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I am debating buying this game

MasterGoodale
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MasterGoodale Senior Member

MasterGoodale

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I have read reviews (which are excellent) and posts by current players and everything says "Buy the Game" but I'm sort of gun-shy after a very bad experience with World War II Online. My impression is that this is an entirely different game and that this game is far more polished and immersive. I especially have questions about PBEM and Performance.

If anyone wants to help me with these concerns I would appreciate it.

1. How would the performance be with a PIII 866 and TNT2 32 MB card and 512 MB SDRAM? Would I be able to play on the highest settings smoothely?

2. Is there a good following out there to play by email with and are they easy to find? Is internet play via cable good?

I love the concept of this game and the realism intrigues me so that's not a problem. The more realistic the better IMO. I like games that require strategy and good decisions, not mouse button smashing or cheap tactics.

Thanks,

MasterGoodale

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General Tacticus Member

General Tacticus

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Fisrt of all, if you haven't already, get the demo's (both CMBO and CMBB {because IMHO the scenario's with the CMBO demo are "more fun")).

I have similar specs to you (Athlon700, GeForce2MX, 384Mb RAM), and for the most part it runs fine. There are exceptions...there is an operation called "To the Volga" which no one can run :D - it is big!

PBEM and TCP/IP games are easy to find, and are great fun smile.gif

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Bullethead Senior Member

Bullethead

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MasterGoodale said:

I have read reviews (which are excellent) and posts by current players and everything says "Buy the Game" but I'm sort of gun-shy after a very bad experience with World War II Online. My impression is that this is an entirely different game and that this game is far more polished and immersive. I especially have questions about PBEM and Performance.
Yeah, CMBO and CMBB have nothing in common with WW2OL except both cover WW2. The CM games are simulation wargames, whereas WW2OL is/was an MMP deathmatch sorta thing.

1. How would the performance be with a PIII 866 and TNT2 32 MB card and 512 MB SDRAM? Would I be able to play on the highest settings smoothely?
Probably. From my experience, the settings per se ain't what kills your performance, it's the size of the battle. For your typical battles with about a reinforced company, you would probably be fine. However, you'll probably have trouble with the huge battles. I have a P4 1.7GHz and it chokes when battalions square off unless I tone down some settings.

But performance really isn't that big a deal anyway. Frame rate has zero tactical effect in the CM games because in the CM games, you have ZERO control over the unfolding action. Every minute, the game pauses for you and your opponent (human or AI) to give orders to your units, and then the game runs for 1 minute while the units try to carry them out, without you being able to influence anything. The action is displayed like a movie with VCR controls, so you can watch the minute of action as many times as you want from any perspective you want. So basically, low FPS won't get you killed, it just makes the "movies" of the action jerky. It's an aesthetic thing, not a life-and-death thing.

2. Is there a good following out there to play by email with and are they easy to find? Is internet play via cable good?
Yeah, no problem at all finding PBEM or TCP/IP opponents. And note that because of the "we-go" combat resolution system outlined above, connection speed has zero effect on tactical success. All broadband gives you in CM is the ability to swap files faster, not the ability to shoot faster. No such thing as a "low ping bastard" in MP CM.
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Zarquon Senior Member

Zarquon

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I have a 1200 Mhz CPU, a TNT2-M64 card with only 16 MB and it's fine.

There's one battle (On to the Volga) included that's too huge to play for me. My machine took about 30 mins. to calculate the first turn. With all other scenarios is just a couple of seconds.

Buy it.

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Krazy Canuck Senior Member

Krazy Canuck

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1. How would the performance be with a PIII 866 and TNT2 32 MB card and 512 MB SDRAM? Would I be able to play on the highest settings smoothely?

--------------------------------------------------

As MadMatt says the TNT card could be a problem, to get the best out of the game you should have at least a GeForce3.

==================================================

2. Is there a good following out there to play by email with and are they easy to find? Is internet play via cable good?

Yes, most definately!!!!!

KC

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MasterGoodale Senior Member

MasterGoodale

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Good point Bullethead. I hadn't really thought of the fact that FPS has no affect on actual gameplay. In WW2 Online it was EVERYTHING! and have the time that was what killed me. My biggest enemy was the FPS (it would reach out and slap me repeatedly "1.4 fps! 5.6!! 22!! Psych, 3.9!!".

