Ultimate General gameplay footage..

[GDS_Starfury]

I get the impression that Morgan Freeman should be doing any and all narration.

[JudgeDredd]

I get the impression that Morgan Freeman should be doing any and all narration.

How absolutely cool that would be! Black God narrating the briefings!  :D

[GDS_Starfury]

ah but here's the topper.  Freeman does the overall and Union voice overs but James Earl Jones does the Confederacy voice overs.

[GDS_Starfury]

if Relic could get Yes to do the Homeworld sound track this should be a no brainer.

[JudgeDredd]

ah but here's the topper.  Freeman does the overall and Union voice overs but James Earl Jones does the Confederacy voice overs.

Are you being serious? Or is this a "wishlist"?

Another cool feature of this game is when you exit and go back in, you can press the CONTINUE button and you start where you left off.

By the way - I can't seem to issue orders when paused and I thought someone said you could. Can others?

A couple of other things needed - edge of map scrolling and scroll speed

This weekend I'm going to mess about with the AI options - see what the differences are. (I mean hopefully I will, because I'm out watching X-Men again and on Sunday I have Scotland in Colchester)

[vyshka]

Morgan Freeman can narrate anything:

[fabius]

ah but here's the topper.  Freeman does the overall and Union voice overs but James Earl Jones does the Confederacy voice overs.

By the way - I can't seem to issue orders when paused and I thought someone said you could. Can others?

A couple of other things needed - edge of map scrolling and scroll speed

This weekend I'm going to mess about with the AI options - see what the differences are. (I mean hopefully I will, because I'm out watching X-Men again and on Sunday I have Scotland in Colchester)

Yes- I pause and order a lot with the <P> key. I'd prefer spacebar pause though.

So far I've had a blast on balance AI settings. The main thing I've noticed with this is that the Union have mounted serious counterattacks. Sometimes stealing a major VP to swing victory condition close to the end. So I'm making the conscious decision to keep a reserve.

[JudgeDredd]

I paused the game by clicking the play/pause button, but I couldn't issue orders. So I wonder if P acts differently??  ???

[Grim.Reaper]

Jd, haven't had a chance to play but saw your comment about it needing map edge scrolling...that doesn't exist?  What method is currently used?  Keys?

[JudgeDredd]

I haven't checked what other methods are there...but right clicking and dragging is the option I found...

I wonder if map edge scrolling doesn't work because I have window mode set? I'll have to have a look

[fabius]

I paused the game by clicking the play/pause button, but I couldn't issue orders. So I wonder if P acts differently??  ???

I wonder too. I think that I used that pause button too- but worth trying P. At the current pace I couldn't play without pauses

WASD keys also move the map. Hmmm, I may try non windowed mode too.

Edit: the short online guide is worth a once over:

http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/746-online-short-guide/

[RedArgo]

How does this compare to Scourge of War?  More or less complex, easier to get into?

I've started the tutorials on SoW, but I find myself getting turned around or losing track of units, or having them march off in the wrong direction, because I had the general selected and he took all his regiments with him.

Thanks.

[Jarhead0331]

How does this compare to Scourge of War?  More or less complex, easier to get into?

I've started the tutorials on SoW, but I find myself getting turned around or losing track of units, or having them march off in the wrong direction, because I had the general selected and he took all his regiments with him.

Thanks.

LOL. Just about the only thing that is similar in these two games is that they both cover the Civil War.  UG is nowhere near as complex as SoW. Very easy to dive right in.

[Jarhead0331]

Playing against the "balanced" AI, I managed to win the Battle of Gettysburg as the Confederates with 33,000 victory points and at a loss of 15,697 men, Much better than my historical counterparts.  The Union, meanwhile, lost with 20,000 victory points and 20,641 losses. The game does not identify losses as KIA or WIA.   

[JudgeDredd]

The more I play this, the more I love it.

BUT - I have some slight reservations. I'm in love with the style and the immersion and the flow....but...what control do I have? It's early - so the question is rhetorical...I just don't know at the moment. I can move troops forward. I can make them fall back. I can set their facing. I can make them halt and hold and run and walk. But can I affect much more than that? Do I have to?

They'll flee on their own and, seemingly rally on their own. I'm still struggling to see what part commanders do. I don't know if they slow morale loss or whether they rally troops quicker...it's a hard thing to gauge with the speed and depth of the battle.

I think the answer to the first question is yes...by moving my commanders about...I hope...though I can't say I've noticed moving a commander into a low morale, fleeing unit's range makes them rally quicker.

The answer to the second question is...at the moment no. The game is a blast. But - if there's no randomness. If the replayability is low, then the answer would seem to be yes.

But...having said that, it's a superb little game. It drags you right in.  :)