deanco

I'm gonna have to add my voice to those who think that ad is in highly questionable taste, vets or no vets. However, I too am gonna add this link to my favorites. I think one can get a pretty good idea of a country's 'world view' (there's a German word for this, but I'm afraid I'm gonna misspell it) by the kind of TV ads it makes. So thanks for the link! DeanCo--

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by jpinard: Any of you play Falcon 4.0? We all hate Hasbro from that debacle. I don't understand why they bought Microprose just to drive them into the ground. Now Microprose will never have any respect.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Gee whiz...I remember when I had my old Atari 1040, I would buy any game that had the Microprose name on it, no questions asked. Out of 10 games or so, I only remember 1 that I actually took back to the store. And out of the other 9, there were titles like Civilization, Railroad Tycoon, Red October, Silent Service, and Microprose Golf. For me, Microprose was synonymous with quality. From someone who loves video games, all I can say is, what a damm shame to see a respected name dragged through the mud like this. RIP Microprose. I still remember your Golden Age. DeanCo--

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Smoker1: Sharpshooters are great for use as scouts. The problem is that they are SO good at seeing and not being seen that 6 of them for 150 pts. can totally remove FOW for the side using them. For this reason I try to get my PBEM opponents to agree to a max of 2 sharpshooters. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Hi Smoker, Hmmm...I guess we're back to this gamey/non gamey discussion again. 6 sharpshooters? How many points per side would that be then? I honestly don't know whether I would call that gamey or ill-advised, really. 150 points will buy you a platoon of infantry capable of inflicting real damage on the enemy, not just a few guys popping off shots here and there (and usually missing, I might add). Furthermore...well, I'm not a grognard, but I try to use common sense to decide what to do. I think a good strategy is : 1) Find out where enemy is. 2) Take appropriate steps to neutralize him. Seeing as though 2) is impossible without 1), that makes 1) super important, right? I guess my point is if someone wanted to buy 6 sharpshooters in a 1000 point game I would just think that that opponent put a very high value on recon...which I can surely understand! I personally would not do that (although I too think recon is super important) because I think it's a waste of points that could go towards REAL firepower or be better spent elsewhere. As far as being gamey though...well, I'm not entirely convinced. But what do I know. Maybe historically you just didn't find 6 sharpshooters in a large attack force. That's another ball of wax, and one I'm not qualified to discuss. DeanCo--

Hi folks, We're probably moving to previously treaded ground here, but here's my 2c. On the one hand, if I don't hide my units, they spot better. OK. But they also run the risk of shooting at some crew or squad 350m away and thus giving away their position to the entire enemy army. OTOH, if I tell them to hide, they conserve ammo, but may give rise to the situation mentioned above where they are hiding so good they don't see (or shoot at) what's right in front of their faces, so to speak. And there doesn't seem to be a compromise command, like, 'stay alert and spot but don't shoot until I say so'. That's why I've started using sharpshooters in this role. They fire at will (and thus spot well) but are very hard for the enemy to spot so I can get them out (sometimes) after they have done their spotting chores. Still not a perfect solution but it's my way of getting around this Catch-22 type situation. DeanCo--

Hmmm...there certainly are a lot of "gamey" considerations here! Don't get me wrong, I'm behind you 100%. If they're gonna go to the trouble of making a wargame, I'd rather they make one where you can maneuver your guys a little, or decide if you wanna attack from the west or the north. You know, all those decisions that make a game fun. DeanCo--

I know this is OT, but anybody ever notice how the ABSOLUTELY MOST EXCITING AND DRAMATIC MOMENT always and inevitably starts on the 59th second of the turn? I mean really...it's not enough the game is so good already, they have to add this unbearable tension too?? (talking to monitor) ...c'mon baby...that's it.... lil bit closer ... yeah... that's the way... oh hoh ho, that StuG is dead meat now... NOW GET HIM! I SAID GET HIM! FIRE!!! (bloop) ARRRRGGGHH!!! DeanCo--

