tas_cam

Goodaye, Thanks for the reply. When I look at the download CoOp missions for GRAW1 I see some are OGR_CoOp and some are GRAW1 CoOp. I've tried both and they are only accessible via the OGR_CoOp option which - as you've mentioned - precludes bots. So can I assume that there aren't any Campaign CoOp's for GRAW1? (can't see any under the download listings) Also the coding changes in the linked post you gave for GRAW2 look fairly striaghtforward but will the changes still be viable for GRAW1 or has nobody figured out how to do that yet? Cheers, Plugger

Goodaye, This might not be the smartest post but I'm buggered if I can figure out how to play downloadable CoOp missions solo (with bot teammates) in GRAW1. I can go into multiplayer and fire up a game with an existing ingame map and a bunch of bots O.K but I can't do it with any downloadable missions. I put the downloaded missions bundle files in the /custom_levels folder and the only way I get access to them is via an [GR] CoOp mission mode. This drops me into a screen where I'm at a loss to figure out how to activate some bots and get rolling. Some help would be appreciated. Cheers, Plugger

Goodaye, Positives All the things mentioned to date - superb interface, recon mode, graphics, optimisation, team mates, planning, atmosphere etc. Well done. Negatives 1.The Tango AI. I found it virtually identical to GRAW1 - very passive and reactive. Mostly tangos standing around waiting for something to happen. The actual individual tango tactical AI is quite good, stuff like peeking around a corner, ducking back into cover and then crouching before they peek again is excellent. It's the big picture AI that's lacking. 2.Replayability. Limited. I tried the demo once on hard and failed first up. I started again and, having a better idea of how the interface worked, and more importantly the scripted events (such as approaching the bridge ), and had little trouble cruising through in a surpisingly short time. I then did it on hard a second time with a different approach route and found it even easier. Becoming a little frustrated I cranked it up to the highest difficulty level and dropped my team size in half and, while it definetly took a lot longer, it didn't show me anything different. Eg. There appeared to be minimal, if any, randomisation of tango's each time I played and cranking up the difficulty level just put a few extra into the mix. Once you learned where they where it was all downhill. The events and reactions of the tangoes appeared to be identical on each playthrough even though I went out of my way to vary my approaches and tactics. Very much a case of the same guy in the place doing the same thing every time. There seemed to be a two man patrol walking a very short, back and forth route and another two or three dozen tangoes just standing around, mind in nuetral, finger up bum. Staring fixedly at a particular spot on the wall. I'm yet to see one actually swivel his head to look around. It's as if they have their necks glued down and their brains deactivated until somebody takes a shot at them. All of which are comments I could make about GRAW1. However, unlike GRAW1, GRAW2's improved interface, recon mode, etc have actually made playing the game a more streamlined experience with the end result being a dumbed down difficulty. I just didn't get that feeling of 'Damn, this is hard!' that I got with the GRAW1 demo or [GR]. A major additional failing of GRAW1 was the difficulty involved for modders in being able to create SP missions. This pretty much ensured that once you had played through the campaign you had nowhere else to go as there was little incentive to replay the same scripted stuff again. I'm guessing but I'd say the majority of players would be SP. By putting too many hurdles in front of the modders I think GRIN did themselves a major disservice as they deep, rich vein of SP content that flowed from [GR] and it's accessible modding tools just wasn't there for GRAW1. Hopefully GRAW2 won't be the same story. I'm keen to support GRIN as I think they are heading in the right direction and my observations above, based on limited experience, may not be replicated by others. I think GRIN has done an awful lot right and deserves full credit for this. While I'm pretty down on the AI and the dumbed down difficulty I present my comments in the vein of constructive criticism. Cheers, Tas_Cam

Goodaye, I'd stick with the fixed save points and captain only approach as they add a great deal of tension and 'thinking' gameplay. My suggestions for improvememts would be to... 1.Add more background sound effects. You are stomping around the worlds biggest city yet it sounds awfully quiet at times. 2.Add RECON mode to ROE's on the TAC MAP 3.Add a specific SCOUT/OBSERVE (?) mode. Many times the situation arises where you would like a team mate to quietly creep up to a corner and see what's around the other side without doing anything other than observing and staying out of sight. Eg. Team member approaches corner crouched, takes a quick peek and then pulls back out of sight. 4.Be able to execute TAC MAP plans outside of the tac map. Eg. Make F5 / F6 keys live in both modes. 5.If Possible introduce some random elements in the SP mode. Eg this bunch of tangoes could start the scenario in this OR that position rather than always in the same place. (I've only played the demo and I realise that the full game may incorporate this already). The focus on the above suggestions would be to enhance the TACTICAL play side of the Single Player game. I'm sure that I'm not alone in enjoying the slower, stealthier more tactical play that SP offers vs the run & gun orientated MP (no offense intended to MP players, just offering a different viewpoint). Cheers, Tas_cam

Goodaye, One point that appears to be overlooked with feedback on the demo is the high level of tactical play that GRAW provides. In GR1 you had to think tactically in order to survive on elite level. However the ability to swap yourself into any of your team mates meant that typically YOU were the person in the lead or doing the dangerous stuff. While this still gave you a strong sense of tactical play it also tended to drop things down to the level of being in a fancy FPS. GRAW, by restricting you to the lead character, forces you to think things through at a lot higher level than before and gives you a definite sense of managing a squad. While you COULD put yourself up front and centre and have your squad tag along behind this isn't a great survival strategy at Hard level. You are forced to manage situations through you team mates and their actions rather than swapping to the relevant character and going all 'Rambo'. To put it in perspective, I've found that playing the demo on HARD I prefered taking the role of a sniper. At no point did I lead my squad. In fact my squad had to baby sit me the whole way as I was it's most vulnerable member. I got a lot of enjoyment in setting up situations (eg. at the Plaza) where my squad would draw fire / flank / suppress in order that I could take a clear, uninterrupted shot with the sniper rifle. Even moving down a street involved a lot of tac map / fast orders as I leapfrogged the lead elements while covering the side angles. When approaching a critical junction or corner, having to rely on somebody else to peek around the corner and peer at their cross cam view added a lot of suspense and immersion. The squad AI appears to be pretty good and I managed (with some practice) to exercise fine control while still accomodating individual team members own initiatives (which is probably a fair imitation of reality in a hot combat environment). In summary I find the tactical side of GRAW bloody excellent and this well and truly overrides any graphical issues (which occur with any new game) for me. Well done GRIN. Cheers, TAS_CAM