DCG impressions, comments and advices...

**rtser** · 05-08-2009

First of all, hi everyone. Not sure where this topic should be posted so admins, please move if needed.

I have been using dcg for a bit.The mod is sick and I appreciate the work put in. I found quite a few bugs, glitches and things that should work better but 90% of those could only be fixed by the game devs, unlikely to be circumvented by the mod devs:

Glitches:
Tanks flipping over. It happens ~1 in 7 missions. On the AI side, probably every other mission at least one vehicle will flip over. Also sometimes my tanks will be spawned in spots they are useless from, for example on a hill they can't climb.

Tanks trying to shoot down planes. Unless in direct control, the tanks will be distracted and waste ammo trying to shoot down planes with the main cannon. Not only does it waste precious time on turning the turret and adjusting aim, they switch to HE rounds in order to shoot them. Switching back to AP rounds in order to deal with enemy armor makes things more tense so as a side effect it enhances the atmosphere while playing. Still pisses me off though. Using the mounted machine gun to shoot at them would be more realistic. Again an issue for the game devs, not the mod devs.

Tank crew difficult to control once out of the tank. If they had to bail the tank, OMG. Whatever order I issue them, they will carry it out but as soon as they finish it they keep going to some random spot or even worse they run at the enemy with their pistols. For example, if I tell a crew member to go behind the house, he will do that, but as soon as he gets there, he moves again to a spot of his liking or he commits suicide by enemy.

Comments:
The mission prep screen is tricky. It's easy to forget to refuel or get ammo. Is it possible to implement a dialog box like " you haven't refueled/ added crew! Proceed?" just to prompt the user?

The mod devs did very good in attempting to compensate for the AI stupidity in non scripted missions.
This leads to mission impossible situations (very good) bt eventually also to futile efforts because you can't win when you are outnumbered 7 to1.

I'm in a middle of a operation I know I cannot complete. The next mission will likely bring a higher number of enemy tanks and that will be the end.

Keep the points system. It's perfect. However, the user should be given more than 3 units, regardless that you don't have enough points to buy useful. I justify this as units you want to purchase you can't as most of the time they are not available. We need a bit more room for versability.

Advices:

To minimize damage done by the planes, as soon as a mission starts move them! Forget about the objective for a second, move them right away. Usually, you have little time before the enemy comes.

The furthest I was able to get was with German armor.
Pick a 8 in a row operation first. Work towards having 3 tanks, one of them should be a Panther. Forget about the Tiger or the King Tiger. Panther is the best tank. Good luck to you if you need to maneuver the King as soon as the mission starts.

The Panther has a supreme range. I mean God like. And it has speed.
Aim to get one Panther and two "regular" tanks. The Panther is your main tank
On missions where you are heavily outnumbered yet the enemy is passive til you make a move, do this. Look where the enemy is concentrated. On their path to you, check for houses or anything that will provide cover so your regular tanks can shoot on tanks that will attack your. Position your regular tanks there, they will shoot them as they pass by on their way to your Panther.
Now move the Panther into range. Switch into direct control and at the top of the range, start firing.
You should be able to take out plenty of them before they even get in their range, especially on a big map.

Once they get to you, you will have created a kill zone for the remaining "lucky few' that get close.

Here are a couple of pics where I nailed them badly:

[img=http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/4706/carnage3.th.jpg]

**Zeke Wolff** · 06-08-2009

Thanks for your comments, advices and praises!

Some of the stuff you "complain" about is stuff that has been fixed in later versions that we´re still betatesting.

Tanks, and larger anti-aircraft guns like the Flak88, Vickers etc, do not shoot at planes any longer. Only infantry and small calibre anti-aircraft (oerlikon, flak20, flak37, zsu37, m19 40mm etc) guns will do this.

If you are caught in a mission that you feel that you wont be able to take care of, simply count it as a lost and retreat (ie. just save the mission as Result. You´ll lose some points etc) and in the next mission after, the enemy resistance is a lot less (true to 95%, it can still be quite difficult, but usually it isnt).

Refueling, rearming etc is something you need to remember to do yourself. :P

You´ll gain one extra unit for each successful operation you complete, ie the capture of the enemy base map. After the first operation won, you will have the right to command 4 units, after the second, 5 units etc up till 7 units. You can always exceed this number by stealing abandoned enemy units. We´re discussing improvements to this part of the mod, but so far, nothing has been decided to 100%.

~Zeke.

**rtser** · 06-08-2009

You mention that you are discussing improvements, is this discussion happening in a forum and if so, where?

I understand what you are saying about the unit number. But I think the point system is the crucial thing that makes the player focus on taking care of units though. Maybe I should just shut up and edit settings.xml

There should also be a little more variety in units we encounter. As I mentioned, I play the German side now. I think as soon as you have enough points to buy a King Tiger for example, you should be starting to see it's opposing counter strike. But again I'm in the Best way territory with these suggestions.

This mod offers the equivalent of a career mode to the single player MOW, something you normally find in football (soccer) management games, it's never ending.