First impression

[skellhell]

I have played CMAK and CMBB alot so finally downloaded CM normandy. Wanted to like it but... I dont know, must play more i guess but feels that something missing. Not the same feeling. You players that played cmak and cmbb alot. You like this game as much the old ones?

/erik

[MikeyD]

Talk to longtime CMSF/BN/FI players about going back again to CMBB/BB/AK and a lot will tell you they just can't do it. Its too painful an experience.

[Saferight]

Talk to longtime CMSF/BN/FI players about going back again to CMBB/BB/AK and a lot will tell you they just can't do it. Its too painful an experience.

I've tried it didn't last very long. I can do with lots of other games for nostalgias sake but that's not one of em.

[Buzz]

MikeyD ... "Talk to longtime CMSF/BN/FI players about going back again to CMBB/BB/AK..."

Difference between board games, multi headed dice and a flashlight in a tent.It works if you have no other options. Fortunately Battlefront (despite rumors of dying) is pumping out great games that are much better products.

Saferight "..nostalgia.." Yep... about all CMBO-BB-AK evokes now in me nostalgia for a few minutes.

CMx2 is a far superior product.

[Mord]

There's no camparrison in my opinion. CMX2 is to CMX1 what CMX1 was to Steel Panthers. I can't play CMX1 anymore, it just seems to basic, the Borg spotting alone kills it. CMX1 games were awesome in their time, very fun and enjoyable but CMBN/SF/Fi and A-Stan are exceptional. They are worthy successors...after you play a bunch you might change your mind.

Mord.

[Kenzie]

I like the new ones more, but they do take getting used to. It's a lot more complex and difficult to get used to than the old ones, and some scenarios are more fun than others. I would definitely say keep playing and keep trying different scenarios until something looks interesting. The game keeps getting better and better with the newer expansions and the Italy game too.

[Vanir Ausf B]

CMx1 was more "beer & pretzels". Some people feel CMx2 is too much "work". It is more demanding of the player in some ways, but it offers the type of work I enjoy

[altipueri]

It's more of a sim, less of a game. A pity but the blinking cursor has moved on. Nor all thy piety nor wit shall lure it back to cancel half a line nor all thy tears wash out a word of it.

[Michael Emrys]

I like the new ones more, but they do take getting used to. It's a lot more complex and difficult to get used to than the old ones...

That's it in a nutshell and I couldn't have put it better myself. CMx1 was the warmup. CMx2 and whatever follows are the main event.

Michael

[MarkEzra]

Welcome! You Played CMAK and CMBB and this is your very first post. I played the CMx1 engine loved it. That didn't mean I wanted more depth and better graphics. BFC moved to the next generation with CMx2 and so did I. Glad you're giving CMBN a go and suggest you stick with it. It's much more demanding but richly rewards the player. Oh perhaps I should mention: When I DL'd the original pre release demo of CMBO I immediately deleted it... Three guys with rotating heads! So I didn't give it a chance. But reading the forum's assurances that CMBO was breaking new ground in wargaming I did give it another go...And very glad I did But even more so with CMx2.

[Michael Emrys]

The graphics, animations and whatnot in CMx1 could at times be painful to look at if I concentrated on them. So I ignored those as much as possible and concentrated on the gameplay. That was a blast, so it all worked out okay.

To be honest, I would enjoy CMx2 a lot more if playing it was less laborious, but it is what it is and that is still a marvel. I am always interested to see what BFC is going to roll out next.

Michael

[DavidFields]

I am stuck in between.

I can't go back to CM1, but when it is 8pm after a hard days work, and I am looking for something to play, I tend to go....nah....not CMBN tonight.

I bought both all the base games and modules. The game is great, and continues to improve mightily.

But...as a practical matter, I am likely to play something more mindless (like SimCity).

I am having the same issue with EU4--again, spectacular games in their genre, with great, supportive companies. But I find I support them more than, currently, I am playing their products.

But I am also not an Assault Wave type.

But go back to CM1? That would almost be like, in a very real comparison, going back to the television and computer screens of 15 years ago.

I suggest you start with the "tiny" scenarios.

[i agree with Michael Emrys about being interested to see what comes next.--BFC will eventually come out "fun pack" of silly/crazy/odd tiny battles, I would guess, or something like that.]

[Col Deadmarsh]

I have played CMAK and CMBB alot so finally downloaded CM normandy. Wanted to like it but... I dont know, must play more i guess but feels that something missing. Not the same feeling. You players that played cmak and cmbb alot. You like this game as much the old ones?

/erik

This is exactly how I felt when I went from CMBB to CM-Normandy.

The new camera controls alone was enough to turn me away from the game.

But even just the feel of the game was off-putting to me. I'm not sure why.

