Questions for those who have seen it

[Intruder]

Originally posted by customer717
I have a few questions though:

1) I can only go back so far as far a game art goes. The screenshots on the page look a lot better than what I am looking at in the freeware. How much has it improved? Is it what is on the site, better?

2) Are there individual graphics for the standard types of titans? In the freeware there seemed to just be icons for light, medium, etc. So pretty much most mechs in the same chasis class looked the same.

3) Is there more to do in the game besides the Gladiator battles now? Is there a campaign? Could you please describe how play has changed?

4) Does the manual (or tutorial) help understand the game? I got to the point last night that I was playing using Btech gameplay knowledge, but sometimes I just could not figure out why my percent to hit was god aweful or why the enemy mechs got 30 turns to my mechs 1 (unless moving or guns cycling way, WAY slower than hand to hand-- I mean these mechs are some kinda kung fu masters or something)

I

1.)The screenshots on the website are from Titans of Steel:Warring Suns. It is the commercial version of Titans of Steel. You have been playing the freeware version which is probably v1.4 The new ToS:WS is much improved with new graphics, sounds, animations, etc.
2.)In ToS:WS there are 5 different classes of Titans with 4 different chassis for a total of 20 different graphical representaions of Mechs. It may not seem like much, but since the mechs are so customizble, representing them all would be very daunting.
3.) There are 3 campaigns of 7 maps each. Random Battle Maps and Multiplayer Maps along with a map editor.
4.)I have not yet recieved ToS:WS so I am not for sure. I too was a BT refugee. I am completely comfortable with 1.4 after one week but there are some things that do confound me sometimes. I hope that the manuel is helpful.

Hope that helps

[customer717]

Hi, I played Battletech back in the days when I was a wee pup. Later I got into the fiction. And then even later the video games and new Click dial game. However, nothing was like the original.

But Titans looks like it is pretty darn close.

I downloaded and play the freeware that was posted here. At first it was kinda a confusing mess. To be honest the graphics really turned me off and really didnt help me get over the intial learning curve and rough (VERY ROUGH) interface.

Last night, after reading a few posts again talking about Titans I tried to see what was all the fuss. And I found battletech.

I have a few questions though:

1) I can only go back so far as far a game art goes. The screenshots on the page look a lot better than what I am looking at in the freeware. How much has it improved? Is it what is on the site, better?

2) Are there individual graphics for the standard types of titans? In the freeware there seemed to just be icons for light, medium, etc. So pretty much most mechs in the same chasis class looked the same.

3) Is there more to do in the game besides the Gladiator battles now? Is there a campaign? Could you please describe how play has changed?

4) Does the manual (or tutorial) help understand the game? I got to the point last night that I was playing using Btech gameplay knowledge, but sometimes I just could not figure out why my percent to hit was god aweful or why the enemy mechs got 30 turns to my mechs 1 (unless moving or guns cycling way, WAY slower than hand to hand-- I mean these mechs are some kinda kung fu masters or something)

I would say the graphics are my biggest hangup. If there are more indivual mech pictures and the map looks like it does on the website, then I think I will go hunting for this game today.

Thank you for any answers or imput you may offer.

[Voidhawk]

I'd say if you like BattleTech, you can't go wrong with this game. I used to play tabletop BT too back in the days when I had more friends and time. I've had a hungry spot for it for years, and WS is just the ticket for me.

As far as the game's interface goes, the best advice I can give you is to stick with it and you'll come to love it. The reason it seems confusing at first is because NOTHING else in the TBS market works like this (at least, nothing I've yet seen... anyone, please correct me if I'm wrong). It's a whole new way to play turn-based, and once you get used to it (if you're like me), you'll find that most traditional IGOUGO-style TBS games are slow, dry, and unrealistic in comparison.

I'm at a point now where I don't even notice what I'm doing with the UI half the time. I just know what I want to do, and with a little help from my mouse, it happens. It's completely transparent to me. It seemed quirky and clunky when I first started too, but after a few hours the pieces started falling into place and one day I just sorta woke up and realized what a remarkable innovation in the genre it is.

I'll see if I can answer some of your questions:

1) There's really no fair comparison to be made between freeware ToS and WS. The graphics in WS are clean, crisp, and very nice to look at. As long as you're not expecting the latest in 3-D acceleration technology, there's nothing to be disappointed with here. Animations and weapon effects, while nothing that will have you screaming with glee, are very well done. Plus, ALL of the graphics are moddable! (see my post above re: Yes, I have it...)

2) Yes, there are many different graphics for each chassis type. (edit: this is kind of misleading... there are a total of 20 different graphics for the titans). This is one of the things I was hoping for myself that was delivered in WS. Your individual titans and those of your opponents will look quite different from one another on the battlefield. AND all of the graphics for these are also moddable, so it wouldn't surprise me to see even more graphical titan variations in the future.

3) There are 3 different campaigns, I believe with 7 missions per. There are objectives to be met in each mission (my next mission is to invade a bandit outpost, for example). The two missions I've completed so far were challenging, and the maps were very well-designed. You also get extra money for scrap now, so it pays to not just blow up everything in sight.

4) Yes, this is an aspect of the game that I was very impressed with. Not only do you get a handbook and a VERY nice .pdf manual on the CD, but there is an interactive tutorial mission that does a really superb job at introducing new players to the fundamental game concepts.

As with any strategy game that's worth the time it takes to learn, WS merits some study of the documentation to fully appreciate all the game's intricacies. Thankfully, the WS documentation is extremely comprehensive and covers every aspect of the game. Unlike many TBS games I've recently bought (MoO3 comes to mind), WS pays HUGE entertainment dividends for the time invested studying it.

Hope that helps a little!

[Intruder]

While playing MOO3, I felt as if I were studying for my GRE. That game was a shame to the MOO name.

[Voidhawk]

Originally posted by Intruder
While playing MOO3, I felt as if I were studying for my GRE. That game was a shame to the MOO name.

Agreed. I usually love steep learning curves in strategy games, and I had a bit of fun while I was learning MoO3 (on my own, of course, as the manual is a complete joke). Then, once I semi-knew how to play it, I realized that all of my dedication was for naught. There was no reward for me, no... fun, I guess.

I'm a firm subscriber to the belief that if we want GOOD strategy and war games, we're going to have to get back to roots. Most of the bloated corporate game publishers out there wouldn't know a good strategy game if it ran up and chopped their fingers off.

The good stuff used to come from developers who did it solely for the love of the game. Matrix seems to be doing an admirable job of sniffing these guys out and getting the good stuff out into the commercial market. I hope the trend continues...

[Intruder]

Agreed. Uncommon Valor had been a great game with just as great support. ToS:WS looks to continue this. For me it is more satisfying to find a great little gem of a game which no one has heard of than to play the next great thing from some of the bigger companies.

[LordHelmchen]

Originally posted by Voidhawk
Most of the bloated corporate game publishers out there wouldn't know a good strategy game if it ran up and chopped their fingers off.
[/B]

I think Coyote will agree if I say:
*sigh* you are so right.

LordHelmchen

[Marc von Martial]

LordHelmchen

LOL, that was my very first internet knickname.