Which Combat Mission games can my computer run?

[General Grievous]

I owned the original Combat Mission Beyond Overlord game a long time ago and really loved it.  Now I'm looking to get a new Combat Mission game but have concerns over what I can run on my computer.

I have a Dell Inspiron 620 with Windows 7 and Intel HD 2500 Onboard Graphics. It says I'm running Directx 11 but mostly I can only run games that use Directx 9

Which Combat Mission games can I run?

Thanks in advance for the advice. 

Edited March 5, 2023 by Wahooka

[Jotte]

Try running the demo's for the current line of CM2 games. That should give you a fair idea of what your 'puter can handle. 

[womble]

I'd've thought that if you can run one (of the demos) you will be able to run them all. Machine specs (mostly processor and memory size) will affect how large your map and forces can be, at a given image quality level, past that.

Fortunately for your onboard graphics, the graphics subsystem isn't a big chokepoint. Memory and single core processor speed are much bigger factors, AIUI.

[Sunbather]

While the others are right in that every CM game performs more or less the same, Cold War is a bit more taxing on your system since many scenarios are very big with huge maps and many, many units.

"Turn-based" mode is also much friendlier to your hardware and gives a smoother gameplay experience. And you should play in turn-based anyway.

[Dynaman216]

You can probably run all of the CM titles (try the demos) but the size of a scenario may make your machine go too slowly to be playable.  I stay away from the larger scenarios myself and I have a somewhat newer machine.

[eperezsa]

Yes, these games are so old, that you can't probably have any problem at all     X-) 

[Centurian52]

4 hours ago, Sunbather said:

And you should play in turn-based anyway.

I disagree with that last part. There are trade-offs. Turn-based is easier on your hardware, and has the advantage that you can replay exactly what happened in all parts of the battlefield over the last minute. But there is nothing more frustrating that watching your pixeltruppen mindlessly continue to carry out an order that you've just realized will get them slaughtered. In real-time I have far more precise control over my pixeltruppen. I can do things like cancel their movement orders the moment they come under effective fire, so they are never moving without fire-superiority, and I can have very tightly controlled area fire.

My own feeling is that sometimes turn-based is better and sometimes real-time is better. I always play small scenarios in real time. My hardware has no trouble handling small scenarios in real-time, and I can see everything that is happening so I don't benefit from be able to rewind to check out action on other parts of the battlefield. The largest scenarios pretty much have to be played turn-based. My computer struggles to run those large scenarios in real-time without stuttering, and it is impossible for me to see everything that is happening without being able to rewind the action.

[General Grievous]

Thanks for the responses, very helpful, I appreciate it.

I am interested in getting "Cold War" but the system requirements say "Windows 10" on Steam.  On this website it says Windows 7.

Before I buy the game on Steam, I just want to make sure this Windows 10 requirement won't be prohibitive.  Perhaps it is more of a suggestion then a requirement.

 

 

Edited March 5, 2023 by Wahooka

[chuckdyke]

5 hours ago, Centurian52 said:

I always play small scenarios in real time.

Here is a true statement small scenario. You just lose too much information with larger formations in Real Time. The frustration of losing troops is also realistic, you need to plot proper tactics to avoid this from happening. I solved the problem by switching from View-4 to View-1 when I plot movements. IMHO people play the game too quick the individual teams need plenty of attention. 

Edited March 5, 2023 by chuckdyke

[Redwolf]

30 minutes ago, Wahooka said:

Thanks for the responses, very helpful, I appreciate it.

I am interested in getting "Cold War" but the system requirements say "Windows 10" on Steam.  On this website it says Windows 7.

Before I buy the game on Steam, I just want to make sure this Windows 10 requirement won't be prohibitive.  Perhaps it is more of a suggestion then a requirement.

The Steam text is from Matrixgames, who are not the developer. BFC's word should be better.

Unless that PBEM++ stuff somehow introduces a Win10 dependency...

[Vacillator]

53 minutes ago, chuckdyke said:

IMHO people play the game too quick the individual teams need plenty of attention. 

I hear you.  And I agree, if only I could do it all the time.

[General Grievous]

Thanks, I appreciate it.

Btw, do you know if Battle For Normandy is supposed to be released onto Steam soon?

I saw a video on youtube that said it was coming to Steam, but it doesn't appear to be.

Edited March 6, 2023 by Wahooka

[Redwolf]

7 hours ago, General Grievous said:

Thanks, I appreciate it.

Btw, do you know if Battle For Normandy is supposed to be released onto Steam soon?

I saw a video on youtube that said it was coming to Steam, but it doesn't appear to be.

March 27, probably this year.

[ratdeath]

You can always buy it directly from Battlefront (if the price is more or less the same) and add the key to Slitherine/Matrix and from there create a Steam key.

This way you get three "platforms" for the price of one.

This is also true for the old titles that, buy them directly from Battlefront and add them to your Steam library as soon^tm as they are available. With some luck CMBN, CMFI and CMRT will be released on Steam this year.

For your information: patches for the Steam version might lag behind a few days/weeks, we just have experienced this with the latest patch for CMSF2 and CMBS.

Onboard graphics might cause text to be blurry in the game/menus. Not sure if this is true for your laptop or if it's only a problem on laptops with a dedicated GPU!?

