T-34 vs. Tiger review is up!

[Onkel Neal]

LINK: T-34 vs. Tiger


See ya on the battlefield!
Neal

[Skybird]

Nice review, bringing forward a round and well-summarised impression, Neal.

But I would like to know a couple of additional things:

-How does the editor handle, what can it achieve?

-Map editor?

-Ballistics - do they feel correct (projectiles follow an arch, lose kinetic energy over the range), or like lasers?

-Starforce, Securom, or different CP?

-How is the infantry?

-Is there an air element, if so, what and how effective?

-Is there artillery, and arty barrages?

- how big are the maps?

- how many units can participate in battle?

- Modability, and policy of the company on it?

[Onkel Neal]

Thanks, good questions, I'll try to answer them.

-How does the editor handle, what can it achieve? I don't know, there was no how-to or guide for the editor on my DVD. It's a stand alone program. I looked at it but I don't know where to start with it. Normally I would OPEN an exisiting mission and start experimenting, I was not able to make that work. I asked for more info, and I assume if an editor is on the game disk, it will be something that works.

-Map editor? Not sure if the mission editor can do this also, perhaps.

-Ballistics - do they feel correct (projectiles follow an arch, lose kinetic energy over the range), or like lasers? Yes, they do replicate an arc, and the longer the distance, the more pronouced the arc. I think this part will satisfy you. Not sure about the kinetic energy! How would one measure that? If it takes more hits to damage a target at disstance?

-Starforce, Securom, or different CP? It has Starforce Plus and Securom Lockdown Edition...just kidding. I don't know, and they PR rep has not replied to my question.

-How is the infantry? To expand on what I said in the review, the infanty appear to be window dressings. There are men marching here and there, running about in the field of battle, and manning anti-tank guns, but I did not get the impression they added to the gameplay. I kept a sharp eye out for Tom Hanks and his "sticky-bombs" but he never showed. :p

-Is there an air element, if so, what and how effective? I was about to state in my review that air power was absent when I heard two roaring sounds from inside my tank that did not sound familar. When I came up and looked around there went to fighters! But, I don't think they add to the gameplay, just to add to the impression of a combined forces battlefield. The editor shows ths game includes the IL-2 and FW-190 planes.

-Is there artillery, and arty barrages? I did encounter some barrages but they may have been from enemy tanks.

- how big are the maps? I'm told 80 sq km is the max. I think the mission areas were probably 20 miles x 20 miles or so. There are times where you have to drive 15 miles from point A to B. Estimate, of course.

- how many units can participate in battle? MP hold 16 people; Single mssions had 20-40 discreet units, including tanks, infantry, trucks, and field pieces.

- Modability, and policy of the company on it? TBD

thx
Neal

[Boats]

Did you peruse the game files? And if so is it your impression this game is modable like SH4? Or even setup to be expanded by the developers at a later date?

If this is like IL2 we could be talking a game with a lifespan of 10 years or more. Of course it must be ten years since the last good WW2 tank sim came out. I'm getting psyched for some turret talk again.

[Onkel Neal]

I did, but I'm not the right person to ask about modding. My modding days ended after SH2, just have not had time to keep up with it. I think if the game sells decently, the publisher/developers would be very wise to support this game with upgrades to the AI and more missions/campaigns. I did not see too many bugs/glitches that require patching (of course, 1000 players will find some when the game hits stores ).

[Skybird]

Thanks, Neal, one last question that I forgot: is smoke playing a role in any way? I mean does it hinder the view when a tank nearby already is burning, or a house? I take from your answers above that the dirt and smoke from artillery is not there, since you only faced minor artillery (if it were not the tanks as you mentioned).

By your editor screenshot I see it seems to be an object editor. Or is that the mission editor already?

On the copy protection, a customer in their forum said this:

As far as i can tell its purely a cdkey - game works without DVD in the drive and there was no online activation afaik.