From: hchong@netcom.com (Hoi Chong)
Subject: Re: V for Victory (by Three-Sixty) 
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 22:48:17 GMT

From article <1992Oct15.125342.2283@srg.srg.af.mil>, by dpipes@spica.srg (Dave Pipes x4552):
> In article <1992Oct15.045627.28582@netcom.com> hchong@netcom.com (Hoi Chong) writes:
>>I got it.  The new game from Three-Sixty (Land Harpoon?)
>>
>>First of all, very very expansive.  $57 from Electronic Bontique.
> 
> You can find it for less.  Sherlock Holmes, Rex nebular, GNBNA - all of these
> are up around the same price.  Oh well.
>>
>>On first sight, it looks as slick as Patton Strikes Back's 640x480 graphics.  
>>V4V (V for Victory) claims to use Super VGA.  It comes with VGA card drivers
>>for:
>>
>>APPIAN   EXE      2648 07-30-91  12:49p
>>ATI      COM      3736 05-15-90  11:56a
>>CHIPS    COM      1682 04-16-90   2:42p
>>CIRRUS   COM      3711 02-19-91  11:38a
>>EVEREX   COM      4207 01-30-90   2:28p
>>GENOA    COM      2873 11-08-91  11:12a
>>OAK-37   COM      1351 01-21-91   4:28p
>>OAK-77   COM      1530 04-22-92   3:03p
>>ORCHDVSA COM      4754 07-25-91  10:00a
>>PARADISE EXE      1942 02-25-91   9:37a
>>SIGMA    COM      1279 09-18-90  12:00p
>>STB      COM      2781 03-20-91   9:07a
>>TECMAR   COM      2388 04-18-90   6:15p
>>TRIDENT  EXE     10155 12-07-90   9:14p
>>TSENG    COM      4080 08-20-91   8:20p
>>V7VESA   COM      3456 03-31-92  10:56a
>>V7WVGA   COM      3493 08-17-92   1:08p
>>
>>But I think it uses only 640x480x256 color.  Darn, I was hoping for
>>1024x768.
> 
> These are VESA Super VGA drivers.  I can look up the exact resolution.  The
> game is visually very crisp and good-looking, at least on my .28 dp monitor
> with an OAK SVGA card.  It WILL NOT RUN under standard VGA, I am told.

The pixel is quite large, I am sure it is 640x480 (x 256 color). 
>>
>>It is basically a hex game.  You assign the moves and then press "End Turn".
>>Darn, I was hoping for real time like Harpoon or Command HQ.
> 
> It is not advertised as realtime.  It *is* simultaneous movement and
> combat.  This is a feature of really good boardgames.  The hexgrid is
> removable, but of course the hexes are still there.
>>
>>It comes only with one 1.4meg diskette.  Darn, for $57 I was expecting
>>10 diskettes.  IMHO the more diskettes there are, the more interesting
>>the game is more likely to be.
> 
> I think it comes with 2 1.2 Meg diskettes.  Shoulda bought that version!
> Well, it will get more interesting.  Modules are planned for Velikiye Luki,
> North Africa, the Pacific and the American Civil War.  More disks, more fun!
> :-)
>>
>>The units looks like those war boardgame pieces.  Darn, I thought those
>>writers of boardgames will stick to their turf and leave computer games
>>to people who take advantage of computers -- realtime, 1024x768, no "hex"
>>limitation, modem/network link, animation, etc.
> 
> Okay, this is the real "complaint".  I said it before and I'll say it again:
> this is a computerized boardgame, like the ones SSI and SimCan do, only much
> much *much* better.  It's purpose is to provide a reasonable opponent for
> boardgame types in a classical boardgame setting.  The use of the computer
> allows for the use of much larger odds tables, better supply rules, double
> blind play, tons of detail which would be unmanageable in a regular board
> game.  The research they put in, and the methods they use to balance the
> game are very good.  Because of the audience, you will not find realtime,
> loss of hexes, animation in the game.  (That's like complaining that their
> are no hexes in Darklands - "But I thought it was gonna be like an AD&D
> module!)  :-)  Modem play is promised for Velikiye Luki.  And the last?
> Hah!  Show me a 1024x768 game!  And not some wimpy Windows 3.0 Solitaire,
> either!

This is a real game 1024x768 (even 1280x1024).  It is called Tracon for 
Window.  Yes, I play it and it is worth more money to me than many of the
DOS games I bought.  It lets you go to as high a resolution as your screen
will do.  (and it is realtime, no hex grid, and has voice sound effect
from my SB Pro). 
> 
>>Still, I will keep the game, since I believe that returning a game is
>>worse than piracy -- rendering a product unsellable-as-new and costing
>>money for the stores like Electronic Bontique.
> 
> What?  This is weird.  Return it if you don't want it.  Or sell it.

Sorry, merely trying to patronize our net police friends.

>>Hopefully someone else who likes (ugh!) hex games like Perfect General
>>can give a real and positive review. 
> 
> This is nothing like the Perfect General.  Far far better.  Basically, if
> you like board wargames, it is for you.  If not, you'll agree with Hoi 
> Chong.  Simple, no?  BTW, Patriot will be realtime, no hexes, also SVGA -
> I think that is what you want, Mr. Hoi.

Yes, I am afraid I mistook V4V to be Patriot.  That is why I smacked down
fifty-seven big ones without hesitation.  Darn!
> 
> Oh, and it is 99.9 percent bug free.  This is *remarkable* for 360, but then
> TOW was pretty durable too.  Maybe their quality control is getting better.
> (Important Safety Tip - If your supply is low, don't assign minimal supply
> to the VIIth Corps, it will crash.  Only bug we've found in 100+ hours :-).

Great.  People who actually like computerized hex games.  What's next? 
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games