World of Tanks
Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 3:50 pm
First Up - this game is FREE, for now. So get an account going now while you still can for FREE. This game will purchase only in the future.
Next - this is a MMOG.
Main website and where you download and create your account.
http://www.worldoftanks.com/
SIMHQ review:
http://www.simhq.com/_land3/land_121a.html
Comprehensive Wiki:
http://wiki.worldoftanks.com/Main_Page
If one word could describe this game it would be "addictive". It should come with a warning label spelling out how potencially it could ruin your social, study, or work life if not played in small doses only. Warnings such as:
This could ruin your love life
You WILL think about this game at work, study, online racing, and even on the toilet
You will rave about this game blindly to anyone, even if they don't know what you are on about
Your children will time warp from a happy infant, to raiding your liqueur cabinet and stealing your car keys before you log off.
You WILL become more knowledgeable than Jane's Encyclopedia of WWII Tanks in Europe.
You will write articles in your local forum
GRAPHICS
I have i5, ati 5850, 4 gig ram, win7 64x and i have everything maxed and runs great. However, a basic rig that can run rfactor nicely can also do this easily, yet the game looks pretty.
SOUND
Explosions and ricochet's sound like the stuff you hear in movies, so i guess that is good. Tanks do sound like tanks with the tracks squeaking and gears grinding, with turret motors moaning etc and they all sound different.
GARAGE
This where you pick your tank, make improvements, and up skill your crew. Tank types are based on Tier so you can't take the biggest baddest tank and go mix it up with the light tanks besides, you have to research and earn enough xp to earn the biggest and/or the baddest steel beast out there. Some additions, modifications, or up skills require gold - this is where you flip out your credit card if you choose.
GAMEPLAY
Gameplay is arcade like and very simple, yet the tactics that get developed are remarkably modern and advanced.
You drive around in 3rd person view but can zoom in (sniper view) for accurate shooting. Each gun/ammo type/velocity/angle is countered by armour thickness, angle, levels of thickness locations, location of hit, etc... and it is all accurately worked out. You can kit out your tank to be a fast scout and gain xp for simply spotting the enemy, or play as a whole puncher and objective taker with more firepower but less speed or maneuverability, or even play (like i do) as an ambusher. Lay in wait hidden behind trees, buildings (in buildings) or in bushes (cammo'd) waiting for someone to come within your lethal range.
You can gain XP lots of ways and the most common methods are:
*spotting enemy
*killing enemy
*causing damage to enemy
*capturing enemy zone
While the game is basic to play (like BF2BC vehicle movement and firing) the tactics involved can be complex. The game does not have weapon balancing and vehicle balancing as per say, like you get with most arcade shooters like BF2BC... Weapons and movement is as accurately portrayed as can be and the only way of 'balancing' is by putting vehicles in a Tier classes. The only problem i've found is that spg (arty) is far to accurate (basically pin point accuracy) which is being addressed in the next patch.
Tactics
Simply put, there are heaps. I suggest looking up the wiki (see above) on tactics and do a quick once over, or simply learn what not to do in game.
Connectivity and game times
My pings have varied between 200 and 320 and is playable. Every so often on some servers i get a bit of lag when long rang shooting but it is still playable.
Games last anywhere from 2min to 15min depending on how good/lucky you are. If you are loan wolf rambo type player you won't last long until (at least) you kit out your tank and rank up your crew a bit. Stay in a pack if you want to survive.
Tips
If your tank gets destroyed you can esc back to the garage and pick another tank and join another server and keep playing until your first round ends.
Use cover and concealment as much as possible. What is the difference you say? Cover = gives you some protection from enemy fire while, concealment = makes you harder to be seen by the enemy. Note = once you fire you become visible even behind cover or concealment so 'shoot and scoot' is great tactics for fast tanks and a MUST for spg's and tank destroyers.
Opinion
So far, (though this might not be your type of game, but if it is) I give this game an official Sasquatch
up. It is FREE, it will run well on a low spec rig, tech trees are huge with lots of upgrade researching, and gameplay anyone can master quickly. The downside is, no clan hosting (unless you buy), no joining your friends in game (unless you buy), some aspects of the game you cannot unlock (without buying), and pings can be a bit highish at times because all the servers are either in Russia or USA.
