| Panzer General II | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Strategic Simulations |
| Publisher(s) | Strategic Simulations |
| Designer(s) | SSI Special Projects Group |
| Programmer(s) | Russell Brown |
| Composer(s) | Kevin Manthei Steven Methy |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Computer wargame |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Panzer General 2 Mac Version Iso
Panzer General II is a computer wargame by Strategic Simulations, Inc. Released October 15, 1997, Panzer General II is the sixth SSI game in the 'General' series and the first in the 'Living Battlefield ' series. It takes place during World War II, covering events from the Spanish Civil War in 1938 to hypothetical battles in 1946. In the April 2000 issue of the magazine PC Gamer, it was voted the 44th best computer game of all time. (The highest rating in the General series.) The game was re-released in 2010 on GOG.com.
A few things: If you were into Panzer General for its depth and realism, then most RTS games aren't going to fill that void. Without a doubt, if you're looking for something with that historical depth and attention to detail with regards to units and their abilities, the Combat Mission series is simply unmatched in that department. The wargame which brought an entire genre back to life, played and enjoyed by millions of players, a genuine classic and a cornerstone in strategy gaming, is now AVAILABLE ON MAC! Panzer Corps is the kind of game which needs no introduction: it has seen years of development and it has evolved into a huge game with masses of content, and you can experience it fully on Mac.
Gameplay[edit]
The game of Panzer General II is divided into scenarios, each representing a specific battle. All are played on a hex map, which is divided up into hexagons that represent between one and two kilometers.[2] At the beginning of the game, the entire map is revealed to the player, but enemy units are covered by fog of war and are not visible.
Each hex is assigned one of thirteen terrain types that penalize or assist the movement of units. Mountain, city, and forest types block line of sight. The game also features four kinds of capturable hexes marked by a flag indicating the country owning it: ownership, designating a player's ownership of a city, town or other important feature; supply, allowing unit deployment; victory, indicating critical cities or objectives; and victory-supply, combining victory and supply. The objective is to defeat an enemy by capturing all of their victory hexes in a specified number of turns.
The player attacks enemies and captures hexes by moving units, which approximately represent a battalion, regiment [3] or squadron. There are eight types of units, each with different properties: Infantry, Tank, Anti-Tank, Recon, Air Defense, Fighter, Artillery, and Bomber. Each unit is assigned a numerical value to represent its movement (in hexes); its line of sight (in hexes); its attack abilities against armored targets, unarmored targets, ships, and airplanes; its defense against ranged, close, and air attacks; as well as values for initiative and remaining ammunition and fuel. The final value, health, is represented by a number, usually 1 to 10. When attacking or defending, the unit receives experience points based on the amount of damage inflicted to its enemy (also some points are received when damage is caused by the enemy). Each 100 experience points correspond to one experience level (a value ranging from 0 to 5). When attaining a higher level, the unit may also receive a famous leader, granting it some special abilities. The in-game currency used to measure unit buy and upgrade costs is called 'prestige.' It is gained by capturing scenario objectives or as a reward for a quick and decisive victory.
The standard game contains many real-life scenarios; however, similarly to other games of the series, players will be able to play some hypothetical scenarios if they perform exceptionally in their command career. For example, Germany can invade and capture the British Isles by capturing Windsor or they can invade Malta with Italy. Again, if the player attains victories in the east and defeats the Soviet Union, Germany can invade the United States from the Port of Savannah and then march to Oak Ridge, Tennessee to capture a prototype of a US atomic bomb.
The player's pieces are carried between scenarios: optimizing what is effective in one scenario (say aircraft) may lead to problems in a subsequent scenario where what is effective differs. Optimal strategies, especially between the scenarios in a campaign, can be complex.
Changing game characteristics[edit]
At the beginning of a scenario or a campaign, the player can select the number of points gained for capturing supply points. (This, in turn, affects how many units and how strong the player units are.) The manual states that the intention is to make for a more or less challenging game, but the actual effect is rather different since to some degree the computer player adjusts strategy to compensate for the human player's strengths.
The player is also allowed to choose which side to play in individual scenarios (but not in campaigns).
