Totem games "Ironclads"--- DEMO is up

[Ilpalazzo]

The game's damage model, as explained by TR, is actually fairly robust it seems. I hope that we get more info on how this relates morale, etc - and what steps can be taken during a fight to insure we are most effective.

This is what irks me right now. It's easy for me to make assumptions because I just don't know how well this stuff all comes together in the final game. I'm hoping that, more than anything, the way you command your movements makes the biggest difference. That is to say, I would like to be able to learn what becomes the most effective way to handle a given situation or enemy. If I can be just as successful no matter what I do, then that's no good. Hope that makes sense. My thoughts on that are not all together right now.

On movement,
I've been wondering, why wouldn't I travel at my fastest speed at all times? Why would I want to slow down? The only reason I am seeing right now is that when I am slower, I can make tighter turns. However, I cannot travel as far. Leaving me open for attack. Sometimes these turns seem awfully tight, but that might just be me. Like if my speed is low enough, I can fire a broadside, spin on a dime, and then fire the other broadside at the same enemy. Is that believable? Anyway, is there anything else to it? Does going full speed effect accuracy? I don't really see why you wouldn't want to be going as fast as possible at all times just coming in, firing your shots, and getting out. Just wondering if there was anything else I'm unaware of regarding speed and movement.

As it is right now, it only seems like ships are moving around and firing on each other until one can't take anymore. If there is more at work (crew effectiveness/morale), then the game is hiding it very well. If there is more going on then I would like it if the game relayed that information to the player somehow.

I think this is one reason why we were not given the choice of "where" to target an enemy. Not to mention - given the premise of warfare at the time - calling your shots was an unknown really. You aimed for the target only. With differences in the quality of powder, shot weight, and even each gun itself, there would have been no "lets aim for ________ spot". The guns of the era, due to the quality control of manufacturing - just didnt make that kind of thing possible in a life or death battle.

That makes sense. I guess I have to think less in terms of gamey and more in terms of realism. This still makes me wonder though. Like, you know how when you select a ship in the map you get that little info window on it? I figured, that if I aimed for the areas where armor is thinnest, then I would be able to take it out easier. So I like to position myself to try and hit those spots. Is the game actually doing what I want it to in that situation? Like I said, it seems like the ships always just hit each other in the center. Even though they seem to flood or burn in the correct place. Is it just that the 'hit' graphic always appears on the ship's center, even though you hit it elsewhere?

Does it make sense for me to try to get all of my shots to hit a part of the ship (port,starboard,fore,aft) and keep doing so to damage that part in hopes of flooding,burning, or otherwise taking out some guns? Or is that just as effective as evenly hitting all areas? Do you know what I mean? I may not be able to aim for specifics, but I like to think that if the armor is weaker behind the ship, positioning myself behind and firing at that spot is actually meaningful.

Have you noticed whether or not you've been able to disable some of the ai guns? They seem to do it pretty easily to me. I hate when they manage to take out my guns. I will just say,"luck of the draw", but I will think,"damn, now this ironclad is useless to me!" btw, when that happens, I like to use my disarmed ships to play tag with the enemy. I would like to learn more about the effectiveness of ramming. Sometimes it doesn't seem to do anything, and other times I quickly notice the enemy ship listing to the part I rammed.

I can't wait to hear more about the campaign.


nnnnn I really have nothing else to say.