I'm working on a scenario with a decent sized town in it and a lot of random buildings, so I dl'ed the summer mod and fired up my scenario. All I can say is, WOW. I'm blown away. Really, they make the whole game look much better. All the graphics seem better, they set off the grass and suddenly the grass looks better too. And they're realistic! I use bumpy grass, they go perfect with it. My compliments to the author on a great job. DeanCo--

Hi BeWary, Yeah, you're right. I was in a hurry when I answered so I didn't give all the details. I guess at this point that is the closest you can come to saving a movie in single player, which is what I figured he was asking. But, yeah, MikeT, it may come out differently each time you load it because the computer rolls the dice differently each time. Hope that makes sense. DeanCo--

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by MikeT: I wasn't aware that the ingame movies could be saved! How do you do that? Can I assume that there is a way to save in game photos as well? I can find to reference to either feature in the hot keys section of the manual. MikeT<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Hi there, to save the movie, you will have to save the game just before you are ready to hit the GO button. Load file, hit GO button, watch movie, then Alt-A to quit. Screenshots: Hit the Print Screen button when you have the picture you want, then minimize CM, open Paint or something like it, then open a new document and hit Ctrl-V to paste it in. Hope you see this, MikeT. DeanCo--

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Rob/1: Thats right the page is for new on my CMMC. www.geocities.com/robisme_canada/RobCMMCindex.html Now fixed For some resion it still says it dose not eggsit I dont know why <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Looks like you need a frontslash (/) after RobCMMC maybe. Hope this helps, Rob. DeanCo--

OK, I redid the look a little...that white text was not gettin it...seems like my first attempt at ANYTHING is hard on the eyes!! It's a work in progress so bear with me. DeanCo--

Hi Tom, I have also noticed he's not hanging out anymore. Shame really, he did a lot of good work. I DID notice his old 'mod announcements' have been pushed back up to the top of the forum for some reason or other so you may want to look there (unless it was YOU who pushed them, hehehe) DeanCo--

These buildings look absolutely fantastic. A topnotch job. My compliments. I will download them at the first opportunity. Please keep us posted. DeanCo--

Thank you for forgiving me, Chupacabra. I feel much relieved. DeanCo--

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Pak40: ....since BTS has done such a wonderful job there is no doubght that other companies are looking at CM as a model for their next game. I'm willing to bet that in a couple of years there will be new "WEGO" games on the market. We'll just have to wait to play them.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> (Duh...I have to write sumpin first before hitting 'Submit Now', don't I? Duh...) Hi Pak40, I hope with all my heart that you are right. However, BTS themselves have stated here (forgot the thread, too lazy to look) that they seriously doubt that other developers will pick up the wego-TacAI ball and run with it. Their rationale? 1) not commercially viable because game too complicated for average video game player, and 2) because of reason (1), game will not sell enough units to cover increased costs of marketing, shelf space, etc. to turn a big enough profit to interest mainstream publishers. Now...my brain bows to their vastly superior knowledge of the inner workings of the game industry (compared to mine), but my gut does not. Also, in their original post, BTS assumed that any CM "clone" would be a...you guessed it, super-realistic simulation of actual warfare, using tons of historical data to determine unit capabilities. This is not my idea at all of a CM clone at all. My idea of a CM clone is GDI vs. NOD, Arm vs. Core, a reduced number of units, fewer esoteric calculations (BHN, etc.), more modern graphics, but with wego and, above all, the TacAI up to snuff. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: wego without topnotch TacAI will fall flat on it's face. Can you imagine a RTS guy saying, "Hey! why did my tank turn it's rear armor to that anti-tank gun?? What a stupid game!" Critical to the success of CM (IMHO) is the fact that you can trust your men during those 60 seconds. Finally, why would any developer bother making something like CM when we have such a shining example of near-perfection in our grubby little hands already? DeanCo-- [This message has been edited by deanco (edited 10-19-2000).]

