HOI2: Problems with Germany

[Nikolai]

On the countrary. HoI2 is the game Paradox has used most time to refine and develop AFAIK. It's state when released was fantastic compared to all their earlier titles. Remember, they are a small company and has only that mcuh resources. But things have really improved after they got rid of Strategy First.

[Dinner]

I'll admite HOI2 is better out of the box then HOI1 but it would be very hard to do worse.

[Nikolai]

Look at some of their other titles... Their games are fantastic, but out of the box they are quite bad often.

[Dinner]

I own EU1, EU2, HOI1, and now HOI2. I never got around to Vickie and I doubt I'll get around to diplomacy unless the MP is super stable.

[Nikolai]

I have all Paradox games since EU1. I will buy Diplomacy if I find out that it is something for me, ATM I don't know, as I know nothing of this game at all, except that it's based on a boardgame just as EU. I never play MP, so that's no problem anyway.

[Dinner]

The game is only mae possible because of MP. Without a stagle MP the game isn't worth playing.

[Nikolai]

I do not doubt MP will be important for the game's success, I only hope that SP will not be neglected.

[Dinner]

Yeah, SP will be important I just don't know how an AI can be taught to negotiate like a human.

[Grumbold]

What disappoints me is that they dash off into making another game while juggling their existing commitments. HoI2 AI is a mess. CK becomes steadily less playable as time goes on. Vicky probably needs more work too - I abandoned it when pop juggling became the focus.

I think its time they tried to wrap up the core problems with some of their older games before ploughing on to the next one. Issuing another game that has failed to live up to gamers expectations after the initial flush of playing has done little to enhance their reputation.

I definitely won't be buying Diplomacy unless its very different to the boredgame. Still, it wouldn't need a 3d engine if they were not thinking of radical ways to change the game.

[JCG]

Originally posted by Grumbold
What disappoints me is that they dash off into making another game while juggling their existing commitments.

Indeed, though that's pretty much what they have been doing for a while...

I definitely won't be buying Diplomacy unless its very different to the boredgame. Still, it wouldn't need a 3d engine if they were not thinking of radical ways to change the game.

Curiously, some people are stating exactly the opposite thing...t'd be interesting to see what Paradox does in the end.

Btw, for those that were disappointed with Crusader Kings to some degree, Paradox's going to publish Knights of Honor in the US....maybe some will find that to be a better buy.

[Dinner]

Fixing old games doesn't make them money since everyone who's going to buy it has already bought it. They rush out poorly tested products and promise to fix them later; sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. The industry as a whole has an abysmal record of fixing products so even Paradox's luke warm record looks good. Still their focus is on rushing out the next product so I won't be buying any more of their intial releases until I've seen a good two or three patches come out for it. I bought HOI2 the day of release and I got burned. I did the same with HOI1 and it was even worse. I didn't buy Vickie or CK because of bad reviews. I did buy EU2 but not until .03 had been released and I was very happy with that game. By 1.03 it was sorted out.

[Nikolai]

Paradox's patching record is pretty good compared to other companies...