SimHQ Review...

[Mysticpuma]

I don't mean to imply I don't like Cliffs of Dover. Actually there are many aspects of it that are great. That video shows how nice it can be. it's just not fair to compare a game that is fiscally responsible (I hope) with one that went over the deep end with it's budget. I don't have their books in front of me nor am I an expert at this business but just look at the game and the fact that it sold for $49 US. Typically in flight sims today (DCS, X-Plane, FSX, RoF) an aircraft like the ones in CoD with clickable cockpits would sell for $20-$40 apiece. So you can't say gee look at all the nice modeling work in CoD. Of course there's nice work there. It just went bust. On another point. I have CoD and I've never seen any people on the ground or in the vehicles.

Well if you read this thread earlier you would have seen that you can have people next to vehicles in Cliffs of Dover. It would appear though that asking questions which include inaccuracies is fine, but posting answers that correct and show facts must be deleted?

 

So yes, you can have people around the vehicles, sadly it isn't allowed to show the pictures that prove it. Disappointed.

[Bearcat]

 

Well if you read this thread earlier you would have seen that you can have people next to vehicles in Cliffs of Dover. It would appear though that asking questions which include inaccuracies is fine, but posting answers that correct and show facts must be deleted?

 

So yes, you can have people around the vehicles, sadly it isn't allowed to show the pictures that prove it. Disappointed.

 

Why don't you go over to any number of CoD threads and post those pictures... In fact please do that now. You can even create your own thread of what is possible in CoD visually.. There are no rules against that... feel free.

 

JUST NOT IN THIS THREAD..

 

Neil you are a smart guy.. what is so dadgummed hard about "getting" that? I have asked for this nonsense to stop in this thread more than once and tried to get it back on track.

 

If you pursue this line any farther in this thread you will force me to take action I do not wasnt to take. Please do as I have requested and keep this thread OT and keep all your praise of CoD in another thread.

 

 

Will it disappear or not? (test)

 

It's me in that plane! LOL

 

Not. This thread is about BoS... yes??

[Bearcat]

 

Eurogamer Italy review (use Google Translator if needed).

 

8/10 - Although the text suggest that the reviewer don't really play the campaing (like Henkill did)...

 

http://www.eurogamer.it/articles/2014-11-06-il-2-sturmovik-battle-of-stalingrad-recensione-review

 

"...even with all the aids turned on, it remains largely out of reach for any casual user." 

 

 

TY.. Oh... Duhhhh It's in Italian...

[ST_ami7b5]

All the best to you Bear.

[heinkill]

I feel sorry for Heinkill.

Did his best to create a balanced review and for the 2nd time the topic gets hijacked.

 

Don't feel sorry for me, send beer to help me cheer up. Will PM the address.

 

 Got link? I actually thought that Heinkill's review was the first "professional" one ... He is a writer by profession so....

 

No-one has ever accused me of being a writer (except me)...I am a journalist. There is a big (hic) difference. Journalists dress more sharperer and write way betterer.

 

H

 

PS now back on topic: ten reasons why Cliffs of Dover is better than Bos which is better than 1946 which is worse than BoS which is better than WT, which is worse than WoWP, which is better than Wings of Prey which is better than Cliffs of Dover which is worse than BoS, and all you people are totally forgetting Aces High which is better than all of the above but worse than EAW, which isn't near as good as B17 Mighty 8th, or BoS.

[Bearcat]

LOL

 and again:

 

 

 

ENOUGH.

[Brano]

 

Will it disappear or not? (test)

 

It's me in that plane! LOL

You mean that statues of children dancing around crocodille?Yes,it dissapeared from Vokzal square after war.there was parking place needed more then culture,I guess.But today there is replica of it placed there,but on a bit different place,not original one.

[Yakdriver]

OMG... that is a hell of a shot right there.
Beautiful!

[Mysticpuma]

Hi BC.

 

I wasn't being disrespectful. I was answering a question in this BoS thread that referred to Cliffs. If it hadn't been left to answer, I wouldn't have answered it. It wasn't done to be petty or make a point, it was done to.answer what I thought was a genuine question.

 

I know you have a real tough job here and don't wish to add to it, my intention was purely helpful but seeing the post deleted didn't make sense while still.leaving the question intact.

