Panzer Corps 10th Anniversary (11-07-2021) improvement ideas

[guille1434]

Thanks to all the members who gave feedback (and greetings) over my ideas previously posted here!

Japoivvb: Yes, I have read your idea about a purchasable DLC, and I also think that this is the only possible way to achieve the creation of "our" patch. Your suggestions about patreon or crowdfunding are very interesting, and as you said, we should try to communicate in a direct way to the dev team to learn about how much funding is needed.

PeteMitchel: It is impossible for me to make a cost estimation, but if we pay a full game price for a modification patch over an already well developed game, the money math should be ok... Of course, providing that enough of us PzCorps players are willing to pay for that said patch.

[PeteMitchell]

Does anyone have a direct contact to Iain McNeil and Rudankort?

[McGuba]

@McGuba, all your points have been added to board, thanks for explaining them as well, you can find the details in description field of each card
e.g.

Awesome!

However, there is one more thing that hit my head: the steam workshop which would make it much easier for steam users to install and play custom mods made for PzC. With other games it can be done with like two clicks whereas now they have to use GME or create and copy folders and these are beyond the skills of many PC users. Steam workshop is in great demand for some time and Ian did make a somewhat vage promise that it may happen in the future and they just did not have the time for that in that very moment - but he wrote that in 2014...
https://steamcommunity.com/app/268400/d ... 860552345/


Well, I think now is the perfect time to make it happen given that PzC2 is out, PzC1 DLC development is closed long time ago but PzC Gold is still out for sale and having easy access to dozens of great mods for free may attract some additional would-be players thereby increasing sales of this oldie title. So I can smell a missed business opportunity here for Slitherine but I might be wrong... I am just a silly modder

[goose_2]

I am telling you...I would be up to $50 for a PC game that includes everything. Including easy access to mods. I have wanted to play mods but struggle with creation and implementation on my computer and my limited understanding of doing that stuff.

For the convenience and availability of everything on one number I would so put my money where my mouth is at. I love this game, and have played very little else over the past 6 years since I have acquired it.

[Japoivvb]

Steam workshop added to board

I did not try some mods just to avoid GME or other tricky action, it is a headache for many players, as sample the high number of posts with problems in installation PAK mode.

[PeteMitchell]

Quick survey:
https://eSurv.org?u=DreamPatchSurvey

Results page:
https://eSurv.org/results-overview.php? ... 784&mode=4

[goose_2]

retracted

[guille1434]

I just voted in the survey! Thanks Pete for setting this up!

[TSPC37730]

I would support $ this effort.

[Japoivvb]

voted and copied survey links to first post

[PeteMitchell]

Does anyone have a direct contact to Iain McNeil and Rudankort?

... or VPaulus?

[dalfrede]

Does anyone have a direct contact to Iain McNeil and Rudankort?

Rudankort reads every post in the PzC2 Forum.
But he is working overtime to finish PzC2, and isn't answering posts even there.
Except for actual bugs fixes.
Until AO1939 and modding documentation are released for PzC2 he is not going to have any free time to do anything else.
So even if he is interested in helping here, until late Sept. don't expect much from him.

Note: While PzC2 is fully functional, all the features promised to the faithful are not yet implemented in the latest release.

[Latro]

I have a wish.
The ability to spawn units via script, without having to put the unit on the map and then fill in all the seperate boxes.
Maybe even that you could put it on repeat, so you could have an easy endless stream of certain enemy units coming from certain hexes or areas.

[dalfrede]

I have a wish.
The ability to spawn units via script, without having to put the unit on the map and then fill in all the seperate boxes.
Maybe even that you could put it on repeat, so you could have an easy endless stream of certain enemy units coming from certain hexes or areas.

PzC2 has that feature.

[AKRebel]

Hello everybody,

then I also want to comment on this topic. The point of simply adding mods or entry points for new campaigns, I made as a request to Rudankort about a week ago. I also think that he and the development team have a lot to do at the moment because I haven't got an answer yet. This for you for information only.

And YES, too, I would spend at least 50 euros on extensions for more substantial improvements.

Greetings AKRebel

[guille1434]

Hello Dalfrede:

Thanks for telling us that we can expect this proposal will eventually find Rudankort attention. Of course, I, for my part do not expect that this work will be started before the one relating PzC2 is finished (or at least its most important aspects). Of course, bearing in mind that PzCorps 1 was released nearly ten years ago, I will not care for waiting two, three, four or more months...

On the other hand, here I post some of the ideas (mainly related to new/improved traits) I have that would be nice additions to the game:

Ideas for the "Ultimate Patch" for Panzer Corps 1 (v0.01):
------------------------------------------------------------------

First of all, I will explain what are my ideas (and also other ones I borrowed from others users, who were posting some of them here and there). Those ideas were taken from other similar games, for example Pacific General, Star General, Order of Battle, even PzCorps 2... and are expresssed here in no particular order.

