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First impressions - 11/24/2012 4:21:09 PM

Redmarkus5

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I DL'd today and played my first campaign battle.

1. Large, lovely maps. Very detailed, high rez and elegant on my 2560x1600 wide screen. These make all the difference for me and make it feel almost like a new game.

2. I removed the fog effects as they were annoying me - big improvement after I did that and it only took 30 seconds to edit the file: (open C:\Matrix Games\Close Combat Panthers in the Fog\DATA\BASE in notepad and then edit this text so that it shows all zeros instead of 4s "# Historical weather for each day (0 = Clear, 1 = overcast, 2 = light overcast, 3 = storm, 4 = morning fog)
0,0,0,0,0,0,0").

3. Unit movement appears essentially unchanged, but the infantry do suffer losses much more rapidly - keep them hidden if you can!

4. The FOW feels much more realistic than before.

5. I like the new unit icons and the campaign map effects.

If you enjoyed the series then you will definitely enjoy this. Looks like it has loads of modding potential as well and we can hope to see a series of mods and campaigns coming from the old CC modders. My first choice would be an East Front mod.

My recommendation is buy if you are OK with the usual wait for mods and patches. There's nothing I've seen so far that would stop me from enjoying this game.

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RE: First impressions - 11/24/2012 4:59:14 PM

Tejszd

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Thanks for posting your first impression redmarkus4! Would love to have your monitor, I assume a 27" since that resolution so high?

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RE: First impressions - 11/24/2012 5:37:23 PM

Redmarkus5

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Yes. It felt really big when I first got it, but now I wish for a bigger one!

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RE: First impressions - 11/24/2012 5:49:18 PM

wodin

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Damn..Inf die even quicker?! I hope in CC3D they revert back to the Inf of CC2..CC for me stood out because Inf weren't cannon fodder..such a shame.

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RE: First impressions - 11/24/2012 6:54:06 PM

xambrium

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i only wish for an BG unlock mod (vet mod!). i want to control a full company not a squad + support. The maps are way to big for the manpower brougt to the battle..

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RE: First impressions - 11/24/2012 7:12:42 PM

Redmarkus5

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Yes, I could do with more units on the map, that's true. I wonder if the AI could handle it though? I suspect not.

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RE: First impressions - 11/24/2012 7:31:11 PM

Uxbridge

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I've played these games on and off since the very first one. If there's anything I wanted - and always were curious about why it wasn't implemented - it was more soldiers commited to the battles. If, as Redmarkus suggest, the AI can't handle that, why not having the possibility to add new units to the empty slots as units are KIA? Reinforcements, sort of. As it is now, and always was, is that the beginning of a battle plays differently to the ending of it. There's a repetitive pattern in the game. Bet I'm not the only one running around the map, trying to gain points with an out-of-ammo mortar team?

But regardless, I always seem to return to CC, whatever anything else.

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RE: First impressions - 11/24/2012 8:01:54 PM

Redmarkus5

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Uxbridge

I've played these games on and off since the very first one. If there's anything I wanted - and always were curious about why it wasn't implemented - it was more soldiers commited to the battles. If, as Redmarkus suggest, the AI can't handle that, why not having the possibility to add new units to the empty slots as units are KIA? Reinforcements, sort of. As it is now, and always was, is that the beginning of a battle plays differently to the ending of it. There's a repetitive pattern in the game. Bet I'm not the only one running around the map, trying to gain points with an out-of-ammo mortar team?

But regardless, I always seem to return to CC, whatever anything else.

Excellent suggestion. Why didn't I think of that??? :)

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RE: First impressions - 11/24/2012 9:09:56 PM

Tejszd

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The reinforcement or later arriving troops as been suggested unfortunately I guess it has never made to the top whatever number to be included it seems....

Unfortunately there always seems to have to be some sort of comprise between the development duration and effort against the feature list no matter who had the code to do the next game.

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RE: First impressions - 11/24/2012 9:15:24 PM

xe5

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Unit movement has changed with the ability to mount/dismount vehicles. The chief advantage to this is delivering non-fatigued units to jump-off positions.

