WARSHIP COMBAT: NAVIES AT WAR: Second Impressions
Giftzwerg
One week ago, I purchased WCNAW and soon after posted my usual "First
Impressions" piece. After spending a full week with the game - and
playing it to the exclusion of my many other avocations, I have to say
that even my first favorable review failed to do this absolutely
excellent game justice.
As such, it's incumbent on me to refine this raw, early viewpoints.
Firstly, I completely retract my criticisms about the lack of scenarios
in the v1.0 release. I was utterly wrong. My bad.
That the heart of this game is a concentration on the ability of the
gamer to construct virtually *any* naval surface combat simulation *ad
hoc* and on-the-fly - as opposed to a scenario-based product - is a
*feature*, not a flaw.
The key to this point is the astounding replayability of such a design,
something I very stupidly and shortsightedly managed not to discuss on
first impression. This game is going to be on every computer I own for
... well, I hope to live another 30+ years or so, and the game will be
as fresh and playable at age 79 as it is at age 49.
The crucial factor is the AI. You can design, roll, or randomly
generate any scenario you want and the AI will give you a tough fight.
I know from nothing about Mr. Dean's method of coding the AI, but I will
say one thing; the WCNAW AI *never* engages in the awful thing we've all
seen unscripted AIs do - that "milling about" behavior where the AI
seems to just crudely shovel firepower at the player.
The AI in WCNAW attcks well! And it does so in *random* scenarios!
What other game can boast an AI that can be handed a random pile of
units, and will fight them intelligently? You hand the AI a couple of
BISMARCK class BBs, and it stands off and pounds you. You give it a
dozen speedy Japanese DDs, and it manages coordinate torpedo runs. Dole
out a balanced force, and it combines attacks with apblomb.
This is amazing.
Secondly, I don't think I hit hard enough on the point about the
breathtaking scope of this product. The entire pantheon of "Steel and
Steam" surface combat has been shoe-horned into a single product. Game
companies are wont to dole out their products in Little Penny Packets,
the better to get our money. HPS would have given us this game in a
half-dozen full-price titles. NWS just gives us the whole ball of wax
for a single price.
Every battle - historical or imagined - from 1890 to 1950 is included in
the price of admission.
This is amazing.
Thirdly, I think I called the game interface "quirky." On reflection,
and after playing through as many scenarios as I could fit into a week,
I call bullshit on my first judgement. The interface here is well-
conceived and effective, and nothing I can imagine would be
significantly better.
Maneuver and combat are conducted with an absolute minimum of fuss and
non-productive clicking. The system knows *before I do* that a change
in tactics are required. For instance, the game lets me blaze away with
"sticky" settings ... until something interesting changes, IE a target
ship has changed aspect to disengage.
Excellent.
Fourthly, a point I made originally needs to be hammered-home; not a
single bug. I've run the game on XP, Vista, beta versions of Win7, and
the Win7 Pro release. Not a single freeze, crash, lockup, or weirdness.
And - as I previously observed - this is true regardless of how many
other applications are running or minimized or swapped-in. The other
night, I fell asleep with a WCNAW scenario running, forgot that it was
there, took my laptop to work, spent a day doing my usual stuff - to
include a dozen sleep / resume cycles - came home ... and noticed that a
WCNAW icon was still on the taskbar.
It popped right up and ran perfectly.
Amazing.
My overall take on this title is quite simple:
"It's a game I've waited 25 year for, and I'm not disppointed."
In short, I'm not sure what BATTLES FOR THE BULGE or LOCK & LOAD: HEROES
OF STALINGRAD can manage to deliver in terms of gameplay ... but they'd
better show me something beyond amazing to beat this wildly good game as
WOTY 2009. As it stands now, WARSHIP COMBAT: NAVIES AT WAR is the best
fucking game of this century.
Buy it.
--
Giftzwerg
***
"If only there were some ... natural mechanism by which to explain
variations in global temperature. It would have to be massive, though.
On the scale of our own Sun."
- Ace of Spades
Warship NWS
Anyone wanting info on WCNAW, here is the link;
http://forums.navalwarfare.org/showthread.php?t=5
Lots of upcoming new features are planned for the WCNAW engine.. so
stay tuned! ;)
Thanks.
Christopher Dean
Naval Warfare Simulations
Director of Operations
http://www.navalwarfare.net
Jim Cobb
Good post; it takes a big man to admit what you did.
Giftzwerg
@z41g2000yqz.googlegroups.com>, Wars...@yahoo.com says...
> Very cool Giftz.. thanks! :D
No more than you deserve. I call 'em as I see 'em.
WCNAW gets the Steve Jobs phrase:
"Insanely Great."
Today's game was an ANDREA DORIA battlecruiser and a BOLZANO CA vs. a
swarm of British CLs and DDs. In heavy seas. What a mess.
Totally fun and engaging.
--
Giftzwerg
***
"BREAKING: Obama named Motor Trend's Car of the Year!"
- Ace of Spades
dougb
> In article <265cf11a-56f0-4e4d-ba64-a0daad8e88d1
>
> > Very cool Giftz.. thanks! :D
>
> No more than you deserve. I call 'em as I see 'em.
>
> WCNAW gets the Steve Jobs phrase:
>
> "Insanely Great."
>
> Today's game was an ANDREA DORIA battlecruiser and a BOLZANO CA vs. a
> swarm of British CLs and DDs. In heavy seas. What a mess.
>
> Totally fun and engaging.
>
> --
> Giftzwerg
> ***
> "BREAKING: Obama named Motor Trend's Car of the Year!"
