Let's Play! older games (no videos)

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Let's Play! older games (no videos)

Post by Ale » 2020-01-18 22:42, Saturday

1. Rome: Pathway to power also known as Rome AD 92 released in 1993

Act I, Herculaneum: so following Randowe's example and just for occasional forum fun in lack of better ideas, doing some "reviews" of other games i play... starting with this old point and click adventure, never played it before. Theme was interesting to me, but game itself isn't that fun, easy nor intuitive as I expected, on the contrary i find it hard to do without help... Died many times in opening act without knowing what to do - few times by volcanic "ash" i.e. lava on pics, once even was killed by consule's guard while trying to rob him :p Not to bore, but we all know that Herculaneum was victim of Vesuvius eruption first pyroclastic flow and not slow moving in a way presented in game.... :) I'll not talk details of gameplay (unless someone asks) and just say that you need to deliver message, change your clothes, arm yourself and make some money... I didn't do all by the rules i.e. missed some steps (to buy dice main one) and not sure I'll progress - but after some 10 deaths I managed to escape the town unharmed and finished first act with 12 denarii before landing in Rome for Act II... expect more troubles there but lets see what I can do myself, before looking at "how to" (which doesn't promise any success). Not game to recommend strongly, writing for fun...

few screens from Herculaneum, in clickable way, not expert with posting ) :

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Re: Let's Play! older games (no videos)

Post by randowe » 2020-01-19 10:45, Sunday

I don't know the game but despite all struggle and various deaths your report is fun to read. I love your style :cool
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Re: Let's Play! older games (no videos)

Post by Ale » 2020-01-21 17:15, Tuesday

thanks Clemens, your idea was fun, in practice I have some doubts about point of it :lol Anyway, old games are tough generally, not to mention lack of tutorials and introduction to controls... no idea why i'm doing this one but maybe do not finish, give it final word and I "review" next one :p

Act II, Rome: was wandering around streets of capital, stabbing important people (sometimes in frustration, but that leads to death in circus as lion food), gambling, buying slaves... in short and all that many times without success. I was lucky to have that initial 12 dinari and then, after numerous failed tries at level, first I doubled that on dice game. Then I bought a gladiator, won one fight with him (wasn't able to tie two wins in any try) took a loan of 30 dinar from usurer and again did some gambling until the late night in game. Then with total of 85 dinar I was able to corrupt palace guard, enter emperor's room, wake him up and warn him about conspiracy I was aware of after following Fellonius' moves. Imperator promoted me to centurion and I'm leading legion in Britannia next. First 2 levels are race against clock and that makes things even worse, no help, no leads on how to do things and gladiator fights are arbitrary, not sure if paying the priests helped, but i did that too. If not clear, one must do it in a day to prevent emperor being killed next day... i'm centurion now and on my way to fight some Brits - in strategy part of this game - but not English as they do not live in Britain yet...

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Re: Let's Play! older games (no videos)

Post by randowe » 2020-01-22 23:55, Wednesday

At the end of the day you will be imperator yourself :P Please keep up reporting :clap
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Re: Let's Play! older games (no videos)

Post by Ale » 2020-03-03 16:24, Tuesday

...enough about it for now, in any case savegame is there so there is a chance it gets finished in some point. Not so interesting nor attention keeping game in this age (guess much more so in its due time) but take it as my review, do try if you liked my description ;) why i'm posting don't know but it's fun form of presence around and inform you on my whereabouts... (while OG is used in limited and few doses)

2. Battle Isle from 1991

Recently decided to try this classic, i'm familiar with the series but missed this first part, probably was too young to notice/try it then. I grew enough for wargames & strategy around 1993/94 :) Playing base game for test and "review", have both expansions though. Due to some "issues" I'm controlling the action by keyboard and it is main downside for now, graphics and sounds of course wonders :) ...Finished first 5 scenarios in vs. AI game (imagine it as campaign) - first 2 easy, 3rd a bit tricky and needs some planning against superior forces and not best of AI's of course, scenario 4 & 5 first bigger battles but not problematic if you take army depots and am now at battle number 6, facing a lot of enemy airforce for the first time and will need to replay that battle as I lost in first try... Except 3rd all scens so far were won by destroying all enemy units, 3rd by capturing HQ.

