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Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Ashrak on September 04, 2003, 09:59:34 am

Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Ashrak on September 04, 2003, 09:59:34 am
none what so ever......


to make it short:


updated original HW engine with damage decals subsystems and a new interface new not so cool models new explosion effects ****y voices that about does it :/ .


Im still getting the game because of the curiosity towards teh story :)
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Charlotte on September 04, 2003, 10:22:05 am
Not as much improvement over the previous two releases. Not in mission design, not in graphics and not in ship design. They could at least've made a new uber-looking mothership.

To be honest, Its just not as good as I expected it to be. I'm seriously doubting wether to spend huge amounts of money on this game. Might as well wait till its in the bargain bin.

Also, the story seems a bit corny as well. I mean a bad guy comes to take over the Taidanii and wants to take down Hiigara. I really went ":wtf: CLICHÉ!!!" when I saw the story intro.

Conclusion: No revolutionary changes (or any significant ones) and thus not really living up to the hype.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Unknown Target on September 04, 2003, 11:07:20 am
The hype of HW2 wasn't supposed to be revolutionary. It was billed as a "refinement" of the original HW stuff.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Charlotte on September 04, 2003, 11:15:26 am
Well, why couldn't they just made a simpl expansion pack and be done with it?

If I buy a new game I'm not expecting some cleaned up version of the previous game in that series. A new game should have revolutionary changes. They would be better off making a mod engine like FRED IMO...

But then again, capitalism sucks blueberry baboon balls.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: diamondgeezer on September 04, 2003, 11:27:46 am
You're not one for NovaLogic's Delta Force series then :nervous:
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Fineus on September 04, 2003, 12:00:26 pm
Well lets be fair, the HW game design engine etc. was pretty well done in the first place. There's not much they could change without making it something other than a Homeworld game.

Lets also remember the mighty C&C series. Same engine, different graphics (more or less). Lets see how good the story is?
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Charlotte on September 04, 2003, 12:02:06 pm
Well, I might still get it (if my budget allows it :doubt: ) cause no matter how you twist and turn it, HW is just great!
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: diamondgeezer on September 04, 2003, 12:08:41 pm
Seems like only me and Narol actualy liked the Tiberian Sun story. I loved the sci-fi storyline, and I hope and pray that EA will release an non Red-Alertified Tiberian Twilight. I'll shut up now, afore I derail this thing :)
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Zeronet on September 04, 2003, 12:39:36 pm
Quote
Originally posted by diamondgeezer
Seems like only me and Narol actualy liked the Tiberian Sun story. I loved the sci-fi storyline, and I hope and pray that EA will release an non Red-Alertified Tiberian Twilight. I'll shut up now, afore I derail this thing :)


And me, Tiberian Sun's story was better than Red Alert 2's one.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: ZylonBane on September 04, 2003, 12:48:14 pm
HardWar 2 is out?

Oh... nevermind. Fah.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Nico on September 04, 2003, 01:10:31 pm
Quote
Originally posted by diamondgeezer
Seems like only me and Narol actualy liked the Tiberian Sun story. I loved the sci-fi storyline, and I hope and pray that EA will release an non Red-Alertified Tiberian Twilight. I'll shut up now, afore I derail this thing :)


I liked the plot too, tho I would have liked a bit more explanations about the alien ship, coz cool, it's there, but in the end, it's just completly forgotten. Oh, and Firestorm was better.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Unknown Target on September 04, 2003, 01:50:59 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Charlotte
Well, why couldn't they just made a simpl expansion pack and be done with it?

If I buy a new game I'm not expecting some cleaned up version of the previous game in that series. A new game should have revolutionary changes. They would be better off making a mod engine like FRED IMO...

But then again, capitalism sucks blueberry baboon balls.



I take it you don't like Homeworld: Cataclysm? That was basically an extended expansion pack :D
Also, you must not like any sequels at all. Because all they ever basically are are new graphics and a new storyline. For instance, the only "revolutionary" thing in Freespace 2 was the capital ship's weaponry and size and stuff, and that was basically just upgraded from FS2.