 

Either way, I've known you for a long time, these are challenging times and I don't wish to add to your workload.

 

Best Wishes, MP

[Bearcat]

TY and I can appreciate that.. FWIW I believe I found the question and removed that as well.. but what I said is still valid..

 

The current state of CoD is what it is but that renders it a no less viable option for those who appreciate this genre which is not as robust as it once was as far as options go. That translates into we have no room for the internecine conflicts that far too often pop up all over cyberspace in relation to the few options that we do have and their relation to each other. If the fans of CoD who come here to this forum think that it has a lot to offer, rather than inserting it's virtues into so many threads on the main boards here or taking personal offense anytime someone who may be misinformed or who just does not share their appreciation for CoD writes something they do not agree with and they want to clarify some misconceptions or just express their POV why not start a specific thread of CoD visuals for example.. to share. There is a place for that .. there are 13 threads on CoD in the Other 1C board right now but this thread and on these main BoS boards is not that place and this incessant call and response thing on the main BoS boards almost always denigrates into locked or deleted threads and posts. Coexistence is possible.. just remember where you are (not a specific you directed to YOU but a generic plural you..) . I would never go to,  say for example.. the ATAG forum and insert BoS into every thread or even a lot of threads on the main boards.. but there is a place for that there.. and there is a place for the reverse here that Jason himself specifically authorized.

[Scarecrow]

Decent review, pretty constructive.

 

I agree with the point about unlocking airfiels and campaign progression, the campaign is the weakest part of the sim currently and that's ok if you aren't  forcing players to play the campaign to unlock stuff. I'm enjoying the SP but I hope they really improve it in the near future. 

[Sokol1]

"Y.. Oh... Duhhhh It's in Italian... "

 

Read in English.

[Uufflakke]

Don't feel sorry for me, send beer to help me cheer up. Will PM the address.

 

 

No-one has ever accused me of being a writer (except me)...I am a journalist. There is a big (hic) difference. Journalists dress more sharperer and write way betterer.

 

H

 

PS now back on topic: ten reasons why Cliffs of Dover is better than Bos which is better than 1946 which is worse than BoS which is better than WT, which is worse than WoWP, which is better than Wings of Prey which is better than Cliffs of Dover which is worse than BoS, and all you people are totally forgetting Aces High which is better than all of the above but worse than EAW, which isn't near as good as B17 Mighty 8th, or BoS.

 

A bit too expensive to send you a sixpack of beers from here. I could have offered you a beer a couple of weeks ago when I was in Denmark (Kopenhagen and Lyndby).

 

About the comparison with other combat flight sims: you forgot to mention CFS1, CFS2 and CFS3. Shame shame shame.

 

As a journalist you should visit the combat flight simmers personally and interview them . The whole spectrum from fulltime rantbashers to fundamentalist fanboys.

Don't be surprised that in daily life they are anonymous students who still live with mom and dad or they are decent housefathers with a boring 9-5 job.

 

About the review:

As a non founder, just a  regular visitor, I can only judge it from screenshots and numerous YouTube clips and agree on the graphics part. I've also said in the past the textures look bland, houses like cartboard and Stalingrad empty.

The positive thing is that, after many comments here and on the Russian forum, they changed colours of facades; instead of only black and white and shades of grey they added a brick red colour.

If I remember correctly I have read that they deliberately left out buildings in Stalingrad to avoid loss of fps on lesser systems. Therefore those black spots on city textures which simulate buildings when seen from above.

About your comment on airfields which look generic even well known ones like Pitomnik and Gumrak, that was critized a long time ago too. Since the early beta release. It has been stated by the team that before official release it will be historically correct.

At least this is the info I found after a quick search:

 

Update 2:

21) How do you plan to make airfields - to reconstruct each "as it was in reality" or the like in ROF (8 historical and 4 types, large / small, blue / red)?

Now it is difficult to answer. This will depend on the speed with which the development will go. Of course, we will try to reproduce the airfields quite accurately.

 

Update 13:

8) Which airfields will be on the BoS map. Can you already give us a list with the names?

We already have a list but we'll be updating it by the summer. We plan to make all the major airfields needed for historical accuracy of events of the battle. Some airfields such as Pitomnik will be made accurately even in terms of the location of ground structures.

