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View Full Version : It BETTER be good SkyBird!


SubSerpent
07-30-06, 11:29 PM
Just broke down and forked out the money for the Steel Beasts Pro PE game from Esim. I sure hope it's worth the mulla after I recieve it in a few days and test it out. I will post back with my thoughts and I promise not to body slam :lol: you this time if it's not all that it's cracked up to be from your review . Honestly my stomach felt a bit sick about spending so much on a tank sim but there isn't crap out there on EBgames or Direct2drive.com right now that I am interested in and hasn't been for quite some time, so I've been saving. I still have some left over to pick up Pacific Storm and a few others that I have waiting for awhile now, so if the tank sim doesn't pan out I shouldn't have to wait much longer to get back to naval operations again which I truely love. Anyways, nice talking to you buddy and I will write back once I have tested this dirty tank sim bugger out.

Wilko
07-31-06, 06:23 AM
I wish I could afford it my self but that 125us will probly equate out to something like 160aus :o

SubSerpent
07-31-06, 08:22 AM
I wish I could afford it my self but that 125us will probly equate out to something like 160aus :o

OUCH!


Well you CAN afford it....if you do lots of tedious saving that is. That means every dollar you find laying around the house, on the streets, taking from a blind man's mug :arrgh!: , taking from your church's collection plate as it's passed around (I mean really, who needs the money more, you or God?), and put $5-$10 away into a jar from your honestly earned paycheck from your job every two weeks, you could even go wishing well diving (I don't know if any of THEIR wishes came true, but YOURS certainly will). Do all that and you should have this game in no time and maybe even have enough to buy a new PC too! :know:


NOTE: The average family has nearly $100 dollars laying around in the house. Under couches and their seat cushions, on top of the washer/dryer, your kid(s') college fund jar, their saved up lemonade money... There are just sooo many ways to save!!!!!:rock:

Skybird
07-31-06, 04:22 PM
So far I still wait to hear about a first single complaint, personally, or ion the main forum. so far there simply hasn't been one, period. I simply could not name anyone who was unhappy with SBP-PE so far. I have completely given up playing any other simulation, including Falcon, FS, and IL2.

There are some fine new skins around. Replacing sky textures manually also makes sometimes a good change for the better (weather engine so far is embedded in the simulation code, but not activated, since it is not complete and finetuned). Report back when you have mastered the basics, then I tell you about these visual improvements. No need to worry about this in the beginning. Mastering the basics is mor important.

Check the ressources-sticky for patches and firmware updates. I keep it updated all the time.

Since you maybe do not read the manual before installing: first install the sim, before plugging in the dongle for the first time and install it's driver. The manuals says that, too.

Skybird
07-31-06, 04:32 PM
I wish I could afford it my self but that 125us will probly equate out to something like 160aus :o

see it this way: it costs as much as two copies of Dangerous waters in the beginning have costed (60 dollars without shipping). It costs as much as three mass production games on the shelves for 39 euros a piece. Skip three nonsens games you will have given up after some weeks or months anyway, and the steel zoo is yours - and will accompany you probably for years. the only thing that could cause irritation is if the dongle fails. It is a technical device that could brake like any other component of your system. There are replacement options available so that you do not need to pay the complete price a second time, but basically only the hardware and shipping.

The software is constantly developed and updated. You will get all and everything the real military is ordering, too.

But please remember, that this is a two-split thing: because you also will not get anything that the military has not ordered. The military exclusively decides what will find it's ways into the sim, not the demand of gamers and private customers.

SubSerpent
07-31-06, 06:47 PM
I can't wait to try it out :)


BTW, how are the sounds in the game? Are they earth shattering when firing the main gun? Wonder how they will sound on my surround sound headphones?:hmm:

Skybird
08-01-06, 05:41 AM
Most, if not all, are digital live-recordings. They are carried over from SB1 for the most. Some sounds are stereo, working as a directional clue (f.e.when switching off you engine and standing in the turret, you can hear other tanks in your vicinity, and determine their direction), others are not (f.e. generally, fire from the main guns of tanks close by, battle ambient sounds). But it took me some time to realize the latter. Sound theatre is consdered by people to be very immersiove and well-done. However, the sound guru already works on replacing the sound system all together, and switch it all to fully 3D sound. But - and that keep in mind - there is no timetable for the release of this, and it also is no priority, compared to other things. It could be quite a long wait before they do it.