> - Ace of Spades
Sold!
Best wishes,
Doug
bennyb
table Giftz? Can someone else please play it and let me know if he's
right? :)
Giftzwerg
says...
> Good post; it takes a big man to admit what you did.
"What I did?"
I offered criticism on a commercial product.
Mike Kreuzer
news:MPG.255465d03...@news-east.giganews.com...
Write an interesting review? <g>
Regards,
Mike Kreuzer
www.mikekreuzer.com
eddys...@hotmail.com
Oddly enough, while some in here will readily dismiss his political
and social comments, there are not many who will dispute his savvy in
recognizing a game diamond when he sees one. It helps that his nose
for sniffing out turds is also pretty reliable. I’ll be ordering the
game over lunch though I vehemently maintain <scratched because I
promised to shut up about it :) >
Greetz,
Eddy Sterckx
eddys...@hotmail.com
wrote:
> I’ll be ordering the
> game over lunch
Ordered it and less than an hour later the serial number arrived ...
at 4:20 am NY time ... have my posts kept Mr. Dean from sleeping ? :)
Note to other Europeans who fail to see why they should sponsor their
own stinkin' government for services rendered in the USA : no VAT -
total price 27 Euro
Greetz,
Eddy Sterckx
Alan_Bernardo
I wonder if it's prudent (or makes sense) to purchase WCDB for $39.99
and then use the coupon to get WCNAW for free. Or is it that WCNAW is
simply an upgrade and it's just best to get that game and forget about
the rest?
Alan
Jim Cobb
> On Oct 30, 6:52 am, "eddyster...@hotmail.com"
> <eddyster...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> On 30 okt, 10:04, "eddyster...@hotmail.com" <eddyster...@hotmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> game over lunch
>> Ordered it and less than an hour later the serial number arrived ...
>> at 4:20 am NY time ... have my posts kept Mr. Dean from sleeping ? :)
>>
>> Note to other Europeans who fail to see why they should sponsor their
>> own stinkin' government for services rendered in the USA : no VAT -
>> total price 27 Euro
>>
>> Greetz,
>>
>> Eddy Sterckx
>
>
> I wonder if it's prudent (or makes sense) to purchase WCDB for $39.99
> and then use the coupon to get WCNAW for free. Or is it that WCNAW is
> simply an upgrade and it's just best to get that game and forget about
> the rest?
>
>
> Alan
NAW is more than an upgrade. You can go the WCDB route and get both, but
I doubt you'll play WCDB more than twice after you play NAW.
Giftzwerg
@k19g2000yqc.googlegroups.com>, alan.b...@gmail.com says...
> I wonder if it's prudent (or makes sense) to purchase WCDB for $39.99
> and then use the coupon to get WCNAW for free. Or is it that WCNAW is
> simply an upgrade and it's just best to get that game and forget about
> the rest?
WCNAW is a superset of WCDB. Even hardcore WCDB players moved on a week
ago Friday.
Giftzwerg
a70f94...@j9g2000prh.googlegroups.com>, ben.sm...@gmail.com
says...
> This is making me sick; How much cash have NWS slipped you under the
> table Giftz? Can someone else please play it and let me know if he's
> right? :)
It's what they slipped me over the table that's important; a game I've
been waiting 25 years for.
bennyb
feel for how things work. I've never played a naval wargame of any
type so it's all new to me. The closest I've come is probably Car
Wars. :)
I dunno, the game system seems fine; But I'm not sure naval combat is
my thing, the decision space seems kinda small. Does it get
challenging or are most battles decided by the luck of gunfire?
Educate me!
Jim Cobb
Gunfire isn't necessarily luck. One ranges in until you get a straddle,
the uses spotted of ROF. he closer the range, the better chance of hits,
of course, but also the more horizontal hits. Those hits may not be as
damaging as plunging fire for some hits. One also figures in smoke,
evasion, ammo type and quantity, crew quality and fire arcs. Toss in
speed and course changes and you have a nice set of factors of which
luck is just one element.
My approach to any type of gaming is to minimize the luck factor while
knowing you can't eliminate it altogether.
bennyb
1. If a "Ranged 1X" diamond symbol appears on one of my ships, does
it mean my ship has a bead on the enemy, or does he have a bead on
me? Or am I missing the point?
2. "Note: The firepower rating for a gun battery is halved when firing
at targets through the bow or stern arc, 60 degrees, of the firing
ship." The front turrets will only be penalised for firing through
the stern arc right? Not the bow arc as well?
Cheers
Ben
Warship NWS
A1: The diamond means your ship has been ranged X number of times by
enemy fire. The small squares - left and right of the damage
indicators for your ship - let you know which of your batteries are on
target or not.
A2: The entire gun battery is halved for firing to the rear or forward
arc. The FP rating covers all turrets/mounts for a specific battery
firing to one broadside effectively. Note, some turrets could not fire
directly ahead or to the rear, some wing turrets could not fire cross-
beam, due to causing blast concussion interference for the
superstructure and/or other turrets. The FP calculations also take
into account some possible "snaking" of the ship to try and keep as
many guns to bear as feasible.
Shawn K.
forums, would you (or anyone else) mind explaining how to change the
speed of fleets? The manual mentions that it can changed during
tactical maneuvering, but all I can do is change the direction my
fleets are traveling. I can't seem to find anything that changes the
speed.
shawn
Warship NWS
Hi Shawn, make sure to email me with your forum approval request -
this is to keep out "spambots"
As to changing speeds, the online manual has been updated but v1.04
(which includes this new feature) is not posted yet. We are working on
that today.