Isn't this one of those on-line games that you pay to play? If it were a game I could play on the X-box or something, I'd probably look into it.

Sounds cool .

Yes, it is a MMO (massive multipayer on-line).  Only for PC now.  And it's free.  Yup, free.  Sure, you can plug money in to accelerate things, have access to platoons,  or buy "premium" tanks, but many simply play for free, all the time.  I think if you become hooked, you may want to drop a dime from time to time, but you don't have to.

Typically, when I play, I see there are 12000 - 15000 other tankers on-line at the same time.

I encourage you to at least check it out, look at the "tankopedia" and see all the units.

I gave it a tumble and as a game I thought it was pretty awful to be quite frank. Poor level design, poor sound, clunky mechanics, overly simplified game play, etc, etc... Granted, I'm 26 and was a pretty avid gamer up until a few years ago (still find time here and there), so I might be a more critical than your average FSM member.

I desperately want a polished tank game, I'd take a simulator as well... but it's way to niche for the modern gaming industry. Basically I want this (note: this is a mature rated game so if you don't like video game violence don't click)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UwOrl036_A

But the whole game is armor, that game key feature is combined arms, not to mention that's a single player cut. Still pretty stunning in my opinion.

Also, that's all gameplay... nothing pre-rendered there.

yes,I feel something like that can get some into armor modeling,it can be a round about way of learning history also,whetting a persons appetite for more.

Back around 1999-2001 I played an online flight combat game called Fighter Ace. One could chose from either US, UK, USSR, Germany or Japan to fly for and could chose one of about a dozen different planes to fly. Planes were nation-specific, i.e. US only had the P-51, P-47, P-38, etc., Soviets only had Sturmoviks and so on.

It actually got me to build several of my "favorite" planes to play. I remember building the Spitfire XIVe in incorrect "real" markings (the in-game plane used the markings of Johnnie Johnson regardless of which Spitfire variant you chose). It was probably the best pure interceptor in the game.

I also built a Frank for one of my co-workers who played the game and preferred the Japanese heavy fighter.

The game had several "rooms" with up to 100 players per room. Different rooms had different goals, like Axis vs. Allies or free-for-all (each nation could fight any other). It was a lot of fun, but it's been over 10 years since I last played the game.

Oddly enough I got into AFV modeling too from a game. I doubt anyone here remembers 'Kampfgruppe' from SSI though. I played it for hours and hours back in the '80s on my Commodore 64. God, those were good times! I started picking up Tamiya and Italeri kits of AFVs from the game, I still have most of them- painted and detailed the Shep Paine way since it was the only way I'd heard of back then.

I've seen the 'World of Tanks' game and heard good stuff about it. Still back about ten years ago I spent about 3-4 hours a night seven nights a week on 'Everquest' and I swore I'd never get addicted to another on-line game.

Sounds interesting,,,,   will take a look

I'll raise my hand as one who got his start building armor because of a computer game as well. For me it was World War 2 Online (another MMO-type game with squads/units, etc.) and I built my first armor kit (a Tamiya Matilda) because one of my squad mates got seriously ill and was in the hospital and the squad decided to recreate "his" tank as a get-well gesture. I had built a couple of tanks here and there as a kid but the game is what really kicked it off for me as an adult in 2001. Been building nothing but armor ever since.

Gamera, I don't find it odd at all that a game brought you to AFV modeling.  Me too!  PanzerBlitz (a board game from the mid eighties).  Got my first armor kit, a Tamiya Panther, shortly thereafter.

I have fond memories of Kampfgruppe as well.  My first computer-related tank game was Tanktics, kind of a board game / computer game.  You moved the units on a gameboard based on the AI in the computer.  Weird, huh?

Can't go without mentioning M-1 Tank Platoon, Steel Panthers, Panzer General series, and Panzer Commander.

I have built about 200 AFV kits, and much of it was comingled with some gaming.  The last several years, there has been a big gap on the gaming side for me, but World of Tanks has renewed the connection.

Rob, Wargaming.net is expected to release World of Warplanes soon.  Might be right up your alley.

I switched to World of Warcraft about 5-6 yrs ago and haven't looked back in terms of online gaming. I tried a few others, but it always seems like someone somehow figured out a cheat code and could always get ahead of the rest. At least WoW is big enough that you rarely run into cheats.

I'm going to point you guys to this thread for stuff about WWII games.

/forums/t/117647.aspx

I play this game every day, not for long periods of time though. I have a StuG III, M4 Sherman, T-34, Panzer IV, and I think its an M37. I was very interested in the Marder III when playing to get up to the StuG III, and I do want to build the things I see in the game. Ive already built two StuGs. I have a Hezter sort of in the works because of the game. Still looking at getting a Marder. I just got the T-34 last night so that interest is growing.

Biggest thing I didnt like about the game though was starting out, it is a very big pain to get from a level 1 tank to something else, but now that I'm not at that point anymore, I love it.

If you play my name is Dingo874 on it.

I must confess to be playing this game too much. There are several things that I really think needs to be changed to improve game play. You will have WWII tanks mix it up with Korean War and Cold War tanks as well as a mixture of Paper Panzers. Too many Paper Panzers in my opinion. Sometimes, I think my name is "Rick O'Shea" as that what happens to many of my shots even at point blank range!

My garsage is quite large and I see some oblivious empty spaces in their lineups. The M-24 Chaffee is absent even though the M41 which uses the same chassis is there. The line of British cruisers is missing although the Mtilda and Valentine can be bought under the Russian banner (lend leases). A tech line of the A9 to A10 to A13 to Crusader to Cromwell to Comet then Centurian could be added.

