My BZ2 Experience

[FFAxTomcat480]

Yes, I installed BZ2 (don't freak out). I haven't touched BZ2 in over 11 years & wanted to give it a try, least in the name of BZ it needed at least that. I see the reasons it's still played a lot, but I also see reasons why I appreciate BZ. For some reason, BZII graphics give me a huge headache & I cannot play it as long as Bz in a sitting, would need a 10-15 minute break to rest my eyes.

I fine BZ graphics to be superior than that of BZII, this includes the physical piloting of the units, pilot mode, & the maps. This also includes the complete physics of the game, it's minimap setup, & the actual logistics of the command setup interface in strat. Look at BZ - maps like Coliseum, Europa, Pyramid, Leap of Faith, & Crown will NEVER be forgotten; they're the best of the best stock DM maps can ever get. As far as strat - Canyon Madness, Ice Ice baby, Blast Chamber, The Compass, Theater o' Pain, & Battle by the Sea. Of course in later versions this also includes Pac-Man & BZ Earth (Earth not in BzE). I skimmed through the maps of BZII, but they just don't have the "Kick" stock BZ maps have which includes aftermarket custom maps . A little thing I noticed in BZII is there's no flag on top of the units/structures . What I do prefer in BZ over BZII a lot is the hull/ammo status bar. There are however, stuff I do like about BZII .

BZII has a excellent unit setup which includes small things like a repair drone that can follow you around or even guard a particular unit/area. Pilots have a option to use a one time only "Jump pack" which if in tight scenarios can mean life & death which can come in handy . Different options come up when hosting a game which includes playing against the AI & capture the flag . This alone gives the game more robust when deciding (depending on mood) of what you'd like to play. Furthermore, BZII has a superior scrap system setup than that of BZ which I like & includes its own realtime status bar. Many of the units in BZII I like includes vehicles that not only hover & walk, but roll on tracks as well. There's also in some cases air units which adds another variable to the gaming side.

I played it for roughly 2 1/2 hours & there's way more to learn, but in time it will happen just like that of BZ. Would I play BZII again? Yes. Would I replace playing it instead of BzE? No. There both very good games in their own ways & if BattleZone 3 was ever made, a lot can be learned from both of these games.

[Blunt Force Trauma]

As I've said many times over the years, to me, BZ. . .and BZ2, is ALL about the first person control and ship physics. The RTS aspect of both games are good, but not great. There are many RTS' that are more complex and intricate. To attract new players, marketing the flying is what will bring in new numbers.

[hitchcockgreen]

Yeah the repair drone was a neat feature....but there was also an ammo dropper and repair dropper in bz but it wasn't developed.

The assets are tucked away in there but they weren't completed. I suspect the bz2 version was the fully realized form.

I liked the ability to change weapon loadout in your production units in BZ2 and some aspects of resource management and unit grouping.

But overall i never took to gameplay.
Forgotten Enemies was worth playing for the non fluorescent tanks alone.

Sent from my SGH-I717M using Tapatalk 2

[Sno]

I have my own negative opinions about BZII, the main one being that for such a visual upgrade, it didn't have the same effect as BZ1. Like when a tank explodes, it is more convincing in BZ1 than in BZ2 for some reason.

[hitchcockgreen]

BZ1 had a grittier feel ... more realistic tank colours (because flourescent make sense, right?), better physics, and was less fantasy oriented.

BZ2 has it's merits but when it comes to the two of them, I'd likely not play BZ2 again. Sorry, Ken.

[Sno]

because flourescent make sense, right?

WHAT DO YOU MEAN!? Fluorescent colors are an intimidation tactic to prove we are colorful and dangerous!!!!!!!!111

[hitchcockgreen]

I'm sure those flamboyant colours were some.kind of black ops tactic.

Sent from my SGH-I717M using Tapatalk 2

[Dx.]

FYI the tank colors aren't flourescent, they are orange popsicle.

[hitchcockgreen]

Hmmm... Perhaps they used to be ice cream trucks.

Sent from my SGH-I717M using Tapatalk 2

[FFAxTomcat480]

GSH got into the middle of a heated argument between the indigenous people that lived there and I got kicked cause I started calling out that the Android market has no money in it on the programming side. The reason WHY people get Androids is because they can do all the work themselves. I've yet to meet anyone who actually buys Apps for Androids...... I also got taddled on for saying the N word????? It's a joke over there like Spock's server - I had to install like 3 different versions of BZ2 just to even start gaming. There's a laundry list of rules just to even read before going into the chat, I assume one of them is no curse words..... On top of it, many of the gamers are downright rude & nasty. They won't even take a second just to show me something if needed, I walked into a gun tower (had NO IDEA it can be manned by a player) and I got kicked for it.

I started off being nice & asking questions, but it only made the people there annoyed? Many of the questions were I'm sure simple stuff that I didn't want to clutter the forums up with so it was easier to ask in the chat.

Also noted, there seems to be some type of animosity between ALL the different factions of BZ, whether it be BZ1, BzE, or BZII. Even though the BZII community has MORE players, don't worry - 75% of the games is against the AI; DM games are non-existant & strat games are hammered by veterans so unless your a veteran there's no fun in playing Strat there. Furthermore, when the veterans win they get this "Privelage" to talk a heap of trash. I guess it's special to beat someone who's been playing BZII for 3 days? Go figure, I got the answer I needed.