miss unit progression and growth, true campaign etc. but generally fun experience and time spent so far considering game's XXX years of age... will i keep reporting or change subject/game :) is to be determined later, but here are few screens from scens 4 & 5, i'm the red player:

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Re: Let's Play! older games (no videos)

Post by Ale » 2020-04-09 14:33, Thursday

so to continue this pointless, but conceptually on right place thread :) for now like "reviews" not really "let's play" with few screens and few lines. For a couple of months collect various (new and old, few per week lets say) games, although it's most likely me (or anybody) can have only limited time and desire to play them all and dive deep into... no point talking about newer games, but maybe i will if around much later, for now oldies... first of all, when it comes to BIsle above, progressed some 12-13 scens into it - with lots of reloads - and nothing to add more, meanwhile i completed my collection of those titles, sequels :yes

3. FRONT LINES tbs from 1994

interesting piece from some of "abandoned files" sites i never tried, hex based tbs with (i'd say) decent graphics and mechanics for the time given although generally I still failed to make it run "perfectly" via DOS emulator in fullscreen. Though cpu cycles and other ingame settings are there to speed it up, movement is still a bit slow for me. But playable fully and experienced no crashes, for a game that was never patched i believe. Game also has a scen editor which works, but i don't care and surely will not make much/anything for it :) Minus sides are lack of campaign again, just 20 scens of various complexity (i've played around 5 till now just for fun) and lack of any unit progression, important things for me personally... Turns are divided into phases - move with possible overruns and fire - objectives various including capture, build, destroy etc. Very few battles are resolved with a shot, so one must be prepared for a lot of misses during turns, something i see in other games mostly annoyed people.

stories are futuristic but not fantasy, so there is battle of Bavaria vs Germany, Texas, Mexico, Ukraine vs Russia and similar... unit variety not big, but :yes for creators giving their "detailed description and pics" about fictional arms there. Generally nice for few days, hours - or minutes if one ever try it and dislike it ;)

nothing spectacular and no wonder PG from the same year is/was so much more popular and famous but i gave it a try in category of few days from above ; ... few low-res, assorted and taken hastly screens (my style because subjects are not important) to picture how it looks like, see you with another 90s title in due time (maybe))


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Re: Let's Play! older games (no videos)

Post by Ale » 2020-04-11 15:33, Saturday

...short notice, since i mentioned PG and all, this is very exciting find

https://www.myabandonware.com/game/adva ... akusen-8hh

...for me and all fans of series. Didn't want to "review" it as it is not strictly PC game but runs nice and without special demands as any other pc game ; if one doesn't mind having no readme Sega Genesis emulator - easy to run really, first time for me - and being unable to use mouse to play. Had to install it to check so called "father" (or mother) of PG and wasn't disappointed at all. there is fully working (only intros are not in proper language, all commands yes) English version in small download pack there.

highly recommended and fun :yes despite all minuses mentioned... i'd say challenging too, only failed twice to meet main objectives in first campaign scenario so far :) but will come back to this one in occasions. Supply system and reinforces doable only in cities are main tricky part, other differences to PG are "level up" system for units and ability (nice one) to fire diverse weapons from various units, for example Pz35 in Poland can fire MG against inf, and main gun against tankettes etc. etc. but mind that western (should say PC in fact) games are easier to use and not to be compared if there is some frustration with controlls. Have fun if ever try this piece of history, for that reason most recommended.

