It’s official, Tales of Heroes is now a part of the Gamefire Network. The Flagship production you might say. Gamefire is a new company born out of the ashes of the former Team Sportscast Network. Gamefire will be delivering high quality content directed toward gamers. More shows will be added as the site gets up and running so stay tuned for that!
On to this week’s audio show. We had quite a bit if news this week along with a brand new Bridger Rant and finally wrapping up with some Q&A theory crafting.
- 00:00:00 – Introduction
- 00:03:10 – More Contests: World in Conflict beta access codes, Opposing Fronts coming soon
- 00:07:45 – CoH News: Nystrom Wins BTGN Tourny, Battletest Mod is Back, Europe in Ruins Mod Update, Opposing Fronts Release Date, Interview with Audio Lead at Relic,
- 00:35:30 – Bridger Rant: $#&*ing Software!
- 00:41:20 – Q&A Theorycrafting: Free Artilery and Free Repair?
So what are you waiting for? Download the show now!
July 17, 2007 at 6:36 pm
Awsome, keep up the good work. I just found out today that weather effects in OF won’t impact gameplay in multiplayer, only single player. Must’ve been imbalanced or something, they should at least put an option for custom games, i can understand ranked though (click on name for source).
July 17, 2007 at 6:45 pm
I was wondering what happened to TSN… I liked seeing their ondemand WSVG coverage especially… will there be coverage this year from GameFire?
I’m especially interested in the RTS competitions and Guitar Hero II.
July 17, 2007 at 6:48 pm
a word from a guy who used to work as a web designer, that gamefire logo needs a buff.
No, i wasn’t sacked!
July 17, 2007 at 7:55 pm
Characterized by smashing good fun, tons of news, and a rant to which I can relate, this 40th(!) episode of ToH delivers all of the good stuff. We have our cheerful co-hosts offering forth a pile of free keys to future games and risking their reputations time and again to acquire even more, and all for us. Even as the demands for more shows (punctually delievered, of course) rise to new heights, Bridger’s machine goes on the fritz, and Vitensby’s supply grows thin, we still have the high quality product in our hands on Monday afternoon.
People have been up in arms praising the new way of recording the Video Replays and it’s well deserved. Here’s the same for the audio show; this show rocks and you guys have done a great job. I’m a fair weather friend of Real Time Strategy games, but I consider myself thick with the Tales Time Strategy shows. Thank you.
July 17, 2007 at 8:15 pm
I feel your pain Bridger. A Win install can kill a perfectly good day off. Thanks for all your hard work, as always, love the show.
July 17, 2007 at 8:26 pm
HAHA, Best Rant EVER! that made me realize why I love this show, oh man That was awsome, Im still ROFLing, wow that was awsome, VIT what are you talking about that was halarious. Great Stuff!
awsome show again guys, keep it up! this is more enterntaining then anything on T.V. ever.
July 17, 2007 at 8:52 pm
I told ya not to reinstall windows
July 17, 2007 at 8:53 pm
Firast i’d like to say that i did in fact find bridgers rant funny.
An not because i’m having a go at bridger eithier. He’s a great guy regardless.
I find it funny because i know EXACTLY what it feels like. I’ve done work placm,ents at 2 computer chops and am the first port of call when a family member of freind of a family member needs their computer fixing. Thus I can fully imagine what Bridger must have been going through.
The Looking in disbelif at the screen, the shouting, the screaming like a girl in a hoarse voice, the horrifficlly difficult to fight desire to smash the thing with your bare hands the slamming your head into the bed covers and burying it whilst beating the hell out of the bed with your fists. The Tears of horror and frustration and the running to mum for hugs and kisses when it gets too much.
Or at least thats what I do
.
All in all I fully understand the raw frustration that surrounds somthing like that. Kudos for sticking it out all day and sorting it.
Also i’d like wade in on the balance discushions:
1. Regarding Artillary: I partially agree with your sentimants. The Mortars barrage ability is no more powerful than the normal firing of the Mortar, it just lets you fire into the FoW, so i see no reason it should cost. Likewise i’ve allways veiwed the Nebelwerfer as the T3 equivelent of the mortar, meant to act as eithier a replacment or a substitute for the axis mortar once T3 is achived.
On the other hand I strongly disagree with your veiws when dealing with the calliope and Howziter, and partially when dealing with the Stuka.
