Is it worth it?

[Swayin]

Welcome to the asylum! I've played both of AE's two prequels, Uncommon Valor and the first WitP, since the day they were released. I still have questions all the time. but this is a great community to get answers, commiserate, and to find PBEM opponents once you're ready. Have fun!

[SuluSea]

I'm way below 10 cents per hour played so it's definately worth it to me. The developers support the game and are good at what they do, the forum membership is always entertaining , the game is fantastic and engrossing. I really don't need to buy another game the rest of my life but I will. [;)]

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

Do you drink your rum with lime juice or lemon juice?

He drinks grog, silly! [:D]

[Knavey]

ORIGINAL: SuluSea

I'm way below 10 cents per hour played so it's definately worth it to me. The developers support the game and are good at what they do, the forum membership is always entertaining , the game is fantastic and engrossing. I really don't need to buy another game the rest of my life but I will. [;)]

We have a lot of guys here that are in the penny or less per day range!

[cmdrsam]

OMG what have I gotten myself into? My girlfreind is gonna be severaly ticked off at you gentlemen. Shame on you. Shame one all of you. Except for me, yeah me.[:D]

[Bradley7735]

ORIGINAL: Shark7

Too much clicky clicky mircromanagement for me.

For those who play the AI and don't like all the micromanagement, there is the editor. For example, I don't like the small Allied bomber groups. I prefer them in one larger wing. It takes a couple of hours and Excel, but you can convert about half the air groups into larger groups. That is one example that I do to greatly reduce the amount of micromanagement. There are lots of other things you can change as well, but eventually you have to balance ease of play with historical accuracy.

Another thing I do is change the entry base for most units to their capital (or the capital that's closest to their normal entry base). It changes the accuracy a bit, but I can't stand spending the first part of every turn moving land, air and sea units around. It's a ton easier if you just check SF, Karachi, Sydney, etc.

Anyway, something to think about when you only play against yourself.

[chrisol]

I did find it expensive though...


... well OK, the game is moderately expensive, but then I realized I knew nothing about the Pacific War so ended up getting:

Costello's Pacific War
Dull's History of the IJN
Crusade in the Pacific DVDs
The Penguin History of the Second World War
The Pacific War Encyclopedia
The Pacific War Companion

A big laminated version of the map

Bergerud's Touched with Fire, and his Fire in the Sky (not yet had a chance to read these)
Jones' The Thin Red Line

Vital Guide's to Fighting Ships of WWII and Fighting Aircraft (do I need to confess I'd never heard of a "Zero" before ?)

and hired Letters from Iwo Jima to watch (can't face the flags one)

oh... and bought Wayne's Fighting SeaBees for about £1 - and re-watched Bridge on the River Kwai

(OK, they were mostly 2nd hand... but I quite fancy getting South Pacific Destroyer if I get a chance)

..
..
...and to be honest I've barely scratched the surface of the game (no time with all this reading) - next stop restarting Guadalcanal

(Oh, and I should probably look at the Hank's Pacific series when it's out on BluRay)



.... now that does start getting expensive !

bw
Chris

[Zemke]

ORIGINAL: cmdrsam

OMG what have I gotten myself into? My girlfreind is gonna be severaly ticked off at you gentlemen. Shame on you. Shame one all of you. Except for me, yeah me.[:D]

Guys you got him to smoke the AE crack pipe, he is finished....another relationship down the tubes.

[Nunya D.]

ORIGINAL: Zemke_4

ORIGINAL: cmdrsam

OMG what have I gotten myself into? My girlfreind is gonna be severaly ticked off at you gentlemen. Shame on you. Shame one all of you. Except for me, yeah me.[:D]

Guys you got him to smoke the AE crack pipe, he is finished....another relationship down the tubes.

Crack is wacked....we only smoke the best stuff.

[Canoerebel]

I'm not particularly excited by micromanagement in general, so I mutter about a few aspects of the game, but those mutterings are a single drop of iodine in an a great lake of pure, sparkling, thirst-quenching water.  I've bought three games in eight years (UV, WitP, and AE) thanks to Matrix, and don't expect to play anything except AE for the next three or five or ten years.  Worth it?  I'll say.

