The Command Ops 2 Launch
I've seen the complaints and hesitation from gamers about the new Command Ops in a variety of forums and wanted to address them here if possible.
I agree with most of what I have read: Command Ops 2 is buggy, the pricing model is confusing and the communication between LnL/Panther and the gaming community could be better. But the new release is still Command Ops and it is vastly better at 60% capacity than are most games at 100% capacity.
I had the privilege of seeing the development versions of the new engine and I know it has come a long way with a lot of hard work by Dave and company. I am confident that this company's almost obsessive debugging will continue until CO3 is released because they are very good at listening to the community.
For me, the biggest question about CO2 is where is it going/how will it be different than the CO1?
The interface change and the grognard chrome of planning aids and situation maps are neat but that's not enough for me. I want to play a new version of Command Ops that challenges me in different ways than the old version. I want to play a game that is different and yet familiar.
From my perspective Command Ops 2 hasn't answered this question yet. I know they will but this version of the game and the new scenarios do not accomplish that for me.
I do know however that within this engine is a fundamental change that will make you look at Command Ops 2 in entirely different light: the maps can be bigger, like way bigger.
When you play Command Ops on a bigger map it is a very different experience: unit fatigue becomes a real issue, so does supply, an army moving forward without reconnaissance becomes a dead army and the use of artillery and other assets needs to be much more strategic.
Now I don't know when a larger map will be released in an official data pack (hopefully very soon). I do know, I can create one using the map and scenario editors to give you a taste of what is possible. Plus I really want to play again on a big map myself.
And so I am working on my next Command Ops scenario: the Soviet counteroffensive to Kursk in August of 1943 and specifically the attack by the 5th Guards and 5th Guards Tank Army against the German positions within Kharkov and west of Kharkov.
I have the OOB complete (thanks to a David Glantz title with the exact OOB for both sides) and I am about 30% done with the map. I am not going to worry about exact placement of units to speed things up and will only setup a fictional battle that resembles what occurred. Hopefully I can have it done by the end of March. At least that is my plan.
I agree with most of what I have read: Command Ops 2 is buggy, the pricing model is confusing and the communication between LnL/Panther and the gaming community could be better. But the new release is still Command Ops and it is vastly better at 60% capacity than are most games at 100% capacity.
I had the privilege of seeing the development versions of the new engine and I know it has come a long way with a lot of hard work by Dave and company. I am confident that this company's almost obsessive debugging will continue until CO3 is released because they are very good at listening to the community.
For me, the biggest question about CO2 is where is it going/how will it be different than the CO1?
The interface change and the grognard chrome of planning aids and situation maps are neat but that's not enough for me. I want to play a new version of Command Ops that challenges me in different ways than the old version. I want to play a game that is different and yet familiar.
From my perspective Command Ops 2 hasn't answered this question yet. I know they will but this version of the game and the new scenarios do not accomplish that for me.
I do know however that within this engine is a fundamental change that will make you look at Command Ops 2 in entirely different light: the maps can be bigger, like way bigger.
This is the beginning of my map for the terrain west of Kharkov. This map is 3-4x bigger than your average Command Ops 1 map. |
Now I don't know when a larger map will be released in an official data pack (hopefully very soon). I do know, I can create one using the map and scenario editors to give you a taste of what is possible. Plus I really want to play again on a big map myself.
And so I am working on my next Command Ops scenario: the Soviet counteroffensive to Kursk in August of 1943 and specifically the attack by the 5th Guards and 5th Guards Tank Army against the German positions within Kharkov and west of Kharkov.
I have the OOB complete (thanks to a David Glantz title with the exact OOB for both sides) and I am about 30% done with the map. I am not going to worry about exact placement of units to speed things up and will only setup a fictional battle that resembles what occurred. Hopefully I can have it done by the end of March. At least that is my plan.
Comments
I look forward to playing some of your user made scenarios though!
Chris