EDIT: The C&C was probably osme of the worst I've ever played. The same game over and over and over and over again, with just new graphics and units. Hell, even their Dune games were the same thing, just with different graphics and units! Oh, yea, and a litttle bit of new gameplay stuff on the side.

Plus, the whole GDI, NOD, Cain thing was kind of corny. I actually read the COMPLETE storyline of that universe, and it goes all the way back to the original Cain, etc. I'm sorry, but a loooong storyline does not a good storlyine make.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Charlotte on September 04, 2003, 01:58:08 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Unknown Target

I take it you don't like Homeworld: Cataclysm? That was basically an extended expansion pack :D

Getting it from a $2 bargain bin helps :D Though it was good, I still prefer the original.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Unknown Target on September 04, 2003, 02:03:36 pm
me 2. I couldn't stand all the "magical" units, where every one of them had some sort of bizzare special ability. The Acolytes I could understand, but the Dreadnaught was a little stupid, and the Mimic was pushing what seemed "Homeworldy"
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Krackers87 on September 04, 2003, 02:34:54 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Charlotte

But then again, capitalism sucks blueberry baboon balls.


Whats with you and balls?
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Krackers87 on September 04, 2003, 02:36:48 pm
Quote
Originally posted by diamondgeezer
Seems like only me and Narol actualy liked the Tiberian Sun story. I loved the sci-fi storyline, and I hope and pray that EA will release an non Red-Alertified Tiberian Twilight. I'll shut up now, afore I derail this thing :)


DUDE!! I love Tiberian sun and firestorm!!!

Especialy firestorm..

it definently kicks red alertsd ass in my opinion

havent played gen much tho...
Title: Nut bunnies
Post by: HotSnoJ on September 04, 2003, 02:55:12 pm
I though you were posting about HardWar 2 :(
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Krackers87 on September 04, 2003, 03:17:30 pm
what is hardwar?
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: ZylonBane on September 04, 2003, 03:26:07 pm
It's something that, if you type its name into Google, you will find many, many pages describing it.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Ace on September 04, 2003, 03:49:17 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Charlotte
Not as much improvement over the previous two releases. Not in mission design, not in graphics and not in ship design. They could at least've made a new uber-looking mothership.

To be honest, Its just not as good as I expected it to be. I'm seriously doubting wether to spend huge amounts of money on this game. Might as well wait till its in the bargain bin.

Also, the story seems a bit corny as well. I mean a bad guy comes to take over the Taidanii and wants to take down Hiigara. I really went ":wtf: CLICHÉ!!!" when I saw the story intro.

Conclusion: No revolutionary changes (or any significant ones) and thus not really living up to the hype.


Well yeah, you have to admit that dumping the player in the middle of the whole Vagyr mess does seem a bit cheesy. But from what I've read on the site and the snippets of other things I've seen, the Vagyr war at the start of Homeworld is equivalent to the V-T war at the start of FreeSpace 1.

As both the Vagyr and Hiigarans learn more about the origin of the cores, they both get into some deep Ragnarok style doo-doo.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Rictor on September 04, 2003, 03:56:04 pm
As I;ve said, the graphics could be better. I suspect that the story will be uite good, so that why I'm getting the game. The graphics aren't bad or anything, they're just less than I expected.

oh, and Cataclysm was cooool. I liked it better than HW since you play as Somtaaw, who are basically the little guys getting pushed around. Also, they're ships are very cool..
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: redsniper on September 04, 2003, 09:39:43 pm
I agree with Rictor, I liked Cataclysm more than Homeworld. I really liked the mission where you had to fight the Bentusi.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Turnsky on September 04, 2003, 10:37:03 pm
oh.. i dunno i liked it, the fact that it ran smoothly on my PC is a blessing... most BRAND NEW games don't run to well without a nasty slowdown... i'll give you the specs of my Rig to give you an idea...