Hi folks, OK, everybody calm down now (including me!)Let's put this to rest, OK? Nobody wants to take your super-realistic wargame away from you, least of all me. I am no Johnny-come-lately to this board with a chip on his shoulder and an attitude. Please read some of my previous posts and I think you will see this is true. As Pawbroom states, I DO appreciate this community a lot and have tried to show my appreciation by plowing something back into it in my own humble way (interface mods, website). Funny about the point I made in the other thread (What BTS should learn from ID and others). I have tried to make this same point calmly, nicely, and rationally in 3 or 4 previous threads dealing with more or less the same topic. Each time it has elicited little or no reaction. But the one time I post without rereading, in a fit of pique, without waiting 5 minutes before I hit 'Submit Reply' (more on this later) and suddenly there are sub-posts and everyone is out to get me. I'm a musician, and it is an old adage that you're only as good as your last gig. Looks like that's true here as well. A few statements of principle now. I like (love) this game just the way it is. I compare the accomplishment of BTS to the accomplishment of Sid Meier when he made Civilization, no faint praise coming from me. I play CM all the time, and I don't wish it was any different than the way it is right now. Nevertheless, I want to mod CM. Why? I want to bring this wonderful wego system, TacAI, and depth of gameplay to a wider public! I'm SURE it will be a hit! It's a gut feeling I have, nothing more, but my gut is so sure that it sort of took over my brain for a second, resulting in the post that has stirred up so much animosity and brought LeClerc out of the woodwork, where he has been waiting patiently for me to make a false move. It just seems like a crying shame (according to my gut) that this can not come to pass as it stands, not even from another developer. If I didn't feel very strongly about this I'm sure I never would have posted in the way I did. Finally, I want to apologize to the folks who were offended by the tone of the last post. Chupacabra, I'm sorry if you felt I was belittling your point of view. I hope you can forgive me. I sort of lost it because this is an issue I feel very strongly about. Actually, rereading, I was a bit offended at myself, myself! I know I overstated, but the words just came out and before I knew it, I had hit 'Submit Reply'. Hopefully the above is a clearer statement of where I'm coming from without the vitriol. As I said above, anyone who has followed my posts knows I'm not usually like that. I also have some personal issues which, while not an excuse, probably contributed to the overall effect. Anyway, I would hope that y'all can forgive me so we can move on to greener pastures. Thanks for listening. (rereading, waiting 5 minutes this time) DeanCo--

Blind spot! Blind spot! Some of you guys here will never get it, will you? Maybe some of us here don't care about historical accuracy, did you ever think of that? What does it matter if the play balance is painsakingly invented and tweaked by someone (StarCraft) or worked out according to a million dusty books and charts? The end result is the same! Deep, fun gameplay! (assuming an effort is made to balance the game, which means lots of testing. Any mod that did not address this would rapidly fall by the wayside as no one would play it.) Man, this is the thread from hell. I really gotta laugh when you guys get on your high horse about realism. Wanna know why us non-wargamers like CM? Cause it's a deep, fun game that takes a long time to get good at. And you can blow up and destroy things in 3D! And you wanna know what's REALLY funny? All you grognards like blowing up things in 3D as much as us headbangers, but you WON'T ADMIT IT, even to yourselves! And if you don't believe me, just ask yourself one question: Would this game have the same critical acclaim and rabid fan base if the screen was hexes and counters? Right now my biggest regret in life is that I don't know how to program, because after playing CM for 3 days I knew exactly what to do to it to make this kind of game appeal to a wide public. And I would LOVE to work with other like-minded people to make my vision reality. But I can't, cause the code is locked up. BTS is sitting on a veritable gold mine here. They have a game engine that could literally change the face of PC gaming as we know it. But instead of opening up the game engine to modders or AT THE VERY WORST licensing the salient aspects out to other game companies, they are sitting on it and instead trying to figure out how to accurately model a T-34 or whatever. OK, it's their property, they do with it as they please, but from where I stand they are passing up a golden opportunity to change the face of PC gaming, to make RTS a thing of the past, to push the envelope where it's never been before. When it comes to this kind of discussion, most of you here have a mote in your eye as big as a 2 car garage. And I think that's really sad, and that's why I get so worked up when I see this sort of topic discussed here. It's just really too bad. DeanCo--