The option to remove the game clock and Force Morale displays (F8) increases FOW considerably.

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RE: First impressions - 11/24/2012 9:33:32 PM

xambrium

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i dont understand why the forcepool is mostly blocked to such few units. why should i take opel blitz or kubelwagen/jeeps if i dont have enough man to fight the battle at all?

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RE: First impressions - 11/24/2012 9:37:13 PM

Tejszd

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While towing is neat feature to finally have in the game most people will not bother with a taking a truck to tow the gun when they can take a fighting unit. The gun and truck should maybe be a pair???

< Message edited by Tejszd -- 11/25/2012 12:32:53 AM >

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RE: First impressions - 11/25/2012 12:02:45 AM

xe5

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quote:

ORIGINAL: xambrium
why should i take opel blitz or kubelwagen/jeeps if i dont have enough man to fight the battle at all?

That Opel Blitz might be the only way to move your PaK40 to a postion where it can engage the marauding M4s that are causing you to have even fewer men.

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RE: First impressions - 11/25/2012 1:06:06 AM

bairdlander2

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Have the unit graphics improved?Are there differant/improved sound effects of weapons and voices or is it the same as previous versions?

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RE: First impressions - 11/25/2012 11:26:50 AM

Southern Hunter

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quote:

ORIGINAL: xambrium

i dont understand why the forcepool is mostly blocked to such few units. why should i take opel blitz or kubelwagen/jeeps if i dont have enough man to fight the battle at all?

I have to agree that this is a problem.

Because there are only a few 'support' units selectable in each battle, I tend to take the best of them, which might include tanks or AT guns. I can't ever find a real reason to take bazookas, trucks, small guns, etc. 90% of your support assets are never used.

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RE: First impressions - 11/25/2012 2:50:06 PM

Redmarkus5

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quote:

ORIGINAL: bairdlander

Have the unit graphics improved?Are there differant/improved sound effects of weapons and voices or is it the same as previous versions?

All three of these are unchanged. The main visual change you will see is the maps.

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RE: First impressions - 11/25/2012 3:36:04 PM

Redmarkus5

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quote:

ORIGINAL: bairdlander

Have the unit graphics improved?Are there differant/improved sound effects of weapons and voices or is it the same as previous versions?

The one CC mystery I never resolved is, who is 'Moorhouse'? LOL

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RE: First impressions - 11/25/2012 5:18:45 PM

xe5

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Aussie Ross 'Future' Moorhouse, CC modman.

Soldier/vehicle scale is improved by the increase in map scale. Tanks can have 2 paint schemes. Nato style unit icons have replaced the star/cross team info icons on the tactical map and the stylized unit icons on the overview map. Terrain graphics (entrenchments/shellhole/rubble) are new as are the very well done explosion effects.

I expect we'll hear some of the old John Johnson (man of many voices) - Speed of Sound studio sfx in the future 3D CCs :}

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RE: First impressions - 11/25/2012 6:17:56 PM

Pvt_Grunt

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quote:

ORIGINAL: redmarkus4

The one CC mystery I never resolved is, who is 'Moorhouse'? LOL

And former ANZAC clan leader.

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RE: First impressions - 11/25/2012 7:42:20 PM

Redmarkus5

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Ah... well now I know. That explains why panicked soldiers call for his help... I had assumed he must be the medic in every platoon.

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RE: First impressions - 11/25/2012 9:00:42 PM

SteveMcClaire

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quote:

ORIGINAL: redmarkus4
The one CC mystery I never resolved is, who is 'Moorhouse'? LOL

You might even wonder why you keep hearing cries of "MICK!" when a US soldiers gets hit. :)

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RE: First impressions - 11/25/2012 9:47:47 PM

Redmarkus5

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Irish Medic?

