Steel Beasts Pro PE lining up ... NEW VIDEO

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by smrtwhkd

Looks like an awesome tank sim. when is it coming out? anyone has some accurate intelligence on that?

Originally Posted by smrtwhkd

Looks like an awesome tank sim. when is it coming out? anyone has some accurate intelligence on that?

Good forum to get you started:
http://www.steelbeasts.com/modules.p...55f0cc271e8b21

Plenty of screenshots from various stages of developement during the last three years:
http://www.steelbeasts.com/modules.p...view_album.php

For ordering and professional description/advertising to the military customers, look here:
http://www.esimgames.com/
'scan the site carefully, not to miss anything. They have a very comprehensive feature list.

Be advised that the price is above average, and that the sim is not designed to be a game, and will not be available via stores. It'S the original military training software and is only available online for 125$ (~ 107 euros). release was planned for christmas, now it probably will be in January. Don't mix up SB Prp PE with SB2, the latter won't be available before 2007, or later.

[porphy]

This looks like a very promising title. I never played the original SB so I have nothing to compare with. still, I really tempted to get the cash together for ordering this sim. Anyone who played the original Sb, how is the feeling? I really like suspension and tension building up and then a nice action phase where I get immersed in the game. Will SB pro Pe deliver something like that?

Cheers porphy

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by porphy

This looks like a very promising title. I never played the original SB so I have nothing to compare with. still, I really tempted to get the cash together for ordering this sim. Anyone who played the original Sb, how is the feeling? I really like suspension and tension building up and then a nice action phase where I get immersed in the game. Will SB pro Pe deliver something like that?

Cheers porphy

Rest assured, your desires will be dealt with by a 200%

I know SB1 as well. It was by lightyears the superior tanksim on the market. In fact I do not even know a land-warfare sim or game that came close to it, including the much praised Flashpoint.

The only thing that might drive you away is the immense lethality, and thuis the steep learning curve concenring tactics and formation manouvering. Act stupidly, and you're history. But that's how it should be. It is a training sim for the real soldiers.

Updates are planned every six month or so. This will mean not so much repairing of broken things, but adding new features and stuff and vehicles. Not all playable vehicles will have 3D interiors in the beginning, but it will be done. Also complete day-and-night-cycle is to be added in a later upgrade. Upgrades will be free. They will also include everything the military customers have demanded meanwhile and that has found it's way into their versions of the software (which is very much identical).

Immersion will come in overkill-dosis.

I also have collected info on the maps they are making. Many American Forts and their training sites are converted on a 1:1 basis

[Deamon]

Originally Posted by porphy

I have nothing to compare with.

And there is nothing to compare with it !

Anyone who played the original Sb, how is the feeling?

How the feeling is ? You feel like on a battlefield ! Like on an army manouver!

I really like suspension and tension building up and then a nice action phase where I get immersed in the game. Will SB pro Pe deliver something like that?

This sim is the best tank sim ever period. It has by fare the best sounds. The sim is worth to the sounds alone. The sound ambiance alone is pure immersion. I hope you have a good audio system. Not to mention the mass battles that are possible there. I prefer battles from battalion upwards. That is always a hell of a battle, it bangs all around.

Deamon

[Type941]

great looking sim, I'm looking forward to trying the Lepard! Keep us updated on this please!!

[Skybird]

Sure. That'S my mission

Batallion-level battles were possible with SB without problem, I even set up something that was close to a clash between two-on-two brigades, but it was quickly over.

If the new SB Pro is able to manage something of that size remains to be seen. A year ago a beta tester or so wroite in their forum that frames were stable despite him setting up "multiple batallion" sized battles.

[Type941]

is there a list of units in game somewhere? I'm curious of putting the T90 against the abrams and so on.

Does the game include perhaps a vintage tank battles, the Panthers and T34s? That would be really cool as well...

[porphy]

Hi

Thanks for info and input. I will probably order this when it is released sometime after christmas. Got to have a tanksim in the collection . Does it support TIR (track ir)? And do you SB vets prefer joystrick for control (or even Hotas) or will it be keyboard.

Cheers Porphy

[Skybird]

So far I am aware of the following units included (keep in mind that the modding community already is active, but the vehicles in SBPro are not only models but include highly complex and interactive structures of components and hullareas that can receive varying ammount of damage)

Crewable vehicles:
-------------------------
US: M1A1, M2A2, M3A2, M113, M113MICLIC, M113 Engineer, HMMWV, FIST-V.

German: Leo1A5, Leo2A4, Leo2A5.

The Bradleys and the Leo2 I can confirm to have 3D interiors like you see in the video. The M1 interior was in the works last time I heared of it, but I cannot say if it (the interior!) is included in the first release. All vehicles without 3D cockpits will be controlled in much the same way they were controlled in SB1 - and that was no problem back then, and will not be today.

Australian: Leo1AS (dual magnification sights for the gunner in both thermal and day view); ASLAV-25 (the Australian version of the LAV-25, with thermal view and the auxiliary sight for the 25mm Bushmaster); ASLAV-PC (personnel carrier version with a flex mount cal .50.); ASLAV Command (artillery response time bonus); ASLAV Support (fuel tanker). However, the Australian vehicles have (so far) no 3D interiors and are driven via the standard interface you got used to from SB1, they were packed in late and surprisingly, due to late arriving demands by the Australian army.

