Be Excellent To Each Other

Firstly, do any of you fine ladies or gentlemen have this game for PC and if so would you like a bit of a skirmish sometime?

I was in Woolies today and saw the expansion pack for sale for £20 which seemed a little stiff for an expansion pack but didnt seem any worse than the usual EA expansions and was no more than the downloadable version from the EA store. The general consensus of the other forums Ive visited is that it is worth £20, but what do they know? Since you guys know "a lot" about games, I thought I would check if anyone here has got this expansion and if so what are your thoughts on it?

My pleasant surprise btw was when I went to look on the EA store I noticed that you can actually download the original command and conquer for free...I know this probably isnt a big deal or even news to most of you, especially when "free" games are available from other unofficial sources, but I thought Id share it with the less dodgy looking characters all the same.

http://ccgold.ea.com/uk/

Hello

I'm probably the only person here that also has it. I've never seen anyone else here talk about RTS. I've got c&c 3 and Kane's Wrath, which I enjoyed immensely and bought for £15 when it came out. Well worth it.

Can't say I've ever played a skirmish online, mostly because I'm nowhere near good enough. There seems to be an established set of tactics that I'm not going to master. I'm a big fan of building up a large force of tanks in order to face off against another large set of tanks until victory occurs. If you're crap too I'll happily attempt a bit of a mash up

I would happily chat about RTS's's, but not about the C&C series. It's an adomination. If anyone wants to play Rise of Nations, however....

Anyone who thinks c&c is poo, is poo themselves. This means you, pod. I might now be forced to call you pood.

Have Westwood figured out what hotkeys are yet? I dinstictly remember they hadn't by the time I played generals/RA2. Also; the interface in ALL of the C&C games is completely backwards and a relic of the 90s. All the games are one dimensional as well. They revolve around building a swarm of tanks, selecting them all and right clicking (or is it left clicking? They always had funky mouse commands...) at the enemies base. Real-Time Stratergy? Nay, Real-Time Arcade.

Dune II FTW.

I also have it, but I've never really enjoyed multiplayer RTSs. Mainly as I'm beyond poor at them.

Dude, it hasn't been Westwood for a hundred billion years now. You suck. Hotkeys were pretty much always there, but in the early games weren't mapped by default. You suck.

By hotkeys, I don't mean group selection and forced move, which is about the limit of the hotkeys in these games. Worse is, in Generals, when they ditched the "sidebar" thingy, they also didn't add any hotkeys. So to build things you had to tediously scroll around your base clicking buildings, clicking build, and then scrolling back to the action where all your units were dead because you paid them no attention.

rubbish.


Also, jsut for you, I'm downloading the C&C3 demo. I bet I hate it.


edit: Infact I remember generals being completely tapped. The arrows keys selected units. You had to, HAD to, scroll with the mouse. How lame!

I bought C&C The First Decade a few months ago. Every c&c game up til c&c 3. Generals was indeed a bit balls, I didn't play it for long.

Red Alert & co were aceness of ace, with ace.

I have C&C for the 360 but it sucks with the controler. even if it is a better attempt.

I want a proper mouse and keyboard for the 360 version. Why why why will they not make them work with these games!!! I don;t want to buy a new PC just to play these games!



starcraft?

I have every C&C game for the PC, except Kane's Thingymabob Expansion. Even Renegade.

I still think Total Annihilation was the best RTS ever though. I also own Supreme Commander, but I found it a little bland.

I've still got a jewel case version of TA. I always found it much more fun than C&C.

Q: What happens if you just plug a usb mouse and keyboard into the sexbox?

Also: I just played the C&C3 demo. Whilst it was admitedbly the best C&C game to date....it just felt like C&C. I don't really like it, but I hate it less than I did a post ago. Still, go buy Rise of Nations. You can get it and the expansion for 8 quid (free delivery!)

http://www.play.com/Games/PC/4-/5301458 ... oduct.html

I heartily recommend. Not the same type of game as C&C, but still fun. Additionally; itsasllwater. What kind of computer do you have? Mines pretty low-spec and it ran the C&C 3 demo fine (on low settings of course) and runs RON beautifully (which I recommend you also buy ).



edit: I agree with these two chumps ^^. I used to love playing TA, even if it was just a unit-spam fest. But damn, those units looked cool. They were 3D (ish) and everything.

I had the expansions, and all the downloadable units they made, too. That was a true case of ACEBEST.

TA Spring, the free opensource remake looks really good, but I can never make it *do* anything. And the original copy never wants to play it's music, because it requires it to stream off CD and modern setups aren't setup in quite the right way...

You need to connect the CD-drive's stereo output to the motherboard somehow. No idea how, but it's pretty easy.
Also; I took had both expansions (core world and somethingsomething?) and loads of downloadable stuff. I think I had over 400 units.... didn't have a clue "how" to use them. all I knew was that I COULD! I remember them being some "godzilla" unit in the expansions..

