(Review Completed) [SP] Abandoned Armies

[Mikero]

@Plank

It seems to me that most of the armour was destroyed when Stamenov and Andropov went to war, otherwise it might have been a harder battle.

afaik, only at Chapoi was it 'easier' for you. Unless you forgot to mention it, only concentrated smioing hulks were at Chapoi. The armour you met around the airport was, afaik, 'about right'. The last T80 should have come at you from the lighthouse, I think you said you eventually ignored it earlier on. As far as I'm concerned to defeat all that armour is pretty amazing, i'm dead, quickly. I was counting up the number of times your Godzilla was hit before being crippled, seems you got the hang of using those monsters.

Again, afaik, Hobson reduced the overall Godzilla count in v 1.21 and certainly for me, it made it a far 'fairer' slog for a foot solider, and perhaps a little too biased to the player if he's able to capture one, as you did. Once you're in one of those, not even a T80 has much chance against you.

>@Hobson

>fixing the outro

why? Apart from a minor, jarring switch of music, I couldn't see a thing wrong  

Edit:
@Planck

Nah, I'm wrong (again). the fact that you grab a tank, any tank, is only a fifth of the story, you have to remember, preserve, collect, repair trucks as well. The tank alone makes no difference, it's the clever placement of support vehicles that's all important.

[Planck]

The T80 by the lighthouse I took care of before I went to the airfield.

It attracted my attention when it fired at me whilst I was exploring.........also its buddy the Bradley.


Planck

[Mikero]

My Planck! is that a gun in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me?

[XCess]

Went back to the path of normailty.. almost. Drove most of the way to La Passagne in the police jeep and it ran out of fuel on the winding hill to the east. So I got out took down a three man patrol in the town and grabbed two LAWs. Ran to an empty Vigny to speak to Tatyana and then went and did all the civilian stuff (after a very long run to the lodge)

I stole the BMP Ambulance from LaT and went to Houdan. I spoke to sergei and Alexi said "they trade, well that would explain a few things" or something similar (I had been to LaT already and blown up a few vehicles with a single LAW from the southron convoy with a single LAW... this was unmentioned)

I then drove off back to LaT to inspect the damage and lay a trap for the northrons. Turned out three vehicles were destroyed in the explosion, two Urals, one a Ammo the other I'm not sure wat the other one was... and a Vulcan. Damn lucky they were all so close.I put an AV and AP mine to the north for other convoy and drove towards the lodge.

Also Sergei spotted a Vulcan when we were leaving Houdan but it didn't open fire.. we also drove past a squad when entering Dourdan and I "crushed" the officer and drove on. I'm hoping they pursued as far as LaT but I doubt it.

Question: with only a Bradley and one Ural left will the convoy still operate? Or am I going to have to think of more creative ways to get the southrons to LaT?

[Mikero]

@Xcess

Wow! you finally got the police jeep out of fuel? I've never managed it so far, you must have travelled *extensively*.

@Thob

That reminded me: Apart from lottery counts on dead loons, eg how much gear they're actually carrying, I forgot to mention that most of the vehicles, almost all of them, are unrealisitically FULL. Imho, you should vary the gallons between 10 and 50% MAX. Frustrate the player by running out of fuel at the most inconvenient (and quite random) times. The randomness comes from not knowing how muych any specific vehicle has got. We do have fuel dumps (lodge) we have got fuel trucks. There are fuel stations. Part of the magic to recall where all this stuff is. Detail detail detail. Part of the magic to NOT destroy *a* fuel station (or truck) as part of the players strategy.

As it is now, with many of the border towns having a truck of some sort, we end up with too many of them. We should get one from Arudy, use it a bit, then NEED to pinch the one at Dourdan (eg). Notr forgetting MacGuba's famous quote that all he wanted to do was borrow one,  make us need to borrow many.

[THobson]

Mikero:

>fixing the outro

why? Apart from a minor, jarring switch of music, I couldn't see a thing wrong

I think the start is naff.  macguba's repeated suggestions to show the family is a good idea I haven't got round to yet.  All the static shots are of locations, and LaT features a lot.  In my last run through nothing happened at LaT.  I have in mind to use specific dead armour units as the focus for the camera.  I might get some strange shots, but I would at least be showing where the action is.  All very early ideas.

Fuel:  You are quite right.  This was something I overlooked when I put many of the vehicles in.  In the first version the jeep at Vigny only had enough fuel to get you to the lodge plus a bit and all the vehicles at the civis huts had random amounts of fuel.  These vehicles now do not feature significantly in the play.  I also had zero fuel in the vehicles at LaT - but changed that.  There are barrels at the lodge also so having vehicles pretty full there would be okay.