The modifications I would like to see included in a patch are mainly related to changes/improvements in:

- Expansion of the traits system (much more and useful/exciting traits).
- Extpansion of the parameters present in the equipment file.
- Some additions to the User Interface.
- Improvements to the game rules/mechanics.
- New map features.


Of course, all these features should be made optional, I think in the UI there should be a check box allowing the player to opt between using the current rules or the "Ultimate" rules/options.

I hope that I will be able to explain my ideas in a clear and understandable way, if not, feel free to ask for explanations, make suggestions, etc... Also new ideas are welcome and open for discussion.


Traits
------

Ace: Same as "Commander" (see below) trait, but just for air units.

AiRadar-N: For air units, this trait allow aircraft to intercept other air units in night turns. Also, it gives the air unit a minimum spotting range of "N" hexes in night or adverse weather turns (more on night turns later!).

AirDefence: Units belonging to other classes different from Air Defense will provide AA support fire to friendly adjacent units (AA escort ships for example).

ArtyFire: For non-artillery class units, but capable of making ranged ground to ground fire (for example a heavy At gun making indirect fire) will consume two units of ammo instead of just one.

Awacs-N: Air units with this trait will obtain an air-spotting range (just for detecting other air units) equivalent to "N" hexes.

CarrierBorne: Air units with this trait will be able to land on carrier type ships, besides than on land airfields, of course.

Carrier-N: Units with this trait would be allowed while in game to open a special "open deck/hangar" menu with some special functions (like it was possible in Pacific General game). The "N" number would define the maximum number of air units that this carrier be available to park o its deck/hangar.

Catapult: Ship units with this trait can launch and recover air units which has this same trait.

CatapultLaunch: Same as "Catapult" trait, but will make the ship only able to lauch (but not recover) "catapult equipped" (that is air units with the catapult trait) air units.

Commander: the unit with this trait will "lend" the bonus stats of its hero to all land units within its spotting range. If the unit with this trait has no hero, this trait will have no effect. Its functionality would be similar in concept to the "Radar" trait who gives just an initiative bonus to units within its spotting range.

Evasion: The unit can evade an attack (just like submarines do at present). Useful for example in case or unarmed recon aircraft which fly high and fast, they should have a chance to evade the interceptor, or a stealthy sniper type land unit could have a cahnce to evade other land units seeking to attack them.

Fearless: The unit will not retreat, no matter the supression it receives.

FireSupport: the unit will provide fire support to adjacent friendly units, just like any artillery class unit. Just like "reconmove", if this trait is
present in an artillery class unit, said unit will not provide fire support. (Useful, for example in case of AT units adjacent to other units can provide support fire against an enemy tank unit to the assaulted unit).

FireThenMove: The unit can only move after firing, or just move without firing.

Marines: The unit will be able to disembark onto a shore hex and attack in the same turn.

Meng: This already existent trait can be enhanced by adding a new ability: the unit with this trait can turn any suitable terrain hex into a fortificaction (trenches) hex for that same unit or any other unit who is placed on that hex later can obtain extra entrenchment. Of course, the fortifified hex will remain a permanent feature on the map after it was built. Also, "Meng" units will be able to repair special units/hexes on the map that had been destroyed (see "Improvements to the game rules/mechanics" section). Any of those actions will prevent the engineer unit to execute any other action (fire, move...) in that same turn.

Minelayer: The unit is able to deploy (a limited quantity) of mine units to adjacent hexes. It will be able to make this action once per turn and if the unit deploys a minefield, it will not move or fire in the same turn, and each minefield deployed will decrease the minelaying unit ammo. Those ammo consumption should be counted against the "special" ammo value (more on "special/second ammo type" mechanics later). This trait could also be used by sea units to deploy minefield on suitable sea hexes.

NightVision: In a night turn, every unit will have its spotting range decreased to 1, except units with this trait that will have a night spotting range equal to 2.

Overrun: Units with this trait will be able to move, attack an enemy unit, and if the attacked unit is suppressed and then retreats, the attacking unit would still be allowed to move after firing without regard to the attacked unit zone of control, if it has remainig movement points (In other words: it will make a move-fire-move action in the same turn).

PsyOps: All the damage made by this unit attack will turn into suppression to the attacked unit and will not receive return fire from the enemy attacked unit nor from supporting artillery. Also this unit would be able to make ranged attacks.

Raiders: The unit will be able to make a attack on an enemy unit with a fair chance to take it by surprise and preventing the defending unit to fire back
Spotter: Enemy units present within spotting range of a unit with this trait, will receive extra damage from friendly artillery attacks.

StratoFlyer: Air units with this trait could be only attacked by other air and AA units which had the same trait.