 

 

I do not agree on the part of the explosion effects though.

Hollywood style or not - I also prefer things to go boom! boom! but ground explosions disappear way to quickly and looks a bit simple for a 2014 game.

Also in your included screenshot of that burning Bf-109 flames look more like a campfire for my feeling.

Well that is my opinion. For what it is worth.

[II./JG27_Rich]

In BOS the goods out weighs the bads......Like a 109 

[SharpeXB]

"Y.. Oh... Duhhhh It's in Italian... "

 

Read in English.

That's a better and more balanced review.

They actually have a positive view of the unlocks as a challenging part of the game. That's really how mainstream gamers will see it. Not the way enthusiasts on forums do. It also highlights the true positives of the game.

[Bearcat]

My main beefs with the unlocks is they are mandatory. I think they should be confined to the SP campaign.. but it is what it is and there is still more good than bad in BoS... which is basically what the review said.

[Vaxxtx]

My main beefs with the unlocks is they are mandatory. I think they should be confined to the SP campaign.. but it is what it is and there is still more good than bad in BoS... which is basically what the review said.

SP people hate the unlocks as much as the MP players. No thanks.

 

Since they insist on doing them though they could have implemented them like Silent Hunter, where it makes more sense. That is unless they are looking to make money later on using that system. Then its not as much a gameplay feature as it is a money thing.

 

Either way, I dont like to see people thinking only MP is affected.

[avlSteve]

Hopefully we can discuss the unlocks again.

[dburne]

My main beefs with the unlocks is they are mandatory. I think they should be confined to the SP campaign.. but it is what it is and there is still more good than bad in BoS... which is basically what the review said.

 

As long as they remain confined to SP, this SP guy will remain on the sidelines... just can't do it.

[avlSteve]

As long as they remain confined to SP, this SP guy will remain on the sidelines... just can't do it.

 

 Yes, out of sheer principle... not another thought about it!

[Yakdriver]

Review:
 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Review
A consumer review refers to a review written by the owner of a product or the user of a service who has sufficient experience to comment on reliability and whether or not the product or service delivers on its promises, otherwise known as product reviews. Product reviews can be done either individually, or as a comparison to similar products. An expert review usually refers to a review written by someone who has tested several peer products or services to identify which offers the best value for money or the best set of features. A bought review is the system where the creator (usually a company) of a new product pays a reviewer to review his new product.

 

 

It can be this or it can be that. The writer can be competent, or not.

it's basically a bunch of text describing something from someone's point of View.

the fact that we are on page number 3, and that we are shooting at each other over what one (more or less objective, more or less factual, but with an honest intention, more or less qualified) dude thinks about BoS...
tells me a lot about the folks engaged in this thread.

 

I mean Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.

How about a positive proposition:
discussions about reviews are useless.
One thread with Links to all worldwide reviews, good and bad, no comments allowed because it leads mostly to useless headbutting?

[Trident_109]

SP people hate the unlocks as much as the MP players. No thanks.

 

Since they insist on doing them though they could have implemented them like Silent Hunter, where it makes more sense. That is unless they are looking to make money later on using that system. Then its not as much a gameplay feature as it is a money thing.

 

Either way, I dont like to see people thinking only MP is affected.

QFT!

 

The unlocks annoy me, but I really am putting my money down on the community stepping up to create missions and campaigns for this game. I'm not at all satisfied with the campaign in this game. I just don't fly it. I tried again last night and I just couldn't muster the gumption to finish one mission.

 

I don't mean this as a threat. Instead I say this with a sullen heart because I do enjoy flight sims.... but if there isn't a better campaign system with the next add on I will not be buying it. I want this to succeed and I want to be able to enjoy the game, but throwing more money at something I don't enjoy is foolhardy.

 

I gave a 2 part metacritic review. The yellow circle official point score was 7. I gave it that score in hopes that the team will make a finished game that people (despite my dislikes) would enjoy, and for that I think 7 is fair. There is a lot that 777 has done well enough for a variety of people and a variety game play styles. I emphatically stated in the body of my review that I scored the game as a 6 because I find no joy in this campaign. I can 'oooooh and aaaah' about all the good in the game, but in the end if I'm not enjoying it I have to let that reflect my personal grade.

