Topic: The ultimate Company of Heroes thread

[wizall]

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/companyofheroes/media.html

VR up.

[Quemaqua]

Ugh.  Surprisingly, that video review really made me want the game.  I think this is one of the first times when I can truly say of a WW2 game, "Wow, I haven't seen that before!"  I mean, the FPS thing has been done to death, as has the turn-based strategy thing.  But not as much the RTS thing, and definitely not with such a ridiculous level of detail.  I mean, hell... the game just looks sexy as all get out.  With the explosions and collapsing buildings and ragdolls everywhere.  Gads.  And somehow it doesn't seem as cheesy and useless as the other WW2 games often do.  It's got a bit more of a stylistic edge on it that I kind of dig.

Anyway... fuck.  I didn't want to want this.

[PyroMenace]

Well... this wont be as bad as the Que cave in of HL2. I will forgive you.

Im still going to pass this one up, not because it looks tempting, but because I am a cheap ass.

[Pugnate]

Unfortuantely I doubt price will drop for a while. Maybe it is just in retail stores, but near holiday season games never seem to drop in price.

[Xessive]

Man, here are two games that are a perfect example of 'the right way' versus 'the wrong way': Company of Heroes versus Faces of War.

FoW looks appealing, graphically it's pretty good, it presents some good ideas for a RTS/tactical game, but it falls short. It gives you the option of 3 campaigns (Axis, Allies, and Soviet), and a lot of its content presents great quality. Unfortunately whatever effort into content was stripped from gameplay and other technicalities. And for some reason the Germans sound hardcore yankee! Your commanding officer speaks with what sounds like a sophisticated American accent (imagine a documentary narrator's voice), and the soldiers all sound like cowboys! "Watch out! The yanks are comin'!" It's completely senseless!

CoH is not only visually impressive, all other elements of the game are appropriate and well done! Everything I've seen from Relic has been top notch quality, so 'nuff said!

[Quemaqua]

Well, I caved like... a caving person.  I actually picked up the CE, even, since my store had one left.  So... there goes another 60 bucks.  Anyway, I'm gonna' play this weekend, it'll be the one game I have on the drive.  Let's play, maybe?

[MysterD]

Well, I caved like... a caving person.  I actually picked up the CE, even, since my store had one left.  So... there goes another 60 bucks.  Anyway, I'm gonna' play this weekend, it'll be the one game I have on the drive.  Let's play, maybe?

Wow, I didn't expect you to cave on a WW2 game.

Let us know what cha think of the game, once you spent some time w/ it.

[angrykeebler]

Well, I caved like... a caving person.  I actually picked up the CE, even, since my store had one left.  So... there goes another 60 bucks.  Anyway, I'm gonna' play this weekend, it'll be the one game I have on the drive.  Let's play, maybe?

Im totally down! we can form a team

[Quemaqua]

Sy, you up to try?  I haven't even installed it or played it yet, of course, so I'm going to suck monkey balls, but it's fun learning with friends by way of death.

[sirean_syan]

You know how to get ahold of me, or have you ditched MSN completely already?

[idolminds]

Patch

v1.2 : 9/12/2006

- Various connection problems fixed
- SLI performance bug fixed
- Fixed exploit with Allied HMG Crew's Armor Piercing Rounds ability, where ability would remain active after squad was garrisoned or retreated back to HQ
- Fixed Axis wrecked building exploit
- Various crashes fixed

v1.1 : 8/25/2006

- Multithreaded lens-flare destruction fix
- Burning building crash fix

[Quemaqua]

That was fast.

[angrykeebler]

just got home..someone post if you want to play. I'll check this thread every 15 min or so

[Quemaqua]

Just now installing the game, heh.  So it'll be a while for me probably.  But I'll play after I've tried a couple missions or whatever.  So give me a bit and I'll post.  Maybe half hour, 45 mins?

[angrykeebler]

okay..i just patched up..reply here when you've finished installing and patching

[Pugnate]

Well, I caved like... a caving person.  I actually picked up the CE, even, since my store had one left.  So... there goes another 60 bucks.  Anyway, I'm gonna' play this weekend, it'll be the one game I have on the drive.  Let's play, maybe?

[Xessive]

Now that I've had a taste of CoH from the demo, I'm really considering buying it, but now I really feel like digging up my Homeworld 2 and playing that! Just remembering Relic's premium quality

[Quemaqua]

Okay, I'm up for a game if anybody else is.

[angrykeebler]

alright..lets do this! whats your ingame name?

[angrykeebler]

yo i started a game

game name is Overwritten
password is mindseye

[Quemaqua]

Quemaqua.  What else?

EDIT - Keebs, you on MSN?  I made a game - "Quemaqua" pass: "zomgidol"

[angrykeebler]

alright, im coming into your game

[sirean_syan]

Grrs. I missed this.

Lemme know if you're going to do another game. I just got all patched up and have an account made.

[Quemaqua]

Okay, watching the replay of our game is fucking amazing.  It's annoying that they cut down some of the features of playback mode, but this game is so cinematic it isn't even funny.  Seriously.  Record something and watch it again.  It's like watching a movie.  And when you get in there right next to the units you notice all kinds of things you wouldn't otherwise.  Like when shelling is going on offscreen, the sound changes and sounds really distant, dynamically getting clearer as you get closer to the source.  I totally didn't notice that when we were playing.

[idolminds]

Looks like I'm going to need this game sooner rather than later.

