HPS France '14 (Full Version)

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Fallschirmjager -> HPS France '14 (6/26/2010 9:45:15 PM)

Does anyone have it? Looks interesting but also uses the dinosaur Panzer Campaigns engine so I am wary. The game also includes campaigns. Are these branching campaigns like the American Civil War and Napoleonic series?
Looking at the limited screenshots it looks like the game has a good mix of maneuver warfare and siege/defensive scenarios.




06 Maestro -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/26/2010 9:59:27 PM)

It looks like a great a great game, but one that would take a huge amount of time to play. There some smaller scenarios, but at Bn level?? There are TOAW scenarios that can give the same setting-looks like anyway.
I have never played any PZC, so am not familiar with the system. I can't imagine having to give orders to every single unit on the map-that would be insanity.

I too would be interested in hearing the prospective of an owner of this game.




Fallschirmjager -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/27/2010 12:50:33 AM)

There are too few screenshots but I guess you are right, battalion level with company level for machine guns. That would require a lot of time to play. I would have to seriously consider a purchase since I get so little time to play and games that require forever for a single turn frustrate me.
I would still like some input for anyone who has some.




MajFrankBurns -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/27/2010 2:49:48 AM)

Can't take any more time to play than WitP. But, i am like you I don't like a lot of games that take my entire gaming session just to play one turn. That's why I'll never buy or play WitP.




V22 Osprey -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/27/2010 4:40:54 AM)

Just got it today, and you won't be disappointed. This definitely isn't Panzer campaigns, it plays completely different. The only thing these 2 games have in common is the interface, graphics, and scale. The sounds are very authentic and immersive, they even added sounds during movement, so now you will here the clucking of horse, the movement of infantry and the sound of a train now when moving units. The Sounds in France '14 are arguably best of ANY HPS game.You will have to adjust a bit. MGs can fire two hexes, and I would say they have a more direct role in combat than in Panzer/Modern Campaigns. Casualties are definitely represented....I dare anyone to charge an infantry Battalion straight into an entrenched MG company and see what happens. I honestly would say it isn't a "dinosaur" engine anymore, the engine completely down to AI has been overhauled. It feels like what it should be- a completely new game.




Fallschirmjager -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/27/2010 6:10:07 AM)

How big is a hex? Still 1 KM? And are turns still two hours? The absence of much night combat would make things interesting.




V22 Osprey -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/27/2010 6:31:54 AM)

Just checked the user manual....yep scale is still 1 KM and 2 hours. Night combat is definitely discouraged, in fact during night turns, you here crickets and creatures, not background fire. Moving at night is automatic disruption.




V22 Osprey -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/27/2010 6:55:19 AM)

Oh, also the campaign games are the Panzer Campaigns' Campaign games...it's just the large grand mega scenaro, although there are like 5 or so different campaigns in the game itself. The game has a perfect mix of small, medium and Large scenarios.




06 Maestro -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/27/2010 7:53:03 AM)

Are units given orders as formations, groups by dragging a box, or some other method?




UniformYankee -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/27/2010 3:14:37 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Fallschirmjager

Does anyone have it? Looks interesting but also uses the dinosaur Panzer Campaigns engine so I am wary. The game also includes campaigns. Are these branching campaigns like the American Civil War and Napoleonic series?
Looking at the limited screenshots it looks like the game has a good mix of maneuver warfare and siege/defensive scenarios.


The game is certainly based on the PzC engine, though does have some code mods like patrolling capability for cavalry and plotted indirect fire for heavier artillery. Map graphics are fresh as well and the 3D zoom out view is very useful as not being too tiny (like the 2D zoom out view is) and also offering a better view of the terrain.

Cavalry and MGs are squadron/company level, though cavalry can build-up to regiments and break-down to squadrons. Infantry and Artillery are battalions. Engineers seem to be either company or battalion, at least some of them are rather small and some are larger - but have not compared game OOB to real OOB.

The designer seems very focused on reproducing historical outcomes so the "campaign" is broken down into sub-campaigns, early, middle and late. The early campaign starts August 22 and ends 10 September. The middle camaign runs from 17 September through 17 October and the late campaign runs from 18 October and ends 10 November. In addition to these "campaigns" there are numerous smaller scenarios such as "Marne" and Ypers".

So far, playing the early campaign as the Germans against the AI, the turns are very long, first turn not as long as WITP or AE, maybe only 4 hours of actual moving. But subsequent turns, I think will be at least 2 hours, so longer than WITP or AE. Just watching the replay on "Fast AI" takes over 15 minutes (not sure exactly as I walked out of the room). Stacks of like units can be moved together with no penalty, so this is an accelerator, but having to plot much of the artillery through the cumbersome "artillery dialog" is a decellerator.

