Turns per mission

[Rosseau]

Do you do all your planning in one turn and it's game over, or is there multiple turns to complete a mission/scenario?

Thanks guys.

[rich12545]

Dang, I just told you I wasn't buying any more games but this one looks really good.  I played Laser Squad Nemesis and liked it (according to the beta tester this is similar).  There were multiple turns.  It was a cool game made by the brothers who made xcom.  Kind of like only the tactical aspect of xcom.  It had a lot of promise and they abandoned it.  This looks like it but with different graphics.  It looks like it will fit a high res widescreen.  It needs a manual.  It's priced right.  Dang, no more games but I'm wavering. I'd like to know how the AI is and how much, if at all, it cheats.

[Rosseau]

All I had to do was look on YouTube. It does look very good.

[RooksBailey]

ORIGINAL: rosseau

Do you do all your planning in one turn and it's game over, or is there multiple turns to complete a mission/scenario?

Thanks guys.

It's multiple turns, sort of like Combat Mission or Panzer Command: Ostfront. In other words, you and your opponent both plan out five seconds worth of orders (fire and movement). Then both sides submit their turn and the Mode 7 "Grand Server" crunches the results and sends back a five second movie. Wash and repeat until the game is over either by reaching the turn-limit (generally eight turns but it can be set to more in a custom game) or by wiping out the other side or accomplishing the objective (such as hostage rescue).

Hope this helps!

[RooksBailey]

ORIGINAL: rich12545

Dang, I just told you I wasn't buying any more games but this one looks really good.  I played Laser Squad Nemesis and liked it (according to the beta tester this is similar).  There were multiple turns.  It was a cool game made by the brothers who made xcom.  Kind of like only the tactical aspect of xcom.  It had a lot of promise and they abandoned it.  This looks like it but with different graphics.  It looks like it will fit a high res widescreen.  It needs a manual.  It's priced right.  Dang, no more games but I'm wavering. I'd like to know how the AI is and how much, if at all, it cheats.

It is a lot like LSN...just without the UFOs. [:D] Same basic idea, except with randomly generated maps than make each skirmish different.

As for the AI, I've had a lot of fun playing against it on the default level 2 (there was a third level in the beta - I haven't checked the full release yet to see if there are more - but it was buggy in that it would take a very, very long time to make one move, making it not very useful or fun). Level 2 put up a decent fight, but an experienced player will quickly outmatch it on even terms (remember, you can set up custom skirmishes, so you can even the odds by giving the AI additional units for an extra challenge). Nonetheless, I still find myself playing against the skirmish AI just to try out different things. And don't forget the 53-mission single player campaign, too.

[rich12545]

I love randomly generated maps.  And I don't need a super AI, just a reasonably competent one that doesn't cheat.  I never play multi.  Sorry, you forgot to answer, does it cheat?

Was that long time lag fixed in the release?

[RooksBailey]

ORIGINAL: rich12545

I love randomly generated maps.  And I don't need a super AI, just a reasonably competent one that doesn't cheat.  I never play multi.  Sorry, you forgot to answer, does it cheat?

Was that long time lag fixed in the release?

Sorry about the cheating part. No cheating that I saw. Seems to play the same game as the human without seeing through walls.

As for the lag, I'm not sure what you mean. Server lag? Mode 7 switched to a new server a week or so ago, so it has improved since the beta.

I would encourage you to try MP. I don't usually like MP either, but it is really an effortless process. If you ever want a game, my FS handle is 'RookStrike'.

[rich12545]

Sorry I didn't make myself clear about the lag.  You said this:

but it was buggy in that it would take a very, very long time to make one move, making it not very useful or fun)

The main reason I never play multi is I play several different games and never get competitive enough in any one to play against humans who spend a lot of time learning the little nuances for one at a time.  I'm more of a casual gamer that way rather than hardcore so an AI suits me better.

[Rosseau]

+1 on that

[RooksBailey]

ORIGINAL: rich12545

Sorry I didn't make myself clear about the lag.  You said this:

but it was buggy in that it would take a very, very long time to make one move, making it not very useful or fun)

Oh, sorry about that. Whenever I hear "lag" I automatically think about servers. [:D]

I just checked the game. When I select AI 3, I still get the warning about unusually long AI turns. I haven't given it a try again, but the last time I used AI3, it was over 10 minutes and the AI had yet to finish its turn. I guess it is not a bug but a feature. [:)] Sort of like the "deep thinking" setting certain chess programs have. One day I have to just let it run to see how long it takes per turn.

In addition to the AI levels, there are also different AI personalities, such as AI Aggressive, AI suicidal, AI turtle. So you can play around with different types of AI as well as different strengths.

The main reason I never play multi is I play several different games and never get competitive enough in any one to play against humans who spend a lot of time learning the little nuances for one at a time. I'm more of a casual gamer that way rather than hardcore so an AI suits me better.

Yeah, I'm the same way. That is why I went right to the AI when I starting playing around with FS. [:D] I still prefer the AI, but the MP has been fun too. The only shortcoming with the AI is that is doesn't play all the modes that are available in MP (last time I checked, you were limited to team death match). I think there are plans to bring in all the MP modes to the SP at some point, but not just yet.

PS: I put a link to a vid of me facing off against an AI opponent in the AAR section. This should give you an idea of how the AI plays.

[rich12545]

Wow.  10+ minutes in between turns.  You're right, that wouldn't be fun. 

I wonder if different computer specs would make a difference.  Does the game use multiple cores to speed things up?  How about more ram, I have 4 gig?

[Barthheart]

I'm running it on my laptop - Dell M4500 i5, 8 GB ram.
Turn processing takes about 15 to 20 sec.

AI is tough... not impossible but tough.

[rich12545]

Yours is somewhat more powerful than mine.  i5, I assume duo or quad core?  Mine is P4 2.8 duo.  Four gig ram.  I think my wait would be double yours.  Still a far cry from 10+ minutes.  What level AI were you on, 2 or 3?  If wait time for me is less than a minute on 3, I think I'll be getting this game.

[Barthheart]

It's a quad core.

I have no idea what level AI I'm playing.... didn't know you could set it...... can you tell I just got the game.

I'm playing through the campaign.... very interesting and fun too.

[RooksBailey]

He's probably playing with the default level 2 which generates a turn in a matter of seconds. Only the advanced level 3 takes minutes to generate a turn.

This game runs fine on a wide variety of machines. It is not horsepower intensive on the standard settings that most people will use. Only the deep thinking AI3 seems to slow the game down.