So I saw JH talking about fighting Mujihadeen and Iranian forces in Afghan called Shield Profit and checked it out.
I have Steel Armour Blaze of War from these peeps...but when I saw their webpage, they have quite a few games.
I knew about Achtung Panzer Operation Star and I have Achtung Panzer Kharkove I believe...but the others are a mystery. There doesn't seem to be any "logic" to their menu system if any of these games are linked...so are they all stand alone games? Except for the ones prefixed APOS (Achtung Panzer Operation Star DLC's?)
Anyway - just interested in the quality of the games. I hardly played Blaze of War tbh - but I am always interested in getting it going again and in fact due to JH's post I reinstalled it tonight to see why I dropped it early. Perhaps I couldn't get on with it or perhaps I didn't rtfm and so didn't get into it...I'll see.
But any info on what games are available and what are core and not and how they fare would be nice. Which ones are DLC and for what main game? Is Shield Profit CLD for my Blaze of War? Don't know.
Anyway - just askin - I am going to have a look deeper in the site - see if I can work out what are the core engines and what are DLC
Ta
ok - so a quick look reveals Shield Profit as DLC for Operation Star...why? Why is it not DLC for Blaze of War. Operation Star is a WWII game and Blaze of War is around the same era as Shield Profit???
ah well - no worries - answered my own question (about DLC anyway)
How they play would be cool to know - and whether they have the same "awkward" interface as I remember Kharkov having?
Shield of the Prophet is not a tank simulation like Blaze of War. It is a pausable RTS title using the same engine as APOS. All of the coldwar era DLC's are for APOS, including Prophet, Operation Hooper and the upcoming Zhalanashkol.
theres a nice AAR for it in the AAR section from SDR i think
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on July 05, 2013, 02:32:29 PM
Shield of the Prophet is not a tank simulation like Blaze of War. It is a pausable RTS title using the same engine as APOS. All of the coldwar era DLC's are for APOS, including Prophet, Operation Hooper and the upcoming Zhalanashkol.
Brilliant - thanks. Cleared up in one sentence! :)
Quote from: undercovergeek on July 05, 2013, 02:47:33 PM
theres a nice AAR for it in the AAR section from SDR i think
I'll have a look - maybe it's about time I bought APOS. I liked Kharkov - it was kind of quirky interface wise - but muddling through it came out with some great gameplay and superb graphics.
I really enjoyed combat mission...from the very first ge back in 2000. I will say that once I got used to the UI and concepts on the operations map, I actually enjoy APOS more. I play both APOS and shield of the prophet. The graphics are better, it is more immersive, you get just as much "numbers under the hood" and I get an operations map where I decide which units attack where, who gets reinforced, etc.
It's a YMMV kind of thing for sure, but give the system a chance. As for Shield of the Prophet, it's just kind of cool fighting tanks from the 70's
I'll add that APOS nails the immersion factor like no other game in its class...ever. It is some seriously intense and compelling stuff.
Watching crew bail out of burning vehicles...on fire...and then run around doing the funky chicken before they collapse and die just never gets old. Especially when it happens at night.
Speaking of night, combat in the dark is hauntingly beautiful. Tracers dash across the field, back and forth, skip off of the ground or obstacles and bounce into the sky. It is captivating, violent and frightening to behold all at the same time.
Speaking of night and fire...I recently had a battle where my Soviet unit was equipped with a couple of, what I think were TO-55s...basically. T-55s with a flamethrower. They were ambushed by a handful of Muj with small arms. In response, the TO-55s shot a few jets of burning jelly their way and at least 10-15 Muj were instantly ignited. i didn't even see the majority of these guys until they burst into flames. It was like watching some ghastly ritual dance...this platoon of guys running in circles, on fire, until they all fell to the ground at intervals where they continued to burn. The darkness of the nighttime desert was brightened by their burning corpses.
Ever see something like that in any other game?
I really have to get APOS. Always wanted but never pulled the trigger. Is it on sale?
You just missed it. It was on for 50% off at Gamersgate a week and a half ago. For some reason, the Graviteam stuff never shows up on the sale page at GG. The "Alert me on price drops" flag doesn't seem to work either. Best bet is just to check GG every few days as it's on sale fairly regularly.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on July 05, 2013, 02:32:29 PM
Shield of the Prophet is not a tank simulation like Blaze of War. It is a pausable RTS title using the same engine as APOS. All of the coldwar era DLC's are for APOS, including Prophet, Operation Hooper and the upcoming Zhalanashkol.
