Hearts of Iron IV - first detailed gameplay footage

sandman2575 · August 20, 2014, 12:24:28 PM

From Pdox's presentation at Gamescom:

http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/content.php?1959-Hearts-of-Iron-4-Gamescom-Gameplay&s=5febc496cc5458d660853c2c596531f1

Probably the 2015 game I'm looking forward more than any other.

It's still Alpha, but me likes what me sees so far. Love that the emphasis is going to be on operational planning. (One troubling thing: have corps been eliminated? The "army" in the demo. just seems to be a stack of divisions... I *really* hope they are not reverting to 'stacks' (hoi2 style) instead of hoi3's much more interesting (although cumbersome and improvable) OOB structure...)

ArizonaTank · August 20, 2014, 12:46:43 PM

Hopefully they are spending some time on the strategic AI. My biggest issue with HOI3 was sometimes brain dead strategic AI. For example....AI Britain sending all of it's ground forces to defend Spain....leaving Britain wide open for invasion. A Soviet AI ignoring German troops attacking from a Turkish Front...leaving its Turkish border wide open.

Also, Allies who never seemed to be able to coordinate.

Rayfer · August 20, 2014, 03:19:34 PM

Some of the demostrated changes look quite good in planning attacks and assigning air cover. I don't like the day-night cycle that moves across the main screen. It was fine on the mini-map. I hope they have an option to turn it off.

Ian C · August 20, 2014, 04:17:51 PM

I like everything I see. I hope there will be no really huge bugs on release or horrible surprises.

Silent Disapproval Robot · August 20, 2014, 04:23:41 PM

Hope they add a bit more depth to the naval warfare aspects of the game.

Ian C · August 21, 2014, 04:37:02 AM

I'll also add that I hope there are counters.

Rayfer · August 21, 2014, 07:14:48 AM

Quote from: Ian C on August 21, 2014, 04:37:02 AM
I'll also add that I hope there are counters.

+1 HOI3 had counters so I hope 4 does as well. I much prefer counters to figures in all these kind of games.

fabius · August 21, 2014, 07:45:14 AM

Devs have confirmed that counters will be in. Won't see any screens with them until late as they wont implement them until late.

tgb · August 21, 2014, 07:59:59 AM

HoI is the only Paradox series I can't get my head around. Every new version I think "maybe the learning curve will be more gentle this time". Then I buy it, go through the tutorial, start a game and stare at the opening screen for a few minutes.

I hope I don't get sucked into that trap again.

Jarhead0331 · August 21, 2014, 08:24:23 AM

Quote from: tgb on August 21, 2014, 07:59:59 AM
HoI is the only Paradox series I can't get my head around. Every new version I think "maybe the learning curve will be more gentle this time". Then I buy it, go through the tutorial, start a game and stare at the opening screen for a few minutes.

I hope I don't get sucked into that trap again.

I had a thread around here addressing this very issue. I stuck with HOI3 and finally was able to learn it. I'll see if I can dig up the link, you might find it motivational.

tgb · August 21, 2014, 08:29:15 AM

That would be great, thanks.

sandman2575 · August 21, 2014, 08:51:50 AM

Quote from: tgb on August 21, 2014, 07:59:59 AM
HoI is the only Paradox series I can't get my head around. Every new version I think "maybe the learning curve will be more gentle this time". Then I buy it, go through the tutorial, start a game and stare at the opening screen for a few minutes.

I hope I don't get sucked into that trap again.

Pdox has been very vocal about making HoI4 much more streamlined and user-friendly than HoI3 was. I feel pretty confident they can pull that off -- in the same way that EUIV is more accessible than EUIII, without sacrificing depth.

So HOI4 may be the perfect time to dive into this series. Pdox is well aware of how difficult HOI3 was for many players to get into, and they sound determined to not make that mistake again -- I just hope they don't 'overcorrect' in the name of simplifying --

undercovergeek · August 21, 2014, 09:08:02 AM

Like all pdox games you need a plan before you even press start game - its pretty obvious as germany and russia, the uk can have fun, sdr did a great france aar and I enjoyed my italy game - I think the game comes alive with the non scripted minor nations as you can go where you please - take all sth america as brazil/argentina? Why not

sandman2575 · August 21, 2014, 10:35:26 AM

I've never seen the appeal of playing minors myself -- in past HOI games, playing Hungary or Mexico or the like just seemed like a lot of waiting around, trying to build up a military you don't really have the industrial or technological capacity to sustain. The marginal powers, like Italy and arguably France, are an interesting challenge.

Re: SDR's comment about naval war -- I really do hope this gets some serious attention in HoI4, so that Japan might actually be interesting to play for a change. Naval war in HoI3 never really worked, and Japan AI was problematic to the point that it generally did not expand into the central Pacific, New Guinea, DEI, Burma etc. but seemed content to take Philippines and devote all out effort to conquering mainland China.

SirAndrewD · August 21, 2014, 06:22:57 PM

I like what I see.

I do admit I may miss some of the frenetic micro of HoI3. There were times I really got into assigning individual attacks and walked my divisions and corps along step by step in an offensive.

Still, the change is more realistic and good. I especially like the changes to production and the air war. Those are significant improvements already.

I do hope they let you do a little bit of micro, or at least change some offensive plans on the fly but all in all, I'm really looking forward to this one.