Swap sides to check results

[Joe98]

Typically in a wargame, I need to check how features work.

I will set up a situation and play and bit then save game.

Close the game and then open that save game file - this time from the other side.

This would be a nice feature to have in this game.

 

[Dave 'Arjuna' O'Connor]

Well Joe from a developers perspective I agree and in fact we have that capability within our debug version. But from the average player's perspective that would be like giving them the key to the prize. Too many would be tempted to "cheat" and see what the opponent was up to. And even if they don't there will be that possibility for their opponent within a multiplayer game. So our policy is to not make that feature available in the release version of the game.

 

[Joe98]

If you are playing online against an opponent you cannot swap sides!

If that game is saved and the opponents continue later, surely there is a password so you cannot open the other side!

 

[Dave 'Arjuna' O'Connor]

There is and yes you can play multiplayer on one machine and log in as both allies and axis and thereby view both sides. SO in a way you can do what you want to do, albeit with the inconvenience of doing it through the network play. But this way if you are playing another human they can retain their "privacy" by not giving you their password.

 

[Joe98]

To clarify, two human opponents can play against each other on one computer?

The game does not have turns so how is that achieved?

 

[Dave 'Arjuna' O'Connor]

You have to run two Cmd Ops apps on the one machine. You will have to flip between the two apps to issue orders and assess the situation. I didn't say it would be ideal. But you can do it.

 

[Erik Springelkamp]

Just tried this, and it works smoothly. But I had to make a copy of the installation first, otherwise starting the exe would default to the running one.

Still I think it would be fun to see the orders of the AI. And would it really be hurting play? It would only work for single player.

 

[john connor]

Dave is certainly correct, of course, that you can access your multiplayer opponent's side by running the save on two machines, or in two instances. You need their password though, no?

I think it really should be up to the player to decided whether to cheat or not. We're all (sadly) big grown ups now. I second Erik's request as ESPECIALLY WHEN TESTING BETA FEATURES, as many of us do and have done by putting together small scenarios, and as is of assistance to the product, it is extremely annoying that you never know the truth about the opponent's position - ie how many tanks etc did you knock out? Even the surrender picture is still subject to FOW. I also think that you should be able to switch sides and this would present very enjoyable and interestingly enhancing capabilities - let the AI pick up from where you left off etc. It would let you test various defensive options etc...

Either way, I think if the worry is that MP will be vulnerable to cheating then another solution could surely be found to that? And, as I said, don't you need your opponent's password to access the save as the opponent?

 

[Erik Springelkamp]

Dave is certainly correct, of course, that you can access your multiplayer opponent's side by running the save on two machines, or in two instances. You need their password though, no?

Yes, I needed to give two passwords, one for each side. So this doesn't allow cheating. And there is no (non-player) AI in this case.

Implementing a view of the AI side of a single-player AI would not really be much more different than now capitulate and look at the end situation. It would just be more interesting: one might continue the game from the other side for instance.

 

[Dave 'Arjuna' O'Connor]

At this stage I will rule out the option to continue playing as the other side. Maybe down the track this might be do-able.

 

[Joe98]

The solution to my issue at the top has been provided.

For testing purposes - save the game - surrender - look at the AI's troops.

Then I can determine the results of what ever game feature I was investigating.