Preordering for SBP upgrade to v 2.460 now open
 

Finally...!

http://www.esimgames.com/purchase.htm

Price is currently (=during preorder phase) 25 without and 30 dollars with manual.

Complete new full packages currently 125 dollars.

Note that for upgrades you need a dongle from a previous version - the upgrades do not include the dongles, only the full version does.



The good times for tankers are coming back... Check out the upgrade preview video (tnx, Lieste, for announcing it first at tanksim.com):

I have my pre-order done! CD + Manual. Yes! :woot:

If you want to know what is new, in detail, check out this document. (long read... :) Link )

cheers Porphy

The vid looks great. The extras come at a very reasonable price; like an add-on for a regular pc 'game'.

Guess I will have to keep my creditcard ready......

The prices above are valid only for preordering. After the baby is born, the upgrade will cost 30 dollars without and 40 dollars with printed manual.

A pdf-manual is included anyway.

A new full version of SBP now will come with the upgrade included. The price does not change: still 125 dollars! ;)

Second video on features of the upgrade released:

http://www.steelbeasts.com/video/SBP...0_Preview2.wmv

That is a bargain for this fine product. If you ever thought of getting SB Pro PE now is the time!

I've pre-ordered. Think of this as if they had marketed it as a significant "add-on" with patch. Which it is. The package includes new driveable simulated vehicles and many scenarios among much else.

At $20 it is less expensive than most add on packages to major commercial releases - of which there is a long list and tradition. BUT - as a ratio of the add on price to the original release, it is a fraction of what others charge. It's but 16% of the original price. Add ons from other companies are often 66% or more of the original.

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum and tank sims at that. I bought Steel Fury a month ago and got hooked on tank sims. I have heard so much about Steel Beast, and would like to try it out. I make skins for the flight sim. IL-2 and heard you can do skins in Steel Beast. Like I say I am a noobie, and not very good yet, is it practical for me to order Steel Beast Pro or should I get the older version "Steel Beast"? Also can you make skins in the regular version or do you have to have Pro?. Sorry for all these questions. Just part of being a noobie.

Cheers

Get SB Pro PE. the first SB you mentioned is locked at software mode graphics 640x480, 256 colours, and visually is totally, completely, hopelessly outdated, due to it's high age. Functionality also do not compare, although SBP1 still is the number 2 in the arena, behind SBP-Pro. If money is a porblem, SB1 still delivers a blow in gameplay, though. Back then it redefined tank simulations on computers. SBP-Pro takes all that to completely new levels, and then adds much more.

The upgrade now implements a new data format for 3D models, so many old skins existing will not normally fit anymore. But the good news is that the skins for the vehciles are moddable, yes, separated for autmun, winter and spring/summer.

In the SBP ressources sticky on top of the forum list you find a link to a screenshot thread.
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=97188

Pictures of the new vehicles you can find at the main and in the mod-forums of eSim, and here (beware the different dates!)
http://www.steelbeasts.com/sbforums/...p?g2_itemId=15

Steel Fury and Steel Beasts Pro PE do not really compare. The latter plays in a league of it's own. That's why the military trains with it and pays 18000 dollars per 10-seats-licence. Plus expectionall quality standard, worldclass support and omnipresence of the developer in the support forum - since roughly ten years.

If you want realistic tanking and tactics, you can't go wrong with SBP, trust me. It's a superior choice.

Thanks Skybird, I think I'll get the Pro. Where can I order it. I can't find it on Amazon. Do you have to get it from the manufacturer?

Hi

Yes, you get it from eSim Games Link

Shipping is free :yep:

cheers Porphy

It may take some time currently. All old copies have been called back from the shelves, and the new version (including the new upgrade) can be preordered, and is expected to be delivered as soon as the CDs have left the factory, where they currently are being pressed.

1-4 weeks, I estimate. preorder list is said to be long already, and they'll work the shipping list off in sequence of ordering dates, they said.

I have another dumb question, what is a LAN License? and will this play only with key-board and joystick or do I have to buy something else. Thanks

DRM is dongle based - this uses a physical dongle somewhere on your LAN, using default USB mas storage drivers and a runtime encryption. You must have one full license on the dongle, but you can optionally add up to 7 more licenses at reduced cost allowing networked use by multiple users.

You can freely install SB on as many machines as you have access to, but you must have a currently unused license and the dongle present to launch the program. Personally I find this much better than limited activations/installs tying you to one machine, or requiring online checks/starforce or any other DRM I've had the misfortune to notice (usually by program unavailability/poor performance :down:).