..I still prefered packs of peewees though

It's the cd drive to the sound card I think. But I don't have one of those little cables, and I can't be arsed to get one. I just play the mp3 in the background!

Picked up The First Decade and played through them all the past year or so (except Generals and the first RA). All were great fun, and did C&C 3 and the expansion when it came out. The latter is worth it, it only has one single player campaign, but it's pretty meaty (about 12 missions). The global conquest/metamap thing is pretty cool too. It didn't really work for me but does change the game dynamics somewhat (you can build small strike forces of certain units for attacking specific enemy bases.

Oddly, I also replayed Starcraft recently, and while fun-ish found it interminably slow in single player, units just take forever to upgrade (and in some cases build in the first place). That the expansion is the same size as the original again means I can barely bring myself to play though it.

Keyboard is only good for typing I think on the 360 and MS does not support the mouse... I hear that the PS3 does though... is that true anything use it? I also want my gamer points damn it!

My second hand PC Athlon 2000+ ,768 MB RAM and Radeon 9200 SE peice of shat! - Great for what I use it for but not really a nice gaming system. Thats what I'm trying to use my xbox for. I'd rather at the moment spend more money on a nice high def tv than on a PC bits (not that I will spend any money - cheap as I am).

The 360 deliberately doesn't support m/k because it doesn't want to be a computer with people sitting at a desk playing and it would give those players a huge advantage on XBL.

The PS3 technically supports them but I only know of one game that bothers.

Aside from Dune 2 (although the original Dune was still immense, but not RTS), notable games in this genre include 'Z' which sadly didn't last long, but I liked it, and 'KKND (Krush Kill n' Destroy) which was very c&c-like and I recall it being just as good as the comparable games at the time. It also struck me as a bit more relevant because you collected oil for resources, which makes more sense and is more realistic than finding green alien crystals or gold/gems sitting on the grass.

Still, Kane's Wrath was good. Decent for an expansion, although I will admit the FMV cutscenes do feel a bit budget. A little bit of Natasha Henstridge and an awful lot of Joe Kucan, the rest were extras or characters that appeared for just a few seconds. Made the story feel a bit narrow, and has ruined my hope that all three endings of c&c (which are vaguely similar) would be combined and pave the way for a decent sequel plot. Namely, one where Nod is actually winning overall.

I've signed up for the beta of Red Alert 3, a perk if you bought Kane's Wrath. Anyone else?

I'm not the most RTS person ever (largely because I've never had a decent PC for games), but I had C&C for PS1 and loved it. But yeah, reason for the post is that I remember when Z was due to come out, and the mags were all about it. Like it was gonna be the best game ever. I recall it was pretty delayed. Bitmaps, right? It all seemed very quiet when it came out.

Ah youthful memory of screenshots of Spacial Brew...

I lost my copy of Z:Steel Soldiers. WHERE IS IT? GIVE IT BACK!

You collect oil in Rise of Nations...hinthinthint.


Also: The best bit about C&C is it's low budget FMVs. Do any other games even bother with those kind of Wind-Commanderesque videos?

Return to Zork is my fave for FMV.

WANT SOME RYYYYYYEEEEE?
'COURSE YOU DOO!

edit: Youtube is amazing.

CG, I wouldn't say im crap at it but I'm not as good as a lot of people online either plus I haven't played it for ages so I think its worth having a go.

I found when playing online most people usually went along the lines of tank spamming, which although is an effective tactic for winning, it is very boring and ruins the game..for me.

I prefer to build up my base and techs before I attack...not just hit someone with a 100 scorpion tanks...so when playing against people you "know" you can agree beforehand at what sort of game you're gonna play.

Mr Dave and Sheepeh, it would be muchly acer if you 2 could play also making it a 4 free for all or a 2v2 etc

I agree with all the comments about generals..it was the biggest disappointment in the c&C series and not only was it shit, it cost me a fortune upgrading my then rubbish pc to run it without jerkiness. The only thing I did like about generals was the ability to set patrolling wayward points for jets which I don't think you can do in any of the other games.

Fortunately C&C 3 went back to its roots and was again enjoyable.

On CG's advice I think I might pick up the expansion pack and hopefully get a go at RA3.

btw CG, do you need to download the pack to get the demo or do you know if its available in the retail version?

I'll be happy to play. I'm quite, quite inept at it, however much I enjoy it. I usually like to CompStomp rather than play online, as I get my arse handed to me within 10 minutes!

RA3 isn't out yet. In Kane's Wrath is a code that will allow you to sign up for the beta online. They warned that it was a first-come first-served by territory, and I signed up ASAP after the expansion was released, but I've no reason to think anyone signing up now won't get a go. They reckon the beta should be seen in Sept 2008, or so.