I think I will buy this game. If my instinct says buy it it must be right. I am also thinking of upgrading to a ATI RADEON 9000 PRO 128MB DDR AGP Graphics Card anyways so that should help any performance problems.

So who wants to hook up and play by email or TCP/IP and be my first victim once I have played a little? Bullethead? Can I put a bullet in your head?

Just kidding.

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Barrold Senior Member

Barrold

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Just a comment about the choice of the ATI video card since you have sensibly come to the right conclusion regarding the best wargame ever produced in this solar system.

Using an ATI card, you will not be able to see fog in the game. While this will not have an effect on the gameplay, it is a definite immersion factor when playing in those weather conditions.

So you might want to check out the Nvidia 4600 instead. I have a ATI Radeon 7500 64MB for my laptop and it shows the game nicely at 1600x1200 resolution, but I miss the fog that shows up on the Destination Big Screen downstairs that has a GForce 2 64MB.

BDH

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Pud Senior Member

Pud

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My suggestion? Download the CMBO demo play that (to death) to get a feel of the CM system. If you like it download CMBB to see the new commands, the CMBB demo (IMHO) doesnt give you a good feel for the game.

Then go and buy the bundle!!

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offtaskagain Senior Member

offtaskagain

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Originally posted by MasterGoodale:

But overall isn't the ATI RADEON 9000 PRO 128MB DDR AGP Graphics Card the most powerful upgrade I can get?

The 9700 Pro is actually the most powerful card on the market. The 9000 Pro isn't actually all that great. It can be outperformed by GeForce 4 Ti4200s. As others have noted, ATI drivers do not support the fog creation method CM uses on windows, but they do on Mac versions.
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Epée Senior Member

Epée

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PBEM *IS* the way to go. IMHO, without PBEM this game wouldn't be half of what it is.

And you are in luck PBEM/TCP-IP games are very very easy to find, and it it TOTALLY SWEET (to use an expression very peculiar to this forum).

Repeating, if PBEM is mainly your thing, BUY THIS GAME NOW!

Epée

PS: You can send me a setup once you got it, to get you going.

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Krazy Canuck Senior Member

Krazy Canuck

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Originally posted by MasterGoodale:

I think I will buy this game. If my instinct says buy it it must be right. I am also thinking of upgrading to a ATI RADEON 9000 PRO 128MB DDR AGP Graphics Card anyways so that should help any performance problems.

==================================================

As mentioned above, to get the BTS version of fog you will need a GeForce card, but you won't need the best money that can buy. A good Geforce3 card w/128 MB will do you nicely!!!! ;)

KC

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Kong Senior Member

Kong

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Don't compare to WW2Online, the two games have nothing in common. Especially when it comes to quality of the game and customer satisfaction.

I would recommend today looking at GeForce4 Ti4200 cards. Great performance at excellent prices. Many companies make this card. Gainward, Asus, Albatron, MSI are all good brands. Prices should be around $150 for it with 128 megs of ram. Careful as some cards have 64 megs of ram. Oh, and stay away from the GeForce4 MX cards, there is a good reason they are cheaper.

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Brian Rock Senior Member

Brian Rock

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Originally posted by Colonel_Deadmarsh:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Zarquon:

[QB]I have a 1200 Mhz CPU, a TNT2-M64 card with only 16 MB and it's fine.[QB]

You have a 1200 mhz CPU with only 16mb of RAM? That's like driving a Porsche on 4 spare tires.</font>
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russellmz Senior Member

russellmz

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Originally posted by Madmatt:

That TNT card may be a problem. Download the demo and see how it performs for you.

If play is decent with good performance then the full game will be the same.

Madmatt

NOW you tell me? i been playing cmbo for a year or two and cmbb for months on a 600mhz 128 sdram comp 32mb tnt2 comfortably and now i am told there might be a problem? what kind of setup is this tongue.gif

at the highest setting: extreme trees, extreme doodads, my system gets slow in scrolling but that's about it.

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