I'm not so sure about ATG

[rich12545]

ORIGINAL: Son_of_Montfort

Rich, I'm not sure you are communicating what you want very well, so I went back to the OP to see and respond.

ORIGINAL: rich12545

Actually I was hoping for some AI improvements in what is an entirely new game, not an expansion. Like having the AI capable of using carriers and airborne and smarter at blowing/repairing bridges, stuff like that.

I've done some reading and I don't know what the AI is or isn't capable of, but I also don't know how much it has been improved. I do know that the AI is restricted by the same resources as the player, so that is an improvement. As far as bridge busting and carriers, it would be nice to have that, sure.

ORIGINAL: rich12545

It looks like existing scenarios will work with the original game that will be included but not gold so I see no improvement there although there will of course be gold scenarios in due course.

From what I've seen, it looks like you can load up your original scenarios using AT Classic and then you will be able to load up new scenarios in ATG. When I bought AT, there were only a few scenarios available but this was quickly rectified. As you said, in "due course" this should be a moot point.

ORIGINAL: rich12545
The new random engine looks nice but kind of generic.

I don't think so at all. Generic in what way? The pics I've seen posted show pretty lively looking maps and fairly interesting land/water features. The original AT was pretty utilitarian in that regard, and the maps were not particularly pretty or "unique" but they worked well (no worse than a Civ or Empire map). So I guess I don't see this, but I suppose this is personal preference.

ORIGINAL: rich12545
ARHS works well and I don't really see much of an improvement there. Just a couple of bells and whistles. Of course I never play multi and mostly random games so I'll be in a minority with this post but unless there's more info that I'm interested in I'll probably pass and save the $30-40. Just my opinion fwiw.

I never used ARHS, so I can't comment there. I never played a multi game and stuck to the random game as well, and IMHO the random games are being heavily pushed in the ATG marketing. Which makes me think that this is a priority for Vic et al.

Where did you get the $30-40 price range? Just curious. I've not seen any talk about price, other than a pretty clear statement that previous owners of AT will get some form of a discount.

Obviously your opinion is valid to you, and is certainly understandable. But I don't know what exactly you wanted here and I don't feel like Matrix or Vic is hiding anything with this project - it all seems rather clear that this is a major overhaul of AT without being a completely different game.

Dang, trying to do a multi-quote here looks like a full time job.

Yours is the best on point response I've seen here. I'm not sure what I wanted here either except to post my opinion on the gold edition. I'm not knocking it just sorry it doesn't have some of the stuff I was hoping for and so I may or may not buy it depending on the price and finished product. I called the random engine generic based on the setup screen. Not a lot of options and based on that screenie it looks like it can't really be modded the way the original can. It had nothing to do with the random map or setup which might indeed be better. I used $30-40 because that's a MG typical price for a game like this. There's been no mention of a discount by MG for previous owners and since this is a new version I'm not expecting one although I could be wrong about that. MG isn't known for discounts to previous owners. For example, the one they gave for Harpoon owners is pathetic at best. And you could be right about the quality of the random game. It might be a huge improvement in which case I'll say great and buy the gold. But as of right now I'm not convinced. Nobody has confirmed the ability to mod in different units/terrain into the new random engine the way it can be done in the old. For me it's just wait and see.

[Steely Glint]

So is the AI in AT Gold actually capable of using carriers and airborne properly and smarter at blowing/repairing bridges and stuff like that?

[rich12545]

No.

[Barthheart]

ORIGINAL: rich12545

...Nobody has confirmed the ability to mod in different units/terrain into the new random engine the way it can be done in the old. For me it's just wait and see.

I'm not exactly sure what you mean here but I'll take a stab. If by this "mod in different units/terrain into the new random engine" you mean changing the SFT icon for say NATO symbols or change teh terrain graphics to the old ones by replacing the file like can be done in AT then Yes you can do exactly that in ATG.

Hope that helps.
[8D]

[rich12545]

Not exactly what I meant.

I was thinking more what ARHS does. Where the graphics and units (and maybe other stuff) is changed and you have a new random game set in a different part of the world or different time. To me that is a huge benefit of the original AT along with that mod. I'm even thinking about using that as a base and changing to the pacific theater or vietnam. The possibilities for more random game types is huge.

Based on the random setup screen it looks like the new random engine is more closed and this can't be done. Unless someone knows how it works and can report it can.

[82ndtrooper]

ATG is much more flexible in modding in all areas than original AT. Anything you could do in AT , you can do in ATG and a lot more.

let me make that clear

if you could do it in AT you can do it on ATG and more.

every random game set up screen includes a edit button where you can go in and change it if you wish.


also it was posted that owners of AT will get a discount on ATG. I am not 100% sure how much it will be but the early suggestions for the discount I saw on the tester boards where very decent.  I do not know if they will stand when released. But I can assure you that Vic suggested a nice discount for original AT owners.
Vic has really tried to not only improve AT but to listen and incorporate all the ideas he got from the player base. I think he has done a great job also.