Your arguments are good, until your podcast I hadn’t considered the disadvantage the pop cap givs compared to off-map artillary TBH. Not in any serious way. And of course you raise the point of the generally high costs.
My biggest complaint with the costs argument is that after the on-map artillary has fired it’s 4th barrage or so it ceases to have any real credability. The cost for a Howziter/Calliope per barrage at that point is below 150MP per barrage. Considering both can be as destructive, (when used well), as the Bombing Run off-map artillary.
MU is generally considered more valuable than MP and the Bombing run is more than twice as expensive on average as the calliopes barrages re at the point it fires it’s 4th barrage. I’m not really sure how you can claim thats remotly fair. (Allthough i’d be glad to hear a counterargument, perhaps in next weeks podcast?)
The Stuka currently escapes that problem purely on the basis that it’s barrages are so pathetic in power vs. anything except stationery and clumped vehicals or…(against)…buildings that even after 10 barrages it won’t have killed a great deal. The value per barrage isn’t worth even the 22MP, 2.5F, and 15MU it averages out at TBH.
If however they where ever to fix the damage modifier bug and give ot sensible target table entries vs. infantry the matter could change drasticly.
On the other hand I Agree with sentiments about the calliope not having anything but it’s barrage. Thats why if the Howziter, Stuka, and Calliope did have to pay per barrage I think their would have to be other changes. Such as the Calliope getting it’s gun back, the Howziter costing no Fuel and a LOT less pop cap, (say 6), and the Stuka haveing a MUCH lower upgrade cost. Making their barrages cost MU would be foolish without also buffing some non-barrage related segmant of these units.
2. I actually hold that the repair cost IS significant, but only when ealing with Repair Bunkers, (and to a degree medic bunkers). I’m a big fan of repair bunkers and when given the option I will gladly spam out 5 or 6 repair bunkers…(as i did in the game i sent you in case you wanted to know
)…at a time. Since anyone in range of 1 Repair Bunker is considered to be in range of them all, they will all come running to repair the tanks, that can easilly means 10 or 12 repairmen at work. Thats a straight -50/-60MP income.
Theirs also the fact that if they are repairing tanks that are in the middle of a fight or if they are repairing several damaged tanks the repairs coul;d last for 2-3 minutes solid. -50/-60MP income for that amount of time is significant.
On top of that repairmen and medics cost upkeep, it’s only about 2.5/3MP per Bunker, (i’m not sure of the exact figure
), but after 5 or 6 bunkers it adds up to a decent amount of MP dropping, (-20 to -30 easilly).
Thus making medics and Repairmen cost free and making Repairmen repair free would not be a ba idea really IMHO.
Cheers.
Carl.
July 18, 2007 at 3:08 am
More more more more more beta keys! Great show guys, really enjoyed it
P.S. you should mention the D-Day mod/map on the next show!
July 18, 2007 at 9:09 am
Yeah, good show. Beginning to enjoy them more’n more. Thanks for the effort.
Bridger, you really should do something about that intro – “TSN-central, Tales of Heroes is a go, I say ag….”. But I guess you had other things on your mind
Can’t wait ’till the next video.
P.S. Why won’t you comment on the Survey questions?
July 18, 2007 at 11:18 am
Wonder when the Vids out.
Keep up the good Work.
July 18, 2007 at 1:22 pm
Brider can we expect the makeup video today? already bored at work…
July 18, 2007 at 3:42 pm
Hey Bridger, just wondering if the last few audio shows will be uploaded to iTunes?
July 18, 2007 at 4:42 pm
Why do we need to know about WiC when we listen to this show for CoH?
July 18, 2007 at 5:05 pm
Allied War MAchine Fix (this is with out the changing the duration or cost)
When allied war machine goes off and as tanks are killed they do not return to the field immediatly. They are pooled till allied war machine is completely used. then there is a cool down time say 45 sec then those units that were killed return to the field. ( this allows the axis to a window to recover, but allows the allies to continue there assult.)
By the time the destroyed allied tanks return to the field the assult could continue agian.
what do you think.
July 18, 2007 at 5:12 pm
This allows the allies in a sence to build a amour group that as long as they continue to build tanks and use “allied war machine” it will grow and grow. here is the break down
1.alled player uses AWM on 3 tanks.
