CMx1, Game of Century! CMx2?

[kump]

When the free download of trial version CMBO came out, I fell in love with Combat Mission.

CMBO, CMBB, CMAK are, in my opinion, the best war sandbox game of WW2 I have ever played.  I haven't posted here in forever, but I used to run a website supporting CMx1 mods.  Game was brilliant. 

Here it is, over 20 years later.  I've turned 64, retired, but still playing CMx1.  I was playing tonight and realized I'm still playing CMx1 and not CMx2.  I own all CMx2, but find them tedious, not enough play aids, etc.  CMx2 forgot it was a "war game" and went to "war simulation" and it might have satisfied the grog nards, but not me, a gamer. 

20 years later, my high resolution monitors are still playing CMx1, even CMBO, though not at wide screen and Windows 10 for some reason does not allow "fog" effects, but everything else works fine.  I play CMx1 NOW instead of CMx2, because, well, it is just more enjoyable.  And the models and textures are still incredible. 

I spent 25 years with IBM as an electrical engineer who did software development in the area of network routing (multicast mostly), then system management software.  CMx1 still remains the top of my list of most respected software achievements that I admire most.  CMx2 does not compete, because I feel it got confused in trying to deliver every grog nard complaint about "realism".   It looks prettier, but no, very tedious to play.  Why remove play aids, make things more difficult to tell what is going on, etc.  Oh, that is how combat really is, oh please, next "game"...

Man, what I would give to have CMx1 re-released with the CMx2 graphics, same gaming engine.  Yea, I know a lot of work to get models covering the periods it covered, but that was it's charm and what made it far superior to the CMx2 of delivering small  chunks that "pay more attention to detail" for that period.  As far as I'm concerned, it has not been satisfactory at all.  But my opinion is pretty much worthless, so everyone will make their own.

Still, Combat Mission is an all time favorite, regardless if I think the direction it went was not satisfactory.  CMx1 rules still, after 20 years.  That is quite an accomplishment.  And on top of that, there are still those of us playing it after 20 years and ignoring the installed CMx2 games.  Go figure.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 8, 2020 by kump

[JoMac]

I understand where your coming from...

Dad, first got me into Wargaming with TRACTICS HO Rules back in the 70's (going to the Squadron Shop in, MD for inspiration) before we switched to Micro-Armor in the early 80's (when he first opened up a War gaming Hobby Shop in Northern, Va)...He still has his collection of Micro-Armor (as do I).

So, I introduced Dad, CMx1 (BO, BB, AK) back in early 2K timeframe. He is now 75 and still enjoys playing them on-off to this day (thou, he never fully understood the different move orders, etc, lol)...I still remember playing a few Online TCP Quick-Battle games with him back then (think last time was about 5 yrs ago).

Actually, I also liked CMx1 Game Play, but if it weren't for many units running low on Ammo within 15 minutes, or the all too quick Borg-Spotting, then might still be playing them today. 

 

Edited November 8, 2020 by JoMc67

[Erwin]

CM1 was always much more of an entertainment game.  CM2 was and is touted as a simulation.  It's a similar difference between simplistic flight games which are easy to learn and fun to play and hardcore flight sims like Falcon or DCS flight sims that take days of study.

[HUSKER2142]

Once playing with a friend in DCS, he asked how I feel about wargame, to which I answered positively. He showed me debriefings of past Combat Mission games, I immediately liked the game for its scale of battles, types of troops and various scenarios (historical and fictional), and I immediately took the full version of CMBN. After that I started buying other CMx2 games.

P.S. In Russia, 1C SoftClub even localized CMSF and CMA, only the CMSF disk remained, the other one lost.

[altipueri]

I'm with Kump.

I still prefer CMx1 - mostly the quick battles.  I know the AI does suicide charges so I don't regard a win as a real win. 

 

[A Canadian Cat]

OK ... just keep in mind this is a CM2 forum you are posing in. I for one only finished the PBEM games I had on going in CM1 once CMBN was released. CM2 games are vastly better in my opinion and I don't understand why people still play CM1 games but if you are happy that's great.

