Author Topic: Confessions of a WW2OL cynic (Read 4000 times)

Wanker · « **on:** June 18, 2001, 12:01:00 PM »

So there I was, staring at the WW2OL box on the shelf of my local Best Buy, and it was on sale for $29.99. "Well, it has been a while since I've seen a real beta release fiasco(think Red Baron II), what the heck?" and I purchased it, knowing full well how awful it was going to be. Even though I had promised myself I wouldn't support the rats until they got their toejam together, something compelled me to buy. I think I was more curious that anything.

I decided not to upgrade my 256MB of RAM right away, and instead see how it ran with what I have now. My system:

Abit BE6-II
PIII 550E O/C'd to 733mhz
256MB Kingston PC-100 RAM
Hercules Prophet DDR-DVI 32MB GeForce
SB Live!
Win98SE
DX8.0a
@Home cable modem

After downloading the 67 MB patch, I started the game, and sure enough, about a 4 min load time. I had to play in 800x600 16 bit with everything turned off to get a decent fps, so I only played a little offline that night.

Next morning, I went out and against my better judgement picked up another 256MB stick of Kingston RAM. Plopped it into my motherboard, and things got better for old WW2OL.

Luckily for me, the 111 patch was released on Saturday morning, so that, combined with my RAM upgrade, helped things out considerably. Initial load time is down to less than 2 mins, and once I'm in the arena, load times are not a problem, just 10 seconds or so.

My take on it so far after a little flying, tanking and grunting:

It is still beta code, and ugly, unoptimzed beta code at that. Played at 800x600x16, it's just plain butt ugly. At the higher resolutions, it's starting to look pretty good, all things considered.

Tanking is fun, and well done. Being a grunt is fun, too. The flying aspect of the game is pretty pathetic compared to AH, but to be fair it is still beta code. I'm not sure if it's my own ignorance, or a lack of documentation, but I cannot get my USB CH Combatstick to work in the game, and I couldn't find any documentation on how to do so. So for now, I'm back using my old gameport Combatstick.

As far as the community aspect goes...right now there are so many little boys running around with potty motuhs, it's not even funny. Hopefully this will improve with time.

In a nutshell, things are better with the latest patch, but it's still not ready for prime time, in my opinion. I'll let you know more detail about my fps, if I can figure out how to turn that on on my FE.

From what I've seen so far, I don't think AH and WW2OL are/will be competing for the same player base, which is a good thing.

Yoda · « **Reply #1 on:** June 18, 2001, 12:10:00 PM »

So, you basically had to pay almost $100 (or more) to play a toejamty game? Nice one!
"Stupid is as stupid does."

Wanker · « **Reply #2 on:** June 18, 2001, 12:17:00 PM »

Mike, I didn't have to, I chose to.

You have to remember that it has been a while since I've upgrade anything on my PC, so I was looking for an excuse to buy something.

And, warts and all, I think I'll actually enjoy playing the ground war over there.

For those who can't afford to plunk down $100 right now for more RAM, I'd wait for another patch to address the memory issues, then it may be playable with 256.

[ 06-18-2001: Message edited by: banana ]

Westy MOL · « **Reply #3 on:** June 18, 2001, 12:36:00 PM »

"I think I'll actually enjoy playing the ground war over there."

That's about my take too, once it's at the level it should be to be regarded as out of beta and stabilised. Although I might take a plane up when dealing with ground warfare complexities get too be too much

-Westy

(lets the air out of tires on bananas La5)

Karnak · « **Reply #4 on:** June 18, 2001, 01:15:00 PM »

I ordered a 256Mb PC133 DIMM of Micron memory from Paradise PC in Texas for $37.00.

Even after the $9.00 UPS ground charge, that is far below $100.00.

I'll see how it changes things next week.

AKHog · « **Reply #5 on:** June 18, 2001, 01:22:00 PM »

Westy did you ever play falcon with a guy in Mass named denis phelon?

-AKHog

Westy MOL · « **Reply #6 on:** June 18, 2001, 02:12:00 PM »

Not I Hog. I've not played anything in RL or computer-wise that had a name with 'Falcon' in it. Always been a prop kind of guy.

-Westy

[ 06-18-2001: Message edited by: Westy MOL ]

Toad · « **Reply #7 on:** June 18, 2001, 03:56:00 PM »

Hog,

I went to UPT with a wildman named Dennis Phelan?

Can this be the same guy? I'd love to get in touch with him again.

Think he was one of the early F-117 cadre....

Toad · « **Reply #8 on:** June 18, 2001, 04:02:00 PM »

Karnak do you have a stock/part number on that?

All I see on their site is this:

SDRAM PC133 256MB 32x64, 7.5ns, Micron Brand Price $127.00
Micron brand chips with a lifetime warranty.

Weave · « **Reply #9 on:** June 18, 2001, 04:24:00 PM »

Be thankful you ain't dealing with PC800 RDRAM.

streakeagle · « **Reply #10 on:** June 18, 2001, 04:29:00 PM »

You want low memory prices? Or anything else? Go to www.pricewatch.com

Right now 512 MB pc133 ram has dropped to $55 (several competing companies are all below $60). These kind or prices are not openly advertised (usually special online or phone prices via mentioning the website, or in the case of Computer Craft, a link to a different website with all of the majorly reduced prices that is otherwise the same as the published website).

Stalker · « **Reply #11 on:** June 18, 2001, 05:07:00 PM »

banana
Num Lock for fps.

Vermillion · « **Reply #12 on:** June 19, 2001, 08:15:00 AM »

StreakEagle, be careful and make sure you read the fine print when you order from the lowest bidder off pricewatch. Don't get me wrong, I've gotten most of my gear off there for the past year and saved alot of money, but you have to be sure your getting what you think your ordering.

For instance, on the cheap 512 megs SIMMS of memory for around $60 there are a few caveats.

1.) Its high density memory in most cases, which means that if you have an older motherboard, it will read and function as 256 megs of RAM.

2.) Its not suitable for Athlon systems and high end PIII systems. On alot of systems it won't even run, and even on the systems it will boot, it will be consistently unstable.

Just about every site I looked at, had these issues in fine print, but you had to read closely. Almost every one of them also stated that compatibility was the responsibility of the buyer.

Just a few words of warning.

FYI I know about this because I just ordered on Friday a 512meg SIMM for my 1.3Ghz Tbird system, from a site I found on pricewatch. I ended up paying $85 + shipping for SIMM that was certified and guaranteed compatible for Athlon systems.

OHIO · « **Reply #13 on:** June 19, 2001, 08:32:00 AM »

Boy and I thought the posts on AirWarriorMv vs Ace's High was bad! We can have like a IROC race of sim's, AirWarrior vs Aces High vz WW2OL vs WarBirds.

Ding! Ding! Let's get ready to rumble!

Dang! Look! There go's a virgin EWE running into the bush's! Ok I got to beat Ripsnort to her!

[ 06-19-2001: Message edited by: OHIO ]

AKSWulfe · « **Reply #14 on:** June 19, 2001, 08:39:00 AM »

http://www5.playnet.com/bv/wwiiol/dg_message.jsp?page=6&forumOID=8802&forum=Gameplay+Discussion&msgID=179566&BV_SessionID=@@@@1279692445.0992958254@@@@&BV_EngineID=ealleleegllbefbn kcfkfcfkf.0

You thought channel 1 was bad.. I think the average IQ is negative 100 over at WW2Ol
-SW