Panther Games Command Ops 2 Limited Time Offer Bundle Pack Coming Soon

[Con]

First day buy for me.  CO is one of the few games with a permanent place on my hard drive

Con

[TacticalWargames]

I wonder if unmounted ops are in now..thats the new feature I'm really wanting to see.

[JasonPratt]

What about the original HTTR (2003) that came right after Red Devils? Does that one count at all towards the new games?

Based on the wording so far, I'm guessing not. Which is okay, that was like two or 2-1/2 engines ago.

I notice that buying the bundle pack is effectively a 66% discount ($50 instead of $150), so going that route gets more of a discount than the loyalty discount of 50% each. Though I imagine LnL and Panther will be happy to accept all five modules bought with the loyalty discount instead.   >:D

What I want to confirm is whether the Med pack includes all the missing missions from CotA, or whether a 3rd pack is on the way.

(Also, Day 1 buy for me, too. If I thought the bro would play games on his PC anymore, which for family reasons he can't really, I'd get two bundles.)

[JasonPratt]

For those who didn't know, by the way, "Thrawn" is David Heath at LnL. So he's the publisher.

[bayonetbrant]

For those who didn't know, by the way, "Thrawn" is David Heath at LnL. So he's the publisher.

we all kinda figured that out here :)  http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=11932.0
:))

[jomni]

Re-buying the bundle is the way to go.  I have no qualms about that.  Lots of value in there and way cheaper than Matrix pricing.

[Al]

Re-buying the bundle is the way to go.  I have no qualms about that.  Lots of value in there and way cheaper than Matrix pricing.

I agree.  Getting this for sure.

[FlickJax]

So what are the differences? between the engines apart from scenarios being separated?

[JasonPratt]

From Dave 'Arjuna' O'Conner (one of the lead devs):

Note that images are available at the linked thread above. (I tried to {img} them here, but the jpg reference didn't work.)

Arjuna started posting the changelist yesterday, and says more to the list is on the way.

The tl;dr version: mostly cosmetic so far, with some subtle but potentially important UI operations.

***************

Hi everyone. Here's the current list of changes/features that will be in the new CO2 engine. While we have made some minor Artificial Intelligence (AI) tweaks, our focus has been on improving the User Interface (UI).

    * New Recording feature. When you play a game a recording is made and stored in the Recordings sub directory. You can select Replay on the main game menu and this will load the recording and allow you to replay it. The game will play through exactly as it was recorded or until you issue a new order, at which time you can start playing normally.

* New Overlay Feature. New map overlays have been added to display:
          o Anti-Pers firepower (friendly and enemy)
          o Anti-Armour firepower (friendly and enemy)
          o Armour Concentration (friendly and enemy)
          o Map Control (current friendly, old friendly, contested, old enemy and current enemy)
          o Movement Rates (foot and motorised)


* New Force Icon Auto-scaling. Now force icons are auto-scaled (normal, small, tiny and invisible) depending on the map zoom level and force level. This can be enabled/disabled via the improved options dialog.


* New Extended Force Icon Information. In addition to the normal Unit Info Box on the unit icon we now show four extra info boxes (current task/status, deployment, facing and rout status) as an overlay next to the unit icon at the highest zoom level. This is an option that you can enable or disable. If the force icon is reduced to small, the default unit info box is shown next to the icon as an overlay.


* New Data Dialog Interface. The original data views in the sidebar are now independent dialogs which can be repositioned by dragging. Their last position is remembered between sessions. You can drag these onto a second monitor. So you can now configure your screen layout just how you like it.


* New Multiple Force Data Dialogs. You can now hold the shift key down when you open a force's data and instead of updating the "first" force data dialog it will create an additional data dialog. The "first" force data dialog will still be updated when you select a new unit on the map. Additional force data dialogs will not be updated. So you can now compare force data easily.

* New Multiple Selection in the Order of Battle (OB) display. Hold the Control key down while you click on an entry in the OB to add or subtract from the selection. The selection in the OB display is now synced to that on the map. So you can now select a force group in the OB display and issue orders without the need to locate each unit on the map.

* New Mil Green look. All Panther Graphical User Interface (GUI) elements revamped with new mil green look.

* New high res startup screen and images. We now have four hi res 1920 x 1080 startup images (Monty, Patton, Rommel and Zhukov) from which we randomly select one each time the game is run.

* New Scenario Selections Screen. Includes context image to provide you with visual context as to where this battle was fought; additional meta data provided for each scenario including start, duration and active unit count; the ability to sort the scenario list by name, start, duration or unit count. (This feature is still be developed. I'll post up screenshots as soon it is finished).

* Enhanced About Box. Increased the size of text, increased the dimensions of the scrolling credits list and updated game logo.

* New Game Options Dialog.

* All Game Options now saved between sessions.

* New Centre Map feature. Hold down the Home key and select a unit, crossing or waypoint to centre the map on the selection.

[Rayfer]

I'm confused. I already own Command Ops: Battles from the Bulge and the HTTR add on through Matrix. Do I have to re-purchase through Panther Games to get into this free upgrade to the newer version?

[smittyohio]

I'm confused. I already own Command Ops: Battles from the Bulge and the HTTR add on through Matrix. Do I have to re-purchase through Panther Games to get into this free upgrade to the newer version?

The engine will be free, but I'm pretty sure you'll have to re-buy whatever modules you want.   I'm guessing this initial discount is a way of softening the blow.

[Rayfer]

I'm confused. I already own Command Ops: Battles from the Bulge and the HTTR add on through Matrix. Do I have to re-purchase through Panther Games to get into this free upgrade to the newer version?

The engine will be free, but I'm pretty sure you'll have to re-buy whatever modules you want.   I'm guessing this initial discount is a way of softening the blow.

Hmmm...more like a hard blow if indeed I have to repurchase Battles from the Bulge and HTTR.....they weren't cheap the first time!!

[chemkid]

there are people who will pay a third time for the 'same' scenario eg. 'Conquest of the Aegean' then 'Command Ops: Battles for Greece' and now 'Foothills of the Gods' - it's more like an upgrade to the engine than a 'simple' update to the game. it's absolutely worth it!!!

edit: and one can still play the 'old' versions. it's not like they're broken or something.

[JasonPratt]

For the first 90 days, you can get a pack that updates all (?) previously released missions to the new engine, at about the cost of originally paying for one of them.

Put another way, you'll pay for all of them at approximately what Matrix would have sold the second half if the CotA port. So if, like me, you were planning to get that port, in effect we'll be paying for it and getting all the other missions upgraded to the new engine for free.

[RyanE]

Is all of this stuff with LnL digital games related to this news about Mark Walker...I always thought he was LnL publishing.

http://www.wargamer.com/news/8610/mark-h.-walker-founds-flying-pig-games