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A Question Before Purchasing - 7/13/2009 5:38:37 PM

Zebedee
Matrix Hero

Posts: 535
Joined: 8/30/2005
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Hi all,

forgive me if this rambles, but I'm a bit disconsolate. You see, I have the original Talonsoft games (and much played and loved they were too 10 years ago) but trying to install them on a Windows XP is just too much of a chore (Waterloo and Prelude to Waterloo install through dark arts, Borodino doesn't) and the original Talonsoft patches return errors making it impossible to update with the John Tiller 32-bit patch. (Old File Does Not Exist errors).

So I'd like to ask a couple questions if I may.

Are the Battleground Napoleonic games the exact same games as were released by Talonsoft with John Tiller's independant 32 bit patch applied? Or have they been updated to be more similar to the HPS Campaign games? (And when are HPS going to allow Matrix to offer direct downloads so I can get stuck into their games!).

Has there been any work done on AI scripting over the years to help improve things for solo players (PBEM just isn't possible for me in any game because I have mental health problems)?

I've got such a yen for loading up Borodino that I'm pretty much assured of buying the games again, but I'm just a tad frustrated after spending a week scouring the net for ways to make the old Talonsoft games function.

If anyone could point the way to some good 2d/3d graphic mods for the series, I'd be very grateful too.

Many thanks guys,

Simon 'I wouldn't be a grognard if I didn't grumble' Williams

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RE: A Question Before Purchasing - 7/13/2009 6:27:15 PM

berto
Matrix Legion of Merit

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I had the original BGS games from Talonsoft. As far as I can tell, there are few if any surface differences between the Talonsoft and Matrix versions. The Matrix versions run just fine under Windows XP, of course. (Also, with a few minor problems, under Linux Wine. See my other thread on this topic.)

There are no graphical or AI advances in the vanilla Matrix BGS versions, AFAIK.

For the ACW games, I use the 3D graphical mods at the

ACW Campaign Games Design Center

Click on the Graphics link. I use Rolf Hall's 3D graphics mods. They work quite well.

IMO, maybe the best reason to update to the latest Matrix version of BGS, and to tie back into the BGS series, is to make use of the 100+ Napoleonic scenarios at the

Napoleonic Archive

I have played through several of the scenarios, and I find them to be of high quality, and great fun.

I have had less success with identifying and playing ACW scenarios for the BGS series. I find the HPS games to much superior in any case (although I still value Matrix' BGS ACW titles, if only for the added scenarios).

Read through some of the other threads in this BGS sub-forum. Some people are still modding and creating scenarios for the series. This is great. Thanks again, guys.

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RE: A Question Before Purchasing - 7/13/2009 6:57:17 PM

Zebedee
Matrix Hero

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Thanks Berto (same Berto who frequents AGEOD forums?). The links are much appreciated, although I doubt I'll be buying the ACW games again.

I was looking at Simovitch's work and was very, very impressed.

Guess it's time to indulge myself and get my Napoleonic games updated. I've missed Poniatowski's V Corps and my uhlans. :)

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RE: A Question Before Purchasing - 7/13/2009 7:40:24 PM

berto
Matrix Legion of Merit

Posts: 20708
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From: metro Chicago, Illinois, USA
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Zebedee

Thanks Berto (same Berto who frequents AGEOD forums?). The links are much appreciated, although I doubt I'll be buying the ACW games again.

One and the same.

Because of the Napoleonic Archives, there is much more value in purchasing Battleground Napoleonic Wars than Battleground Civil War.

quote:

I was looking at Simovitch's work and was very, very impressed.

Yes, most impressive.

(I know you probably won't buy BGS Civil War, but Luciano B is working on some Wilderness and Spottsylvania (and Cold Harbor?) scenarios that I drool in anticipation for.)

quote:

Guess it's time to indulge myself and get my Napoleonic games updated. I've missed Poniatowski's V Corps and my uhlans. :)

There's much life in this old series still!

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RE: A Question Before Purchasing - 7/14/2009 1:06:13 AM

Zebedee
Matrix Hero

Posts: 535
Joined: 8/30/2005
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Cheers Berto. Hopefully some AI experimentation will proceed as I really don't want to end up having to play myself across several battles so that by the time I finish one turn with one side and move onto the next (rinse repeating across several battles) I've forgotten the unit positions in the first battle I did.

Was hoping that Campaign Eckmuhl would be an upgrade but after a couple of weeks of playing it, the AI just doesn't function in any scenario I get my teeth into.

Shame really, but a common one and the answer of 'well play PBEM' which has become the stock answer seems to miss the whole point of having a computer version of a boardgame for me.

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RE: A Question Before Purchasing - 7/14/2009 6:08:52 AM

V22 Osprey
Matrix Elite Guard

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From: Corona, CA
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quote:

ORIGINAL: berto
Because of the Napoleonic Archives, there is much more value in purchasing Battleground Napoleonic Wars than Battleground Civil War.

