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Dev Diary #1: Call of War 1.5

6 Nov 2019, 10:15

Attention Generals!

We are very excited to finally kick off Call of War 1.5! Call of War 1.5 is the next big update that brings a lot of changes to the game which we will test in a series of special events. We teased this in our patch notes the last couple of weeks, but now it is the time to share the news.

Call of War Game Designer “freezy” spent quite some time on Call of War 1.5 and is likely the best person to explain what we want to achieve with the update. “With Call of War 1.5 we want to refresh Call of War and make it ready for the future. To do this we will improve 2 key pillars of the game: Strategic gameplay and general appeal. First we will enrich and deepen the strategic core gameplay with changes to the balancing, economy and game mechanics, to enable a wide variety of strategies with diverse units on the field. Second we will make the game more appealing by making changes to the progression and game pace as well as by updating graphics and visual elements.”

Following this vision for Call of War 1.5 we will bring several updates to the game including updates to base balancing, units, provinces, buildings, game features, and much more. Some of the stuff you literally asked for years. We are really excited to show you and to read your feedback.

We made several changes in the past already, like the introduction of Paratroopers and the elite AI or changes to diplomacy. From these previous updates and the community feedback around it we learned a lot. One of the things we took from these experiences is that we want to get better at informing you about such changes, have the community more involved and be more transparent and upfront with it.

That is why Call of War 1.5 will not be released with a big bang once it is done, but will be introduced through a series of events on our live servers. During these events all of you will have the chance to test the new updates and features in a closed environment while other game rounds are not affected by it. Or you just want to be among the first who win a round with a brand new balancing, that is also ok! You can share your feedback and we will also let you know what we learned and what feedback we gathered from each event.

The events will help us to see and analyse whether the new systems and features are working as intended or whether adjustments are needed. Another aspect that we will have to keep in mind is the monetization of the game. Let’s face it, we need to pay our developers and the servers so we need to make sure that changes made do not harm the monetization of the game. Only that way we can ensure that Call of War exists for years to come. We also want to learn whether the changes are actually fun to play. Especially for this we will need your help, as no database or algorythm will be able to tell us how much fun you have during the events. So keep the feedback coming!

The first test will focus on a large balancing overhaul. This, for example, includes changes to the scaling of unit values such as health, costs and damage. Costs in Call of War 1.5 will follow the idea that all resources have equal value and that costs are based on components needed for production.

This is just a glimpse on some of the changes. Stay tuned for more specific information about “Urban Provinces & New Buildings” as well as “New Mechanics & New Balancing”, which we will release in the next few days before the test event.

The sign up period for the first CoW 1.5 event will run from Friday November 8th 2019 until Tuesday November 12th 2019.

105 Replies

16 Nov 2019, 20:33

freezy wrote:
We mentioned many times already that we will not release CoW 1.5 in the current form, because this version is still very rough. It will be tweaked alot in the coming months, with the help of your feedback. Therefore it will help us greatly if you explain why certain changes are good or bad by giving practical examples of your CoW 1.5 game round.

Does anyone realize that what is said here is exactly the worrying point, because this actually means:

"We will release this game, no matter what you think of it and we will release it after some tweaking, based on comments from the test".

This means, Bytro will NOT change anything fundamentally anymore.

What you have here is what you will have to play when you play CoW 1.5; just some tweaks will happen.

Now, if YOU (random or frequent reader of the forum) are anything like a half-way serious player of The Real CoW for its qualities as a Real Time Grand Strategy Massive Multi-player Online game....

If you stay silent the REPLACEMENT of the The Real CoW is already here now: CoW 1.5

If you don't realize what this means,re-read the comments in the many posts, but here a short recap:

=> Unit stats are completely out of whack. Note that is NOT to be tweaked; it is INTENDED to create a simpler rock-paper-scissors-scheme.

If a unit has good attack, then it is simply not allowed to have def capabilities too, because that would hamper the simple rock-paper-scissor-scheme. Hence, Light Tanks have to withdraw from a def position when other Light Tanks attack, and leave the def to other units. Ofc there are 1 or 2 exceptions, like MTs, but in general, you can read the message in the stats.