[cmdrsam]

This will be my last post on this subject. If any new person wanders into the forums and reads this topic. BUY THE GAME! I have been reading and tinkering with the game. First thought I would jump into the campaign game and learn as I go along. Nope, there is way to much stuff for a noob like myself to grasp what is going on. Just played Coral Sea scenerio twice and ecked out 2 minor victories. Either have lost the Lexington or Yorktown on both games. But all Japanse tranports were sunk before they made there way to Port Moseby. I sunk the Jap carrier Soho I believe in both games. Last game concentrated on finding the tranpsorts and sunk them I think in the first few days. Got careless and ran into the main Japanese flattops and got my nose bloodied. Have to say I have a lot to grasp. Search patterns and CAP are two for the scenario. But seriously, and new guy wandering in wondering is this game orth it? Yes, but be forewarned, this is not, and I repeat is not, a beer and pretzel game. But so far I am digging what I am seeing. And I do see myself immersing myself into this very deeply.

My many thanks to all who responded to this question I had. And I thank you for your input.

[bradfordkay]

And another soul is lost... [8D]

[bairdlander2]

ORIGINAL: Shark7

Ever consider that adults that have to work for a living might not have time for it Don?

And whether you disagree or not, maybe you should consider that not every one likes micromanagement...has nothing to do with being 'big boys'. That was insulting.

What I suggest is saving the game cuz first turn on GC I already spent 4 hours and still not finished.I worked 50 hours this week and couldnt wait to get back to the game.Just save and continue when you have time.

[Sardaukar]

Indeed.

I usually also save the first turn to different slot (against AI, obviously) than subsequent turns. In this way I can come back and restart if I find out I forgot something critical. Or if I want to try different strategy without having to start from scratch. Downside of this is that you pretty much know what sort of script AI is using, if you play like 6 months and then restart.

IJN AI is really giving me fits in current game. I had never before experienced IJ AI landing in Ceylon..and AI is also crushing my "Fortress Java" strategy, despite me dumping several extra divisions there to reinforce Dutch (2 brigs of 8 AUS Div from Singapore, 1 Gurkha Brig, 2 Indian Brigs, 18th UK Div and one US Div plus minor Dutch garrison units air-transported in. 7th AUS and one US div are on the way (plus 2 sep Inf Regs). So, it is major battle and I am losing it!

[Mac Linehan]

ORIGINAL: Nikademus

ORIGINAL: cmdrsam

Allright guys here is my million dollar question. This is got to be the most expensive game I have thought about buying. With no demo or anything to wet my lips I am debating back and forth. The last complicated game I purchased was Ageods Civil War Game. I have had for about a year and I am just now to apoint where I can understand and enjoy the game. Pacific War in WW2 has always held my interest so I want to like it. But at the price tag? It better rock. I have sorta skimmed over the threads and like any game, their are quirks. I understand that. But I guess what I am asking in along winded way is, is it worth it?

Any game you play for more than a year thats under $100 is a worthwhile investment.

I can spend that much going out for a single night on the town with the GF unit.

Absolutely agree with Nik's assessment. Most of us spend more dollars per week on other routine expenditures, without giving it a second thought. I am only able to play on weekends, which detracts not at all from the excitement of turning on my computer, searching the AE forums for new delights (there always are..) and then launching the game. Cmdrsam, you will not be disappointed!

Mac

[Theopolis]

I was about to buy AE when I discovered that they removed the computer-assisted theater control that was present in the original version.  I don't want to spend ten hours on each move because I have to give orders to every unit in India and China;  I was happy commanding central/south Pacific and letting the computer do the rest.  Did they take away submarine automation too?  For me, this is a deal breaker. 

[mbar]

Subs on auto is still in AE.

[cmdrsam]

I might be wrong becasue I havent played the campaign yet. But I updated the game after my initial download, and found a few more scenarios in it. There is one called easy china or something to that effect in it. Maybe I am reading too much into it but my assumpition it either bypasses the need to use China or it is an automatic way of dealing with it. Maybe someone can confirm or state it correctly.

[Bradley7735]

ORIGINAL: Theopolis

I was about to buy AE when I discovered that they removed the computer-assisted theater control that was present in the original version.  I don't want to spend ten hours on each move because I have to give orders to every unit in India and China;  I was happy commanding central/south Pacific and letting the computer do the rest.  Did they take away submarine automation too?  For me, this is a deal breaker. 

Sub automation is a part of WITP AE.

You can always play a scenario that's partial map (Guadalcanal, etc). There's also a full campaign scenario where you can ignore China. (the AI is basically in a holding pattern, so you can let your forces stay in a holding pattern and not spend any time on it.)

[Sardaukar]

One can also play Quiet China-scenario variant. That way when playing against AI, one does not have to care about China at all. AI will not go to offense after capturing few initial bases. Thus, Auto-Sub Ops and Quiet China variant will reduce click-fest quite a lot if one so wishes.