Plus in Napoleonic Wars you get Age of Sail.Dont get me wrong, love BG Cvil War.(I have both Matrix Packages including the Campaign Series)

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RE: A Question Before Purchasing - 7/14/2009 9:02:19 AM

berto
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From: metro Chicago, Illinois, USA
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I prefer to play this series of games hot-seat solitaire, with maximum FOW (both formal, and pretend) and "house rules" (thinking as the real commanders would, avoiding anything gamey). Rather more like historical puzzles than competitive games. I still have fun and get a good experience out of it.

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RE: A Question Before Purchasing - 7/14/2009 4:29:06 PM

Zebedee
Matrix Hero

Posts: 535
Joined: 8/30/2005
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Definitely agree with using House Rules. Mind you, most of my house rules are those used by the PBEM community (so fairly historic use of forces) and to be honest, they seem to multiply the player's advantage over the AI.

Just playing Waterloo at the moment as the Allies. The AI actually doing fairly well as I'm so out of practice with using the phases correctly (formation changes at the right time would really help :D). Still, I haven't thrown any monkeys holding spanners at the AI yet and I'm thinking when the French flanks get hit, those concentrated AI formations are going to rout like there's no tomorrow. The Ai does seem to love bouncing itself against Chateaux which is never good to see - 800 light cavalry charging a chateau gate isn't my idea of a cunning plan.

Can't believe how good it is to be playing these games again.

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RE: A Question Before Purchasing - 7/14/2009 5:18:42 PM

Erik Rutins
Matrix Games Staff

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From: Vermont, USA
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Zebedee
Are the Battleground Napoleonic games the exact same games as were released by Talonsoft with John Tiller's independant 32 bit patch applied? Or have they been updated to be more similar to the HPS Campaign games? (And when are HPS going to allow Matrix to offer direct downloads so I can get stuck into their games!).

Has there been any work done on AI scripting over the years to help improve things for solo players (PBEM just isn't possible for me in any game because I have mental health problems)?

The games themselves are the same as the originals + final patch, but John worked with us to also fix some strange bugs and issues the original games had with Windows XP and especially Vista, so these are actually more up to date than the final independent 32 bit patches that were released.

Regards,

- Erik

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RE: A Question Before Purchasing - 7/14/2009 6:23:33 PM

Zebedee
Matrix Hero

Posts: 535
Joined: 8/30/2005
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

quote:

ORIGINAL: Zebedee
Are the Battleground Napoleonic games the exact same games as were released by Talonsoft with John Tiller's independant 32 bit patch applied? Or have they been updated to be more similar to the HPS Campaign games? (And when are HPS going to allow Matrix to offer direct downloads so I can get stuck into their games!).

Has there been any work done on AI scripting over the years to help improve things for solo players (PBEM just isn't possible for me in any game because I have mental health problems)?

The games themselves are the same as the originals + final patch, but John worked with us to also fix some strange bugs and issues the original games had with Windows XP and especially Vista, so these are actually more up to date than the final independent 32 bit patches that were released.

Regards,

- Erik

Thanks Eric. It's good to be able to play on both Vista (laptop) and XP (desktop) - especially with the patches; although I do miss my 'ghost' squadrons of Mamelukes. :D

For the amount of time I'll play these games (and with the mod work available), I think £26 is a fair enough price (bought the 2 year download licence as well).

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Post #: 10

RE: A Question Before Purchasing - 8/19/2009 1:44:11 AM

htuna
Matrix Hero

Posts: 591
Joined: 1/19/2009
From: Boston, MA
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Berto.. will the graphics mod work for the Matrix Campaign Series?.. or are they for HPS only?.. thinking of buying this too

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RE: A Question Before Purchasing - 8/23/2009 3:43:34 PM

berto
Matrix Legion of Merit

Posts: 20708
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From: metro Chicago, Illinois, USA
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quote:

ORIGINAL: cmurphy625

Berto.. will the graphics mod work for the Matrix Campaign Series?.. or are they for HPS only?.. thinking of buying this too

Sorry, I wasn't clear.

The graphics mods at the ACW Campaign Games Design Center are for the HPS titles. I don't know of any graphics mods for the Matrix BGS series.

The "Campaign Series"? If by that you mean John Tiller's WW2 series of games, I haven't explored graphics mods for those games. I like those games' default graphics as is.

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RE: A Question Before Purchasing - 8/23/2009 5:47:04 PM

htuna
Matrix Hero

Posts: 591
Joined: 1/19/2009
From: Boston, MA
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Sorry.. I meant the Civil War Series.... no biggie.. picked up the game and must say it is an old GEM... lol only wish everything wasn't so tiny (resolutions are so much higher now)

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Post #: 13