Hi All,
Am horrified by the response to M1 Tank Platoon 2 (M1TP2)
on the internet and newsgroups. And the net presence of
the M1TP2 is seriously lacking. Why don't they take a look
at how Andy Hollis' team are doing Janes EA F-15?! The
F-15 team have at least 3 members posting EVERYDAY to
the newsgroups, each answering at least 5-10 msgs personally.
The M1TP2 team should learn from their peers who are also
in the simulation business. Most of the msges about M1TP2
in the newsgroups are very negative. Here are but a few
more constructive ones...
Spektor
Gamer/Investor
======================================================
From radiospace@eSartPhliAnk.nMet Mon Mar 30 00:14:59 1998
Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 23:38:28 GMT
From: radiospace <radiospace@eSartPhliAnk.nMet>
Reply-To: radiospace@SPAMearthlink.netOFF
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.flight-sim
Subject: Re: M1TP2: ARRGHH!!!
On Sat, 28 Mar 1998 12:04:20 -0600, "Brett I. Holcomb"
<bretth@txk777.com> scribbled with the virtual quill:
>What are some of the bugs you've seen? I have been considering buying it
>and would like some input.
>
>Thanks.
>
It's just plain not finished. It's not even close to finished. This
game makes Red Baron 2 looked like a polished product by comparison
upon its premature release.
The first things that come to mind:
---no usable outside view
---no binoculaurs in the hatch view
---no night-vision goggles in the hatch view
---friendly ai half missing (you can't use hunter-killer mode because
your gunner won't respond...i.e., you have to shoot the gun yourself)
---about half the commanders electronic gadgets in the cockpit don't
function
The game isn't finished. It's a pity. I'm not certain that
Microprose has a financial situation that will allow them to support
this product. Big fat "don't buy it"
Patrick
==========================================================
From blurr@aa.net Mon Mar 30 00:19:51 1998
Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 16:41:11 GMT
From: Gary R Eng <blurr@aa.net>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.flight-sim
Subject: Re: M1 Tank Plt II 1st cousin to BC3K
On Fri, 27 Mar 1998 23:36:49 -0600, Michael J Andress
<werewolf@telepath.com> wrote:
>After my experience with M1 Tank Platoon II today I am seriously
>reevaluating whether or not to buy F4 when it comes out or wait 6 months
>for it to be fixed.
>
>I knew Microprose was in deep financial shit but I never suspected it
>was so deep that they would release an unfinished product into the
>marketplace.
>
Oh yeah. I have pretty much the same feeling about M1 Tank Platoon 2.
It feels grossly unfinished. I'll add what I found to your stuff:
>1. No binocular view in TC open Hatch
>2. Loader will only load the ordered ammo from the gunner position
>otherwise he loads staff.
2a. Loader will often load MPAT immediately after you tell them to
load something else, overriding your commands.
>3. No difficulty setting option in the options menu.
>4. Game does not recognize joystick button 2 nor the POV hat on a
>Thrustmaster Top Gun Joystick (and it isn't the js - every other game I
>have sees it just fine).
4a. Hell, it also doesn't recognize #2 or #4 on mine.
4b. They didn't "debounce" the buttons, meaning that buttons that
toggle things (like thermo) get triggered multiple times with one
press.
>5. The game requires Quicktime be installed to see the War College
>movies. Quicktime is not supplied with the game.
5a. Neither are Glide 2.43 drivers, which they say must be downloaded
from the video card manufacturers, in order to use 3dFx mode.
5b. But [5a] isn't much concern to me, as it the game doesn't support
Voodoo-Rush cards like mine (something they DIDN'T warn me about on
the outside of the box <!@#$!>).
6) CITV "hunter-killer" mode doesn't work. You can designate all you
want, but the AI-gunner pretty much shoots what he likes: it pissed
the shit outta me that while he was plinking BRDM's 500m in front, we
had T-80's to our right flank at 1200m, and TOTALLY ignored my
designations. A few seconds later, the T-80s pumped sabot into my
tank's soft rear.
7) Turn Hull to CITV/Gun command doesn't work either. A factor I
noticed when I found out about bug #6 above :p
8) CITV Search keyboard command doesn't work.
9) CITV Autoscan keyboard command doesn't work.
10) CITV/GPS toggle keyboard command doesn't work.
11) The IVIS map in the commander view doesn't update constantly. I
have to go to the full-screen view, and back again to force a refresh.
11) The Damage-report screen doesn't work in the commander view
12) The Vision block viewpoint isn't available in all of the pre-made
scenarios (I don't know why, I don't recall this being absent from
particular models of M1A2's).
13) External view isn't very fun. It just rotates around
uncontrollably looking at the vehicle. No panning controls :(
14) No "hull-down" command, and no driver view makes it difficult to
get hull down. This was surprised me. I heard from Beta testers that
there was either a command or the driver could figure it out himself:
he can't. I'm losing tracks left and right.
I'm personally very disappointed, as are you. |
