Questions from playing the demo

[Ooog]

Sorry if these have been asked a million times, but as forum search functions are useless for searches with more than one word, I thought I might as well ask these questions. I have played CMAK and CMBB quite a bit, so these are kind of questions related to "how do I do that in the new game?"

1. How do I measure ranges between point A and point B? Data on how arty accuracy is kind of useless without being able to tell if my troops are in the danger zone.

2. How in the world do I tell what my units are shooting at when they picked a target themselves? The red line seems to have been removed?

3. Is there any way to turn on the details for vehicles getting hit, like "Ricochet, Internal Armor Flaking", etc. ?

4. Is there an equivalent to selecting a unit and pressing Enter? Would be nice to see more precise info on a vehicle's ground PSI, speed, and so forth, not to mention kills per unit after the game; that really helped me understand which strategies work best in the older games.

5. Any chance of a biased LOD system for the terrain? I'd rather have the old trench appearance than barely being able to tell if a trench is somewhere until I fly my camera over it.

Thanks and sorry for my newbishness-- just trying to decide whether to buy this or not.

[gibsonm]

Ooog,

Welcome.

1. The only way that I know is to use “Target” the resulting icon gives you a range from the selected unit to wherever you place the “targeting cursor”.

If you are after a distance between tow points, neither of which have a friendly unit in them then AFAIK, you are stuck.

2. No. There currently are no “targeting lines” as in CMX1. The best option would be to select the unit hit tab so you are looking over its “shoulder” and work it out that way from the fall of shot.

3. No. If its a friendly vehicle, then the damage screen, the little “spanner” will show you if any critical systems are damaged.

If its an enemy vehicle then you wont get any information from the vehicle on the map. Depending on the level of FoW that you choose to play at the same info panel is available if you click on the enemy vehicle.

4. No tab data or kills list.

[slight correction] A recent build introduced ranges for the crew served Infantry weapons, this is supposed to link up with an effectiveness measure (yet to be implemented) to give you a real time idea of the effectiveness of an engagement). No tab data but the target / target light cursor will itself give you an indication of how effective a planned shot might be before you commit.

5. Don’t think so. I think the idea is to portray the terrain as realistic, not to make it easier by having trenches stand out more than they “should“.

Hope that helps and make sure you are playing the 1.07 demo for a fair test.

[ March 15, 2008, 10:02 PM: Message edited by: gibsonm ]

[Ooog]

Thanks, Gibsonm.

First off, I am playing the 1.07 demo.

The lack of target lines and the "Enter" feature are pretty disappointing. When I was new to CM, the kills counter was VERY helpful in figuring out which strategies worked after the fight was over, because sometimes a unit that I didn't think would be too useful actually turned out to cause major damage and vice versa.

The lack of the quick text display of damage taken by armor is less of a disappointment, but it is sure a lot faster than having to select the unit, and then select the button. 2 mouse clicks when it used to take none

I definitely see your point about the trenches. A pity they don't seem to be incorporated into the spotting system, but it would probably take a significant rewrite of the terrain code to change the geometry of the map once a trench is spotted... unless you can still place trenches like in the old ones... can you?

[gibsonm]

Well I’m not getting drawn into a “why isn’t CMX2 like CMx1 thread”.

There are enough of these already and as Steve et al have said on numerous times CMX2 is not an update to CMX1, but a whole new game, I think such threads are just a waste of electrons.

CMX2 is different to CMX1.

As for trenches, no you don’t place trenches like you used to, its better. The grid pattern is much smaller so instead of just a CMX1 straight slit trench, you can build ones with firing bays, zig zags, etc.

[Ooog]

I did not mean for it to be such a thread. I was simply trying to acclimate myself to a new game, and make sure I wasn't missing anything... I know that when an interface is redesigned, it is hard to find things that I used to know how to do, and I know that manuals can have omissions.

As my post count makes clear, I don't have the time or energy for forum controversies, and that is not my intent.

[the Fighting Seabee]

Ooog,

you have just hit on several things that we have been asking for since day one... things that puzzled us as to why they would not include them in CMx2.

On the other hand, the game is extremely playable and fun without that stuff.

[Pandur]

2. How in the world do I tell what my units are shooting at when they picked a target themselves? The red line seems to have been removed?

i find it quiet obvious by the many traces flying around. its pretty easy to see, but not from birdseye view up in the skyes.

[gibsonm]

Originally posted by Ooog:

I did not mean for it to be such a thread. I was simply trying to acclimate myself to a new game, and make sure I wasn't missing anything... I know that when an interface is redesigned, it is hard to find things that I used to know how to do, and I know that manuals can have omissions.

As my post count makes clear, I don't have the time or energy for forum controversies, and that is not my intent.

Well I hope my earlier answers addressed you questions.

I note also that with “the Fighting Seabee’s” post that it has just become such a thread.

Hope you enjoyed it while it lasted.

[Ooog]

Originally posted by gibsonm:

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

I did not mean for it to be such a thread. I was simply trying to acclimate myself to a new game, and make sure I wasn't missing anything... I know that when an interface is redesigned, it is hard to find things that I used to know how to do, and I know that manuals can have omissions.

As my post count makes clear, I don't have the time or energy for forum controversies, and that is not my intent.

