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10-17-08, 10:03 PM | #1 |
XO
Join Date: Oct 2006
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Totem Ironclads, my own humble opinion/review/thoughts
Hi all
When it came out, I was one of the first in line and had to have this one. I wore out 4 Yaquinto "Ironclads" games and this is the very first ACW naval game since. OK shows my age too knowing that game. That a company in Russia would come to our rescue for us Yaquinto players,, WOW and THANK YOU Totem games!! This is a turn based game, they move and fire and then you move and fire. Some will like this (especally us oilder game players you liked Yaquinto's ironClads) some will not. Myself, I like it. IT has the feel of the old game I love, but without all the crazy plotting and paperwork. For me a 9. < A WARNING TO ALL> The Graphics are FAR better than in the demo, Honest, I had the demo, and almost passed on buying the final program as I thought they were so poor. Pl;ease don't think the demo graphics are the same as the game, they are NOT. The Security system is unique, or at least it is to me. You make a file,, send to them, and in about 12 hours at most (mine took 4) you receive a file back. Drop it in you game file and your sailing. A note here. In my experience, you must create the file on the computer that your game is on and your going to play from. otherwise it did not work for me. Initially I had the game loaded on a memory stick, and it played once, I wnet to a differing computer and it would no longer work. I am no computer wiz, I cannot tell you why that happened just that it did in case you have the same issues. The program menu is set on a road system. You start as either the Union or Confederate. There is no "easy, medeum hard " level. you learn as you go, or you lose. Relax though, no time to panic. You will quickly understand the navigation system even should you chose not to read the rules. Sailing around the board is a breeze (get it, a breeze) ok bad joke, I did not mean to take the wind out of your sails, sorry. I chose Confederate , and then promply nearly lost the battle of Norfolk but in the end I forced the USS Monitor aground with a well placed ramming and then battered her to death with broadsides. (Yes, it was a good feeling!!!) I lost all my consorts quickly, and sent her consorts away in flames. YES I SAID RAMMING!. That is fun !!!!, Not nearly as damaging as I thought it would be. Maybe I'll find the area where that damage is controlled and tweek it a bit. The ship models are crisp and very nice a 9.5 easily, probably a 10 to be fully honest. . A great deal of Time was obviously spent here. All models are in an .x Format, but I have yet to be able to convert these. My hope is to make add-on ships, just as we have in the SHIII and SHIV. then make add on forts, such as New Orleans and such. If anyone can figure this out let me know as I have many Civil war models for the Inland wars to add. After all, it is the Community that made SHIII and such what a great game it is. Accurate, I would rate a 8 honestly. OK maybe I am being a rivet counter here so take this wih a grain of salt. In the Battle of Norfolk the Teaser is displayed as a full rigged Sailing ship under steam. In fact she was a converted river tug with cannon. Other historical issues I have. Not until the 1905/6 Japanese war with Russia did ships fight until they sank. In the ACW time era more often than not a ship surrendered, and then drifted off until gathered up latter. It is a rare thing for them to sink when fighting other ships. Sure the Cario hit a mine and sank, and at the Battle of Mobile Bay another Ironclad hit a mine and sank. But in general, they struck colors and that was it for them. Rather than sinking, it would be nice for this to happen, they just stop,, white flag, and cannot be used by either side but would make navigation harder. Thnk of the Union fleet running past Port Hudson, and the USS Mississippi in line, ungrounding and floating about in that narrow part of the channel while the rest of the fleet tried to pass. What I liked, and I mean really liked, a clean simple system to navigate, fight, speed control and know how much and where your ship will turn. the Damage control was great too, simple to monitor to know the weak areas of your vessle and be able to fight her accoringly. They are to me Excellent. I have yet to figure how to fire guns in the middle of a move as the computer player does, but will learn in time. The game system is simple, yet accurate, and thus makes for a fun fast and furious battle. All battles and ships thus far that I have seen cover the harbor and ocean battles. There is no Inland river battles. Now remember this is a company in its beginings and needs our support if we want this to live. I think they have great promise. I hope no one takes the above as complaining as it is not meant that way at all. This is a great game. For us ACW naval buffs, it is the first time ever someone made something for us and I thank them greatly for that. There is GREAT promise here. I am hoping they can evolve. A pick a battle menu and a create a battle menu is a needed touch. I hope too they will allow the community to add ships and forts. Overall, I rate the game a 9.3. Simple and quick to understand, No complex table and keyboard commands to memorize. Great modeling, a rare subject. thanks for reading Mike Davis __________________ |
10-17-08, 11:52 PM | #2 |
Rear Admiral
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: SPACE!!!!
