Old guys playing Bz2

[Red Spot]

In ta5 forget about building regular GTs, at least when facing the ISDF. The walkers use assaultclass weapons and they as well as Atanks now actually make use of their extended range (imo thats the biggest change in 'difficulty').

Get a few(4-5) Atanks of your own in front of your base asap, as long as you or a grunt is around they should be able to keep anything out of your base except for the bomber, and a single AA-Rtank will take care of that. After that slowely start moving your line of Atanks forward, pushing back the AI. Do make sure you keep at least 2 pools, if possible 3.

Also the scrapcheat for the humans wont have much of an impact:
AI scrapcheat: ~1.3/1.5/2/6 scrap per second (so 0-scrapcheat still gives ~1.3scrap to the AI)
Humans: ~0/3.5/5/7.5 scrap per 30 seconds (wont have a huge impact on how easy/hard the game will be)

Also for the AI you still have to add the scrapcheats the AIPs add, which vary from 0 to 2 scrap a second.
(Funny thing to note, max AI scrapcheat with easy AIPs may be harder than no scrapcheat for the AI and Insane AIPs (~6+0scrap vs ~1.3+2scrap).)

[kmiller1610]

Thanks for the insights. Had a buddy over for a 2 player techalpha yesterday and played dropzone. We were holding our own. Felt like I was back playing Midi-Maze (Atari ST- 1986) in that to deal with those mini-bomb twizzler thingies that chase you down and blow up- you have to fly backwards and launch Mdm mortor rounds and blow them up as the things get close...

I let him build, which was instructional because as you say, standard towers are fairly useless.

When I played dropzone alone, I concluded that you need a very fast home base build up with Rocket Towers ASAP.

Question, do any of the techalpha Maps have that Landwalker unit? It's a walking turret, expensive, but cool looking, perhaps ineffective without healers trailing, but neat.

[Red Devil]

No to the walkers (Landmasters).

If you can build the GT's around the corner, then the AT's will be in range when they come around the corner.  You have to bait them to attack you instead of the pool, though.

RT's can climb the mesas or you can build towers on the mesas.

Was just thinking that laser turrets might help with the mini-bomb twizzler thingies, but haven't tested it.

[Nielk1]

Dropzone really is a great map, like a revolution in MPI. We will all suffer if G66 AI and GH assets mix.

[Red Devil]

kmiller, are you and your kind The Ancients of old we have heard of in the lore?

[AHadley]

We will all suffer if G66 AI and GH assets mix.

Shut it, you, we don't want RD to get any ideas! 0_o

[kmiller1610]

kmiller, are you and your kind The Ancients of old we have heard of in the lore?

I have had an obsession with social computer gaming for 27 years. I have been less into competitive gaming and always searching for the perfect co-operative game that a casual user can drop by and play.

So my history kind of goes like this:

1982 (?): M.U.L.E  ( 4 player economics game on the Atari 400/800 - 4 joysticks 1 TV)

1986: Midi-Maze ( up to 16 Atari ST computers networked via the Midi-port); First day after Thanksgiving LAN party that we have maintained for 22 years.

1989: Air Warrior online via Genie with 4 machines on 4 phone lines in the basement of my friend's house. This same core group of friends organized the first Air Warrior conference in Washington D.C where we had 30 people in a room

1993: Doom Co-op against the computer. This game and its variants occupied my inner circle for 5 years

1998 - present: So many great co-op games: Battlezone 2, Delta Force, Age of Empires, Duke Nukem. Battlezone 2 is the most unique because it combines so many different features...

[TheJamsh]

he already has AHadley... he already has

[Clavin12]

Dropzone really is a great map, like a revolution in MPI.

I agree, i think the same about tunnels the deathmatch.

[TheJamsh]

I love dropzone. my favourite map of GH's so far. I really hope he does some more.

I dont think they even take him that long, maybe 2-3 days? Once you've mastered OvermindDL1's winter utility its a piece of cake. Just a few touch ups and blending after that and its all good. Pathpoints obviously...

[Red Devil]

Actually, adding the GH variant to G66 was Commando's idea.

[Commando]

I never did finish the Scion portion of that variant for G66.  I'll have to do that soon.

[kmiller1610]

Please excuse the retro technical question.

After several testing sessions with the youngest member of our band of geezers, we have concluded that we need to stick with 1.2, the one we have been playing for years.

Ever since it came out the G66 MAPs have been our mainstay, but as XP patches have progressed, stability has gotten steadily worse.

Suggestions for the version of G66 we should be using?

[Nielk1]

http://www.bzcomplex.com/wiki/index.php?title=Battlezone_2_1.2_Install_Guide

What are the issues with 1.3ta5? Physics I take it?

[kmiller1610]

The issue is 5 to 7 guys who get together 3 times a year, who don't play a lot of games between parties, who want to sit down and play something familiar (and fairly easy). The problem is the learning curve with 1.3 and 1.3 tech alpha.

Anyway, this is OUR problem, not the community's problem. Personally, I love techalpha and I'm the oldest guy in the group, but it will go over like a lead balloon in one of our LAN parties.

You guys still working on this are absolute heroes in my eyes. I am not complaining, just trying to figure out the best way to make 1.2 stable under XP. I've decided to use the E version of the G66 mod. Played a solo game all the way through easily today. Now, I'll test with multiple machines.

I'm following the install procedure I found here:

http://www.bzcomplex.com/wiki/index.php?title=Battlezone_2_1.2_Install_Guide

If anyone wants to correct this guide, I'd welcome suggestions.