I surely miss the probably two best battle tanks in the world, the latest incarnations of the Leo2: the A6-EX variant, and the A3 variant of the M1.
A later (free) addon will make either the T-72 or the T-80 playable, too and who knows what this dedicated community of SB can do!?

AI-only vehicles:
----------------------
Russian: T-72, T-80, BMP-1, BMP-2, BTR-80, BMD-2, BRDM-2 (with/without AT), Ural truck, Hind Mi-24.

US: HEMTT (Cargo and Fuel), M113 (Medic, TOW, Command, Observer), HMMWV TOW, M901, MT-55 bridgelayer, LAV-25.

German: Jaguar ATM, Biber bridgelayer, Marder-3, Mercedes truck (2 versions).

Others: YPR-765, Piranha, ASLAV Medic (Australia)


Mean enough - so far it is only the Reds showing up with air support, the infamous Mi24 Hind. Blue has no gunships and no dedicated anti air units, so you need to deal with the Hinds with infantry SAMs, tank cannons and tank guns. A mission designer of course is free to make red equipment available for the blue side as well. Why not line up your Abrams and Leopards with a flight of Hinds? Probable that we will see Apaches or Tigers in the future, but not certain. But for the time beeing, I for myself will prefer the Hind to be left out of missions. They also are not simulated with a realistic flight model (which is not needed for the purpose of the sim), so the way the manouveur sometimes looks a bit odd and definetly is not physically correct. Purists may complain, but I book it as a minor thing only.

There always has been some minor requests for fixed wing units such as the A-10 or the Su-25, but I think the developer will stick to his policy and leave them out completely. It simply does not make any sense for a sim with a focus of interest like SB to include fixed-wing tank killers – because tanks can do little about them. Modern tanks have no real potential to counter air threats of this callibre all by themselves, and I cannot see much fun in riding your Abrams and then getting blown up by a flight of Frogfoots that just happend to stroll by, while you are unable to do anything about it, neither by tactical planning, nor by trying to fight them. SB is no complete war simulator, but focuses on mechanized ground warfare. The decision not to include planes makes sense, and is very reasonable, in my opinion. And believe me: once you got started you will not miss them anyway

TrackIR: I do remember that this was discussed at the forum some time ago, but I do not remember the outcome. I think it has NO support for track IR.

HOTAS: I played it with CH HOTAS (Fighterstick and ProThrottle) and was perfectly happy with it, it allowed me to control both my tank and system and the fomration'S manouveurs as well.. But maybe I want to have this one as well:
http://afvsim.com/

No historical units like T34. SB Pro is a simulator of modern mechanized ground warfare. Don't think of it in terms of the usual sims and games you play.

[jason10mm]

I played the hell out of the old Microprose M1:Tank Platoon game and even played SB1 for a while. IIRC, SB1 was a true SIM, not a tank "arcade" game like so many were. Just to get ranging info and cut loose with a shot took several steps, skipping any one usually ended with your round in the dirt and the bad guy lighting you up. But I loved the old Fulda Gap scenarios (and of course "Team Yankee", book and comic) so I'll have to check this out. Hopefully its command level interface plays better than Steel Panthers, TacOps, and Patriot (or whatever that buggy modern desert wargame from the early 90's was called).

[Skybird]

The command interface seem to have stayed much the same as it was in SB1. And back then it was superior. From screenshots that were published over the months and years I have reason to assume it still is

I loved Tank Platoon 1 + 2, too. but in no way it compares to SB1. both are worlds apart.

[Skybird]

Since it was aksed for some days ago, this is the current list of vehicles confirmed to be implemented as of 15 Dec. It also says which vehicles will be playable and from which stations, and whi9ch ones do have the 3D ineriors to be seen in the video (so far only the Leo2A5 and Bradley M2 and M3). Others will follow in later updates.

Leo - 1A5DK....Driver, Gunner , TC
Leo - 2A4........Drv, Gnr, TC
Leo - 2A5DK....Drv, Gnr (Interior), TC (Interior)
Leo - AS1........Drv, Gnr, TC
M1A1(HA)........Drv, Gnr, TC
T72-m1
T80U

ASLAV-25........Drv, Gnr, TC
ASLAV-PC........Drv, TC-.50cal
BMD2
BMP1
BMP2
BTR80
LAV-25
M113A3DK.......Drv, TC-.50cal
M113AS4..........Drv, TC-.50cal whit TIS
M2A2...............Drv, Gnr, TC (interior)
M3A2...............Drv, Gnr, TC (Interior)
Marder1A3
MT-LB
Piranha III
YPR-765

ASLAV-A
ASLAV-CS
BIBER
BRDM2
BRDM-AT
FIST-V.................Drv, TC
HIND E
Jaguar1A3
M113ADK OPMV
M113A3 ENG.........Drv, TC-.50cal

M113/FO
M113A3 MED
M113A3 MICLIC....Drv, TC-.50cal
M113A3 TOW
M901
M996 Humvee
MT-55
YPR 765 CO
YPR 765 PRAT

HEMTT CARGO
HEMTT FULE
M1025 Humvee......Drv, TC-.50cal
Mercedes GD240
Mercedes GD240 XO/CO
URAL-4320