Improvements to the game rules/mechanics
----------------------------------------------------

New movement value: -1. This value would prevent the unit "voluntary" movement but will not prevent said unit to retreat if receiving enough suppression.

Aircraft can make ranged attacks on ground targets (air to ground fire with range = 1 hex or more).

Possibility to add "inert" special hexes/units on maps (like bridges, or rail and/or road junctions) which can be destroyed/rebuilt by suitable units and be used by units of any nation present on the map.

Prevent that the traits present on units are "inherited" to its organic transport units. For example, if a unit has the "camo" trait, when this unit is mounted to its organic trasport unit,the truck should not have the "camo" trait (unless this transport units also has the same trait). (McGuba posted this earlier).

Air transport units should have limited fuel (Also posted by McGuba).

[AKRebel]

Hello Dalfrede:

Thanks for telling us that we can expect this proposal will eventually find Rudankort attention. Of course, I, for my part do not expect that this work will be started before the one relating PzC2 is finished (or at least its most important aspects). Of course, bearing in mind that PzCorps 1 was released nearly ten years ago, I will not care for waiting two, three, four or more months...

On the other hand, here I post some of the ideas (mainly related to new/improved traits) I have that would be nice additions to the game:

Ideas for the "Ultimate Patch" for Panzer Corps 1 (v0.01):
------------------------------------------------------------------

First of all, I will explain what are my ideas (and also other ones I borrowed from others users, who were posting some of them here and there). Those ideas were taken from other similar games, for example Pacific General, Star General, Order of Battle, even PzCorps 2... and are expresssed here in no particular order.

The modifications I would like to see included in a patch are mainly related to changes/improvements in:

- Expansion of the traits system (much more and useful/exciting traits).
- Extpansion of the parameters present in the equipment file.
- Some additions to the User Interface.
- Improvements to the game rules/mechanics.
- New map features.


Of course, all these features should be made optional, I think in the UI there should be a check box allowing the player to opt between using the current rules or the "Ultimate" rules/options.

I hope that I will be able to explain my ideas in a clear and understandable way, if not, feel free to ask for explanations, make suggestions, etc... Also new ideas are welcome and open for discussion.


Traits
------

Ace: Same as "Commander" (see below) trait, but just for air units.

AiRadar-N: For air units, this trait allow aircraft to intercept other air units in night turns. Also, it gives the air unit a minimum spotting range of "N" hexes in night or adverse weather turns (more on night turns later!).

AirDefence: Units belonging to other classes different from Air Defense will provide AA support fire to friendly adjacent units (AA escort ships for example).

ArtyFire: For non-artillery class units, but capable of making ranged ground to ground fire (for example a heavy At gun making indirect fire) will consume two units of ammo instead of just one.

Awacs-N: Air units with this trait will obtain an air-spotting range (just for detecting other air units) equivalent to "N" hexes.

CarrierBorne: Air units with this trait will be able to land on carrier type ships, besides than on land airfields, of course.

Carrier-N: Units with this trait would be allowed while in game to open a special "open deck/hangar" menu with some special functions (like it was possible in Pacific General game). The "N" number would define the maximum number of air units that this carrier be available to park o its deck/hangar.

Catapult: Ship units with this trait can launch and recover air units which has this same trait.

CatapultLaunch: Same as "Catapult" trait, but will make the ship only able to lauch (but not recover) "catapult equipped" (that is air units with the catapult trait) air units.

Commander: the unit with this trait will "lend" the bonus stats of its hero to all land units within its spotting range. If the unit with this trait has no hero, this trait will have no effect. Its functionality would be similar in concept to the "Radar" trait who gives just an initiative bonus to units within its spotting range.

Evasion: The unit can evade an attack (just like submarines do at present). Useful for example in case or unarmed recon aircraft which fly high and fast, they should have a chance to evade the interceptor, or a stealthy sniper type land unit could have a cahnce to evade other land units seeking to attack them.

Fearless: The unit will not retreat, no matter the supression it receives.

FireSupport: the unit will provide fire support to adjacent friendly units, just like any artillery class unit. Just like "reconmove", if this trait is
present in an artillery class unit, said unit will not provide fire support. (Useful, for example in case of AT units adjacent to other units can provide support fire against an enemy tank unit to the assaulted unit).

FireThenMove: The unit can only move after firing, or just move without firing.

Marines: The unit will be able to disembark onto a shore hex and attack in the same turn.

Meng: This already existent trait can be enhanced by adding a new ability: the unit with this trait can turn any suitable terrain hex into a fortificaction (trenches) hex for that same unit or any other unit who is placed on that hex later can obtain extra entrenchment. Of course, the fortifified hex will remain a permanent feature on the map after it was built. Also, "Meng" units will be able to repair special units/hexes on the map that had been destroyed (see "Improvements to the game rules/mechanics" section). Any of those actions will prevent the engineer unit to execute any other action (fire, move...) in that same turn.

