American Conquest 2 Impressions

Kobra · Post by **Kobra** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 5:55 pm

Officially called "Divided Nations", but in reality it is AC2..

It released today.. I forgot to order it, but just rectified that situation and ordered it today. $29 from Amazon.com.

Just wondering if anyone picked it up?

Freezer-TPF- · Post by **Freezer-TPF-** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 6:45 pm

It uses Starforce, so no thanks.

http://www.glop.org/starforce

Released Starforced games

- American Conquest: Divided Nation

Kobra · Post by **Kobra** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 7:13 pm

For the love of god, I don't give a shit what CP it uses. Please, this anti-starforce crusade was sooooo 2004.. Lets move on.

Now, as for the game, any impressions yet?

Alan_Bernardo · Post by **Alan_Bernardo** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 7:13 pm

It uses Starforce, so no thanks.

http://www.glop.org/starforce

You're giving me I site referring to starforce? Doesn't starforce use starforce?

Seriously, though, I think this anti-starforce stuff goes beyond much that I have seen. A few people started something that said it was bad, and now everyone thinks it is.

I haven't had a single problem with it. I mean, it's just another form of copy protection (I know, it installs drivers). In the best world there would be no copy protection, but this ain't the best world.

Alanb

Kobra · Post by **Kobra** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 7:16 pm

You'd think someone would crusade against something seriously harmful, like Aspartame/Nutrasweet. Sure would go a long way towards actually HELPING people.

Back on track, wonder how the game is? Does it use the same engine as Cossack2?

Alan_Bernardo · Post by **Alan_Bernardo** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 7:21 pm

I'm always a bit reluctant to play RTS games. But I'll keep an eye out for this one.

And while we're speaking of America ("... of thee I sing."), here's another. This, I believe, is of the turn-based variety.

It's called Birth of America,

http://www.birth-of-america.com/

Anyone played this yet?

Alanb

Kobra · Post by **Kobra** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 7:25 pm

Alan_Bernardo wrote:I'm always a bit reluctant to play RTS games. But I'll keep an eye out for this one.

And while we're speaking of America ("... of thee I sing."), here's another. This, I believe, is of the turn-based variety.

It's called Birth of America,

http://www.birth-of-america.com/

Anyone played this yet?

Alanb

Ok that looks just BADASS.. I'd LOVE to hear impressions on that TB game.

p0werful1 · Post by **p0werful1** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 11:44 pm

It is not AC2, actually it is a mod/patch/expansion/whatever with an extra campaign that costs $30, developed by some third party.

BTW, I always think it's starforce that goes too far and not anyone dislike it......

Chraolic · Post by **Chraolic** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 11:54 pm

It was released here in Europe before Christmas and I got a copy since I used to enjoy American Conquest, but to be honest it's starting to be about time they retire that engine for good as it really looks its age by now, and the bland terrain textures and highly similar troop types don't help impressions much either.

The only real positive thing I can say about it is that cavalry is no longer wildly overpowered in the late game, but other than that you're probably better off getting American Conquest and the first expansion instead, as there is nothing in this expansion that stands out gameplay-wise as anything other than a graphical AC mod with only four nations.

Kobra · Post by **Kobra** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 12:02 am

p0werful1 wrote:It is not AC2, actually it is a mod/patch/expansion/whatever with an extra campaign that costs $30, developed by some third party.

Fuck, you are right.. This smells like a shitty cash grab!

My net detective work tells me that this was SUPPOSED to be a free total conversion mod, that CDV snakes snatched up, and are pawning off as a new game. It was originally up for download a short time, and was done by this fella;

http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~funkfurr/shaun/

According to what I've read, it *IS* a nice mod, but I'm a bit disturbed that it is $30, being passed off as a new game, when it probably should have been released as a free download, or in a "Deluxe" pack with AC/ACFB combined.

CDV blows.

