Yah, in the beginning where the camera pans downward even I can see some stuttering. The game runs fine with everything on the highest setting and AA turned off - but at 1600x1200, nobody needs AA anyway. Still, the "crappy", "low-rez" intro movie chugs like nobody's business. How strange.
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Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War 2 |OT| FOR THE EMPEROR!!
- Thread starter shrapnelmagnet
- Start date
Philthy
Member
Nocebo said:
I'm having a hard time defining this game as a typical RTS as well. I mean, the mouse controls, and squad selection are all RTS feeling, but the actual game feels more like Diablo and Close Combat merged into something... special. Definitely a hybrid if nothing else.
Also, does anyone know of a way to enable vsync? I see a lot of tearing at 1920x1080.
Thanks Fragamemnon.
Srsly though, I'm happy that they dared to mix things up a bit. DoW1 was awesome, and its sequel is awesome. All is as it should be.
...and this is why we can't have nice things with hardcore gamers. They always just want more of the same. *ramble* *rant* *obligatory Nintendo mention* *meltdown* *ban*Fragamemnon said:
Srsly though, I'm happy that they dared to mix things up a bit. DoW1 was awesome, and its sequel is awesome. All is as it should be.
Hai gais.
Sorry for this retarded question, but hopefully a kind soul will answer:
I was a big fan of Company of Heroes + its expansion, and I only played the SP campaign and SP skirmishes (and LAN with friends). I also LAN'ed some DoW1 a looong time ago, and I remember it being awesome as well (haven't played the campaign at all, and I also have the full game here on my shelf, when it was bundled with CoH, but haven't touched it :lol ).
Now, I've found Dawn Of War II (the Steelbook edt.) for a very cheap price in a shop, and I'm tempted to get it. With the above info, do you guys think I'll like this one? As said, I'll probably never touch the online aspect. Thanks!
Sorry for this retarded question, but hopefully a kind soul will answer:
I was a big fan of Company of Heroes + its expansion, and I only played the SP campaign and SP skirmishes (and LAN with friends). I also LAN'ed some DoW1 a looong time ago, and I remember it being awesome as well (haven't played the campaign at all, and I also have the full game here on my shelf, when it was bundled with CoH, but haven't touched it :lol ).
Now, I've found Dawn Of War II (the Steelbook edt.) for a very cheap price in a shop, and I'm tempted to get it. With the above info, do you guys think I'll like this one? As said, I'll probably never touch the online aspect. Thanks!
BeeDog said:I'm sorry.
C'mon fellow PC gamers, help me out (post above)! There is no demo of this game so can't try it out.
I hated company of heroes because of the setting and couldn't really get into it. I barely finished the tutoral
missions before taking the game back to the store. However, I love DOWII. I just beat the campaign mode on
the normal (sargeant) difficulty and am playing it on hard now. It plays more like a mix of diablo and warcraft 3
without the building your base aspect. Give it a try or watch some HD videos on youtube and see if you like
how it is before you bite.
EDIT: Here are some HD videos of the multiplayer if you wanna know what its about:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3_uzLhdAKc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BQa0QVjlao&feature=related
BeeDog said:
Well I was going to say no because you won't play online but I'd have said that about CoH too. I'm 6 or so missions into the campaign and an enjoying it a fair bit. It's more RTS/RPG. Theres no base building and also hero units level up, you can find loot and have boss battles.
However I like it a lot and I believe DLC campaigns are coming out possibly. I say get it.
Remember though you need to be online to play. It needs both steam and GFWL even to play single player.
BeeDog said:I'm sorry.
C'mon fellow PC gamers, help me out (post above)! There is no demo of this game so can't try it out.
It's one of the best singleplayer RTS games ever...but it doesn't play too much like an RTS. There's zero base building. The gameplay focuses around controlling 4 squads, each with their own abilities. It's micro heavy.
Basically, you're given an overworld map of a planet, and you have available missions to choose from. You choose a mission...which is usually either to go through a map and kill a boss at the end, or a defend mission where you need to defend a strategic emplacement on the map. You can also capture a strategic location on each level that gives you bonus abilities to use in combat. Your squads gain experience after every level and you can level up their attributes. You also find loot throughout the missions, and are given even more loot for completing them.
