Matrix Games Forums

Hi,

don't pass on this game, it has interface which can be a little troubling but not much (what is missing is PR), WITP and WITE have more complicated UI for my taste. If you like tactical games like CM and CC (infantry hides in houses also, it has all features of CC and more) don't miss this game, its a gem.

br.
Dr.Jones

ORIGINAL: vonRocko

Calling them "girls" and "ladies" doesn't alter the fact that the interface sucks. Or are personal attacks the only way to defend the interface?

Folks are being more then a little presumptuous,assuming because they don't like or are able to deal with it others others won't and shouldn't buy the game.Hows that better ? The UI complaints seem to me to be genre related, every title that I can think of APOS,CMBN,PCO and TOW to name a few have all been complained about for having poor user interfaces on various forums. APOS doesn't have the best user interface going and thats a fact,it takes a little time to get used to but it works fine. I am not a long time player of the series...I bought the game the day before yesterday and I am no rocket scientist when it comes to these things but was able to sort the UI out in a little less then a half hour despite old age [;)].

have a nice day

I've told you a million times not to exaggerate.

The UI is a *lot* better than in AP:Kharkov43, believe me [:'(]

ORIGINAL: 7thcav

ORIGINAL: vonRocko

Calling them "girls" and "ladies" doesn't alter the fact that the interface sucks. Or are personal attacks the only way to defend the interface?

Folks are being more then a little presumptuous,assuming because they don't like or are able to deal with it others others won't and shouldn't buy the game.Hows that better ? The UI complaints seem to me to be genre related, every title that I can think of APOS,CMBN,PCO and TOW to name a few have all been complained about for having poor user interfaces on various forums. APOS doesn't have the best user interface going and thats a fact,it takes a little time to get used to but it works fine. I am not a long time player of the series...I bought the game the day before yesterday and I am no rocket scientist when it comes to these things but was able to sort the UI out in a little less then a half hour despite old age [;)].

have a nice day

It's completely different. While melodramatic he is simply expressing his displeasure of the game due to the complicated interface. He's making no implication on people's gender, intelligence or whatever. You may not see it as fair to say don't buy it but he's not insulting anyone.

You on the other hand are being completely patronizing by saying you have to be a 'lady' to not be able to understand the game and you can figure it out in 30 minutes despite not being a rocket scientist. The proper response to his complaint is as how Dr. Jones states it:

ORIGINAL: Dr.Jones

Hi,

don't pass on this game, it has interface which can be a little troubling but not much (what is missing is PR), WITP and WITE have more complicated UI for my taste. If you like tactical games like CM and CC (infantry hides in houses also, it has all features of CC and more) don't miss this game, its a gem.

br.
Dr.Jones

or Keystone

ORIGINAL: KEYSTONE07950

I purchased the Gamers Gate edition, and while I found the UI non - intuitive and the translated manual cumbersome, with enough patience you can learn to play and enjoy the sim.

I would have purchased the Matrix edition if they had polished up the manual.

My experience with the sim is to stick with it; you have a great game in there somewhere.

Hope it's clear now how to be helpful if it's not too late to teach an old dog a new trick. [;)]

Hi guys,

A few comments on the feedback here.

Achtung Panzer Operation Star is a game that we added to our catalog, which Graviteam had already released. We did not work with them on the development of this release, just on the production of the updated Matrix version, so there was really no scope for additional development on this release. Hopefully we'll be able to work more closely with them in the future.

For this release, we played the game ourselves and found that while it had a steep learning curve, it was a gem of a game. We felt that for our niche, the interface and learning curve would not be insurmountable and we felt it the quality of the game was high enough that we should bring it to our customers. I'm sorry the interface and documentation make the game more challenging to learn. I can tell you that while it does take some work to get the hang of it, it is worth the effort and I have also seen far worse interfaces in the past.

Finally, please keep things civil and constructive. We are sending your feedback on to Gravitem as well.

Regards,

- Erik

I think the game has potential to excel if Matrix Games can help give feedback to graviteam, honestly I think the interface is fine - rather the game was rushed without being completed.

UI does take some getting use to as there is a learning curve but I prefer that over taking away options.

The space bar to bring up actions and tooltips really help (as it sounds like the earlier release did not have them).

Having said that the game would be easier to pick up if it followed Windows standards more, for example;

Excel/Word/Close Combat/Panzer Command:
- Left button select unit
- right button brings up action menu
- left button selects action
- left button selects target for action

Achtung Panzer:
- left button select unit
- left button select icon for action or press space bar for action list and left click selects command
- right button selects target for action

Edited because I don't care anymore.

