AGEOD Civil war 2 battle planner

Rayfer · September 17, 2013, 08:49:04 AM

Looking at the screenshots on the Matrix site....is there any way to enlarge them? They are so small that it's hard to see the details on the maps and info windows. Am I missing something, can they be made larger?

Tuna · September 17, 2013, 09:13:34 AM

Matrix always has small screenshots.. they had a survey recently, that it looked like they inquiring how 'big' to make them, but nothing came of it.. I agree.. you want to see high resolution when checking out screen shots, to ensure that the game is a beautiful as your anticipate...

Looking at AJE, I would assume it's going to look pretty nice..

W8taminute · September 17, 2013, 09:28:07 AM

Quote from: Tuna on September 17, 2013, 08:17:31 AM

...I'm not allowed to use the Credit Card this month (cause we spent too much last month!)... So I guess I'm not a first day buyer :-[

I hear you Tuna. Save those pennies for next month! :)

mikeck · September 17, 2013, 09:53:29 AM

I think it looks more like Pride of nations in the graphic dept

bbmike · September 17, 2013, 11:03:49 AM

Don't know when I'll get a chance to play it but I bought it. I loved AGEOD games and this one looks awesome! And it's a 1gb download. There just has to be some goodness stuffed in there somewhere!

Grim.Reaper · September 17, 2013, 05:59:07 PM

Any first impressions yet?

mikeck · September 17, 2013, 06:34:03 PM

I just played around a bit. I like the update UI and the new unit counters. Far easier to see what's going on. Also, for once the map scrolls smoothly!

I can't say I like the text graphics that pop up with the tool tip. Look very "ms dos" but whatever, it's functional

It has borrowed a lot from AJE in terms of decisions. Previously, you would just select "draft". Now you pick the draft decision and place it on the state area you want. Not sure if there are national options.

Also, there is a simplified supply OPTION for you console gamers.

If you have played AJE, BOR or even ROP gold, you will be comfortable navigating around. If you haven't played since ACW, then you will be a little confused.

The tutorials seem to be MUCH better than in the original.
I am a but disappointed with the map graphics. The map is beautiful (as always) but the city structures and flags seem to have taken a step back from PoN. Just minor eye candy but it looks very dated.

As for gameplay, I can't tell yet. Some have said the Ai is good but a bit too aggressive. It is being addressed but playing with AI aggressiveness at medium or low should help

Grim.Reaper · September 17, 2013, 06:37:14 PM

Thank you sounds interesting. I could never wrap my head around the first one so I wonder if this version will click more with me.

mikeck · September 17, 2013, 06:40:53 PM

I think they have really made an effort to streamline a lot of things. You no longer need to draft replacements for example. It seems to have retained the complexity of the original ACW but streamlined it a bit. AGEOD games are complex and frustrating because you don't get a lot of help. They don't tell you why you can't so something. For example, you can't form a corp until some time in 1862. Doesn't tell you that though. Hopefully, this version has changed that.

They are worth learning because they are great games and once you learn the system, you can play a of them

tgb · September 17, 2013, 07:53:13 PM

I only played the first tutorial but I'm liking it better already. Having the interface and text scale is a boon to these aging eyes.

Nefaro · September 17, 2013, 08:03:02 PM

The counter art & generals faces look wonderful.

The rest of the artwork is.. meh. Still don't like the sterile interface. Seems more like they skimped on spending for art assets to me.

As long as the gameplay is solid, I'll pick it up at some point. With AGE games, there is always tweaking to be done to the mechanics on release, and I still have yet to finish all the AJE/BOR scenarios anyway.

JasonPratt · September 18, 2013, 07:53:08 AM

Behold the Matrix screenshots larger for whatever that may be worth! ;D

JasonPratt · September 18, 2013, 08:00:56 AM

I have to say, I'm not real fond of how the territory divisions are represented in this game, and some of those ocean divisions make no sense to me at all.

Rayfer · September 18, 2013, 08:03:07 AM

Well done JasonPratt....thanks! Matrix should take a lesson from this by enabling these larger screenshots; you can actually see what you are thinking about purchasing. I absolutely love the new look of the maps and counters...can't wait to get into this one.

MengJiao · September 18, 2013, 08:22:55 AM

Quote from: mikeck on September 17, 2013, 06:40:53 PM
I think they have really made an effort to streamline a lot of things. You no longer need to draft replacements for example. It seems to have retained the complexity of the original ACW but streamlined it a bit. AGEOD games are complex and frustrating because you don't get a lot of help. They don't tell you why you can't so something. For example, you can't form a corp until some time in 1862. Doesn't tell you that though. Hopefully, this version has changed that.

They are worth learning because they are great games and once you learn the system, you can play a of them

I don't know why the North can't form corps til 1862, but for the South, Jeff Davis did not want to give that much authority to Army commanders like Johnson and Beauregard. In fact it appears that Lee to some degree had to sneak his Corps (well just 2: Jackson and Longstreet) into being.