The campaign is supposedly around 20 hours as well, which is quite meaty for an RTS campaign of this style.
Whoa, no base building and RPG-lite missions? Sounds fucking amazing. So the SP missions do feel cohesive and so on, with a nice story to tie them together? My biggest dislike with base-building was all the micro management and having to focus on 39581396597 points on the map (while a good player rapes you from behind), so this more narrow scope sounds fuck-awesome (at least for the SP which I'm interested in).
Thanks guys!
Thanks guys!
Hari Seldon
Member
Multiplayer has all of hte same RTS elements as CoH, except you don't actually build separate buildings to build stuff. You still have 3 levels of tech that you have to buy. You purchase upgrades for each unit individually instead of purchasing like the grenade upgrade from the barracks (for example). This isn't really a big difference imo.
Philthy
Member
BeeDog said:
You still have some micromanaging to do, but you're only dealing with very small amounts of guys in the SP campaign, so it's not that big of a deal. Space Marines seem to be tough enough that if you mess up and send the wrong squad over to the wrong building, or accidentally run them into grenades instead away from them that you wont instantly lose the game. You sort of regenerate lost squad members in missions as you capture certain control points. It's a frantic game, but not to the point where you need to scroll all over the map.
DenogginizerOS
BenjaminBirdie's Thomas Jefferson
I took a chance and bought this Sunday and man am I glad I did. Simply one of the finer gaming experiences I have come across in quite some time.
And for those with older systems, I have a P4 3.4 GHZ, 2GB of RAM, an 8600 GT, and I am running Windows XP with the latest NVIDIA drivers. After it installed, I went to the video settings and saw that they were set to a CUSTOM setting and that was a mix of high, medium, and low settings. I am running it at 1280X1024 and so far I have seen very little if anything as far as a performance hit. Much improved over the Beta.
And for those with older systems, I have a P4 3.4 GHZ, 2GB of RAM, an 8600 GT, and I am running Windows XP with the latest NVIDIA drivers. After it installed, I went to the video settings and saw that they were set to a CUSTOM setting and that was a mix of high, medium, and low settings. I am running it at 1280X1024 and so far I have seen very little if anything as far as a performance hit. Much improved over the Beta.
It does work offline, but it's a pain.Darklord said:
First, get steam into offline mode. This will give you half a year (or year?) of "no online connection required to play". Then start DoW2 and when the GFW prompt appears, register a new offline profile. Presto, you can play offline.
I cannot wait for DoW3, which will probably require 4 logins, a notarized affidavit and 3 gallons each of blood, pee, and sperm to be sent via snailmail to a THQ service subcontractor in China. Every time you want to play the game. =/
Hyperbole yay! Still, that dual steam/GFW login bullcrap has got to be the braindead decision of the month.
fatigues_gasolini
Member
Dammit, it wont sign me into Live so I cant play. Fucking Windows Live.
Kestastrophe
Member
I am annoyed with the same thing. I like to hole up Avitus and his heavy bolters in towers and other garrisonable buildings, and it is always a pain having to wait for 5 seconds while they move out. It would be nice if you could queue movements and actions after you empty garrisoned buildings.CTLance said:
Truant said:
I've been using both Cyrus and Avitus, since both complement each other so perfectly. Avitus is the slow heavy weapons guy who I've been giving a massive armor rating to (and who will have Terminator armor as soon as I find some), and Cyrus is my nimble, stealthy, point-capturing, explosives-planting, big-damage sniping, flamethrowing all-in-one badass. The guy I've been leaving out consistently is Tarkus, because he seems a little redundant to me so far (the bonus accessory slot is nice, though). In a later playthrough, I'm definitely gonna use him just to change it up.
I actually sort of dread getting the... Dreadnought , because I know I'm probably gonna give up Cyrus' spot for him, since the other two (Thaddeus, Avitus) are way too valuable. And the Dreadnought, well, how can you not have him on?
Did I mention that I fucking love the single-player?
jakershaker
Member
First impressions are that the single player is really weak. Gameplay is good as always but there is like 2 different missions. Kill something or defend something and lots of them are played on the same maps. Still love the game so far but seems like they put all the time into multiplayer/gameplay totally forgetting the single player. You know something is wack when you've done the same mission three times and every time it plays the same video before it.