Try the demos before you buy

[Lethaface]

20 hours ago, General Grievous said:

Thanks for the responses, very helpful, I appreciate it.

I am interested in getting "Cold War" but the system requirements say "Windows 10" on Steam.  On this website it says Windows 7.

Before I buy the game on Steam, I just want to make sure this Windows 10 requirement won't be prohibitive.  Perhaps it is more of a suggestion then a requirement.

 

 

Try the demo, I don't think windows will be problem but hardware might be close.

[General Grievous]

Okay thanks, maybe I'll try the demos first, Steam also has a refund policy if the game doesn't work.

Edited March 7, 2023 by General Grievous

[markshot]

Did I understand this correctly?

If I bought a CM2 game from BFC, then I will be able to get a Matrix key which requires no server activation to complete the install process; no elicense; no Steam.

I ask, because one day I might find myself in an adversarial country (not that I moved, but borders do) where the Global Firewall might no longer allow BFC installers to phone home.

So, will there be a no activation method to install?  I don't care where I live as long as CM2 is with me.

Thanks.

PS:  This is a concern I have with my Steam Library.  I much prefer not needing global server continuous connectivity to play games I paid for.  (I do know elicense only requires a connection during install/upgrade.)

Edited March 15, 2023 by markshot

[Schrullenhaft]

Have to edit my original post.

To my knowledge the 'Matrix key' that you can get after purchasing the BFC version of the game is a Steam license key (requiring Steam and internet access to install and activate). I'm not certain if this license key doubles as a Matrix license key that will allow you to install and activate the Matrix (non-Steam) version of the game. If it is, then you can use the Matrix licensing system which doesn't seem to require internet access in my experience with it.

Edited March 15, 2023 by Schrullenhaft

[Schrullenhaft]

General Grievous - The main limiting factor with your Dell Inspiron 620 will be the integrated Intel HD 2500 Graphics. Unfortunately a lot of the drivers for Intel graphics have substandard OpenGL implementations and we often see issues trying to run the games on Intel Graphics. Sometimes certain drivers may work, though I don't know if what Dell provides for your computer would be among them. Sometimes you can try the Intel-provided driver, but it may not 'recognize' your video hardware (since it is provided by Dell as an OEM) AND Intel is no longer directly providing Windows 7 drivers from their website; any Intel video driver updates you would have to find on Dell's website or others (which can take a lot of downloading and experimentation to find out if they would actually work). Do you know if your Windows 7 version is 32-bit or 64-bit ? If you have 4GB or more of memory, then you may have the 64-bit version. This is important for when you're searching for drivers.

If you find that the game doesn't run well or at all, you could install a videocard into your Dell. You would need one that does NOT require PCIe power connectors (your Dell power supply will likely not have these). Videocards to consider would be the Nvidia GeForce GT 1030 or GTX 1050 or GTX 1050 Ti, such as this MSI model from Amazon (for US$190):

MSI V809-2277R GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB

Edited March 15, 2023 by Schrullenhaft

[Redwolf]

3 hours ago, markshot said:

Did I understand this correctly?

If I bought a CM2 game from BFC, then I will be able to get a Matrix key which requires no server activation to complete the install process; no elicense; no Steam.

I ask, because one day I might find myself in an adversarial country (not that I moved, but borders do) where the Global Firewall might no longer allow BFC installers to phone home.

So, will there be a no activation method to install?  I don't care where I live as long as CM2 is with me.

Thanks.

PS:  This is a concern I have with my Steam Library.  I much prefer not needing global server continuous connectivity to play games I paid for.  (I do know elicense only requires a connection during install/upgrade.)

That is correct. The Matrix version has a simple serial number auth scheme with no installation limit.

To clarify, this is a different download from BFC and Steam, and a different serial number.

The obvious disadvantage is that you have to wait on each patch for Matrix to get it ready, which currently is usually 4-5 weeks after a BFC patch release.

[Kevin2k]

4 hours ago, Schrullenhaft said:

If you find that the game doesn't run well or at all, you could install a videocard into your Dell. You would need one that does NOT require PCIe power connectors (your Dell power supply will likely not have these). Videocards to consider would be the Nvidia GeForce GT 1030 or GTX 1050 or GTX 1050 Ti, such as this MSI model from Amazon (for US$190):

MSI V809-2277R GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB

I second this. even with small scenarios the current games are not enjoyable on intel HD2500 graphics IMO. I often tried it for curiosity on a laptop with that particular graphics chipset.

Even a low-cost and low-power NVidia GT 710 1GB card performs significantly better. With that one small scenarios are enjoyable.

On 3/6/2023 at 12:01 AM, General Grievous said:

I am interested in getting "Cold War" but the system requirements say "Windows 10" on Steam.  On this website it says Windows 7.

The current CM versions run on Windows 7. The official system requirements are a disclaimer. Like: no guarantees or support, especially not for future patches.

EDIT: The steam wrapper may have requirements of its own. I don't use steam...

Edited March 15, 2023 by Kevin2k

[markshot]

Redwolf,

Thank you for your clarification.  I still have my CMBB/CMAK archives with mods and 6000 scenarios ... if maps get redrawn vis-a-vis Steam/e-License service.