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RE: First impressions - 11/25/2012 10:21:07 PM

xe5

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Steve McClaire
You might even wonder why you keep hearing cries of "MICK!" when a US soldiers gets hit. :)

Makes a great ringtone ;}

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RE: First impressions - 11/26/2012 7:41:21 AM

Pvt_Grunt

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Sounds like just some hooligan...

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RE: First impressions - 11/26/2012 7:52:38 AM

squadleader_id

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Love the new explosion effects! Wow! Great work!
I don't really see the 32 bit graphics to be much of an upgrade...maps in 16 bit were fine and detailed enough in previous versions.
Trees look great...but IMO too large and distracts from gameplay (sure they can be turned off...but...).

BTW, with the 32 bit graphics upgrade...why are the menu screens (BG, Soldier, Stratmap etc) still not stretched full screen and locked at 800x600 res??? �I hate having to squint hard to enjoy rank details, unit graphics, weapon art etc!!

Please devs bring back weapon name details in the soldier screens!!!

The sounds are too basic...weapons sounds are fine (stock stuff from previous versions)...background battle noise are almost non existent. �Good thing we can mod the soundfiles with the old tools.

The fog...arrrghhh...get rid of it! I kept getting urges to wipe my screen clean when this sophisticated brand new effect blankets the battlefield �

I like the BG setup with more realistic OOB&TOE...but might cause probs with fun gameplay though.

Minor nitpicky things in the graphics...some new rank graphics but Panzer crews are still depicted wearing infantry collar tabs

�Haven't checked what the devs assigned for Assault Gun crew rank graphics.

Well...at least PitF resparked my interest in CC after long months of CC burnout and denial �

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RE: First impressions - 11/26/2012 8:04:10 AM

Tejszd

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Welcome back squadleader_id!

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RE: First impressions - 11/26/2012 9:03:53 AM

squadleader_id

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Tejszd

Welcome back squadleader_id!

Thanks, Tejszd!
I hope the PitF bugs won't force me back into CC semiretirement

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RE: First impressions - 11/26/2012 11:37:59 AM

squadleader_id

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I don't like the new interface for the Battle Screens (gamegadg)...needs unneccessary getting used to and I tend to automatically scan the now missing info bar at the bottom of the screen...now we have to scan left or right for the squad icons.

Some questions about the interface screens changes:
- BG Screen, once again...please bring back weapons names/info...weapon icons only with no pop up info? Why???
- Why are BGUnit pics (team/squad info) now missing from the Soldiers screen? It's harder to keep tracks of individual teams...the soldiers and stat are there...but no info on what type of unit/squad/team they are. Sure you can tell the units apart by memorizing the tiny BGunit/team icons at the bottom of the screen...but why delete the team info at the top of the screen? This simple feature worked well all these years in previous CC version.

Oh...did I say I love the explosion effects

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RE: First impressions - 11/27/2012 3:59:57 AM

Southernland

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quote:

ORIGINAL: squadleader_id

I don't like the new interface for the Battle Screens (gamegadg)...needs unneccessary getting used to and I tend to automatically scan the now missing info bar at the bottom of the screen...now we have to scan left or right for the squad icons.

takes a couple of days to get used to it.

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RE: First impressions - 11/27/2012 4:08:45 AM

Veldor

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From the perspective of someone who played all the original CC games, but none of the Matrix remakes thus far, I'm really loving the new version. For me the graphics are a huge improvement and very stunning. All of the other improvements seem logical and I do like the new UI layoutl I have only a single complaint in that I also do not like the fog for the scenarios that have it.

I actually thought something was wrong with the game when I first loaded it up and the colors were all washed out... Its just too dramatic and all encompassing. Maybe this is where a 3D engine would help create more of a rolling fog effect rather than a sort of photoshopped layered effect. Perhaps just an increase in transparancy (even if just a customizable option) would assist? I don't really see that it adds much in the way of realism.. Its still just as easy to see/not see the enemy and your own forces visually. It only adds an annoyance factor and belittles the gorgeous graphics this version otherwise shines for (I do run it at max supported resolution so perhaps thats also helping it look REALLY REALLY improved to me over previous versions)..

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