Looks much better. Lots of improvements. Playing against a bot it really chokes on turn end - whole game freezes for up to a minute, but it does continue.
Would be nice to have some idea of what the maps are like before selecting them.
Highlit moveable squares would be great - artillery target squares are hilit so it shouldn't be difficult I think?
Would be nice if arty had the Napoleonic unit symbol like the others - as they stand they look a bit similar to infantry.
It freezes on turn end because it's thinking. It has to try out all the legal moves for all the pieces, which might be number like 3 or 4 hundred, then for each of those possible moves, clone the whole board, to examine the resulting situation, and then score it. So the computation time (after the first two or three turns, before the armies meet) is about 5 minutes.
I hadn't thought about that thing with the maps. You do have the option to just load a game, then close it down if you don't fancy the map.
I also hadn't thought about highlighting squares pieces can move to. And you're right, I don't think it would be too hard.
When you say a "Napoleonic symbol" you mean a sort "x" shape for infantry, and a diagonal stripe for cavalry (as I have drawn them)? But I think the symbol for artillery IS a sort of little picture of an artillery piece.
I am grateful for your comments, and any further comments, particularly about whether the general concept works, is fun, makes sense, etc.---would be enthusiastically received.
I realize it's thinking but the visual chokeout with my system cursor switching to the hourglass shape is...I dunno how to put it but it's kind of off putting, people will think there's something wrong with the program. If it could be done with a dedicated "The general is thinking..." notice or something, that would improve it. Also the screen resize is a bit jarring.
re: the maps, maybe they could have names, so that if I remember one being fun it would be easier to remember? Or tagged with road, building, w/e
Yes the X and diagonal are the old Napoleonic unit symbols (originally from the different chest belts the infantry and cavalry wore, inf had crossed belts to hold more ammo, cavalry had just the one belt for the sabre sheath), the artillery symbol was (and still is in NATO practice) a dot. You can see it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_Joint_Military_Symbology#Unit_basic_icons It's very visually distinct from the other two symbols, which really helps as arty is so important in this game. Facing is a concern but the little sticky out bit I think makes that clear - maybe it could be thicker for arty.
On that note in one game I confused the British general for a cavalry piece, maybe that flag could be altered to be more distinct? Or give general pieces a different shape? They are super important to be able to recognise.
Happy to help, old school wargames are a rare breed especially on itch. The basic concept is fun for me but could definitely be expanded, with more historical scenarios and so on - if you felt like it. A tutorial might not be a bad idea either though probably trouble to code. The only main gripe I have is the turn choking makes playing a bit aggravating.
Let's face it though the potential audience for a shared-computer TBS Napoleonic game is pretty small :) So just do it whatever way you prefer.
I am very grateful for your comments.
As a matter of fact I immediately implemented your suggestion about highlighting legal moves - and it turned out to be very easy to do. Lots of tedious rule-learning obviated. So great suggestion. I haven't uploaded it yet but will.
I also didn't think about giving the maps names, and certainly technically it would be very easy. It might be somewhat tricky to indicate the nature of the topography of a particular map with a name, if a complex one, but certainly possible, and a name, even if simple, might be easier to remember than a number. I'll think about that one.
I shall have a look into getting the program to let the user know that they "need not adjust their sets": the enemy general is thinking...
As to the difficulty of distinguishing pieces, I genuinely don't know what you mean. I am a blind old geezer but even I can see which piece is which very easily. Maybe I'm just very used to the pieces, or maybe the screen-size is critical: I have a largish computer screen (about 15 1/2 inches I think).
