Is Ardennes being included?

Les_the_Sarge_9_1 · Post by **Les_the_Sarge_9_1** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 4:43 am

Ok might be an old question apologies if this is not news.

Is Korsun being sold with Ardennes included, and specifically is the Ardennes software going to be XP friendly?

I am not saying I don't like the looks of the Korsun game, but I am really only currently interested in Ardennes believe it or not.

Fred98 · Post by **Fred98** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 4:49 am

Yes it is.

And I challenge you to a game

Les_the_Sarge_9_1 · Post by **Les_the_Sarge_9_1** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 6:07 am

Possible Joe, but I guess I have to get the game first hehe.

e_barkmann · Post by **e_barkmann** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 6:47 am

Les,

The new Decisive Battles engine works beautifully in XP. I have had KP running for hours at a time, listening to music, opening graphics programs, sending emails etc, and it doesn't miss a beat.

The Korsun Pocket CD release comes with 2 battles - Korsun Pocket and the Ardennes Offensive. All battles and scenarios included load up within the same Decisive Battles engine, so regardless of the theatre, if it's on the KP CD, it will work fine with XP (and win98. me and win2k)...

Cheers Chris

Fallschirmjager · Post by **Fallschirmjager** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 7:21 am

At least give korsun a shot..may like it...haha

and its the same engine...dont see how you wouldnt

Les_the_Sarge_9_1 · Post by **Les_the_Sarge_9_1** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 4:44 pm

Hmm well Korsun is just a place I have had trouble finding heheh. Someone mentioned Cherkassy in General Discussions, that I at least know.

But my only interest is the Ardennes setting. Don't currently have a nice Bulge setting game.

I liked the over all software look though.

Might seem odd to buy a program just to get an afterthought heheh.
As it currently stands, I am looking to concentrate my interests where wargaming is concerned. I will likely stick with my roots, and that means non 3d RTS looking wargames.

So Korsun's design and Battlefields will likely get more sway with me than any 3d design. I am also looking at Airborne Assault, so it is possible I might have at least a choice for Chrismas heheh.

humunuku · Post by **humunuku** » Sun Jun 15, 2003 8:03 am

Originally posted by Chris Merchant
Les,

The new Decisive Battles engine works beautifully in XP. I have had KP running for hours at a time, listening to music, opening graphics programs, sending emails etc, and it doesn't miss a beat.

The Korsun Pocket CD release comes with 2 battles - Korsun Pocket and the Ardennes Offensive. All battles and scenarios included load up within the same Decisive Battles engine, so regardless of the theatre, if it's on the KP CD, it will work fine with XP (and win98. me and win2k)...

Cheers Chris

Question for Chris Merchant: Your statement above does not specify whether Korsun Pocket will have ALL the scenarios of the original Ardennes Offensive; I understood that the new KP will have ONLY ONE scenario; is that true? I have also read another post that held out hope for additional TAO scenarios to be provided by SSG/Matrix, as future downloads.

I believe that I am one of several TAO fans who would desperately love to have the full slate of TAO on the new KP disk, simply because TAO/TAO2 do not work with WIN XP.

Is there any hope for us TAO retreads? Running around on the Eastern Front, and recreating battles in villages with strange Russian names (I guess they can't really be blamed for that, though) simply doesn't hold much appeal for me: I want some Yanks and familiar battle locations!

Thanks again, Chris, for all your work on TAO information: I can remember first getting help from you about the original TAO years and years (five or more?) ago.

Bob Cohen

Fallschirmjager · Post by **Fallschirmjager** » Sun Jun 15, 2003 8:24 am

Originally posted by humunuku
Question for Chris Merchant: Your statement above does not specify whether Korsun Pocket will have ALL the scenarios of the original Ardennes Offensive; I understood that the new KP will have ONLY ONE scenario; is that true? I have also read another post that held out hope for additional TAO scenarios to be provided by SSG/Matrix, as future downloads.

I believe that I am one of several TAO fans who would desperately love to have the full slate of TAO on the new KP disk, simply because TAO/TAO2 do not work with WIN XP.