=> Realistic roles of unit types are being sacrificed and subordinated to the simpler rock-paper-scissor-scheme.

Realism in this once great WW2 simulation is out the window! Someone else depicted it very poetically when saying

=> Research has not even the slightest relation with realism.

Your standard Pokemon-CoW unit at level 1 EVOLVES into a Level 2 and simply doubles its stats???

And as someone else determined, a max level infantry unit (say from 1945 or maybe 1947) is a 1000x stronger than a level 1 infantry unit from 1938...

Really?? YES!

=> Economic development & country management: lacks all and any choices you did have. No more varied approach to you country's resource situation. Just one way to go, predetermined and boring as hell.

And there are so many more horrible things about 1.5.

This Pokemon-CoW's biggest misconception is, however, that it is a very bad compromise between the old CoW and the new game Supremacy 1. It sports NONE of the innovations of the new S1 and NONE of the variety, realism and freedom of choice of the The Real CoW!

How it is possible that the same designers of the brilliant S1914 and CoW and the new, innovative Supremacy 1, could come up with the idea that a compromise betweenen CoW and S1 would be a good idea?

This is already the biggest unsolved mystery of the Millennium (which notably is still quite young...).

16 Nov 2019, 21:02 (edited)

@Pontus please stay civil on the forum and don't post double posts.

16 Nov 2019, 21:29

Pontus stop it. you have repeat your mean now several times, enough is enough. Yes, devs want earn more money. But that is their right and dicision.

New version is not that bad, as you think. There were implemented several suggestions from players. Some of that were suggested already in year 2017. invisible but not overpowered spec ops for example, higher AA damage, lower attacking damage for AA guns. Even reverting stats by heavy tanks and tankdestroyers were suggested by some players, but lost by majority stubborn players. Very high numbers did cry for nerfing submarines and buffing HP's for seatransports.

Enough players wanted end overpower of airforces. And patrol expliot is weird(and using of exploit is cheating, i dont mean cheating of new computer age, but cheating of old languige mean, also use of unfair advantage).

If you remember at begin of cow we had not such quickly speed . Research tree was pulled over 45 days.

Also new version is slower then cow version 2019, but not slower then cow of 2015.

You are an experienced player, but you seem to be arrogant, dont be. You don't know many things, you blamed yourself in last four days several time. Stop it.

Im not amused by bew changes. But it is ok with them. There are many positive changes. And only one really negative, wich we as clients can't afford to criticize (i mean busyness model).

If you put all energy you wasted in negative unconstructive criticism in learning new positive sides of version 1.5 you would see that too. Dont be lazy .

16 Nov 2019, 22:59

_Pontus_ wrote:
Why did you not try it out yet? And if you did, why are you not playing it?

19 games on Sone,

so I did try it.

Severely lacking in the primary requisite of a war game:

Clear GUI to select, maneuver and manage forces.

Sone is so glunky, even the AI get confused moving units around.

Fail, Fail, Major Fail!

16 Nov 2019, 23:45

@f118

All my efforts will go into hammering into the various heads that this a destructive road, where a good game, which was well on the way of even getting better and better (i.e. air force no longer unbeatable super weapon but just another tool, already since Aug. 28, 2018, new units like paratroopers, and many more improvements or changes intending an improvement) is going to be sacrificed to a very bad comprise game.

This compromise-game, being 1.5, does nothing and surely not innovate. It just applies some S1 mechanics to CoW and introduces a simpler rock-paper-scissor-scheme.

As such any discussion on the details is a waste of time from the onset. It is impossible to fix a misconception with tweaks.

As soon as this is acknowledged, and thus fundamental changes are going to be applied to 1.5, which:

- will give the game some unique attractions aka USP's (like CoW has as the most complete WW2 simulation game out there and like Supremacy 1 has, with its innovations in map concepts and other features);

- will do something else than just make a dull compromise out of 2 good games (without sporting any of the attractions/USP's of either and lacking a single own USP);

- will bring back some realism in unit roles &stats; and economic & industry development;

- will bring some form in freedom of choice to shape your economy, industry, army and campaigns;

then it is constructive to talk about details.

