nachinus

That's so true. Download market for PC beats physical for many reasons. TBH, if it wasn't for the gorgeous box and (specially) the huge manual, I'd have gone for the download option. But I do like to have physical version of my favourite games, specially strategy or simulation, which come with long manuals you *really* need to read. I feel miserable when I read manuals in a screen.

Re: Steve's no2 point. In this particular case I wouldn't mind to wait a few weeks for having the physical product. It actually happens with many other releases of all kind (major or not), 1st US, EU later. And not only in videogames, of course. Besides, I can download it and play if I don't want to wait. I'd get the cool box and the much awaited manual (I'll love it, I'm sure!) later. This may not be the opinion of other European players, though. A poll would be in order for the future?

I understand the difficulties, but I do think that the way to grow is to partner with global publishers (preferably just one, to minimize compatibility issues) which can distribute your product at least to the key markets. Plus give you more media impact. It's incredible how little impact CMBN has in the gaming media, even in specialised wargaming media. The series are the best tacgames out there, they should be in every web, magazine, preview blog, whatever!!. I really loved the day I saw CMSF in a shelf in a spanish retailer. (It was Paradox indeed, btw, I own a copy. A fine developer of strategy games and publisher of small developer games of all kind.) Re: localization. I've helped in the localization of videogames in the past, both translating and testing, from alpha version to the last patch... and I can only say this: people should learn bloody english!!!!

That'd be more likely the max effective range, perhaps? Meaning the max range you can hope to hit the side of a barn with it.

Unless you partner or make business with local publishers, some small companies do that. Not always succesfully, that's true. But that's the way I can play 'niche' russian or polish games localised in English or Spanish, or how I bought boxed CM:SF in spanish. Always at local prices comparable to other titles. That's the kind of things that people do when they want to expand their business or export their products. Videogaming industry may work otherwise, that I wouldn't know. It's not my field of expertise... I just play 'em.

Thing is that we can aquire any videogame, book or film for similar prices to those in US (applying compensations for exchange rates, if you want). This issue with CMBN is the first time I hear of this problem. So there must be something that BF is doing differently from other publishers.

Re: Spain. I've ordered a number of things from outside the EU to Spain and I've never been charged any import/VAT extra fees. BUT I believe that it may be a matter of luck, just like UK chaps are experiencing. I'm taking my chances with this, but IMHO BTF should do their best to improve their service in Europe. Using international publishers could help (or actually make things worse, I've experienced both things).

I'd actualy prefer early war campaigns, which are underrepresented in the wargaming genre, IMHO.

20$ S&H to Europe seem a bit high compared to what I'm used to when dealing with Amazon and alike. I hope Battlefront gets more efficient with this kind of costs over the time.

I don't think that the game needs a lot better graphics. Soldiers, weapons and vehicles are pretty much awesome for the scale of the game. After so much time, I'm still amazed when I put the camera to the ground following a particular vehicle of squad. BUT I do think that the terrain could use some improvement. I'm not worried about the textures, which are ok for me, but the actual modelling. What IMHO can make the game look dated is the square-formed terrain, where everything is made with square tiles, and 45 and 90 degrees corners. Forests are square, buildings square and mountains made of squares. That's my only *small* gripe with how the game looks. And since it's part of how the devtools create the terrain I don't think this can be changed. Also, the lighting does not help a lot to see the terrain curves and elevation, you have to bring the camera to the floor very often to appreciate the terrain undulation. Amazingly, in Close Combat games, which are in 2D, the map artists drew the maps using light and shades to remark heights with such detail and precission that you could tell terrain elevation and curves at a glance.

Although it can be seen as a sort of cheating, I think that's what I'll do... If I'm ever curious of what I missed I would probably be too lazy to replay all the whole campaign just to see.

Hi mates, I'm in the midst of Course of Action mission, in which I have to decide whether to follow US forces in a joint assault on Damascus or to turn south and secure the border. I'm not sure of what to do so I ask here for suggestions and warnings of what lies ahead. I'm prone to go south because I'm not too keen of dense urban fights (Police Station mission was HELL), but on the other hand perhaps I'll miss the main action and some nice scenarios. Are the Damascus missions too urban-intensive? Are they worth the pain of urban warfare? Would I do best heading south? Btw, I find urban warfare harder with the brits, the marines powerful squads were better fitted for it.

Mmmmh, why can't you just be a nice guy and tell us everything about it?!

Awesome mate! I'll try it as soon as I can!

Agreed. And hopefully, when merged with original ToW, this would be updated with some of TOW2's improvements. I'm particularily thinking about announced infantry and AI improvements and self-preservation behaviour.

Great news! I feel the same way as you about small arms sounds in ToW... but I admit that I didn't have the same determination as you to mod them. I'm glad you are working on it, thanks!

I will. I'm really puzzled by these contradictory rumours and I'd like to something for sure. Specially if it will be published outside Russia or not!

Great news! I'm very excited about the new features and improvement of infantry AI, that is just what I wanted! ...a bit sad about the lack of italian vehicles, it would be great to be able to create some campaigns of the early desert war.

You mean with resources and 'buildings' that 'build' units? That's not a wargame. I wouldn't like it at all, I'm afraid. I find it difficult to find a way to create a consistent campaign system in a serious and realistic wargame so that the campaign strategical game is so deep and realistic as the tactical part. In most cases, the strategical part is dull. Although I praise the effort to make a system to integrate the battles in the wider scope of a big operation, I didn't like the CC4&5 checkers-like silly boardgame. My personal opinion is that CC2 had the best campaign ever made for a tactical game: everything represented historicaly, with good documentation for the operation, and all the battles had its impact in the progress and outcome of the campaign. Bloody brilliant it was.

AT guys automatically switch to AT weapons for me. I dont have to order them to do so. ¿? But i understand what you say, I find specially annoying to have to put each and every one of my soldiers behind cover, since they don't seem to be able to position themselves... it seems that the AI isn't capable to identify covered positions.

Good job, mate! And congrats for being the first one releasing a mission with the new tools!

I like how camera works in ToW and I don't use any key, just mouse, mousewheel and mid-mouse button. I wouldn't like to see any change on this, I found it quite intuitive and quick to learn when I first played the demo.

-Better AI behaviour (both in AI-side and autonomous AI in the player's side), specialy in infantry tactics: no more AI to-the-last-man banzai attacks, better use of cover, automatically pick ammo or new weapons when a soldier's ammo is over and there is some corpse with ammo nearby, no AFVs madly driving into the enemy lines leaving all friendly support thousands of meters behind... -'Movement completed'/'pinned down'/'suffering heavy losses'/'ammo low' voice and textlog messages to better keep track of your units situation. -Surrender feature -Enemy surrenders/retreats victories so that you don't need to kill to the last man to win a scenario. You should autowin if the enemy has very little an scattered forces left and all his units are retreating or panicked.

I can't believe we are really this close to having the patch! It's been a long, long wait. I'm sure the new features and fixes will be worth it!

Also it seems that most of the time soldiers wont throw a grenade to a tagret unless they have eye contact with it (-suicidal move sometimes, as the target will simply fire his rifle against the thrower-). I have been unable to order a soldier to throw a grenade above a wall or bush to an enemy on the other side. I don't know if i'm doing anything wrong there, but it should be possible to use grenades as indirect weapons, true?