1.8Ghz Athlon XP
256mb pc 2100 DDR
Hercules 3dprophet 9000 pro 128mb DDR..
40gig hdd
anything else is just supplimentary, the above is mainly the driving force of my PC...;)
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Rictor on September 04, 2003, 10:52:44 pm
Does anyone else's game freeze during the first mission, when the Vagyr bombers are attackig you, and just as they're about to engage your interceptors the game freezes. I can't get past that point in the game for now..

Anyone get this? Any solution?
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Turnsky on September 04, 2003, 10:54:05 pm
specs plz... i might be able to help..
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Rictor on September 04, 2003, 11:01:52 pm
Duron 1.2 Ghz
256MB Ram
Radeon 7500
Windows 98

Any help would be greatly appreciated..
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: ChronoReverse on September 04, 2003, 11:18:16 pm
No idea, but here's something that happened to me.  I pressed the Windows key by mistake just before the end of the second mission.  I switched back in and finished the mission.  But when it was about to show the mission complete words, it dumped me back to desktop.  I loaded again and it didn't happen this time (auto-saves = good things)


Oh yeah.  CeleronOC'd850, 256MBRAM, GF2MX32MB


For some weird reason I always hear more problems with Durons than with Celerons (nothing against the Duron, just an observation).
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Unknown Target on September 06, 2003, 10:22:32 am
Ugh, I finally got to play it. And I must say, the new interface is complete crap. I hate the big-ass bottom menu, and I hate the even bigger-ass right bar menu. Oh, yea, and the 3 things I hate most of all are (besides the interface, and not in order):

1)Same crappy combat moves, fire, turn around, strafe, fire, turn around, strafe.

2)Craaaapyyyy new voices. They should've killed Karan Sjet, not subjected us to this new voice that makes her sound like a street ho (it's a new person, BTW). And the new Fleet Intel voice, scaaary :nervous:

3)Lastly, I HATE THE ****ING EXTERNAL UNITS! It's just like Command and Conquer! You have to build thing A to get thing B, and you have to build thing A, B, and C to get D! Ugh!
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Nuclear1 on September 06, 2003, 12:15:18 pm
Just finished download.

I won't be coming out of my room for a few days...
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: DragonClaw on September 06, 2003, 01:09:34 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Unknown Target
Ugh, I finally got to play it. And I must say, the new interface is complete crap. I hate the big-ass bottom menu, and I hate the even bigger-ass right bar menu. Oh, yea, and the 3 things I hate most of all are (besides the interface, and not in order):



Uh, press backspace. press it again to totally get rid of it, and again to bring it back up.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Ace on September 06, 2003, 03:03:41 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Unknown Target
Ugh, I finally got to play it. And I must say, the new interface is complete crap. I hate the big-ass bottom menu, and I hate the even bigger-ass right bar menu. Oh, yea, and the 3 things I hate most of all are (besides the interface, and not in order):

1)Same crappy combat moves, fire, turn around, strafe, fire, turn around, strafe.

2)Craaaapyyyy new voices. They should've killed Karan Sjet, not subjected us to this new voice that makes her sound like a street ho (it's a new person, BTW). And the new Fleet Intel voice, scaaary :nervous:

3)Lastly, I HATE THE ****ING EXTERNAL UNITS! It's just like Command and Conquer! You have to build thing A to get thing B, and you have to build thing A, B, and C to get D! Ugh!


1) Really it's the same as Homeworld 1, strikegroups just automate the normal commands a human player would be giving when micromanaging their fleet.

2) I do agree with you on the new fleet command, but I like the creepy new fleet intelligence guy :)

3) Really it's not much different then having to research the chassis in HW1. Plus it adds more tactical depth as you pick and choose production and defensive/offensive modules on the mothership as well as can attack an enemy mothership's modules. Plus the modules are cheap to replace on average.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Zeronet on September 06, 2003, 05:51:09 pm
I like it, incidently its the first time i,ve ever played a game from that series.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Unknown Target on September 06, 2003, 06:58:40 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Ace


1) Really it's the same as Homeworld 1, strikegroups just automate the normal commands a human player would be giving when micromanaging their fleet.