Well I hope my earlier answers addressed you questions.

I note also that with “the Fighting Seabee’s” post that it has just become such a thread.

Hope you enjoyed it while it lasted. </font>

[slysniper]

I also have a question about the game, I have been playing the latest Demo, trying to decide if I like it or not.

The question is, in set up, I have not figured out how to relocate units before turn one, the instructions are not clear to me, one battle I was able to do it by accident but other times it seems to be impossible with no clue as to why, the units are not able to move in their set up zones.

I see no lock or indicator stoping me. help.

Just to add, I see potential in the second game engine. I think for me so far the only real turn off has nothing to do with the game design or the design changes. So it is different, people need to learn to adapt.

The modern warfare is playing out as a battle of who sees who first in many firefights. the side that can fire, will hit and normally kill first. I hate to say it, but that is not as interesting as WW2 fighting where luck can be more of a saving grace. The game is likely potraying things pretty well, it just is hard to watch units die because they cannot seem to see the enemy that sees them and is killing them.

Not a fair fight many of a time.

[Ooog]

Originally posted by slysniper:

I also have a question about the game, I have been playing the latest Demo, trying to decide if I like it or not.

The question is, in set up, I have not figured out how to relocate units before turn one, the instructions are not clear to me, one battle I was able to do it by accident but other times it seems to be impossible with no clue as to why, the units are not able to move in their set up zones.

I see no lock or indicator stoping me. help.

I was wondering about this too, really. Forgot about asking about it. Also was trying to figure out how to put my squads in my strykers in setup, but couldn't quite get that to work either. I am pretty sure now that it is preset in the scenario. There are static setups in the old games too, so that is probably what it is.

[gibsonm]

Originally posted by slysniper:

I also have a question about the game, I have been playing the latest Demo, trying to decide if I like it or not.

The question is, in set up, I have not figured out how to relocate units before turn one, the instructions are not clear to me, one battle I was able to do it by accident but other times it seems to be impossible with no clue as to why, the units are not able to move in their set up zones.

I see no lock or indicator stoping me. help.

Click on the unit and select “move” (or N if you have the standard keyboard shortcuts), then click somewhere else in that setup zone and the unit will move there.

Originally posted by slysniper:

Just to add, I see potential in the second game engine. I think for me so far the only real turn off has nothing to do with the game design or the design changes. So it is different, people need to learn to adapt.

The modern warfare is playing out as a battle of who sees who first in many firefights. the side that can fire, will hit and normally kill first. I hate to say it, but that is not as interesting as WW2 fighting where luck can be more of a saving grace. The game is likely potraying things pretty well, it just is hard to watch units die because they cannot seem to see the enemy that sees them and is killing them.

Not a fair fight many of a time.

Not necessarily.

Have a look here Armour Attacks! and you will see several cases of “duels” lasting longer than “one shot, one kill” (even if the stats would suggest otherwise).

[the Fighting Seabee]

Sorry,

Didn't mean to turn this into a bitch session. I just thought it was interesting that every single CMx1 veteran is wondering where those features are. I also meantioned that the game is still fun. I would recommend this game to anyone. Don't buy it if you can find ONE game that is better at modern tactical combat.

I would urge Ooog to save his 33.14 cents worth until he had enough to buy the game.

[gibsonm]

Originally posted by the Fighting Seabee:

I just thought it was interesting that every single CMx1 veteran is wondering where those features are.

Um, I’m not and I suspect I’ve been playing it a bit longer than you (if forum registrations are anything to go by).

By all means “I’m wondering“ or “some are wondering” or maybe even “most are wondering” but certainly not “every single”.

[slysniper]

Thanks, see if that is all that there is to solve my problem.

I hate to say it, your comics so just what I am talking about. One side seems not to be able to even respond, like they are blind to being able to see the enemy. The best way to understand this is play both sides of a hotseat setup and see how many battles only the US forces can see the enemy. You cannot shoot what you cannot see.

In some situations this is true because of equipment, but I have a hard time understanding the vision issues potrayed in the game at times.

[MikeyD]

"4. Is there an equivalent to selecting a unit and pressing Enter?"

I believe BFC said that with the near-universality of the internet it would be redundant to spend valuable time building vehicle and weapon stats sheets when all that info is just a Google mouseclick away.

One cool thing I just noticed (took me long enough!) is if you click on a particular weapon in the menu it displays its name and flashes the base of the unit carrying it. That means you can see (without zooming in for weapons inspection) which weapon has LOS on the target and which is still behind the wall. This is important if you're trying to knock down enemy units in a building. The 7.62mg will do a better job of it than the 5.56 carbine guy standing next to him.

[gibsonm]

Originally posted by slysniper:

Thanks, see if that is all that there is to solve my problem.

I hate to say it, your comics so just what I am talking about. One side seems not to be able to even respond, like they are blind to being able to see the enemy. The best way to understand this is play both sides of a hotseat setup and see how many battles only the US forces can see the enemy. You cannot shoot what you cannot see.

In some situations this is true because of equipment, but I have a hard time understanding the vision issues potrayed in the game at times.

Well I wouldn’t ask the one (or two if the alternate timeline proceeded) BFV crews and passengers about that.