The lack of fuel gauges in the vehicles made reducing the fuel in them feel a little unfair, but I suppose the player would learn to be always on the look out for opportunities to refuel.


Xcess:

Question: with only a Bradley and one Ural left will the convoy still operate? Or am I going to have to think of more creative ways to get the southrons to LaT?

It may be unrealistic, but even if it is down to one serviceable vehicle the convoy will keep running.

By the way - forgot to mention it before.  Getting Andropov and getting away with it so early on is an impressive piece of stealth action.  Especially as I specifically tried to make that more difficult by closing up the open gates in the fence on that side of the base.

[XCess]

Edit: THob.. you were posting as I wrote.

Wow! you finally got the police jeep out of fuel? I've never managed it so far, you must have travelled *extensively*.

From Vigny to LePort (via LaT) To the aribase and back to La Passagne... I think that was it.. still some journey I spose.

Right now I'm pondering my options. Start working on the leaderless northron army or investigate Chapoi to find the status on the convoy (EDIT: maybe not the status) and possibly eliminate Stamenov.

Another question: does killing the leader of an army effect how their army operates in any way? do the convoys still operate? Do they still search for you? Do they fight as well?

EDIT: the gate's were open on the east side. But I was planning on running them down anyway :p although I was pretty proud of the distraction/mad run/stealth tactic ;D

[THobson]

the gate's were open on the east side. But I was planning on running them down anyway

Maybe I didn't close enough of them.

Things do change when a side has lost its leader.  For me it has only ever happened so early on when I was testing it and killed the leaders by radio.  I would be interested in knowing how it will play in a real run through.  I don't think the mission will be easier (translation for the non-Bits amongst you:  I think it will now be very difficult) but I might be wrong.

[Mikero]

Maybe I didn't close enough of them.

HA! the one you've currently left open is spiteful! They attacked me up the rear by coming thru it. so I'd keep that one as is!!!!

Also, you might recall in version 1.1 I tried the trick of crawling on the beach side (because the gates were mostly closed) got close enough to the hospital to smell Andropov's bad breath but could do nothing. Eventually ended in a hopeless corner against the wire, no where to go and all gates closed. So, I'd keep it pretty much as is.

Xcess is just being a thouroughly troublesome player. Wish I were as good.

[Mikero]

woooo here goes.

Hope others enjoy reading my travelogue on this new version as much as I have enjoyed reading there's.

Version 1.22

Ofp 1.96, bench 5685, no super ai, but using dxdll (coz I want to)

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's up the cliff we go.

Have taken my pillz and I'm going to rescue Snow White (Tatyana)


Readme:

Just one of the best. Considering the depth of the mission, this readme, and it's style, is a must. It is a must read for new players and I don't know how, you can encourage them. Perhaps on early deaths you could say , read the readme?

typo

occoupied

you team=your team

this mission TOO is fairly unusual.

intended TO convey

all fuel stations on the island, except those guarded by the soldiers, contain no fuel.

not true. LaPessage. Dourdan.

Don't rearm them (see above) repair them and then drive away without refuelling.

it reads ok now that I understand it, but two scans of this left me the idea that i should NOT refuel them.

>

I have found no way to fix this.

(except by disembarking all and reloading as driver)

>Team resequence

and they will talk to you while you do it.

(It would be a good idea to do it at least once, to pick up verbal clues)

---------
Overview:

Immediately good picture. An instant 'oh dear, what's THIS?'

First text line tells the player, THIS mission is unusual. AMERICANS victimising the population? Oh so the Russkies are the good guys? Nope.

I quibble, and it is only a quibble that could be wronger than right that the word Renegade gives player impression REAL US troops (or Russians) will come to the rescue. These guys (for me) ARE russian and US troops. Perhaps it's simply I think you give too much away by saying it. A small thing worth ignoring.

Intro:

I have not detected any differences here since 1.1. It remains superb. With music score synchronised perfectly to what's going on. The burn scripts of Chapoi are marvellous. The use of double centred text (two sentence kick) is excellent. You've no sooner digested 1st sentence that it's corollory kicks in.

I have a small suggestion here re the killing of three troops. I always consider these things cheesy, over-dramatisation. Personal dislike. Since Stamenov is the nasty bugger killing officers, this is, precisely what should be shown here, except with a twist. Only an officer gets shot, preferably a Russian one (to counter percieved bias against nato). The remaining two loons, grunts, join Stamenov's lot. For that, I would also change Stamenov to a handgun. MUCH more personal. It's not too important here whether it's northron/southron because no player yet knows the nitty gritty, but it will gel later as a memory jog.