2) I do agree with you on the new fleet command, but I like the creepy new fleet intelligence guy :)

3) Really it's not much different then having to research the chassis in HW1. Plus it adds more tactical depth as you pick and choose production and defensive/offensive modules on the mothership as well as can attack an enemy mothership's modules. Plus the modules are cheap to replace on average.


1) That's what I said :D

2) He's OK, just a little over the top.

3)Now, we have to do research AND building the things.  Notice they still have a research tab.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: redsniper on September 06, 2003, 08:41:26 pm
Well, I just finished it and it's not much different from HW1 - which isn't a bad thing I was just expecting it to be more different.
I think so far Cataclysm is my favorite Homeworld game, even with the horribly clichéd Beast. As far as voice acting goes I liked the original Karan Sjet waaaaay more than this new ho, but my favorite fleet commander/intelligence whatever guy was the dude in Cataclysm (the lady was freaky tho).
One more thing: Don't the cutscenes seem different now? They're not as sketchy and simple and grainy as the old ones. The old ones were nice because they looked more hand drawn than these new ones... oh well.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Turnsky on September 06, 2003, 09:30:19 pm
i liked it.... it felt just like old times....:nod:
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Ace on September 06, 2003, 10:23:42 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Unknown Target


1) That's what I said :D

2) He's OK, just a little over the top.

3)Now, we have to do research AND building the things.  Notice they still have a research tab.


Except research is for upgrades on existing ships. You don't research new ship chassis, you only do research to upgrade ships you can already construct. The modules replace HW1's chassis research and are much more flexible gameplay wise.

Redsniper: On the subject of the command voice actors, also like the command guy in Cataclysm the best.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: J.F.K. on September 07, 2003, 02:27:52 am
Quote
Originally posted by Kalfireth
Well lets be fair, the HW game design engine etc. was pretty well done in the first place. There's not much they could change without making it something other than a Homeworld game.

Lets also remember the mighty C&C series. Same engine, different graphics (more or less). Lets see how good the story is?


I was about to say just the same thing. New engine would be nice, but is it everything? To some people it would be, but I'd be satisfied with what I can see of HW2 at present. That said, though, I'll only be getting this game when it gets cheaper... too strapped for cash since I'm saving up for a new computer. ;)
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Descenterace on September 07, 2003, 03:52:18 pm
I have no intention of buying HW2.  I played the original and liked it, but I can't STAND the campaigns.  I hate getting mobbed by loads of enemies long before I can do anything about it.  I dislike the later Dune 2000 missions for the same reason.  But the HW premise was fantastic and the game was very playable in skirmish or multiplayer.

As for the C&C series, I have all of them except C&C Generals.  Tiberian Sun's storyline was good, but I didn't like the units.  Walkers were not nearly as manoeuverable as they should have been (yes, I know GDI is big and slow), Stealth tanks really do suck, and those little laser turrets that NOD gets are woefully underpowered (and over-compensated by those damned artillery tanks).  Give me the GDI RPGs any day.

Disc throwers?  Gimme a break.  Just call 'em grenadiers and be done with it.  At least grenades don't massacre your own troops in a big battle quite as often as bouncing discs.  Why don't they enter in the Olypmics if they like chucking giant frisbees around?

Stealth stuff was cool if you're playing NOD, and downright bloody annoying if not.  Example: when I'm NOD in a three-way skirmish, I can have my entire base stealthed before the AI even finds me. Result: No fun.  Another example is when I'm GDI and the enemy Noddy stealths their entire base.  They hold off EVERYTHING I throw at them, even if that includes Mammoth MkII, a Ghost Stalker and about a hundred assorted tanks!  'Tactics', such as bombing their power generators, would work if I could FIND the goddamned things before they nuke my base with their Temple!  Game balance: abominable.
RA2, on the other hand, is the best multiplayer C&C game I've ever played.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Ace on September 07, 2003, 03:58:31 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Descenterace
I have no intention of buying HW2.  I played the original and liked it, but I can't STAND the campaigns.  I hate getting mobbed by loads of enemies long before I can do anything about it.  I dislike the later Dune 2000 missions for the same reason.  But the HW premise was fantastic and the game was very playable in skirmish or multiplayer.