2. the 3 tanks were killed
3. the 3 tanks are pooled off map
4. AWM time is expired
5.pooled timmer starts 45 sec
6. AWM cool down is warmming up
7. pooled tanks are now available for deployment
8. AWM is up and able to use
This is the break down… of how my solution would work
July 18, 2007 at 7:44 pm
For Allied War Machine, I say just remove the Pershing and Calliope from the list of tanks that are affected by the ability because those two tanks are specialized and probably weren’t as easily mass produced.
July 18, 2007 at 8:41 pm
The major problemwith AWM is that it ruins the flow of the game. That warning-sign on top of the tanks that says “I Dare You” means axis fires everywhere else. It’s just plain silly.
IMHO there’s just no easy solution to the AWM, or at least it requires to be a “stealthed” power, so it won’t break the game experience.
Other than that, I mostly agree with Lt. Waters555, I think it makes sense for it just to be the burger-tanks and support veichles that gets recycled.
If the Allied tanks were to be individually upgunned, it might end out as an ok power.
But as I stated, I don’t believe in an easy solution, you have to come up with something “special” like the AWM-sign being stealthed.
July 19, 2007 at 1:04 am
Tomorrow is Thursday…..tick tick tick. Where’s the 2nd “make up” video? Get on that sh**! I need my fix!
July 19, 2007 at 1:10 am
Wen is the next video coming out?
July 19, 2007 at 1:11 am
its 11:11 am in australia so im going to assume it will come tommorow
July 19, 2007 at 1:11 am
its already thursday here.
July 19, 2007 at 2:22 am
I like FanaticResistance’s idea about having the replacements come all at once after a significant delay.
Another idea is to have AWM be free to activate, and then to charge munitions for every tank replaced while it’s active. That way it’s more of a safety net for an assault than the crazy suicide perversion. For the most part you’d probably rather keep your tanks alive to save your munitions. Also, your munitions supply provides a limit to how effective it can be.
July 19, 2007 at 3:03 am
Bridger’s To Do List:
1. Post make up video
2. Finish new site design
3. Adjust audio on higher res videos
4. Set up Paypal for subscriptions
5. Record next week’s audio and video posts
6. World in Conflict contest
7. OF contest for next week
8. Eat
9. Work
10. Sleep
11. Find time to actually play CoH
If you can’t have all this done by tomorrow, we’re going to have to look at finding someone to replace you.
Just kidding, of course. Another awesome show.
The extended theory crafting sesson was a nice bit and the idea to refund resources during AWM was excellent. That would also open up the possibility that if you lost two or three ‘weaker’ vehicles you could use the combined refunded resouces to build a ’stronger’ replacement (i.e. trade in a couple of destroyed ACs, HTs, etc for an M10 or Sherman for example). Interesting…
Vitensby, knock it off with the ‘more beta keys’. You almost made me drive off the road I was laughing so hard!
July 19, 2007 at 4:20 am
Thanks for the support paxton… I think its a good idea also..!!
July 19, 2007 at 11:00 am
AH Man no Vid.
July 19, 2007 at 11:51 am
AAAAAaooooooohh! I did like this show even more… more, more… MORE than the previous ones. Really great! Interesting theory crafting, funny comments, I’m really looking forward to the subscriptions (-;
July 19, 2007 at 12:28 pm
You got to have something about this in next Audio
http://investor.thq.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=96376&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1027849
July 19, 2007 at 1:39 pm
Surveys were at something like 732 as of july 1st. We won’t get another update until mid-august.
July 19, 2007 at 2:41 pm
Fun show !
What is that recording software that you use now ? Did you contact them about the crashes you experienced ?
July 19, 2007 at 4:30 pm
No news on the make up vid bridger? if its not out in like 7hrs then I guess I will see the new one come monday that is if it comes monday ;D since im heading off for a couple of days.
no pressure
July 19, 2007 at 5:06 pm
I just recently started playing the World in conflict beta and it is rather cool and/or fun. I think it would be a good idea to sort of test how a video review for this game would go before it is actually released to see how you would handle the massive 8 on 8 games. It would also give us a look to see if this is something we might actually want to see more of when the game does come out. I guess you could do it when you start doing the subscriber feature.
July 19, 2007 at 5:58 pm
You really want to read my opinion on world in conflict. I find it graphicly appealing thats it.