I am easy to find using the same same as here. This weeek I got invited into a clan (online guild, club, whatever). That surprised me ( I am ranked barely in the top 10,000 , but I joined up with the DRB - don't think the sensor will allow the full name.

Mike T.

My name is Duke1226.

By the way, when you can, equip your Hetzer with the 105, and load HE ammo.  It's not historic, but it devastates.

telsono

My garsage is quite large and I see some oblivious empty spaces in their lineups. The M-24 Chaffee is absent even though the M41 which uses the same chassis is there. The line of British cruisers is missing although the Mtilda and Valentine can be bought under the Russian banner (lend leases). A tech line of the A9 to A10 to A13 to Crusader to Cromwell to Comet then Centurian could be added.

Mike T.

The M24 Chaffee and M41 Walker Bulldog are two totally different tanks. About the only things the same are the .50 cal and .30 cal machine guns which are standard on US tanks.

DD: Heck yeah I remember the ads for PanzerBlitz, Tanktics, Squad Leader and the other games of that ilk. Never bought any because I could never find anyone else to play them with. That's why I loved the computer wargames. Funny, I never picked up the other games in the Kampfgruppe series and then drifted away from wargaming when I exchanged my C-64 for an IBM compatable 486DX66.  Still I did have the original Panzer General till my CD-rom vanished, still don't know where it went.

My second armour kit was the same Tamiya Panther A, my first one was the Italeri Panzer IV F/G.

Thanks for the post, I may look into 'WoT' - just as I said the last thing I need right now is to get addicted to another computer game- I get little enough modeling done now as it is.

If I can answer the original question: I think tank gaming is a two edged sword.  Why? 1) we see people who have bought models because of being interested by the games.  Fine.

But 2) how much more productive would we be in the modelling-only side of the hobby if we weren't spending hours on online games?  I must confess my own guilt here.  On a good week, I spend maybe 10 hours on modelling.  On an average week, I spend 10-12 hours online in my addictive FPS game called "Red Orchestra" (which has lots of great infantry action as well as AFV battling).  If I would shift some of that time to modelling, I'd be more productive, no?

Now a 2nd iteration of Red Orchestra is about to be released.  Google "Red Orchestra 2" and look at the video of the tank action.  The view of the Tiger driver looking around his station while rising out of the hatch is amazing.  These guys really paid attention to detail.  The combat action is great too -- realistic ballistics, some very very good maps.

I fear that I am dating myself, but I got into modeling (at least in part) because of my interest in Avalon Hill games (real board games, not computer ones) when I was a kid. In 7th grade I had a history teacher who introduced my to 'Squad Leader'. He also used to hold weekly rounds of 'Fletcher Pratt's Naval War Games' on the floor of the school's gym. It was great fun and really helped to develop my passion for history and my interest in modeling.

T26E4

If I can answer the original question: I think tank gaming is a two edged sword.  Why? 1) we see people who have bought models because of being interested by the games.  Fine.

But 2) how much more productive would we be in the modelling-only side of the hobby if we weren't spending hours on online games?  I must confess my own guilt here.  On a good week, I spend maybe 10 hours on modelling.  On an average week, I spend 10-12 hours online in my addictive FPS game called "Red Orchestra" (which has lots of great infantry action as well as AFV battling).  If I would shift some of that time to modelling, I'd be more productive, no?

Now a 2nd iteration of Red Orchestra is about to be released.  Google "Red Orchestra 2" and look at the video of the tank action.  The view of the Tiger driver looking around his station while rising out of the hatch is amazing.  These guys really paid attention to detail.  The combat action is great too -- realistic ballistics, some very very good maps.

 

If you own RO through steam you can pre-order 2 for 20% off, I am going to do it.  I have been playing the RO mod Darkest days, which is a western front mod about the same amount as you latley on a realism server.  I have gotten quite good, went from being able to get maybe one or two points to about 20 a round.

(points are given for kills, securing objectives, and resupplying heavy weapon teams)

bbrowniii

I fear that I am dating myself, but I got into modeling (at least in part) because of my interest in Avalon Hill games (real board games, not computer ones) when I was a kid. In 7th grade I had a history teacher who introduced my to 'Squad Leader'. He also used to hold weekly rounds of 'Fletcher Pratt's Naval War Games' on the floor of the school's gym. It was great fun and really helped to develop my passion for history and my interest in modeling.

Used to play those two a lot when I was a kid. Always lost too, though I did have one of my Russians go bezerk and take out an Elefant with a Molotov Cocktail. My friend just couldn't believe it. 

Rob Gronovius

telsono:

My garsage is quite large and I see some oblivious empty spaces in their lineups. The M-24 Chaffee is absent even though the M41 which uses the same chassis is there. The line of British cruisers is missing although the Mtilda and Valentine can be bought under the Russian banner (lend leases). A tech line of the A9 to A10 to A13 to Crusader to Cromwell to Comet then Centurian could be added.

Mike T.

 

The M24 Chaffee and M41 Walker Bulldog are two totally different tanks. About the only things the same are the .50 cal and .30 cal machine guns which are standard on US tanks.

Rob - I know of the difference between the M24 Chaffee and the M41 Walker Bulldog. WoT uses as a designation of M41 for a US SPG which to me resembles the M37 SPG derived from the M24. Although they may be referring to the M12/M40 family of SPG's They also us the designation Slugger for the M36 Tank Destroyer which I am more familiar calling Jackson instead. I know it was used, but it seems odd they went with that name while using Stuart, Sherman, Lee, etc. for the other vehicles.There are some odd things that they do which makes it more arcade than a true simulation. Sometimes I think I should change my online name to Rick O'Shea as I have had  90mm armor piercing bounce off vehicles from point blank range!

Mike T.