Quick Update on Game Development

[Sgt_Rock]

Just installed the "Pre-Release Review Build" yesterday. The team and I are looking over the game for the next few days. I already have made a few minor changes to a couple of maps. Nothing major - just the routing of the roads.

Others are checking the images for the leaders and units, the tutorial text, etc. Just a lot to look over in these games.

If I feel we need more time I will extend the review to next week.

Here are the main things that I like to catch:

1. Obvious text errors.

2. Missing supply wagons or no artillery ammo.

3. No release time for fixed formations.

4. Missing leaders for brigades or upper echelon.

5. Missing stream, road and other terrain sections where its obvious they should exist.

6. Incorrect number of turns (default is 1 turn ... I cant ever remember putting out a scenario with just 1 turn and I never hope it happens either).

7. We use SSRs in this game - Special Scenario Rules - the reference in the Scenario Description to any text file must use the correct file name.

8. Reinforcements: Artillery enters reinforcement unlimbered. Infantry is in Line .... Saw this happen in another game series. Called it out. Someone tried to tell me that the designer may have wanted it like that. Er, I dont think so ;) The nearest enemy unit was a long way off. Its not like there was an artillery target sitting near the board edge.

Etc ....

There is a lot to check. I think I could spend six months reviewing a game and never catch it all but this time I will say that I have done my best to ensure that the obvious mistakes have been taken care of.

I will be ensuring that the Scenario file names and titles match the text in the Scenario list. There are a lot of scenarios in this game. Its a laborious task but its worth the time and effort to do it. I already noted that one scenario was listing the battle as "Variant" when in fact the file name indicated that it was "Historical." The Scenario lists have already gone out to the club admin people in three online gaming clubs. As far as I am concerned the files need to match the list at this point and not the other way around.