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JaguarUSF -> Review @ Out of Eight (2/27/2008 10:35:04 PM)

A review of Battle of Britain II – Wings of Victory has been posted at Out of Eight PC Game Reviews:
http://jaguarusf.blogspot.com/2008/02/battle-of-britain-ii-wings-of-victory.html
Enjoy!



ravinhood -> RE: Review @ Out of Eight (2/28/2008 3:51:56 AM)

Hahaha I found this line pretty funny.

quote:

(2.06) has been re-re-released by Matrix Games in their continuing effort to re-release every game ever made (see previous examples here and here and here and here, plus a couple of others I didn't review).



JaguarUSF -> RE: Review @ Out of Eight (2/28/2008 7:28:47 PM)

It's funny because it's true.



Erik Rutins -> RE: Review @ Out of Eight (2/28/2008 9:03:09 PM)

It may take us a while, but we'll get there! [;)]



Grell -> RE: Review @ Out of Eight (2/28/2008 10:34:40 PM)

LOL! That's the style Erik! [:)]


Regards,

Grell



buddye -> RE: Review @ Out of Eight (2/29/2008 7:42:44 AM)

It is very rare for me to comment on a reviewer's opinion but in this case he is so wrong that a comment is necessary.

The ending is really totally wrong. The reviewer states " If you own the original Battle of Britain, the minute changes found in Battle of Britain II aren’t enough to upgrade, and the version included in the Matrix release can be downloaded by any owner of the original Shockwave version of Battle of Britain II."

The reviewer just totally missed the boat with this statement. The difference in content and quality between BOBII 2.07 (options, features, graphics , missions, fixes) and BOBI is like night and day. I know as I work on BOBI for years (up through version 99) and I have worked on BOBII for years (from it's release though version 2.07).

I have both games installed on my PC and there is really no comparison. BobII has so much more (stability,options, features, graphics, missions and fixes) than BOBI that a BOBII purchase is clearly justified.

It is shame this statement was left in the review. I strongly recommend that Matrix management review the statement for accuracy and delete it.



Charles2222 -> RE: Review @ Out of Eight (2/29/2008 10:26:27 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: buddye

It is very rare for me to comment on a reviewer's opinion but in this case he is so wrong that a comment is necessary.

The ending is really totally wrong. The reviewer states " If you own the original Battle of Britain, the minute changes found in Battle of Britain II aren’t enough to upgrade, and the version included in the Matrix release can be downloaded by any owner of the original Shockwave version of Battle of Britain II."

The reviewer just totally missed the boat with this statement. The difference in content and quality between BOBII 2.07 (options, features, graphics , missions, fixes) and BOBI is like night and day. I know as I work on BOBI for years (up through version 99) and I have worked on BOBII for years (from it's release though version 2.07).

I have both games installed on my PC and there is really no comparison. BobII has so much more (stability,options, features, graphics, missions and fixes) than BOBI that a BOBII purchase is clearly justified.

It is shame this statement was left in the review. I strongly recommend that Matrix management review the statement for accuracy and delete it.


It seems to me what he did, is that he compared the original BOBII to Matrix's, and not compared it to BOBI, though he said BOBI. If not, then it seems to me that he's expecting a totally new game when it has a higher number after it's name.



Scott_Shockwave -> RE: Review @ Out of Eight (2/29/2008 3:24:05 PM)

I would tend to think Charles is correct - I think he just made a mistake in the way he wrote his ending.



Erik Rutins -> RE: Review @ Out of Eight (2/29/2008 5:46:40 PM)

Buddye,

quote:

ORIGINAL: buddye
I have both games installed on my PC and there is really no comparison. BobII has so much more (stability,options, features, graphics, missions and fixes) than BOBI that a BOBII purchase is clearly justified.
It is shame this statement was left in the review. I strongly recommend that Matrix management review the statement for accuracy and delete it.


I agree with you, but I also think Charles is right that the reviewe meant to say BOB II, which is a more defensible statement. Even so, I think the changes since the original BOB II release to the latest are huge.

However, I'm not sure how you expect us to review it for accuracy and delete it? It's someone's opinion, he's an independent reviewer. We didn't write it and we certainly wouldn't presume to tell him what he can or can't say (nor would he listen to us). We're just glad he took the time to review the game and it did get a pretty good score!

Regards,

- Erik



JaguarUSF -> RE: Review @ Out of Eight (2/29/2008 6:52:22 PM)

If something in my review is factually incorrect, then I'd go ahead and correct it.
However, it is my opinion that the differences from Battle of Britian I to II to 2.06 are minor enough where only people who are familiar with the series would notice them. I certainly didn't pick up on a lot of major changes in the game from what I remember from the original.
That's why I gave the game the score I did: Buy it if you like the genre.
Now, obviously someone who has worked on the improvements would think otherwise, but I feel (again, my opinion) that a casual observer would look at both games and not see much of a difference. But hey, I could be wrong.



