Allan

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by mike_in_texas: CM not being shipped till next week? Although I know I'm in the definite minority when I say this, but that's fine with me since I won't be home to play till the following week! (Unless I can persuade BTS to re-direct my delivery to Japan! ) Mike<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Hey Mike, Where in Texas are you? I am in Houston. Maybe we can start a Texas chapter of the CM fanclub by giving each other a real Texas butt-whipping in PBEM. Hey, what else are we going to do in Texas during the summer? Allan

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Stoffel: Although it has nothing to do with films I want to say this to Allan, You say you could distinquis real things from science fiction. Please explain to me why many people in the US tought they were attacked by Mars after hearing war of the worlds on the radio. Many people actually believed it and fled their houses. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Hearing is the key word here. It was a radio play. My generation was raised on TV and cheesy sci-fi movies. You could tell that the aliens were fake due to poor quality effects of the day. In the War of the Worlds, the special effects were in one's mind due to nature of radio. The power of the mind and imagination is far greater than any special effect Hollywood could produce. Add this to the paranoia of the era and you have people believing the invasion was real. I remember watching those sci-fi films with my dad. Even though I knew the monsters were fake, I was still frightened just a bit. I hope this addresses your question. Allan [This message has been edited by Allan (edited 06-05-2000).]

I just checked mine too and there has not been a charge yet. When did you order? I ordered CM back in June of 1999 so I would think I would be in the first lot. Allan

Ok let me add my $.02 worth. As a chemistry and physics teacher I get to see the impact of film and TV on kids. It is not a pretty sight. In my classes I get quite a few questions like "can this really happen? I saw it in a movie". I almost always answer no and then proceed to explain Hollywood special effects vs reality. In my generation special effects in movies were not so realistic for the most part. We also gots our facts from several sources, not just movies or TV. Therefore, could distinguish between reality and fiction. However, with such glorious special effects available for multi-million dollar movies these days, it is no wonder kids have trouble with fact vs fiction. Maybe we should now label movies as well as books as fiction or nonfiction. Allan

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by tss: A year? Oh dear, I remember reading that thread when it was first posted. I hadn't registered at the time, though. Have I really been following this forum for almost a year now? - Tommi<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Sort of hard to believe isn't it? I mean a wargame that hasn't even been released has generated over 53,000 posts, is amazing. After over a year of waiting, CM should be in our hot little hands VERY soon. Allan

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mikester: Hi Allan, As Lanzfeld mentioned above, there have been at least 1 or 2 very large, and quite detailed, discussions on this in the past. It will not be incorporated into the game as I recall. If you want more info do a search on sand, sandbag, sandbags, and similar terms and I'm sure you'll find it. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Thanks, Mikester. I searched already but the thread I got was almost a year old. I was just wondering if anything has changed. Allan

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Lanzfeld: Please use the SEARCH feature. Already talked about it. Also see "W+". <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> (Sarcasm on) Thanks for your well thought out but short reply. (sarcasm off) I did use the search but the thread was almost a year old (7-4-99). I was just wondering if anything has changed since then....geesh. Allan

I just read "The View From The Turret" by Folkestad. He stated that during the battle for the hedgerows many Sherman crews took to adding sandbags to the front glacis of their tanks. In fact, maintanence crews actually welded brackets to hold them. Is there any chance of this being incorporated in CM at some later date? Allan

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Big Time It'd be better to email them how much you appreciate their coverage of CM. Charles<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Ok, I will forget the picture snafu but Loyd Case leaving is another story. His column was one of the few left in CGW that I really liked. Allan

I got my CGW today and I was thumbing through it, I found a nice little blurb about CM, complete with pictures (p.128). The small article under the heading of "Strategy Spotlight" praises the merits of CM. However, the associated pictures seem to be from some Command and Conquer-like game, not CM. Geesh, CM gets some good PR and the geeks over at CGW screw up the pictures. This combined with Loyd Case leaving CGW means I will have to cancel my subscription. Allan

Well, last night I read from Ambrose's book "The Victors" that the Soviet T-34 tank was originally an American design. This comes as news to me. Anyone care to comment? Allan

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by tosmart: " The germans build ther best tanks the best cannons, the best airplaens (jet) The only rockets of the war The only thing the Americans had going for them was that they had alot of every thing" <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I read in Ian Hogg's book, "German Secret weapons" that while German engineering was very advanced, they tended to over engineer everything. Thus making things overly complex and hard to service in the field. While the US took a lesson from its auto industry by keeping it relatively simple and easy to service. That combined with the the fact that most US soldiers had at least some experience with engines/driving allowed for more repairs in the field. This makes sense since at the time of the war in Germany, the automobile had not become entrenched in modern life as it had in the US. In fact, the German army was basically still horse drawn, unlike the Allies. BTW, I believe both the English (Gloster?) and the Germans (Heinkel)were credited with the invention of the jet engine in the early 30's. Also, German rocket design had its foundation in the early work of Dr. Robert Goddard, an American. Allan

I have read that in operations some of your knocked out tanks may be recovered for future use in the operation. I was reading Ambrose's "The Victors" where he was comparing the tank recovery of the US vs. the Germans. He quoted the amazing fact that over half of all of the US tanks that were knocked out were back in the line within two days. Those that couldn't be put back in the line were scavenged for parts. That is an amazing record for the tank recovery units. It was also mentioned that the Germans didn't have anything close to those numbers. Will this advantage for the US be reflected in CM? Allan

