Panzer Command: Ostfront announced

[Redwolf]

I think they finally got some sense kicked into them. No more reaction phase and 60 seconds straight turns. I always felt the 20+20 thing was just a thing to be different that players never benefited from.

The 50+ units are kind of cheating since, that is my understanding, these are player-contributed models. But they still deserve credit for it for making the game be able to load user-supplied 3D models in the first place. Didn't seem to have killed their market, eh? Overall the low number of units still make you wonder how Steve put so much into CMBB. And why CMBB sold so much better than PzC.

What was the deal with entering buildings in PzC now? I lost track.

 

[Kineas]

I dont's consider non-destructible terrain so much a problem. I'm a bit worried about the arty, that just seemed false to me in the previous version. Hopefully the moddability will let us see (and play with) the arty rules.

If it's truly a moddable, rulebook-driven game then it will have significant staying power in the community.

 

[Kineas]

The 50+ units are kind of cheating since, that is my understanding, these are player-contributed models. But they still deserve credit for it for making the game be able to load user-supplied 3D models in the first place. Didn't seem to have killed their market, eh? Overall the low number of units still make you wonder how Steve put so much into CMBB. And why CMBB sold so much better than PzC.

AFAIK it was easy to create new units, I wanted to send you an XML fragment when I realized I had uninstalled the game a few weeks ago. Oh well...

 

[mOBIUS]

I think they finally got some sense kicked into them. No more reaction phase and 60 seconds straight turns. I always felt the 20+20 thing was just a thing to be different that players never benefited from.

Actually, most who had an option of 60 second turns went back to the 40:40 turns after realizing how regimented the 60 second turns are.
I will stick with the 2 phase turns.

 

[Redwolf]

Actually, most who had an option of 60 second turns went back to the 40:40 turns after realizing how regimented the 60 second turns are.
I will stick with the 2 phase turns.

In PBEM?

 

[jimcrowley]

I tried the original demo of PC, way back, but felt that it was a under-weight clone of CMBB with a few novelties. The second game in the series looked a lot better but, from what I could discern, the infantry model still looked under-represented, the map limit too small and the lack of destructible buildings was a problem for me.

CM:O looks very impressive and as an upgrade for existing owners it must be a fantastic boon. However, as a prospective buyer, I am still somewhat deterred by the lack of destructible buildings. Perhaps I am attributing undue importance to that lack but Palantirs' comments mirror my own thoughts.

I will watch this space with interest, though and maybe I will be swayed if everything else looks as good as it sounds.

 

[ERutins]

Hi guys,

Thanks for your interest! I think you will love Panzer Command: Ostfront, we got something like 90% of the wish list items from Kharkov in there and many other improvements and new features too. I'm biased of course, but I think it will be worth your time to keep an eye on it. We will also have a demo available for the release to help nudge you off the fence .

On the question of destructible buildings, that's planned for the next release. However, we did improve how buildings are handled. Infantry can auto-mount buildings as part of their movement now and every building will tell you if it is "light" or "heavy" and how many squads it can hold if you click on it on the map. Light buildings provide less cover than Heavy and all buildings have a chance of providing no cover (modeling a shell that penetrates the exterior and explodes inside) which increases based on the size and power of the shell. That 350mm HE shell someone mentioned would have no problem blowing squads out of buildings in Panzer Command: Ostfront.

Regards,

- Erik

 

[jimcrowley]

OK Erik, good answer. If it is just a case of cosmetics, I can live with that.

Given that the theatre will likely be different for the next release (Normandy?) will destructible buildings be able to be retro-fitted to CM:O?

 

[ERutins]

Yes, our goal is to leave no content behind, so when we add destructible buildings it should work with the previous maps and scenarios.

 

[Geordie]

Yes, our goal is to leave no content behind, so when we add destructible buildings it should work with the previous maps and scenarios.

That is a refreshing change. I like the idea of games being back supported in this way. It won't stop me playing any new games of course, but may make me want to return to the old ones when I know they've been I improved upon. I like this kind of thing from game designers. It also encourages me to buy games knowing they will be retro updated with any new features.

Looking forward to this update, however, I do think you need to get it out before other upcoming games.