Just to add:
SA:Blaze of War actually plays just like APOS with the ability to jump into any of your side's tanks during a battle, but I believe there may be an extra strategic layer in APOS IIRC. This and the Op Hooper (?) assets & campaigns came from SABOW but they must've added a few extra details on the higher strategic level.
To answer JD's question of why these are expansions for APOS: it was probably quite easy to assemble them since those two games use the same engine and pretty much the same strategy game code so it was quick & relatively easy?
Thank you one and all.
I've never took the plunge on APOS - even when I saw it on offer - because WWII is "take or leave" with me just now - but with 70's stuff in there - I will likely take the plunge next time I see it on offer
So if anyone see it on offer - a heads up would be greatly appreciated!
Whilst I always read it too late (new xcom for 6 quid - who knew!!) If you keep an eye on the sales thread there are bargain grogs who always post in there about sales across the globe
Quote from: JudgeDredd on July 06, 2013, 03:08:20 AM
Thank you one and all.
I've never took the plunge on APOS - even when I saw it on offer - because WWII is "take or leave" with me just now - but with 70's stuff in there - I will likely take the plunge next time I see it on offer
So if anyone see it on offer - a heads up would be greatly appreciated!
Their email notifications work great Judge, just click it on the game page and they will send you a mail when the price drops!
It can be a "pain" to get the game patched and the DLC going but it's not to bad. After Jarhead yelled at me, I sat down and went through it step by step and it worked
I've been itching to try this series for a while, and both AP and APOS are on amazon for under £5 each. Is it worth getting AP or going straight for APOS?
Go with APOS. If you find that you do like the game, APOS is the one with all the additional campaign DLCs available. Plus it has a more intuitive interface and better vehicle driver AI than APK.
Thanks SDR, I'll probably pull the trigger on this one today.
Quote from: mikeck on July 06, 2013, 08:36:35 AM
It can be a "pain" to get the game patched and the DLC going but it's not to bad. After Jarhead yelled at me, I sat down and went through it step by step and it worked
JD and Bob, maybe you can do an email notification with Jarhead so that he'll yell at you if you're having troubles! :o
But seriously, even though setup and patching should be simple as running an exe, it is not.. but there are plenty of easy to follow instructions out there, and once you read them it's easy..
Quote from: Tuna on July 06, 2013, 11:18:48 AM
Quote from: mikeck on July 06, 2013, 08:36:35 AM
It can be a "pain" to get the game patched and the DLC going but it's not to bad. After Jarhead yelled at me, I sat down and went through it step by step and it worked
JD and Bob, maybe you can do an email notification with Jarhead so that he'll yell at you if you're having troubles! :o
But seriously, even though setup and patching should be simple as running an exe, it is not.. but there are plenty of easy to follow instructions out there, and once you read them it's easy..
LoL...I did not yell at you! After I saw how frustrated you were getting, I merely suggested that you relax and take a step back... :D
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on July 06, 2013, 11:35:14 AM
LoL...I did not yell at you! After I saw how frustrated you were getting, I merely suggested that you relax and take a step back... :D
yeah, thats sounds just like you! :P
Well, if I was going to be yelled at by anybody, I'd rather it be JH - he knows what he's talking about.
and he has a shit ton of kick ass pans in an underground bunker
..you just trying to cheer me up?
Cod and chips on the way...nom nom nomm!
Quote from: bob48 on July 06, 2013, 12:23:33 PM
..you just trying to cheer me up?
Cod and chips on the way...nom nom nomm!
for the last time - haddock - none of your fancy fish round here - i want scum of the sea, deep fried and battered :P
...and it will be fresh from a NE fishing port - non of yer frozen junk here like what you midlanders get palmed off with. I bet your haddock has never been anywhere near the salty old sea!
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on July 06, 2013, 11:35:14 AM
Quote from: Tuna on July 06, 2013, 11:18:48 AM
Quote from: mikeck on July 06, 2013, 08:36:35 AM
It can be a "pain" to get the game patched and the DLC going but it's not to bad. After Jarhead yelled at me, I sat down and went through it step by step and it worked
JD and Bob, maybe you can do an email notification with Jarhead so that he'll yell at you if you're having troubles! :o
But seriously, even though setup and patching should be simple as running an exe, it is not.. but there are plenty of easy to follow instructions out there, and once you read them it's easy..