Pro:
good graphics
good player interface
good communication with voip
good idea
good jump in a play option
Con:
Detachment from units
no surviveability for units (o well my units were destroyed i will bring back more)
its more like my blob of units vs. your blob. (I.E. starcraft)
no concept of repair in batelfield (try and use there system of repair)
no sence of cover for units
units dont behave like in real combat (i.e. helicopters)
op is not defendable
unit build up is limited ( can only have 15 units on map)
this is a example…
i will be uninstalling the demo this week… has lost my attention….. COH has ruiend me for all other RTS’s
July 19, 2007 at 6:13 pm
OH here is my scale of RTS
warcraft 1
command&conquer
Darkreign 1
starcraft
Wargames
warzone 2100
home world
command&conqure Ts
Earth 2300
COH
WIC beta
COH is still the best RTS for advance players
ADVANCED PLAYERs RTS GAMES
DARKREIGN 1 (not 2)
WArzone 2100
Earth 2300
wargames
home world
COH is the best
Basic player RTS GAMes
WARCRAFT1 , 3
starcraft
all command and conquers
WIC
July 19, 2007 at 8:52 pm
AWM Fix: Make a delay between when a vehicle under AWM is destroyed and when it returns to the battlefield, based on the popcap of the vehicle. Consider a number such as 8 seconds per popcap. Based on that number, it would take the following amount of time for the allied war machine to replace the vehicle on the field:
Jeep: 24 Seconds
M8: 32 Seconds
Halftrack: 32 Seconds
M10: 48 Seconds
Croc: 1 Minute, 4 Seconds
Sherman: 1 Minute, 4 Seconds
Calliope: 1 Minute, 20 Seconds
Pershing: 1 Minute, 52 Seconds
In this way, it is still beneficial for an ally to use the ability, as he will still get every replacement he would normally get in AWMs current form. In addition, an axis player would still want to destroy the unit, rather than attacking ground, because in the case of a heavy tanks, he can gain a strong advantage in map control for the specified time period.
The caveat is that a change may need to be made to the location where off map units spawn from (or a suitable other solution), as if it is known that a pershing will be coming at that spot in 1:52, the area can be littered with mines.
July 19, 2007 at 8:57 pm
Oh my god I am so sick of this advanced player shit. You remove most of the thinking element from rts(economy) and now its “Advanced”? You guys probably think george bush is a fucking genius huh? World in conflict is the most basic of rts, pure combat. Just above that is Company of Heroes. I would say the most complex rts would probably rise of nations. The only thing complex about coh is the coding. The gameplay is pure combat with little resource management. There is also a very limited amount of opening stategies to use in the game.
World in conflict, which focuses purely on combat and is just as easy as coh to get into, is very fun and adds a much higher depth of adaptability. There is an abounding amount of strategies and unit selections for everything.
Coh is more tactical and definitely better than warcraft 3, where as WIC seems to be more stategy based.
July 19, 2007 at 11:34 pm
hahhahaahhaha stop ripping on other games CoH is great but so is warcraft 3 and starcraft, there really good games full stop. and to be honest id like to see how you all go against advance players in warcraft 3 and starcraft i bet you 1000000000 dollars that they would use a fair superior tactic then you think and i reakon that to say “basic” gamers play the game is a insult to them but any way i loved warcraft 3 and now i love CoH but thats no reason to ripp on other games unless they are crap. AND DONT RIPP ON WIC VITENESBY IS WORKING ON IT
July 20, 2007 at 3:39 am
I’m not putting any other RTS down.. Just saying in my opinion that COH offers more bang for the buck in strats and in fun and graphice and use of units.
WarcraftIII II I and starcraft were fun….
WIC and Warcraft starcraft are the same blob vs. blob…
COH offers better play with units in buildings and cover and over all use…
come on you have to say that WARCRAFT and all the others are more resource orented…. and that he who controls the resources wins the game…
this is not true in COH…
All though the others are fun…. COH hold more UMPH!!! then them and appeals to other gammers in the miniatures world being that of what it is….
DAWN of war is in the relm of coh… but lacks the enviorment and cover but still somewhat a resource game….
COH is good… not saying ra ra relic or coh… i think its an improvement in the rts world in genral…
i would like to see ST points and unit selection before a battle… somewhat to europe in ruins…
that may be the way of future rts….
Thanks for the input
July 20, 2007 at 4:49 am
that like saying that if u dont control the cp points in CoH u wont get smashed …of coarse you will you need that fuel and the munitions to win a game without it you will lose.. warcraft starcraft also have this but you need to manage it differently and no the person with the most resources doesnt always win the game. but i agree that CoH is the best rtsand thats my opioion but the rest is to opioionated the other rts are all good and some are better its just depending what u want it ur rts.