Some single weapon effects can be replaced with modded sounds. However, I only replaced the coaxial sound, the other replacements that are available did not convince me. But no need to worry about these things as long as you haven't gone beyond the basics of the sim. It will keep you hidden from your social life for some time to come.

All in all it is fair to say that the sim is LOUD, immersive, and that the sound environement probably will be massively improved in an unknown future.

SubSerpent
08-01-06, 09:12 AM
Most, if not all, are digital live-recordings. They are carried over from SB1 for the most. Some sounds are stereo, working as a directional clue (f.e.when switching off you engine and standing in the turret, you can hear other tanks in your vicinity, and determine their direction), others are not (f.e. generally, fire from the main guns of tanks close by, battle ambient sounds). But it took me some time to realize the latter. Sound theatre is consdered by people to be very immersiove and well-done. However, the sound guru already works on replacing the sound system all together, and switch it all to fully 3D sound. But - and that keep in mind - there is no timetable for the release of this, and it also is no priority, compared to other things. It could be quite a long wait before they do it.

Some single weapon effects can be replaced with modded sounds. However, I only replaced the coaxial sound, the other replacements that are available did not convince me. But no need to worry about these things as long as you haven't gone beyond the basics of the sim. It will keep you hidden from your social life for some time to come.

All in all it is fair to say that the sim is LOUD, immersive, and that the sound environement probably will be massively improved in an unknown future.


Well, what I really want to know is this sim going to be "upgraded" as time goes on to be more or less SB2 which isn't slated to come out until 07 or 08? More or less is this a "beta" version of SB2 that will end up becoming SB2 down the road and box under that new name?

joea
08-01-06, 10:08 AM
My financial situation has been better lately...hmmm. :hmm:

Skybird
08-01-06, 10:16 AM
There is no final word on SB2, and eSim traditonally is extremely hesitent and tight.-lipped with comments on future developements. Note that SBP is expected to be the more complex and simulation-heavy product, compared to SB2. chances are that many aspects of SBP that makes it less user-friendly, but more realistic, will be left out in SB2, on the other hand, as far as possible the expected graphical evolution leading to SB2 will be added to SBP as well. No final word, but it is uncertain that both titles will be compatible.

Check the sticky at top of the thread list and read the interview I had with Ssnake. In that he gave some remarks on the future policy of product support and what can be expected, and why. In my ears, the future sounds bright, even without SB2.

Skybird
08-01-06, 10:19 AM
My financial situation has been better lately...hmmm. :hmm:

I want to remind you of your patriotic duties :lol: - the Canadian air force already is using the software. don't ask me why it is the air force - I don'T know.

Skybird
08-01-06, 10:35 AM
All interested people, feel free to challenge me on aspects of my review you have questions about. I admit that I made some minor mistakes and missed some things, but I also say that this was neither intentional, nor is any serious issue listed amongst them. The one big issue I missed - already has been fixed long ago. that's why I still stick to what I have written. There has not been many sims in my life that convinced me that much like this one, despite it's some minor "issues". I even became not aware of many of them until not being told.

so far, I would only list these things as issues I would like to be addressed:

-currently a certain type of ground clutter stones could bring any tank to a full stop. could be solved by addressing the terrain theme in the editor, and replacing this type of stone with another one.
- not all sounds are direction-related, as i wrote in the review. Some are stereo, some are mono (but I challenge you to identify them during the first hours!)
- when the gunner is ordered to scan to the sides, he does that only for some seconds before returning to the scanning direction he had picked for himself, for whatever a reason. At least, his preference usually makes sense (scanning the forest if passing one at close range, f.e.). It's just that override commands by the TC are not followed as enduring as you sometimes, in certain situations, would wish for. No biggie, really.
- tanks can get stuck in water bodies that they should be expected to be able to pass through. Even amphibious ones. Well, this one is obvious in one or two of the default missions, and that's why I missed it in that review testing. So far the solution is to keep that in mind when brooding over the map and deciding your travel routes.
- I mentioned, I think, that suspension and gun recoil are implemented. Both is not. I mixed that up with a general animation of the tank, that tries to mimic travelling over uneven ground, and barrel elevation during gun reloading.