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Hmmmmm, sounds intresting, Demos are not the reel game. Things are gona be left out/ depleted in a demo.
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Task Force industries "Taking control of the world, one mind at a time" |
10-18-08, 09:56 AM | #3 | |
Totem Games
Join Date: Feb 2008
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Quote:
The ships perished from floodings everywhere and always. In real history the USA had a Navy, but Confederation was not. At least the ratio of forces was such, that sea battles were not. All is very simple. The ships are not divided into compartments, capacity of pumps weak. The shell punches a board of the ship. Through a hole water flows. If it is not enough holes, the pump pumps out water. If it is a lot of holes that the ship starts to plunge into water. All system in game has been created in cooperation with military ship builders on the basis of the general theory of shipbuilding. All pays off under formulas which are used at construction of the presents the ship and guns. Totem Games Last edited by Maxim; 10-18-08 at 10:10 AM. |
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10-18-08, 10:02 AM | #4 |
Born to Run Silent
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Good summary, Sea Tiger.
I think a big part of the appeal of this game will be learning a lot more than I currently know about Civil War naval warfare and warships. |
10-18-08, 10:39 AM | #5 |
Silent Hunter
Join Date: Apr 2007
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Firing Mid Turn
If you need to have a vessel fire mid turn - just hit its stop button. You can also move the rudder or speed control and this will stop ship movement. This will "pause" ship movement so that you can fire your guns. Once you fire, then hit the movement button again and the ship will finish its movement. This is very handy to get in a full broadside as you "pass" an enemy.
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Good Hunting! Captain Haplo |
10-19-08, 09:35 AM | #6 |
Ocean Warrior
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Stickied
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10-19-08, 07:36 PM | #7 |
Frogman
Join Date: Jan 2005
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I aint shelling out $35 without some screenies. I have the demo and the graphics are horrid
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10-19-08, 09:07 PM | #8 |
XO
Join Date: Oct 2006
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Ill post screen shot's tomorrow
Hi
I am working all night tonight but i will post pics tomorrow. |
10-20-08, 06:08 AM | #9 |
Watch
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Wilhelmshaven/Germany
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I just bought it and its great! But Iam having graphic problems. The Sea looks exactly like the sky. I tried different GC drivers but to no avail. Iam having a 9800 GTX2 and Iam running on Vista Home Premium 64 Bit.
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10-20-08, 08:22 AM | #10 |
Pacific Aces Dev Team
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It really sounds good from your review
If only this game could be done as a real-time one, it would also be a sure winner.
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One day I will return to sea ... |
10-20-08, 08:31 AM | #11 | |
Totem Games
Join Date: Feb 2008
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Quote:
BR, Totem Games |
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10-20-08, 11:25 AM | #12 |
Watch
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Wilhelmshaven/Germany
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Thx for the reply. Ill do that.
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10-20-08, 07:48 PM | #13 | |
Eternal Patrol
Join Date: May 2004
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Nice review
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10-21-08, 03:44 AM | #14 |
Totem Games
Join Date: Feb 2008
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2 Crinius\
Your problem is solved. Look please e-mail. Totem Team. |
10-21-08, 06:53 AM | #15 | |
Watch
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Wilhelmshaven/Germany
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