UK PC Gamer review

[Banquet]

As an example, here's Memory map in action.. I've scrolled around the map and found this area that interests me (for the purposes of the AA engine, this is an area I must secure)

[Banquet]

I then click the 3d button to get a better feel for the lay of land;

[Banquet]

I can then switch back to the normal 2d map and plan my offensive.. I think it would work quite well.

Sorry for the dodgy sizing of the first picture.. I keep forgetting to re-size when I'm using a widescreen res..

[dinsdale]

Another UMS "player" here. Don't think I ever got through a complete game, but what a concept it was for it's time.

I usually think 3D does nothing but waste time and detract from other areas of the game, but would find it useful for COTA. I have trouble reading the maps to determine rough site lines or elevation. I find it very hard to "see" the terrain across the battlefield, so a ability to 3D the map, rather than randomly drawing LOS lines would help immensely.

[GoodGuy]

ORIGINAL: Short_Sarafand

I've always felt that the AA had the potential to be Combat Mission-big, Panzer General-big, even Close Combat-big if it had been developed in a certain direction (more attention to aesthetics, atmosphere, immersion...) While I completely respect Panther's chosen path and love new features like the improved supply model there will always be a part of me that pictures a pretty, popular (and realistic, naturally) AA mingling confidently with the likes of Civ and Total War.

Not that we haven't ended up with a fabulous game!

So true. This gotta be my all-time fav post.

[Arjuna]

ORIGINAL: Short_Sarafand
I've always felt that the AA had the potential to be Combat Mission-big, Panzer General-big, even Close Combat-big if it had been developed in a certain direction (more attention to aesthetics, atmosphere, immersion...) While I completely respect Panther's chosen path and love new features like the improved supply model there will always be a part of me that pictures a pretty, popular (and realistic, naturally) AA mingling confidently with the likes of Civ and Total War.

Not that we haven't ended up with a fabulous game!

Thank you Panther!

Tim Stone

Tim,

I have to agree that there is a lot more we could do in that area. It all boils down to resources. I am not a 3D graphics programmer and I am yet to find a good one who is prepared to work for peanuts. Yes it's true I have graduated to cashews but I get fewer of them now. [;)]

It must also be said that even if let's say we had an angel who put up the money to develop the game in that direction, how many more sales would it really result in? There is only one way to find out I suppose but that's a significant risk. Right now my family is jack of the significant risks we have already taken. So for now it's a case of small incremental advances. Hopefully we'll get to the 3D graphics sooner than later.

[sapper_astro]

I could swallow that map idea by banquet....

I still have my vote firmly behind CAMPAIGNs however. Minefields et al are great, but when the campaigns start being put in (And the editor allows campaigns to be made easily) then I will be happy. Happier I should say.

Campaigns Arjuna, remember that one please.[8D]

[Neilster]

I'd say 3D maps would increase sales significantly. All the current grogs would still buy the games and you'd pick up heaps of newbies who have a vague knowledge of and reasonable interest in WW2 but who are unfamiliar with the way things are usually done in the wargame genre and are put off by the seemingly uninteresting visuals. Like it or not, the majority of your potential market are used to 3D graphics and for the wargaming community to doggedly mutter "Bah! But it's the gameplay that's important..." (while significantly true) strikes me as somewhat curmudgeonly.

As an example, I've shown TOAW to heaps of people who are quite knowledgeable about military history but are unfamiliar with wargames and got a pretty lukewarm response. When, however, I've shown Combat Mission to the same people and even many with hardly any military history background, it's had a very warm reception and several people downloaded the demo and then purchased the game.

The immersive nature of the 3D graphics piqued their interest and helped to sustain it through the learning process. I think the same would be true of this series and as outlined above, 3D should enhance the amount of information available to the player and may improve the playing experience.

As to getting a good 3D programmer, I fail to believe that there isn't a keen, talented, recent graduate from an Australian university who would be interested in getting a start in the gaming industry for reasonable money. Tell you what, I'm doing a computing/maths major at UTAS and will (hopefully) graduate in November. I'm a WW2 nutter, a Panther games fan and am studying Computer Graphics and Animation (with 3D up the ying-yang) this semester. I'll give it a go. [:D]

I'd also like to see a campaign and an AI vs AI mode (which in a campaign would be very interesting).

Cheers, Neilster