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Are there other boys in the bubble, like me?


dpabrams

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Since purchasing SB Pro PE 10 years ago, I have played in solitary confinement, in a bubble if you will. I design all my own solitaire scenarios and use customized maps, with customized themes and terrains built to suit me. I have my own textures, many of which I have shared. I recently started replacing vegetation to spruce things up. I play only in the editor "test" mode as I constantly change the forces, weapons and AI routines to get endless play variation. On my maps there are no mishmash of road types that clash when overlaid and all the "painted" on streams are gone. I typically play company sized engagements with realistic force mixes representing Soviet, North Korean and Chinese forces verses US ARMY units circa 1979-1986.

 

Are there others like me? I am hoping I can network with other like minded players and finally go head to head with someone. It would mean creating a dropbox to share the maps and scenarios and learning the whole client host routine but this is easy. 

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Most of the VUs will support this type of play style (I'm sure they all would be can't speak for all).

 

We don't always play mega scenarios.

 

I'd suggest you have a look here (about two thirds down the page):

 

http://www.steelbeasts.com/sbwiki/index.php?title=Starter_Pack

 

Select one in a convenient time zone and ask. :)

 

They can certainly talk you through the "Host" vs "Client" part and if you play a mission or two with them (whoever you choose) then you'll gain experience in doing it yourself.

 

Edited by Gibsonm
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Theres some good info in that starter pack, but some of the VU info looks out of date, so theres this as well;

http://www.steelbeasts.com/online_play.html/

If you want to have a chat with some regular 'online' players, you could jump into TS after/before TGIF when theres a bunch of dudes in there. 

Multiplayer is the way forward! Good luck :)

 

Edited by Bond_Villian
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I think I played SP about five times since I bought SB about a year ago or so.  Since then, I have played MP every Sunday for about 9 months (yeah, time flys) and all I can say is that that´s how I enjoy SB the most.  Maybe if I had no other choice but to play SP I would still play SB, but for me MP is were some games really shine.  Besides no AI is comparable to a human opponent, no matter how good it is.

 

It´s fun, it´s social, you make friends, you learn new things, and at times one game leads to another that you never knew about, which in turn gifts you with another new experience.

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On 2/18/2018 at 3:30 PM, dpabrams said:

Since purchasing SB Pro PE 10 years ago, I have played in solitary confinement, in a bubble if you will. I design all my own solitaire scenarios and use customized maps, with customized themes and terrains built to suit me.

I'm kind of in the same bubble. I spend most of my time in the map-editor and then creating quick scenarios to get a feel of the map. Maybe one day, when I know a vehicle as well as I know the map editor, I will be comfortable joining MP.

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On 2/21/2018 at 2:19 PM, Red2112 said:

I think I played SP about five times since I bought SB about a year ago or so.  Since then, I have played MP every Sunday for about 9 months (yeah, time flys) and all I can say is that that´s how I enjoy SB the most.  Maybe if I had no other choice but to play SP I would still play SB, but for me MP is were some games really shine.  Besides no AI is comparable to a human opponent, no matter how good it is.

 

 

on the other hand, human players use 'absurd' tactics that can be mitigated with computer units. computer units can be scripted to surrender or retreat for logical reasons or conditions that make sense. human players tend to fight to the last man and act like suicide teams without regard for preservation for resources. i've watched mp videos again and again of infantry units made to charge and run after tanks to get rpg shots, pcs or what have you singly charging  in with autocannons  with virtually no chance of survival so long as they get to damage some tracks or knock out optics and this sort of thing. sure. it's not to say it can't be a challenging or fun style in its own right, but it's not always what i'm interested in. this is not any one person's fault or the fault of the program, you tend to see it in any and all kinds of simulations- tanks, planes, helicopters, submarines and whatnot- human players always take risks and cut corners because there's nothing really at stake if you lose, and because, let's face it, fun and entertainment is a top priority for commercial users, and acting according to regulations or according to a certain military logic isn't necessarily going to be fun if you're investing 2 or 3 hours of your weekend to play to not see any action when you could be out doing other things. so i understand why all of that would happen.

 

then again, computer units can have some 'unfair' advantages- while they can on some occasions be easily fooled, on others i find that their spotting and sorting routines are far away more tricky than humans to the point of being ridiculous- for instance, sneaking up on a computer tank from behind which often seems to detect the player doing it. human players might tend to get focused on the battle right in front, making sneaking up on them a sound decision. computer opponents are less prone to becoming focused and follow a script to look around without passion or prejudice, so their detection routines are less affected by sneaky or creative behavior.