Hopefully Matrix will have editorial imput for Graviteam's next release. According to the Graviteam forum, they are working on a stand alone game of
the Khalkhin Gol battle in 1939. As long as Graviteam continues to improve the engine and Matrix writes the manual I will purchase the game.

No, CM Normandy or CM2 has the worst interface as well as a clunky, annoying camera,historical inaccuracies, crappy hidden scripted AI and horrid path finding and a bunch of other poor excuses for a so call World war II sim tactical strategy game.

ORIGINAL: PS Pita

No, CM Normandy or CM2 has the worst interface as well as a clunky, annoying camera,historical inaccuracies, crappy hidden scripted AI and horrid path finding and a bunch of other poor excuses for a so call World war II sim tactical strategy game.

Tell us what you really think of Combat Mission.[:)]

WOW, what a loser.

Been playing the demo a lot the last couple of days and in all honesty it has a more intuitive interface than CMBN, especially if you were playing them both for the first time. I found you need to keep passing your cursor over all the icons ect while you play to display the tool tips until you know at a glance what all the onscreen icons represent, the thing that pissed me off most has been my Russian Recon Tracks getting stuck behind a twig of a tree and i then have to re route it or it will just keep trying to drive up the tree, not great having to babysit units as they might get stuck, but far better than the CMBN vehicle pathing.
Has anybody bought the game and not like it at all?

About 5 hours played so far and I think I have most things down (at least in battle, strat layer will take a bit more time). Enjoying the game and will get the add ons when available.....

Like some, I'm on the fence with this one. I downloaded a demo several months ago for the prior version. Graphically its awesome. Interface is difficult but my problem with that demo was my machine. I now have a new puter so I'm selectively loading my favorite games and new ones that have peaked my interest.

This one is on the potentials list. (and the price is right)

Those people at Gravisteam are good. I played the demo for Steel Fury, their tank sim for the T34, and it was awesome. Again, my problem then was my old puter. The interface on that game was also challenging.

The graphics for this game are eye popping (imho). I'll soon fall off the fence on this game. Don't know yet which way I'll fall.

ORIGINAL: PS Pita
No, CM Normandy or CM2 has the worst interface as well as a clunky, annoying camera,historical inaccuracies, crappy hidden scripted AI and horrid path finding and a bunch of other poor excuses for a so call World war II sim tactical strategy game.

ORIGINAL: Bradley62
WOW, what a loser.

No bashing please, if you want to discuss other games and developers, please keep your criticism constructive and civil.

Also, no personal attacks please. Keep things civil.

Regards,

- Erik

Where pray tell did I find that little useful tidbit? Its in the controls PDF in the same folder as the tactics_manual.Go to the games root directory ,open the docs folder then the support folder and its in there. There is a key board short cut for everything this game does....134 of them in all.

Well 7th CAV....if you have to go thru all this to play a commerical game, I consider the game a collossal failure. I'm not a computer programmer, and simply do not know how to play around with editors and root directories. Nor, I might add, do I want to. But, the point is I should not have to know anything about these things to play a commerical game.

I've managed to master ASL and War in the Pacific along with other games purchased thru Matrix. In none of them have a heard of or experienced interface/manual problems like these. The aforementioned games actually work without me having to do the sort of things you are suggesting.

Based on the comments herein, I will not even open what MIGHT be a pretty good game. I'm sorry I bought it, and will not waste time trying such a failure. I am glad you have the computer skills to overcome these issues and enjoy the product, but it is clear you miss the thrust of the well deserved criticism leveled on this commerical product.

As for Matrix marketing this game, I side with those that criticize them for doing it. This game is clearly not ready for release in the US market. I'll just eat the $40 I paid for this and not worry a bit about it, but no many gamers enjoy the financial blessings I enjoy. Matrix should accept the return of this product and reimburse or credit its customers for this failure.

PrinceP I just read your comment in the AAR that you might give this game a try. I recall that when APK first came out that lots of people couldn't figure it out and that those who did, were really happy with the game. It is unfortunate that this version is still confusing and that the documentation is hidden and cryptic, but isn't it nice to see people helping each other to work it out and find a great game behind the fog?

I wonder (without having tried either game myself) how much of the confusion comes from being ingrained in other game UIs, such as Combat Mission, that it is hard to look at this UI without trying to find a reference to another game.

Hope you find a good game in there.

i learned the controls without any documentation years ago by learning by doing with the russian demo of kharkov43 (the first one).
i dont understand why people have so many problems to learn some basic controls on this engine. If you into it its much better as cm or tow. just ask if you dont understand anything, ther are alot of people out there playing graviteams games since years and glad to help! ("We are a small village and everybody supports the team [;)] ")