Results of 1st Person Game Play!!!! WOW!!!!!

[Guest Madmatt]

For quite some time now many people have spoken about wanting to play a scenario of CM in First person view. Well I decided that I was tired of working on HTML all weekend (by the way, make sure and drop in on CMHQ ) and loaded up the good ole' demo and launched into a game of Chance Encounter as Allies.

Here were the rules:

* All plotting would be done in camera view 1 (Grunts eye!) unless it became too difficult to fine tune a position and then camera 5 would be used (lining up behind walls or keeping the move cursor from plotting out to Saturn!)

* Playback would also be done in view 1 and view 1 ONLY!!! No minimum amount of replays although I never use more than 2 anymore!

* Game settings: Tree density set to full and Detailed Hit Descriptions turned OFF! (that had a huge effect) Default setup locations used as well. Victory Flags turned off and unit bases turned off for full realism! Headphones were worn and volume cranked.

* Vehicles had unrestricted zoom allowed to compensate for Field of View limitations inherent to any game played on a monitor.

* When plotting moves it was allowed to 'Scout Ahead' slightly with the camera but no more than approx. 100 meters directly ahead, NEVER beyond what could normally be seen (Over a ridge line etc...)

* Orders were given to units in sequence using the +/- keys to scroll through them

SPOLIER PROTECTION! CHANCE ENCOUNTER Info Ahead!!!

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Ok now that is through (is there anyone who HASN'T played this yet as both sides? )

What was it like? Well it was incredible. I have only played 5 turns and I wanted to run here and tell everyone to try it out.

The first thing I noticed is that plotting tends to be allot less gung-ho "Take the church by turn 2" and much more 'Hmmm, lets just run to that copse of woods!'. Which I feel is much more realistic. You get a real sense of confusion and being a part of something big when you are running behind a squad racing for the wall.

Second thing I noticed is that the Beta Build Demo's move interface wasn't designed for this type of play. I had to resort to camera 5 many times to keep my units from plotting 3km's beyond the Germans position. A liberal use of the 'Scouting' view I mentioned above came in real handy.

I also noted that when you turn detailed Hit info off guess what? You get jack when you engage armor. You have to watch and listen to what your and the enemies vehicles are doing and I loved it.

By turn 3 I had two advance Shermans dump their human cargo at the xroads and advance slowly up the to that nice dip in the hill just North of the Church. Off to my right flank a quick burst of fire caught my attention as a .30 cal team I had setup in some woods took a opportunity shot at some running Germans which my Tanks had yet to spot. I can't explain how cool it was to see some of my outgoing fire arching up and over the hill as my Shermans slowly labored to get into a juicy hull down position. At the end of the turn I detected a column of smoke that must have been created by a vehicle. I suppose eh was playing it safe and popped smoke when some of his human buddies hot the dirt near by.

Turn 4 saw my two advance Shermans move up a bit and now with a line of sight into the heart of the advancing German positions, they opened up with bow and co-ax. One of my Shermans left to guard the rear took a low probability shot on a StuG and I was treated with a hollow "Phrong" sound. Was it destroyed? I couldn’t tell! And it was great! By the end of the turn a second StuG was sighted and my infantry was just getting set to the North and West of the Church Building. One Sherman was covering my Northern Advance, Two were in advance positions and firing at infantry targets and two were in positions slightly West of the crossroads exchanging pot-shots with the two 2 StuGs.

Turn 5 was too much fun. My lead Sherman got bold (oh, ok I told him to! Geez! ) and crested the hill to see 2 StuGs just 100 meters or so in front. I watched as fire from my other tanks hit around the StuGs but my fire did not dissuade the StuGs. Just as my 'Host' Sherman (The one I watching from) acquired the nearest StuG I saw it fire and heard an explosion and the sounds of engulfing flames to my right! My second advancing Sherman was going to advance no more! With cold vengeance my gunner engaged and sent that StuG straight to Hell in tiny little squishy pieces with one shot! The remaining undamaged StuG looked to either try and reposition himself or hightail outa the area but its efforts were fruitless as a 75mm Made in the US of A Armor Piercing Hun Killing Freedom Preserving By God shell caught him in the flank and he rolled poetically to a final resting spot! Just then as I peered through my TC's binocs, I noticed that the crew from the first StuG had bailed out and were cowering in some tress nearby. Americans 3 Germans 1

The remaining action was some sporadic small arms. The AI in this scenario tends to waste the advantage and not deploy quickly enough. I have no doubt that with 4 tanks left and all my infantry and support intact, it will be a quick win, but by playing in 1st person view I effectively handicap myself and bring the contest to much more even terms.

In short, it’s a blast and I highly recommend you try it!

Recommendations and Final Comments:

Well, it takes some getting used to and setting up and abiding by guidelines like I did helped allot. Movement can be difficult to get just right so go ahead and use camera 5 but just don’t over do it. With targeting, you may want to just trust the TacAI as it gets difficult to see the enemy when they are in woods and cover (which is how it should be) With some of the developments we have all heard put in place since the demo, I am sure that this will be even smoother and more fun when the game finally arrives!

Give a try! You won't regret it!

Madmatt out...

[This message has been edited by Madmatt (edited 12-05-99).]

[Johan Brittz]

BTS - what's the odds of providing this as an option for PBEM games in a later (much later!) version/patch. Sounds great - getting closer and closer to the real thing all the time. Just remarked to an opponent that I've never experienced the viciousness of combat in any other game as I'm doing now (watching some single man vet squads fighting it out in rooms with my opponents 2 men squads) AGH!!