Control requirements for SB are keyboard and mouse. A joystick is optional and takes over some functions. Many people feel that the mouse is easier - I prefer the stick. If money is no object then $1000 a pop 'AFV' controllers are available, but this is probably uneccessary :D

Track IR does some things, but is unsupported, and probably not very useful - you spend much time locked facing forwards in an optical sight.
Widescreen (like triplehead etc) should be much better supported than previously.

Yes, the dongle solution showed to work very well. They had a public vote in 2005 on what kind of copy protection their customers would prefer to live with. Starforce etc. lost, dongle won, and by a clear margin, if I remember correctly.

Thank all of you for the information. I guess now my over all and final question is; For someone like me who has never driven a tank before except like in "Steel Fury" (which doesn't compare to "Steel Beast"), and my knowledge of computers is not that great, would it be worth buying, or is "Steel Beast Pro" still a good sim. for a old rookie? I wish they had a demo. you could play. I'm sorry for these questions, I just don't want to get over my head.

Hi Ontos

I think you will be just fine. I had done no tank sims at all when I got Steel Beast Pro PE. I didn’t find it hard to get into. Driving the tank is very easy with a keyboard. Using the gun optics efficient takes a little training, but it's more or less a point and click affair with mouse and keyboard, nothing fancy. There is a tank range to train aiming and shooting, which is good instead of going into a battle and try to learn. Going into a big battle unprepared will get you slaughtered in no time. :)

Steel Beast Pro PE is not like a flight simulator where taking of or general flying might be hard to achieve without any former practice. The sim is in my view very friendly to start out with, and you quickly get used to interfaces and map functions. Just keep doing the tutorials, but pick one tank and concentrate on that one first. The good thing is the depth and scale you can keep expanding into, when you get used to the basics like moving, shooting etc. There is so much I haven't even tried or learned yet in SB Pro PE!

You don't need to master it all to enjoy it. I was simply hooked when I realised the unforgiving nature of tank battles, in that respect SB Pro PE doesn't really give a rookie an easy day. Prepare to be very nervous when moving in open terrain or coming over a crest! But if that part of the sim was any other way, it wouldn't be a sim, and the army would not use it. :yep:


And as a final consolation, if you somehow find yourself overwhelmed and want to put your money into something else, SB Pro Pe can easily be sold second hand for 80-100 dollars. So the risk isn't as big as the retail price might suggest. Not many computer sims have that second hand value.

cheers Porphy

Its a great Sim.The main thing is to start simple and then work up to bigger units.The learning curve is steep but all of a sudden you click and its chocks away.Ok it doent have the Cimematic eye candy that some PC games do but it doesnt detract.There really isnt time to admire the countryside to be honest.Yes $125 IS a lot but how many games have you bought and not played more than once?I havent had a day since i bought it last december that i havent played at least 1 mission.Go on you tube and search for "steel beasts pro",it will give you a good idea of whats on offer.i certainly didnt feel shortchanged by SB pro at all,Its the best modern Tank sim around IMHO.

Depends on what you want from it...

It is much 'easier' to use than SF (or at least the demo version of it). No obscure and complicated 4 different keys to operate a vision block or sight - a standard F1-F4, and occassionally Alt-F1 or Alt-F4 cover all sights for all vehicles, or you can click directly into the sight optic to use it.

Driving is simplified - other crew members can request the driver to move forwards, back or to turn left/right. The commander can click on a destination and instruct the driver to head to it, or routes can be made from the map view. The driver has slightly finer control of speed and a better view of what the hull is doing - the big turrets can completely obscure the hull for the commander of the Leopard 2A5 and M1A1.

Ballistics are fairly well modelled, and the important engagement procedures are presented well - different tanks offer slight variations on the presentation of the same lead and superelevation information, and can handle partial failures of the systems with varying levels of gracefullness.

The important restrictions on operating tanks are covered - limited ammunition supply, only part of which is immediately available, requiring a protracted halt in a safe area to move ammunition into the ready racks. Tanks have thick frontal armour over most of the front (but some weakened areas denying complete immunity), thin armour on the sides and rear - most are not any better protected than a Tiger 1 over most of the flank area. APC/IFV have very little armour at all, so they have to be used with care.


Is it a game? Not really... Is it fun to use? If tanks are interesting, and you don't have objections to modern stuff.. Heck Yes!.

(It is probably only fair to say that I'm a Beta Tester for SB ProPE, so I see it warts and all - hopefully there are a few fewer warts left by the time it reaches you guys...)

Good advice

These two videos are very good. The first one is what SB Pro Pe can be in multiplayer and taking part in a big engagement. Link

The second one gives a good feeling of your own perspective in playing through the optics, and it captures the hectic and brutal feeling on the battlefield. (Be aware!, this video has a very loud soundtrack, turn down speakers before watching! :cool:) Link