PS...add me as a friend - Sasquatch_NZ
Next - this is a MMOG.
Main website and where you download and create your account.
http://www.worldoftanks.com/
SIMHQ review:
http://www.simhq.com/_land3/land_121a.html
Comprehensive Wiki:
http://wiki.worldoftanks.com/Main_Page
If one word could describe this game it would be "addictive". It should come with a warning label spelling out how potencially it could ruin your social, study, or work life if not played in small doses only. Warnings such as:
This could ruin your love life
You WILL think about this game at work, study, online racing, and even on the toilet
You will rave about this game blindly to anyone, even if they don't know what you are on about
Your children will time warp from a happy infant, to raiding your liqueur cabinet and stealing your car keys before you log off.
You WILL become more knowledgeable than Jane's Encyclopedia of WWII Tanks in Europe.
You will write articles in your local forum
GRAPHICS
I have i5, ati 5850, 4 gig ram, win7 64x and i have everything maxed and runs great. However, a basic rig that can run rfactor nicely can also do this easily, yet the game looks pretty.
SOUND
Explosions and ricochet's sound like the stuff you hear in movies, so i guess that is good. Tanks do sound like tanks with the tracks squeaking and gears grinding, with turret motors moaning etc and they all sound different.
GARAGE
This where you pick your tank, make improvements, and up skill your crew. Tank types are based on Tier so you can't take the biggest baddest tank and go mix it up with the light tanks besides, you have to research and earn enough xp to earn the biggest and/or the baddest steel beast out there. Some additions, modifications, or up skills require gold - this is where you flip out your credit card if you choose.
GAMEPLAY
Gameplay is arcade like and very simple, yet the tactics that get developed are remarkably modern and advanced.
You drive around in 3rd person view but can zoom in (sniper view) for accurate shooting. Each gun/ammo type/velocity/angle is countered by armour thickness, angle, levels of thickness locations, location of hit, etc... and it is all accurately worked out. You can kit out your tank to be a fast scout and gain xp for simply spotting the enemy, or play as a whole puncher and objective taker with more firepower but less speed or maneuverability, or even play (like i do) as an ambusher. Lay in wait hidden behind trees, buildings (in buildings) or in bushes (cammo'd) waiting for someone to come within your lethal range.
You can gain XP lots of ways and the most common methods are:
*spotting enemy
*killing enemy
*causing damage to enemy
*capturing enemy zone
While the game is basic to play (like BF2BC vehicle movement and firing) the tactics involved can be complex. The game does not have weapon balancing and vehicle balancing as per say, like you get with most arcade shooters like BF2BC... Weapons and movement is as accurately portrayed as can be and the only way of 'balancing' is by putting vehicles in a Tier classes. The only problem i've found is that spg (arty) is far to accurate (basically pin point accuracy) which is being addressed in the next patch.
Tactics
Simply put, there are heaps. I suggest looking up the wiki (see above) on tactics and do a quick once over, or simply learn what not to do in game.
Connectivity and game times
My pings have varied between 200 and 320 and is playable. Every so often on some servers i get a bit of lag when long rang shooting but it is still playable.
Games last anywhere from 2min to 15min depending on how good/lucky you are. If you are loan wolf rambo type player you won't last long until (at least) you kit out your tank and rank up your crew a bit. Stay in a pack if you want to survive.
Tips
If your tank gets destroyed you can esc back to the garage and pick another tank and join another server and keep playing until your first round ends.
Use cover and concealment as much as possible. What is the difference you say? Cover = gives you some protection from enemy fire while, concealment = makes you harder to be seen by the enemy. Note = once you fire you become visible even behind cover or concealment so 'shoot and scoot' is great tactics for fast tanks and a MUST for spg's and tank destroyers.
Opinion
So far, (though this might not be your type of game, but if it is) I give this game an official Sasquatch
up. It is FREE, it will run well on a low spec rig, tech trees are huge with lots of upgrade researching, and gameplay anyone can master quickly. The downside is, no clan hosting (unless you buy), no joining your friends in game (unless you buy), some aspects of the game you cannot unlock (without buying), and pings can be a bit highish at times because all the servers are either in Russia or USA.PS...add me as a friend - Sasquatch_NZ
Uuuummm yeah 
.