Can't buy troops????

[Battlefront.com]

Ryan,

Change your hotkeys using the Hotkeys file. You will find there is a dedicated key for each of the most common Command types.

See previous post about the rest. The confusion of which Command Group you have selected is a lot easier to sort out than trying to figure out where one of 36 possible Commands is on the keyboard. With that many Commands having meaningful alphabetized hotkeys is a complete impossibility. EVEN if we came up with unique first lettered Command names.

I'll say this again... the CMx1 system will not work in CMx2. So it got killed off. I understand that you don't "get it" yet, and might never. But what you have to "get" is that we did not change things willy nilly. And because we didn't, the changes were made very deliberately to acheive a specific set of goals.

You're trying to make this into a "CMSF is just as radical and changing as CMBO was" debate, when in reality, for a UI to work, you need the major commands which will be used the most often to be clearly and unambigiously delineated to a single button.

That's my point, though. You're so focused on the UI being different you haven't even bothered to read the manual and see you have dedicated keys for the most used buttons. And you can customize them. This should be cased close for you, I hope

Steve

[Martin Krejcirik]

Originally posted by Battlefront.com:

The confusion of which Command Group you have selected is a lot easier to sort out than trying to figure out where one of 36 possible Commands is on the keyboard. With that many Commands having meaningful alphabetized hotkeys is a complete impossibility.

That's our (players) problem not yours. Just let us assign any hotkey to any command (just like every other semi-serious game). I have no problem remembering 20 hotkeys in other games. But I DO have a problem with the current system, it's slow and clumsy.

[thelmia]

A big problem is the scenario editor not allowing individual units and vehicles. This is a big pain for people who want to recreate historical battles in Iraq. I haven't been able to get the editor to do anything but packaged units. I'd love it if I'm doing something wrong.

[RedDevil]

I get it.. See CMSF is not Combat Mission in any way other then NAME. BF has used a popular marketing technique to gain an edge in sales, notably pre orders, to make some money before all the combat mission fans find out the real deal.

It's shame really that for 4 years development, BF gives us a clunky interface that doesn't bode well for a RTS clickie fest, a PBEM system that makes HUGE files, to deter players from using it, a vanilla QB system that can't get kit picks decent enough to make a game out of, and a camera sighting system that make a kaleidescope look normal. All for the sake of realism..

Where is the wargame we waited so long for? It's not going to happen, the market for wargamers is too small a niche to pay for all the programming and effort put into this game, therefore it must be marketed to the young and twitchy gamers to make any sort of profit.

Outside of some fancy eye candy. Which, BTW we won't be able to enjoy, as the click fest to stay alive during a multiplayer game will be enough of a distraction let alone trying to sort thru the keys and get the right one, the game we all thought would be awesome has left a bitter taste.

I can't wait for my CD to ship, it will go right on Ebay for some twichy click fest gamer to enjoy for a few weeks until he's bored of the vanilla, or sick of the UI.

I am disappointed in the fact that I was expecting a wargame, not a "Sims with tanks" wanna be.

I would have gladly paid $50 US dollars for a CMBO/CMBB make over to bring them up to CMAK levels and even add a few years of war to the tables (IE: korea) and some eye candy graphics.

It wouldn't have taken 4 years to get it done. Thousands would be happy with the results, and BF execs would be getting bonus'.

The direction BF has taken in response to the wargaming market is going to be their downfall. Trying to compete with RTS and FPS companies that have lots of reserve funds and can absorb a poor game release or 2 is a recipe for failure. They couldn't make what BF could, and didn't bother, yet BF had to try and make something that the others are superb at, and this is the result.

I'm even wondering what's next.. A $30 add on pack to get 5 more scenarios and some Jordan army units & some Marine formations? What's the betting line on these add ons being free? LOL

I came to think BF was the next great wargame company, now I'm $50 bucks shy of a wargame and have a clickie fest asymmetrical simulation to pawn off.

[Exel]

So what's the official Steve-word for getting an interface to do the TO&E restricted unit selection that the CPU does now, or at least briefing of the units you'll be getting?

Are you at least considering to give us that much say in the units we get?

[RedDevil]

duplicate

[Melnibone]

Who the hell are these "BF execs" you talk about?

[Lindan]

Originally posted by Martin Krejcirik:

That's our (players) problem not yours. Just let us assign any hotkey to any command (just like every other semi-serious game). I have no problem remembering 20 hotkeys in other games. But I DO have a problem with the current system, it's slow and clumsy.

RTFM.

[Exel]

Originally posted by Lindan:

RTFM.

Seriously, enough with that. RTFM yourself; you can't reassign the command tab hotkeys. Even if you designate different keys for them, they still work inside the command tabs (ie. one key for multiple commands).

In any case the hotkeys aren't the topic of this thread, please stay on topic. We have enough clutter here as it is.

[VicKevlar]

Aaaahhhh. This topic brings back all sorts of memories.

I remember the decision and the many reasons why in CC4 we removed the points based requistion system and switched to a force pool. When the game was released it was a small riot from players wanting the old system back.....akin to what I'm seeing here.

BTW...I like CMSF as it is.

[Exel]

Originally posted by VicKevlar:

I remember the decision and the many reasons why in CC4 we removed the points based requistion system and switched to a force pool. When the game was released it was a small riot from players wanting the old system back.....akin to what I'm seeing here.

