QE showcase: what did I just buy?

[Count Sessine]

Hi folks

I'm a bit confused about the QE scenario. From what I can see it is just very big scenario (with spelling errors in the briefing).

In what way is it superior to the NF series, for example?

And what does this stuff even mean? Are we playing Carrier Command now?

Command Showcase Features:
Complex management of the main unit
Each scenario is centered on a weapon, sensor or unit
Harness your allies or fight alone against the enemy
Manage and master a single unit, sensor or weapon at a time
Increase your skills and tactics more and more in each challenge

[BDukes]

Hi folks

I'm a bit confused about the QE scenario. From what I can see it is just very big scenario (with spelling errors in the briefing).

In what way is it superior to the NF series, for example?

And what does this stuff even mean? Are we playing Carrier Command now?

Command Showcase Features:
Complex management of the main unit
Each scenario is centered on a weapon, sensor or unit
Harness your allies or fight alone against the enemy
Manage and master a single unit, sensor or weapon at a time
Increase your skills and tactics more and more in each challenge

It is $3 and you got probably at least 6 hours of fun, probably more.

Some pay $22 for a two-hour movie they may not like at all-never mind food and drink.

That's the math.

Mike

[thewood1]

I don't think he's quibbling about cost, from my read. His questions mirror some of mine. Its a very good scenario and I like it. But it doesn't really match up with the marketing lines. The marketing lines on the Showcase overall line of scenarios should have been separated from the scenario description itself and better description of the actual scenario and what its about. If you do that, it makes a little more sense.

Frankly, I'm a little disappointed in the messaging and the expectation of complete reinstalls for people solely running the beta. Installing CMO is not incredibly difficult, but its not trivial. I'm guessing some people would have paid double just to have a clearer description and a cleaner install of the scenario.

[BDukes]

I don't think he's quibbling about cost, from my read. His questions mirror some of mine. Its a very good scenario and I like it. But it doesn't really match up with the marketing lines. The marketing lines on the Showcase overall line of scenarios should have been separated from the scenario description itself and better description of the actual scenario and what its about. If you do that, it makes a little more sense.

Frankly, I'm a little disappointed in the messaging and the expectation of complete reinstalls for people solely running the beta. Installing CMO is not incredibly difficult, but its not trivial. I'm guessing some people would have paid double just to have a clearer description and a cleaner install of the scenario.

Yeah that's probably fair.

I did spend a bit of time today uninstalling and reinstalling. If I didn't already have so much buy-in I probably wouldn't have.

Mike

[DWReese]

"....what did I just buy?"

Not knowing for sure, "Showcase" seems to be a scenario which is similar to the LIVE series, but it seems to be more centralized around a specific unit as opposed to a goal. At least, I believe that that was the original goal.

But, having said that, the size of the scenario (over AU 3300) is way too large for my liking. It would take me over an hour just to go around and inspect my own assets before you could begin play. Furthermore, my computer has NEVER had trouble processing things with this game, but several times it stopped, and slowed, and seemed to take 30 seconds or longer before proceeding.

I'll play around with the scenario, learn from it, use it as a reference, but I'll probably never actually play it as it is just too big. I hope that any future Showcase scenarios are reduced in size to something a little more manageable.

But, perhaps I'm wrong. Perhaps you purchased something else that others have picked up on that I am missing.

[skeletonboi]

I was looking for a thread like this. I have to say, I'm slightly disappointed based on the marketing.

I have a whole backlog of very large scenarios and campaigns to play: they're good fun, but I had the impression the 'Showcase' titles were small, focused affairs where you largely command a handful of units, with a focus on one or two 'key' ones so you can learn the ins-and-outs of one particular platform. That's sorely missing from much of the various campaigns, and most LIVE scenarios, which tend towards complexity (with some notable exceptions like Silent Service). Honestly, 'Commonwealth Collision' is probably a more focused tighter showcase of 'just' the Queen E because you have so much less to juggle.

Again, this is clearly a well-made scenario and I was delighted to see a Singapore-Malaysia OOB too, but it's just not what I expected. I'd be less put-off if it was simply marketed as a LIVE Scenario featuring FONOPs. I suppose I shouldn't complain too much for $3.

[Count Sessine]

I was looking for a thread like this. I have to say, I'm slightly disappointed based on the marketing.

