Hearts of Iron

dudemanjack · November 27, 2002, 00:04

Has anybody seen previews for this game, Hearts of Iron? It's a WWII game on a global scale. Looks like it'll be pretty good.

http://hearts-of-iron.wargamer.com/

ixnay · November 27, 2002, 01:16

7.0 from Gamespot:

http://gamespot.com/gamespot/filters...560933,00.html

Sounds like most of the problems are similar to those in EU, so I would probably like this since I like EU.

ravagon · November 27, 2002, 02:06

Quote:

Originally posted by ixnay37
7.0 from Gamespot:

I'd just like to point out (for anybody who can't be bothered clicking on the link

) that the fan reviews, at 8.7, are significantly higher.
Additionally a fair portion of the GS critique seems to aim at the stability. This is an issue about which the devs have typically slaved over in their past products - putting out 10 or so patches for the first EU in only 12 months. There's no reason to think they'll be any less diligent for HoI if required.

ixnay · November 27, 2002, 02:14

Oh, I know that their support after the release is excellent. That's why this is going to receive a high spot on my xmas list.

Apocalypse · November 27, 2002, 02:41

A post from a PC Gamer reviewer on the europa-universalis.com alluded that he was going to get HoI a much better review.

I might pick this up tommarow.

Dauphin · November 27, 2002, 05:41

When is it out (UK)?

The Pioneer · November 27, 2002, 06:38

It looks very interesting. The 7.0 from Gamespot doesn't mean much. I ´never played EU but I will definitely try this one out.

So long...

dudemanjack · November 27, 2002, 11:11

The game also scored low in graphics, which is quite understandable since it is not a "flashy graphics" type of game.

Apocalypse · November 27, 2002, 19:37

I just picked the game up.

Trip is either in the process of picking the game up or playing it right now.

rancidmilk2go · November 27, 2002, 19:53

Have it. Its great.

rancidmilk2go · November 27, 2002, 20:02

Suppose I should elaborate. It is awesome. Its 1942 for me already. I played the game for like 7 hours straight. Crazy, and since Ive had all week off. Im totally hooked. I conquered all the low countries, France, Norway and denmark, Poland, Yugoslavia. Its 1942, and im fighting on 3 fronts. The british and greeks in Greece, In Russia where I reached moscow twice but was pushed off. And in Finland where I invaded and am bogged down. I need to research winter gear. My navy was destroyed in commerce raiding, and I just stopped building U-boats. America is in the war and actually there is a 4th front in sicilily. Which Im sending an expeditionary force of 60,000 Germans marines to help the italians, who are watered down after lots of action in greece. Have lots of tech. Building units is slow, Russia is difficult and USA is impossible. The moment you declare war on them or vice versa there are 800 bombers over your industries. I kid you not. lol.

Axis: Italy, Germany, Hungary, and Latvia
Japan is on there own

Ramo · November 28, 2002, 01:19

I picked it up today and it's f'n incredible. I was just playing a US game the past couple hours, and got my ass handed to me by Germany when I threw together a half-assed invasion force right after joining the Allies in '40. German forces actually pocketed my expedition armies (preventing any escape) and destroyed them. So, the AI is much better than in EU 2.

It was an interesting game, actually. Austria rejected unification initially (though I attempted a coup against them

, so pushed them back into the German camp), the Czechs refused the give up the Sudetenland, and Poland peacably handed over Danzig (bah, now there's a country between the Soviets and Germans

). And I, being so preoccupied with research, didn't notice that the war started until France fell.

And there were absolutely no stability issues for me (though, granted, I played only for a little while). And Paradox just released a patch which should fix any that exist.

BTW, does anyone know how to "influence" another country? I've never seen the option (not even grayed out) on the diplomacy menu.

Ramo · November 28, 2002, 01:21

Oh, and the Spanish Republicans won, but they still crushed the anarchists. (

The Pioneer · November 28, 2002, 05:27

What requirements does the game have? It sounds very very interesting and I'll be checking it out in due time, (I looked for it yesterday here in Germany and I couldn't find it).

So long...

Grumbold · November 28, 2002, 11:05

The game req's are fairly low. I've been spending a lot of time on the official forums www.europa-universalis.com chatting about it. This is a pretty complex grand strategy game akin to EU2 which is not for the Sudden Strike brigade.

There are some obvious gameplay problems that need tweaking in future patches, most of them to boost the difficulty level. It seems that once you break a hole in an AI defensive line and manage to keep it open then it will collapse. This is tending to make many games relatively short, with either Russia or Germany suddenly gobbling up the other after a lot of to and fro fighting. Paradox won't rest until the AI does a better job though. Already it knows how to subject you to an artillery barrage at 8:00 am, airstrikes at 9:00 am before sending in the Panzers on a blitz to disorganise and surround you before the infantry arrives to accept your surrender

I'm itching to get my hands on the game. Since the UK version will not be out until February (Koch Media) I've ordered the US version via Strategic Plus. Its due to arrive any day now.