Chraolic · Post by **Chraolic** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 12:15 am

I think that's a case of mistaken identity. Shaun Fletcher did create a very nice mod for Cossacks which was included free with the second expansion for that game, with his consent and to the approval of the community. I have never heard of him being involved with Divided Nation, and I'm pretty sure all development thereof was done at GSC Game World.

Kobra · Post by **Kobra** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 1:13 am

According to the administrators at CDV, he was contracted to do the Divided Nation thing.

http://www.cdv-board.de/english/showthread.php?t=52549

Chraolic · Post by **Chraolic** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 6:26 am

I had to check the manual, but it appears he was contracted as Art Director and Lead Artist, so saying he did it all by himself is probably an exaggeration. I'm sure he had an important part in it, but there is an entire development team listed in the manual and it carries the GSC logo on the front. Still nice to see him get paid for his work though, the Cossacks mod was stellar and Divided Nation would certainly have been impressive as a mod too, albeit a bit lacking as a full-fledged expansion.

The thing I don't get is that there used to be an American Civil War game in development internally at GSC about five years ago, but it seems to have been completely canned for this project. I remember seeing a screen with ships from that game that don't appear to exist in Divided Nation, and naval combat overall is very limited.

Kobra · Post by **Kobra** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 9:11 am

They probably shelved half their titles in development so they could try and make STALKER not vaporware.

Sad how one big title can sometimes kill a company that is capable of putting out 1-2 nice titles per year. They were working on AE as well, and that seems stallled, I think it was supposed to be due out this month but no news on that. I am assuming delayed.

http://www.heroesofae.com/

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 9:24 am

Kobra wrote:For the love of god, I don't give a shit what CP it uses. Please, this anti-starforce crusade was sooooo 2004.. Lets move on.

Now, as for the game, any impressions yet?

When they make restitution for fucking up our systems and stop installing clandestine drivers, then we might move on. I don't see that happening, so until then, all SF games are on my shitlist.

Alan_Bernardo · Post by **Alan_Bernardo** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 10:49 am

When they make restitution for f*ing up our systems and stop installing clandestine drivers,

Starforce has never messed up my system. And how can something be "clandestine" if you know it's there?

Now what the tabacoo companies did and what some pharmaceutical companies are still doing, that is on the covert side.

Starforce is like having locks on your doors, in more ways than one.

Alanb

Zekester · Post by **Zekester** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 10:52 am

Tobacco companies forced people to smoke?

Kobra · Post by **Kobra** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 6:05 pm

Reviews are coming in and are awful for this one.

Guess I pass.

http://www.metacritic.com/games/platfor ... idednation

Alan_Bernardo · Post by **Alan_Bernardo** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 6:46 pm

Zekester wrote:Tobacco companies forced people to smoke?

No, they didn't force people to smoke, but they did hide the lethality of what was inside their product. Starforce is pretty up-front about what you're getting.

Alanb

Zekester · Post by **Zekester** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 6:48 pm

Umm, people have been preaching the bad about cigarettes from the beginning. Teachers, parents, celebrities, doctors....they all told us not to smoke, yet we still did..and still do, like me.

The drug companies, though, i'll go along with you there

Freezer-TPF- · Post by **Freezer-TPF-** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 1:34 pm

Alan_Bernardo wrote:
Zekester wrote:Tobacco companies forced people to smoke?
No, they didn't force people to smoke, but they did hide the lethality of what was inside their product. Starforce is pretty up-front about what you're getting.

Starforce is far from "up-front." They are about as disingenuous as it gets.

Kobra · Post by **Kobra** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 1:38 pm

Its just another copy protection.. They *ALL* install drivers - sometimes hidden, and other nonsense. This whole Starforce thing has been exhausted endlessly. I can't believe people still bring it up. You'd think it murdered your firstborn.

Zekester · Post by **Zekester** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 1:46 pm

With all do respect, Kobra, your still defending Starforce is just as old.

And yeah.....by criticizing the anti-SF people, you are defending it.