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Re: Let's Play! older games (no videos)

Post by Ale » 2020-04-15 14:08, Wednesday

5th FLEET naval combat simulation/strategy from 1994

also something unknown (to me) that stays in collection for now, although not really my style nor subject...when was younger never played many "serious" wargames - to make distinction with "less serious" or light-weight like PGs, Heroes and all - and modern simulations, now it is no trouble trying them for free :) Nothing special here, as name suggest all scens (no campaign again) take place around Indian ocean and Arabian lands, you can be either US fleet or (mostly) Russians hence mostly hypothetical stuff there from decades ago. Lots of types of weapons, missions diverse in goals but similar in practice, orbiting close to boring gameplay maybe... I say that after trying just few, but mention/keep game as I had fun firing CMs and torpedoes around, bombing airfields or sinking ships etc. plus it is easy to use, few commands and can be played fast if ever, mind that there are better of type games from the era, maybe once i'll put them here too ; Anyway hexes, turns in phases - move and attack with planes, then ships, then subs and all again, short gameplay.

i'm using some patched version with some (i think at least) user made scenarios and experienced a crash to desktop once (rare thing for me with Dosbox) but one can try base version of game with less missions. Care about ammo as it is sometimes hard to get new rounds, plus is again rich manuals with lots of data for those interested in 80s, 90s weaponary of the sort and some in game "-pedia", not much for me - more sword & sandals type :) Can't say i'll play much either but will try more of this type games that are available, abandoned or not... few screens for a review end:

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Re: Let's Play! older games (no videos)

Post by Ale » 2020-04-17 12:01, Friday

HAMMER OF THE GODS 4x tbs from 1994

short and simple, this is alright to have (and maybe play)) in this year still... while i labeled it as "4x" must say that management and build aspect is not deep, on the contrary game is more about succesfull expanding and battles where one should minimalize losses of rare unit types... and there is only 4 types of units initially - do not expect something special from game of the date. I repeat that constantly don't I, but it is true and why only few titles gained broader fame and fans back then (finished repeating) Subject wise, not that Viking and Nordic thematics are rare thing in western popular culture, gaming, films, books etc. but i neither care nor have much against it. However it takes it with dose of humor, like sequence when hero unit dies, lady on horse comes from sky and Wagner is played :)

mechanics and speed is easy/fast, playing success depends on your initial settings and must say that, after few hours of play, i have balanced play with ups and downs on harder settings and am behind rivals (you generally have 3 main rivals and lots of neutral cities to conquer). Screens from battle down do remind of older HoMM titles but not that diverse nor fun and no experience system, just random objects to pick and boost your main units stats. As summary - main screen looks like Civ1, battle screen like Hom&m1, other similarities possible - but not deep as any of them, but generally fun in own limited way and easy to play without much documents and manuals. Hint is that i found archers nice to have in stage where i am, if they kill some units behind walls enemy will abandon fort and come at you for fair fight ;)

btw on thread:

a) this all is just for fun and simplistic, as i said making some collection and we are all here because of specific games, but feel free to talk games if new around in your way if you wish - I read, have fun whatever you play. Now i do not expect that :lol but either way i'll likely continue my "reviews" at unknown/slower rate than this week. it's old dos games at the moment, but not planned exclusively about them... depends in the future and if i find it fun to post

b) technicality, i tweaked my Dosbox settings, found some hints online and don't be surprised if some outputs on pics are in stronger colors or graphically clearer/different sometimes...

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Re: Let's Play! older games (no videos)

Post by Ale » 2020-04-19 18:44, Sunday

this week short notice goes to https://www.myabandonware.com/game/space-crusade-1ih ... one which will not recieve "full review" by me :lol but worth mentioning for historical gamer reasons. Yes, SC from 1992, not bad for the year but not "worth" much today, besides one will probably face technical problems with it, needed some "butchering" to work decently with me. I turned off music (F10) and 3d view change (F9 key) and only then i was able to run it "normally"... besides not much content there for proper post about it )

...i've finished only half of missions (not today, of course) and give it thumbs up though i faced no troubles with using 2 squads (harder play is with using only 1, easy with 3). Moderate fan of "warhammer universe" myself (maybe once there will be some of games here) but this is so easy and fast, deserve a word i think. Have fun, though this is hardly recommended in year 2020 ; Amiga version is better and have expansion disk, needs emulator of course...

