Barrold

This was sort of a disappointment, but an understandable one as the reasons were laid out. Part of the reason seemed to be the potential size of the file that would be necessary. From what Dan said, other priorities made this feature something for the back-burner. BDH

Fat, drunk, and stupid of course. BDH

I'm guessing the pre-orders will start sometime before September 20th. It's deductive reasoning skills like this that have gotten me to where I am today. BDH

My perfectly uncontaminated by actual facts opinion is that any vacation would not be until the thousands of eager customers finish the first wave of digging through the game with a fine tooth comb. My wish for the BFC crew is that they make enough money from this franchise that they can afford to continue it in comfort. Moreover that they are each able to buy something completely impractical but that they have always wanted but couldn't before. Big screen TV's, hair implants in unusual places, cars, homes on waterfront property, uniforms or other various collectibles, cheeses of the world, moonpies...whatever they want. As has been mentioned here numerous times and I believe it remains true, there will be no backwards patch for CM:BO as the next big project will involve the engine re-write. I am willing to speculate that the next step is somewhat dependent on the success of CM:BB and how much flexibility this hopefully huge pool of funds allows them. We'll just have to see what happens in the months after the September release. BDH

Hi Gary Very nice report and pictures. We had a great time playing the NC group while at Rune's house. Although committee command is not the ideal, it was still a truly fun experience. The learning curve for getting the most out of the new commands is going to be the source of many interesting discussions in the very near future. The new extreme FOW makes a real difference as to the approach and implementation of tactics. The quick rush across an open space will need to be considered much more carefully as it is demoralizing to see your vaunted tank crews bailing after a few 'minor' perforations from large caliber shells. Squads running into a buzzsaw of reverse slope hidden armor and their icky batteries of machineguns puts a damper on attack enthusiasm. The uncertainty as to the status of the remaining forces we faced led to some decisions I think we would have liked to take back, but alas these are the rigors of battle. BDH

Hoy hoy...just returned home after our trip to the Windy City and boy we had a great time. It was a real pleasure to meet another group of CM fanatics at Rune's. A swell time was had by all and all of the initial exuberance I felt after the first preview is just cemented by the second exposure. A hearty thanks to Rune for the excellent job at host duties including the fantastic pizza. Only the reservations at the Chicago Chop House prevented me from having more than a small piece, but it was good. My wife and I had a fantastic meal later to finish celebrating my birthday. New York Strip and jumbo shrimp bigger than my fingers added up to one stuffed and happy guy. If you have never been, I heartily recommend this place. Nice service, wonderful steaks, and a choice wine list made it a memorable event. Anyway, back to the sneak peek, I was particularily interested in seeing and hearing JasonC's reaction to the new system and from his AAR in another thread, he is as thrilled as the rest of us at what we saw. From the opportunity to explore the options available when setting up a QB there is one outstanding detail that will continue to impress and perhaps even boggle the mind after the new options, doodads, and neato-keen immersion thingies become accustomed features. This is the attention to detail and the amount of research in the attempt to get the game right. Rune mentioned one of the foremost consumers of time during the development process was the creation of the TOE for the variety of forces available. Scrounging around the setup screens gives tangible results of this effort and there are things in these tables that will be providing countless of hours of enjoyment for scenario makers and others. This is definitely a work that players will continue to be able to grow into the future. It is good that the release is imminent as the thirst for delving deeper into this game only gets more ravenous as the exposure to it in partial measures increases. Again it was nice to meet everyone and I hope you all had as good a time as I did this weekend. BDH

I just returned from the Chicago Sneak Peak II and found out there. I miss the forum for the one day that they announce. Can't wait. BDH

If I can find a fuzzy caterpillar I will check to see the thickness of the fur on it and thus gain important insight on this pressing issue. Barring discovery of that totem, I will attempt to find some chicken entrails to read. BDH

[Montgomery Burns] Excellent!...all my plans are coming together [\Montgomery Burns] Car is gassed up, wife has a couple new outfits, reservations are made, cell phones are charged, attitudes adjusted, house cleaned, clothes packed...it's nearing go time. Looking forward to the trip, the rockin' ribfest, birthday dinner at the Chop House, seeing a couple museums, and of course CM:BB for a few hours. See you at Rune's BDH

It just makes sense that pushing forward the franchise with a new engine would result in it being an update of their largest potential theater audience. While smaller theatres may have interest, in my opinion to justify the effort to release them as a separate game, they would need to be incorporated into an all encompassing 1939-1945 West Front game. The Spanish Civil War added would be fine, but even better would be to simulate the entire European conflict. Pacific War enthusiasts will no doubt be calling for attention to that arena, but I don't think the interest level in that area has changed from the previous statements I read on the topic. This is just my opinion and it is probably worth as much as the effort I will be putting into the game, but that is what makes sense to me. I predict that if a smaller theater iteration is released, it will be the side effort described earlier. We'll just have to wait and see. Fortunately, there will be CM:BB to occupy our minds in the meantime. BDH

I am buying a copy, and recommending mightily to discerning friends that they buy a copy. If I have to eat freakin' ramen noodles for a couple weeks, gosh darn it boil the water cause it will be worth it. BDH

I didn't receive anything except the confirmation for my reservation at Chicago Chop House or dinner. BDH

I am predicting now and should set up a betting pool as to the date the following thread will appear on this forum: "With the improvements said to be coming in the new CM2 engine, how long will you be playing CM:BB?" and the inevitable, "When will BFC patch CM:BB so that it will work like CM2?" The more things change the more they will remain the same... BDH

