Breaking into the great Paradox abyss

[undercovergeek]

I think Nefaro got it right -- from the Pdox site (all caps are from cut&paste, I'm not shouting  :)) -- for Their Finest Hour --

"NEEDS HEARTS OF IRON III COLLECTION OR HEARTS OF IRON III, SEMPER FI AND FOR THE MOTHERLAND TO PLAY"

im stumped, my library just shows HOI III, no mention of TFH but when i start the game its definitely TFH - shrug

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

Paradox gave me a copy of HOI III collection (can't remember why).  When I decided to sit down and learn it, I picked up Their Finest Hour as well as a few DLC that sounded interesting.  I found out that Their Finest Hour made some pretty drastic changes to the core game mechanics and, because of that, most of the older DLC wouldn't work with TFH.  I get a dual .exe option in the HOI III game folder.  I can either play Their Finest Hour or I can play For The Motherland.  If I choose the latter, I can use all the DLC stuff I bought.  I can't if I choose TFH.

[Nefaro]

Yes, I bought Hearts of Iron 3 Collection quite a while ago on Gamersgate and have been slowly adding the DLC's released after I bought it.

Here's an interesting question: if you bought the Collection a while ago and there has been expansions and DLC's released since you bought and installed it, if you reinstall it from Gamersgate and even Steam, will you get all of the DLC's released after you bought the Collection? I mean Steam's current HOI3 Collection lists all expansions and DLC's included so if you bought the Collection two years ago, can you reinstall it now and get everything?

No.  The "Collection" version doesn't come with TFH.  IIRC.  YMMV.  CYA.   So you'll have to buy that separately if you haven't already.  It was released after the Collection version.

Paradox gave me a copy of HOI III collection (can't remember why).  When I decided to sit down and learn it, I picked up Their Finest Hour as well as a few DLC that sounded interesting.  I found out that Their Finest Hour made some pretty drastic changes to the core game mechanics and, because of that, most of the older DLC wouldn't work with TFH.  I get a dual .exe option in the HOI III game folder.  I can either play Their Finest Hour or I can play For The Motherland. If I choose the latter, I can use all the DLC stuff I bought.  I can't if I choose TFH.

Now this is really odd.  I've never seen a Pdox game do such a thing before.  Was TFH originally a mod that changed lots of stuff or something?  Maybe they had a last moment modular install decision.  All game series should these days!

If this is the case then you probably don't need the previous expansions, as UCG says.

[WallysWorld]

Yes, I bought Hearts of Iron 3 Collection quite a while ago on Gamersgate and have been slowly adding the DLC's released after I bought it.

Here's an interesting question: if you bought the Collection a while ago and there has been expansions and DLC's released since you bought and installed it, if you reinstall it from Gamersgate and even Steam, will you get all of the DLC's released after you bought the Collection? I mean Steam's current HOI3 Collection lists all expansions and DLC's included so if you bought the Collection two years ago, can you reinstall it now and get everything?

No.  The "Collection" version doesn't come with TFH.  IIRC.  YMMV.  CYA.   So you'll have to buy that separately if you haven't already.  It was released after the Collection version.

Actually TFH is listed as being part of the Collection on Steam right now:  http://store.steampowered.com/sub/37223/ In fact, I see Semper Fi and FTM as well along with the newest DLC's listed with this package. I don't see anything missing.

[Nefaro]

Actually TFH is listed as being part of the Collection on Steam right now:  http://store.steampowered.com/sub/37223/ In fact, I see Semper Fi and FTM as well along with the newest DLC's listed with this package. I don't see anything missing.

That may be the case with buying the latest "Collection" version from Steam.  I dunno.  I had bought my Collection version from Gamersgate a couple years ago and it doesn't have TFH, as shown:

http://www.gamersgate.com/DD-HOI3C/hearts-of-iron-3-collection

TFH was released after I bought this one and, AFAIK, was never added to it.

*shrug*

[Greybriar]

Actually TFH is listed as being part of the Collection on Steam right now:  http://store.steampowered.com/sub/37223/ In fact, I see Semper Fi and FTM as well along with the newest DLC's listed with this package. I don't see anything missing.

Score one for Steam. Apparently Steam collections of Paradox games are more complete than the GamersGate collections.

[jomni]

I am pure Steam now. Avoiding GG as much as possible.

[Nefaro]

I am pure Steam now. Avoiding GG as much as possible.

Why?  A bunch of the GG stuff is just Steam keys anymore.

[jomni]

Yeah.  I mean I get Steam codes from a lot of sources.  I prefer games in Steam now because of easy patching.  My GG experience wasn't too nice because of slow download times in my location.

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

I prefer GG versions to Steam.  I usually play Paradox titles on my laptop when I'm traveling or on night-shift.  Even if I put Steam into offline mode before I leave, it sometimes "forgets" and tries to start normally and then won't let me play my games.  With GG, I don't have to worry about online connections.

[Nefaro]

I prefer GG versions to Steam.  I usually play Paradox titles on my laptop when I'm traveling or on night-shift.  Even if I put Steam into offline mode before I leave, it sometimes "forgets" and tries to start normally and then won't let me play my games.  With GG, I don't have to worry about online connections.

Moot point with some publishers, since they've gone Steam-only. 

I guess packaging patches and uploading them to more than one retailer is too much work.  ::)


We can supposedly run Paradox titles straight from their install folder, but I'm not sure if that's still the case with all the Steam integration they've done in their newest titles.

[Yskonyn]

I prefer GG versions to Steam.  I usually play Paradox titles on my laptop when I'm traveling or on night-shift.  Even if I put Steam into offline mode before I leave, it sometimes "forgets" and tries to start normally and then won't let me play my games.  With GG, I don't have to worry about online connections.

You dont have to put Steam in offline mode in advance.
Once you are at a location without internet, Steam will ask you if you want to continue in offline mode. But it does take some time. I seems to be waiting for a time-out or something. Definately could be improved.
But AFAIK you can always run Steam in offline mode on the fly. I do that often on my laptop too when I am abroad.

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

Not my experience.  I just get a message telling me there's no connection and it doesn't give me an option for offline mode.  It's unreliable and it often "forgets" that it's been put into offline mode. 

[Nefaro]

Not my experience.  I just get a message telling me there's no connection and it doesn't give me an option for offline mode.  It's unreliable and it often "forgets" that it's been put into offline mode.

I've also had it tell me that I need to log into Steam in the past, after having it in Offline Mode a few days, and it wouldn't let me do anything else until I did. 

[Rayfer]

My reorganized western divisions swept through the Netherlands. All Dutch provinces are occupied, but those stubborn SOBs refuse to capitulate. Their divisions fight on. I've also swung into parts of Belgium, but like the Dutch, they are putting up one hell of a fight. I sustained heavy losses taking Antwerp and Brussels just does not want to fall. My last attack cost me over 9000 men. It's still 1940, and I'm confident the Dutch and Flemish will surrender...the question is, can I force that before the French go on the offensive?

Although the French are assisting Belgium and holland with considerable divisions, they seem to have the majority of their forces guarding our mutual border. I want it stay that way, even though I'm forced to commit considerable forces on the border, as well. If the French attacked into Germany, I suspect it would tip the balance in the allies' favor. My units fighting in Holland and Belgium are tired.

The Russians seem to be quiet too. I need that war to stay cold for now.

JH...does the campaign continue? I was enjoying your updates, they read like an AAR. Have you invaded France?