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Re: Let's Play! older games (no videos)

Post by Ale » 2020-04-21 15:30, Tuesday

...one more look back at Advanced Daisenryaku (PG's parent by SSI team words) - very fun after advancing 3 scens into it, but point is how surprised I am to have "so much" content in a 1 MB translated file, of course Genesis/Mega Drive was gaming platform so no surprise. Not only diverse arms to fire, but blown roads, friendly (third) side in scens controlled by computer and who knows what else ahead SSI couldn't include... forget about PC 2 and similar, my find of the year :lol Seriously nice to see how it looked like back then, glad i looked into.

anyway, i have no time for posting screens and writing more, but here's https://www.myabandonware.com/game/spellcross-db9 something i never heard of (until recently) and is worth keeping in collection, separate post even but no time and i might forget later... must say I've only went through tutorials and one mission and is really alright/strange game, including battles and some management between scens, choices etc. Action points system for movement and attacks in turns, fantasy story and somehow hard and tricky, no idea when will i do more of it. Slovak game officially :) Btw, one will need .iso (disk) to run it properly so forget about rip-ed version if ever try this.

...another "review" some other time )...

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Re: Let's Play! older games (no videos)

Post by Ale » 2020-04-23 14:20, Thursday

....however I "rage quit" it in Warsaw scenario :lol first one where AI airforce is introduced and don't have other save before deep into it, so if i'm ever to play again must start over. AI has soo much prestige to buy units and after I (with lots of sweat and curses) finally brought down one wave of their airforce, relief turned into rage when their new wave (probably bought) attacked me next turn and ruined my forward units :) Something I dislike in PG series as well and prefer reinforces for AI and not a lot of money for it to buy itself something too deadly... talking about that nice Japanese "blitz" game again, AD. Positive thing is, as i mentioned, supply system they implemented back then (in cities or by supply units for ammo and gas) - something similar to how i see it and tried/try to implement in OG thanks to Luis tweaks. He had a poll and for most people voting it wasn't something of interest, but to me completely new level of the game. sadly (and that is where people are right) AI will hardly know how to use such options effective, so not big gain even if implemented in games we use, without really smart AI it handicap it :yes

now really enough about it, was "refreshing" and educative - nice game - now i leave it to history, but maybe give it another try :yes nothing new to add to the thread, tried only High Command: Europe 39-45 lately DOS grand strategy from 1992. Tried to like it and consider it "keepable" but, despite complex options but not so demanding for use even with them, can't give it "passable mark" as AI is so basic and easy to beat so one can control continent in late 1940 as Germany for example and conquer even Turkey, N Africa and England in that time frame... until something else to post, have fun.

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Re: Let's Play! older games (no videos)

Post by Ale » 2020-04-27 13:25, Monday

...i should change thread name ;) but not priority yet

SABRE TEAM from 1994, squad tacs tbs

worth mentioning, something they say predating XCOMs/UFOs, but certainly not that caliber. Five missions of similar complexity with hostages and destroying targets as aims, maybe the first one was hardest to me because i had no idea how to play in efficient/proper way :) Later it was easy and if careful player won't lose any squad member till the end. Nice fun for few days, but must be said there is a lot of (maybe) frustration with controls - my advice is to use compass arrows in lower right corner for phased movement - maybe rare need to reload (if you save previously between turns) and similar, expected from old titles...

