A question before purchase

Norm Koger's The Operational Art of War III is the next game in the award-winning Operational Art of War game series. TOAW3 is updated and enhanced version of the TOAW: Century of Warfare game series. TOAW3 is a turn based game covering operational warfare from 1850-2015. Game scale is from 2.5km to 50km and half day to full week turns. TOAW3 scenarios have been designed by over 70 designers and included over 130 scenarios. TOAW3 comes complete with a full game editor.

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Major SNAFU_M
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A question before purchase

Post by Major SNAFU_M »

Hi all,

I own and played the heck out of TOAW and TOAW II. I then stopped getting the series, mainly becasue it seemed to me that TS was just re-packaging to make more $

Anyway, I never got COW, and then kicked myself afterwards when I read good things about it and then could nto find it anywhere. I tried ebay, won a bid but the seller never followed up with me.

I currently play WITP and am getting the itch for another operational land-focused game.

So my question is should I go for TOAW III? It seems like Battles in Normandy also looks like a strong contender for my $.

I liked TOAW I & II, despite their idiosyncracies - but the only thing I am concerned about with TOAW III is that there seems to be interest in the nwe version, but when I check the websites I don't see as much activity as I guess I would have hoped for a game that has been out for 9 months. What I am really getting at is that from my reading on this forum, since I don't own COW, I am at the mercy of those kinds souls who will take the time and effort to convert older TOAW scenarios to TOAW III. I've found a couple of lists where people have said they've concerted - but for some reason I could not sus out where to actually get a hold of the new scenarios.

So I am indecisive for the moment. I would like to hear from a couple of original TOAW owners (especially that may own Battles in Normandy) that can give me their take on what all of the (really great sounding changes) have really brought to the game and to gameplay.

Thanks in advance for anyone who reads all of this and then has the energy to reply.

I am leaning towards TOAWIII just because I loved the game, but I also want to know that I am getting the best operational game that current programming techonology can bring to the table, so to speak.

"Popular Opinion? What I suggest you do with 'Popular Opinion' is biologically impossible and morally questionable." -

"One ping to find them all,
One ping to link them;
One ping to promote them all,
and in the darkness sink them"
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Veers
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RE: A question before purchase

Post by Veers »

A great place to get scenarios for I and II (and CoW and T3) is rugged defence. http://www.the-strategist.net/RD/news.php
Once you've found a scenario there that you like, ask around and there are likely a bunch of people that will convert it to T3 for you (since you don't have CoW, all CoW scenarios are readily convertable to T3 just by opening them in the T3 editor and saving them).

EDIT: I don't own Battles in Normandy, but I'd imagine you can only design (and play) scnearios form that area and time period with it. Another great feature of T3 is that you can design (and play) scenarios from anytime from (about) the 1800 to the near future, and anywhere.
To repeat history in a game is to be predictable.
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Telumar
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RE: A question before purchase

Post by Telumar »

And all of those scenarios that were originally included in ACOW are included in TOAW3, some of them dating back to the TOAWI and II era. In addition to that there are plenty of user made scenarios incooperated in TOAW3.

What are the biggest changes in the game compared to the elder versions? Can only speak from COW, and that would be:
-Anti Air fire works (didn't work properly in COW)
-Maximum Rounds per Battle setting available
-enhanced Anti-Armour combat (new formula with side-hits/angle, a farewell gift from Norm Koger [&o])
-a lot of bugs that have been fixed
-easily moddable graphics (scenario and era specific)
-user made equipment databases are supported (with the latest patch)
-the PO is much more better, you will immediatly notice if you play against it

And last but not least, continuing support from Matrix.
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Major SNAFU_M
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RE: A question before purchase

Post by Major SNAFU_M »

THe equipment editor thing really has me interested.

So the latest version allows you to use customer databases - but how are the database editors coming along?  I was reading a couple of threads and it seems that an editor that worked for COW is now semi-working for TAOW III, do I have that right?

Is there an intent to make this, or some other editor, completely TOAW III compatible?  ( I admit that I don't know that compatible means - so correct my perceptions/understanding please!).

Is Matrix supporting the unit database editor effort?

Thanks,

Looks like I am going to go with TOAW III.  It sounds like it is well worth a re-visit to one of my favorites.