As for the C&C series, I have all of them except C&C Generals.  Tiberian Sun's storyline was good, but I didn't like the units.  Walkers were not nearly as manoeuverable as they should have been (yes, I know GDI is big and slow), Stealth tanks really do suck, and those little laser turrets that NOD gets are woefully underpowered (and over-compensated by those damned artillery tanks).  Give me the GDI RPGs any day.

Disc throwers?  Gimme a break.  Just call 'em grenadiers and be done with it.  At least grenades don't massacre your own troops in a big battle quite as often as bouncing discs.  Why don't they enter in the Olypmics if they like chucking giant frisbees around?

Stealth stuff was cool if you're playing NOD, and downright bloody annoying if not.  Example: when I'm NOD in a three-way skirmish, I can have my entire base stealthed before the AI even finds me. Result: No fun.  Another example is when I'm GDI and the enemy Noddy stealths their entire base.  They hold off EVERYTHING I throw at them, even if that includes Mammoth MkII, a Ghost Stalker and about a hundred assorted tanks!  'Tactics', such as bombing their power generators, would work if I could FIND the goddamned things before they nuke my base with their Temple!  Game balance: abominable.
RA2, on the other hand, is the best multiplayer C&C game I've ever played.


I agree with you on the last missions of Homeworld being nasty. Bridge of Sighs requires some unconventional tactics such as cloaking your entire fleet and doing a quick strike on the field generator, Chapel Perilous needs a ton of target prioritizing. The final mission needs you to split your force into several smaller interception fleets while having a sizable support frigate force (10 or so) repair the mothership.

Unlike a lot of games that resort to rushing with lots of enemies at the end, Homeworld's last missions do allow for an easy victory if you do some very crazy strategies.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: JC Denton on September 07, 2003, 05:04:31 pm
I'd also like to add that Homeworld2 is going to have much better mod support than the original.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: redsniper on September 07, 2003, 06:03:39 pm
Quote
Originally posted by JC Denton
I'd also like to add that Homeworld2 is going to have much better mod support than the original.

Freespace TC anyone? ;7
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: 01010 on September 07, 2003, 06:03:46 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Descenterace


As for the C&C series, I have all of them except C&C Generals.  .


I actually really dig that game, I didn't think I'd like it that much but it's a complete blast to play. I just find it a hell of a lot of fun. Especially the Chinese Flame Tanks. :drevil:
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Unknown Target on September 07, 2003, 06:09:31 pm
I think in everything except polycount and pyrotechnics, the SCP-upgraded FS2 has better graphics than Homeworld.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Fineus on September 07, 2003, 06:34:56 pm
Quote
Originally posted by redsniper
Freespace TC anyone? ;7

It's gotta be done :nod:
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Ace on September 07, 2003, 08:33:04 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Unknown Target
I think in everything except polycount and pyrotechnics, the SCP-upgraded FS2 has better graphics than Homeworld.


So the translation of that is that you like the type of bitmap backgrounds in FS2 better then the background style of FS1 and Homeworld/2.

Because visually in a space sim everything is polygon count and pyrotechnics :p
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: redsniper on September 07, 2003, 09:05:25 pm
So... does anyone think the cutscenes look different?
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Turnsky on September 07, 2003, 09:10:33 pm
Quote
Originally posted by redsniper
So... does anyone think the cutscenes look different?


yeah.. they do... but they still keep the same style as they did for the first one... with the same refinements they made for the rest of the game :nod:
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: redsniper on September 07, 2003, 09:12:47 pm
meh - I liked the old ones better. I don't know why, they were grainier and not as smooth, they clashed nicely with all the spaceships and whatnot.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: JC Denton on September 07, 2003, 11:29:36 pm
The cutscenes look better now because they're encoded with DivX, and aren't crummy ol' Bink videos now.  That and they're using more computer-assist for animation in making them.