But sure, I'm happy to have a crack at a skirmish if we can organise a time. I haven't played it online at all yet, so I'm not sure how to go about it

I've enjoyed RTSs over the years but not for a long time now. Has anyone tried Sins of a Solar Empire from Stardock? Their last space strategy game (Galactic Civilisations II, a 4X game) was very good indeed. I should get the SoaSE demo and take a look.

Yes, get the demo. I have SoaSE. It's pretty good. Gets a bit samey after a while, as it's basically skirmishes. With GalCiv, "skirmishes" are ok, because it's one of those 4X civilization games. Sins, however, is basically a RTS style game. But it's good fun. The unit counters are a bit counter intuitive.

I've yet to play it online, as well. But it is good fun. I'm currently playing World in Conflict, if anyone has been looking into that...

SoaSE is so annoying. For the following reasons:

1) There are about 8 different spaceships. Hello? Would it have really cost much to have a spaceship designer in there like every other 4X game in the last 10 years?
2) You spend the entire time chasing fleets, because it's too easy for them to just fuck off out of a system when you appear. Also, when you attack, unless you spend ages moving ships by class, all your wank ships arrive first and get shot to fuck.
3) The economy is nonexistant.
4) The graphics are awesome - if you have a super mega great PC. If you have one that is instead just really good, you get wireframe and icons.

It's inferior to GalCiv II in every conceivable way. Hell, it's inferior to MOO3 in every conceivable way, and that has been out for years.

Craster you hopeless loser! The solution to Point 2 is built into the game. There's a big button that you click and it forces everyone to warp in at the same time!



Also, it's not really a 4X game in any way other can scale. It's more of an RTS. The only RTS I can think of that had customizable units was the awesome Warzone 1903737. (More games should have customizable units, I say)

If I view it as an RTS, it makes a lot more sense as a game. It also explains why I didn't like it much, as I love 4X games as a genre, and was expecting one from this.

I actually recently bought C&C General goty for a fiver, it is pretty dull actually. ( all of the levels are the same, build a load of tanks, kill.

Noob question: what is a 4x game?

It's 'eXplore, eXploit, eXpand, eXterminate'. It refers mostly to the genre of sci-fi strategy games like Masters of Orion, which have resource gathering, research, colony management, and space combat.

So, C&C3! Yes!

I've installed and patched.

Choose a time and day, and as long as it's not something like Forza night, I'm there.

Aaah!

I have X3:reunion, which is at least 3 of those!! Geddit??

I don't know about you, but I was put off c&c gaming (for Tiberian Sun, at least) because the only people I could find to play against online all insisted on using custom maps, which, while they appeared fairly even at first, all contained really gay scripted events that would see your base overrun by the enemy's reinforcements that come out of nowhere. Stupid.

But yes, c&c 3, whenever you like Sheep. Tonight is bad, the apprentice is on.

Ya, I'm a very fairweather player, so I only ever used the official maps, unless something auto-downloaded from the other player without me realising.

I haven't played in about a year, so it could be interesting.

Also, thanks CG for reminding me the Apprentice was moved this week! I forgot all about it!

Everything to do with the apprentice is hard-wired into my brain.

I actually applied for the apprentice this year, and got an interview, which I couldn't attend as it clashed with my tonsilectomy and I was subsequently out of action for the remainder. Just think, it could be me you hate on tv right now.

Tonsillectomies are the worst thing ever.

Wandering threads are the best thing ever.

As long as you got in, purely to punch that Michael in the face. Sir Alan would hate you, as he seems to fancy Michael, but you would be worshipped round these parts, good Sir.

I was in a pretty miserable amount of pain for two weeks afterwards, and that first week was a blur because I was pretty dopey from the cocomadol which did little to dent the incredibly intense, unrelenting headaches that I had nearly constantly.

Still, no tonsilitus since, so fuck you, tonsils.

Back to the Apprentice, I can do an incredible impression of that OTT cockney guy. I've discovered the secret is merely to talk as if your lips are a completely slack part of your face.

Also, there is no top totty, this series.

And that Claire's voice really grates on me. REALLY. I cannot BELIEVE with the juicy options he had to get rid of last time, he got rid of

Tonight wouldve been good for me...what about when the apprentice finishes...surely it cant be on all night? Obviously Forza is tomorrow night so if not tonight or tomorrow, how about thursday?

I cant do friday or saturday night for obvious social reasons* but sunday would probably be ok.

*throwing up from drinking too much

On a practical note, how do we all intend on joining each others games?

I think I used the software that came with it..gamespy I think it was...pretty crap but did the job. I imagine xfire would probably work...does everyone have an xfire account?

I get in at 9:15pm, at Apprentice starts at 9. So I could happily play while it's on and torrent/iplayer it later on, if it helps the times.

Suits me...what about CG and anyone else who would like to join in?

My XFire account is Sheepeh, if you want to add me for ease of use.

sheepeh added. I think mines rainysea

Gotcha. I'll be around from about 9:30ish.