Matrix Games Forums

Now that I've made up my mind to purchase BFTB, I'm not sure if I should get COTA first? I bought HTTR to try and get a "Feel" for the system. I was then going to move up the ladder and get COTA. But now I'm wondering if I should go straight to BFTB. I'm not sure that the battles around Greece would be of that much interest to me, except as a learning tool for BFTB?

You already have HTTR as a "learning tool". Plus, since you're not really interested in the theater, this would be a waste of money - go straight for the Bulge.

BftB is much easier and more accessible than CotA, which I could never get into, thanks largely to the tutorial videos.  In fact, it justifies the high price tag that much more, because it turned a $50 coaster (CotA) into something I actually want to play.

Although it's not just Greece- Cota's patched/updated version has North Africa '41 scenarios covering Operation Crusader. So the Afrika Korps/Desert Rats are in, too.

I was looking at the file size (897mb). I think that I would have to burn a back-up to a DVD? My CD-R's only hold 700mb!

One thing I really like about cota is the terrain. Mountains, passes and big slopes. Reading the map and working out the choke points is really important.

You could use a program call 'hjsplit' It can chop up a file to whatever size you want then put them back together. burn a copy of hjsplit onto the cd too so you know where it is. I've used it in the past with no problems putting files back together again.

ORIGINAL: mbar

You could use a program call 'hjsplit' It can chop up a file to whatever size you want then put them back together. burn a copy of hjsplit onto the cd too so you know where it is. I've used it in the past with no problems putting files back together again.

It still should work putting it on a DVD? Right?

You wouldn't need to chop it up if you put it on a DVD

DVDs hold about 4.7Gb versus CDs 0.6Gb. Compression is irrelevant when dealing with largely binary data.

ORIGINAL: Banquet

One thing I really like about cota is the terrain. Mountains, passes and big slopes. Reading the map and working out the choke points is really important.

I'll probably end up getting both. It's this sickness that I have!!

Treale,

maybe an external HD could be another option for you. I purchased one quite a while ago & it serves me well. Especially my lazyness.

I've even found that those usb memory sticks are real simple and inexpensive to back up files...And you can carry them in your pocket!

ORIGINAL: Treale

ORIGINAL: mbar

You could use a program call 'hjsplit' It can chop up a file to whatever size you want then put them back together. burn a copy of hjsplit onto the cd too so you know where it is. I've used it in the past with no problems putting files back together again.

It still should work putting it on a DVD? Right?

Absolutely it would work. Sorry I didn't mean to confuse you. I thought maybe you didn't have a DVD burner available and only had CDs. Yeah you could probably save 3 more Matrix games to the DVD. Buy all the Panther games and burn them to one. [:)]

ORIGINAL: mbar

ORIGINAL: Treale

ORIGINAL: mbar

You could use a program call 'hjsplit' It can chop up a file to whatever size you want then put them back together. burn a copy of hjsplit onto the cd too so you know where it is. I've used it in the past with no problems putting files back together again.

It still should work putting it on a DVD? Right?

Absolutely it would work. Sorry I didn't mean to confuse you. I thought maybe you didn't have a DVD burner available and only had CDs. Yeah you could probably save 3 more Matrix games to the DVD. Buy all the Panther games and burn them to one. [:)]

Now that's a plan!!

Don't bother with COTA unless you like the theater of operations.

ORIGINAL: IDontThinkSo

go straight for the Bulge.

That advise could be applied to many aspects of life.

CotA is great and has some great maps and scenarios. When I saw HTTR the development of CotA was well underway with a mention of "that year" for release...so I never bought HTTR. Little was I to know that CotA was more than a year away and I think more than 2.

Anyway, I never did get HTTR because I thought CotA was almost finished. I held out and bought CotA. Now let me say I knew nothing of the region nor the battles - however I did take the plunge and was very happy I did. The maps are great and a work of art in my opinion. The scenarios have some great names and the fact that there are passes, valleys, mountains and rivers all help to create choke points (as someone else alluded to above). Not to mention a Malta campaign and several Crete scenarios and throw in a couple of North African ones and there's alot to play.

Read my AAR of the tutorial here is you want. It's atutorial and a small scenario and yet it was packed full of defensive fun.

I wouldn't want you to buy it on my say so, as it has gone up in price and to look to buying that and BftB might be a stretch for you - I don't know...I can only give you my honest opinion that CotA - regardless of interest or knowledge of the arena - is a great game

I never played the others, so I want th demo first. But if it plays the way it looks/reads like it will, I plan to purchase quickly post-demo as well. I'd rather pay a higher price for a solid game (i.e. WitP:AE) than less for a game I dump quickly.

Arrrrgggg...I couldn't wait for the demo!!! Looks too good. I'm in.