World in Conflict beta on Fileplanet

World in Conflict

Seemed interesting, so I figured I'd download the beta. Hoping its a kind of modern day Company of Heroes, but I'm not holding my breath.

Fileplanet beta

anyone with a FP account that would like to join in the fun let me know.

 

Looks like I'm just in time to stem the inevitable avalanche of interest here

Not sure if its merits a download frankly, it's worth a look if you've got an interest in a different type of RTS, and have some spare time.

You can have games as big as 16 players atm. The ability to jump into games currenly in progress is nice. It's always big team A vs team B affairs, so you wouldn't end up walking into a meat grinder.

Instead of a fog of war you can only see units in range of your allies or your own troops. I'm pretty sure there's line of sight issues too, so you could potentially be hidden from your enemy if a significant enough obstacle was between you.

Destructable terrain adds some nice tactical elements. Take the town center and destroy the western bridge access and force your enemy to enter from the north. Anticipate repairs to the West and an air assault and you can lock areas down in ways you can't in typical RTS games.

Explosions and effects are impressive, even on my low rez running box.

Outside of the units you command there's an impressive array of "command abilities" everyone gets from rapid reinforcements, logisitcal backup (repairing that destroyed bridge anyone?), and a litany of air-strikes, and artillery (CoH players know how much Asp likes his artillery).
If you build up enough command points you can have a spectacular light show like I had last night on a large retreating tank column. Friendly artillery, and an A-10 strafing run i called in set my opponents tanks on the move. Pinpoint artillery and a bombing run obliterated his force, as he came to a halt after a laser guided bomb blew out his bridge escape route. All examples of attacking the enemy without actually using physical units..

Unfortunately the game does lend itself to people playing "big helicopter" squadron, and "guy with lots of tanks"; as opposed to larger more balanced forces. Though I suppose once you get good at the game and working with others you can develop more appropriate tactics.

Its definitely a different take on the typical RTS game, and is a possible indicator of how an RTS would work in a MMO concept.

There you go if anyone was still sitting on the fence

 

I like the concept, but every time I played you always seemed to run into "helicopter guy" or "player with lots and lots of tanks".. Balanced forces seemed far and few between.. Though they may have made some changes since beta..

I did like the overall concept though..