[Sparrer]

The forum users rated about 7 in mean (in poll section)
The metacritic users rated about 7 in mean
The already presented reviews rated about 7 in mean

So, in mean, is a 7 game.

What should be done to achieve at least 9 like the old sturmovik?

Thats what devs and user should care about. Actually, i don't think that anything pretty new need to be done. But ALREADY presented features done by other sims should be implemented

IMO:

The critical:
►Provide to regular users the possibility of host his own servers
►Provide FMB to increase expandability
►Release Dedicated server
►Provide the classical skins design. Thousands of sites, forums, and communities were related on that. It means thousand os people talking about Bos for free and thousands of benefited. Also you can KEEP the aerobatic squads flying around and making promotional videos everywhere.
►Increase the campaign missions quality. More elaborate and populated missions
► Rethink this MP unlock idea that only decrease the game expandability and freedom....and also annoy the community
►Talk to the community about your wishes and plans in those aspect....since those actions take some time and this would introduce hope rather than disappointment

Desirables (lower priority)
►Tune up the AAA
►Tune the hit and flak sounds
►Provide custom graphic settings
► A Summer map

Strategics
► Rethink this single plane selling plans. This could stuck the game MP expandability in the future messing up with missions designs and servers
►Never stop tunning up FM/DM/AI over and over

With those, i probably rate as 9 with no problem as the main core is nice

Remember the main and the hard work is already done and in good quality. Don't loose it!

Edited November 13, 2014 by Sparrer

[Sparrer]

To desirables:

►A MP lobby with chat and players list per server

[Yakdriver]

sparrer... this is about a review... not a wishlist?!!

[Sparrer]

S!

 

So lets kill each other about whos review is correct and go fast to nowhere.

If my post is totally nonsense in this thread, just ignore it. Better discuss reviews and related than how users are posting

[Yakdriver]

what i REALLY wanted you to understand... but i though i didnt need to express it, because it was more of a hint...

have your ideas, that's okay. but not in this thread...?

This thread is dead, man... again.

[DD_bongodriver]

He is talking about BOS, it is a wishlist he believes would drive higher rating reviews.

 

let the moderators moderate.

[Sparrer]

S!

.

How about a positive proposition:
discussions about reviews are useless.
One thread with Links to all worldwide reviews, good and bad, no comments allowed because it leads mostly to useless headbutting?

 

[Sokol1]

So, in mean, is a 7 game.

 

Curiously - from Eurogamer pointing system:

 

"Over the years, especially for other magazines, a score of 7 symbolized the "point of no return", that is the psychological barrier below which a player would not spend his money.

Eurogamer has always been opposed to this idea, for us 7 shows still a good score and then apply it to a game, however, deserves attention.

In our eyes, this score indicates that we are talking about a great title, slipped under the excellence for a number of reasons that have thus ruined an otherwise more refined and full-bodied. The classic missed opportunity, in fact."

 

[unreasonable]

Good point, Sokol1, making 7 a "bad score" is a classic case of grade inflation. What is the point of having 0 to 6 in that case?

 

SP at the moment gets a 5 from me, (it's daddy RoF gets an 8) and that would not be altered in the slightest if "unlocks" were removed, since they have little or no effect on the SP game. It is the out of control friendly AI, poor formation keeping and options, limited mission templates and lack of historic context that holds it back. Unlocks are a red herring.

[heinkill]

The forum users rated about 7 in mean (in poll section)

The metacritic users rated about 7 in mean

The already presented reviews rated about 7 in mean

So, in mean, is a 7 game.

What should be done to achieve at least 9 like the old sturmovik?

Thats what devs and user should care about. Actually, i don't think that anything pretty new need to be done. But ALREADY presented features done by other sims should be implemented

IMO:

The critical:

►Provide to regular users the possibility of host his own servers

►Provide FMB to increase expandability

►Release Dedicated server

►Provide the classical skins design. Thousands of sites, forums, and communities were related on that. It means thousand os people talking about Bos for free and thousands of benefited. Also you can KEEP the aerobatic squads flying around and making promotional videos everywhere.