I have a whole backlog of very large scenarios and campaigns to play: they're good fun, but I had the impression the 'Showcase' titles were small, focused affairs where you largely command a handful of units, with a focus on one or two 'key' ones so you can learn the ins-and-outs of one particular platform. That's sorely missing from much of the various campaigns, and most LIVE scenarios, which tend towards complexity (with some notable exceptions like Silent Service). Honestly, 'Commonwealth Collision' is probably a more focused tighter showcase of 'just' the Queen E because you have so much less to juggle.

Again, this is clearly a well-made scenario and I was delighted to see a Singapore-Malaysia OOB too, but it's just not what I expected. I'd be less put-off if it was simply marketed as a LIVE Scenario featuring FONOPs. I suppose I shouldn't complain too much for $3.

My point exactly. It's not about the price. But I expected a small, focused scenario. I can't play the really big ones, never could.

[Count Sessine]

The one scenario in Harpoon that I still remember is the one where 4 Russian and Norwegian patrol boats meet and duke it out. Small, focused.

[BDukes]

I was looking for a thread like this. I have to say, I'm slightly disappointed based on the marketing.

I have a whole backlog of very large scenarios and campaigns to play: they're good fun, but I had the impression the 'Showcase' titles were small, focused affairs where you largely command a handful of units, with a focus on one or two 'key' ones so you can learn the ins-and-outs of one particular platform. That's sorely missing from much of the various campaigns, and most LIVE scenarios, which tend towards complexity (with some notable exceptions like Silent Service). Honestly, 'Commonwealth Collision' is probably a more focused tighter showcase of 'just' the Queen E because you have so much less to juggle.

Again, this is clearly a well-made scenario and I was delighted to see a Singapore-Malaysia OOB too, but it's just not what I expected. I'd be less put-off if it was simply marketed as a LIVE Scenario featuring FONOPs. I suppose I shouldn't complain too much for $3.

Yeah that was where I was going. Why dig too far into a $3 thing.. I was probably being a little defensive for the author, who I'm guessing had exactly nothing to do about how it sold.

The community is valuing authenticity, which is a great thing as the world doesn't do that as often as I'd like. Let's hope lesson learned. Money is in pro though so probably not

Mike

[BDukes]

I was looking for a thread like this. I have to say, I'm slightly disappointed based on the marketing.

I have a whole backlog of very large scenarios and campaigns to play: they're good fun, but I had the impression the 'Showcase' titles were small, focused affairs where you largely command a handful of units, with a focus on one or two 'key' ones so you can learn the ins-and-outs of one particular platform. That's sorely missing from much of the various campaigns, and most LIVE scenarios, which tend towards complexity (with some notable exceptions like Silent Service). Honestly, 'Commonwealth Collision' is probably a more focused tighter showcase of 'just' the Queen E because you have so much less to juggle.

Again, this is clearly a well-made scenario and I was delighted to see a Singapore-Malaysia OOB too, but it's just not what I expected. I'd be less put-off if it was simply marketed as a LIVE Scenario featuring FONOPs. I suppose I shouldn't complain too much for $3.

Yeah that was where I was going. Why dig too far into a $3 thing.. I was probably being a little defensive for the author, who I'm guessing had exactly nothing to do about how it sold.

The community is valuing authenticity, which is a great thing as the world doesn't do that as often as I'd like. Let's hope lesson learned. Money is in pro though so probably not

Test builds, installers and steam too. Jeebus christy did they demonstrate they didn't do that.

Mike

[BDukes]

Repost sorry

[BDukes]

Repost 2 sorry

[thewood1]

I was looking for a thread like this. I have to say, I'm slightly disappointed based on the marketing.

I have a whole backlog of very large scenarios and campaigns to play: they're good fun, but I had the impression the 'Showcase' titles were small, focused affairs where you largely command a handful of units, with a focus on one or two 'key' ones so you can learn the ins-and-outs of one particular platform. That's sorely missing from much of the various campaigns, and most LIVE scenarios, which tend towards complexity (with some notable exceptions like Silent Service). Honestly, 'Commonwealth Collision' is probably a more focused tighter showcase of 'just' the Queen E because you have so much less to juggle.

Again, this is clearly a well-made scenario and I was delighted to see a Singapore-Malaysia OOB too, but it's just not what I expected. I'd be less put-off if it was simply marketed as a LIVE Scenario featuring FONOPs. I suppose I shouldn't complain too much for $3.