I hope that helps to answer your questions.

[rich12545]

This certainly does go a long way toward answering my questions and I appreciate the post. ATG is now beginning to look much more positive.

Would it be possible for you to expand on the edit button, how it works, what all can be changed?

[Tac2i]

If you create a random game and then click the edit button, this is what you see. I'm not a scenario designer so what all this stuff means I can't say.

[rich12545]

That looks interesting. I wonder if any of those allows you to choose a graphics set and another a unit set. That would be cool.

[Barthheart]

I think the simplest way to put it is this:

If you could do it in AT, you can do it in ATG. ATG is AT expanded, as in added to not taken away from.

I'd even go so far as to say you could use ARHS directly in ATG. I've never used ARHS in AT or ATG and yet I'd bet it still works.

Hope that helps.
[8D]

[AlanBernardo]

ORIGINAL: Barthheart

I think the simplest way to put it is this:

If you could do it in AT, you can do it in ATG. ATG is AT expanded, as in added to not taken away from.

I'd even go so far as to say you could use ARHS directly in ATG. I've never used ARHS in AT or ATG and yet I'd bet it still works.

Hope that helps.
[8D]

How 'bout helping us with a estimated release date? Are we close, or far away?

Edit: that's okay, I found my answer.


Alan

[cdbeck]

Rich,

There was never anything officially stated, but Vic did mention that a discount for previous owners of AT is possible.

Here is a link to one time he stated this: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/fb.asp?m=2631848

[Vic]

ORIGINAL: Son_of_Montfort

Rich,

There was never anything officially stated, but Vic did mention that a discount for previous owners of AT is possible.

Here is a link to one time he stated this: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/fb.asp?m=2631848

yeah. thats still the plan. since ATG is a major upgrade and not a fully new game some measure of price reduction for existing AT owners is justified.

Matrix will soon tell the actual $$ figure.

best,
Vic

[Grymme]

Rich

You wrote
One main question seems to form. With ATG how easy will the random be for different scenarios? Like changing units/graphics to other time or world areas similar to what ARHS does?

I took my time, answered and explained the following.

Rich12545. Everything that was in AT will still be in ATG so it will still be as possible to change graphics & units to other eras. Actually it will be much nicer to simulate new areas because it will now be possible to change almost everything in the game. Say for example you have a SpaceRace scenario. It looks really boring to have buttons of artillery & other artwork in the main screen with WWII-style artwork. Now you will be able to mod that so that instead there are spacetypelike buttons in the mainscreen for movement, attack etc.

Then you responded by laughing at me. and saying i dont understand you. But its not my fault if you cannot communicate clearly or dont understand the explanations given to you. Since you laughed at my atempt at helping you i wouldnt start whining about personal attacks.

[cdbeck]

Erik just posted during the chat that a $15 discount for owners of AT is planned.

[Erik Rutins]

Yes, we're planning to release during April, hopefully in the next two weeks or so and we will offer owners of the original Advanced Tactics a $15 discount on this new release. Also, AT Gold can open, play and edit all your old Advanced Tactics scenarios, it is fully backwards compatible.

Regards,

- Erik

[rich12545]

Grymme, the way you wrote your post it looked like you might have been referring to the classic random game and that didn't help anything. I wasn't laughing at you or your attempt to help, I was laughing at the idea of a space game in AT. That was really pretty obvious. Regardless, you made a personal attack with no provocation and, real frankly, you owe me an apology. Even if I somehow misunderstood exactly what you said, that's no excuse for an unwarranted personal attack.

Son of Montfort, I think $15 is generous and will go a long way toward me buying gold.

In any case, some of the posts here have been very helpful and I'm satisfied ATG will be worth it and along with the nice discount I'll very likely be buying. Giving my opinion and getting information to help with this quandry was why I started this thread and it looks like I have the answers I need. Thanks to everybody.

[Grymme]

Rich12345 This is not very productive so i will try to make this my final word on the matter. I tried to help you politely in several posts. You responded by laughing at my words. If you do not se that such behavour is rude i cannot help you see it. I do not owe you anything. I merely pointed out that you seemed to have a problem comprehending things. I stand firmly by that assessment.

[rich12545]

It seems YOU have a reading comprehension problem. I even explained it again and you still don't get it. I wasn't laughing at you. Ok, read my lips. I wasn't laughing at you. I was laughing over the idea of a space game in AT. Do you understand now? Since you refuse to apologize for making an unwarranted personal attack, I'll just consider the source and move on.

[82ndtrooper]

the space game scenario is actually well built with a very different play style and fun to play. [;)]