 

for my own taste, i enjoy scripting behavior in the mission editor like a movie director as i suspect others do, so much to the point where i spend less time actually playing but watching the battle unfold like a movie.

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@Captain_Colossus

 

I agree to some part, but I also think that part of your , "there´s nothing to lose" statement is dependent of who you play with, and what that group of players pretend to achive in there misions/games.  Obviously the risk you take in any sim, has little to do with real life, but as said, how your team reacts and how realistic they want to proceed in there scenarios makes the difference.

 

Aside, I always say that sims are tools to train.  It can be realistic but up to a degree.

 

There are situations were a sim can re-create a real life sensation and comitment.  A 7 ship formation flight with model damage set to "on" can put some real stress on you and have you sweating in no time, the level of concentration you need and a firm hand will leave you like you went to the gym for a work out!  Believe me...

 

Also, to make it clear, Iam not saying a good AI can´t be a challenge, sometimes even more then any human opponent.  Specially if your opponent has a "nothing to lose" attitude. 

Edited by Red2112
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i'm prone to it as well- it's probably virtually guaranteed behavior in some form or another except under very strictly supervised or moderated sessions with referees. it's just simply the fact that a simulated environment is a different psychology which doesn't translate everything the same way, for example, you will probably never eliminate the fact that all players know that contact with the enemy is inevitable, therefore no one is truly surprised or in an unprepared

state of mind when it happens, there's no tension in that regard. all players are in a state of mind that combat is guaranteed. a single player campaign can be theoretically designed so that combat only happens on randomized turns and many times not all. with an mp game, the point is to fight or players probably feel they are wasting time, if you see what i mean therefore, you've sort of eliminated any kind of shock and surprise effects

 

 

Edited by Captain_Colossus
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  • 2 months later...
On ‎2‎/‎23‎/‎2018 at 3:22 PM, Captain_Colossus said:

 

on the other hand, human players use 'absurd' tactics that can be mitigated with computer units. computer units can be scripted to surrender or retreat for logical reasons or conditions that make sense. human players tend to fight to the last man and act like suicide teams without regard for preservation for resources.

 

I remember that Jim Dunnigan, Wargame Designer Extraordinaire, once suggested that players put $100 in a pot before a game, and afterward, light a match and burn the money to simulate the economic consequences of war.

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1 hour ago, Connaugh said:

 

I remember that Jim Dunnigan, Wargame Designer Extraordinaire, once suggested that players put $100 in a pot before a game, and afterward, light a match and burn the money to simulate the economic consequences of war.

:D:D:D

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On 2/24/2018 at 5:22 AM, Captain_Colossus said:

 

on the other hand, human players use 'absurd' tactics that can be mitigated with computer units. computer units can be scripted to surrender or retreat for logical reasons or conditions that make sense. human players tend to fight to the last man and act like suicide teams without regard for preservation for resources.

I agree, but a mission designer can put a value on resources with scoring

Edited by Bond_Villian
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Agree with what Bond_villain says:

 

If you have the imagination and think out of the box, the Steel Beasts Pro PE, can in fact be used if not to simulate, then at least emulate the modern battlespace going from low key COIN to full on war.

 

Does it do everything perfectly - no. But I would submit that it comes closer than anything else I have worked with.

 

Is it easy - not so much. But it can be done if you keep a sharp focus on what you are trying to achieve and present as well as a clear and realistic eye to what is possible within the constraints of the program. 

Edited by Nike-Ajax
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  • 2 weeks later...

I too am mostly a single player person. I've tried multiplayer a few times, however I usually feel more of detriment to the team than an asset due to my self conscious nature. Hopefully I will get myself to start joining some online matches come June. If there is anyone who is experienced and willing to take me under their wing, I would greatly appreciate it. I tend to prefer tactics that allow for minimum losses.

 

Also, cheers for bringing up this topic. Tis a good bubble to burst. :P

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1 hour ago, Azure Lion said:

Hopefully I will get myself to start joining some online matches come June. If there is anyone who is experienced and willing to take me under their wing, I would greatly appreciate it. I tend to prefer tactics that allow for minimum losses.

 

 

You are welcome anytime to a BG ANZAC session if the timing is convenient.

 

Having said that I'm sure both Kanium and 1st CAD both have "don't crucify the new guy" policies.

 

TGIF is also accomodating but the style of play may not lend itself to "tactics that allow for minimum losses". :)

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