Will it be better than Combat Mission

[Zdar]

I am happy to have discovered Panzer Command: Ostfront yesterday.
As a big fan of the CM1x series (especially BB) i was thrilled by the announcement of the Normandy addition - thrilled until I revisited battlefronts forums that is, I was considering to registrer but as I saw how the other WEGO-people got treated by the staff and beta-fanboys i opted not to.

Anyways, our little CM-group (consisting of 4 people) will follow this forum on the news of Ostfront. And hopfully we will by it all four of us.
I sincerely hope this will be a good game. I am also very pleased with the good tone and respectful response to suggestions on this forum (I've browsed to a *lot* of threads now).

[junk2drive]

Thanks for posting your thoughts. We are working on demo scenarios now so that people can try it if they have never played PC before.

PC has always played differently than CMx1. We like the difference but realize that not everyone will.

[Mad Russian]

While there is a difference between PC and CM there are many similarities as well. Being a CMx1 gamer myself I can appreciate both games.

As to the tone of suggestions and feedback on this forum, you guys will be the ones buying the game. Why not put in the features you want to see if we can get them there? It just makes sense to take as much feedback as we can get when trying to create a game that will be sold to the ones giving the suggestions.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Prince of Eckmühl]

ORIGINAL: Zdar

I am happy to have discovered Panzer Command: Ostfront yesterday.
As a big fan of the CM1x series (especially BB) i was thrilled by the announcement of the Normandy addition - thrilled until I revisited battlefronts forums that is, I was considering to registrer but as I saw how the other WEGO-people got treated by the staff and beta-fanboys i opted not to.

Anyways, our little CM-group (consisting of 4 people) will follow this forum on the news of Ostfront. And hopfully we will by it all four of us.
I sincerely hope this will be a good game. I am also very pleased with the good tone and respectful response to suggestions on this forum (I've browsed to a *lot* of threads now).

I suspect that I'm one of a handful of people who have, thus far, followed and purchased both families of games. They are what they are. Frankly, it was easier for me to learn CMSF than PzC because I didn't have to "unlearn" the mechanics of CM1 in the former's case (as they are so obviously and profoundly different). Contrast CM1 with the PzC demo, and I think that you'll understand what I mean. For that matter, more than one CM1 fan showed up at the Matrix forums insisting that something was amiss with PzC, having not bothered to RTM! In some cases, when they finally understood that the mechanics were different, they insisted that PzC be pounded into CM1.

Combat Mission Shock Force/Marines/British and Panzer Command Operation Winter Storm/Kharkov are still installed the computer that I'm composing this email on.

[ankh morpork]

It would be good to have in PC as well. Once PCO is out and you guys get to play with it for awhile then we can do the next wishlist. There should be some interesting things on that wishlist.

Love this reply! This is exactly how all game producers should reason!

[junk2drive]

ORIGINAL: junk2drive

Since CM:BN has been announced we might as well discuss it. We don't know what will be over there until it's out. I can tell you what we have over here.
Traditional WEGO gameplay
Optional 40:40 or 60 second turns
Serial number activation offline
Automated MP file sharing using outside file share of your choice
Low system requirements
Flamethrowers
Aircraft
Off board assets and air stats in end game screen
Lots of East Front units
Open modding using freeware and low cost software
Full editing tools
Matrix community and support
2 Steves
Tank Riders

We don't have
Deformable terrain
High end graphics
Real time with forced pause for WEGO
Action spots
Building/Bridge damage and destruction
Stars and moon
TCP/IP but with automatic online file sharing it is just about as fast
Anti Air units
Flames (on the ground or started by FTs or explosions)

I forgot cows.

And orders delays. And they can be turned off in the editor. Or swapped around.

[ankh morpork]

But anti air unites/Flames/ Building Bridge damage and destruction can be introduced later on


2 steves haha

[junk2drive]

Not in this version. The engine wasn't designed for it.

[ankh morpork]

ORIGINAL: junk2drive

Not in this version. The engine wasn't designed for it.

Fair enough - but engines can evolve over time anyway, I hope the future brings it to us. Who knows!?

Atm im happy with the things we seem to get in PZO!

[Jacko]

I've also just discovered this upcoming game. I did play the Winterstorm demo, but wasn't very impressed, mainly because I'm used to CMBB. But after spending several hours reading reviews, forum information and product information, I'm really curious now about Osfront. It is impressive to see the makers of this game listened well to the users and improved this game a lot. The fact that it can be easily modded is also very attractive. The vehicles (for instance the Pz IV and the Marder-series) and the infantry don't look great, I hope that will be solved by modders soon. On the other hand I'm impressed by the map editor and the buildings available.

The main reason why I will buy this game after release is the clear willingness of the makers to keep improving it and listen to the suggestions of the community.

About the size. So the maximum for a map is 2000m? And what is the maximum number of units for a battle? And can somebody say something more about close combat between infantry?

[junk2drive]

Close combat is very abstract as far as animation. Same shooting animation with grenade tossing added. Nothing exciting.

There is no limit on the number of units on the map but you will reach a point where your computer can't handle it. How may units do you want?

[Jacko]

Well, I would prefer at least several infantry companies and a tank company for each side, apart from reinforcements. And what about the map size, Junk, is the capability of one's pc also the limit?

[junk2drive]

Currently a modest single core can use a 2k map. The problem becomes how many trees and other objects. We are working on ways to put low drain trees in areas that are just for looks and out of the play area.

Multicore with 4g ram is going to be better.

A battalion of troops with support and 20 or so AFVs for each side is not a problem.

[Jacko]

And what about the buildings? Will there be factories?

[junk2drive]

Not like CMBB. Squads mount and unmount buildings and AFVs. Buildings have a mount point or points. If a building has more than one floor, the squad automatically mounts to the top floor.

Do not expect the shootouts in large buildings like CM.

[Jacko]

I'm not impressed with the way CMBB handles close combat or factory fighting for that matter. My hope is that this game will go on, where CMBB stopped. I don't expect it to be perfect right away, but if I look at the potential of this game, the map editor, an editor to add vehicles, the ability to adjust data etc. etc, in combination with how you guys have listened to your adience, than I really think this could be something special. Sorry about comparing this game to CMBB, it is more meant to be a compliment. And I think this game is different, but by no means inferior.

I'm looking forward to it. Hope it won't take too long.

[Mobius]

ORIGINAL: Jacko

And what about the buildings? Will there be factories?

You can have factories but they have to be built of small building modules or ruin terrain. Each module could hold up to two squads. The modules don't allow tanks to enter however they can be many stories high. An alternative to modules is you can make terrain 'ruins'. This gives cover similar to a building. This allows as many infantry units as you want and vehicles to enter it but is only on the ground level.

We do have a very large railway station made of 20 some modules.

[Jacko]

Sounds good. Can units dig in or is the time scope to short for that?

[junk2drive]

No

[Jacko]

Well, I can't wait for the release. I think I'm going to download the demo of the first games, to get familiair with the handling. Great job, guys.