[Dx.]

I have the simplest answer, freedom! Live it, love it, practice it, defend it.

[hitchcockgreen]

Dude i buy android apps.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk 2

[FFAxTomcat480]

In that case

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/12/ ... s-android/

[hitchcockgreen]

Meh.
The choice between the two is individual.
I can't stand iphones. i hate working with them in an enterprise environment.
Half the time they just stop receiving email for no particular reason and you have to completely wipe them and start over.
Predominantly my experience has shown the majority of iphone users i have dealt with to be functionally illiterate when it comes to tech and they could never tell you why an apple device is "superior" other than saying something along the lines of "it's apple!"

Obviously this isn't every apple user but its damn well every one i have to deal with.

Apple has been alone in the app market for a long time and they've got a foothold.
They also have more apps but by and large they tend to be pretty useless in the majority.

I mostly buy utility apps... A couple of games when they were on sale... But typically the ones I've bought i use every day.


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk 2

[FirBirGir]

I've bought Android apps. I'm sure I would spend more if I had an iPhone (one more reason I have an Android).

Not knowing what the discussion was about, what was the point about revenue generation from Android Apps? Android is dominating the smart phone market with over 50% market share. Samsung & LG Android phones both beat out Apple on new subscribers each month. I would think any smart developer would be targeting Android as well as Apple. If you're app is worth paying for, you'll make money...


http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-574458 ... ne-market/


Eddy

[FFAxTomcat480]

I'm personal friends with a Apple programmer who makes apps for a living & I can tell you - he's living "it" VERY well. He tried programming for Androids, but there's just too much variables. Every Android has a different screen size for one & it's very hard to program for Android to fit all the different phones out there.

Why program for Android when can make 10x the cash writing Apps for Apple? He's been in the game since the 80's & have stuck with it for a long time. His master computer has anything & everything on it that I can imagine; can quad boot OS's as well as dual boot separate running Windows 7 desktops as well as running his iOS all at the sametime. Androids have gotten way popular in the last few years, but it's just a fad - you don't want to be caught as a Droid programmer & the next day your out of work. I watched him write a App for a private school that are training nurses & in less than 2 days finished it for $5,000 - All the App does is ask questions in random order so it prepares them for the exam. It does some other stuff, but I forgot.

He took out a Corvette, bought a house, bought a new car from the dealership, paid for his wife's surgery, and manage to mind four kids all at the same time all in less than two years. It's no joke. Am I jealous???? Yes.

[FirBirGir]

It's all about the numbers. Sure, anyone can focus on Apple and stick with it and in the process ignore more than 50% of the smartphone market (and at the rate of growth, soon to be 75%). I will predict this whole app thing is a fad. All you have to do is look back to see the days of everything was an "app" meaning you installed a program and it did a function. Then the web cam along and suddenly it was all about web enabling apps so you didn't have to install anything locally (not true most of the time but it fooled many). Now we're back to installing apps again. How long before Html 5 makes it all a moot point once more? All those app devs will become web devs and the wheels keep on turning.

What would make you think Android is a fad given the solid trend data and business model? Google is the next powerhouse and they've been pretty savvy so far. Android is also dominating globally. I think it's short-sighted to consider it a fad.

Eddy

[FirBirGir]

Androids have gotten way popular in the last few years, but it's just a fad - you don't want to be caught as a Droid programmer & the next day your out of work. I watched him write a App for a private school that are training nurses & in less than 2 days finished it for $5,000 - All the App does is ask questions in random order so it prepares them for the exam. It does some other stuff, but I forgot.

Are you saying that if someone approached him for the same thing on Android that he would have turned it down? Probably not. Many programmers develop for multiple platforms and you go where the money is unless you have a very narrow programming focus and its those niche developers that are at risk.

Eddy

[FFAxTomcat480]

Well, fad or no fad - don't wanna be caught programming for Droids, he won't even take work on unfinished Droid apps because it just takes too much time to figure out what they were trying to do vs. making an entire different app; he just makes them the exact same app in Apple, put it in the Apple Store & problem solved.

[hitchcockgreen]

I'll admit, creating apps for android is more work...which is probably why your friend shies away from it.

With apple there's just one device. That's it. No variation on screen size, hardware specs variants of source code.
With android there most certainly is.
Depending on who you talk to, this splintering of the market is either a good thing or a bad thing.

To me, iPhones were always a much simpler product....which is why they have mass appeal. you don't have to shop around to find the right one for you, there's just one of them.

Android gives you more choice. And yes, there are plenty of apps on the Play Store, but like I said, not nearly as many useless ones.

I find that droid users are more do-it-yourself types. I know, I know, you can jailbreak your iphone, but even that is a one click procedure.
To those that love thinkering, Android is the better OS to play with. It doesn't cost you a thing to download the AOSP source and change anything you want.
I've mostly been a Samsung user since using 'droids, so I can't comment on whether or not other manufacturer's do this, but Samsung also release their kernels to the public.

It also doesn't cost you anything to develop for android. To get the SDk for iOS, and to develop big apps, you've got to shell out a lot of money.