Close Combat-the blood first

[Grim.Reaper]

39.99

[JudgeDredd]

Whilst I think this game has a good look to it, I have not yet seen a video where the units behave in a realistic way and actually look buggy as hell - and I'm specifically talking about vehicles here.

It's a huge miss for me. Shame because  I do like the 3D aspect...but vehicle movement and combat seems shockingly bad.

Perhaps I've watched "older" videos? Anyway - I'm going to wait and see - but I haven't seen anything yet to make me disagree with this...

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2019/09/27/the-flare-path-close-combat-preview/

Good news: It is truthful recreation of original CC.
Bad news: It is truthful recreation of original CC.

"It's inspired by the AI's usual manner of attack. Far too often the Red Team bumbles, advancing haphazardly... tardily... foolishly. In defence as the Americans I've rarely felt I'm facing an accomplished, determined, back-to-the-wall Afrika Korps."

I don't see much incentive to buy this iteration in CC series just because it moved to 3D.

[Destraex]

39.99

With our dollar here that makes it way out of what I would be willing to pay.

[Barthheart]

39.99

With our dollar here that makes it way out of what I would be willing to pay.

Same - $56.99 - 10% discount = $51.29 CAD....

[trek]

Buy it directly from MatrixGames and save yourself $5.00 like i just did.  ($34.99)

[Barthheart]

39.99

With our dollar here that makes it way out of what I would be willing to pay.

Same - $56.99 - 10% discount = $51.29 CAD....

Huh...$45.49 CAD on Steam.... somebodies conversion rate is off and I'm guessing it's Matrix's.  :P

[Surtur]

Steam is doing a different regional pricing scheme from our provider (BlueSnap), so the prices might differ as a result. Sometime one is cheaper, sometimes the other.

[trek]

If you want to change the camera tilt angle and zoom-in-and-out min and max go into Data>MAPVIEW.TXT. Backup the file first and then change these:

Zoom from 128 to 70= For closer zoom.
ZoomLimit to 400= For further out.
FOV=60
ZoomLimit=80
TopDownZoomLimit=300
TopDownZoomMinLimit=80

Pitch=30
Pitch2=40
PitchLimit=20

Got this from a matrix forum post. I changed my zoom to 70 down from 100 in that forum post to get in a little closer to the action. Enables me to see the units better too.

[al_infierno]

I'm actually really digging the new game so far, but I haven't gotten into any AFV fights yet.  Infantry combat feels just like classic CC but with a more modern engine.  I really like the new engine so far, although it's clearly in its pioneering/awkward teens phase, but I'm optimistic about the future of Close Combat -- if they manage to really tighten up the engine and improve the graphics and camera controls.

I'm finding it a lot harder to distinguish units on the map than the old games.  I hope they take a few notes from the Battlefront playbook and optimize the camera so you can view the game at any angle.  The 2 rotatable camera views are not particularly helpful, so I'm finding myself just sticking to the classic CC fixed top-down camera, which at least allows you to zoom in now.  May have spoken too soon, I'm actually using the new cameras more than the old-school view after about 2 hrs of play.   :o

[Destraex]

Found this for 20% off at gamers gate and splurged. Not very impressed thus far I have to say. Graphics are ugly as hell and so is the terrain. I even thought I saw a German MG34 crew with an American MG model. No fast forward button I can find as yet makes defensive battles a drag. But maybe I save it where it is ? Is that possible?
I am debating right now whether to return it, I just don't know if I will stick with it the way it stands. It's missing a tonne of things I am used to in steel division. But really I guess I have to get used to delegating and just sit back and watch.
Combat Mission is far superior imho.

[Rayfer]

A review from Rock/Paper/Shotgun. Starts out with some positive comments then near the middle to the end rips it apart. Spotting and line of sight, among other issues, dominates the negativity.  https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2019/10/04/wot-i-think-close-combat-the-bloody-first/

[LoganismyHERO]

Brutal

Yea, this game needs some major fixing. So glad I didn't buy this. I'm sure they'll iron out the kinks, but it begs the question....do game developers NOT see this stuff when releasing a game? They have had to intentionally know they're releasing a broken product. Boggles my mind sometimes, but I understand they want/need sales.

[al_infierno]

Yikes.  I hope they tighten up the spotting real quick or I'll be back on Last Stand Arnhem and the CM games real soon.  Maybe I shouldn't even bother with AFV fights at all  :o

[trek]

Seems the armor hit-and-miss is a bit random in it's accuracy. I've played on some battle maps where it's good and others where it's terrible. For what it's worth I went through ALL the battle maps listing all the ones I like with armor included. From my survey you will only find a Tiger Tank on two maps: Under Tunisia: The Mousetrap. Under Sicily: North Road. The only Panther in game: Under Normandy: Marigny. There are 14 maps with PZIV's and one with two StugIII's. Two more with Marders. StugIII's are on the Normandy: Cerisy map.

Overall, I'm happy with my purchase of the game. It does give me the CC atmosphere which to me is the main thing. I'm a bit disappointed in the graphics as after seven years since the last one I thought they might be more advanced. But I'm happy with what they've done with the 3D engine anyway. The other issues I'm having is that the SHIFT plus mouse-click waypoint method is not as fluid as in all the other CC games. Seems to be intermittent in its implementation. Also, I'm experiencing a bug that displays itself when I save a battle. The game freezes and I have to ctrl-alt-tab to exit the game. Luckily, it does keep the save.

Hopefully they will address all these issues in the upcoming patches. I think there is great potential if the devs stand behind it and build on what they have for the future.

Still playing around with the MAPVIEW.txt file. For close-up zoom view, zoom minimum limit seems to work without any artifacts at a setting of 50 down from the original at 80.

[trek]

First patch is up on the MatrixGames site.