LoL...I did not yell at you! After I saw how frustrated you were getting, I merely suggested that you relax and take a step back... :D
I believe you're exact words were "if you don't calm down and stop ranting, I'm going to slit your throat"...or something like that....might be paraphrasing
Just to confuse the issue a bit, I believe APOS is now called Graviteam Tactics or something like that. So if you see that, just now that it refers to APOS and the associated DLC.
As for buying it, it seems to go on sale every 2 week or so at 50% off, so if you hold out surely you'll be able to pick it up cheap from GG pretty soon.
A new current patch was added yesterday(GTOS mar13d1 2013 eng.
You can download it from here-
http://www.graviteam.ua/help/download-patches.html
or from Gamersgate.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some news about next update for March 13 patch
"d1"
120) Reconfigured the gears in the BA-64 armored car.
121) Reduced tiring for soldiers when moving on slopes.
122) New types of soils for future DLCs.
123) Small changes in the sounds processing.
124) Screws in aircraft and helicopters are not lost in the distance.
125) Adjusted algorithm for targets selection and firing for helicopters.
126) Changed the view for the charged grenades and grenade launchers.
127) Planes and helicopters fly away if ammunition was less than ~10%.
128) Fixed a bug with protruding of dead pilots through the "skin" of the aircraft.
129) Added new commands to the AI on the operational phase.
130) Adjusted parameters of weapons overheating.
A heads up - I managed to purchase APOS for a cool £3 from Amazon - I saw someone mention it somewhere! Thank you
Some friendly words of advice-
Gamersgate is probably your best bet when purchasing this game.
While other distributors may offer the game at give away prices,they sometimes only sell older versions of the game or DLCs that may or may not be able to be updated or patched correctly,and the distributors may not actively support the game with current updates.So basically,all you will get is what you bought.Nothing else.
Gamersgate usually has the most current versions of the game,DLCs,updates and patches.Your also able to download them from your library as often as you like.
While I'm not familiar with other distributors and how they support the game personally(I've always bought from GG) and what versions they sell,I am aware of some forum posters who complained about some of the problems I mentioned above and ended up having to repurchase the game or DLCs from GG to be able to get their game up to current status.
Quote from: Dolan50 on July 09, 2013, 10:34:50 AM
Some friendly words of advice-
Gamersgate is probably your best bet when purchasing this game.
While other distributors may offer the game at give away prices,they sometimes only sell older versions of the game or DLCs that may or may not be able to be updated or patched correctly,and the distributors may not actively support the game with current updates.So basically,all you will get is what you bought.Nothing else.
Gamersgate usually has the most current versions of the game,DLCs,updates and patches.Your also able to download them from your library as often as you like.
While I'm not familiar with other distributors and how they support the game personally(I've always bought from GG) and what versions they sell,I am aware of some forum posters who complained about some of the problems I mentioned above and ended up having to repurchase the game or DLCs from GG to be able to get their game up to current status.
So if I got gamersgate APOS and applied that one patch -- would I be up-to-date with the Gaviteam tactics engine?
I'm not certain.I bought my APOS over a year ago and have patched it and updated it from the 5.75 engine.
If you post a picture of your update screen and also a pic of current version and update shown in the upper right hand corner of the start screen.
I will be able to determine if you need to update or not.
This is a picture of my current updater and screen capture from start menu.
Dolan, just to let you know that I have exactly the same version numbers as you; both for the DLC in the Game Updates and in the game's main screen.
Quote from: WallysWorld on July 09, 2013, 11:55:13 AM
Dolan, just to let you know that I have exactly the same version numbers as you; both for the DLC in the Game Updates and in the game's main screen.
Maybe this includes the July 8 patch? Which might be cumulative?
I'll try all that some time soon.
I haven't updated with the latest patch yet,so it may change the update status and build number on the start menu.
I live out in the sticks and get very poor reception from time to time and have to go into town to access high speed internet.I usually do that on the weekends if there is something I wish to download that is over 500 mb. :(
But what I have the game updated to now works fine and I'm in no hurry to patch to the next level unless it is necessary to add some new feature I would like for my game.
Whoops! Didn't even know there was a July patch. I'm downloading it now. I'll post my version numbers once I've installed it.