My primary "issue" is the lack of a more complete campaign scenario starting from the beginning of the war. The designer says he did not do this because it would not evolve as the historical campaign evolved. I'm fine with designers give us scenarios that represent their vision. But can we not have it both ways? How much additional incremental effort would've been required to provide the "at start" positions and allow more turns? Well, it would be a considerable effort, I admit, but given the effort that was already required to give us what we have, perhaps not so great, incrementally.

All, in all this looks like a more polished and complete effort, than a number of the more recent PzC or Modern Campaigns, so I suspect I will play it longer as well.




SlickWilhelm -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/27/2010 5:16:05 PM)

Does it support widescreen resolutions?




UniformYankee -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/27/2010 6:09:36 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Slick Wilhelm

Does it support widescreen resolutions?


I'm running it on a 1920x1200 display.




MajFrankBurns -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/28/2010 1:52:59 AM)

Does it have areoplanes?




Fallschirmjager -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/28/2010 7:31:02 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: UniformYankee


quote:

ORIGINAL: Fallschirmjager

Does anyone have it? Looks interesting but also uses the dinosaur Panzer Campaigns engine so I am wary. The game also includes campaigns. Are these branching campaigns like the American Civil War and Napoleonic series?
Looking at the limited screenshots it looks like the game has a good mix of maneuver warfare and siege/defensive scenarios.


The game is certainly based on the PzC engine, though does have some code mods like patrolling capability for cavalry and plotted indirect fire for heavier artillery. Map graphics are fresh as well and the 3D zoom out view is very useful as not being too tiny (like the 2D zoom out view is) and also offering a better view of the terrain.

Cavalry and MGs are squadron/company level, though cavalry can build-up to regiments and break-down to squadrons. Infantry and Artillery are battalions. Engineers seem to be either company or battalion, at least some of them are rather small and some are larger - but have not compared game OOB to real OOB.

The designer seems very focused on reproducing historical outcomes so the "campaign" is broken down into sub-campaigns, early, middle and late. The early campaign starts August 22 and ends 10 September. The middle camaign runs from 17 September through 17 October and the late campaign runs from 18 October and ends 10 November. In addition to these "campaigns" there are numerous smaller scenarios such as "Marne" and Ypers".

So far, playing the early campaign as the Germans against the AI, the turns are very long, first turn not as long as WITP or AE, maybe only 4 hours of actual moving. But subsequent turns, I think will be at least 2 hours, so longer than WITP or AE. Just watching the replay on "Fast AI" takes over 15 minutes (not sure exactly as I walked out of the room). Stacks of like units can be moved together with no penalty, so this is an accelerator, but having to plot much of the artillery through the cumbersome "artillery dialog" is a decellerator.

My primary "issue" is the lack of a more complete campaign scenario starting from the beginning of the war. The designer says he did not do this because it would not evolve as the historical campaign evolved. I'm fine with designers give us scenarios that represent their vision. But can we not have it both ways? How much additional incremental effort would've been required to provide the "at start" positions and allow more turns? Well, it would be a considerable effort, I admit, but given the effort that was already required to give us what we have, perhaps not so great, incrementally.

All, in all this looks like a more polished and complete effort, than a number of the more recent PzC or Modern Campaigns, so I suspect I will play it longer as well.



Very nice info, thank you!




UniformYankee -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/28/2010 3:59:35 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: MajFrankBurns

Does it have areoplanes?


Haven't seen any "areoplanes" - but there are a few "aeroplanes" - recon only - on the German side - at start.





SlickWilhelm -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/28/2010 5:36:58 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: UniformYankee


quote:

ORIGINAL: Slick Wilhelm

Does it support widescreen resolutions?


I'm running it on a 1920x1200 display.


But is it running in a windowed box or 1920x1200 fullscreen? That's the res I'd be running it at, too.




V22 Osprey -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/28/2010 7:59:01 PM)

Like all HPS games, it plays in a window:

[image]local://upfiles/28875/9642EC63C28B4D6AAD881F713370F51D.jpg[/image]




sol_invictus -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/29/2010 5:05:33 AM)

Damn the Mapmod graphics look fantastic! I can't wait until my copy arrives. Now if HPS would just release a Seven Years War and a Wars of German Unification series my life would be complete.[&o]




SlickWilhelm -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/29/2010 4:23:40 PM)

That does look very nice. Easy to read. Don't know that I'd ever be able to finish a game of it since the scale is so small, but then again I said that about Forge of Freedom and managed to finish multiple games of that. 




eastwindrain -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/29/2010 6:17:02 PM)

I like to play around with the various graphic mods which are available and found this helps grasp the lie of the land.

