WWII Online: After one month

[AKDejaVu]

The thing I wanted most out of a WW2 sim such as this was the hope that someone was finally going to do something semi-historical and stage real battles at realistic battle fields.

Instead, we get WW2 Online.

Lets give each side the same ammount of weapons.  Lets let everyone chose what side they want to fight for.  Lets let everyone chose how and when they want to fight.  Lets let everyone do what they want.

Lets make it just like Quake with tanks.

I'm tired of potential.  I want something that offers a command structure.  I want something that offers realistic battle environments.  It doesn't seem that should be such a hard concept to grasp.

I'm not talking about a "OK.. in 1943, this many tanks went up against this many units in this specific town... lest copy those figures exactly" scenario.  I'm talking a scenario where nobody knows exactly what they are going up against... or they have inteligence that indicates things but never enough.  I want planned strikes... ordered attacks, defense and retreats.

I was hoping WW2 Online would offer any one of the above.  It offers none of them.  Worse yet, it doesn't even seem to offer the prospect of implimenting any of them.

I'm truly disappointed with the game.  I had hopes that someone was finally going to get it.  They have been shattered.

AKDejaVu

[Wanker]

I thought I read in a recent release that they are working on implementing the rank thing in the next patch. They're also working on limiting the number of tanks in an upcoming patch, as well as giving the infantry grenades and satchel charges.

One good thing I've experienced so far is that people are willing to work together to capture a town. I was in a group of roughly 30 people last night on Game World 4 that went over to the next town and captured it. We had mixed German infantry riding on various tanks and trucks. Was pretty darn fun.

I haven't played the air war all that much, though. I just ignore the planes as they fight above us. I'm having a blast as a grunt soldat. When I want my air war fix, I come back home to AH.

[AKDejaVu]

I didn't mention the air war because I felt it to be irrelivant in the grand scheme of things.

I've heard alot about what they are planning on implementing.  Right now their game does not make that easy as far as interface or anything else goes.  Once again, I see no clear path to this.  The game will require a complete rework to make it happen.

That is not encouraging.

AKDejaVu

[Nifty]

Deja is right.  as long as they allow people to spawn wherever they want and do whatever they want, the rank thing really won't matter or make much of a difference.  It'll continue to be Quake fragfest like.  

They need to make it where you can only spawn from the mission screen (either player missions or game generated missions) once the rank structure gets underway.

Maybe then the most common heard expression won't be "Where's the action?" but will become "What's the objective?"

[texace]

It's all a matter of opinion. Play what you like. I could give a damn about rank, I play because it is fun, and will keep playing it as long as it is fun. Me and DRILL work togeather (when we find each other) most of the time and we get stuff done. I don't care about bugs or "potential", I am having fun now. So I guess it is just a matter of opinion.

[Nifty]

Originally posted by texace:
It's all a matter of opinion. Play what you like. I could give a damn about rank, I play because it is fun, and will keep playing it as long as it is fun. Me and DRILL work togeather (when we find each other) most of the time and we get stuff done. I don't care about bugs or "potential", I am having fun now. So I guess it is just a matter of opinion.

I don't think either DjV or I were saying others shouldn't play it or anything along those lines.  We're just saying we're disappointed with how things are going.  The game is fun at times.  To me it's only fun when I just look at it as one little battle then log off.  If I look at the whole picture, it's not so fun for me.  *shrugs*  that's just me though.

By all means keep playing it if you're having fun!  I'll enjoy it more when planes get fixed and/or the supply system gets fixed.  Basically when it doesn't feel like, as DjV said, "quake with tanks."

[Yoj]

Nifty, you're spot on about the way it is now. However, I think that the rank thing, if implemented right, will go a long ways towards doing what you'd like to see.  The competition for accumulating rank will affect many players, though obviously not all.  Still, having a mission structure that even some are following will create a some order in the gaming.  A mandatory mission system would turn a lot of poeple off as much as no structure does to others - the ability to opt in or out is fine with me.

The other question - force balance - should be addressed when the strategic elements are operating.  The ability to disrupt supplies and replacements will make a big difference in the style of play.  

If I thought that game would always be as it is now I would not give a hoot about it.  I'm just taking this as training in how to use the equipment and terrain and waiting for when the real war begins.

- Yoj

[miko2d]

Originally posted by AKDejaVu:
I'm talking a scenario where nobody knows exactly what they are going up against... or they have inteligence that indicates things but never enough.  I want planned strikes... ordered attacks, defense and retreats.

 So you could execute a smart strategic plan, like, for instance, german offencive around the Maginot Line, while 500 players on the other side sit twiddling their thumbs for two hours manning the trenches of the said Maginot Line only to be told that they are surrounded and France surrenders?
 Where is fun in that for them?