Update:
http://graviteam.ua/help/download-patches.html (http://graviteam.ua/help/download-patches.html)
So after installing the "gtos_patch_march13d1_eng" July 8th file through the Game Updater and also installing the "gtos_cu_581c1_eng" May 20th executable, I get the following version changes:
In Game Updater: the Game Update version is now at 4.07 (from 4.05)
and
In the game's main screen, the version is 5.81 (2170) Update mar.13d1
Everything else is the same as Dolan posted.
Steel Armor: Blaze of War is on sale at Gamersgate right now for $6.80 http://www.gamersgate.com/DD-SABW/steel-armor-blaze-of-war
I just patched APOS to 4.07 and I get this on startup:
Critical error
002: An error has occurred while initializing objects
[ i_opgame:opgame -> i_lines2d:lines2d ]
Stupid me: I did not click save and play in the patch application the first time around. I clicked on the start icon instead.
I don't have any bugs with my pre patched version and am scared to try patching the game at this point. Why must it be so difficult? Can't they just make an auto patch exe? Anyway, no way I'm patching... Leaving it alone
Quote from: WallysWorld on July 09, 2013, 03:10:28 PM
Whoops! Didn't even know there was a July patch. I'm downloading it now. I'll post my version numbers once I've installed it.
Update:
http://graviteam.ua/help/download-patches.html (http://graviteam.ua/help/download-patches.html)
So after installing the "gtos_patch_march13d1_eng" July 8th file through the Game Updater and also installing the "gtos_cu_581c1_eng" May 20th executable, I get the following version changes:
In Game Updater: the Game Update version is now at 4.07 (from 4.05)
and
In the game's main screen, the version is 5.81 (2170) Update mar.13d1
Everything else is the same as Dolan posted.
That's where i am too...somewhere in a Russian counterattack during Fall Blau. This is my current pick for Best Game Ever.
QuoteThis is my current pick for Best Game Ever.
It's my favorite wargame also.Still needs some tweaking in certain areas,but I still have lots of fun with it.
Some new screens for the next Graviteam game, Mius Front. I can't wait for this one.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsimhq.com%2Fforum%2Ffiles%2Fusergals%2F2013%2F04%2Ffull-26203-56169-shot_2013_04_18_01_08_20_0014.jpg&hash=967cfd675107b2feaffc03e0fea0215fa21a687b)
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsimhq.com%2Fforum%2Ffiles%2Fusergals%2F2013%2F04%2Ffull-26203-56168-shot_2013_04_18_01_07_53_0013.jpg&hash=1268ba2d17ab1a6e9267931b29b18b46b6f20a48)
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsimhq.com%2Fforum%2Ffiles%2Fusergals%2F2013%2F05%2Ffull-26203-57732-shot_2013_05_11_23_15_04_0007.jpg&hash=81a9d8214ab1c39fd43dbd20f9255d6a6e194656)
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsimhq.com%2Fforum%2Ffiles%2Fusergals%2F2013%2F07%2Ffull-26203-61664-shot_2013_07_08_21_04_21_0000.jpg&hash=7fbb5153a5ae755c93d8bbb7dca643384ef6d17e)
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsimhq.com%2Fforum%2Ffiles%2Fusergals%2F2013%2F07%2Ffull-26203-61667-shot_2013_07_08_21_09_12_0015.jpg&hash=4457a1c108a8b815928f6e1219c92ce8bea26b84)
And here's a Russian language video showing the SU-152 in action.
http://smotri.com/video/view/?id=v25138209a25 (http://smotri.com/video/view/?id=v25138209a25)
FWIW, Graviteam Tactics: Zhalanashkol 1969 has apparently been released.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on July 16, 2013, 08:48:22 AM
FWIW, Graviteam Tactics: Zhalanashkol 1969 has apparently been released.
Thanks for the heads up.
$7.00 on GG right now.
I dunno. On one hand $7.00 ain't that much. I really like the franchise and want them to continue to put out stuff (Mius Front looks like it's going to be excellent!). On the other hand, I'm just not that interested in a very small scale, infantry skirmish campaign DLC with very little in the way of new content other than a map, some Chinese skins, and a few small arms.
Still dithering over whether or not to purchase. Shame I spent all my blue coins on HOI3 and CK2 DLC.
Well, is a be map for quick battles worth $7? I Haven't seen the maps on the new DLC but some of the screenshots look like it would be pretty cool Rolling hills and grassy terrain...