After a couple of tries, I quit for almost 2 years until I just recently gave it another chance...and I'm glad I did. This time I put in time to learn the new camera controls and to get used to the new "feel" of the game. And you're right...there is a new feel to this game. It's much more of a leap to go from CMBB to CMBN than it was to go from CMBO to CMBB.

Give it a chance to grow on you. I think you'll find the new engine, the new camera, and everything else is better once you get used to it.

[Jim1954]

Yes Warlord Leader, its a long way from Screaming Eagles, but enjoying the journey is just as important as getting there..

[Michael Emrys]

One thing that can help is to use Bil Hardenberger's advanced tutorials http://battledrill.blogspot.com/2013/08/combat-mission-tactical-problems-cmtp.html .

Study those and play through the scenarios on offer and they should give you a relatively painless introduction to the kind of winning tactics you'll need to get the most out of CM. I hope that soon Bil will be able to find the time to put up some more scenarios.

Michael

[GerryCMBB]

I am the odd one out here. CMx2 was a gateway to CMx1 for me. If I play any CM, it is CMBB. Too much focus on the looks, mods, etc. in CMx2 for me. And the crazy issues where the ATG crew can see the tank but it so happens the gunner cannot see it and fire.

Incredible content out there for CMx1 - all sizes and varieties of scenarios and operations.

Gerry

[Vanir Ausf B]

Well it's about time you lived up to your name.

[Mord]

Too much focus on the looks, mods, etc. in CMx2 for me.

Gerry

You should've been around when CMX1 games were kicking strong...modding was through the roof.

Mord.

[Battlefront.com]

CMx1 was more "beer & pretzels". Some people feel CMx2 is too much "work". It is more demanding of the player in some ways, but it offers the type of work I enjoy

Yup, this is totally relevant to some people. CMx1 was, definitely, more Beer & Pretzels. Mostly because technology didn't allow us to do much more than that. CMx2 is much more of a sim. Depending on which way your playing style tends to will influence which one you prefer. As it should!

I've always thought of this as something akin to the old days of flight sims. Some were designed to get you up in the air and shooting down stuff right away. Others required skill and time to just get to a spot where there was something to fight. And if you didn't know how to operate the flaps, use flares, the weapons systems, etc. you would get shot down before doing anything. Both games have their merits and I personally liked both for different reasons. But I definitely tended to like the more sim type most of the time.

Steve

[Kenzie]

I suggest you start with the "tiny" scenarios.

I think what got me hooked was actually the big battalion (or larger) sized battles. They take so much time to play but it's usually so worth it. With the bigger battles, some of the little awkward things in the game get lost in the chaos, and I get amazed that such a big battle can actually be somewhat realistically simulated right down to the individual rifleman on the little computer sitting on my lap.

[sfhand]

I know moving from CMx1 to CMx2 can be a challenging experience, but trust me, it was a lot more challenging to go from CMx1 to CMSF, at least for me. CMBN has a lot more features and is a much smoother experience than CMSF was at launch. The scenario authors have become much more adept at using the CMx2 editor (which has had its own upgrade path) which has lead to mastery of their craft. All that being what it is, the earlier advice to start small is a good one as was the suggestion to check out Bil's tactical tutorials. CMx2 demands a lot more attention to detail than CMx1 did (at least in my experience) and there are times I will play other less demanding games to relax my brain, but CMx1 is not one of them - I can't go back to that.

[Battlefront.com]

I have played CMAK and CMBB alot so finally downloaded CM normandy. Wanted to like it but... I dont know, must play more i guess but feels that something missing. Not the same feeling. You players that played cmak and cmbb alot. You like this game as much the old ones?

/erik

Welcome!

I think others have said things pretty well. The CMx2 game system might not be the best fit for your play style, or it might just be you need more time with it. Certainly many CMx1 players hit a bit of a learning and perception curve when they first tried a CMx2 game. But as others have said, getting over that hump may mean you'll never want to go back to CMx1. Or not... no way to know for sure unless you give it a shot

Steve

[Fenris]

I'm on the fence and play both. On and off to be honest, CM is not my only vice. I did need to work a bit to get into CM2, but that's because I could play CM1 almost blindfolded. My advice is you need to take the time, work the learning curve etc. Worth it in the end. All the better if you can still enjoy CM1 for what it is and CM2 for what it is. Works for me, start with smaller scenarios, IMO CM2 lends itself better to smaller battles due to the workload (at least whilst getting the hang of it).

Good luck.

-F

[Vergeltungswaffe]

CMx1 was the best game ever, bar none...until CMx2.

[MikeyD]

I once used the analogy of learning to drive stick shift. The first couple attempts you think "This is no fun at all!" You're convinced that something must be terribly wrong with the car for you to be having such troubles. But after a little practice you're upshifting with the best of them, the auto's handling like a race car and you never want to go back to an boring old automatic transmission again.