Mo74 Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Hi there, I was thinking of picking this title up after playing stuff like Total War, Men of War and Company of Heroes. I enjoyed the CMBN demo But I have a few questions that I couldn't find answers to by a trawl through the forums...sorry if I am repeating stuff. Anyway, here are my questions: Where are there seeimgly no mainstream reviews for this game? (I couldn't find any yet anyway) Why is this title a bit more in cost than most others? Why isn't it in the shops? Is it mail order only? Will any future expansions be installable in the current CMBN game? I am basically looking for a strategy game with plenty of depth and replayability but doesn't depend on my clicking as fast as I can. Does CMBN fit that bill? Also I don't have a great deal of time to play - does it lend itself to half-hours sessions here and there? The map/mission editor sounds interesting - is it easy to produce basic scenarios easily enough or am I going to need weeks of study to understand/use it? Can you play it online easily in multiplayer - I mean in real time, not PBEM? A lot of questions there...thanks in advance for any replies. I'd also appreciate any examples of your experience that really set this game aside! Thanks all, Mo. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
para Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Think no more 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stikkypixie Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Hi there, I was thinking of picking this title up after playing stuff like Total War, Men of War and Company of Heroes. I enjoyed the CMBN demo But I have a few questions that I couldn't find answers to by a trawl through the forums...sorry if I am repeating stuff. Anyway, here are my questions: Where are there seeimgly no mainstream reviews for this game? (I couldn't find any yet anyway) Why is this title a bit more in cost than most others? Why isn't it in the shops? Is it mail order only? Will any future expansions be installable in the current CMBN game? I am basically looking for a strategy game with plenty of depth and replayability but doesn't depend on my clicking as fast as I can. Does CMBN fit that bill? Also I don't have a great deal of time to play - does it lend itself to half-hours sessions here and there? The map/mission editor sounds interesting - is it easy to produce basic scenarios easily enough or am I going to need weeks of study to understand/use it? Can you play it online easily in multiplayer - I mean in real time, not PBEM? A lot of questions there...thanks in advance for any replies. I'd also appreciate any examples of your experience that really set this game aside! Thanks all, Mo. You can download the game or get a physical copy from the website. The game has a limited TCP/IP, you can only play in real time (so no WEGO) and you cannot pause the game. There is also no in-game lobby. I believe there will be expansion pack adding content and units to span up to and including Operation Market Garden. The demo give a pretty god idea of the gameplay you can expect. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YankeeDog Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 As of now, CMBN is available by mail/download only. It's possible that it will be available retail at some point, but I wouldn't hold your breath. This type of game is a pretty niche product, so it tends to not get a lot of attention from mainstream gaming press. CMBN is the first game in a "Family" that will include future upgrade "module" releases, which will add additional functionality to the game, but will require the base CMBN game (that is, the modules are not a stand-alone product). Next product in the CMBN family will be a "Commonwealth" module, depicting the British and those who fought alongside them in Normandy (Canadians, Poles, etc.), as well as some new German units (SS formations, some new vehicles, etc.). After the Commonwealth module, we'll see a "Market Garden" module that will add formations, terrain, and equipment important to the fighting in the low countries in September 1944, and then finally an "Odds and Sods" module, which will include some other miscellaneous and less common stuff from the second half of 1944. After this, BFC will presumably move on to the next game "Family", which will not be cross-compatible with CMBN. Rumor has it, the next family will be based around the Battle of the Bulge. Probably looking at least two years into the future here, though, so things could change. As far as whether the gameplay meets your specifications, playing the demo really should answer any questions you might have in this area. It sounds to me like you'll prefer the play the game "WEGO", rather than "Realtime", as there is no time-pressure on how quickly you can click in WEGO, and WEGO playing also makes it easier to play for a half hour or so at a time (probably completing a few a one-minute turns in that time span). This is the way I usually play, actually. I often just play one one-minute turn while I'm drinking my coffee before leaving for work in the morning. Takes me several weeks to finish a typical battle this way, but it's a nice way to start the day. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincere Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 There is a positive article for Normandy over at 'Armchair General', and I believa and AAR over at 'Wargamer'. Talking of AAR, watching a few on youtube may give you more idea, just be aware alot of them are in real-time, but we-go turns may fit you better. As for short sessions, I'd say yes it works very well for that. With a caveat- setting up and advance to contact can take a bit more effort and time, but after that short session in turnbased is great for giving you time to think about stuff. And many battles in CM will give you stuff to think about, and dilemas. Worth the buy, but can take a bit to get into because it can be tough. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umlaut Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 I am basically looking for a strategy game with plenty of depth and replayability but doesn't depend on my clicking as fast as I can. Does CMBN fit that bill? I don´t think you´ll find any other game that fits that bill more perfectly. (: Also I don't have a great deal of time to play - does it lend itself to half-hours sessions here and there? It does, especially in WEGO. But IMHO there is no other way to play the game. The map/mission editor sounds interesting - is it easy to produce basic scenarios easily enough or am I going to need weeks of study to understand/use it? No and yes, I´m afraid. I spent somwhere beetween three days and one week to get to know the editor. And I had already made lots scenarios in the CM1 editor. So the editor - like the game - has quite a steep learning curve, mainly because it is so versatile. But it is well worth the effort. Welcome - and enjoy 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c3k Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Get it. Still reading? Go on, get it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sburke Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Stop thinking and buy it already, you are wasting good gaming time. I'll second what others have said, based on your questions and time constraints, WeGo would seem to satisfy your needs and restrictions. As to why play it? Here is an AAR from my first PBEM with plenty of screenshots. After playing this I knew I was thoroughly hooked on this game. http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?t=98975 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nachinus Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 I just wanted to add that I usually play in 30'-45'-60' sessions, and I play it in Real Time. You can pause and save anytime, so I don't find any particular reason why you can't play this way in short sessions. WEGO and RT are different cups of tea, and everyone has its favourite. You should be able to find which one is the best for you regardless of your playing times. This duality is, btw, one of the coolest things in Combat Mission's new engine. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamingknives Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 The first thing that is important to understand about how CM is different from the mainstream is Battlefront.com (BFC)'s business model. It's a slow burn - it doesn't have the big hype and splash of most games. It launched a good while ago and it is still going. For this reason, it isn't picked up by distributors for retail as they can't get their return on investment quick enough. For similar reasons, when it has been distributed to retail, the aftermarket support, which is supplied via the distributor, has been a bit rubbish. Some future releases will be upgrades to CMBN, others will not. There are three tiers of terminology for the software. Game engine - the base for the game. Currently CMX2, the previous engine was CMX1, which covered CMBO, CMBB and CMAK. Title or Base Game - These are the big releases, moving between theatres and/or time periods and frequently include engine upgrades. Current Titles are CM:SF, CM:Afghanistan and CM:BN. Modules - These are add-ons to a title that provide more units, new maps and often minor improvements to the game engine (if these are not unit-specific then there will also be a free patch released at the same time to apply the same upgrades to games without the module. Now content for one title will not be compatible with another title. Only modules for CMBN can be installed to upgrade CMBN. No cross-playing between, say, CM:SF and CM:A or CM:BN CM:SF had three modules, I think that CM:BN is due three, with the first being commonwealth forces. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLM2 Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 I played CM before I played Company of Heroes. CoH has its pros and cons but I think you'll find Combat Mission to be a much more fullfilling experience. There are vastly greater constraints and its a vastly more realistic simulation of combat. The attention to detail in CM is phenomenal. You can pause and read the label on a mortar round in mid-flight. I fully support Battlefront's by mail only deal. The problem with games lately is that the disconnect between publishers who finance the game and developers who actually create the game is getting very large. Games are getting way too expensive to produce and it takes big companies to market these so theyre actually profitable. Battlefront is in the middle ground somewhere, sure they could sell more games if they were on shelves but the price would probably turn customers off or the profit margin would be too low for battlefront to justify it. I'm sure this game cost many millions of dollars to produce and they need to remake that investment with interest. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hessian deserter Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Huge bang for the buck, we are talking 1000's of hours here, continual upgrades and development, improvements. No unrealistic "Point Blank" range tank battles[hillarious] like in Men of War and other console type games. Plus we have Steve. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chek Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 I am basically looking for a strategy game with plenty of depth and replayability but doesn't depend on my clicking as fast as I can. Does CMBN fit that bill? Oh yeah this is the game you're looking for 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erwin Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Not sure why you are looking at "mainstream press" reviews since this is not a mainstream game like Call of Duty etc. However, a simple Google wll give you many reviews from wargamer sources. And as everyone else has said, there is an xnt free demo to d/l and play. So, what are you waiting for? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z1812 Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Your money will be well spent. I have all of the cmx2 games and modules. There are no other war-games like them. (just got CMA yesterday) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkerner Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Huge bang for the buck, we are talking 1000's of hours here, continual upgrades and development, improvements. No unrealistic "Point Blank" range tank battles[hillarious] like in Men of War and other console type games. Plus we have Steve. Actually, we are talking years here, not hours. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sburke Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Actually, we are talking years here, not hours. That sucks, I don't have 1000's of years left. hell I was just looking forward to retirement, not the millennium. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 This type of game is a pretty niche product, so it tends to not get a lot of attention from mainstream gaming press. I'm more than happy to be a member of a niche community, and I think you'll be so too. The game can have a steep learning curve, but each and every step towards perfection (if ever attained!) is full of rewarding moments - each and every one making the game worth its purchase. Be prepared though, you might get addicted to it, and then you'll play for hours upon hours upon hours... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stingray Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Download the demo. Try it. You'll like it!!! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmox Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 dont do it man your life will be ruined, the wife wont be happy, you'll be seeing nazi's in your sleep, your workmates will wonder whats happened to you, you will start posting rubbish in PENG threads its only downhill from here ol mate dont say we didnt warn you 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
womble Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 That sucks, I don't have 1000's of years left. hell I was just looking forward to retirement, not the millennium. You never know, you might. Longevity researchers have claimed that the first person who'll live forever has already been born. To Mo74: If you liked the demo, you will love the full game. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nachinus Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 Yup. It may be a concern that CM is a big step towards complexity and realsim from CoH, only worth it if you're really into wargaming and realism. But it seems to be your case, mate, and if you tried the demo and did well with it, then I think you have a green light to try the whole mess. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joebloggs Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 You never know, you might. Longevity researchers have claimed that the first person who'll live forever has already been born. Yesterday, I believe. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LJFHutch Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 Well, asking on a game's forum whether or not you should buy it is like saying "please tell me to buy it", but honestly it sounds like you'd enjoy it, I came from the exact same games you mention and love CM due to re-playability, depth and realism. Also, I'm finding the full game much more enjoyable than the demo. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
womble Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 Well, asking on a game's forum whether or not you should buy it is like saying "please tell me to buy it"... I dunno. If Mo had come along asking if the full game had hero units, power pills and an easy mode and bitching about the graphics, we'd probably have "gently" pointed out that other games may suit better 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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