Reception[edit]
| Reception | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Panzer General II's initial shipment of 100,000 copies sold out within roughly one week of the game's release.[7] In the United States, the game sold 42,481 copies during 1997.[8]
PC Gamer US named Panzer General II the best computer wargame of 1997.[8] It was a runner-up for Computer Gaming World's 1997 'Wargame Game of the Year' award, but ultimately lost to Sid Meier's Gettysburg! The editors called Panzer General II 'a clinic in how to properly develop a sequel.'[9]
Legacy[edit]
In 1998, PC Gamer US declared it the 15th-best computer game ever released, and the editors called it 'the perfect introduction to wargaming.'[10]
Patches and modifications[edit]
There are only two official game patches released for Panzer General II, 1.01 and 1.02; they are available only for UK, US, German and French language versions (no patch was ever released for the Japanese version).[11] Because the game in version 1.02 had many bugs left and severely limited the freedom of designing custom game data (scenarios, campaigns, maps and units), a number of unofficial patches were made. A fan-made 2.20 patch is available,[12] and the GOG.com release of the game offers both v1.02 and v2.20 out of the box. Any further updates are unlikely, due to lack of activity from the unofficial patch maintainer and because of closed-sourceness of PGII.[13]
References[edit]
- ^'Panzer General II On the Warpath'. GameSpot. October 15, 1997. Archived from the original on October 9, 2000. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
- ^William van Fleet (1998-03-08). 'Panzer General II Frequently Asked Questions & Campaign Path'. Zerstorer. Archived from the original on 2009-10-25. Retrieved 2007-02-24.
- ^Steve Brown. 'Panzer General II'. The Wargamer. Archived from the original on 2008-09-09. Retrieved 2007-08-14.
- ^Carter, Tim (November 21, 1997). 'Panzer General II'. Computer Gaming World. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000.
- ^Trotter, William R. (January 1998). 'Panzer General II'. PC Gamer US. Archived from the original on March 9, 2000.
- ^Royal, Tim (1997). 'Panzer General II'. Computer Games Strategy Plus. Archived from the original on April 6, 2005.
- ^MacDonald, T. Liam (November 14, 1997). 'Panzer General II Review'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on April 19, 2001.
- ^ abStaff (April 1998). 'How Did the PCG Award Winners Fare?'. PC Gamer US. 5 (4): 45.
- ^Staff (March 1998). 'CGW Presents The Best & Worst of 1997'. Computer Gaming World (164): 74–77, 80, 84, 88, 89.
- ^The PC Gamer Editors (October 1998). 'The 50 Best Games Ever'. PC Gamer US. 5 (10): 86, 87, 89, 90, 92, 98, 101, 102, 109, 110, 113, 114, 117, 118, 125, 126, 129, 130.
- ^'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on 2009-01-29. Retrieved 2009-02-01.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on 2008-08-03. Retrieved 2009-02-01.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^http://panzercentral.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=43208&sid=28c0775830a0c086071e0b3a19da785b
External links[edit]
- Official site (archived)
- Panzer General II at MobyGames
Wargamers will have little difficulty naming some of their favourite titles. From decades of releases to choose from, there will always classics worth coming back to. However, those who have felt that itch to replay older titles will know that it can be a frustrating process to make them work with modern operating systems such as Windows 7, or Windows 10.
While some developers and digital distribution platforms such as GOG.com have put great effort into ensuring older titles are compatible with modern OSes, many can fall by the wayside. Where the official support of games may slacken in this regard, enter the efforts of the enthusiast to ensure that classic wargames are playable.
This article looks at classic/popular wargames and provides a step by step guide per game details on how best to get them to run. So, whether you have those older CDs buried away, or are curious about what digital options are out there we’ve got you covered.
Act of War: Direct Action
Developer/Publisher: Eugen Systems/Atari
Tags: Modern, Real Time, War on Terror, Moddable
Purchase:Steam|GoG
Before Eugen System’s famous Wargame series, Eugen System was known for Act of War: Direct Action. Act of War followed the early 2000s trends of typical Techno-thriller plots. Conspiracies, shadowy groups, terrorism and irregular warfare were the drive behind this underrated RTS gem. Act of War’s popularity drove Eugen Systems to develop a spiritual successor as Act of Aggression. With three distinctive factions, and an incredible campaign (with live action cutscenes!), Act of War is still definitely worth a look today.
GoG Version
Direct Action and its expansion pack, High Treason are bundled together under the title Act of War: Gold Edition. For those who are unwilling to dig deep to get their games to work, the GoG version offers the best version for Window 7 & 10 users. It is packaged with an easy installer and Direct Action specifically working without noticeable issues. Be sure to pickup the easily applicable resolution patch on ModDB here! The patch is a simple replace of the executable file.