Banquet -> RE: Review @ Out of Eight (2/29/2008 7:07:22 PM)

Each to their own. I had BOB1 and although I flew it quite extensively at the time, it had been on the shelf for a few years before I bought BOBII at about version 2.04 I think. Even at that version it was very clear to me that a vast number of improvements had been made.




buddye -> RE: Review @ Out of Eight (2/29/2008 7:46:07 PM)

I think the following out of context quote, " If you own the original Battle of Britain, the minute changes found in Battle of Britain II aren’t enough to upgrade", are just flat out wrong.

I also challenge anyone to play both games (BOBI and BOBII) in one night (the same missions) and make such a statement.



Scott_Shockwave -> RE: Review @ Out of Eight (2/29/2008 8:33:37 PM)

If you look at BOB2 from a pure strategy gamer’s point of view, then yes, I can see someone saying it’s not a whole lot improved.  However, from a flight simmer’s point of view, there is a universe between the two.

A good analogy is to compare Microsoft Flight Sim 98 to Flight sim 2004.  Essentially they have the same structure, game play, format, etc.  but FS2004 gives a vastly superior exprience over FS98.


Just for starters, to compare from just a mostly visual point of view.  BOB2 has this over BOBI:

- Much further terrain visibility (further than Microsoft FS2004)
- DirectX9 very high end cloud / sky system with real-time lighting
- Considerably improved AI
- Authentic explosion and smoke effects (towering clouds that can be seen from miles away)
- High poly renderer capable of drawing 3D models 10-40X larger in size over BOBI
- Hundreds of enhancements and bug fixes


The memory is very weird how it fills in the gaps.  The other day I created an old Win98 machine so I could revisit many of the old classic flight sims and brush up on what made these games so great.  My memory used to be one of flying over beautiful mountains, etc.  Looking at them in the year 2008 was another story – my memory of how these games looked could not have been further off – I couldn’t even read the gauges they are so pixilated.  However, I can still boot up good old turn-based Panzer General II and have a blast.  That’s the difference.  Flight simulations age rapidly, the if you are not constanty forging ahead, you are getting left behind.

So, in all fairness, if you only care about strategy and have no concern how a 3d simulation looks and plays, then yes, BOBI delivers.  However, if you value real looking clouds, water, sound, gorgeous aircraft, great AI, and just a sense of ‘being there’ then BOB2 is the one.


If anyone interested in knowing more, here are some vids:
http://web.bethere.co.uk/neilpugh/Interception.zip   
http://www.mediafire.com/?cw24z2gy1rx

Also, read posts of talk to people who fly it in this Matrix forum, www.shockwaveproductions.com/forum, or www.simhq.com  Nothing like hearing it straight from those who know the game best from their own air combat experiences.

Scott.



buddye -> RE: Review @ Out of Eight (2/29/2008 8:50:35 PM)

Actually, the BDG (BOBII Development Group) added a significant new feature to the BOBII campaign for 2.07. It is called the Single Player Campaign (SPC). We also included a manual for it. The manual is located in your 2.07 BOBII folder in the Docs folder.

In addition, to my knowledge and experience, I never heard about a BOBI customer completing a campaign. The BOBI campaign system was just not stable enough and crashes to desktop (CTD) were unfortunately all too common. On BOBII we have many customers and testers who have completed both RAF and LUF campaigns and posted results (pic's and video). The point being that difference between BOBI and BOBII in campaign software stability (CTD) is like night and day and there is really no comparison.

Even a campaign only palyer would be clearly justified in purchasing BOBII and updating to 2.07 rather than staying on a unstable BOBI. He may also enjoy the SPC feature in BOBII 2.07.

BTW, we are talking about $19.99. BOBII is the best value ever in the Fight Sim history, IMHO. Where else can you get a top quality fight sim, with the top quality BDG support at the Shockwave forum, and continued "free" enhancements, new features, and fixes.



Hartford688 -> RE: Review @ Out of Eight (3/2/2008 9:46:33 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: buddye

Actually, the BDG (BOBII Development Group) added a significant new feature to the BOBII campaign for 2.07. It is called the Single Player Campaign (SPC). We also included a manual for it. The manual is located in your 2.07 BOBII folder in the Docs folder.



A very significant feature it is too. I enjoy the campaign and game far more for it.



moose1999 -> RE: Review @ Out of Eight (3/5/2008 4:35:12 PM)

I found the original BOB I pretty much unplayable - both in simulation mode and strategic - while Shockwave's version (BOB II) is a true blast to fly.
So to me, the difference between BOB I and II is simply that I gave up playing no. 1 almost immediately, while I'm still playing no. 2 more than a year after I bought it.
That's a pretty significant difference.



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