Well SB, it's like this, since it's my birthday, I have some latitude in even asking. A weekend in Chicago, staying at the Hilton Towers can also be extrapolated into an anniversary trip delayed a couple weeks. The drive is not bad especially since we would not be going back in the same day like last time. I like my car and my back did not hurt much after last time which is a bit of all right. I can make a list of all the questions about things I would like to check out if possible. I'm curious to meet Jason and see his reaction to the new game. Where should I go for my birthday dinner on Saturday night? BDH

My darling and beautiful wife thinks that a weekend in Chicago would be an excellent way for us to share my birthday on Saturday. She is going to find us a hotel near the Hancock building and we will drive in on Friday afternoon. On Saturday, I can get my fix and afterwards dinner and such. Drive back on Sunday afternoon. I am watching 'Stalingrad' as I type for preparation. The sewer scene is playing at the moment. BDH

And I thought you would forget my birthday! Man would I be pushing it with the wife if I bolted from the house for another oh-so-enticing fix [Homer Simpson Mode] "Combatilicious" [/Homer Simpson Mode] of CM:BB. I wouldn't want to be piggish though I suppose. BDH [ July 09, 2002, 11:36 AM: Message edited by: barrold713 ]

I have no doubts that for many, the Western theatre is going to remain of great interest and with good reason. My personal opinion is that these players will enjoy the gameplay and added features that are going to be available. The hard core are going to start pining for an update to CM:BO to match the functionality of CM:BB which is fine, but I have no idea as to the further plans of BFC in this area. As to the way CM:BB looks in comparison to a fully modded CM:BO, I have expressed what I believe is the consensus opinion of those present at Rune's that the difference is remarkable. I have a nice laptop with a 64MB video card that I was able to see the two side-by-side and to my eyes, the difference was a leap as big as what was achieved by the modders over the original graphics. Having someone with a talented artistic vision focused on presenting a unified world view shows through nicely. So for 'fans' of the GPW, I am predicting their reaction to this combination of enhanced gameplay, flexibility, graphics, doodads, and theatre will push their enthusiasm towards CM:BB almost exclusively. Rune expressed his opinion that for him and other testers, it was hard to go back to the old way. My hard drive certainly has room for both and I can't forsee why this would change anytime soon. BDH

Well I know of the existence of the "Zapruder Films" and once I finish the roll and get them developed, I will see if we can get them distributed. I know Rune had some shots from his digital camera as well so the proof is out there. BDH

A quick clarification on the ranges involved in the scenario Lord Dragon and I played. We had a fairly thin line of infantry positions that opened up at the mentioned 50 to 100 meters. I un-hid the machineguns from their covered positions at about 150-250 meters at the encouragement of Rune. IIRC, at least two of the three were MG-34s. As informative as these couple turns were to display the modifications of the game system and the alterations in machinegun unit effectiveness, I don't think it would be fair to extrapolate much more than situational experience from what happened. It certainly appeared that the paradigm was shifted and the need to think outside the box was value-added to the embedded technology but clichés aside, I am sure the new game will generate a billion tips on how to correctly deal with these units. The time-honored CM tradition of discussing the relative merits and historical accuracy of the various tactics and units will no doubt soon start-up after everyone is able to spend much more time than we were to dissect more carefully these all-too-brief glimpses. Fortunately, it appears that the wait will not be too much longer since they are making distribution announcements and such so we can all start analyzing instead of speculating. BDH

Sharp looking site...nice design, good colors, excellent focus. Great job. BDH

I said I was thickheaded what more do you want? I mean we have seen sillier questions here...my wife was yelling at me when I read it...fire trucks were screaming down the street...the neighbors were setting off pipe bombs....IT WASN'T MY FAULT!!!!!! There ought to be a fish hook icon to protect the occasionally gullible. I done heard dem machinery guns be firing faster en' heck....sheee-ooot. BDH

The game covers the period of the entire war on the East Front from June 41 to 45 and thus encompasses the production dates of the MG-42. Unless I am missing the point of your question somehow. I am sure the correct TOEs will become available only at the times as it can best be determined by the research that was performed. We were shown some of the books for this research the BFC team is using and it was thorough and impressive. [edit] Geez...in my haste I missed the damned smiley and have thus completely fumbled this attempt at humor. Sorry...thickheaded this afternoon [/edit] BDH [ July 07, 2002, 02:49 PM: Message edited by: barrold713 ]

Hey that's my birthday! Let's see...it can't be more than 10-12 hours in the car and I can be back in time for classes on Monday. I haven't been to South Carolina in a while. Hmmmm. BDH

The teams will be distinct of course, and the sounds for each MG will be distinct. If the question is whether the two have been melded into a generic "German MG" the answer is obviously 'No' to anyone who knows how BFC goes about its research. The question I answered was whether machineguns will be more fearsome and effective than was previously the case in CM:BO and this answer is an emphatic 'yes'. The entirely predictable debate once any form of this game is released on the relative merits and accuracy of 581,654 details, attributes, and historic placements is an expected part of the charm of following this forum. Not being an uber-grog, but rather just an enthusiast, I was very interested in how MG performed. The development and discussion on the in-game tactics that will be necessary to deal with these units will be vigorous if history is to be a guide. Some may say that they are still under-modeled and come up with their reasons, while others may find themselves reminded of the back and forth attack scene in the original "All Quiet on the Western Front". My impression is based solely on opening up three hidden MG's (IIRC they were all MG-34's) on groups of human wave attacking conscripts. Lord Dragon can better describe being on the receiving end of the exchange, but the reaction of these inexperienced troops was to drop, die, or retreat. Your mileage may vary. BDH [ July 07, 2002, 09:48 AM: Message edited by: barrold713 ]

I did not get any info on these last few. Sorry BDH