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#21
Computer Gaming / Re: Fridaycatcher
Last post by Destraex - June 02, 2023, 10:30:06 PMQuote from: SirAndrewD on June 02, 2023, 01:21:12 PMI too finally picked up Gates of Hell, partly to help support Jason's upcoming Pacific Air War project as best as I can.Gate of Hell is fun for sure and I have owned it for a long time, I think it's probably superior graphically to men of war 2 from what I have seen. But still had the fog of war problems that a lot of these RTS games have. I find the men of war engine games exacerbate this mechanic. By this I mean that without infantry scouting you don't know where huge enemy tanks are firing at you from, even when they are in the open!!! It's the same for company of heroes to a lesser extent.
Seems fun so far.
I also picked up Between the Stars and System Shock, but they will probably be in the back burner for a bit. Absolutely need to finish Jedi Survivor first and I have some trigger time flying RIO in a Tomcat with a buddy of mine in DCS planned.
I will probably play:
Company of Heroes 3
Star Citizen - the guys have been getting a little anxious to try this again
Steel Division 2 - I "might" have some games of this as I just got the last two addons I did not have on special and thus some new sides to play with.
Hopefully some Hell Let Loose or War of Rights
#22
Computer Gaming / Re: Fridaycatcher
Last post by Fetrik - June 02, 2023, 09:52:04 PMFor the last few weeks I've been playing X4 every free moment and this weekend is no different.
#23
Computer Gaming / Re: Total war pharaoh - coming...
Last post by Destraex - June 02, 2023, 09:20:47 PMOh and when models are not racing around they look like they are moving in slow motion. By that I mean the animation is drawn to show a man running for instance, but then that animation is slowed down so much that it looks un-natural. Because gravity should have dropped the soldier models leg to the ground but it hangs in the air for an eternity.
Men also fling their weapons around like they are weightless. Watch how fast spearmen for instance with one hand change from holding a spear upright while walking to spinning it around or moving it to the horizontal. It's instant and looks like the spear must be made of plastic. The physics in modern total war games are just very strange. It's like the devs are just making weapons and gluing them to the soldiers hands and the soldiers have no idea they are carrying anything, so they walk around waving and running without noticing they have a big heavy weapon in hand.
Men also fling their weapons around like they are weightless. Watch how fast spearmen for instance with one hand change from holding a spear upright while walking to spinning it around or moving it to the horizontal. It's instant and looks like the spear must be made of plastic. The physics in modern total war games are just very strange. It's like the devs are just making weapons and gluing them to the soldiers hands and the soldiers have no idea they are carrying anything, so they walk around waving and running without noticing they have a big heavy weapon in hand.
#24
Computer Gaming / Re: Total war pharaoh - coming...
Last post by JasonPratt - June 02, 2023, 09:06:37 PM #25
Digital Gaming AARs / Re: All the colors of the RAIN...
Last post by JasonPratt - June 02, 2023, 08:47:47 PMSo, by definition with three Great Powers at war, WW1 has kicked off early!
#26
Computer Gaming / Re: Total war pharaoh - coming...
Last post by Destraex - June 02, 2023, 08:43:55 PMInteresting concept Grim. Kinda reminds me of a WEGO setup where you get to pause every so often. But in your case you don't want it to take more than a few minutes.
I watched a video of the combat and some things I noticed were;
- The LOD black ant issue still seems to exist where you zoom out a bit and troops look more like stick shadows than men. Probably due to the fact that effects are used to draw on top of model polygons instead of polygons making up all of the models these days. Thus you zoom out... the LOD (level of detail) and thus the polygon count (triangles that make up 3D models) drops leaving the effects to try to cover what is essentially a stick figure. Basically the games troops do NOT look sharp even at moderate zoom out levels. It looks like centurion defender of rome at moderate zoom levels:
- Units are all homogenous in weapon type if not model. Every unit is armed with the same weaponry like they are all regular and well equipped. I would have liked by now, especially because total war games tout this individual melee thing that this would have been more advanced by now.
- Two headed axes.... hmmm I think this was actually more common back in the bronze age, something interesting to research. Certainly not common in any other era or considered ceremonial. I know of at least a few legitimate double handed axes in the bronze period however. I guess I am just saying that the devs are perhaps making some interesting choices to keep unit variety interesting.
- Troops still move too fast imho. Certainly faster than early total war games.
- Men seem to be weightless and move too fast. I am betting the animations are simplified as you zoom out as well just watching zoomed out men sliding around like they are on wheels.
- Also when zoomed in the combat does not seem impactful. Weapons seem to be slashing through enemy models and doing nothing to knock them back of bounce of them, or even contact with them at all to do damage. Older games were not as much like this.
Other than that it looks good. But these days I just cannot bring myself to buy total war games when the focus seems to be that the battles development has stagnated and regressed while the strategic layer is where the devs seem to love to play. Basically I think that now the battles exist to give context to the strategic map rather than the other way around.
I watched a video of the combat and some things I noticed were;
- The LOD black ant issue still seems to exist where you zoom out a bit and troops look more like stick shadows than men. Probably due to the fact that effects are used to draw on top of model polygons instead of polygons making up all of the models these days. Thus you zoom out... the LOD (level of detail) and thus the polygon count (triangles that make up 3D models) drops leaving the effects to try to cover what is essentially a stick figure. Basically the games troops do NOT look sharp even at moderate zoom out levels. It looks like centurion defender of rome at moderate zoom levels:
- Units are all homogenous in weapon type if not model. Every unit is armed with the same weaponry like they are all regular and well equipped. I would have liked by now, especially because total war games tout this individual melee thing that this would have been more advanced by now.