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on July 16, 2013, 08:48:22 AM
FWIW, Graviteam Tactics: Zhalanashkol 1969 has apparently been released.
No purchase for you. you already spent your allotted gaming money on horizons
Hi, why can't Graviteam Tactics use desktop resolution in 3D map mode in my system?
How to fix this?
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lLn8vhUQtA4/UeXayRE8LfI/AAAAAAAAF2A/kqn4c21YZ-w/w1916-h1078-no/2013-07-17_074205.jpg)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-60ODsYYY5N8/UeXa4Zno0ZI/AAAAAAAAF2I/oduRC3Uj0AU/w1680-h1050-no/starter+2013-07-17+07-42-54-80.jpg)
Go into your GFX card software settings and disable anti-aliasing then try starting the game again.
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on July 16, 2013, 07:08:46 PM
Go into your GFX card software settings and disable anti-aliasing then try starting the game again.
Damn! That looks terrible.
I take it the game engine doesn't play well with AA forced on? I recall the "Sharpen" game setting to have a similar effect but I dunno what type of AA it may be or if it's something else entirely.
Well it didn't work. >:(
Any more leads?
I also had this in steel armor but solved it for some reason that I don't remember now.
Actually it was working fine until I installed the DLC.
This is getting frustrating. Totally not playable for me.
So even though you set it in game "options" to play at 1650x1280 or whatever, it's playing at 1024x768?
I seem to recall some in-game setting(s) having to be turned off, for some people, in the series. But no idea what it was exactly.
Maybe something to do with post-processing/FX stuff?
Hi,
I had the same problem, .. and no matter what I did, .. I couldn't get my resolution back to 1920x1200, .. until ...
... I uninstalled 'Air Display' .. the iPad display software.
Once I did that, .. everything worked fine again .. i.e. 1920x1200 .. :D
'Air Display' was throwing my monitor numbering out, .. and APOS/GTOS/SABOW were trying to display based on my iPad 'Air Display' settings. :(
I'm not sure if there is a setting within APOS/GTOS/SABOW that would allow you to specify which monitor to display on. I didn't bother trying to find out, as I haven't bothered to re-install 'Air Display'. :P
Cheers
Tom
Quote from: Nefaro on July 17, 2013, 11:48:01 AM
I seem to recall some in-game setting(s) having to be turned off, for some people, in the series. But no idea what it was exactly.
Maybe something to do with post-processing/FX stuff?
Thread on Graviteam possibly touching near this topic:
http://graviteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=11083.0
Jomni being a pilot probably has Air Display!
That was I who started the topic on Graviteam's forum.
You cannot implement AA in the game or through nVidia Inspector. There's a setting in-game called 'Sharpen', but it doesn't turn on AA.
So instead I play APOS using downsampling for nVidia. Basically I created a new resolution at 2560x1440 (even though my display's default in 1920x1080) and set APOS's resolution in-game to 2560x1440. The game itself looks way better using this downsampling technique. I also use the same technique for Theatre of War.
Though I don't think downsampling helps with jomni's issue.
Seeing as how the game uses the worlds most complex patching system, I expect complications everywhere
OMG! Air Display. Uninstalled it.
When I started APOS, this is now what I get.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-LjkMcPcaJ3I/Uecd4woPukI/AAAAAAAAF28/cuKbeMgt_lU/w1916-h1078-no/2013-07-18_064154.jpg)
Progress? I remember seeing this issue when I was looking for answers. But can't remember where and what fixes this.
Trouble is, there's not a lot of info flying around the net regarding these issues.
I see this is when we need to turn AA off (Thanks SDR). Now were're talking.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2yxWDiGS2ZI/Uecgy1nW4OI/AAAAAAAAF3w/-5d5TD7VQ4o/w1580-h889-no/2013-07-18_065429.jpg)
Quote from: jomni on July 17, 2013, 05:55:27 PM
I see this is when we need to turn AA off. Now were're talking.
Wasn't that SDR's first suggestion? ???
Yeah, but i thought he tried that but needed to turn of the airplane program or whatever.
Anyway, glad you got it working. It's a fantastic game engine. My favorite (semi) modern tactical game
Yeah I need to do two things instead of one that most people usually do. :/
Then my guys just got massacred during my first battle. Gotta learn what tactics work and what do not.
Thanks to SDR and Thomasew
I got APOS recently but am finding the UI somewhat overwhelming compared to Combat Mission. Anybody recommend a good tutorial?