MaritalWheat
Member
Goddamn, you know something is right in a game when you're even having an enjoyable experience at the mission select menu. I absolutely love the whole campaign setup and presentation--I actually listen to the debriefings (which is ridiculous for me), just chilling with beatiful galactic scenery and sexy space marine voices. Great stuff.
Also, I haven't really found repetition to be a problem, considering all the different tactics switching squads and equipment afford. I guess I'm still pretty early though (Day 11 I think), so I'm still constantly getting new toys to play around with.
Also, I haven't really found repetition to be a problem, considering all the different tactics switching squads and equipment afford. I guess I'm still pretty early though (Day 11 I think), so I'm still constantly getting new toys to play around with.
Chris Remo
Member
You are crazy. This is one of the most unique single-player campaigns I have played in a long time. As far as the mission objectives specifically, what else do you do in a strategy game besides kill something or defend something? I guess escort something?jakershaker said:
bigdaddygamebot
Member
jakershaker said:
The familiarity you get with the maps is a positive thing. You can plan out your assault/defenses because you ARE using a map you remember. However if you think everything about the maps you have been on before are static, you haven't played the game enough...or you jusst don't get it.
So...calling the single player game "weak" because there are only two different type of missions. What are you looking for? What ELSE do you do in a strategy/tactical game like this?
Chris Remo said:
What he said...
jakershaker said:
What mission(s) have you played where they show the same video three times?
jakershaker said:
The repetitive maps are pretty much the SP's only real weakness, and even that's purely from an aesthetic point of view. I'm not sure what types of objectives you were expecting in a game where the entire point is kill or be killed. The variety doesn't come from the different tasks, it comes from the unique differences between your four squads and the random loot you pick up, as well as the different species you face. Fighting Eldar is very different from fighting Tyranids.
bigdaddygamebot
Member
Neo-Sheperd said:
Are the lewt dropz phatter?
The units are obviously tougher and hit harder. Do they yield more experience?
Also...what's the level cap for the units?
Also...do you carry anything over from the previous game you completed?
jakershaker
Member
Zeliard said:
Well while all you really do in rts's is attack or defend you usually have some kind of story that goes along with it, giving you incentive to keep playing. In DoW 2 you have 50% of the mission being "Go to planet, kill this boss" and the other half being "Enemies attack your planet defend againt 4 waves". DoW's campaign was not like this, it had way more scripted stuff that kept you entertained.
DoW 2 feels like the territory gameplay in the "expansions" for DoW. Just a series of skirmish battles. Just with less maps.
And balance, squads, species are part of the gameplay which is excellent.
Not 3 times / mission. It's the missions themselves that repeat, showing the same intro clip each time.
bigdaddygamebot
Member
jakershaker said:
So DoWII has no story.
Check.
Try harder.
jakershaker said:
What intro clip? Jesus you're picky.
P.S. you suck at this.
jakershaker said:
The overarching plot is pretty simple (it's mostly about an alien invasion, after all), but I think all the micro, in-between-mission stuff is very good. The voice acting is simply terrific, the best I've heard in any game in a while, and the dialogue is well-written.
That's the thing about Dawn of War 2's campaign, and why it specifically doesn't feel like a series of skirmishes to me, as most other RTS campaigns do. You actually feel some sort of attachment to your squads. They're so unique from each other, and each has their own personality that's conveyed through the strong voice acting and dialogue, so when you take them into battle you don't feel like they're highly expendable, faceless grunts like in nearly every other RTS.
The scope of Dawn of War 1 has been scaled back considerably to put a lot more emphasis on the individual. That's why you have small, limited squads, no base building, etc. It wants to basically show what's happening from the perspective of a small group of soldiers.
Everything about it so far is the same. I had to leave for school in the morning but I fnished two missionsbigdaddygamebot said:
and it wasn't that different from the the sergeant difficulty level. I think the level cap is still 20. And unfortunately,
you cannot even go back and replay old missions once you complete the campaign mode. It will just take you to the
level completion details screen whenever you select that save. This game is still awesome though, so I don't mind
having to start over again.