►Increase the campaign missions quality. More elaborate and populated missions

► Rethink this MP unlock idea that only decrease the game expandability and freedom....and also annoy the community

►Talk to the community about your wishes and plans in those aspect....since those actions take some time and this would introduce hope rather than disappointment

Desirables (lower priority)

►Tune up the AAA

►Tune the hit and flak sounds

►Provide custom graphic settings

► A Summer map

Strategics

► Rethink this single plane selling plans. This could stuck the game MP expandability in the future messing up with missions designs and servers

►Never stop tunning up FM/DM/AI over and over

With those, i probably rate as 9 with no problem as the main core is nice

Remember the main and the hard work is already done and in good quality. Don't loose it!

Good post, agree with most points that this would take the game to a higher level.

 

H

[Bearcat]

Curiously - from Eurogamer pointing system:

 

"Over the years, especially for other magazines, a score of 7 symbolized the "point of no return", that is the psychological barrier below which a player would not spend his money.

Eurogamer has always been opposed to this idea, for us 7 shows still a good score and then apply it to a game, however, deserves attention.

In our eyes, this score indicates that we are talking about a great title, slipped under the excellence for a number of reasons that have thus ruined an otherwise more refined and full-bodied. The classic missed opportunity, in fact."

 

 

Or a 10 in the rough.....

[DD_bongodriver]

10 is perfection, there will never be such a thing.

[Bearcat]

So you say.... I think adding the ME and skins alone will bring it up to 9.. My initial rfating could have been a 7.5 instead of an 8 with some thought.. 8 was being generous all things reconsidered .. but 7-7.5 is very fair.

 

The forum users rated about 7 in mean (in poll section)
The metacritic users rated about 7 in mean
The already presented reviews rated about 7 in mean

So, in mean, is a 7 game.

What should be done to achieve at least 9 like the old sturmovik?

Thats what devs and user should care about. Actually, i don't think that anything pretty new need to be done. But ALREADY presented features done by other sims should be implemented

IMO:

The critical:
►Provide to regular users the possibility of host his own servers
►Provide FMB to increase expandability
►Release Dedicated server
►Provide the classical skins design. Thousands of sites, forums, and communities were related on that. It means thousand os people talking about Bos for free and thousands of benefited. Also you can KEEP the aerobatic squads flying around and making promotional videos everywhere.
►Increase the campaign missions quality. More elaborate and populated missions
► Rethink this MP unlock idea that only decrease the game expandability and freedom....and also annoy the community
►Talk to the community about your wishes and plans in those aspect....since those actions take some time and this would introduce hope rather than disappointment

Desirables (lower priority)
►Tune up the AAA
►Tune the hit and flak sounds
►Provide custom graphic settings
► A Summer map

Strategics
► Rethink this single plane selling plans. This could stuck the game MP expandability in the future messing up with missions designs and servers
►Never stop tunning up FM/DM/AI over and over

With those, i probably rate as 9 with no problem as the main core is nice

Remember the main and the hard work is already done and in good quality. Don't loose it!

 

I think with this it would be the closest thing to a 10 we have seen/will se in a long time..  The only thing I don't agree with is the plane thing.. and that is because I don't think that that is how they are going to go... I actually think that is not a bad idea...

 

 

what i REALLY wanted you to understand... but i though i didnt need to express it, because it was more of a hint...

have your ideas, that's okay. but not in this thread...?

This thread is dead, man... again.

 

Woosaaaaaa .......................

[SvAF/F19_Klunk]

Interesting note from the Italian review....

 

"Oltre alla possibilità di affrontare missioni veloci e missioni singole combinando aerei, obiettivi, durata e difficoltà, il vero piatto forte del gioco è rappresentato dalla modalità campagna"

[Bearcat]

Which means ...

[Matt]

Das bedeutet, dass die Kampagne das "highlight" von BoS sein soll.

 

Seriously, i don't get why people always post foreign languages in these topics and urge people to use google translator. Should be a rule against that imho.

 

Anyway, what that means, is that the campaign mode is considered to be the highlight, according to the reviewer.

[SvAF/F19_Klunk]

Sorry 'bout that Matt. U r right. Thanx for translating

[=LD=Hethwill]

SP people hate the unlocks as much as the MP players. No thanks.

 

 

Spot on.

 

Doesn't stop me from playing but would be a brighter sunrise and a smoother take off if i knew they were not there...