For me, Thob, the master touch to all this remains the 'fiction' statement. Nothing for me could make it MORE authentic. And for all of us, in the recesses somewhere is that vague recall of the Iranain Boeing being shot down. The plausibility of what's happened, is escalated to 'real'.

Briefing:

The selection tab voiceovers are god awful impressive aren't they? There's an immediate impact to the player that this mission has a bit more than expected, a whole lot of bit more. Just a master stroke to do this, a simple thing, and yet the result is powerful. Noted the care to only trigger once. Nice touch, because many players will hit the reload button to get what they missed. The ones that don't haven't "caught on" to what they're up against with this mission, it's not going to be another shoot em up kiddo. They will die shortly, and aren't worth tears if they can't learn, or worse, don't want to.

notes:

typo Resistance

Background

typo Stamentov, anropov

A really well put together, reasoned, believable, scenario.

Current FPS 35

Me: Expert.

Hi ho hi Ho...... where's my pillz

[THobson]

not true. LaPessage. Dourdan.

Really?!  They have their fuel cargo set to zero just like all the others. I will check.

Intro:  You are correct.  No changes from previous version.  I take your point about only shooting the officer, but that is Stamenov and it is Andropov I am introducing at this point.  Stamenov already has the hanging.

Prompted by your comments I copied the readme and the briefing into Word and did a full spell check - what a revelation!!  and I have read this stuff hundreds of times.

Some things I can't take credit for - the one shot at the sounds in the briefing for example - this is standard OFP, but it is good.

You want resistance capitalised?

Me: Expert.

I actually set Alexi's skill to 0.1 at the start but the game ignores me.

The Iranian (I thought it was an Airbus) being shot down by U.S.S. Vincennes was in deed part of my thinking, and have you checked where east of Sakhalin is?

Have taken my pillz and I'm going to rescue Snow White (Tatyana)

That and marry Irena - I think I need some of what you are on.



EDIT:
I have just checked the fuel stations at LaPessage and Dourdan.  I could get no fuel from them - and what's more the one ar Doudan had been destroyed.  Was this a wind up - or does fuel come back to these places?

[XCess]

I think he meant they're guarded by soldiers yet have no fuel.  

[Planck]

I just remembered something I was going to mention in a previous post, but I forgot.   ;D

I reloaded my last save and tried the re-organise team dialog thingy.
Nice, got lots of info about many things including the attic woman.

I didn't re-organise anyone, I just cancelled out when I was finished, however my team had now forgotten their previous orders.

I had the truck drivers out of their trucks, prone on the ground, watching east.

The 2 tanks were also watching east.
Everyone was in stealth mode and they were all told to 'wait for me'.

However after I finished with the dialog, everyone was asking 'where are you?'.

They were all in safe mode, the truck drivers were in their trucks and they had their lights on.
And everbody was watching no direction in particular.

No big deal, just thought I would mention it.  


Planck

[THobson]

Planck:
That's the best I can do I'm afraid.  I don't want to do a lot of complicated joining and re-joining when you select someone for the team so I keep it simple.  Going into the reorganise all the team join grpNull and then all rejoin when selected - or at the end of the script.

[Mikero]

@Xcess. Yes.

@THob

Airbus, sorry. The thrust being it's a dim but known recollection for many of us, making the scenario only too real.

Resistance. Yes. As in Nato, Russian, Resistance.

East of Sakhalin. Yup, and a 'Korean' shoot down too (which is I think your meaning)

-----
Vigny to 2nd Lodge Cutscene.

great use of hint.

Slight sound of motor running, spin round, hmmm boat. In I get.

Wow, the rain. Turn on light, swing about a bit to see what's what. Good grief. You want me to climb up that! Keep swinging, looking for nasties in the gloom.

Oops fuel is badly bad, Out of this tub, quick.

time 6:30ish raining hard, sound of rain is gorgeous, comforting. Convinced a nasty or three is in the next bush, or three.

I think I found every log to trip over on my climb to the top. Eventually get to the fenceline and find no way thru. Man this is tough.

Check map. Yep, this is where I should be.

FPS a steady 12.

A lightning flash startles me, lights up most of the ground, and I'm tripped back over the edge, sigh.

Buildings look like something from Alfred Hitchcock. It's not overly dark, campfire spotted.

Took 3 nasties out before they armed up. Three x headshots. Lucky.

Grab M16. Oh NO! one mag? God, I'm in trouble.

Immediately load 2 of them into police jeep and grab binocs with voiceover. Noticed I can get extra mags from each of the M16's if they're in the jeep.