At least force pools give you a selection of units to choose from, even if limited. In fact I'd say that's exactly what we need in CMSF; a TO&E limited Force Pool to choose units from. It would allow a decent level of customizability of one's forces while keeping the force mix realistic and C2 intact.

Steve? Martin?

[dalem]

Originally posted by RedDevil:

a PBEM system that makes HUGE files, to deter players from using it,

RD-

That's a little paranoid, don'tcha think? The minute the PBEM discussion erupted, Steve warned us fair and square that one of the big issues HE saw with it was that the file sizes would be huge. We made our noise and said that didn't matter, put 'em in anyway. And he/they did. So we have 'em, and they're huge. What's the problem?

-dale

[Exel]

I don't give a **** about 'command and control' this and 'realism' that. Part of the goodness of CM has ALWAYS been the ability to go into quick battle, put together you custom combat team, and go into battle. CHOICE is what makes games good. If they really want, impose bad arse command penalties for not including expensive command units. FFS even in the REAL army you can get task forces at PL level!

Any excuse they give is utter ****. If you can't pick basic units at the PL level, and specialist units at the team level, its just not right.

-- just give me the old points based system any day. I wanted to pit a Stryker platoon against a reinforced BTR "Stryker" platoon. I just wanted to see how one matched the other. It is very tough to do in this game.

These on one of the most grognard populated and realism worshiping forums on the net, SteelBeasts.com. The general consensus even over there was the same as here; not being able to select your own forces sucks.

[Roter Stern]

Originally posted by Battlefront.com:

See previous post about the rest. The confusion of which Command Group you have selected is a lot easier to sort out than trying to figure out where one of 36 possible Commands is on the keyboard.

Could you please let the *players* worry about that? You know, there are also these people who play jetplane flight sims with just a $30 joystick and the keyboard, and they get pretty damn good at using well over 150 unique commands... that's the entire letter-key set 4 times over with the Alt/Shift/Ctrl mods with the rest of the key board sprinkled on top of that.

Having said that, I would also settle for being able to use key-modifiers to access the different Tabs. Plain for the 1st tab, Shift for 2nd, Ctrl for 3rd, Alt for 4th … sort of thing. My biggest problem with the current set up is that it *requires* me to look at the UI just to make sure which Tab I have selected… lame.

Originally posted by Battlefront.com:

With that many Commands having meaningful alphabetized hotkeys is a complete impossibility. EVEN if we came up with unique first lettered Command names.

Who said anything about "Commands having meaningful alphabetized hotkeys"? Again, why wont you let the players worry about that? Just give us the ability to assign unique hotkeys in the hotkey.txt file and all will be well!

[Roter Stern]

Originally posted by Exel:

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

RTFM.

Seriously, enough with that. RTFM yourself;</font>

[thewood]

I think we have reached the "Hi Mom" point on this thread.

[RedDevil]

Originally posted by dalem:

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

a PBEM system that makes HUGE files, to deter players from using it,

RD-

That's a little paranoid, don'tcha think? The minute the PBEM discussion erupted, Steve warned us fair and square that one of the big issues HE saw with it was that the file sizes would be huge. We made our noise and said that didn't matter, put 'em in anyway. And he/they did. So we have 'em, and they're huge. What's the problem?

-dale </font>

[Darren J Pierson]

BFC, to be fair, did warn a long time ago about the huge PBM file sizes. I really can't see them not making them smaller if they could. And yes, despite what some posters say, some people do have file size limitations. There are work arounds, but I can't see BFC keeping the file size big unless necessary. BFC kept the feature in because they were asked to.

[David Chapuis]

Breathe Randy. In-Out-In-Out.

I'm playing a PBEM game and the file sizes arent that bad.

[RedDevil]

I'm playing a few small ones myself and the files sizes are 2.7 MB right now

The Upchucking comes from the 1 MB file size just to send a password file back and forth, PRIOR to even starting the game.

Well I guess we can always hope Matrix Games will buy the CMx1 Source codes and make it better

[konstantine]

I can see the reasoning behind this if the AI is choosing forces properly. But why do I keep getting Syrian FOs without artillery in my QBs? I realize that air support doesn't exist for Syria. Are artillery-less FOs a "bug"?

I really hope someone answers/explains this because I made a thread about it and it got no replies. Otherwise I'm enjoying my CMSF experience.

[AlmightyTH]

Originally posted by RedDevil:

Well I guess we can always hope Matrix Games will buy the CMx1 Source codes and make it better

LOL

[Hev]

Originally posted by konstantine:

I can see the reasoning behind this if the AI is choosing forces properly. But why do I keep getting Syrian FOs without artillery in my QBs? I realize that air support doesn't exist for Syria. Are artillery-less FOs a "bug"?

I really hope someone answers/explains this because I made a thread about it and it got no replies. Otherwise I'm enjoying my CMSF experience.

I too have seen this bug, quite a few times at that.

Out of 5 games i managed to play my opponant had force that STOOD NO CHANCE of repulsing my attack

[dalem]

Originally posted by RedDevil:

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

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

a PBEM system that makes HUGE files, to deter players from using it,

RD-

That's a little paranoid, don'tcha think? The minute the PBEM discussion erupted, Steve warned us fair and square that one of the big issues HE saw with it was that the file sizes would be huge. We made our noise and said that didn't matter, put 'em in anyway. And he/they did. So we have 'em, and they're huge. What's the problem?

-dale </font>

[TufenHuden]

Winzip-Gmail for PBEM files....