...AI is sometimes funny too, so i've seen few situations when it kills own soldiers with another one, makes funny moves etc. but general impression is that it's not complete garbage looking at it even today. You use 4 soldiers out of 8 available, they get injured, need to rest and ammo is not many, what you get at start is what stays for all 5 missions. But generally, more than enough and i didn't even use much of grenades and mostly armed squad with close-fight 9 mm guns... nothing to remember, little content, but nice to try eventually IMO :yes At first look and try i was very unimpressed but after giving it some time and proper play, changed opinion and went through it in idle hour in about few weeks ; Hint is to remember to save and move slowly, reserving some action points for "overwatch"... only two screens, i might abandon idea and post only text as they are not taken in best of moments anyway in whole thread :) but for now a bit of graphical expressions just how it looks ... just wait for newer, buyable titles if we get as far anyway ))

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Re: Let's Play! older games (no videos)

Post by Ale » 2020-09-04 18:23, Friday

Centurion Defender of Rome from 1990

... is another title one should put in strategy collection or even occasionally try as I'm doing unsuccessfully from time to time on harder Senator level, as seen on screens. not only that I like thematics and simplified gameplay, title was back then ..... revolutionary :lol .... combining turn based management and real time battles although I'd prefer things vice versa. By "management" it is meant something like rising legions and fleets, deciding tax rate and organising gladiator fights and chariot races - both i never managed to win due to not understanding anyway clunky keyboard controls, so have fun. "real time battles" are choice of formation and tactics for your legion and then watching it being crushed by Hannibal elephants :) but you can pause it as well....

On senator or toughest emperor even such old game becomes unbeatable for me, till now. Few screens from last try and fast death in barbarian hands after only 15 years in Roman service. Last stronghold was Helvetia/Alps after I managed to capture and subsequently lose 4 provincies, before barbarian counterattack, red icon.... liked the game as kid, pretty undemanding and "nice story" :) and now it's not hard to give it 20 min sometimes, if I ever finish as Senator I'll inform. But really to me is hard to like the game as old and as simplistic in any sense, and unlike some titles before say 1995 like PG not being "evergreen" nor much playable today, but for collection and bit of nostalgia alright... probably with Civ1 one of the first strategies I was supplied with by older computer enthusiast back then, so very well worth mentioning here

until something else....

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Re: Let's Play! older games (no videos)

Post by Ale » 2020-09-05 18:14, Saturday

as known running older windows games is usually much trickier on new (7,10) win systems, while dosbox and it's win 3.xx emulators work great for games of their type. those made for 95, 98 etc. up to 7 are most troublesome even with tweaks and compatibility settings, some will work when set properly some not...

one I can't get to work is https://www.myabandonware.com/game/admi ... attles-df6

it's abandoned so even after finding its .iso and running setup from mount it can't determine disk size (same as guy who asked there in link) being win95 setup, while full pre-installed game in above link doesn't start in any way for me, even tried to run setup through dosbox win3 with predetermined disk size etc (nice try anyway)) .... since this is perfect place with lots of old game lovers, maybe someone succeeded or know what should I do/add with newer windows. Because except that guy nobody commented download making me delusional that it might work on 7 - but maybe he and I are only to try it ; It's tbs and catched attention, never tried it, although doesn't seem much fun on videos. Totally unimportant but thanks eventually while logic and experience tells it doesn't work without 95/98 emulators, which i don't have nor bother to install as most important games are working to me or are "gog-ed".. but they are famous for many mistakes in preparing older games that people with moderate knowledge are able to re-tweak properly, since mentioning them :)

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Re: Let's Play! older games (no videos)

