Chuck "Magnum" Ankenbauer gives us his impressions of the new armor sim.

http://www.simhq.com/_land3/land_102a.html

Just wanted to add that the multiplayer problem seems to be more wide spread then I thought when I wrote the review. It seems that connecting to other peoples games is in the rarity and takes alot of dancing and singing.

IMO, This game has great potential but only if they (the developers and/or publishers) fix some of the more major bugs. ie: connecting in multiplayer.

So... if your only wanting WW2 Battle Tanks mainly for the multiplayer aspect, I would hold off till we see what they are going to do about the problems. (I've sent an e-mail to the PR rep at Lighthouse Interactive, waiting for a reply.)

Look for my Steel Fury review soon.

and thanks for reading.

Thanks Mag, looking forward to the Steel Fury review.

Cheers Mag, enjoyed the read. I know there's not much depth to the thing in terms of single player, the over scripting and troops and planes as ornaments is dissapointing. I hope a few modders can get together and give it some kind of "realism mod" total overhaul with some random scripting etc or it's got no longevity. Problem is people have to like it enough to spend time on it, anyway we'll see.

Thought I'll have my 5 cents in. Good review. Objective.
I played the game and should say the developers behind it known in Russia by there "great concept & poor realisation". They are the ones behind "Whirlwind of Vietnam" - yet another unfinished product, "Fair strike" - one more game which claimed to be a sim and didn't turn out good either. Support was almost nonexistant. I doubt they will polish this one too. It came out in Russia several months earlier russian gamers complained about it's AI and strange multiplayer. Nothing was changed or ajusted... And then the game came to western market almost without any change.
Too bad.
But "Steel Fury" is indeed so much better in terms of simulaton, freedom and support.
So... Good review and poor game.

Thanks DeVoo, good insight.

Thanks Mag an excellent well rounded review, its a diamond in the rough hopefully it well get well cut and polished over the comming months S!

I would have to agree with what DeVoo has stated. If I had not been impatient (desparately wanting a WW2 tank simulation) and not jumped the gun on this one by preordering it, I would be feeling much, much better. People should be ashamed of themselves for putting out something like this and actually charging for it. The fact that these developers were the ones who did "Whirlwind Vietnam" should have tipped me off. I could kick myself.

I respectfully disagree with you Magnum regarding review. I thought you were too soft on the publisher and developer. This thing is junk. Esim Games has spoiled me.

I would be very skeptical of this happening. I think a lot of people are going to find this thing not worth the time or effort. Just my humble opinion of course.

I fully respect your opinion, but what do you mean? For 40 bucks I'd say this is a pretty damn good product. Two detailed tanks, 6 missions each, about 15 hours of SP gameplay... and a detailed mission editor, (which we need documentation for).

I'd say I got 40 bucks of good gameplay already, and more to come if the community learns that editor and produces better missions. I look at this game for what it is, a simulation of 2 WW2 tanks... nothing more, nothing less.

The only problems I'm aware of with the game is some round penetration issues, and of course the game killing multiplayer issue. I never said this was a SB Pro PE quality game, (even thou isn't SB only as good as the mission maker?) Comparing the two is unfair IMO, for one... one is a 40 dollar game, the other a 125 dollar training tool.

No, I stick with my opinion, which is what a review is anyway... a damn good game with alot of potential, along with some serious game killing issues.

BTW, would I recommend you go buy WW2 Battle Tanks right now?

NOPE, not till the developers show they care and will fixes some of the major, game killing issues.

I'd recommend waiting for Steel Fury at this point.

Great job on the review, Chuck, and thanks for the thoughtful shout out about the MP (oops, I'm embarrsed to say I didn't think of that in my review, sorry ), it was lovely being shot up by you.

Neal

Hi Magnum,

Thanks for the review. I will like others wait for Steel Fury even though its missing MP (not that I care that much about it).

Cheers
Mark

Yep, I would'nt disagree, modders have already been drawn towards Steel Fury even with just the Russian version out there's a mod installer and a couple of vehicles already, plus ongoing dev support and an add-on in the works. If it wasn't for the timing of the releases of these I think T34 might have got more attention. Anyway, at the very least I hope some mission builders can do something with it, I think someone found that scripts can be edited I dont think the process is helped by the lack of editor manual.