 What you want may be possible in a format of a small multiplayer wargame (2-4 players) with dedicated participants but not massive
on-line game.

 miko

[AKDejaVu]

There ya go Miko.. using a historical example.  Of course, for every that shows what you are getting at.. there's another that shows the opposite.  That's why you don't get histerical.

If there is no defense planned, there are no people there.  If there is a defense planned, people are told what type of enemy to expect and what direction they MAY be coming from.  Then they are told what the defensive plan of attack is and work from there.

If you're trying to emulate WW2... the early part of the war was a roll for Germany.  That needs to be reflected here.  Its not.

Of course, this isn't going to be a ton of fun for the allied forces because they were getting their butts kicked.  Then again.. the later part of the war wasn't too much fun for Germany.

Right now the Allied forces outnumber the German forces and are just as situated to defend/attack as the Germans.  That was not even remotely the situation.  Thus Germany moved.

Right now the game relies on 100% contribution from the players to make the war happen.  No information is given.  No instructions are given.  That boils down to free-for-all.

AKDejaVu

[Yoj]

Originally posted by AKDejaVu:

If you're trying to emulate WW2... the early part of the war was a roll for Germany.  That needs to be reflected here.  Its not.

Of course, this isn't going to be a ton of fun for the allied forces because they were getting their butts kicked.  

AKDejaVu

Good points - however, historically the reason the Germans rolled had mostly to do with them having a doctrine that was new at the time, inadequate French strategy, a deep malaise among French forces (even before the war began), poor unit command, etc.  Had 1940 been fought with the equipment and manpower available at the time, but with 1944 military theory, the outcome would have been far different.  My point is, Germany did not have overwhelming forces or equipment in 1940 - they just used it better than the Allies.  And how things are used HAS to be left to the players in a game.  Therefore, its impossible to model the historical results.

- Yoj

[Udie]

DejaVu,

 Just wait for the clustered servers.  They are testing one today that has 1200 people in it right now, it had 1400 earlier on in the day.

 I believe the Rat's have said that rank cannot be implemented until they get the 1 world server up, as well as many other features.  What we have now is just a bunch of servers so that people can at least play what they paid for.  The next patch should be the big one that includes most of the features listed on the box.  

 As for the Germans steamrolling France,  I think it will happen once they start the "war"  I've been playing on both sides and so far the Germans are WAAAAAY more organized than the allies.  Combined arms attacks are the norm.  They have commanders, and all that other military command structure stuff in place and are now practicing for the real war.  Saturday we took 4 or 5 cities within 2 hours that I was on.

 $0.02  

udie

[Kieran]

The only thing I can add is that in the little time I do have to commit to the game it is somewhat fun- nothing like what I had here, but a little fun nonetheless. Given the choice I would be in AH for sure.

The biggest threat to WWIIO is cheating. It is rampant and open. I have no idea how CRS is going to handle that prob without nailing a stinking, rotting corpse on the front gate. Too many of the player base believe it is perfectly appropriate to hack the game if it is at all possible, and no game can survive that mentality.

[Grayarea]

A unified battlefield including ground, air and sea units operating in a real terrain environment.

This for me is the stuff of dreams.

The question is does WWIIOL deliver this?

Well I think the simple answer is it could.

My experience in WWIIOL is as follows;

If you can connect online with a group of people who work as an organised team, then you are in for a fun night. This is happening more often now (allied), as the German side is clearly demonstrating what coordination can do.

Currently not many people seems to ‘get’ defence. Most players idea of defence is sitting in a char b1 for five mins then rolling off to the front.

One aspect of game play that is currently causing much wailing is the Opel run. This is much like car bombing in aces and can in the same vein be prevented by having several troops camped out at your army base. So non-problem for me anyway.

Speed hacks are at the moment a problem, but as HTC did, the rats are going to kick cheating players and at $40 (ish) a pop people will have to think seriously about the merits before hacking etc.

On the air war front I agree that it is at best sidelined at the moment. This should change however when the allies get a medium bomber in the next release.

System requirments are pretty severe at the moment. I have 1.33Ghz+512Mb+Geforce64mb and flying is slow at times but playable.

As for personal preferences, AH gives me a totally different experience than WWIIOL. I think it is true to say that AH is headed in the general direction of WWIIOL, but for the time being I will continue to subscribe to both games.

Sorry for the rambling nature of this post but I had a lot to say  

Grayarea.

[ 07-03-2001: Message edited by: Grayarea ]

[ 07-03-2001: Message edited by: Grayarea ]