"Popular Opinion? What I suggest you do with 'Popular Opinion' is biologically impossible and morally questionable." -

"One ping to find them all,
One ping to link them;
One ping to promote them all,
and in the darkness sink them"
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Veers
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RE: A question before purchase

Post by Veers »

The editor for CoW now fully works for T3. There is ongoing (outside of Matirx) work on a more user friendly editor.
To repeat history in a game is to be predictable.
If you wish to learn more about EA, feel free to pop over to the EA forums Europe Aflame Forums.
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Telumar
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RE: A question before purchase

Post by Telumar »

Included in the patch is a detailed tutorial (Thanks Bob Cross) about how to use the equipment editor with TOAW3.
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a white rabbit
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RE: A question before purchase

Post by a white rabbit »

..what can i say, t3+ BioEd...
 
..ok, t3, a well thought-out improvement on the toaw series, it does far better what it should, and Elmer's a cute bunny, and getting better every patch..
 
..+ BioEd, err which period of history do you want to play ?..
 
..Toaw2 plus 5, ok ?
..toodA, irmAb moAs'lyB 'exper'mentin'..,..beàn'tus all..?,
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Silvanski
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RE: A question before purchase

Post by Silvanski »

ORIGINAL: Telumar

Included in the patch is a detailed tutorial (Thanks Bob Cross) about how to use the equipment editor with TOAW3.

3 cheers for Bob and his tutorial. It had me going in no time.
The TOAW Redux Dude
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Major SNAFU_M
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RE: A question before purchase

Post by Major SNAFU_M »

Thanks again for all of the replies. Looks like I was worried for nought.

Going to start dowloading in a few minutes.....[:)]

One question, is there a parser available for "a white rabbit's" posts[:D]
"Popular Opinion? What I suggest you do with 'Popular Opinion' is biologically impossible and morally questionable." -

"One ping to find them all,
One ping to link them;
One ping to promote them all,
and in the darkness sink them"
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Telumar
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RE: A question before purchase

Post by Telumar »


One question, is there a parser available for "a white rabbit's" posts[:D]

lol! You'll have to get used to...maybe in the next patch..[:D]

Btw, i like your avatar pic..

Situation normal, all fucked up. Happy toawing!
JAMiAM
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RE: A question before purchase

Post by JAMiAM »

ORIGINAL: Major SNAFU
One question, is there a parser available for "a white rabbit's" posts[:D]
Yes, but I believe there might be some forum rules against recommending the ingestion of the appropriate psychotropic chemicals...[:D]
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Major SNAFU_M
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RE: A question before purchase

Post by Major SNAFU_M »

My avatar is a cooperative effort. I came up with the idea and the pictures, and my wife "the Photoshop wizardess" put the pic together for me.

I may have to run up the local library to do the download. I have had 4 failures at about 30 Mbytes so far. The problem is on my end. I almost never can download large files do to the crappy way the internet is shared out in the neighborhood I live in. On a weekend o during "waking hours" the performance is really, really bad. Thus I get time-outs and have to seek out a 'fast' connection. I'll give it a few more gos here, then one tonight. After that, it will be off to the library and the wonderful T1 they have.

I swear, if money was no object I would have a T3 installed just for my house just because I want what I want when I want it. Can you tell I live in the U.S.?[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]
"Popular Opinion? What I suggest you do with 'Popular Opinion' is biologically impossible and morally questionable." -

"One ping to find them all,
One ping to link them;
One ping to promote them all,
and in the darkness sink them"
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freeboy
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RE: A question before purchase

Post by freeboy »

I own both BIN and Taow3, Bin is a much differnent style, much more cenceptualized, styalized? what is the word? AH Abstraction !where in all games must use abstraction, the Toaw3 is a little more intricate, if you liked witp you will love this pbem.. I finished the complete witp pbem game, the first to finish pearl to jap surrender I think, no life..I recommend both games..
Tough to pick between them though.
I am playing a lot of FITE.. long turns especially in the beginging, but there are great shorter scenarios and it shipwith like 300 or so, Bin has a few, but at the SSG R5 forum you get a bunch of user made ones.. each game is great.
good luck and good gaming
m
"Tanks forward"
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