Magnum ;

can you say that t34 vs tiger uses or doesn't use starforce ?

I read through the lighthouse forum and i read things like just a cd check , securom , starforce.
It's very confusing what kind of copyprotection is used by this new tanksim.

The version I got, directly from the publisher used a serial key, no Starforce or Securom here.

Thank you for the reply Magnum ,

cd check or securom is a sale for me ; SF = not in a zillion years

I have tanksims like speerhead, panzercommander, armored fist series, T72; so now im interested in T34 vs tiger and steel fury.

I really looked forward to driving a Tiger ("It's a beautiful tank!") but since I'm looking to play offline, I think I'll wait for Steel Fury. If I still feel I need another sim, and they patch some of these problems, and more missions become available, I'll have another look.

My problem with this game (off the top of my head) is as follows:

(1) No way in which to control or give orders to your platoon or battlegroup. As you've mentioned in your review, the only way for these AI forces to be controlled loosley, is to be influenced through scripts built with the mission editor. No control what-so-ever, no triggers in which to initiate orders. No way in which to actually run company level or higher tactical operations. So playing as the tank commander or platoon commander is irrelevant. This makes the tank game basically only a tank gunner game.

(2) When playing as a tank commander. I cannot even get my gunner to obey my orders and shoot at the target I want him to shoot at. I'm constantly fighting the AI gunner for target aquisition and execution. My gunner will see a target 90 degrees opposite of where he is looking through the optics and through several levels of vegetation while I of course cannot see a thing. Of course there are the other problems as well with teh AI crew like not being able to tell your driver to seek a hull down position or set-up routes for the AI driver to follow while you concentrate on commanding the tank. You gotta drive teh tank as well while being tank commander. AI driver is useless.

(3) Map is useless in this game. Again, would have liked something useful like in SBPE where I can give orders to my tank driver, platoon or battlegroup as to where to go and where to set up a battleposition. The only thing this map does in this game is to hinder my view of the beautiful graphics.

(4) Joystick support? Where is it in this game? I don't like using a mouse as gunner.

(5) Multiplayer? We already know the problems with this. In addition, when in multiplayer (I'm assuming since I have not yet tried this) can one actually conduct tactical teamwork operations between player tanks and AI allied tanks and troops? From what I've read, you cannot and that basically the online mode of play (when you can get it to work) is basically just a fragfest of individual tanks running around trying to shoot at each other. No coordination, no tactics, no teamwork. IMHO, that is one of the most boring forms of play. The guys at SimHQ on Military Monday are examples of beautiful tactics and teamwork in ARMA. They make it fun and a learning experience. I don't think you can have that type of fun with this tank game. Again, just my humble opinion.

(6) Mission editor with no manual. Who was the brain trust who came up with this idea? Missions are little and lacking in this game but with a mission editor and creative scripting, it may still have some hope or at least be on the road to recovery. Can't begin this process without a manual though.

I could go on and on but I think you get my point.

I expected more for my $40. I expected a game which at least went through some form of quality control and vetting. I expected something from developers who actually wanted to play the game themselves. I don't think I got that. I don't blame anyone but myself for jumping the gun too early on this game. I'll know better next time and save that $40-$50 for Esim games and gladly pay for an upgrade to their outstanding tank simulation. I say simulation and not game.

As it stands, I've got to make a decision by Friday to either pull my preorder for Steel Fury or keep it and give Lighthouse another chance with (as I understand it different developers for this game).

With respect, I just think your review was a bit off.

I feel Magnum's review is fair enough - if a little too...understanding. But here's the thing: how many WW2 tank sims do we get every five years? Not many. So what do we do? Slate this game off as the unfinished product that it is and drive off any interest in it, or be more tolerant of its faults while we wait for it to get patched/modded to a more enjoyable standard?

Really we can only do the latter AND it's not that bad in its present state (really its the missing features/multiplayer that let it down) and anyone with an interest in WW2 tanking will definitely get something out of loading it up.

Just my 10c.