Is there any hope for us TAO retreads? Running around on the Eastern Front, and recreating battles in villages with strange Russian names (I guess they can't really be blamed for that, though) simply doesn't hold much appeal for me: I want some Yanks and familiar battle locations!

Thanks again, Chris, for all your work on TAO information: I can remember first getting help from you about the original TAO years and years (five or more?) ago.

Bob Cohen

Dont hold me to this but...

I think the ardennes scenario is the grand campaign scenario......and I also think the game will ship with a an editor

so...with a little work im sure some enterprising individual will make the rest of the scenarios (if they are in fact not included)
so I wouldnt fear too much

Personaly im more interested in the korsun pocket battle than the ardennes so I see that as a bonus

This looks like a very good engine...id love a load of "expansion" packs using the same engine but with new battles
I think the engine would cover stalingrad and kursk well...as well as some battles in Italy and maybe all of sicily

e_barkmann · Post by **e_barkmann** » Sun Jun 15, 2003 8:32 am

Hi Bob,

I'm a bit of a TAO retread my self

Yes, there is only one TAO scenario included in on the KP CD. It is the 32 turn "Last Blitzkeig" scenario from TAO, but you will be surprised how it plays now - it is somewhat different than the older version.

SSG have indicated that they will release the updated TAO scenarios over time (I have seen a draft version of Race to the Meuse, for instance), but I don't expect them to come out straight away as these scenarios require time and testing to balance in the new system.

I must say you should get great replay value from the included TAO scen though, it has been painstakingly tweaked, balanced, re-tweaked and re-balanced over some months, and can play quite differently depending on the players' styles.

However, you are not alone in your requests for the other TAO scens and I know that Roger et al are also keen for these to happen as well. I'll try and keep the community informed of developments.

Mind you, the editor supplied has all the necessary features to make the scenarios - the battle supplied already has oob, map, towns etc. Someone with plenty of time on their hands (and access to TAO2 for data)could have a crack at it!

Regarding Korsun Pocket - yes it is quite different, no doubt. But in terms of excitement level I think you will be enthralled, it's more of a roller coaster ride than TAO in some ways - give it a chance, I will put money on the fact it will grow on you - and names such as Lisyanka, the Gilnoy Tikich, and Zvengorodka will take on a more significant meaning

Geez I ramble on... :p

Cheers Chris

Larry Stephens · Post by **Larry Stephens** » Thu Jun 19, 2003 8:33 pm

I was just wondering if anyone knows whether SSG has any plans to modify TAO2 to work under Windows XP. I just upgraded my computer recently and was very disappointed to discover that TAO2 and some other favourites like East Front and West Front don't seem to run under this operating system.

Pawlock · Post by **Pawlock** » Fri Jun 20, 2003 12:46 am

TAO2 is just a more modern version of TAO, and KP package is including TAO in it, which will be compatable with XP.

e_barkmann · Post by **e_barkmann** » Fri Jun 20, 2003 2:30 am

TAO2.x.x releases could be considered testbeds for KP, where SSG could play around with new concepts and ideas for the next DBWWII engine release.

That it was released free to the public was a bonus to us all.

It has to be said that once you play the TAO scen within KP, it will be difficult to go back to TAO2.

I don't think Roger will be spending any time on fixing up TAO2 to work in XP and I support that decision. Development time is a precious resource and although TAO2 holds a special value for us, I'd rather see the time devoted to the new system.

By the way, East Front II and West Front should actually run fine within XP - they do on my system, anyway.

Cheers, Chris

BrubakerII · Post by **BrubakerII** » Fri Jun 20, 2003 2:45 pm

I think it fair to say the Ardennes scenario has certainly matured in this version of the game. It certainly plays differently and is more of a challenge. I too welcome other TAO scenarios to play under the Korsun engine but agree they need thorough testing first as the improved mechanics of the game engine would require.

On the subject of good old US/Brits vs the Germans, who knows, if this game sells well enough there might just be some such scenarios on the horizon?...

Brubaker

e_barkmann · Post by **e_barkmann** » Wed Jul 02, 2003 1:37 pm

Well, just to make a slight adjustment to my statements above (and specifically for Bob), SSG have publically said that they won't be updating the TAO scenarios themselves - they will leave this for the community to do.