FrustratedPoet · November 28, 2002, 13:11

Quote:

Originally posted by Grumbold
Since the UK version will not be out until February

wow, we have to wait a looong time for this.

Dauphin · November 28, 2002, 13:31

Apocalypse · November 28, 2002, 14:07

I just messed around as Greece and Yogoslavia. I conquered Albania right off the bat as both of them. When I played Greece I declared war on Turkey next and fought a fairly even war. A stalemate. I just quit there though. As Yugo, I was able to annex Hungary, but then Germany and Italy turned their sights toward me and I didn't last much longer.

I played Yugo a second time, but didn't annex Hungary. Nationalist Spain won and went on to join the axis and beat up on France, including taking the Vinchy province so there is no Vinchy France. The Axis attacked me again though. I had tried to join them, but nothing worked.

Furthermore, I learned that improving industry generally isn't worth it as it cuts IC in half. I should do much better in future games now.

General Ludd · November 28, 2002, 23:37

I am downloading it now and will likely buy it soon (tommorow, if I have enough money left over after geting a new soundcard) Looking forward to it.

Grumbold · November 29, 2002, 11:07

Quote:

Originally posted by Apocalypse
Furthermore, I learned that improving industry generally isn't worth it as it cuts IC in half. I should do much better in future games now.

Upgrade provinces with small amounts of industry in. The same applies for all other activities that halve the IC income of the province. Do them in the small provinces. Stupid but true. Expect a patch to alter this eventually.

Ramo · November 29, 2002, 21:52

I take back what I said about the AI. I just played a game as Republican Spain, and when I invaded Germany, the AI left absolutely nothing in the Western front (and it was at war with England and the US!!!

). So I steamrolled with 7 infantry divisions across France, the Low Countries, Germany, Austria, and Poland (after conquering France, I made peace with all of Germany's allies). With the Soviet AI too incompetent to finish off Germany and her main ally Czechoslavakia, which conquered plenty of Russia alone, I invaded, annexing Germany and all her lebensraum in '46, and Finland and uber-Czechoslavakia (with lots Soviet territory) in '47.

Mind you this is with Spain (although I have conquered Portugal, but that doesn't change much), a country industrially impotent compared to Germany.

David Floyd · November 30, 2002, 03:55

What difficulty was that set on?

In any case, I'll probably pick this game up tomorrow...

Ramo · November 30, 2002, 17:25

Normal.

David Floyd · December 1, 2002, 00:09

Dammit, Best Buy doesn't have it out yet. Figures. I'll just have to pick it up at Gamestop tomorrow - I WAS gonna get it after work tonight, but I guess not.

Ramo · December 1, 2002, 01:48

The one in the Arboretum (part of Barnes and Noble) had it on Wednesday.

vishniac · December 1, 2002, 11:13

Can someone post a link to an online shop where I can order it NOW?
I need it shipped outside of the US, I'm living in Switzerland. (so no Amazon.com, etc...).

David Floyd · December 1, 2002, 18:04

I just went to the Arboretum store (as well as Best Buy North and South Austin, Circuit City, CompUSA, and WalMart, as well as calling two other Gamestops), and I found nothing. Oh well.

Main_Brain · December 2, 2002, 19:42

Checked some Online shops didnt find international shipping ..
does amazon.com send games to europe?

to add to David Flyods Quote:
I'll take Penis Might'er for 500!
-The Pen IS Mightier Mr Connery.
Well if it was Penis mightier you might be sitting on a Goldmine Trebec!

General Ludd · December 3, 2002, 16:12

I've experienced the same thing as you, Ramo - Somtimes that AI does really well, and somtimes it is completely incompetent.

For instance, in a game I played as the USSR, Germany and it's european allies did a very good attacking me, while Japan did next to nothing and let me walk all over their unoccupied territories.

And I also tried playing a few games as Communist China, 4 out of 5 tries the Nationalist China AI did really well and kicked my butt. The fifth time, it just sat around doing nothing at all and let me march across all their provinces with no resistance (except for the armies that they'd already parked somewhere). Yet when I had broken through their lines in another attempt, they did good job of catching my army and stoping it - then attacked my provinces with everything they had and crushed me.

It's really quite puzzling... but EU2 was much the same way when it was first released. I don't doubt that they will fix all of the problems, though.

I also noticed that there was no copy protection, and that it's going to be added in the 1.02 patch - just like EU2. I wonder if they release their games in a shoddy condition just to mess around with software pirates.

DrSpike · December 5, 2002, 05:42

Quote:

Originally posted by FrustratedPoet

wow, we have to wait a looong time for this.

I hate it when this happens. This will no doubt attract disbelief, but these days the main reason I ever *ahem* acquire a game online is that it takes so damn long to come out here, and by the time it does I have finished it and am not going to buy the game.