But hey, feel free to lay down and roll over. It is very well possible that all resistance is futile; even I know that.

But forgive me for trying...because 1.5 is simply a very sad alternative to both CoW and S1.

In that respct, it is not me wasting time, but he Devs wasting time and effort.

And please note that I am fully understanding the wish and even NEED to make more money for the company. I guess it was one of the first things I said about this all.

This compromise of 2 good games is, however, never going to be the tool that will achieve that IMO.

And mind you, I have also already mentioned in the early posts, that if I am wrong about how I think this will end for all of us incl. Bytro:

- I will applaud Bytro for succeeding in achieving its goals

and

- can fully respect that my playing or not playing of the new game is totally irrelevant.

For now, there is no reason to play 1.5, because there is nothing new in it:

- S1 is the already existing better alternative to a game as 1.5, with a number of innovations and attractions on top of the few which have been infused into 1.5, pretending to be new innovations for CoW (it is copy pasted coding, so to speak and not made for CoW)

- the real CoW is the already existing, very complete RT-GS-MMO game for the true strategy lovers

In short, 1.5 brings absolutely nothing new to the table and is merely a weak compromise of the 2 existing games, which actually do have their proper own USPs of which 1.5 sports none whatsoever.

17 Nov 2019, 00:16

The big problem of the new version is the mechanic of combat. Before there was strategy, I agree that some changes are needed (the low force of artillery, the big force of aircraft...), but now the way of fight is stupid, made for kids: you only need to make a big "megadivision" and send it to your enemy, no matters the terrain....is simple and boring, and is not going to solve the problem of the inactive players. And the ridiculous grow of manpower only benefit to the big whales, the goldenboys.

Excuse my mistakes in english and bye.

Si no tienes posibilidades de vencer, es el momento de atacar.

17 Nov 2019, 00:52

Somanta wrote:
The big problem of the new version is the mechanic of combat. Before there was strategy, I agree that some changes are needed (the low force of artillery, the big force of aircraft...), but now the way of fight is stupid, made for kids: you only need to make a big "megadivision" and send it to your enemy, no matters the terrain....is simple and boring, and is not going to solve the problem of the inactive players. And the ridiculous grow of manpower only benefit to the big whales, the goldenboys.
Excuse my mistakes in english and bye.

So true unfortunately.

The most direct and logical way to make more money is to address the inactivity problem, which mainly consists of:

a. the fact that there are a gazillion true strategy lovers out there who do not play CoW, because they are not being pulled in, but if they were, they would be active players

---> this is however a marketing & promotion issue; NOT a problem of the game itself.

b. the fact that the majority of players being pulled in, are kids or otherwise not very matured players, with very little patience and thus are the wrong target group for the great Grand Strategy game that CoW is

---> this is however a marketing & promotion issue; NOT a problem of the game itself.

It can't be said often enough: dumbing-down the game will not attract more paying customers.

Why would it? With gold, a lesser player could already win a match above his level. But to want to do that, he would first have to become a loyal and active player!

Now why on earth does one expect that, when the game becomes dumber (but not necessarily easier) and unrealistic, but marketing and promotion still attract the wrong players, that more customers would be spending on the game?

If that can be explained, I will surely shut up and let Bytro do whatever to achieve its goals.

17 Nov 2019, 03:35

sadly there is a lot that needs fixing on version 1.5.. ive played cow for many years and up till this version 1.5 the game was very realistic and offered players many choices on the battlefield. this new version takes the choice out of players hands. combat is plain terrible with unbalanced units. stacks are messy with a single type of unit having multiple research levels. terrible idea to spend so much on research and no reward as units no longer level. it was thrilling in cow to research new levels for a units that could determine the outcome of a fight now tht is gone. forcing us to build only in cities terrible idea. players used to have a choice in building up area for the economy or rebuilding cities after losing your cores never again. you took all the ideas that made this game so compelling and deep and threw them away. please dont do this. if 1.5 becomes reality you will lose hundreds of players including me. I really love this game but this version is a terrible mistake. I spend about 50 to 60 dollars a month on this game but I will take my money elsewhere and I know a lot of my friends will go with me. think hard bout doing this. you have such a wonderful game as it is right now. we need slow development that keeps the deep tactic alive and choices squarely in the players hands

17 Nov 2019, 05:45

WayneBo wrote:
_Pontus_ wrote:
Why did you not try it out yet? And if you did, why are you not playing it?
19 games on Sone,so I did try it.
Severely lacking in the primary requisite of a war game:
Clear GUI to select, maneuver and manage forces.
Sone is so glunky, even the AI get confused moving units around.
Fail, Fail, Major Fail!