Quote from: Boggit on August 03, 2013, 11:45:09 PM
I got APOS recently but am finding the UI somewhat overwhelming compared to Combat Mission. Anybody recommend a good tutorial?
Actually the UI is alright for me. Quite easy to use. My problem is I don't know what I'm doing.
What are the effects of each type of command and I need tips and tricks.
Yes a tutorial would help. :)
Quote from: jomni on August 04, 2013, 06:37:28 AM
Quote from: Boggit on August 03, 2013, 11:45:09 PM
I got APOS recently but am finding the UI somewhat overwhelming compared to Combat Mission. Anybody recommend a good tutorial?
Actually the UI is alright for me. Quite easy to use. My problem is I don't know what I'm doing.
What are the effects of each type of command and I need tips and tricks.
Yes a tutorial would help. :)
Yeah, that's the real learning curve of the UI. There are so many extra options.
You can probably get away with ignoring a few of them for awhile, such as various formations.
Quote from: Boggit on August 03, 2013, 11:45:09 PM
I got APOS recently but am finding the UI somewhat overwhelming compared to Combat Mission. Anybody recommend a good tutorial?
I too found the UI to be "odd" at best. And no, there really aren't too many video tutorials. Best way, as always is to grab hold of it and fight that sum-bitch until it submits and accepts you as it's master. No other way.
The UI is much-maligned, but really not so bad once you get the hang of it -- in fact, it gives you a lot of flexibility in how you manipulate your units, and despite all its quirks, you might end of actually 'liking' it in the end -- I actually think it's pretty great.
Problem is getting the hang of it -- and no other way than as others suggest, to just dive in and experiment.
The lack of documentation in terms of manuals / tutorials is almost a point of pride for Graviteam. Definitely an ethos of "Our way or the highway." It's frustrating. But the game is admittedly excellent.
Yeah I kind of like the user interface now that I am used to it. I actually prefer it to many other similar games
The game engine is simply spectacular. Nothing like it before or since. As far as creating immersive "you are there" situations, nothing else comes close. Just look at my latest screenshots in the screenshot thread.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on August 04, 2013, 01:22:31 PM
The game engine is simply spectacular. Nothing like it before or since. As far as creating immersive "you are there" situations, nothing else comes close. Just look at my latest screenshots in the screenshot thread.
Agreed. In my last game, I was amazed as sparks not only flew off my T-62 when struck by enemy fire, but as they blew off, they blew away quickly in the wind. That plus the noise and dust blowing REALLY provides immersion in that environment. Little details
The graphics and large map playing areas are what sold me on this game the most.
The graphic presentations have really improved over the last year and get even better with each new DLC,though I haven't been too pleased with newer modern maps.Hopefully that will change with the WW2 Voronezh(Shilovo) and the Mius front maps.
The winter maps are my favorite and I especially like turning on the simple shaders and turning off the shading for that very bleak and dreary cold winter look.During quick battles I generally like using the morning setting with storm weather to simulate heavy morning fog and mist.
Graviteam in my opinion has realistically captured the utter desolation of the Ukrainian winter environment with their blizzards,fog,storms and snow settings and I can't think of any other company that does it better for this type of game.
This is my all time favorite game and wish they had more capital to churn out more and different theatres.I personally think they would do a fantastic job with a Battle of the Bulge environment if they had a decent financial backer.
If Graviteam only "did" battles in the Ukraine that wouldn't upset me either though.That was probably the most fought over region in the world during WW2 with plenty of interesting campaigns and battles to choose from between the summer of 41 and spring of 44.
The UI is very intuitive once you figure it out.
You can give simple commands by pressing the space bar and LMB the commands and modifiers and RMB where you want them to go.
In the left hand corner of the screen are other ways to give commands in the UI.The thick turn arrow is for movement(the thin turn arrow is for facing),once you LMB that button a modifier menu will pop up.Above are some modifiers for spacing and fomation types.The 3 formation types are 1)tactical column,2)column and 3) line.Press either one then press the button for spacing that has 3 men on them and 3 different selections for spread variation,from close to maximum spread.Also another set of modifiers for rows 1-3.
If you run your mouse cursor over the other buttons on the UI it will give a description of other movement options,such as defense,assault,vehicle road column movement etc...You can also modify these orders in some instances also.