[image]local://upfiles/18923/9E6EE3DA5FC1456984DE9E71AC3C3E13.jpg[/image]




eastwindrain -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/29/2010 6:19:46 PM)

To be honest I'm the square peg in the round hole and use the 3D view for fight'in.


[image]local://upfiles/18923/D4E81E9FAA80456694A7650F6C9D5A79.jpg[/image]




SlickWilhelm -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/29/2010 6:24:42 PM)

Wow, I had forgotten how dated the HPS engine's graphics are, but there's no denying that it's easier to see that ridge to the South of Charleroi in the 3D mode.

I don't need the latest graphics to make me happy, but something above 256 colors would be nice...ufda!




sol_invictus -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/29/2010 10:35:33 PM)

Yeah I would expect that at this point HPS would see fit to invest a bit of cash for a makeover for this engine. However the Mapmod is more than adequate. I really like the unit cards though I will check out Volcanoman's unit cards as well.




wodin -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/29/2010 11:15:20 PM)

Until HPS start to do download I imagine they will never sell enough copies to invest in a new graphic engine.

Thats the problem with SB....it doen't sell enogh copies to warrant any major engine changes...sad but true.




htuna -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/29/2010 11:47:29 PM)

I love the MapMod graphics...wish that guy would do them for Civil War too.. and yes the 3d ones are really bad!




pelle75 -> RE: HPS France '14 (6/30/2010 7:41:06 PM)

I could tolerate the 2d graphics version, but the win 3.11 style 1990-ish user interface is unbearable. Having the look and feel of early Windows office applications is not likely to be a good way to get suspension of belief and let the player get into the game world. That the game is running in windowed mode with a visible window bar in the screenshots of course only helps make it look much worse.




V22 Osprey -> RE: HPS France '14 (7/1/2010 3:35:50 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: pellen

I could tolerate the 2d graphics version, but the win 3.11 style 1990-ish user interface is unbearable. Having the look and feel of early Windows office applications is not likely to be a good way to get suspension of belief and let the player get into the game world. That the game is running in windowed mode with a visible window bar in the screenshots of course only helps make it look much worse.



Actually, I like that it plays n a window. It makes much easier to do other things while the game is playing. I can play my own music, I can see all my steam alerts, and I could browse the internet while I'm waiting for the AI to finish. Unless you are using something like 800x600 or below(It's 2010 people, if you don't have atleast 1024x768, then I think you need to do a hardware check) then the windows bar doesn't take up a lot of space at all. And if you are using a 30 inch screen, it's like it's not even there.




htuna -> RE: HPS France '14 (7/1/2010 3:51:43 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: V22 Osprey

quote:

ORIGINAL: pellen

I could tolerate the 2d graphics version, but the win 3.11 style 1990-ish user interface is unbearable. Having the look and feel of early Windows office applications is not likely to be a good way to get suspension of belief and let the player get into the game world. That the game is running in windowed mode with a visible window bar in the screenshots of course only helps make it look much worse.



Actually, I like that it plays n a window. It makes much easier to do other things while the game is playing. I can play my own music, I can see all my steam alerts, and I could browse the internet while I'm waiting for the AI to finish. Unless you are using something like 800x600 or below(It's 2010 people, if you don't have atleast 1024x768, then I think you need to do a hardware check) then the windows bar doesn't take up a lot of space at all. And if you are using a 30 inch screen, it's like it's not even there.


I agree.. I like the way HPS works in the window.. unlike some games.. where the functionality is screwed up if you choose windowed mode (unless you autohide your task bar or something..




htuna -> RE: HPS France '14 (7/1/2010 3:52:35 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowlander

I like to play around with the various graphic mods which are available and found this helps grasp the lie of the land.

[image]local://upfiles/18923/9E6EE3DA5FC1456984DE9E71AC3C3E13.jpg[/image]


Lowlander, what is the name of this MOD? and do they make it for Panzer Campaigns as well? I like it! I prefer the Nato symbols.. but the ground work looks excellent on this one!




eastwindrain -> RE: HPS France '14 (7/1/2010 8:26:03 AM)

I found these files in the mod section at www.campaigns-france.org/

Copy them to the Map folder of the title you want to convert.
Remember and save the original files first, however they can be recovered from the game disc.
I use the show hexes in 2D to help with the undulations.

I don't know who the author was but the boy done real good !!!.
But made a minor alteration, I had to crop off the bottom then add the sand tiles which were not present, works with all the PZC/MC games including 1914, BUT NOT ANY OF THE MED TITLES.
But a 2D desert terrain mod is also available at this site.

The file is TOO LARGE to upload it's only around 1.2MB zipped.
Send me a e-mail l'll attach the zip file for anybody who want's them.




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