Maybe that is your feeling, because you thought you were playing CoW, but it is a fundamentally different game with just some similarities.

The User Interface can do with some improvements, but works fine on a big screen. It is as CoW on a phone of tablet: a bit 'mwah'.

The only prominent problem is in the troops markers. Positioning your troops exactly where you want them in an crowded environment is almost impossible. And positioning can make all of the difference in a battle.

Btw, did you finish all those 19 games? And with how many victories? Not being nasty; just curious.

17 Nov 2019, 06:54

_Pontus_ wrote:
freezy wrote:
We mentioned many times already that we will not release CoW 1.5 in the current form, because this version is still very rough. It will be tweaked alot in the coming months, with the help of your feedback. Therefore it will help us greatly if you explain why certain changes are good or bad by giving practical examples of your CoW 1.5 game round.
Does anyone realize that what is said here is exactly the worrying point, because this actually means:
"We will release this game, no matter what you think of it. It is our 'New Coke'; and we will release it after some tweaking, based on comments from the test".

Yes, this is kind of obvious to anyone with knowledge about Bytro... they choose a direction, they go that way, nobody and nothing can detour them. I am surprised they choose to give us the option of commenting first, this time.

You didn't honestly think you had a choice, did you?!?!

Killings my business, and business is good!

17 Nov 2019, 08:04

I am positive that the devs will improve 1.5 through your comments and opinions so I think it will be better than not asking for your opinion and just changing the game.

17 Nov 2019, 10:18

Ryan04px2025 wrote:
I am positive that the devs will improve 1.5 through your comments and opinions so I think it will be better than not asking for your opinion and just changing the game.

Poor Ryan, you still do not get it

17 Nov 2019, 10:53

20 Nov 2019, 12:41

_Pontus_ wrote:
freezy wrote:
We mentioned many times already that we will not release CoW 1.5 in the current form, because this version is still very rough. It will be tweaked alot in the coming months, with the help of your feedback. Therefore it will help us greatly if you explain why certain changes are good or bad by giving practical examples of your CoW 1.5 game round.
Now, if YOU (random or frequent reader of the forum) are anything like a half-way serious player of The Real CoW for its qualities as a Real Time Grand Strategy Massive Multi-player Online game....
If you stay silent the REPLACEMENT of the The Real CoW is already here now: CoW 1.5
If you don't realize what this means,re-read the comments in the many posts, but here a short recap:

I got a week ban from forum cuz i said some bad word while commenting their pokemon Cow.. its just a waste of my time to try to give some feedback to those sheeps..

And yeah next ban incoming

20 Nov 2019, 12:43

C88 wrote:
_Pontus_ wrote:
freezy wrote:
We mentioned many times already that we will not release CoW 1.5 in the current form, because this version is still very rough. It will be tweaked alot in the coming months, with the help of your feedback. Therefore it will help us greatly if you explain why certain changes are good or bad by giving practical examples of your CoW 1.5 game round.
Now, if YOU (random or frequent reader of the forum) are anything like a half-way serious player of The Real CoW for its qualities as a Real Time Grand Strategy Massive Multi-player Online game....
If you stay silent the REPLACEMENT of the The Real CoW is already here now: CoW 1.5
If you don't realize what this means,re-read the comments in the many posts, but here a short recap:
I got a week ban from forum cuz i said some bad word while commenting their pokemon Cow.. its just a waste of my time to try to give some feedback to those sheeps..And yeah next ban incoming

Even if you do not like CoW 1.5/CoW generally, the rule still applies

20 Nov 2019, 13:01

C88 wrote:
its just a waste of my time to try to give some feedback to those sheeps..

