Please Update not Repackage

[siRkid]

What I would really like to see is all the Battle Ground series brought up to at least to the standards of the last of the series. For example I was just playing Gettysburg and the units have strength points instead of number of troops. I would like to see that changed. I would also like to see the graphics improved. I'm playing at 1024 and can barley make out the units. Just my 2 cents.

[pvthudson01]

I agree, lets get it out of wndows 98 looks and update it! Cant wait!

[Caranorn]

Actually, what you are asking for is obviously already included in the official and unofficial patches. Only very old versions of Gettysburg should show strength points instead of manpower. If you patch up the ACW games to the latest official patch and add Tiller's 32bit update you will end up at the same level as the Chickamauga game (BG-9, the last BG game). The only difference will at that point be graphics (for the maps that's good as Chickamauga's is not the same quality, for the units it only makes a difference for Gettysburg).

But yes, I am also for an upgrade, but beyond what was in the last BG games. I'd also like to see a few new scenarios etc.

[rhondabrwn]

ORIGINAL: Caranorn

Actually, what you are asking for is obviously already included in the official and unofficial patches. Only very old versions of Gettysburg should show strength points instead of manpower. If you patch up the ACW games to the latest official patch and add Tiller's 32bit update you will end up at the same level as the Chickamauga game (BG-9, the last BG game). The only difference will at that point be graphics (for the maps that's good as Chickamauga's is not the same quality, for the units it only makes a difference for Gettysburg).

But yes, I am also for an upgrade, but beyond what was in the last BG games. I'd also like to see a few new scenarios etc.

We can hope for improvements, but I will be happy just to have all of the patches and the 32 bit upgrade all incorporated into a new release. I have the entire BG series and reinstalling all those patches every time I change computers has always been tedious at best!

Beyond that, anything that they can do to improve this series would be welcome. I'm looking forward to being able to use this series in my classroom this fall (I've been promised a "laptop cart" with wireless network to wheel into my classroom, but we'll see...).

I like the HPS Campaing series, but there is nothing like the beauty of the original Battleground graphics.

[siRkid]

ORIGINAL: Caranorn

Actually, what you are asking for is obviously already included in the official and unofficial patches. Only very old versions of Gettysburg should show strength points instead of manpower. If you patch up the ACW games to the latest official patch and add Tiller's 32bit update you will end up at the same level as the Chickamauga game (BG-9, the last BG game). The only difference will at that point be graphics (for the maps that's good as Chickamauga's is not the same quality, for the units it only makes a difference for Gettysburg).

But yes, I am also for an upgrade, but beyond what was in the last BG games. I'd also like to see a few new scenarios etc.

Well thats good to know. Where would I fing these patches now that Talonsoft has gone under?

[Caranorn]

Here are the recommended links.

Copies of the official patches at Richard hamilton's site.
http://www.hc-llc.net/games/patches.html

The unofficial 32bit updates at John Tiller's site (the designer of BG).
http://home.hiwaay.net/~tiller/html/program.html

There are also a number of mods out there (usually without ai for pbem) but I don't have the links handy (even these I had to google for). One such site is the NIR project (scores of battles and material, plus a pbem club (not sure it's still going). There's also a similar ACW site.

[jchastain]

In my mind, updating the graphics to accomodate modern resolutions is imperative.  The screenshots here look terrible and I can't believe you could sell this title in its current state to any but a few die hards who remember the original - and even then it would need to be priced so that they wouldn't just download and install all the various pieces that are already publically available to anyone willing to look for them (with many of the links being available in these forums).  The screen res just has to be updated in my mind.  Beyond that, I would recommend cleaning up the interface a bit in light of the additional screen real estate just to give it the feel of a reasonably modern game.  Then and only then would I begin updating scenarios and/or addressing substanative game changes.  Without a refresh, I just don't think anyone would bother to find out about the gameplay.  While wargamers are far more forgiving than most regarding the look of a title, this historical version is too far gone even for the most forgiving crowd.