 

[Redwolf]

I will but it for sure. My questions are just out of interest.

Can somebody give the breakup of current artillery operating in PzC? It has been a long time since I fired it up.

 

[Rickie]

In PBEM?

I started one PBM game using the option for no reaction phase. If I recall, a new test build interupted the game, so we didn't finish BUT, I can tell you that the PBM system has been reworked and is really easy to use now, especially if you use an online file server (like DropBox).

Thanks,
rick
beta team member

 

[KG_Jag]

As a CM x 1 fanatic and PC-K owner, this is great news. Matrix, while having their faults, listens to it customers (really--not just words) and has a project driven (at least in part) by gamers like us--except much more talented and dedicated. Matrix uses serial number activation and has no chain servers or eLicense.

Watch out BF--Matrix is going in the direction that you abandoned with CMSF and your new RT engine. While I will, like President Reagan: "trust but verify", this is better than any news than has come from BF in about 5 years.

 

[mOBIUS]

I dont's consider non-destructible terrain so much a problem.

Destructible terrain is an interesting game feature but mostly cosmetic. No one has successfully implemented this realistically by calculating ergs at a distance vs. structure bearing walls.

 

[thewood]

I can't actually remember if you could do turn replays in PC...can you?

This is still very good news. The key will be the strength of the TacAI. CM's, for all its little warts, was better than anything before it. The old article I wrote comparing CM and PC highlighted the weaknesses of PC's TacAI.

As I have said before and Redwolf mentioned, this also highlights the huge amount of work BFC put into CMBB. It has everything and the kitchen sink. BFC should have pushed out three modules for that.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

On the subject of destructible buildings, I'm fine with it. I posted this at the PZ:O forum:

Destructible buildings are something I can live with for now.

The difference in "game terms" in tactical games is basically one of a slightly different modifier - rubble vs. building walls. Collapsed buildings offer no LOS height advantage (or block to LOS). But other than that, the differences are minor. AFVs still can't drive through them; they still impede infantry moving through them. etc.

I think it should be ok. In fact, the animations of destructible buildings in CM:SF were mostly goofy and kind of pulled you out of the game - did more harm than good, really.

 

[Palantir]

Hi guys, ... Regards, - Erik

Are you kidding me!! :surprise:
We barely start talking PC-O and the Director of Product Development and Business Relations, Matrix Games is here posting and answering our questions?
Excellent! :nofear:

A company that seems to understand what Business Relations are all about. :salute:

Another good reason to check out the game.

 

[Rickie]

I will but it for sure. My questions are just out of interest.

Can somebody give the breakup of current artillery operating in PzC? It has been a long time since I fired it up.

Here is at least a partial list of some of the Artillery, Most (but not all) of these are off-map units. there are some smaller mortars and inf. guns as well.

82mm Mortar.xml
82mm Katyusha Launcher.xml
81mm Mortar.xml 1,471
76mm Towed Artillery.xml
152mm Towed Artillery.xml
150mm Towed Artillery.xml
150mm SP Artillery.xml
150mm sIG33.xml
132mm Katyusha Launcher.xml
12cm GrW 42.xml
122mm Towed Artillery.xml
122mm M1938.xml
120mm Mortar.xml
105mm Towed Artillery.xml
105mm SP Artillery.xml
Wespe.xml
ZIS-2.xml
105mm s 10cm K18.xml
ZIS-3.xml

thanks,
Rick

 

[Mad Russian]

What?

No T-28's?

Yeah, no T-28's yet. That makes it like, oh I don't know, every other tactical computer game that has issues with multiple turrets.....that is on the fix list however.

FIE! FIE ON THEM!! I WOULD RATHER BUY A BURNT **** FROM A DRUNKEN IRISHMAN THAN BUY PANZERCOMMAND!!

As soon as you get it you and I will go head to head in one of your famous DAR's. I owe you from a couple of CM thrashings anyway.

Good Hunting.

MR

 

[Rickie]

I can't actually remember if you could do turn replays in PC...can you?

You can "rewind" the turn and have it run from any point. The message log is really pretty useful for checking back on what happened in prior turns. You select a unit, all of the msgs pertaining to that unit get highlighted in the msg log (even for prior turns).

thanks
rick
beta team member