July 20, 2007 at 4:18 pm
Great audio Toh prodcast!!!!
Did i say great?
Yes i really meant GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bridger;
Sorry to hear of your struggle to get out the video.
V-man;
Ifinally got to do the tutorial in WIC Beta. I enjoyed it but when i went to play the m-player game, i chose USA and the game put me in observer mode.
July 21, 2007 at 12:56 am
Veeeeeery nice show… By the way, do you guys plan on having a 3v3 or eve 4v4 anytime soon ? It might be nice especially if you have a couple of other shoutcasters helping you out…
Since most of the time, the problem with these games is that there is too much action going on at the same time, you could ask 2 of the game’s players to come… this way they could indicate where the main action is going to be !
At any rate, thanks a lot for your great work !
July 21, 2007 at 2:33 am
Sweet, DLing the show now – cheers guys
July 21, 2007 at 11:08 am
Any Idea When the next Vid is out?
July 21, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Thanks for the mention guys.
July 21, 2007 at 2:47 pm
Hey Bridger, well I am currently recovering from some screwup that made my internet cut out and startups extremely slow that started about 3:10AM this morning and after about an hour decided to reinstall windows. I have not slept and here I am 7 and a half hours later, almost done with getting over 30GB of programs back. That was an ordeal. I think it’s time for some COH. OH and when do we get our 2nd video you promised? I’m trying not to sound greedy, but I love this show. Keep up the good work guys.
July 21, 2007 at 11:43 pm
C’mon, let’s all tell the truth. The best real-time stategy game ever made: chess.
July 22, 2007 at 3:12 am
its turn-based :B
July 22, 2007 at 9:09 am
I know this isn’t really related, i am a huge fan of Tsn and i am just now … i know it’s a bit late.. trying to pick up the game competitively and have realised the need for Hotkeys in my games… and i was wondering if anyone could give me a link to somewhere i can download bridgers hotkeys because since the website has been down the link doesn’t work….or if someone could e-mail it to me in a rar or zip that would be really appreciated.
July 22, 2007 at 9:09 am
oh my e-mail is xgicyclone@googlemail.com ….. sorry for posting twice
July 22, 2007 at 2:31 pm
http://www.gamereplays.org/community/index.php?showtopic=235633&hl=hotkeys
there ya go
July 22, 2007 at 7:21 pm
Touche. That’s what I get for trying to be smart.
July 22, 2007 at 9:58 pm
One thing that might help AWM is if tanks can have a stop attack command. (like a sniper and storms)
attack ground is great and all but once you click to move any tank they start getting ready to shoot again and will if you don’t tell them to attack ground again.
having a stop attack clicked on then you can retreat your tanks instead of attacking the ground and letting all the allied tanks get free shots at your tanks.
this might help a bit in countering this ability.
And i’m not sure about this but it may not be to hard to impliment this since two units already have this ability.
Armed
July 23, 2007 at 5:47 am
OF in november woohoo =) nice rant bridger…
July 23, 2007 at 6:15 am
Bridger where’s the video?
July 23, 2007 at 8:03 am
Weren’t we supposed to get 2 replay’s……
July 23, 2007 at 9:14 am
cheers bridger for the fast response
keep up the good work
July 23, 2007 at 9:26 am
I think we should get 3 vids this week, the one from this week, the one from last week and the extra one for filling in 500 surveys?
July 23, 2007 at 2:13 pm
I just had a thought for AWM how about when the Allied player activates it, all of the Axis tanks explode? I’m just kidding, but howabout when the Allied player uses it the tank stops firing for the duration of AWM. That way, it can’t have the invincible shield on and be shooting around.
July 23, 2007 at 3:13 pm
*cough* Video *cough*
July 23, 2007 at 3:44 pm
*Cough*it’s_commin_shuddup_already*cough*
July 23, 2007 at 3:50 pm
*cough* 3 replays *cough*
July 23, 2007 at 3:50 pm
July 23, 2007 at 4:12 pm
vid, podcast…where are thou ?
July 23, 2007 at 4:18 pm
great show, i like to see people spent so much time and work in a game like CoH which is not that much known and played as other RTS games.
( dont get me wrong, i just love this game, but i’m from germany and im not that good in telling my opininon in english )
anyways, i like your show
keep up the good work