Those cruisers use as assets new parts and existing parts in various combinations. Mainly, the new King George parts and new gun models are used.

Certainly we want to cover the cruiser range with more towers and models, later.

Excellent, if ya have to go through more of the modern ships thats fine. Also seeing the difficulty getting revised is good as well, I think having configurable draft and beam would make the designer much better and allow us to further make more unique ships as well historically accurate or just plain bonkers lol.

Also noice to hear casemate flexibility, will allow us to create ships like omaha in the future as well.

Very excited for this patch nevermind core patch 1, but please do take your time don't think you need to rush any of this.

and i finally get to make miss monarch too!

'w'/

[1MajorKoenig]

6 hours ago, Nick Thomadis said:

We will make beam/draught configurable soon, to allow more flexibility on those design choices.

DO I READ THIS CORRECT??? 🥳
 

Woooohoooo!!!

Edited February 24, 2021 by 1MajorKoenig

[Cptbarney]

27 minutes ago, 1MajorKoenig said:

DO I READ THIS CORRECT??? 🥳
 

Woooohoooo!!!

Very sexy, lots of fat changes to the designer and all of them gud. Now if we can get some modular parts going for even added creativity that would be very nice.

Also i think i saw a german ship get mentioned too.

[1MajorKoenig]

7 hours ago, Nick Thomadis said:

SMS Scharnhorst, which is a model on our list to add

Amazing!! 
 

And sorry to be nosy - but is SMS Derfflinger also on this list...? 😇

[Marshall99]

I am very excited about this update, and I can't wait for it! Also thank you for the plus information about the early hulls. I think, I can say that lots of us are love those older ships. 

Keep up the good work!

Edited February 24, 2021 by Marshall99

[Cpt.Hissy]

This certainly restores faith in this project

[HusariuS]

On 2/23/2021 at 1:55 PM, Nick Thomadis said:

 

• Increased the flexibility for all mount types. For every hull, you will notice much larger freedom in placing the various ship parts. Moreover, you can override the mount snap points by pressing the CTRL button so you can add the part (Towers, Funnels, Barbettes etc.) in a continuous area between the allowed space.

Just this single thing is making me very happy

[coalminer]

12 hours ago, Nick Thomadis said:

1. Currently each hull shape has some initial unique characteristics which affect several design aspects. If a hull has high freeboard, it is wide etc., it is represented in game stats in various ways. We will make beam/draught configurable soon, to allow more flexibility on those design choices.
2. You can check in-game when we offer the patch and we talk then.
3. 7 inch turreted guns are available to make Warrior/Minotaur type cruisers of the 1900s. SMS Scharnhorst, which is a model on our list to add, had 5.9-inch casemate guns, but nevertheless, we will see how we can improve the system and allow more casemate flexibility.

Good to see things gradually being clarified and worked on lets hope this pace keeps up.

on point 1, hope the changes goes beyond visual and minor stat boosts but goes further in affecting other issues like deck flooding and reserve buoyancy. While L/B/T ratios for speed calculations may be difficult to calculate and model in for that many vessels, any bit of added flexibility in vessel design is a bonus.

on point 3, must have missed out 7"s being available as secondaries as its been awhile since I've played with armoured cruisers. Agreed that casemate flexibility ought to be further improved.

21 hours ago, 1MajorKoenig said:

Where did you find freeboard?

Grabbed it off the patch notes which says the 2 hulls with low and high freeboard being offered.

[Cptbarney]

1 hour ago, coalminer said:

Good to see things gradually being clarified and worked on lets hope this pace keeps up.

on point 1, hope the changes goes beyond visual and minor stat boosts but goes further in affecting other issues like deck flooding and reserve buoyancy. While L/B/T ratios for speed calculations may be difficult to calculate and model in for that many vessels, any bit of added flexibility in vessel design is a bonus.

on point 3, must have missed out 7"s being available as secondaries as its been awhile since I've played with armoured cruisers. Agreed that casemate flexibility ought to be further improved.

Grabbed it off the patch notes which says the 2 hulls with low and high freeboard being offered.

If sms scharnhorst is coming she will have the ability to have 8inchers i believe or should get her full 8.3inch guns (210mm's). So i think we need 8 inch secs for the older ships as some did have them i casemates or as turrets i believe (unless they already then i guess we can ignore this safely). 

[Bigjku]

18 hours ago, madham82 said:

Understandable. If it had worked before, and they removed it then I would worry. Since it wasn't, I'm assuming the idea was to stop the continuous questions new players have posted about it not affecting the mission. 

@Nick Thomadis can you confirm?

I don’t see how a difficulty setting at the battle level would work in a traditional sense.

You could dumb down the AI but that isn’t generally all that easy or doable.  You can grant the AI extra knowledge but I am not sure that helps much given how combat is currently done in this game.

The usually route for war games of making AI units less likely to rout or friendly units more skittish doesn’t really work in naval combat.

I think it has a big role in the campaign.  Giving the AI more ships and better technology.

 

[Skeksis]

6 hours ago, Bigjku said:

I don’t see how a difficulty setting at the battle level would work in a traditional sense.

As far as Academy Missions goes for easy mode for the AI: reduced funds, reduced or restricted armament, reduced armor, reduced ships with fleet engagements and lesser win conditions. For the player: increased funds, increased armament options, increased armor options, increased allies with fleets etc.     

But of cause they said they couldn’t get that to work but if they could, in a “traditional sense” it would be basically a weaker foe.

Edited February 24, 2021 by Skeksis

[SiWi]

nice! Interesting that the Spanish were quite in focus this time. Perhaps confidence because they work one minor nation after the other? Or something else...

 

I'm wondering something:

the plans talk about the campaign but what about a "proper" skirmish mode?

Where one can set money limits and design all ships himself and saved designs?

Edited February 24, 2021 by SiWi

[Cdodders]

I hope it releases soon, itching to get my hands on the British battleships!

 

Although no 'Super' battleships yet, a Super BC with a displacement of up to 82,500t

I think all other nations can go above 100,000t with their ships

 

Edited February 24, 2021 by Cdodders

[HistoricalAccuracyMan]

I'm glad to hear that more older era models will be coming eventually! Definitely can't wait to see those!

However, I'm curious @Nick Thomadis when will the next round of cruiser hulls/superstructures be released (such as the USS Brooklyn, USS Atlanta, IJN Takao/Myoko and other cruisers that sported unique layouts)? Or are those kinds of ships/superstructures not going to be seen for a while/if ever? Apologies for the extra ping

[lordcmdr]

This is headed in the right direction.  Glad to see this! I would just request that maybe we get weekly or bi-weekly dev updates to keep us in the loop a little more frequently?

Thank you