These are the things I messed up in my review, as far as I am aware. None of them is a real problem, some can be solved by yourself easily. Many questions ha been risen in the past concerning weapons effects ion certain types of vehicle armoury, but I still wait to see hard info on these being given. Not only can i not confirm them, I also would like to contradict them and say that I - like the developer - am unable to recreate them. Armour is designed to deflect shots and protect the vehicle, don't be surprised that sometimes you need several shots to destroy a vehicle, even if you would have expected to kill it with just one shot for it just has been a thin-walled IFV. Even the most sophisticated round from a tank gun is no laserbeam.

SubSerpent
08-02-06, 07:40 PM
Is there refueling, rearming, repairing bases or trucks to keep the action alive or do you have to start a whole new game?

Do crewmen die or get wounded if their particular station is damaged or destroyed?
If so,
What do you do with bodies or what does the game do about bodies? Is my dead gunner gonna be slumped up ontop the rest of the mission behind his gun if he got wasted there outside the top hatch?

Is there any animated wildlife (deer, birds, squirrels, etc) animated into the wilderness? And can they be shot?

Is there ambient crew chatter? And can I as the tank commander order them to shut up?

Is there random weather effects during missions (rain, snow) and does that weather effect the ground (dirt into mud, water into ice)?

Does my tank recieve orders from field commanders to attack certain postions or are we all alone out there except for friendly AI tanks that are scripted to go to certain spots and do nothing else?

Is there friendly and enemy helicopters in this game that you can call up for assistance?

Skybird
08-03-06, 04:36 AM
Yes fuel and ammo trucks, medic tanks
Yes
No bodies for vehicle crews, infantry stays were it fell
Not much eye candy zero wildlife
No chatter, but lots of tank ambient sounds, some natural sounds
weather engine currently not enabled, but already implement (not tuned). you can set visibility distances, and replace sky textures manually
depends on the mission designer'S layout
Yo-Nes. Only Hinds, with limited AI and unrealistic flight physics. The australian army demanded a target silhouette looking like a Hind, and that'S whyt they got: a moving target silhouette. Falls down by the first 12.5 mm round hitting it.

Almost all these querstions are answered in my review! ;)

SubSerpent
08-03-06, 09:09 PM
Ok, I got the sim today in the mail and just tried it out. My findings in the brief 15 minutes of gameplay so far.

Scale 1-10 (1= poor and 10=outstanding)



Graphics = 8 (Water could use some more texturing and for lack of weather system at the moment) Not too bad though and GREATLY improved over the original Steel Beasts sim. Much more realistic looking and authentic feeling this time. Game still has more to come so this might even bump up to a 9 down the road.


Sound = 7 (Not too bad here either. Tank Commander sounds like Lee Ermy from Full Metal Jacket and it can get a bit annoying, but it is authentic and real sounding. Other tank comms sound weak and that is what really needs to be bumped up here IMHO to really make it more realistic. There isn't enough urgency or emotion in radio comms from other tanks that are being attacked. There isn't any death screams or yelling from what I have heard so far on any radio. Lack of sounds, causing the ones that are there to be used more than one wants to hear.


Gameplay = 6 (If you want to play this as a game only.)


SIMplay = 10 (The way it's meant to be played. This does not mean that it isn't fun, but I see where a run'em and gun'em type of person might not find this enjoyable. However, SHIII fans should give this SIM a try while on shore leave :)


VALUE = 9.5 @ $125 (I used to think of it as too much, but now I see that is a fair price for what you get. It IS a simulator, but there has been a LOT of work put into this one that does shine out right from the get go. I think it is worthy of a 9.5 only and not a 10 based on the fact that we have to pay for a firmware USB dongle that is used to keep the game from being stolen. It is effective and a lot better for the PC than STARFORCE though. Just don't lose it!!!


OVERALL = 40.5 out of 50 total points

:up: :up: :up: :up: out of 5