Minelayer: The unit is able to deploy (a limited quantity) of mine units to adjacent hexes. It will be able to make this action once per turn and if the unit deploys a minefield, it will not move or fire in the same turn, and each minefield deployed will decrease the minelaying unit ammo. Those ammo consumption should be counted against the "special" ammo value (more on "special/second ammo type" mechanics later). This trait could also be used by sea units to deploy minefield on suitable sea hexes.

NightVision: In a night turn, every unit will have its spotting range decreased to 1, except units with this trait that will have a night spotting range equal to 2.

Overrun: Units with this trait will be able to move, attack an enemy unit, and if the attacked unit is suppressed and then retreats, the attacking unit would still be allowed to move after firing without regard to the attacked unit zone of control, if it has remainig movement points (In other words: it will make a move-fire-move action in the same turn).

PsyOps: All the damage made by this unit attack will turn into suppression to the attacked unit and will not receive return fire from the enemy attacked unit nor from supporting artillery. Also this unit would be able to make ranged attacks.

Raiders: The unit will be able to make a attack on an enemy unit with a fair chance to take it by surprise and preventing the defending unit to fire back
Spotter: Enemy units present within spotting range of a unit with this trait, will receive extra damage from friendly artillery attacks.

StratoFlyer: Air units with this trait could be only attacked by other air and AA units which had the same trait.


Improvements to the game rules/mechanics
----------------------------------------------------

New movement value: -1. This value would prevent the unit "voluntary" movement but will not prevent said unit to retreat if receiving enough suppression.

Aircraft can make ranged attacks on ground targets (air to ground fire with range = 1 hex or more).

Possibility to add "inert" special hexes/units on maps (like bridges, or rail and/or road junctions) which can be destroyed/rebuilt by suitable units and be used by units of any nation present on the map.

Prevent that the traits present on units are "inherited" to its organic transport units. For example, if a unit has the "camo" trait, when this unit is mounted to its organic trasport unit,the truck should not have the "camo" trait (unless this transport units also has the same trait). (McGuba posted this earlier).

Air transport units should have limited fuel (Also posted by McGuba).

I agree on all points. Good ideas Guilla

[dalfrede]

To expand on my earlier comment:
The Developer [Flashback Games] has 3 - 5 employees: Rudankort, Uran21, Patrick Ward.
They hire outside people to do specific jobs, like 3D modeling.

The publisher [Slitherline] pays for development and is a completely different organization:
AlbertoC, IainMcNeil, VPaulus . . .

Kerensky and Nikivdd were contracted to design GC and USCorps respectively.
Whether they were contracted by Slitherline or Flashback I have no idea.

Publishers and Developers have different priories, getting both to agree to do much/anything may be difficult.

I suspect that most of the 'recent work' on PzC1 by Rudankort may have been personal interest or professional pride more than paid work .
Recent work => submarine fix.

[guille1434]

To expand on my earlier comment:
The Developer [Flashback Games] has 3 - 5 employees: Rudankort, Uran21, Patrick Ward.
They hire outside people to do specific jobs, like 3D modeling.

The publisher [Slitherline] pays for development and is a completely different organization:
AlbertoC, IainMcNeil, VPaulus . . .

Kerensky and Nikivdd were contracted to design GC and USCorps respectively.
Whether they were contracted by Slitherline or Flashback I have no idea.

Publishers and Developers have different priories, getting both to agree to do much/anything may be difficult.

I suspect that most of the 'recent work' on PzC1 by Rudankort may have been personal interest or professional pride more than paid work .
Recent work => submarine fix.

Yes, it´s evident that there are several parties involved in the development of PzCorps 1 game... Which, of course, makes things more difficult to see the light of day. But again, I think that catching the attention of Rudankort of any other of the developers (of course, when they are free from the work related to PzC 2) will define for all of us if this idea is a "go" or a "no go". I think they should answer sincerely to us and say: "No, pals, this is not going to happen" or (hopefully) "We can see what can be done". I think we deserve to know that, and I know they are a bunch of good people who listen to what they "fan base" has to say. I exchaged several PMs with Rudankort in times before the releasing of PzCorps 2 discussing some ideas for it, and he showed me to be a very respectful person and to have a serious will to hear the game player´s opinions.

So, I will not lose hope...

For those interested, I upload a new (expanded, updated) version (v0.02) of the "PzC Ultimate Patch" ideas in the following thread of this forum (in the scenario desing section):

viewtopic.php?f=147&t=36536&p=867305#p867305

Thanks and greetings to all!

[asuser]

Very nice idea!

Hopefully the dev's can answer some questions and give us a feedback if it is possible to make.