TSATC: Demo

rn · #1 August 19th, 2005, 02:45 PM

Just downloaded the new demo - looks very interesting. Your maps just keep getting better and better. A couple of questions - no contour overlay this time? That feature was useful for resolving elevations. And why the blurring of the military maps? I also like the new icons - the Falklands' were a little cluttered - these are clear and immediately recognizable. Not to be picky (well, not too picky anyway) I think it would be helpful to distinguish between company and platoon icons as well. I'm looking forward to playing around with this and ordering it when it is available. You have managed to create something that is quite unique in wargaming. The only other games that come close are Panther Games and they are working in the WW2 environment.

Patrick Proctor · #2 August 20th, 2005, 07:02 PM

Thanks for the kudos.

To answer your questions (they are actually linked)...

We wanted to go with the authentic military maps this time. The problem is that, to use scans of real, military maps, we can't get a consistent background color, which is required to make contour over color work. We also were not able to achieve color and contour maps both at the required resolution on the minium target machine (a lower-range PC with 256 MB of RAM), so we had to reduce the resolution of either the color or the contour map. We decided to go with the military map. I hope it is not too much of a problem.

By the way, if you intend to purchase, you can save $5.00 if you pre-order now at:

http://www.gamersfront.com/cgi-bin/s...117&type=store

Thanks, again, for the input.

rn · #3 August 20th, 2005, 07:23 PM

No problem at all - I was just curious. In fact, I like having the maps so different from each other (re Falklands & Star&Crescent) Keeps things fresh.

Hertston · #4 October 18th, 2005, 06:43 PM

Quote:

rn said:
Your maps just keep getting better and better.

That was my first thought on seeing the demo. The maps look great. Far from the be all and end all, of course, but this one has a much more polished feel.

Just looking forward to getting down and playing TSATC when it turns up. I've hardly had a chance to look at 'Falklands' as real-life just went bananas for a few months, but I've finally got some time now to get down to some gaming.

junk2drive · #5 October 20th, 2005, 01:10 AM

Sorry this is delayed, I was out of town.
Posted in the WSPMBT forum:
Curt I dl'd the demo for TSATC as I am looking for yet another gaming experience. I found it less than user friendly. I have no prior experience with that type of game. IOW I was lost. I'll try it again this weekend.
At another forum I read about a difference in counters from RT and TSATC. BFC's CMC has people asking for counters instead of 3D icons and 2D topdown views.
My point is that some people are happy the way things are and others want them different. Game companies must decide how high or low computer requirements will be for graphics and gameplay. Maybe Camo leaves things as they are for any number of reasons.
***
I unzipped the contents into a folder on my D: partition.
Ran the setup exe. to the default on C: .
I haven't found a readme for dummies.
I start the game, read the briefing, and... I have no clue.
I'll give it another look this weekend.

BFCs new CMC gave me the thought that something similar could be done with other games. Would you concider using ATF based games for the campaign and MBT for the battles?

Curt Pangracs · #6 October 20th, 2005, 09:20 AM

ATF is more suited to the battles than the overall campaign! It is a tactical game rather than a strategic or operational level game.

There is a tutorial that ships with the demo. I believe you can select tutorial from the "Help" menu or go to "Program Files - The Star and the Crescent Demo - Tutorial" and double-click on the "Tutorial.htm" file to begin.

Hope this helps!

Curt

Patrick Proctor · #7 October 20th, 2005, 12:10 PM

Curt is correct. The tutorial can be reached either by selecting "Tutorial" from the Help menu or by opening the TSATC install directory and going to the "Tutorial" subdirectory and opening the HTML file called "Tutorial".

It walks you through the "Jenin" scenario, I believe, and gives you everything you need in order to be dangerous (hopefully not to yourself AND others

)

junk2drive · #8 October 20th, 2005, 01:12 PM

That help button was way too fancy, lol
Whoda thunk it was in there?
Thanks guys, I'll get back to you.

Hertston · #9 October 20th, 2005, 07:23 PM

Quote:

junk2drive said:

BFCs new CMC gave me the thought that something similar could be done with other games. Would you concider using ATF based games for the campaign and MBT for the battles?

As Curt said the ATF system would be far better suited to the tactical battles. You would acknowlege the idea of a real-time campaign system and turn based battle system would be 'novel', to say the least?

Apart from that, its a pretty neat idea. I think it would actually be easier with ACT (and Highway to the Reich, too, if you used that) than CM due to the way those games are played on real maps, or deivatives thereof, and could be at both levels.

junk2drive · #10 November 6th, 2005, 07:04 PM

Not a lot of action in here.
I finally got a chance to try again.
The help button makes all the difference.
When I started the clock I had a heck of a time with right click to bring up the little menu. Did I miss something in the tutorial?
I'm not playing real time games in my old age but I still want to give this a go.