PTO2 improvements study;
Mentat 2007
* Graphic improvements:
-Overall graphics must be improved, work should be started on releasing 256 bit color limit and 640x480 resolution.
-Ship icons, Aircraft illustrations, Battle screen animations, are the first in line for improvements.
-By the resolution limit lifted, 3x3 grids could be increased up to 5x5
-Battles are not necessarily to be modeled realistically but they must offer more eye candy.
-Animations for the newly invented technologies should be displayed before monthly conferences.
* Interface improvements:
-"Menu opens another menu" system should be purged. more comfortable icon interface should be implemented.
-Ships that are damaged in game should be shown with red in info screen.
-After battle report should always be shown (at least there should be an option for it) by means of losses and damages.
-Battle screen should be kept for its simplicity but should be improved by means of providing more information for the player.
-In Organizing aircraft screen, aircraft experience points should also be shown.
-"Materials" consept should be renamed by "Supplies".
-Info screen for Ships and aircraft should contain "Equipments" that are applied such as radar, rockets etc.
-Mouse wheel should be usable in game, for zoom in & out, and panning abilities.
-Patrol efficiency and range for the bases should be displayed on map.
-Base geographical difficulty (rough terrain etc) should be displayed on map.
-Marines attack & defence efficiencies for the current technology and geography should be displayed on the map.
-Aircraft attack & defence efficiency for the current technology and weather conditions, should be displayed before commencing/during an attack.
-Days to repair/build for a base structure (docks, airfileds) should be displayed (as a countdown)in map.
* Gameplay improvements:
-AI should be improved. It should have given the ability to perform well planned attacks.
-the game must be either real time or Mobility points should be overhauled. It can bear a blend of both actually. (Realtime but Turns counting.)
-Mobility points for Formation should be set to 1pts.
-"Debark" command for marines from a fleet should be set to 1 pts.
-Aircraft assignments from bases to carriers should be allowed due the range of aircraft to be assigned.
-"Drill" should be renamed into "train" and there should be an "auto-train" feature that will relieve the player to hit drill numerous times each turn.
-There must be an "auto-assign" function for the regiments that are damaged to be reinforceed automatically every turn.
-Marines ordered to move to a location must be shown of their routes on map and they should turn red if their move is interrupted.
-Materials transfered from "Base Ops" screen should not send the materials instantly. Shipment times should be considered now.
-Besides Naval & Aerial Abilities for generals, "Combat" ability for ground fights should be added.
-Total Sunk ships and downed aircraft should be displayed on a statistical chart along with the submarine efficiency (Transports sunk)
* Structure:
-A new tech tree must be prepared with extended options and players can see which investment will bring what.
-More information must be presented by the new techs. what they do, what they improve.
-Material (or supplies) should be spent more for game balance. Ships, bases should request more of materials.
-Overpowered submarines should be down-powered. And their transport hunting should be up-powered.
-Ship design should be overhauled, interface should contain "Production time", "Cost" as well. And features must be balanced like 2 units of armor should not be equal to 2 units of materials space.
-Aircraft and transports should take time to be produced, they are available instantly now despite the game says 7 days of production?
-The routes of Fleets and submarines should be shown on map, by a faint blue? line. it is often hard to spot which one is going where.
-Game advances too slow by the structure it is now, for it will still be turn based game, at least "Move phase" and "Act phase" should be merged for a faser game. (60 turns for a month will be 30 turns for a month)
-Bases should have basic AA protection even if there are no troops present in the area.
-Foreign relations should play more role in game.