You may already know but in case not there is still an active community at theBlitz.club (domain used to be .org but control was lost) that plays CM1 games. You can find the forum here: https://www.theblitz.club/message_boards/forumdisplay.php?fid=10

[kump]

39 minutes ago, IanL said:

OK ... just keep in mind this is a CM2 forum you are posing in. I for one only finished the PBEM games I had on going in CM1 once CMBN was released. CM2 games are vastly better in my opinion and I don't understand why people still play CM1 games but if you are happy that's great

Yes, I know this is a CM2 forum, and my opinion of CM2 was presented.  I do not find it as satisfying because, and you defined it nicely, it is mostly geared towards PBEM play, not single player mode.   With PBEM, both players are on equal standing as far as play aids, etc.  I find no fault there. 

I'm not saying CM2 is not satisfying in the single player mode either, I just find CM1 more satisfying.    

[Erwin]

25 minutes ago, kump said:

I do not find it as satisfying because, and you defined it nicely, it is mostly geared towards PBEM play, not single player mode. 

That is very interesting since the AI in CM1 is far less capable than in CM2.  Around 2003 I stopped playing CM1 vs the AI and only played PBEM after that.  And until a few years ago at WeBOB we were playing CM1 tournaments on huge maps between 3Km-4Km to the max of 8Km x 4Km with reinforced Regimental-sized Task Forces on each side - which is not yet practical in CM2 due to increased CM2 workload and processing issues.  That is the reason that CM1 has so many fans and lasted so long.   However, CM2 can still be challenging vs the AI. 

The problem with CM2 PBEM is that if one likes large scenarios, the gameplay work load and time/patience it takes to play PBEM is unacceptable (assuming one has a life).

 

 

Edited November 13, 2020 by Erwin

[landser]

I like CMx1 too. Matter of fact I recently played through some campaigns and operation in CMBB and CMAK. Well a year or so ago I guess now. At this age, a year qualifies as recent haha. There is a lot to like about the original engine, and for me especially the Combined Arms setting in QMB. I like the ability to indirect fire target any spot on the map, not only those with LOS. I like the proper hunt command, and I could go on picking various elements that I prefer but I'll digress.

But taken as a whole, and especially from a QoL point of view I don't think CMx1 holds up well. That doesn't mean I won't play it, but it does mean CMx1 is just not on the same level as CMx2 for me.

I can make a good analogy with Falcon 4. Falcon 4 Allied Force was a great version of that sim, with probably the best campaign play to date in the long, long evolution of the series. But Falcon 4 BMS, while maybe still not quite so good with the campaigns, is far beyond F4AF in terms of the jet, avionics, comms, weapons systems, graphics and on and on. So while I can still see the best points of AF, having flown BMS there's no longer a contest as to which is better. It's the same in CMx1 and CMx2 for me. And CMx2 has the better jet

[Blazing 88's]

CMx1 with ROQC (Rob O's Quick Campaign Generator) was what kept me going with the CMx1 engine a year or so after CMBN was released. If you are still into CMx1, I highly recommend getting the CMAK and CMBB docs for ROQC. A search of this forum should pop up some of my old posts pimping ROQC, Not sure if the links will work??

Edited November 13, 2020 by Blazing 88's

[Blazing 88's]

I also had CMAK modded to CMETO for Normandy, etc. Here is the link for the mod conversion, which still works: http://www.tspindler.de/cmak_mod/

[Erwin]

Just don't forget that these mod files will permanently overwrite anything in the CM1 BMP folder.  So, you MUST copy the original BMP folder and keep in a safe place so that you can eventually delete the modded BMP folder and replace with this original one to get the game back to normal.

[Blazing 88's]

2 hours ago, Erwin said:

Just don't forget that these mod files will permanently overwrite anything in the CM1 BMP folder.  So, you MUST copy the original BMP folder and keep in a safe place so that you can eventually delete the modded BMP folder and replace with this original one to get the game back to normal.

I found it was best to have another version of CMAK going and rename it CMETO. No need for swapping then, but yeah like Erwin said make a backup of the CMAK BMP folder before overwriting the originals.

Edited November 15, 2020 by Blazing 88's

[Erwin]

6 hours ago, Blazing 88's said:

I found it was best to have another version of CMAK going and rename it CMETO.

Yes, that is also good.  But, in CM1 it's also easy to simply swap out the various mod BMP folders.  One could also have a modded CM1 for 1940 SEALION and IIRC, Poland '39.  It comes down to whether you prefer to have several CM1 games all with different BMP folders, or simply have a bunch of BMP folders and swap em depending on what mod version you want to play.  (There also a huge number of unit mods and sound mods as well.)

[HUSKER2142]

It turns out GOG last year released CMx1 series for modern PCs.