However, I am about 50% done in converting the Race to the Meuse scenario (I now have the AI and balancing to do...) and after some extensive testing within the KP beta circle would hope to see it out in a month or so.

Depending on demand and my time, I could probably come at a second conversion as well - you will be able to vote for which one at the Wacht am Rhein site in the next few weeks, but I don't think I will attempt any of the monster scens. I am thinking Bastogne or St Vith.

Anyway, the above is all "I am hoping to do..." rather than " I have done..." so I think I will leave it at that for the moment

Cheers Chris

Tbone3336 · Post by **Tbone3336** » Wed Jul 02, 2003 2:33 pm

Chris,
that is good news that you are putting in so much effort on your own time for everyone. Once we have the game I am sure there will be a chance for us to help you and or complete new scenarios or updates. Just wanted to say that even your efforts along with Rob's so far have been tremendous and apprecitated and hopefully we can help out soon.

Good Job!

humunuku · Post by **humunuku** » Thu Jul 03, 2003 9:54 am

Chris,

Once again, you continue to stun me with your forthrightness and support for TAO, as per your message just above:

"Well, just to make a slight adjustment to my statements above (and specifically for Bob), SSG have publically said that they won't be updating the TAO scenarios themselves - they will leave this for the community to do.

However, I am about 50% done in converting the Race to the Meuse scenario (I now have the AI and balancing to do...) and after some extensive testing within the KP beta circle would hope to see it out in a month or so...."

I am the "Bob" referenced in the above post, and have been checking back in this forum just about daily for the past month, to see what news there is about the Korsun Pocket release (and the "bonus" of TAO for Win XP, with a 32 turn scenario). Your obvious love for TAO and the expectation that others will also develop scenarios just continues to whet my appetite for the forthcoming release.

Thanks again for being so diligent in updating news on this forum, continuing to beat the drums for this old favorite of TAO, and generally being so committed to being helpful to anyone who is interested in TAO.

It really is amazing that so much attention is being given to TAO, when it is simply a bonus "throw-in" to Matrix's/SSG new product: Who knows, I might even learn to play and enjoy Korsun, once it finally gets released and into my hands?

I just know that we will probably STILL be reading news, discussion, tips, and whatever about TAO from Chris Merchant for several years after Korsun is released...maybe when I'm trying to install this newest XP version on whatever newer Microsoft operating system exists in the year 2009...

Bob Cohen

Fred98 · Post by **Fred98** » Thu Jul 03, 2003 10:54 am

And the game will come with an editor.

This increses the enjoyment.

For arguements sake, in TAO(3) the OOB could be exactly the same but the German attack come from the left instead of the right.

I am saying that there are so many variables that the game will have a longer life than TAO2.

Rob Gjessing · Post by **Rob Gjessing** » Sat Jul 05, 2003 10:33 am

Thats very true Joe.. the options are endless - particularly when applying the editor to existing battles like TAO.. you could change the balance of the game completely by just changing the VP points for Spa for example, or making Luxemburg a major objective.. if you wanted to do this.. and furthermore.. I would suggest playing around with the Alert Point system will make significant other differences..

The options are endless.. I have even had a play around with the editor to make a small skirmish (not historical of course) down in the south western part of map where no units ever seem to get to... so with this in mind.. you could quite easily make a completely new mini battle..

I know Chris has been working quietly away and quite diligently on a fictional battle using the KP map.. its quite good too.. but enough about that

Fallschirmjager · Post by **Fallschirmjager** » Sat Jul 05, 2003 9:18 pm

I wish you would give us the Entire Wacht em Rhine scenario instead...

That way we would the entire OOB and we could tear bits and pieces of the grand scenario off to use in our own

You still have 3 weeks to release

Kung Karl · Post by **Kung Karl** » Sat Jul 05, 2003 11:40 pm

I thought that the wacht am rhine was the only scenario from toa2 that would ship with the game but I am not sure at all.

Is Ardennes being included?

Is Ardennes being included?

TAO2 Under Win XP