Snappledagain's Blog

I used my Netflix account (25% off!) to download the new module for the Pacific today. After linking it to the ETO module (that was seamless) I spawned in and tried several pieces of gear, and overall I’d have to say its classic RAT …..A lot of great ideas that will be really cool if they can just get it all to work (anyone remember the multi-year 1.34 debacle???).

 

First, I launched an F4-f Wildcat from one of the carriers. On my first try the ships AI was going nuts from a kamikaze attack and I just lagged into the sea, but the second try I got a little further from the ship and the lag dropped to an acceptable level (I’m gonna have to give in and get another Tb of RAM…the dual quad video cards help but still can’t handle it all). The wildcat flies great but I got lost on the way to Iwo … ended up just firing all the rockets at the moon. I de-spawned in flight rather than try to find the carrier again. Thank god that unlike the cost of an airplane in the real world, it only adds a quarter teach time you MIA a vehicle.

 

Using landing craft is a nifty way to get to the beach, and is a little quicker than in the past, but all the good beaching points are right in front of hardened AI pits. These seem to require a certain level of sacrifice before fire becomes intermittent enough to permit infantry to actually move up the beach. The new and improved rush of the lemmings, something I never really enjoyed in any form. But overall, Pacific looks good and will offer a lot of new opportunities for expansion. But there were other mods to the app that make Pacific worth picking up apart from the new geography.

 

The module adds a control panel that makes switching between theatres fast .. wish they had done that when Italy was added. You can see Africa from the panel too; it’s just greyed out if you haven’t installed it yet. I tried a couple more vehicles including the tracked deuce and a couple of infantry types … some stuff is different looking but otherwise it’s the same as what was introduced when all of the American gear was finally unlocked in 1.45. The motorcycles still have the speed wobble when parked though.

 

With a couple more clicks I switched back to Italy and tried taking a B-25 Mitchell out of Montano. Slam34 was calling for air at Monte Cassino but about 10 seconds after take-off both wings separated from the plane. Another try, same thing. I checked my stats and some a-hole named Escaz was ‘B&Z ‘in’ me in his 262. I never had a chance….never even saw him coming. Has anyone ever even seen an EA get shot down by the Mitchells AI???? I grabbed a P-51 but he was long gone by the time I finished the climb.

 

The infantry game is also more entertaining now since they fixed the flame thrower (no more self-immolation bug!). Me and Kyoshi rushed a bunker together just outside of Rome and with his Bazooka and my flames a dozen Italian AI Artillery Men were diced and stir-fried. The new death animation that allows you to hear the flesh sizzle is actually really cool and the secondary explosions were pretty spectacular too. Sometimes Kyoshi still talks about getting the old Commandos together…..I dunno….

 

The BBC radio channel is pretty neat. Listening in while real-time reports about bombing raids in Berlin are carried out adds another dimension that I think people will really like….makes it seem like you’re actually there. You can tune it into the ADF radio while flying too.

 

I had a look in Ciney just for old-time’s sake and there was like only 4 or 5 guys there….everyone seems to be playing in either Italy or the Pacific now. A big black lab ran past me barking at something…..’prolly smelled an EI in the wind.

 

Has anyone tried the Kursk module yet? I’m trying to decide whether it’s worth the extra $19.95 a month. I’ve heard a couple of guys say that all the blowing snow makes the lag worse than carrier AI. It’s the same problem as they had with the sand in the North Africa mod.

 

I saw Fire but he’s still not talking to me…still sore I guess since we voted to demote him. He might be right….maybe it should take a majority of brigade members rather than just a majority of brigade members online at the time to demote someone. Anyway, KRM and I saw our chance and took it. 2-1…lol. Surprised that didn’t get changed with the latest mod … everyone used to be a colonel and now we’re all privates again!

 

Anyone else getting spikes from their ISP?  Since the coalition hit Tehran again last Friday I’ve been getting these huge surges…..must be some residual EMP in the ionosphere still. MSCNN just said President Schwarzenegger is refusing to negotiate with Mexico too…..I wonder if they’re next?

S!