As This Game Nears Perfection ...

[richfed]

Through a series of comprehensive patches, the game has seen tremendous improvements/enhancements/fixes/ changes in the combat model, raiding system, blockades, formation of divisions, artificial intelligence, weather matrix, sound, use of fleets, etc., etc.

It has been amazing!

I think it might be time now to devote a bit of fixing in another area. That would be in the aesthetic aspects. Two things, actually.

--- Seems a spell check ought to be done on the text, as I notice quite a few misspellings or grammar errors in the text, most noticeably in some of the tooltips.

--- Some work should be done in the visual aspects of the game ... better contrast and/or labeling for buttons, strategic cities, etc. - more generals pictures - better representation of some of the Cherokee/Creek playing pieces - and mostly, an icon on Divisions to have them stand out if not in a stack.

Though these things might have little impact on game mechanics, they do go a long way toward a more professional look - and I would think that important when someone is debating whether or not to buy the game.

[pasternakski]

You want to remember that this game was designed and developed principally by Frenchmen (not that there's anything wrong with that) who do not speak English as their primary language and, therefore, have a somewhat limited command of properly idiomatic English (the spelling has been addressed ad hoc during the process of patching the game with assistance from players' suggestions posted on this forum).

A thorough editorial review of the English vewrsion of the game could be quite expensive, unless there is a competent volunteer out there somewhere...

As far as the game's visual presentation is concerned, it follows a "look" or "brand" that developed before and during the creation of BoA and persists in AACW. The presentation of units as a framed, upright portrait standing on a base that conveys information through a row of little lights at the bottom took me some time to get used to. Cities and towns looking like a picture frame lying flat on the floor with various objects sticking up in the air was an odd thing at first, as well.

I have tried to cope (things like the various city and town structures, those little grain bags and cannonball stacks, and the fact that the port area of a town is really separate from the rest still give me some trouble). At this point, though, I think AGEod would benefit more from concrete suggestions accompanied by illustrations than from a general call for graphic revision.

[richfed]

I have no problem with the overall look of the game[s]; in fact, I think the game has great character & flavor in its look and feel. Maybe it's 'cause I'm old - I have a little trouble with the contrast of the city labels with their background, stuff like that.

I did give two concrete suggestions - Sioux Indians that look like Cherokees and vice-versa; and the icon for a Division.

Seems running a spell check program could fix a lot of stuff ---

Anyway, no matter what, I LOVE THIS GAME!

[pasternakski]

I have no problem with the overall look of the game[s]; in fact, I think the game has great character & flavor in its look and feel. Maybe it's 'cause I'm old - I have a little trouble with the contrast of the city labels with their background, stuff like that.

Yeah, fellow geezer, and how tiny some of that stuff is...

I did give two concrete suggestions - Sioux Indians that look like Cherokees and vice-versa; and the icon for a Division.

Yep, and good ones, too. I have sometimes wondered, as well, if the indicator for army/corps/division shouldn't be something more dramatic than just a little diamond or circle on the unit "chesspiece" or a gray band in the unit display. Whaddya think?

Seems running a spell check program could fix a lot of stuff ---

Take it from somebody with 35 years in the English language biz. Spell checkers are a recipe for disaster, and they only address spelling (and that unintelligently). An editor - and I mean a highly-qualified human being - is called for in these circumstances.

Anyway, no matter what, I LOVE THIS GAME!

Yah, me, too grumble, mumble, gripe, groan, complain

[LarryP]

I posted a comment when this first came out about the city names not showing up well. I see some of the names covered up by the armies pictures too. The dark text for city names could be changed and that would help considerably.

I love the way the game looks though and with the patching problems I am having at another producers site, I am happy to play AACW for a while.