[Interface? Bug?] Confusing / inconsistent handling of army size limit

from Elemental Forums

I believe there's some sort of limit on my army size (the rule seems to be "six units per army", as best I can tell), but I find it hard to figure this out from the in-game UI.

  (1) It doesn't seem to be written anywhere in the interface.  I think this is important enough that it should be indicated somewhere (either with the army statistics, or maybe more subtly; e.g., by only providing as many "slots" in the UI as there is room in the army).

  (2) If I try to combine two armies that are too large, I just get a rude noise and the move fails.  There should be an indication of why it failed.  In fact, I think the UI should probably warn me before I click (change the cursor to the "illegal move" icon, and float text saying that the resulting army would be too large).

  (3) Sometimes, instead of getting the "error" noise, the game allows the move, but creates a second army for the new unit.  I was trying to combine my armies, and I didn't realize at first why the unit wouldn't join the army.

  (4) The army size rules seem to sometimes be applied inconsistently.  I've seen cases where the game refused to add one more Spearman to an army, even though I was sure it was under the unit limit -- but later allowed me to add a different Spearman to the same unit.  (sorry, no save games for this :-( )

 

  I think part of the problem underlying (2) and (3) is that the same gesture is used to move to a location, or to move to a location and join an army stationed there, and the game seems to be guessing which one I intended.  In Galactic Civilizations, IIRC, you had to explicitly join armies (fleets); would that help here?

2,857 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

GalCiv2 has a very good UI for units on the same tile. I am still hoping they use it for this game. Very dangerous to try to change an army stack near enemies.  #:(

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

If you select any unit on the field you will see a grid of 9 slots on the bottom with some of the slots locked out with an X. This is your unit limit. It starts out at 5 or 6 but then you can increase it with techs. Cities use the same limits, but the Xs don't show up for some reason so it looks like you can fit 9 in there right away, you can't.

I thought it was pretty clear, but perhaps they need a pop-up somewhere in the tutorial that covers it in case somebody is looking elsewhere and misses it?

Galactic Civilizations IV
Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top


There also now seems to be a limit of number of units in a city that is equal to the single outside stack limit.  That has not been explained unless I have missed it.

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Sanati, reply 2
If you select any unit on the field you will see a grid of 9 slots on the bottom with some of the slots locked out with an X. This is your unit limit. It starts out at 5 or 6 but then you can increase it with techs. Cities use the same limits, but the Xs don't show up for some reason so it looks like you can fit 9 in there right away, you can't.
End of Sanati's quote

Noticed that too, a bug that should definitely be fixed.

I also agree that this limit has to be communicated better, perhaps through a popup or something.

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Sanati, reply 2
If you select any unit on the field you will see a grid of 9 slots on the bottom with some of the slots locked out with an X. This is your unit limit. It starts out at 5 or 6 but then you can increase it with techs. Cities use the same limits, but the Xs don't show up for some reason so it looks like you can fit 9 in there right away, you can't.

I thought it was pretty clear, but perhaps they need a pop-up somewhere in the tutorial that covers it in case somebody is looking elsewhere and misses it?
End of Sanati's quote

 

I didn't see the Xes when I wrote the post -- or, in fact, until I read your post.  I see them now, but only outside cities (as you say).  I personally think they don't look that great (they're a similar color to the background and basically only half visible), but aside from that they're perfectly clear.

 

Although that doesn't really help the issues with combining armies.