Yeah that was where I was going. Why dig too far into a $3 thing.. I was probably being a little defensive for the author, who I'm guessing had exactly nothing to do about how it sold.

The community is valuing authenticity, which is a great thing as the world doesn't do that as often as I'd like. Let's hope lesson learned. Money is in pro though so probably not

Test builds, installers and steam too. Jeebus christy did they demonstrate they didn't do that.

Mike

Are you debating yourself?

[BDukes]

Yeah that was where I was going. Why dig too far into a $3 thing.. I was probably being a little defensive for the author, who I'm guessing had exactly nothing to do about how it sold.

The community is valuing authenticity, which is a great thing as the world doesn't do that as often as I'd like. Let's hope lesson learned. Money is in pro though so probably not

Test builds, installers and steam too. Jeebus christy did they demonstrate they didn't do that.

Mike

Are you debating yourself?

Nope.

Mike

[cmanouser1]

This really should have been sold as a LIVE scenario.
Apart from the marketing confusion, the scenario seems very interesting.

[BDukes]

This really should have been sold as a LIVE scenario.
Apart from the marketing confusion, the scenario seems very interesting.

It is really fun. Lots of good action although takes a good bit of self-control to not fire early..You'll be rewarded a good show if you hold. Using the quick jump feature is highly suggested. Can just bounce between groups which definitely helps.

The scenario itself is wonderful I think.

Mike

[skeletonboi]

Yeah that was where I was going. Why dig too far into a $3 thing.. I was probably being a little defensive for the author, who I'm guessing had exactly nothing to do about how it sold.

It's very clearly a labour of love: there's a lot of interesting detail, though I need to figure out how to make it run faster because I'm getting terrible slowdowns a couple of hours in. If I can't solve that then it'll have to remain on the 'maybe one day' pile of scenarios.

There seems to have been a bit of a breakdown in communication between what the scenario author wanted to do and what Matrix Games wanted to market. The thing that's a little odd to me is that what I thought the showcase was would probably be a lot less work to make than what this scenario actually is! I'd happily play a scenario with just a player-controlled Queen E taskforce up against a single Liaoning taskforce, with a handful of AI-controlled land-based air and maybe an allied US carrier-group or SEA taskforce. I was really looking forward to having a scenario explicitly aiming to teach the strengths and limitations of a particular platform, too... it would help a lot with CMO's learning cliff.

[BDukes]

Yeah that was where I was going. Why dig too far into a $3 thing.. I was probably being a little defensive for the author, who I'm guessing had exactly nothing to do about how it sold.

It's very clearly a labour of love: there's a lot of interesting detail, though I need to figure out how to make it run faster because I'm getting terrible slowdowns a couple of hours in. If I can't solve that then it'll have to remain on the 'maybe one day' pile of scenarios.

There seems to have been a bit of a breakdown in communication between what the scenario author wanted to do and what Matrix Games wanted to market. The thing that's a little odd to me is that what I thought the showcase was would probably be a lot less work to make than what this scenario actually is! I'd happily play a scenario with just a player-controlled Queen E taskforce up against a single Liaoning taskforce, with a handful of AI-controlled land-based air and maybe an allied US carrier-group or SEA taskforce. I was really looking forward to having a scenario explicitly aiming to teach the strengths and limitations of a particular platform, too... it would help a lot with CMO's learning cliff.

I finished it last night. It was a great time.

Are you using the new betas? Pretty sure there are speed improvements there.

Mike

[skeletonboi]

Delayed response here: yes, I was, though I also have seen slowdowns before for other large scenarios like some of the Shifting Sands ones (both before and after the Beta) so it could just be a processor issue on my end. I've tweaked the various options to speed up performance as much as I can. But it's also why I've been looking for smaller scenarios that are a bit less taxing.

[BDukes]

Delayed response here: yes, I was, though I also have seen slowdowns before for other large scenarios like some of the Shifting Sands ones (both before and after the Beta) so it could just be a processor issue on my end. I've tweaked the various options to speed up performance as much as I can. But it's also why I've been looking for smaller scenarios that are a bit less taxing.

Check out Mark Gellis's scenarios in the community scenario pack. His scenarios are great with the bonus of being small enough for a night's play.

Mike