Dear Chris,Chris Remo said:
I can call you Chris, can I? I hold you in high regard. I really do. But, if by some remote chance your "innocuous" joke gets implemented somehow and we end up with an escort mission in any future DoW title, patch, or expansion, I WILL EAT YOUR FACE. Using a fork, a dull knife, and proper table manners. I just thought I should mention that now, to avoid any misgivings and possible misunderstandings.
Nothing personal, really. It's just.... I have to stand by my principles. It also helps that no judge or jury of peers will ever find me guilty, of that I am sure.
Kind regards,
(scribble)
CTLance
Chris Remo
Member
It's true--even though the story is completely forgettable to me, I genuinely care about my individual squads, which has NEVER been the case for me in an RTS ever. I truly feel like I fucked up big-time when an entire squad goes down. And I love finding new shit to give them after the missions.Zeliard said:
Duly noted.CTLance said:
jakershaker
Member
Zeliard said:
Yeah I agree that the voice acting is excellent and the in-between-mission stuff is really good but every time I take a mission it's, land->cap point->cap building if not already done it->kill boss, which gets pretty old. Maps most of the time have multiplayer/skirmish look (2 sides, evenly distributed points,etc etc) and there isn't much variety at all.
Tbh, what it really reminds me of is WoW and instancing. Pretty much the same stuff multiple times to get xp and loot, sometimes you get a bit of the story and perhaps a new backdrop.
And if I go by my friend who have this is pretty much it. Kill stuff in repetitive missions on the same planets over and over until you get to the end, throw in some special story mission but mostly it's boss battles and defense.
Oh well, I'm having a good time anyway. And loving the gameplay, perhaps they add some stuff I like more in the expansions.
*edit*
Was just reading the ign review and they actually said it pretty much how I feel.
Single player is like the "Risk" maps in Dark Crusade or Soulstorm but with a bit of story tied to it. Not enough imo and it seemed like the persistent maps in the earlier games actually had more going for them, you actually had to gain territories to attack the others capitals and such, in DoW 2 missions just pop up.
And they said the same thing about some of the content getting repetitive:
jakershaker
Member
Darklord said:
Yeah but then every game is the same shit over and over. I think it's nice to get to a new map, get some scripted story, explore it, find chokepoints etc etc
If feels different then playing lets say a skirmish mission.
jakershaker said:
I've always been able to deal with some repetition in games if the core gameplay is very strong. Plus, I personally switch it up between the guys I'm fighting against a lot. It's rare that I'll do, say, two Ork missions in a row (unless my in-game days are limited). Going from Eldar one fight to Tyranid the other helps to change things up, as well as outfitting my squads with new loot, or getting new traits/abilities.
I don't need different objectives to keep it from getting stale, I just need gameplay that's open and versatile enough, as it is here (not to mention tons of fun). Both random and predetermined loot, leveling up, CoH's goods (cover, suppression, and destructibility), unique micromanaged squads, etc. All of this helps each individual battle in the game feel fresh, since due to the way the maps are laid out, all of these things have different levels of impact each time.
Darkflight
Member
Oh man, I picked up some Terminator Armour for my Force Commander today, so got to use the hammer and shield set I'd picked up previously, apart from destroying my precious cover by walking through it :lol he's so damn awesome now, 800 health and 800 melee damage, I just need to get him a teleport now as he's so damn slow.
jakershaker
Member
Zeliard said:
Pretty much what I'm doing too, and here Relic really delivers. Not gonna keep raining on anyones parade here, just writing my impressions of the single player campaign(in which I obviously expected more DoW 1 and less of the Expansions kind of campaign). Gonna finish it before I give my final impressions, perhaps the later missions are epic enough to make up for some of the more bland ones. And then there's co-op and mp
jakershaker said:Pretty much what I'm doing too, and here Relic really delivers. Not gonna keep raining on anyones parade here, just writing my impressions of the single player campaign(in which I obviously expected more DoW 1 and less of the Expansions kind of campaign). Gonna finish it before I give my final impressions, perhaps the later missions are epic enough to make up for some of the more bland ones. And then there's co-op and mp
Well, hey, obviously you can feel how you feel. It's your opinion, I was just trying to explain where I'm coming from. I think DoW's campaign is simply a wonderful marriage of RTS and lite RPG. Truant said it right when he called it a mix of Company of Heroes and Diablo, and as good as that hybrid sounds on paper, it's even better in execution.