Basically,all you do is LMB unit selection or draw a box around the units you want to order(holding the LMB down as you draw the box) then LMB type of order(or space bar) then LMB modify if you want to modify then RMB where you want them to go.
In the command options are other commands you can issue using your keyboard.(I personally don't use this much except for camera movement and interface options).You can also change them to any button you like on your keyboard to make them easier to use and remember.
What does the different color squares in the deployment phase represent?
Quote from: jomni on August 05, 2013, 09:50:46 PM
What does the different color squares in the deployment phase represent?
Each cell is marked by two frames (inner and outer) The outer frame shows the cell's cover. A dotted line signifies soldiers cannot dig trenches for cover. A solid line indicates trench digging is possible. The inner frame shows camouflage level. If there is no frame, units in the cell are fully visible.
the red color usually pertains to infantry availability only or very good for infantry and MGs.
Example:
Red dotted outer frame-Infantry only,no trench digging,cell generally contains a building or house.
Just posting to an old thread that a patch has been released for Graviteam Tactics: http://graviteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=11772.0 (http://graviteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=11772.0)
Andrey said the patch will be released later for Steam.
A new Grativeam patch? (*flees in terror*)
8)
Quote from: sandman2575 on December 31, 2014, 01:05:46 PM
A new Grativeam patch? (*flees in terror*)
8)
I bought the steam version just to avoid that process. Normally I would just not install the damn patch
Wonder what Andrey means by later.
Quote from: -budd- on January 01, 2015, 12:16:15 AMWonder what Andrey means by later.
This means after non-steamers test the patch a bit and there will be no errors hopefully, and after the process of setting it up on steam. Steam is complicated to release anything.
After reading this thread, I picked up GT & Shield of the Prophet.
Glad to see something different. I just hope I can wrap my brain around the UI
Have a look through this guide. There's a lot of good info in there.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=339318454 (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=339318454)
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on January 01, 2015, 09:42:12 AM
Have a look through this guide. There's a lot of good info in there.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=339318454 (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=339318454)
That's good stuff. Thank you.
I played APOPSTAR when it was first released and was quickly turned off by the UI.
I played a few hours today, and really felt a difference. Overall, very enjoyable and offers a nice change from Combat mission.
-Absolutely LOVE that I can give platoon and Company orders versus micromanaging every single squad - ala Combat Mission.
-As stated previously, the Angola and Afghanistan theaters are a nice change of scenery.
-I like commanding from tactical map. It's clean, and make it easy to develop a concept.
-Level of detail, wow.
My only gripes;
1. It takes the AI a bit to assemble and move. even when I deploy units neatly, they still take a while to get into the assigned formation and move.
2. Sound effects are horrible, and there doesn't seem to be a way to mod them. Sound modding is a hobby of mine, and it irks me when a game sounds bad.
Quote from: Apocalypse 31
My only gripes;
1. It takes the AI a bit to assemble and move. even when I deploy units neatly, they still take a while to get into the assigned formation and move.
2. Sound effects are horrible, and there doesn't seem to be a way to mod them. Sound modding is a hobby of mine, and it irks me when a game sounds bad.
1. Isn't that supposed to be realistic?
2. Wait till you hear the Chinese voices [barf barf barf!!!!]
Quote from: jomni on January 02, 2015, 12:35:24 AM
1. Isn't that supposed to be realistic?
It is, but this is a video game. I want my pixel troopers to line up and respond quicker so I can get them to the fun part
Quote from: Apocalypse 31 on January 02, 2015, 10:28:26 AM
Quote from: jomni on January 02, 2015, 12:35:24 AM
1. Isn't that supposed to be realistic?
It is, but this is a video game. I want my pixel troopers to line up and respond quicker so I can get them to the fun part
No, it's a combat simulation. There's a difference.
Terrible sound effects in GTOS has long been a pet peeve of mine as well. I think it's a brilliant game overall, but I don't think you can underestimate the importance of sound for immersion. CMx2 has several sound mods that really enhance the experience -- the reports of large caliber tank guns are awesome.
Of course, Graviteam has done nothing to make modding GTOS easy, hence the severe lack of mods and user-made scenarios, which is a shame.
Just in case, sound modding is described in docs/modwork/modtools.pdf on page 10.