Post by Ale » 2020-12-07 19:51, Monday

of course just for fun/forum activity from gamer to gamer as they say.... it is unimportant and doubt any would trouble with it in 2020, but in any case I linked to how to play this 1991 console game - Advanced Daisenryaku for Sega Mega/Genesis - some posts above, with emulator and ease on PC. Piece of gaming history and i like history, would be great to have some Japanese members around to explain that history, welcome ))

as told game is interesting on many levels, for me (I never used Sega-Mega btw) as piece of history upon PG series and today graphically modern games with similar/same mechanichs were born, liked by kids and old gamers alike. Beside that there are some unique ideas that missed legendary PG series but are often implemented in newer games of the type, including OG :) I already talked about it - multiple types of wepons and separate ammo that can be used by unit, supply rules limiting ammo/fuel/refiting of units only to owned city hexes, airports and by special supply unit, available later in campaign, AI controlled third or even forth/fifth friendly side in scens - and probably many other options i didn't even reach in game... however, general impression is not good as gameplay is tiresome (like PG games if AI is uncontrolled resourcewise) and I abandoned it few months ago due to huge amount of newly recruited units by the AI when in the middle of battle I was already worn out by fighting.... all that happened in outskirts of Warsaw even so i didn't get much far in war, although I had 4-5 scens behind me by that point...

i'm giving it second try - as said it is all for fun as report, doubt it will be much less frustrating - but will report only first 2-3 scens as intro to game, regardless of will i even play game later (simply can't do "lets plays" as it might take months and months even if i get far, just for fun as small preview).... so, you start German campaign by attacking Poland and with 6 units, 5 tanks and infantry and additional 2 free slots to buy something, i took 2 more inf - they are less important but are only able to capture enemy objectives... after I advanced and captured first two cities north and south, AI counterattacked through my non-existing center and endangered my HQ, picture to represent that:

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later i continued my push eastwards and lost one inf, player has lots of resources and time though in otherwise complicated game. Progression of units is "RPG style" but experience is not constant i.e. once you level up/upgrade unit your exp goes back to zero and you reach reqired amount for another level up, in circles. So no units get much strong by experience itself... after 10 and more turns I was still fighting on similar locations, almost static front experience ; but eventually tired the Polish militia (too strong for all I got)) down, but lost another 2 infantry. Hardest start of blitzkrieg ever in my 30 years of doing it :) After many infantry and tank battles, some 15 turns later I neared my objectives further east. Example of tank battle below, 35(t) models against Polish tankettes - PG, obviously and admitedly by SSI, lookalike - but PC game much more elegant, easier to use with mouse and much less buttons, although few years later - BUT fewer "strategic options", as said above:

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Anyway back to battle - I lost my first battle i.e. did not secure objectives in 25 given turns. Another characteristic of this game is that you after failure replay same map but with troops from previous battle while time fictionally progresses so i am to attack same location, just by game calendar month later and with experienced troops. That's how it looked like, next (eventual, if i feel like) report from another map when i get there...

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Re: Let's Play! older games (no videos)

Post by Ale » 2021-11-02 20:46, Tuesday

PG3 SE mods

...short time before JP's death I was able to grab that "PG3 SE extra user made mods installer" posted by member/designer there.... never played much of PG3, not when it was published, not when modding community was alive (they had also some CCs) back in old forum. Never had extremely bad opinion about the game, except that it can be sometimes very unpleasant for the eyes and hard to spot some units etc. System and leaders, promotions and all, not something i disliked. So installed it and it would be my maiden try of some of the mods inthere. Via user made launcher i've chosen "Blitzkrieg 39-41" campaign, started the game via "play with modifications" button and indeed new campaign showed properly in game replacing one of 4 original ones. Started on 100 ratings i.e. middle button, making it normal run without bonuses and penalties alike...

