Since we are already discussing this, I will add my viewpoint (disclaimer: I intensely dislike Hatch and company et al, so take my points with a grain of salt. If this dissuades you from reading further, so be it):
The good:
Infantry- that the game has them at all is a plus. There are a small variety of units with clearly defined abilities and goals.
Tanks: These are the best in MMOG at the moment.
Atmosphere: It is an immersive atmosphere.
Flight: In appearance and "feel" (hehe) some aspects are good.
The bad:
Infantry: Modelling is stiff and unnecessarily clumsy. Infantry can/have done amazingly stupid stunts such as cling to the wings of planes, jump off tall buildings with a single bound, fly through the air...
Tanks: Horribly flawed damage models allow mg's to disable turret cannon. Silly.
Flight: The flight model is a joke. There is no drag modelled, or if it is, creatively so. I knife-edge flew a Stuka to 20K no problem. I dogfought Spitfires(with a Stuka) and currently hold something like a 200:1 ratio against Allied aircraft. I ain't that good.
The ugly:
Mismatch in numbers: It exists. Don't let anyone kid you, it exists.
Mismatch in equipment: This game cannot be played evenly, every major advantage has been handed to the Axis, including ahistorical ones.
Connections: Vary, but in many, many cases terribly frequent CTD's. This has gotten better for some, worse for others. No full answer has ever been given. It might also be noted it happens to too many people to just lay it on the ISP's.
Accountability: CRS to this day continues to lead the industry in averting blame for problems of their creation. They are also becoming world famous for hiding behind the skirts of their fans while the complaints roll in.
Demands (system and otherwise): This is not a game for the casual user- it just isn't. No matter what the box says, or the supportive players say, there is a very good possibility if you buy this game, even if you have a top-of-the-line-system that plays everything else, that the game will not work for you. You will be told it is your fault and that you are stupid. CRS will probably do nothing to help you while you become more and more incensed by the fanbase that will butt-rape you for even suggesting something is wrong. In short, a newbie walking in there will quickly learn to close his mouth and toe the party line.
Summary: If you just have to play a game like this and you are certain you won't have trouble tweaking your rig enough to get it to work, go ahead and buy it. It's like a '57 Chevy; in some ways it feels good to have one, but the cost and time of keeping it working just ain't worth it for many.
[ 10-10-2001: Message edited by: Kieran ]