Isthis you working on a sound mod, Apocalypse?
http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4063492/Authentic_Battlefield_Sound_Mo#Post4063492 (http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4063492/Authentic_Battlefield_Sound_Mo#Post4063492)
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on January 13, 2015, 04:21:22 PM
http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4063492/Authentic_Battlefield_Sound_Mo#Post4063492 (http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4063492/Authentic_Battlefield_Sound_Mo#Post4063492)
Great find -- thanks -- and thanks to Apocalypse or whoever is working on this -- it's much needed for the game.
I must be going deaf in my dotage. I don't really hear any difference between the two. (Then again, I think the game sounds fine as it is.)
No, you're right, the differences are more subtle than I'd like (what I want is a complete sound overhaul -- or some of the sound mods from CMx2 transported over to GTOS (i know that's impossible, but still). Still, any improvement's an improvement.
Now if they could just mute out the idiocy of Landser shouting "Wir wollen allen sterben!!!"
Fantastic GTOS channel by Arch, I think these tutorials are essential for everyone playing this game.
Thanks for the link.
I'm affraid to admit i bought the game (and most addons when they were on sale) and never really got into it. Maybe this will help.
I'm all in on Graviteam. For the last3 weeks I have been playing "operation Hooper" exclusivly. Love that 80's light armor. Th best for me is the artillery. The graphics and destruction are amazing. I just stop everything and watch my mortars tear up infantry
Quote from: mikeck on June 28, 2015, 01:16:23 PM
I'm all in on Graviteam. For the last3 weeks I have been playing "operation Hooper" exclusivly. Love that 80's light armor. Th best for me is the artillery. The graphics and destruction are amazing. I just stop everything and watch my mortars tear up infantry
For me, the downside is that infantry is considerably weak in this game.
Not sure about the WW2 scenarios...maybe. But in Hooper they seem ok. Dismounted they do reasonably well. Many of the infantry companies can be reinforced with support weapons like "Milan" ATGMs, recoiless rifles, .50 cal HMG and mortars. If you place them well and leave their native vehicle around for support, they do well.
My only complaint is that the friendly AI on the operations map is useless. They never attack where I want.
Also, as to infantry, I wish they would use cover a bit more...lots of running
Still, an infantry squad with an accompanying Milan ATGM is nasty
Ah yes. The modern campaigns have excellent tank killing capabilities. Even the lowly RPG can do the trick.
I've also been playing Hooper lately. I didn't even know that I can attach support AT squads in this game before I watched those videos. It makes fighting against Cuban APCs with infantry a bit easier..:p
These are pretty cool videos - I suspect I'm going to learn a lot about this game I didn't realize. The narrator's voice is messing with my head, though. Is he really British or is this actually an American doing a really poor imitation of an accent?
@tinkershuffle
Yeah, that's a biggie. Also, artillery is much better in the modern versions. Attach some mortars to your company HQ and they can really shred infantry.
I usually attach mortars and arty to HQ units and then ATGM and recoiless to my infantry only units and usually light armor to my more mobile units
Hint: some platoons are already "filled" and have no spots for a support unit. Wait a few battles and find one of the squads that is beat up: "disband it" which sends its leftover men and ammo to other squads. It also opens up a slot for support...if you have any left
Thanks for the tips but how do I exactly disband a squad, I can't seem to find that button anywhere?
I've always thought people over analyse GTOS UI etc. Really it's a case of clicking your unit, hitting space and choosing your order.
I do find the screen showing your units kills and casualties etc abit of a pain though trying to work it out, but it's no real biggy.
My one and only issue and it's a damn right pain is the lack of Germans ability to tale out a tank when up close and personal. So a Russian tank or two could come along say into a forest and wipe out two or three platoons when alot of the time there are Germans standing right next to it where in real life some one would have either dropped grenades into view slits or called in a few engineers to attach a magnetic mine to it or try a grenade bundle to take out the track..also it would be unlikely one or two tanks unsupported by Inf would have ventured into the Forest anyway. It's my major gripe with the game and if that was looked at the game would be near perfect really. However it doesn't look like the developers are willing to listen on this point. Saying all that GTOS is by far my favourite RTS game finally taking Close Combat 2 from the top spot.
There is always at least one thing in a game that stops it from becoming everything you want in he genre. Squad Battles it's no ammo count and the efficiency loss, Lock N Load Stalingrad is the bizarre spotting and no area fire rules that go against German urban combat doctrine used in Stalingrad.
Sill really looking forward to the Muis front.
Ww2 scenarios frustrated me too...so I play modern scenarios