[rhondabrwn]

ORIGINAL: jchastain

In my mind, updating the graphics to accomodate modern resolutions is imperative. The screenshots here look terrible and I can't believe you could sell this title in its current state to any but a few die hards who remember the original - and even then it would need to be priced so that they wouldn't just download and install all the various pieces that are already publically available to anyone willing to look for them (with many of the links being available in these forums). The screen res just has to be updated in my mind. Beyond that, I would recommend cleaning up the interface a bit in light of the additional screen real estate just to give it the feel of a reasonably modern game. Then and only then would I begin updating scenarios and/or addressing substanative game changes. Without a refresh, I just don't think anyone would bother to find out about the gameplay. While wargamers are far more forgiving than most regarding the look of a title, this historical version is too far gone even for the most forgiving crowd.

What? The Battleground series graphics are far superior to those of the current HPS Campaign series (Civil War and Napoleonic).

Do you have and play the originals or is this commment made purely from viewing a screenshot or two?

And where are the links to all these free downloads of the components? Are we even talking about the Talonsoft Battleground series or are you confusing this with something else entirely? The 32 bit patches are available, but not the games themselves (at least, not legally).

[jchastain]

I bought, played and enjoyed many of the Battleground series when it was first released.  If I looked through the basement long enough, I might even find a few of them.  But you are right, I am going mostly from the posted screen shots and some pretty hazy memories.  Those screen shots are butt ugly and I don't remember the screens being especially snazzy 10 years ago when expectations were even lower than they are today.
 
As for the games being available, you are right.  They were available as free downloads a few years ago but they have all been removed since the Matrix deal.  That should have been obvious had I thought about it.  That said, if all they do is rebox these games I have a hard time seeing a lot of folks flocking to buy something that they didn't even bother to download when it was free.

[Hentzau]

ORIGINAL: jchastain

That said, if all they do is rebox these games I have a hard time seeing a lot of folks flocking to buy something that they didn't even bother to download when it was free.

We all have different ideas about what is "right" and what is "wrong".

[AndyfromVA1]

My biggest problem with the Battleground games is unit size - they're just too small, espcially at 1024/768.

I agree with those who say the graphics in the HPS games are inferior. Yes, the map graphics are not as good as the Battleground games but the unit graphics are nice and big.

If the Battleground remakes do nothing else, they should at least give us another level of graphics magnification.

[rhondabrwn]

ORIGINAL: AndyfromVA1

My biggest problem with the Battleground games is unit size - they're just too small, espcially at 1024/768.

I agree with those who say the graphics in the HPS games are inferior. Yes, the map graphics are not as good as the Battleground games but the unit graphics are nice and big.

If the Battleground remakes do nothing else, they should at least give us another level of graphics magnification.

And I just found a graphics mod that converts my HPS Campaign Gettysburg game to Battleground style terrain and units that are much closer to being "in scale". Yep, the units are tiny, but I hotkey between all 4 view levels and my old eyes manage quite nicely! I move in 2D Level 2 and fight in 3D Level 4.

[Grand_Armee]

I could bear with the poor graphics...it was functionality of certain units that bothered me.  Twenty-five guys in an open field stopping the movement of 2000?  I don't think so.
 
I you can't repulse them or overrun them, you're just set up as cannon fodder.  Really...that was the only thing I disliked about the BG games.

[captskillet]

Hey Rhonda, which mod did u use to convert???

[1NWCG]

Yeah I am curious too.

[rhondabrwn]

ORIGINAL: captskillet

Hey Rhonda, which mod did u use to convert???

I went here

HPS Gettysburg uses "Set A" of regimental unit graphics and then I got the "New Ground" fixes for more realistic terrain.

I used "Set D" for HPS Campaign Shiloh, but that gave me this weird problem with town hexes so I uninstalled it. I don't think the package has been updated since last year.

Been too busy with school to worry about it though. Haven't even played a turn of my Gettsyburg OR Waterloo campaigns in about a month. They will, however, wait patiently for me as I am my own opponent... and I certainly am not going to get mad at myself [:D]

[1NWCG]

That's what I thought you used. [:D]  You need the terrain. Hm.  Set D is just does the Regimental Graphics. I'll see which terrian I used.

[rhondabrwn]

ORIGINAL: 1NWCG

That's what I thought you used. [:D] You need the terrain. Hm. Set D is just does the Regimental Graphics. I'll see which terrian I used.

Thanks! I would like to get Shiloh onto the modded graphics.

[1NWCG]

Sorry it took me a month to respond, I got sidetracked and stuff.
 
http://www.brettschulte.net/ACWCGDC/rolfhallGraphics.htm
 
I used Set D from the above website.  It works for me, no issues with the towns, and actually what was the issue you were having??