I think it's a great idea myself because it would add a bit more variety in the QB possibilities. But the one issue no one has addressed yet (and I am blown away that it hasn't) is: is it realistic? Did troop mixes of this sort actually happen in WWII? I admit I am incapable of answering this question, but I am amazed no one as jumped in quoting books and statistics right away. Hey folks, realism is your god. (Not mine, thanks, I just like a good video game, period.) Y'all bow and pray to realism and historical accuracy every day on this board. IMHO this obsession is this board's "blind spot" but that's beside the point. The short answer is, if it was realistic, BTS would have put it in from the start because realism is their god too. Since it's not there it must not be realistic. Just my 2 cents. DeanCo--

OK Splinty, I did it. Your "testimonial" is now on the front page of my website. I couldn't resist. DeanCo--

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Slapdragon: First off, research shows that cyber communication is liable for misundestanding because it lacks facial expressions, and smileys, while effective at one time, have become so over used as to be worthless. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Boy is this true. It DOES take good communication skills to make sure your words are not taken the wrong way on the Internet. Sarcasm is pretty much impossible. Nobody gets it. Without the facial expression and the tone of voice (also SUPER important) it just sounds like an insult. DeanCo--

Sorry, Madmatt, I couldn't resist with the exclamation marks!! Oh no!! Help!! It's out of control!!!!!!!! Thanks, Spock, I needed that. OK, a lot of news, here we go. 1) I have moved back to the old URL again. Although I loved the statistics I got with Ifrance, I just can't bear that #!&@! banner at the bottom. So the address is once again http://mapage.cybercable.fr/deanco/ 2) I have released a 1.02 update for the GROG interface. I put the wrong HQ bonus icons (stealth, command, etc.) in the original release. They are supposed to blend into the background, now they do. There are tiny modifications to the special equipment icons as well. 6k. At my site. 3) Madmatt has kindly allowed me to become a proud member of the Combat Mission Webring. He is also going to link to my page from a couple areas on his site. Thanks Madmatt!! Oh no!!! It's baaaack!!!! 4) I guess the biggest news is that I'm adding a lot more content to my site. The new section will be for absolute beginners, people who (like me) thought wargames sucked until CM came along. People who have never played a wargame in their lives, but dig the depth of gameplay CM has. Already up is an "Introduction to CM", a "Brief History of Wargames" section, and a "Quick 'n Dirty Newbie Unit Guide" with only the most basic information about the units to help that newbie get the most out of CM right away. To come is the Tactics Guide, the Basic Principles of Warfare section, and a Tips and Tricks section (which will be culled from this very board). The concept is that if an absolute newbie should ask some newbie question here, ideally you would be able to direct him to my site where he could find a simple, quick answer, and maybe some other interesting stuff as well. (edited part) Oh yeah!! I forgot!! If anyone wants to write an article that could fit into one of the above categories, by all means, have at it. Mail it to me, and if it... ahem, meets my high standards, ahem I will find a place for it on my site. There is one more section I will put up, but mum's the word for now as it promises to be quite interesting indeed. OK folks, please. If you find something totally inaccurate on my site... it's normal, it's me who is running it. Please, do not flame me here. Mail me privately at: deanco@cybercable.fr and I will fix it. Thanks. Bye all!! DeanCo-- [This message has been edited by deanco (edited 10-17-2000).]

search for 'small update on TCP/IP' ....that'll get 'er. DeanCo

That's funny. In my "No-Holds Barred Power Marketing for the 21st Century" book (By Dr. William Scott, Ph.D) it says to do exactly that!! Could a Ph.D be wrong?? Sorry, everyone! DON'T go visit my site, whatever you do!! (from, "Using Reverse Psychology to Crush the Competition while Increasing your Sex Drive", by Dr. Steven Johnson, Ph.D) DeanCo--

Hi Benny I saw no mention of interface mods in your post. Maybe you don't know they exist. You can check 'em out here: http://mapage.cybercable.fr/deanco/ ...and let me know what you think. DeanCo--

Great idea. You're bound to find the minor glitches faster with 10,000 testers workin' on it. As long as we all file bug reports that is. I think we probably all will though. That's great news, me and my PBEM buddy can hardly wait. DeanCo--