Is CoG ready for prime time?

[Temple]

I'm winding down from my War Plan Orange frenzy [;)] and I had the urge to switch to a different sort of game and I think CoG might be interesting. My one concern is that I see that the latest official patch is 1.10 but the beta is up to 1.218 and rising. While I think it's great that the developer is so committed to improving the game and I would definitely like to play the latest version, I am a bit concerned that the beta might be unstable or "not ready for prime time". Is 1.218 polished enough to play for fun?

BTW, I got turned on to CoG after seeing it mentioned on comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical as their Wargame of the Year 2005. Way to go! [:)]

[canuck64]

Temple do it. 2.18 is stable and implements some new things that were much-clamored for. The vanilla game was relatively stable...the number of updates really more a testament to eric's presence and involvedness in what we want and see than major fixes to game mechanics. Stable, fun and involved. I highly recommend it. And eric posts in here frequently, and is open and engaged in the conversations that swirl around. Not all perfect, but very much the best game I've gotten from Matrix bar none (6 titles now)..
Last comment. I started a game (solo) on 2.11, and have upgraded thru 3 or 4 patches, same game, using version 2.18. This is not another WITP....(dare I say it).

[Sarge]

Being a huge WITP fanboy I was a little Apprehensive of COG also after reading the game stopper bugs here from COG players, take it with a grain of salt [;)]

I have been having a blast with the game and have of yet run across any of the so-called game stoppers. Yes it has its bugs what title doesn't , the economies/trade has me scratching my head at times but nothing you can't handle after WPO.

My personal opinion is most (not all) bugs are being reported are actually part of the game mechanics, and are due to lack of reading the manual not a poor performance from the developer/s

This title is not to be missed [;)]

[Uncle_Joe]

Yes, the betas represent an evolution of the game, not trying to make it work. The design has progressed throughout the last 6 months since release but it was fully playable at the beginning.

Many of the changes represent feedback from players and the designer adding 'wishlist' items as time allows.

If you have an interest in the period, I'd recommend the game. As Sarge mentioned, there might be things that leave you scratching your head, but overall the game is quite engaging and gives a pretty good feel for the period modeled.

[malthaussen]

I'll agree with the sentiments above. I just got the game after being appalled reading the comments about WIP at that forum (made me decide not to get that game -- I'll just continue to play the original WIP!), and it has a high fun factor. Easy to learn if you're familiar with 4x conventions, but it's easy to see that mastery will take awhile. I've had no problems at all with CTDs or game-killing bugs, which is a relief after some of the garbage I've picked up in recent years. The continued betas apparently are more about adding features and refining the system than fixing what's broken -- although occasionally something gets broken (or dented) along the way.

Only drawback is that the betas are a 30 meg d/l right now. Since I have a dialup connection, that means about 3 hours d/l to change versions. But hey, they're free.

-- Mal

[dpstafford]

ORIGINAL: malthaussen
I'll agree with the sentiments above. I just got the game after being appalled reading the comments about WIP at that forum (made me decide not to get that game -- I'll just continue to play the original WIP!), and it has a high fun factor.

You are missing the "boat", literally, on WITP. It is a much more refined product than the original Pac War--which I also played tirelessly back in DOS days. WITP is a serious wargame slash simulation. CoG is a dice rolling fest. A virtual Axis & Allies hard landed on a bad economic model. Still, "fun factor" edge to CoG. If that is what you are looking for. On the other hand, if you seek PBEM, WITP is the way to go.

[Ziem77]

Pardon my ignorance..but what is WITP?

L-M

[Bill Durrant]

War in the Pacific - see the other forums on this site

[Ziem77]

Ah, ok. Thanks.

L-M

[1LTRambo]

I also was a little hesitant to pick up this game because of the feedback and complaints, but I too ask if I should get it when 1.2.17 was released. An emphatic YES was the response. I bought it just after Christmas and have not been dissappointed, although I was a little flummuxed at first because the game is very overwhelming in the beginning. I read the manuel and tutorial which helps with the basic game mechanics, but doesn't explain enough.
Get the game now and play it. You will be happy you did just like I was told, and did, and am.[:)]