SP with better Graphics?

[antonm]

I wonder if it would be possible to take the SPWW2 gameplay codes and give them a new visualization. Thinking about state of the art graphics and nice zooming and scrolling. I sometimes find it hart to distinguish my infantry from forests or to define different levels of altitude without hovering over each hex or using the line of sight for giving hints. Other tactical wargames show better solutions for these problems, however none reaches the depth of spww2.

[Roman]

Hello Antomn. I can not answer whether they can improve the graphics, that will make developers. But I can tell you to identify forest troops start your id tags in the preferences. Over time you can get a rough idea of the heights of the land and if not when you hover your mouse over a hexagon tells you the height at the top of the screen.
Greetings

[antonm]

Yes right, this is how one can help himself a little bit. In the past I have been playing different versions of steel panther once in a while. I am just wondering, concering the superior game algorithm which the game contains, there was never an attempt to put the playablility (graphics, scrolling, zooming) onto the next level. - Is it due to some kind of code inherent impossibilies or because it was just not done?

[Roman]

Originally Posted by antonm

Yes right, this is how one can help himself a little bit. In the past I have been playing different versions of steel panther once in a while. I am just wondering, concering the superior game algorithm which the game contains, there was never an attempt to put the playablility (graphics, scrolling, zooming) onto the next level. - Is it due to some kind of code inherent impossibilies or because it was just not done?

I do not know. Perhaps as this game comes from a very old game has its limitations but do not really know. The graphics are not bad for me. Personally I think it gives a more serious. I've seen other games were changed to 3D graphics and lost character.
What I do know is that I wish I could change the zoom with the mouse wheel.

[Imp]

Dont understand what you mean its a 2D grapics game & looks fine to me. Scrolling works fine as does zooming & want fixed not variable zooming as you get a feel for distances after a while. With variable zoom you probably never would but set levels it does not take long for your brain to judge distances fairly well.

[antonm]

Yes right, zooming with the mouse wheel would be more conviended than searching with the cursor the sensitive areas (I play winspww2 in windows; otherwise the side rations will be seriously distored).
Receiving and sending PBEM files from out of the game would be fine as well.

Concerning the graphics. I agree that the graphics give some kind of old school feeling. Speaking from my point of view, I value better graphics higher than that feeling. Especially if the classic feelings comes with hard to distinguish units.
Other games, for instead the Close Combat series, have basically the same top-down view, but the graphics (and also in animations) are way better (of course, it is a new development game).

I can completely understand if players are fine with the classic feel of steel panthers. However I want to point out that there is also a market for a game using the steel panther algorithms and an updated surface and handling.

[Roman]

I think everything can be improved. We see that this game has surpassed his predecessors. I think it is good to take time for improvements to be discerning. Would have to see that developers think. With regard to what you say about the graphics, they can not see some units in woodlands, it is not as close to reality? It is a great way to see how the camouflage. In these cases active flags to differentiate my units.
Greetings

[gabeeg]

Originally Posted by antonm

Yes right, zooming with the mouse wheel would be more conviended than searching with the cursor the sensitive areas (I play winspww2 in windows; otherwise the side rations will be seriously distored).
Receiving and sending PBEM files from out of the game would be fine as well.

Concerning the graphics. I agree that the graphics give some kind of old school feeling. Speaking from my point of view, I value better graphics higher than that feeling. Especially if the classic feelings comes with hard to distinguish units.
Other games, for instead the Close Combat series, have basically the same top-down view, but the graphics (and also in animations) are way better (of course, it is a new development game).

I can completely understand if players are fine with the classic feel of steel panthers. However I want to point out that there is also a market for a game using the steel panther algorithms and an updated surface and handling.

I have to agree with what Antonm says. I think there is a large (for a niche market) segment of current, ex (and potential future players) of Steel Panthers (original, winsp and spwaw)waiting for a modern interface, updated 2d graphics and maps and support for wide screen, true color displays. It is a topic that keeps being posted every few months on every steel panthers forum I follow. It is my favorite game, as is...but I would love to see it updated.

[Imp]

I am going to guess/speculate here as my programing skill is minimal at best.

Adding adjusting zoom level by mouse wheel is doable the rest is in your dreams & dont fully understand or maybe I am old school

Scale is 50m a hex you are not going to get a lot of detail at that level & changing that or how it works pretty much means a new game.
Think about it lets add a new terrain type, brush would be nice lets do the easy bit.
Replace say one of the pavements with it as have 3 types & use is fairly rare, define its properties & do some graphics for the file simples. Now the fun starts map generator has to know how & when to use it for the hundreds of permetations of battles you can create, AI probably has to have an idea about it to etc.
Thats just one terrain type not changing the whole shebang.

On your comment about find it hard to distinguish stuff really??
Terrain - I would describe the graphics as crisp & clear as opposed to washy, this makes recognising terrain easy on the whole.
Possible exceptions being complicated rolling ground with features might need to mouse over & verify a slope & buildings if you really want to know if they are stone or wood. Some are obvious others arent & this pretty much shows the more variety the harder it is to recognise stuff.
Units - As they are based on what they look like dont really understand this I have little trouble distinguishing diffrent units with the exeption of some vehicles which are the same but mount diffrent armament. In some cases they have a slighly diffrent camo which helps distinguish but in others like armed halftracks I either have to zoom in to see the gun or take the quick option & mouse over. I play most of the game at mid zoom levels by the way & stuff is clear enough to me.
The game is modifiable by you if you want to say change the camo on a vehicle so it stands out you can if you are willing to spend the time which raises another point.
The game you mentioned or any modern game for that fact how many units does it include, the answer will be a fraction of those included in this game.
I think most people would love to see a modern update but this is a vast game cant ever see anybody doing something on this scale again. Where we perhaps differ is I am not really fussed about the graphics unless you really are talking old schooI I want the game system updated, better arty routines etc.

On the widscreen thing I play in it & it works fine there is a sticky on this forum with the patch.

[void1984]

I second Imp. The only thing that makes me think of graphics update is the size of fonts and encyclopaedia in high resolution mode.