Comments on SSI's Carrier Strike?
David G Thompson
Hi, gamers! I wonder if any one out there has tried the game Carrier Strike
from SSI. I think it's pretty new. I was just looking at it in a store the
other day, and almost bought it; it looks pretty neat, but I'd like to hear
somebody's comments before shelling out $49.
Thanks in advance,
Dave Thompson
Gregory G Greene
>
>Hi, gamers! I wonder if any one out there has tried the game Carrier Strike
>from SSI. I think it's pretty new. I was just looking at it in a store the
>other day, and almost bought it; it looks pretty neat, but I'd like to hear
>somebody's comments before shelling out $49.
I was close to buying it also, but when I looked at the screen shots
on the back, I thought better of it. Maybe I've been just spoiled by the
great previews of SSG's Carriers at War.
G.Greene
>
>
>Dave Thompson
>
>dtho...@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
James Hague
>
> I was close to buying it also, but when I looked at the screen shots
> on the back, I thought better of it. Maybe I've been just spoiled by the
> great previews of SSG's Carriers at War.
I can't count the number of times I've been turned off by the
box photos and then really enjoyed the game. Conversely (and
more often) I've seed incredible screen shots for a game
which ended up being really lame. Remember, games are
*interactive* and meant to be played--they aren't just some
static graphics images to stare at.
--
James Hague
exu...@exu.ericsson.se
steve.j.langevin
>Gregory G Greene writes:
>>
>> I was close to buying it also, but when I looked at the screen shots
>> on the back, I thought better of it. Maybe I've been just spoiled by the
>> great previews of SSG's Carriers at War.
>
OK, I'll take a stab at it (even though this is the 1st SSI game that I've
bought).
Granted the graphics are not that great, but it is a strategy game,
not a "git on his six and blow his tail outta the sky" type game.
Copy protection is through documentation look-up.
I've had Carrier Strike for a couple of weeks now and I find I enjoy it
quite a bit. The box claims a game can last 1-30 hours (real time). I'd
say the only way a game could last an hour is if you lose all your carriers
right off the bat. Games (for me) tend to last 3-4 hours.
There are several major carrier battles (Coral Sea, Midway, Eastern
Solomones, Santa Cruz, Marianas, etc) from WWII (5/42-44) that you can
play (plus 1 hypothetical battle). There is also a campaign mode.
You start with Coral Sea and then have one battle a month. Damaged ships
may not be available for the next battle. Destroyed ships are, of course,
unavailable. There are several types of task forces (TF) that you can
control: carrier, surface combat, shore bombardment, troop, replenishment.
In addition to destroying the enemy carrier TF, you may also
have other missions, like shore bombardment, troop landings, etc.
You can also randomize things, so that all the TFs that participated
in a real battle (like Midway) are there, but not WHERE they were
historically (i.e., the Japanese TF that hit Midway probably won't
be NW of Midway, if you randomize things).
You control CAP, search, and strike missions. You do not seem to be
able to launch fighters to intercept incoming enemy planes so make sure
your CAP is up! You can also control the land-based planes a little.
You can change their targets.
Turns are every 20 minutes (game time) during daylight, every hour
from 2000-0400 (I think). Fleet carriers have fighter, bomber, scout,
and torpedo squadrons. The number of squadrons depends on the carrier
size (light, fleet) and also year (I think).
Ordance: 500 (250KG, for Japanese) and 1000 lb bombs,
500 HE (high explosive), and torpedo.
Screen views include, area maps, carrier decks (an overhead view with
the flight deck to the left, and the hangar deck to the left. You must
arm planes on the hangar deck and then move them to the flight deck
before they can be launched.), enemy task forces or airfields.
You can weigh odds (slightly or heavily) in the U.S. or Japanese favor.
You can play either side. Haven't played the Japanese yet.
You get points not only for destroying the enemy, but also Mission
points (i.e., did you land those troops or not.)
Some complaints: when search is on, the search pattern for each base
or ship is displayed 3 times, a vector at a time. Once would have been
adequate, three is torture, especialy when 3-4 bases and 2-3 carriers
all have search planes out. I generally leave search turned off. Also
search (for both bases or ships) is either on or off. You can't just
display the search vectors of ship-based planes, for example.
The US forces really need to be within 150-200 miles to mount effective
strikes. The Japanese can always hit you from 300 miles (or more, it seems).
Historically accurate, but frustrating dodging hordes of Japanese
airplanes when trying to get closer to their carriers!
The game does support all the major sound boards. The sound board
selection screen states that for AdLib boards, music will come through
the AdLib, but all other sounds will come through PC speaker. That's
true except for the sound of torpedo planes dropping the torpedoes.
That comes through the AdLib too.
I think I've hit the highlights. I'm sure I left out a lot, but this was
off the top of my head
Overall an enjoyable game.
========================================================================
Steve Langevin att!iwddo1!langev (708) 979-5949
Steven Vest
>Hi, gamers! I wonder if any one out there has tried the game Carrier Strike
>from SSI. I think it's pretty new. I was just looking at it in a store the
>other day, and almost bought it; it looks pretty neat, but I'd like to hear
>somebody's comments before shelling out $49.
Me too!
('nuff said)
--
========================== ve...@novavax.nova.edu =============================
= Steven Vest: Electronic Reference Librarian: Nova University, Ft. Ldl, FL =
= Anything you see by me is just MY opinion. Don't blame Nova. =
=================Life is strange. Yeah, but compared to what?=================