so lets play few battles or more, but i doubt i'll report whole game here and don't know when i'll finish. More like the rest of thread, unimportant short presentations of various games and all for content more than forum need ;) (maybe i'm just bored at the moment so i post....) beside someone might interest him/her/itself in any game - for example one of the games i "presented" above was recently re-released on gog/steam well after my playthrough and "review" here :) Anyway, first scenario is obviously PG2 map converted to PG3, very well known and doesn't look so good in this game but not drastically bad either. Setup and tactics are my usual from pg2, after equipping my army and leaders at HQ - i fielded 3xInf, 3xTK, 3xATY, 2xAD, 2xAT and 2 recons, air units are not present in HQ, like bombers in this game but i have some aux on map - divided that in two groups, northern with better types of untits and attacked in marked directions... Lost one core infantry and my best tank (PzIII e) in tough battles and in short time we had for completing objectives. Managed last turn major victory by moving only able unit/tank in last hex after repeatedly bombing, shelling and gunning tough defenders with support. Except map, added photo of attack on first, western VH and situation before i made last move for MajVic... was tough for start, but generally nice experience and something relatively new for me - while OG is much more better moded and supported game this is more refreshing to me as i never played unlike pg2/OG which i really played very, very much and now simply just user and forum follower :) (thinking any presence is better than none so posts like these))... Back to this mod, nice cammo units, guess also user made and all they added, although game on my screen looks relatively better than screens i put here, which i resized. Until next battle, which is Warsaw, i have 5 new unit-leader slots to fill but no planes again. Recieved some tank prototypes so guess that is what i'll mostly add... as said and again, might be only posted aar for this game but generally intend to play a bit with this mods, not bad having it in collection.

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Re: Let's Play! older games (no videos)

Post by Ale » 2021-11-03 21:53, Wednesday

lets put another AAR here, advanced 2 more battles but won't play next few days and this will have to be enough - next time see you around this thread with another game :howdy

Warsaw. I attacked Warsaw so many times in my life that i fear if I even come close to Polish border (given that i bypass Hungarian wall being outsider)) I'll instantly finish in jail, for life ;) (and Russia many times, btw) Serious tone, battle and map was somehow easier than opening one as i could attack the only VH on wide front with all my units at once, but time frame tight. However, lost both core recons in this fight, pushing them a bit too far for brave Polak defenders not to grab and gangbang them while isolated :) One leader wasn't dead so he came back to HQ before next battle, that's how this game functiones... as said scored last turn MV with only light loses....p and moved to France for new attack.

Before Sedan unit cap fell from some 28-29 units to only 20 so i fielded 4-5 inf, 4 tk, 5 arty, 2 AT, 2 AD and 2 recons. Usual battle similar to pg2 with two groups as seen on map, plus aux airforce and some units including one paratroop. Hoped to take central VH with group attacking Sedan initially but it was delayed and pinned around city in prolonged battles so i had to push with another group in 2 directions... missed MV, only minor one here and lost another core unit - one of better artillery pieces, sadly. Constant arrival of French renforcements from the west was a nice touch and forced me to end battle before capturing last city in the far north. As known, there is no experience in this game but one can get leader improvements in fights and is always in ones interest to fight longer and capture all "flags" to gain bonuses, another game mechanics if you never tried it... Gained only 1 promotion, was fun, and for the next battle (Arras and direction channel) unit cap rises again to 28. No new units, no airforce and got only few new tanks as rewards during battle...

few photos from war journals for the end of this review, surely will play more whenever able. Only thing lacking in this PG3 user-made bundle is some "readmes" so i don't really know what efile to use with which user camp and such, but fun game like most of SSI "generals", with all minuses and bad graphical solutions... until next game i'll talk about, have fun.

strategic situation after turn 2 and troop movement, defence points:

Image

battle of Sedan (old photo):

Image

and finally for this subject and game for now, strategic situation on last turn for major vic, missed one though troops were in the position in force:

Image

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panzerdarek
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Re: Let's Play! older games (no videos)

Post by panzerdarek » 2021-11-11 14:22, Thursday

Hi Ale,
Do you run it on Win 10? I have original CDs of both Panzer General 3D Assault and Panzer General 3D Scorched Earth, but still can not run them properly on Win 10 machine, despite of many tries with compatibility settings. After installation I'm able to start the game, but when try to load campaign or scenario it doesn't work and freeze.
I would like to refresh my experience with PG3D after long break, when played it and participated in several JPs CCs as well.
Image Darek22 / panzerdarek
since Jan'2002 with JP's
CC PG2/OG: 02/03/04/05/06/07/09/10/11/13/14/16/18/21/22/24/25/27/32/33/34/35/41/43/45/46/47/52/53/71
CC PG3D(A/SE): 08/09/12