I'm with Turnsky on the cutscenes, a quality boost doesn't (always) mean they lose their charm. :nod:
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Unknown Target on September 08, 2003, 06:31:38 am
Meh, the cutscenes are good, but they move a bit too much for the style that was shown in the first game.

But, the only pyrotechnics that HW2 has better than FS2  are the explosions, guns, and, well, that's it. Although the background lighting is better than in FS2.

FS's beams, warps (upgraded), lighting etc are all better.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Turnsky on September 08, 2003, 07:01:54 am
Quote
Originally posted by Unknown Target
Meh, the cutscenes are good, but they move a bit too much for the style that was shown in the first game.


lemme ask you this: Regardless of what the cutscenes look like.. do you feel that they convey the story?... i also found it cool that the first cutscene faded out into the game itself (with the hyperspace core)
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Tiara on September 08, 2003, 07:03:46 am
Meh, I prefer FMV's anyday over this crappy b&w thing. Thats the one thing I hate about HW, the cutscenes are slow and boring. Yes they tell a story, but only to those who can stay awake long enough.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Turnsky on September 08, 2003, 07:09:39 am
Quote
Originally posted by Tiara
Meh, I prefer FMV's anyday over this crappy b&w thing. Thats the one thing I hate about HW, the cutscenes are slow and boring. Yes they tell a story, but only to those who can stay awake long enough.


alright.. you have me there..
full motion FMV's do the trick rather nicely... but it's all up to personal preference.. i kinda like those cutscenes(the b&w thing) .. i personally think it conveys the overall feeling and mood of the game's story..:nod:
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Ryx on September 08, 2003, 08:07:28 am
There's something about the cutscenes (or narrative) I really like. Can't put my finger my finger on it.


The demo was ok. Not sure I'll buy the game, though.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Unknown Target on September 08, 2003, 01:14:25 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Turnsky


lemme ask you this: Regardless of what the cutscenes look like.. do you feel that they convey the story?... i also found it cool that the first cutscene faded out into the game itself (with the hyperspace core)


They convey the story...but in the fact that they move so much, it's like Relic was trying to hold your hand (visually) and explain everything. This might be a further example of Relic's trying to bring HW into the greater RTS mainstream (chick with huge boobs, modules (buildings) you have to build to get the next unit, unit resarch upgrades, etc)

EDIT: But, yes, the fading part was cool ;) :D
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Bri_Dog on September 08, 2003, 02:58:06 pm
I like HW's cutscenes, very artsy.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Flipside on September 08, 2003, 03:29:14 pm
I agree with the idea that with HW2, Relic is trying to present HW to a wider audience. Though, I must admit, I found the original cutscenes far more 'Anime' that the new ones, but I'll wait till the official release before I judge them :)

As for the game, it was good, the Engine played as well as the original, which was excellent, the task bars can be annoying, but can be put away. The graphics were ok, though the beams aren't as good as FS again, and the scouts looked a wee bit like legoland ships :) But I found the game itself to be a bit more involved, no more building huge fleets of fighters and mullering the computer AI in single player games :)

Flipside :D
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Descenterace on September 08, 2003, 04:05:45 pm
I can't recall ever having got very far through Homeworld.  I think the mission is number 4; where a neutral carrier jumps in and you trade technology, then you're in an asteroid belt and have to take out an enemy force.  I can't gather resources fast enough to build up my defences.  I hate slow ships...  The annoying thing about Homeworld was that you couldn't move your mothership without hyperspacing, so resource fields were often a very long distance away and it was hard to split your defensive forces to cover both mothership and resource gatherers.

Warzone was cool, because oil derricks didn't run out.  You just find about four of 'em, build up a base, and sit tight.  Red Alert 2 is good because tanks are fast enough to defend multiple targets, or at least discourage the enemy from attacking.  But the Ion Cannon frigates are so damned slow that by the time your response team has reached the resource field, all that's left of your harvesters is a bit of wreckage.
And fighters are too weedy to defend harvesters against a determined enemy.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Flipside on September 08, 2003, 04:37:49 pm
I found that a few Minelayer corvettes helped put off most capital ships, laying minefields around the resource areas :) That way Int's, scouts or Multi-Gun corvettes could deal with smaller foes.