- Two headed axes.... hmmm I think this was actually more common back in the bronze age, something interesting to research. Certainly not common in any other era or considered ceremonial. I know of at least a few legitimate double handed axes in the bronze period however. I guess I am just saying that the devs are perhaps making some interesting choices to keep unit variety interesting.
- Troops still move too fast imho. Certainly faster than early total war games.
- Men seem to be weightless and move too fast. I am betting the animations are simplified as you zoom out as well just watching zoomed out men sliding around like they are on wheels.
- Also when zoomed in the combat does not seem impactful. Weapons seem to be slashing through enemy models and doing nothing to knock them back of bounce of them, or even contact with them at all to do damage. Older games were not as much like this.
Other than that it looks good. But these days I just cannot bring myself to buy total war games when the focus seems to be that the battles development has stagnated and regressed while the strategic layer is where the devs seem to love to play. Basically I think that now the battles exist to give context to the strategic map rather than the other way around.
#27
Computer Gaming / Re: Destroyer The UBoat Hunter...
Last post by Destraex - June 02, 2023, 08:10:30 PMSo is everybody here in agreement that this game is a good one?
I came here to ask and I see somebody has already posted about it being half price.
Single player but pretty unique for what it is... am I thinking of a different game that is supposed to plug into a silent hunter kind of game in multiplayer hunts?
I came here to ask and I see somebody has already posted about it being half price.
Single player but pretty unique for what it is... am I thinking of a different game that is supposed to plug into a silent hunter kind of game in multiplayer hunts?
#28
Digital Gaming AARs / Re: All the colors of the RAIN...
Last post by Tripoli - June 02, 2023, 08:04:01 PMJuly-December 1902
[/b][/u]Geopolitical
July-The Malaya rebellion against the UK continues.
July-In an engagement between the UK and Germany in the Mediterranean, the Germans lost 3 CLs and 1 DD, to the UK loss of 1 DD.
July-In July the POTUS asks if the USN can guarantee victory over the Royal Navy in the event of war. Although it pains me, I have to admit that the USN needs additional funding. This costs me prestige but secures additional funding. The other option was to gain prestige, but increase tensions, which are already at 9.
August-The UK ends the rebellion in Malaya.
August-In an engagement between the UK and Germany in the Indian Ocean, the Germans lost 1 B and the UK lost 2 CA.
August. A motivated Lieutenant at ONI hatches a plot to sink a German battleship at anchor. I don't think so.....
November- In an engagement between the UK and Germany in the SE Asia, the Germans lost 1 CL and the UK lost a B and a CL.
December-A new government wants to increase spending. My choices on this are not good, involving either a dramatic increase in tensions, or a moderate increase in tension.
USA Political
In August, my prestige drops to 19. The unrest level increases to 5.
Naval Intelligence
July- ONI obtains the blueprints of the French battleship, the FS JUSTICE, currently under construction. Interestingly, the design is a 1900-era design.
July-France is beginning gunnery training.
September- ONI obtains the blueprints of the French battleship, the FS JAUREGUIBERRY, currently under construction. Interestingly, the design is a 1900-era design. Notably, the US seems to have a pretty good intelligence collection effort against France, as there has been several intelligence coups in recent months. In contrast, the collection effort against the UK has yet to even come on-line.
September- ONI reports that France is spending 10% of their budget on research and has a budget balance of -4,200. This indicates that France is likely tapped out as far as fleet growth is concerned.
USN Technical Developments
August-Hull construction techniques lead to a 1% weight savings on hull
September-Pressure hulls are developed, giving a 5% increase in submarine reliability.
USN Budget
August-USN budget increases to $365,740 (+5%)
December-The USN budget gradually decreased through the year. Currently it is 323,040 (-12% from the high)
USN Construction
July-One CALIFORNIA class B ordered.
July-TACOMA joins the fleet
August- Private shipbuilding increases USN dock size to 19,000 tons
September-Two CLs enter the USN (RENO and OAKLAND)
September-Because of budget constraints, construction on the USS CALIFORNIA is halted. It will be resumed at the beginning of the year.
November- Private shipbuilding increases USN dock size to 20,000 tons. Budgetary pressures force me to halt construction on two HURON class CAs. Likewise, the USN will be unable to do the fleet exercise I had intended, nor resume construction of the B CALIFORNIA.
USN Operations
July-Extra training in Gunnery is completed.
December organization of the USN main fleet units is below. Odd numbered divisions are Pacific Fleet, Even number divisions are Atlantic Fleet.
End of year notes:
Unexpected budget pressures are delaying the completion of several heavy cruisers and one battleship. War with either Germany or the UK is increasingly possible, and war with France and/or Japan is not out of the question. However, right now the UK/German war seems to be occupying the attention of both parties, so I believe it is unlikely that the US will be going to war. Regardless, it appears that the Pacific is the most likely place for effective offensive action by the USN in the event of war with Germany, the UK, France or Japan, so that is where the bulk of the fleet will be kept, with only defensive operations in the western hemisphere. Possible invasion targets are displayed below. Notably, I will have to begin to build some fortifications in the Caribbean and China to protect US assets there.
#29
Computer Gaming / Re: Fridaycatcher
Last post by solops - June 02, 2023, 05:07:18 PMTW Warhammer3 co-op with my son. (I hate autospell corrections)
Shadow Empire.
Maybe the new Star Sector. Thanks for the heads-up JH.
Shadow Empire.
Maybe the new Star Sector. Thanks for the heads-up JH.
#30
Computer Gaming / Re: Fridaycatcher
Last post by W8taminute - June 02, 2023, 03:53:06 PMI'm in the beginnings of a gaming rut right now. Can't seem to get into anything. I'm going to probably play a bit of Fallout 4 on PS4 in an attempt to break free of this rut by changing up my routine a bit.
The only thing about Fallout 4 is...
The only thing about Fallout 4 is...