Lastly, GoG user A.l.n.o.x. has compiled patches, manuals and mods for Act of War and uploaded them on the GoG forums, so be sure to check that out here, and to thank him for it!
Steam Version
Act of War: Direct Action on Steam is less fortunate with respects of support. Out of the digital box, the came has a large chance of crashing to desktop for Window 10 users. In order to get around this, users must go into the game’s Steam library files and edit the graphical settings of the executable.
- Find the ActofWar executable (Application), right click and go all the way down to Properties.
- Run the program in Windows XP (Service Pack 3) compatibility mode, and as an administrator
- Return to the game files folder, and right click on the ActofWar executable and if given the option change the graphics processor to Integrated graphics.
Panzer General 2 Mac Version How To Get Downloads
- A prompt may come up delivering you to the Nvidia Control Panel or AMD Catalyst Control Center, where you can add the Act of War program and the graphics options.
If there is no option to for integrated graphics, or even with these steps, the GoG version of Act of War is the most viable alternative. Similarly Steam users also have the ability to use a resolution mod, which is found here.
Disc Version
With those who still have the CD version of Act of War, installation to Windows 7 and 10 should be straight forward. But for those on Windows 10, the problems found with the Steam version may occur, and following the steps may fix the instant crash to desktop issue.
Panzer General
Developer/Publisher: Strategic Simulations
Tags: Turn Based, Various Theatres, Strategy, WW2
Purchase:Free
1994’s Panzer General is an all time classic for wargamers. With large amounts of scenarios and content, Panzer General became an intuitive and addictive turned based strategy, of which is still seen today through spiritual successors such as Panzer Corps. But for those who have played Panzer General, or those who are curious, the game can be easily accessed and playable today.
Because Panzer General is considered Abandonware, it can be found on sites such as MyAbandonWare.com or on PanzerGeneralDownload.com among other General series titles. Files for MS-DOS, Windows and Mac can be found. But for Windows 7/10 users, the Windows version is the best choice and works great with both OSes.
Selecting Panzer General for Windows 95 version 1.2 (88.5 mb) from PanzerGeneralDownload, Panzer General comes in a quick and easy to use package. Extract to wherever you please and make sure to read the ReadMe first! First thing you need to do is run the first batch file, effectively named 1. SETUP THE GAME ONCE. After clicking on it, and seeing it run (if not otherwise prompted), immediately click on the second batch file named 2. START THE GAME for whenever you want to play the game. You can change the resolution by dragging the virtual window diagonally.
Voila! Panzer General is back and ready for you to take panzers where no other General has before. Vorwärts!
Silent Hunter 2
Developer/Publisher: Ultimation / Ubisoft
Tags: WW2, Naval, Submarine, Atlantic Theatre, Moddable
Purchase:GoG / Uplay
Silent Hunter II is an excellent SubSim, in a series of great SubSim games. However, Silent Hunter II is overshadowed by its modern sequels. Commanding a U-Boat in the Atlantic, search for convoys or other fleet targets. Whereas the later installments had a focus on campaigns and simulation fidelity, Silent Hunter II stood out as a powerhouse for interesting and unique single missions.
Support for Silent Hunter II is almost absent and can be tricky getting to cooperate with modern operating systems, with frequent crashes cited and measly limiting 800x600 resolution cap. Otherwise, Silent Hunter II is compatible with Windows 7 and 10.
Make sure to click on the settings application prior to booting up the game, to prevent possible black screens or resolution flickering. Otherwise if Silent Hunter II fails to boot, refer to tricks established already, such as changing the graphic card settings or compatibility options for the program (a good habit to do for all games).
Whereas the Uplay and GoG versions of Silent Hunter II are the most updated release versions, CD installers may be behind on versions and would want to look at Ubisoft for the v1.1 patch (found here). Others looking to expand their Silent Hunter 2 experience can look to SubSim’s patch and mod section, which includes a resolution mod, (which you must pay for) among other great mods which bring incredible depth and variety into this submarine classic.
Additionally, for those who are experienced with Dos Box and want to look into the original Silent Hunter, head over to MyAbandonWare.com, or try playing off of the browser (Atchung - It will have no sound!)
What classic wargames would you like to see, and if they will place nice with modern operating systems? Let us know in the comments!