Flipside :)
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Descenterace on September 09, 2003, 01:47:11 am
Hmmm... Minelayers... why didn't I think of that?

How do you use 'em, anyway?  Do you just set an area and they lace it with mines, or is C&C: RA-style micromanagement required?
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Fury on September 09, 2003, 09:35:53 am
To create a minefield, just position the corvette where you want the mines to be laid, then hit Z button and it will begin spitting mines out from it's belly.

Homeworld can be a little hard when you're playing it the first time. I know it inside out so I can prepare myself ahead of time which makes the game quite easy.

As for resource collecting, build a resource controller or two and you have a resource drop off very close to the resources. I usually set the controllers to guard collectors so they follow the collectors to where the resources are.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Unknown Target on September 09, 2003, 10:53:14 am
One major thing in Homeworld was the Resource Controller. Assign one of those babies to gaurd your collectors, and it'll follow them all over the place.
See, HW required a lot less orthadox "build and rush" thinking. You could play many different ways, so the whole game didn't just devolve into people building as many units of a certain type that they could.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Descenterace on September 09, 2003, 03:40:37 pm
Quote
See, HW required a lot less orthadox "build and rush" thinking. You could play many different ways, so the whole game didn't just devolve into people building as many units of a certain type that they could.


Yep, that's why I liked it.  I prefer siege tactics.  I start off keeping well out of the way, spreading gently but not challenging any players.  I build up my defences until I control sufficient space and resources.  Then I build up an attack fleet.

Then I strike at the enemy's resource fields, just enough to slow them down.  When they counterattack, my strike force retreats and lures the enemy into my defensive fleet (which reduces the enemy to wreckage).  Then I repeat.  Eventually, the enemy runs out of equipment with which to defend the resource field, and I mop up any remaining units there.

Repeat with other resource fields.

Eventually, they're left with a small cache of resources and a fortified base. I sit outside, pick off defences, repair my units, and slowly whittle away their mobile weapon systems.  Once all defences are down, I crush them.

This works with most games.  StarCraft with modded maps (50000 minerals to a crystal patch) is an example of one game where this doesn't work.  Warzone 2100 is a shining example of a game where this ALWAYS works, unless you get picked on at the beginning or the enemy is doing the same thing.

I don't like taking casualties, even if I have over a million more units to throw at the enemy.  Except when playing StarCraft.  There's something fun about sending 150 Hydralisk to swarm over an enemy base, even if they all get smeared.  You just do it again...


And I intended this to be a short post, but I tend to rattle on about games for unreasonably long periods of time.
Title: HW2 demo impressions
Post by: Flipside on September 09, 2003, 03:51:26 pm
I loved Warzone2100, still think it is one of the best ground based RTS's money can buy :) The sheer variation in the Research tree made the game last for ages :) And the fact that strategy was VITAL, your uber powerful Howitzers could be pulverised by a little jeep with a rocket launcher if you weren't careful. And the use of automated Air and Ground Radar attacks made planning pretty important as well (Head for the High Ground!) :)

The resouce field will work if you aren't playing against a skirmisher, your tactic is similar to skirmishing, fire and withdraw, but be careful not to get led into attacking the Enemy MShip only to find a couple of destroyers Hypering in behind your own MShip, that can ruin your day :(

Personally, I am similar to you, I defend, build a massive fleet and then just charge, I usually win or lose the game with my first assault. HW2 doesn't allow that though, you'll suddenly find you are losing ships to attrition and that you cannot harvest fast enough to replenish your losses :) Also, if your enemy attacks your own resource fields, you have to split your forces, and the hard part is keeping them balanced when you do it :)

Oh yes, and finally, Gamespy really is a pain in the Butt :(

Flipside :D