Impressions on WC3 KS version

Edfilho

Edfilho

Cry some more!
As I finally got it work on Win XP (read more about it in the tech forum), I noticed some things while playing WC3 KS for the first time:

The background music in the Victory is a lot better, as it is not midi anymore. I kinda miss the old lame music that played in the rec room (i had a sb16) but the new one is really great.

They "fixed" the kilrathi taunts!!! I've played about 5 missions and they've said "you pathetic descendant of monkeys" only once! And I kept taunting them... I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, eheheheh, it was actually funny to hear that taunt hundreds of times.

the mission load times are really low, under 5secs. of couse playing in a machine inconcievably more powerfull than my old 486 is the actual reason, but not having to wait 5min to play the missions is really a Good Thing (tm).

The movies are still in a very crappy res. pitty. But gameplay rocks. It feels better on WC3 than 4. I believe they tweaked the gameplay for worse in WC4. It is still good, but I like WC3 better. Your mileage may vary.

They fixed some strange stuff that happened while bumping into other ships, esp. Cap Ships. wehn playing the DOS version, it was common to crash into capships and just go through it without much damage. now I just go boom. it makes more sense.

Guess that's it for now.
 
They really ought to have cleaned up the video in Wing Commander 3, so it would look more like Wing Commander IV quality-wise. A pity ...
 
Maybe reused WC4 nonDVD codec or something.
Of course, they can't make it TOO clean, or the cheaper aspects of the production would scream at our faces. Remember, 90% of everything on scene is computer generated... =/
 
WCIII really was formatted to look good only when heavily compressed :) Regular tapes of WC3 scenes look really crummy. (The 3DO version has slightly better looking video - and the gameplay is very different. Worth a try if you've got the patience to track down a cheap 3DO.)
 
IIRC (and its been awhile), the video in WC3 KS actually was upgraded to be the same as WC4 CD WIN.

The original DOS version of WC3 was 16 bit non-interlaced video, where for KS they interlaced it and gave the option to run it in 32 bit (I'm not sure on this, but I know you could with WC4).

Personally I liked the non-interlaced video of WC3 DOS better, I thought it to be clearer and cleaner. The compression artifacts and shortcomings of the CG process were more apparent though, which is probably why they did it.

I don't remember... Is it possible to run WC3 KS video as non-interlaced?

Mantor
 
LOAF- That doesn't surprise me. If you ever went as far as to output WC3 PC to a television, you'll find it likewise looks much better. How is the gameplay on a 3DO. I know its 'different' (everyone says that), but is it any 'good'?

Mantor
 
I'm not sure that's right - a standard television won't be as sharp as a PC monitor (or as an HD set). I input everything in my WC setup into a monitor, so I'm comparing WC3PC and WC3 3DO as displayed on a 21" CRT (or occasinoally a 36" HD TV setup).

WCIII 3DO (and PSX, IIRC) use different video compression methods, and the video ends up having a bit more color to it on those versions.

The gameplay looks similar, but is basically done from the ground up as a more 'arcade' style (enemies easier to kill, but way more of them). In WC3 PC you fight a few waves of fighters when the Victory is ambushed at Tamayo... in WC3 3DO, there battle is much bigger - with destroyers and such attacking the ship.

The graphics are superficially similar to WC3, but they're actually kind of a cross between WC2 and WC3... you get the feeling that they were trying to make the game 'play' more like Super Wing Commander.
 
gamplay on the 3DO is crappy graphics wise but the videos ook very good. I have a 3DO, I just wish you could fly the planet side missions instead of watching as a video but the video's are still cool.
 
Bandit LOAF said:
In WC3 PC you fight a few waves of fighters when the Victory is ambushed at Tamayo... in WC3 3DO, there battle is much bigger - with destroyers and such attacking the ship.
Click to expand...

Makes me picture a battle like it was meant to be shown. Yeah, WC4 tried at it with the Vesuvius/St Helens battle but I never cared for the graphics engine - and WC:p while fantasticly fun, lacked things that made previous installments memorable.
 
Hummm, Mantor is right, WC3 DOS video was not interlaced. And so was actually better, in my opinion. I always turn interlacing off when it's possible.

Videogame videos are usually more colorful because TV screens are more "color-intensive" than vga monitors... Just compare a dvd movie playing in a tv and a monitor simultaneosly. I guess it has something to do with the fact that you are generally a lot closer to the monitor.

And I already had the impression that WC3 would look like crap if put in hi-res... Even wc4 loses some of its charm when in the DVD version (the sets and props look crummier). Of course, looking at Sosa and Panther in hires makes up for it.

3DOs are not cheap around here =/ but I know where I could buy one. I'd rather get a copy of SWC, my sister has an iBook.

I'll try buying WC SNES too. Anyone know where could I find WC3 PS?
 
3DO users need to get the amazing CH Products 3DO flightstick - makes SWC and WC3 feel just like their PC equivalents.
 
As far as I know, and have written above:
- Works in windows environments using Direct X
- updated video encoding (some find it worse than the original)
- fixed the infamous kilrathi taunts
- better music (especially in the bar)

Guess that's it.
 
WC3 KS had a lowsy End Credits music... it was the 'Kilrah mission' theme repeated over and over again like the End Credits in WC4. Original WC3's End Credits was a full medley!
 
Ah, that easter egg thing where you clicked the stars in the main terminal in a certain order, does that work in WC3 KS? I can't remember the exact procedure.
 
TheFraix said:
WC3 KS had a lowsy End Credits music... it was the 'Kilrah mission' theme repeated over and over again like the End Credits in WC4. Original WC3's End Credits was a full medley!
Click to expand...

I was pissed when I beat WC3 KS and it didn't have the end credit music! The medley is excellent - it gives you that ultimate feeling of accomplishment. The CIC's FTP server has a great selection of music, so I downloaded the end credits theme to fill the void.
 
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