Potential Disappointment

[BlackSoulReaper]

I've been reading the announcements and the posts on this board and im coming to realize that maybe there has been a severe lack of understanding. Many of the posts I read on the forums (even my own) are asking for significant updates to the game the to make it more playable and entertaining. However, when re-reading over the announcements that BG has to offer it seems like they are mostly trying to tailor the game to the great war area...Similar to tailoring the game to the modern era from WW2. Generally each came with some improvements but no fundamental things. The same suggestions im seeing on the forums were the same suggestions that have been waiting since WW2 was released. I will admit that some managed to make it through.

From Balthagor

Over Christmas I had some time to meet with the team and it didn't take us long to decide that we also wanted to get just a little more out of the current game engine. Design work has also already begun on something entirely new, but that's a bit of a ways out still, and we've got a bit of time for one more title in the Supreme Ruler franchise.

The Great War is the "little something" that is coming out of the current game engine. And from what I see in the next quote, it will definitely have a face lift and be more fast paced/contained...But the scope of the game is just that. Not much support beyond which I believe a lot of people enjoy (rather than just 4 years) this is confirmed here...

From Balthagor

The scope for this project will be slightly different. The focus of this title will really be around creating the sandbox map and base campaign to fit the era. The chosen development timeline will present unique challenges around building the region equipment inventories. Data is limited for the map we wish to create and certain things will simply need to be extrapolated or set such as to create a good game balance. Many of the game mechanics will also remain unchanged as we try and make best use of the existing system, although there will be some updates and new features.

So in conclusion... I definitely don't think there will be any significant updates aside from a face lift and a more "great war" experience. With that in mind I can tell that this particular game won't be for me. I'm more interested in the in the game that is to come after, as that appears to be the most promising and is apparently coming with changes to the engine itself. I believe this great war project is a way to create funding for the future project that that has yet to come. I know this because if you go look into the "suggestions" parts of the forum there aren't many requests for a Great War game, most people want significant changes/features/bug fixes to the game which may not be fixable/possible with the game engine. At times like this I wish BG would adopt a DLC policy. Supreme ruler is a good game but still needs more money/funds to get it to where it truly needs to go. If I decide to buy SRGW it won't be because I care for the timeline/game (because really I don't care about the great war all that much) it will be to support the company so they can move on and have money for the new engine that runs better, easier mode-able and can create new/better features that the players have been requesting for a long time.

I will say once more that I actually do enjoy the series but there are some glaring bugs/developmental issues that make the current engine unplayable (Game Speed Number 1). I haven't truly been able to enjoy this game despite having a pretty high end potato as well as I should have. SRGW may fix that problem only because the game is designed to be played for 4 years. There may be a 100 years worth of technology but the game engine really isn't fundamentally able to play up into those years unless you want to wait 15 minutes for a single day to pass.

I will not be disappointed in SRGW now that I have a better understanding on what it's about, and I hope others won't either.

[mikeownage]

I just wish they would fix the multiplayer de-sync issue as that has the biggest impact me and my friends.

[Kristijonas]

For me it is also a minor disappointment as the Great War Era is the least interesting to me. However I suppose it's better that SRGW is developed and consequently some updates will be transfered to SRU than no development at all. Also it's a slightly weird design because now there'll be a game called SR:Ultimate, but it won't be Ultimate anymore, because it won't have all the games...

[amynase]

I personally think the Great War is the most intresting time for Grand Strategy games, since fronts were so stagnant that new technologies and intresting strategies are necessary to achieve victory, and since it also had two very balanced Factions at war, so every country should be viable for playing. I am although somewhat worried that the fast paced warfare style of previous Supreme Ruler titles will make it into this one, which would ruin the Great War feeling for me. I want to struggle on multiple stagnant frontlines for 4+ years in this game, and hope it will simulate this well enough.
With all that said, I think its too early to judge how well the game will be able to represent the era overall. We have not seen any ingame material yet, but I think that the warfare system of supreme ruler has the potential to simulate stagnant trench warfare, without too major changes to the game. Very high defensive values for units should be able to simulate this appropriatly.
I do understand though, that the faster style of warfare feels more exciting in the short term, I just think slow warfare is more intresting long term, and that this engine and game can simulate that type of warfare.

[Kristijonas]

Agreed, hopefuly frontlines will be stimulated somehow. First step could be teaching the AI to use entrench function and to prioritize entrenching in fortified areas and cities

[S-Wes]

Well I have played SR since 2010, bought every release and expansion, sometimes more than once. I will not however be purchasing this one... The biggest game breaker for me is the engine. Adding in a few more years or units is useless since it is extremely hard to make it any length of time in the game before it becomes a lag fest. I check BG studio websites on a regular basis praying for a new SR game... and we finally got one. Only to realize it is on the same defunct engine. I know that's a big cost for you guys to redo but in this day and age when other games engines can provide the scale and detail of "Grand Strategy" it is a shame that the best geo political simulator (SR) can't even handle its own dream. I am done. Get a new engine or modify this one to support the tech that is ancient these days. Pretty sure my cellphone has the minimum specs to run this game ffs.

Sorry BG, I love your work, I love your game designs and scope. But the lack of tech behind the screen breaks it. Crowd fund for an engine and I would support you. You are milking this engine and its going to break the spirit of your player base. Bad business model.

[Zuikaku]

I agree that games are mostly unplayable after 10+ years due to horrific slowdown.
I think this can be solved within the current engine (teaching AI not to move thousands of units around and keep them active) but I guess this is a low priority for the devs.

[amynase]

I agree that games are mostly unplayable after 10+ years due to horrific slowdown.
I think this can be solved within the current engine (teaching AI not to move thousands of units around and keep them active) but I guess this is a low priority for the devs.

Well they said they are considering implementing the unit number limit so there is a chance