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Ale
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Re: Let's Play! older games (no videos)

Post by Ale » 2021-11-11 19:49, Thursday

Hi Darek, "interesting" problem i.e. starting but then freezing

actually i run all older games on my desktop often with dual systems i.e to put it simple with two hard disks... one with win 7 still will i intend to keep for stability and problems like yours where i run older games. So no, it is on win 7 as well as most games i run made prior to let's say 2010, not to compicate much - win 7 it is. I have only (if you remeber Tomo Pauk posted it in JPs when i was around by chance, as i said i repeat that...) that user made bundle installer made by old users.

sadly after looking at gog forums (because they rerelased itonly) https://www.gog.com/forum/panzer_genera ... 1633723680 i couldn't find any help for you, but you can look yourself. Never installed it on 10 and couldn't tell myself but some obviously run it on 10. Since your version is CD one, problem even greater. I only remembered that problem with pink letters solved by one additional file but nothing like these and yes you are right it sounds like when compatibility settings are wrongly set (but you tried them all) So good luck... sadly, that installer with mods from JPs (i looked around as well but not detailed) is also not on the interenet anymore... and "fun" to be greater even i don't have installer anymore (or it is on some of mine external HDDs somewhere) but have working installed version i use, and now can't erase it not to lose it it seems :)

anyway, since PG3 SE (only) is abandonware now, you can freely "pirate" it from somewhere with abandoned games maybe and try their ISO version and some patch (if you find it) but doubt it will work as well, same thing :dunno in any way, personally win 7 still preferable for older games on my hard backup/second disk so do not have that problem nor idea and I looked for some answer around for you, without result...

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panzerdarek
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Re: Let's Play! older games (no videos)

Post by panzerdarek » 2021-11-11 20:24, Thursday

Ale, thanks for your answers. :twink
Perhaps I will try on some older machine. I have on with Win 7 currently in operation, and two old PCs with Win XP and Win 98 stored in boxes somewhere (not sure if they could be run again). :-?
Regarding PG3D mods, I have whole package stored on my computer even now (not installed) - all files dated 2002. :)
Image Darek22 / panzerdarek
since Jan'2002 with JP's
CC PG2/OG: 02/03/04/05/06/07/09/10/11/13/14/16/18/21/22/24/25/27/32/33/34/35/41/43/45/46/47/52/53/71
CC PG3D(A/SE): 08/09/12

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Ale
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Re: Let's Play! older games (no videos)

Post by Ale » 2021-11-12 17:50, Friday

hopefully you manage it either way, not bad game as someone who never played it much unlike you. totally differnet in many ways... too bad mouses with wheels did not exist when it was published :) because i constantly jerk my mouse wheel trying to zoom in and out ; (it is done by up and down keyboard arrows, btw)

considering mechanics and that's where i made mistake and why i post again mainly. Actually game has experience system unlike i said, just didn't notice myself, but it is tied to leaders one can change not units. So yes, you gain "stars and crosses" through battle and advance leader (which can get decoration and special ability along new star/bar) and not only via HQ promotions to make your units more powerful. Pardon, really didn't notice/remember that battles bring stars not only capturing towns and promotions - there is no prestige unlike pg1 & 2 and other titles...

anyway his question reminded to add on anecdotal level, not to Darek of course - experts say everything can be done with some steps in every windows without virtual machines, older camputers and similar, can't confirm but faced problems decent number of times. All sort of combos, personally one game worked with "win NT campatibility" while made for win 98 and crashed with 98 campatibility etc other i remember always crashed for me until some dude posted that it will run if you decrease graphic setting with in-game slider even if i didn't touch slider at all, all sort of things.... see you all with another title sometimes, maybe even newer, good luck to Darek again.

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