Kobra Posted July 18, 2005 Share Posted July 18, 2005 I'm a huge tank sim fan. M-1 Tank Platoon was my all-time favorite game. I even have the one and onl y tank-sim for consoles (Panzer Front for Dreamcast - RARE). I've tried the demo, and I just can't "fall in love" with it as much as I try.. The controls don't feel very intuitive - why no mouse support for the main gun, etc? Everything feels pretty unrefined and clunky, and in general - not very realistic or fun. The graphics are pretty lousy on my high end machines - and the performance doesn't match up to the lackluster graphics. Is there something i'm missing or is this just a small, unpolished, and low budget production? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Smith Posted July 18, 2005 Share Posted July 18, 2005 Kobra - mouse works fine for the main for me (albeit with joystick turned "off") in the demo. Pressing left mouse button and moving gives me full traverse. The joystick support needs some work I think, but keyboard and mouse is working well for me at the moment. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kobra Posted July 18, 2005 Author Share Posted July 18, 2005 My mistake on the mouse, I missed that. How about my other issues? I so want a great tank sim, but i'm getting vibes that this is only a "Decent" tank sim. :-( 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Smith Posted July 18, 2005 Share Posted July 18, 2005 Hmm, not sure - about the graphics issues for you - it looks and runs great on my machine, which isn't a top performer - Athlonn 2.5+barton, 1gig 4200 ram, Fx6600gt card, on-board sound. I didn't adjust anything and the install proggy set most textures at highest, 1024x768 32 bit. I'm getting framerates between 17 and 20, which for a tank sim seem fine (they are smooth enough for me in any case). The grass is set to 50m and grass is apparently a big frame rate impact for most users - winding back grass and cloud levels would be a way to get more frames/second. One of the most impressive things for me is the ground surface - pitted, with natural-feeling holes and undulations, which make the seemingly level areas still tactically important. Another thing i really like are the smoke and dust effects when firing. Here's some pics from the demo on my system (bear in mind they are reduced a fair bit) A t34 cops a hit, complete with flaming crew Blackened T34 Looks great 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandy Posted July 18, 2005 Share Posted July 18, 2005 I have to agree with Kobra. I preordered the game - but I am not really playing it, or enjoying it when I try. The interface and controls just do not feel right - even though the game looks beautiful... There is no sense of being there or taking a crew position - the game seems to assume that you will jump around and play multiple roles, which I do not want to do, but the interface is really clunky. I can't seem to even stick my head out of the commanders hatch and look around...just get a view through a telescope sight? Somebody please help me love this game! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Smith Posted July 18, 2005 Share Posted July 18, 2005 For an alternative commander view, hit Page Up a few times while in F7 mode (scope view) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandy Posted July 18, 2005 Share Posted July 18, 2005 Thanks Brian That might help - I just want to see if I can role play a TC Sandy 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuomiKp Posted July 18, 2005 Share Posted July 18, 2005 I like playing tank commander , only thing so far that bugs me a bit is the turning commands ... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kobra Posted July 18, 2005 Author Share Posted July 18, 2005 Originally posted by SuomiKp: I like playing tank commander , only thing so far that bugs me a bit is the turning commands ... The turning commands I found aweful. I just didn't feel like I was really controlling anything. The demo didn't feel "Immersive". At least not as incredibly immersive I felt in M-1 Tank Platoon.. The part that bugs me is M-1 is like 15 years old or something, and plays far far better than this game. I want M-1 Tank Platoon 2005. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spybaz Posted July 20, 2005 Share Posted July 20, 2005 I agree that the terrain graphics are nothing short of 90's. I too have a 6600GT and your screenshots represent what I see too. You think that that terrain looks good? Check out Far Cry, Joint Ops, BF2....this appears to be very low budget on the terrain detail. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Smith Posted July 20, 2005 Share Posted July 20, 2005 Originally posted by spybaz: You think that that terrain looks good? Yep. Look at the distance man! You can see for miles in this thing. Maybe it's just me, but I prefer the slightly washed-out look of the terrain in this sim (and Flashpoint - that's where I first saw graphics that made me think of the real world - I fell in love with that dusty, worn look of reality) to the cartoon like textures of Far Cry for instance. Far Cry was pretty...this is gritty. And to raise Steel Beasts again (holds Mace up as human shield) - I love that game and I can forgive it its 2D graphics and 16 colours (might be exaggerating here) once I hear those sounds. So in the spirit of friendly cooperation between simmers and recognition of differences.... you're wrong man! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arklight Posted July 20, 2005 Share Posted July 20, 2005 I think the screenshots look great. They have that gritty, war-torn look to them. I especially like #3 as well as #4. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olle Petersson Posted September 3, 2005 Share Posted September 3, 2005 Originally posted by spybaz: I agree that the terrain graphics are nothing short of 90's. ... You think that that terrain looks good? Check out Far Cry, Joint Ops, BF2...Just compare what a field with an armoured infantry battalion, located some three miles away, look like in those games, and let's then discuss the graphics. I have no experience whatsoever with Far Cry and Joint Ops, but in BF2 you can see exactly nothing beyond 450m (and very little beyond 400m)! That's a non starter for a tank sim where engagement ranges go beyond 4000m. There simply must be some drop in eye-candy if you are to have a large piece of terrain with lots of units in it in view all at once! To comment on the demo in general; I don't really like it either. It just doesn't tell me what I need to know, neither to play the demo nor what the full game is all about. Judging from comments posted by other players the command function for attached units is awkward to use yet lacking complex options. Being used to the easy to use yet complex Steel Beasts interface, that's a huge turnoff for me! Cheers Olle 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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