Tatyana Cutscene: Fps 10..13

Hmm looks like I won't be marrying her after all.

Took out 2 laughing nasties, grabbed their weapons for jeep. Tatyana voicover. In deep trouble with this poor weapon count. Decide to hold out, race to back of barn, hoping something's in haystack. Nothing, voicover 2 dead soldiers. Checked truck, it's an undriveable wreck.

Move to front road to check if I can race jeep down road. Nope 5 loons coming up. Took out first, a red flag, another 2, then hunted remainder who are circling village.

Voicover "man left here" as I come back into town.

whacked two as they came over north side of village. Oh thank you nvg AND xms.

Whacked what I hoped was last one (the sixth! damn it), red flag, center of village.

Voicover, woman.

FPS a nasty unpleasant 6 to 9 causing lag staggers

Getting terrified now, I race as fast and hard round the 6 bodies collecting everything I can. Convinced an even bigger group will be on to me. Get away in jeep, drive towards LaP. Even more terrified because I'm checking map, where the hell is the lodge. I park at top of LaP. Use Nvg to spot two on patrol near fuel depot. Down they go, quickly. They appear to be more alert than other times.

Another loon on eastern side wood building, one more dead centre of roadblock. Last one, possibly from patrol or cargo nets as he runs across road.

Voicover on dead bodies.

FPS around 10 and bearable.

Flag change, extra savegame. And "we've arrived" is a little incongruous. I would not allow flag changes at all, until i meet some of the team. It makes no sense for me to do so, alone, before I get the plot. Worse, it's a lost experience level for the squad.

heal myself at tent. I was hurt in fjord.

Rather pleased to find a fully loaded RPG. Cant load more weapons into jeep, thinking of using M2 jeeps as mules but drop the idea. I've hung around too long. Mark LaP as having ammo on map

Take off up road and stop by wooden building when i see a white body near it. Get voicover. Still certain something nasty is coming my way. Fog is negligible, rain isn't there, and it's sunrise 7.am Mark hut has having ammo on map.

Get to bus roadblock, voiceover, as I'm out sniffing about, the mosquito jeeps swing by. Fortunately, I spotted their headlights in the sky and had time to hide. I'm no match against four of them.

I check hut.house towards lodge. Nothing noted.

Raining hard, tremendous lighting flashes.

Navigate my way on map and compass, have a little trouble, but get there. Spot flash from a gun then a halt or I'll shoot. I think I was subconciously looking for it, the flash was not noticeable, nor it's noise.

Great cutscene. (FPS 13) Always admire the Tatyana bit because the visuals appear to be the story Alexi is SAYING. Very understated, not maudlin, and bloody well done.

Spotted Barn, Radio, and medic cabinet. Nice touch, because we have no medic.

Sigh, I'm in love again.

Last bit remains marvellous, where they join me, and I'm an officer in the resistance HA!

Swing them all out of safe mode, arm them all up. God we're low on ammo. Irena gets the xmm, i get the hunting rifle. Move out and get message to check radio. Move in, get radio message, and off we go.

I have no need to reorganise team as my weaker players are at back. I test it anyway, and am scheming schemes to have erik 'disappear'. Am forming plans as-i-go to arm people up with machine guns, if i can. Either way, my heavy duty dudes go in front. But I might give Irena #2 spot later, she's a bitch.

Karl: Veteran
Ruslan: Rookie
Erik/Irena: Novice

Drive to civilians was uneventful. No sound of choppers. Music CD is wonderful.

Cutscene kicks in. Comment: all cutscene with the fadeins are great. Good technique there, it fades in, and I, exhale out.

No dead body at hut now.

I wouldn't worry about the voices Thob. Both male and female English voices are pleasant to the ear. They aren't naff, except to you.

Danek: Expert
Ruslan: recruit
Erik/Irena: rookie.

All of this is much too fast, we have yet to encounter a firefight.

Am torn btwn arming up Irena with a 47cz, or leave her with the xmm with one mag. Discretion better part of valour. The civilians would be shredded if we encounter something.

Uneventful trip back FPS dropping, occaisonally from 13 to an unpleasant 9, using truck.

2nd lodge cutscene. Fps a steady 13, dropping to 11 at start of each voice.

"desperate to hide" this has always jarred, it seems so niave considering Alexi has stumbled over so many bodies. Perhaps a "why or who is killing all the civilians" would be better?

Danel/Yuri: experts
ruslan: veteran
erik/irena: recruits

this is far too quick.

I reoragnise team to put my expert members as #2 and #3

I'm off to the 2nd civils and if I have to, am going to marry one of those mad-woman this time round. Someone has to love me.