A true quote from a US ranger on D-day: "...a terrible mistake has been made. The enemy has been issued live amunition". Allan ------------------ What do chickens think WE taste like? [This message has been edited by Allan (edited 05-20-2000).]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Chris Jenkins: Hey BTS, what's the schedule on the Eastern Front version. WIll you be developing it alongside the CMII version, or after?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I believe CM2 *will* be the Eastern front and will be out in about a year. Allan [This message has been edited by Allan (edited 05-20-2000).]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Carentan: What about the rest of you guys? How are you prepping employers and family for this upcoming event?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> No problem here. I am a teacher. We get out on June 2. Nothing but free time with CM and the family Allan

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Ol' Blood & Guts: Isn't the corporate world just "ducky"? The only people they're hurting is themselves.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> When in the hell are they going to realize that everyone doesn't want to play FPS or RPG's? I know our hobby is a niche market but if you put out quality titles, they will sell. Allan

I just got my June 2000 issue of CGW and saw an interesting article in the "read.me" section on p.54: "Aeon Electronic Entertainment sailed into a minefield. They were working on Silent Hunter II for Minscape/SSI, when Mindscape took the contract back from them. Aeon was in the middle of negotiations with Mindscape over a new contract and essentially worked for free for several months, under the expectation that they'd get a new deal. Instead, Mindscape ended the relationship and seized the working code, which included those free months of work...." Well, I was looking forward to SH2 but I guess I can cross it off my list now. This sort of thing really make me appreciate BTS'independent approach. Allan

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Fionn: However, there are two issues. 1. IF it is for real then how long would the card last? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Exactly. Smell requires molecules from the source to actually come in contact with the olfactory (sp?) region in your nose. This would require the formation of esters or other such compounds by the card. Thus the card would have to be "reloaded" or replaced. However, I guess the card could be wired directly to the portion of the brain that deals with smell. Wow, that would be scary. However, I would not worry since it would probably require Direct X version 123b or something Allan

Wow, he reviewed it in January and it just now gets posted? When I did my reviews of F/A 18 and Flanker 2 for the Gamers' Voice it was about a 2-3 week lag time but almost 5 months to post the review of CM beta demo is amazing. Every once in a while a game comes along that reshapes a genre of computer games. Doom and Half-Life come to mind for FPS. Panzer General( the original) and Steel Panthers for wargames. I feel CM is on the threshhold of defining our hobby once again. Not only by the detailed way the game is presented and played but by the way it is also distributed. No more middle-men in suits to dictate when a game is ready. Rather it is the programmers themselves that say when it is to be released. With true wargames seeming to fall out of favor with big publishers these days (Talonsoft, SSI, Microprose)it is refreshing to know that our hobby is still alive and well as long as there is a team of programmers willing to put in the time and effort to produce a quality product and market it directly to their customers. I feel that Games like CM and Smolensk 41 which are sold only on the net may truly reflect the future for our pastime. Allan

This really hacks me off. First of all the author makes it clear that he is reviewing a beta demo (an old one at that)and then complains about the graphics. Why couldn't he wait a few weeks and review the final version? I mean come on, to review an old beta demo that has been out for months? Why bother? Secondly, what wargame reviewer mentions Command and Conquer and Starcraft in the same review as a turn-based WWII wargame? Hey Steve, send this guy and updated beta and let him see what he is missing. Heck for that matter, send it to me. I do reviews for the Gamers' Voice and I will do it justice. Of course in a few weeks I will have my very own copy of CM and I may only come out of my study for food and water. Heck maybe I can get my wife to just slide it under the door Allan

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Captain Foobar: Quote from Colin: Someone needs to tell these producers that wild coincidences and oddball "just in time" chances don't make people say "WOW THATS INCREDIBLE!!!" Its more like "Wow, that was convenient..." <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I think it has a lot to do with trying to tell a story within a 2 hour time frame. You just have to squeeze in too much info, otherwise you get a 4 hour movie which test audiences tend to dislike. Thus,producers tend to cram the story in a 2 hour framework. By doing this, they seem to facilitate the need for "convienient" occurances in order to reach the end of the story within 2 hours. I wish studios would get away from this mentality. Sometimes you just need longer to tell a story in enough detail to give the plot/characters justice. I just recently watched Lawrence of Arabia again. It is almost 4 hours long but it is both thorough and entertaining. I think the studios feel a longer movie would affect the $$$$ amount a movie takes in by limiting how many times the movie may be shown in a day (longer movie= fewer show times per day, the fact that test audiences tend to not like longer movies (from what I have read)and longer movies cost more money to shoot. Allan [This message has been edited by Allan (edited 04-25-2000).]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Fionn: Overall though I'd guess that less than a dozen submarines were destroyed by submarine-fired torpedoes while submerged but it wasn't entirely unknown.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Ok so maybe the underwater duel is not as far fetched as I thought. Thanks Fionn. Maybe the movie was more realistic than I first realized. Allan

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Gen. Sosaboski: OB&G: Pre-ordered CM. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> CM won't be released to late May. I ordered Tac Ops from Battlefront and it took about 6 working days. I would expect the same for CM so add about 5-7 working days from the final release date, not to be confused with the release of the gold demo since the game still has to be mastered onto CD's at that point. I hope those of use who pre-ordered a year ago will be taken care of first Allan [This message has been edited by Allan (edited 04-22-2000).]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ARCHANGEL: Allan, "S" class subs were reasonably primitive since they were old designs. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Thanks for the info. I knew the S class was old and the movie actually stated such to its credit. To my surprise, the movie got a bunch of the details correct such a four forward tubes etc. The art director that did Das Boot also did U-571 so I would expect most stuff to be correct. However, only two things really bothered me. First the underwater torpedo dual. Both subs just fired a broad spread at each other based on sonar contacts. I guess that is not too unrealistic but I never remember reading about subs doing anything like this during the war. The radar incident was when cruising on the surface, the US S class sub detected the U-boat, also on the surface via radar. Like yourself, I did not think the S class carried surface radar. Of course this was a special op so I guess it could have been fitted with such. Allan