Hey bud. You obviously care about the issue, but calling people sheep or any other derogatory term isn't gonna help people see your ideas. I think a number of us are trying to figure out 1.5. I'd say keep posting your findings and cut the hate.

20 Nov 2019, 13:28

DxC wrote:
C88 wrote:
its just a waste of my time to try to give some feedback to those sheeps..
Hey bud. You obviously care about the issue, but calling people sheep or any other derogatory term isn't gonna help people see your ideas. I think a number of us are trying to figure out 1.5. I'd say keep posting your findings and cut the hate.

im just too emotive becauce i expect too much from ppl.. in this case i expect too much from the game designers that i suppose should know the game they make but ,every comment they do, makes me feel like i know better then them their game...So i get carried away.

Anyway 99% of the feedbacks here will not be listened.

Their next event will provide more resources and they will may fix the transports ships ( being stronger then battleships) and thats it.. then maybe after a month of 2 , after the release of pokemon 1.5, they will nerf again AA because from their logs they will see that ppl will not use air units anymore.

And thats the future of pokemon cow for the next 6 months.

20 Nov 2019, 13:31

Ryan04px2025 wrote:
C88 wrote:
_Pontus_ wrote:
freezy wrote:
We mentioned many times already that we will not release CoW 1.5 in the current form, because this version is still very rough. It will be tweaked alot in the coming months, with the help of your feedback. Therefore it will help us greatly if you explain why certain changes are good or bad by giving practical examples of your CoW 1.5 game round.
Now, if YOU (random or frequent reader of the forum) are anything like a half-way serious player of The Real CoW for its qualities as a Real Time Grand Strategy Massive Multi-player Online game....If you stay silent the REPLACEMENT of the The Real CoW is already here now: CoW 1.5
If you don't realize what this means,re-read the comments in the many posts, but here a short recap:
I got a week ban from forum cuz i said some bad word while commenting their pokemon Cow.. its just a waste of my time to try to give some feedback to those sheeps..And yeah next ban incoming
Even if you do not like CoW 1.5/CoW generally, the rule still applies

I like cow.. i just dont like been banned for a week for a single word out of 2k words.. finding excuses to censure ppl is the first step to loose customers

20 Nov 2019, 14:07

C88 wrote:
Ryan04px2025 wrote:
C88 wrote:
_Pontus_ wrote:
freezy wrote:
Now, if YOU (random or frequent reader of the forum) are anything like a half-way serious player of The Real CoW for its qualities as a Real Time Grand Strategy Massive Multi-player Online game....If you stay silent the REPLACEMENT of the The Real CoW is already here now: CoW 1.5
If you don't realize what this means,re-read the comments in the many posts, but here a short recap:
I got a week ban from forum cuz i said some bad word while commenting their pokemon Cow.. its just a waste of my time to try to give some feedback to those sheeps..And yeah next ban incoming
Even if you do not like CoW 1.5/CoW generally, the rule still applies
I like cow.. i just dont like been banned for a week for a single word out of 2k words.. finding excuses to censure ppl is the first step to loose customers

I agree but as Dxter said:

DxC wrote:
C88 wrote:
its just a waste of my time to try to give some feedback to those sheeps..
Hey bud. You obviously care about the issue, but calling people sheep or any other derogatory term isn't gonna help people see your ideas. I think a number of us are trying to figure out 1.5. I'd say keep posting your findings and cut the hate.

Maybe there is always a better way of expressing things! Perhaps if you speak in a more polite way (Not saying you don't) people might take more notice in your post!

20 Nov 2019, 14:11

C88 wrote:
in this case i expect too much from the game designers that i suppose should know the game they make but ,every comment they do, makes me feel like i know better then them their game...So i get carried away.

I hear you man, but consider this:

A: they are not your parents and throwing a temper tandrum will not make it more likely to get what you want

B: they are just human people that have a job and I suspect are doing the best they can for the most part.

C: if we are nicer and more encouraging they might be more motivated to fix stuff we point out

D: we on the forum are a relatively small fraction of total players and are biased toward more high level play

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