[Quemaqua]

I think you do.  I can't picture you not liking it.

EDIT - And Sy and I were just discussing at lunch that we don't think it's going to at all replace DoW as our other most-loved RTS.  This one is truly great, but it's very, very heavy-handed when it comes to tactics.  DoW is pretty much the penultimate version of the older-school RTS.  It's like many of those games just with a high level of polish and some great twists that make it easier and more fun to play.  CoH is very different.  It can be very confusing and very hard in comparison with DoW just because you have to pay attention to who is where, whether or not somebody is taking cover, if there are buildings to take advantage of and whether or not that's just going to pigeon-hole your guys and get them killed... there's a lot more to it.  So DoW is really about high body counts and that more basic kind of rock-paper-scissors gameplay where the strategy is more about adapting to what's being thrown at you as you go, and CoH is more about using your units effectively and knowing best how to use your surroundings to keep casualties to a minimum.  Very different.

[sirean_syan]

Something interesting about CoH is that it feels very much like a hybrid of turn based and real time strategies. The best way I can discribe it is that it's a turned based game that plays in real time. The more tactical nature is very much in the vein of the something like the Commandos or whatever-tactics games.

[MysterD]

Okay, watching the replay of our game is fucking amazing.  It's annoying that they cut down some of the features of playback mode, but this game is so cinematic it isn't even funny.  Seriously.  Record something and watch it again.  It's like watching a movie.  And when you get in there right next to the units you notice all kinds of things you wouldn't otherwise.  Like when shelling is going on offscreen, the sound changes and sounds really distant, dynamically getting clearer as you get closer to the source.  I totally didn't notice that when we were playing.

So, I'm guessing you really are really, really, really liking this game, even though it's in the overused WW2-setting?

[iPPi]

Hmmm I think I should get this game.

[idolminds]

So I bought it. Hope you're happy

[Pugnate]

This goes for you as well:

[Quemaqua]

Yes, despite the WW2 theme I really like it.  And it's been a while since I've done the WW2 thing, so it isn't as bad as it could've been.  Not my favorite, but the gameplay is good enough to make it feel harrowing and urgent despite the fact that I've seen it all a billion times before.

[idolminds]

I just played the first 3 or so missions of the campaign, and loved it. Its like DoW...but not. I like setting up MGs in places and directing the cone of fire and stuff. I need to go through the tutorial since I'm probably missing a lot of stuff, but having a blast so far. Setting up that roadbloack and then watching the chaos was awesome.

My current problem is my PC. Damn this is a demanding game. I have to run everything on low. Though I'm going to change one thing: textures. Low textures are ugly as sin. It wouldnt be so bad, since you dont notice it during gameplay...but the in-engine cutscenes look horrible beyond words.

Que, got a replay of the game you played? I'd like to watch it.

[Quemaqua]

Yep, I do.  I guess I could send it over MSN?  I don't have any available webspace.

EDIT - The replay is apparently only 1MB.  We were using the latest patch though, so I assume you'll need that.

[Xessive]

Man, I can't get over some of the visuals in CoH. The special effects are some of the best I've ever seen! Great explosions, fantastic bombardments, the whole sh'bang!

Now that I've seen what Relic has done with CoH I can't wait to see what they'd do with a new Warhammer game (40k or classic)!

[MysterD]

Man, I can't get over some of the visuals in CoH. The special effects are some of the best I've ever seen! Great explosions, fantastic bombardments, the whole sh'bang!

How is the voice-acting and audio?
From what GameSpot said, sounds like it's nothing short of great.

Now that I've seen what Relic has done with CoH I can't wait to see what they'd do with a new Warhammer game (40k or classic)!

So, when is Homeworld 3 coming....?

[Quemaqua]

I'd fucking love if they released a graphical overhaul for DoW with an expansion.  Even if they charged full-game price or slightly more I'd completely buy it.  DoW is really nothing to sneeze at graphically anyway, but I'd *kill* to have the draw distance go like it does in CoH.  It's amazing.

Oh and idol, I wanted to mention that the cutscenes really look pretty assy even with every last option set to high.  I mean, everything is quite a marvel for a big-scale RTS with lots of crap going on, but they still don't look very good even when you throw everything way up.  Pixelation all over the place, ugly textures, ugly models.  It's to be expected obviously, but I honestly didn't think the leap between low and high was as huge as you might think.

[idolminds]

Ive gotten to an ok spot in graphical detail. Pretty much everything is low, but I bumped textures to medium. Low it just a smooth mess, medium at least has a little definition. 1280x960, and it runs fine. Resolution doesnt seem to be an issue. 800x600 seemed to run the same. Its still a nice looking game, even at these settings.

[Quemaqua]

Good stuph.

Man, I suck at this game.  I did okay until the first armor mission where they send Panzers after you.  Fucking hell.  I'm completely inept at using armor.  I've gotten my ass handed to me 3 times now.  I just can't seem to make this work.  There is way, way, way too much fucking attention required when using armor.  You can't do anything else because you have to make sure they're facing right at all times.  They don't even remotely attempt to watch their rear armor unless being babysat.  It's honestly starting to piss me off a bit at this point.  I have no idea how I'm supposed to proceed.  I guess I need to try a pretty drastically different approach.

EDIT - Oh, and if anyone wants to play a game, post!  I'd rather get my ass handed to me in the company of friends.

[scottws]

Ok, I can't take it anymore.  I'm ordering this game now.