Whereas Meat Grinder sounds like a sexual deviants name.LOL
Oops ... LOL ... now picturing the perv in the raincoat...
L
Luke Hughes
Guest
@Hedgehog, thank you General! (the Brass talked to me!!! ;-) ).
@Rico -- we are the babes in the woods I fear, especially with @Meat Grinder lurking about LOL. Hey that's great you guys are doing manual campaigns. Remember Combat Mission Campaigns? 8-( I was so bummed when that fell through.
@Vartuoosi -- thank you
@Shorker-- bet you want an Axis campaign ;-) Soldiers at War.. remember! What was the French publisher single soldier game that started tactical and then went all sci-fi? Pretty good at beginning though. Hell I remember Computer Ambush (shh.. I am only 22 LOL).
@Meat Grinder -- hmm think you have the tough guy name. Luke "never pick on anyone your own size" Hughes
BTW a few words on Combat Mission. First, I hope folks noticed Steve Overton (Mad Russian) of some Combat Mission scenario design renown, is on our team. Second, since no one took me up on my proffer, a few short words on Combat Mission and historical personnel loss.
-- Physical Truth --The designers of Combat Mission are right. Any units on the line (especially junior officers) took horrendous casualties over time making a sustained campaign where officers and squads gain experience seemingly semi-unrealistic. Exceptions being units that were pulled out of line a lot like airborne (well depending, poor Poles).
-- Psychological Truth -- we all know men and officers bonded in the war. Those that survived their initial mistakes. They had a lot of time in the foxholes together to do so (jeez that sounds kinky) etc etc. Obviously we can't model all that "face time" they had (Well we could, but sitting around bored most of that time might not sell that well ("most realistic war simulator EVER!")). So therefore, we allow the bonding across the brief "moments of terror" punctuating the boredom. That is the battles. So my take is the a game in spirit of Burden of Command, or your manual campaigns, deliver on the PSYCHOLOGICAL truth of a small unit at war while perhaps failing some of the literal physical truth.
Both truths need recognition to convey the small unit experience.
Whew had to get that off my chest ;-)
Cheers,
Luke
p.s. are any of the manual campaigns written up at all? I would be interested to take a look and steal .. umm no get INSPIRED by.. your ideas.
@Rico -- we are the babes in the woods I fear, especially with @Meat Grinder lurking about LOL. Hey that's great you guys are doing manual campaigns. Remember Combat Mission Campaigns? 8-( I was so bummed when that fell through.
@Vartuoosi -- thank you
@Shorker-- bet you want an Axis campaign ;-) Soldiers at War.. remember! What was the French publisher single soldier game that started tactical and then went all sci-fi? Pretty good at beginning though. Hell I remember Computer Ambush (shh.. I am only 22 LOL).
@Meat Grinder -- hmm think you have the tough guy name. Luke "never pick on anyone your own size" Hughes
BTW a few words on Combat Mission. First, I hope folks noticed Steve Overton (Mad Russian) of some Combat Mission scenario design renown, is on our team. Second, since no one took me up on my proffer, a few short words on Combat Mission and historical personnel loss.
-- Physical Truth --The designers of Combat Mission are right. Any units on the line (especially junior officers) took horrendous casualties over time making a sustained campaign where officers and squads gain experience seemingly semi-unrealistic. Exceptions being units that were pulled out of line a lot like airborne (well depending, poor Poles).
-- Psychological Truth -- we all know men and officers bonded in the war. Those that survived their initial mistakes. They had a lot of time in the foxholes together to do so (jeez that sounds kinky) etc etc. Obviously we can't model all that "face time" they had (Well we could, but sitting around bored most of that time might not sell that well ("most realistic war simulator EVER!")). So therefore, we allow the bonding across the brief "moments of terror" punctuating the boredom. That is the battles. So my take is the a game in spirit of Burden of Command, or your manual campaigns, deliver on the PSYCHOLOGICAL truth of a small unit at war while perhaps failing some of the literal physical truth.
Both truths need recognition to convey the small unit experience.
Whew had to get that off my chest ;-)
Cheers,
Luke
p.s. are any of the manual campaigns written up at all? I would be interested to take a look and steal .. umm no get INSPIRED by.. your ideas.
Talk to @Rico and @Fredrocker. They both put a lot of effort into their Heraklion (fictional) and Highway to Hell campaigns.
Oh, and also @Nathangun with the Bulge campaign.
L
Luke Hughes
Guest
@Shane just saw you question above. Development: narrative is coming along strong, we are more than halfway through and with a robust playtesting process where each set of story events goes through three waves of formal feedback. Poor writers.. I let them out for sun occasionally. Graphics: Northern Europe mostly done, Med and North Africa to do, weather conditions to do, units to be done. Mechanics, once I stop chewing the cud with you cool dudes (chicks dig we cool wargamers) that is my central focus. "Iterate to the fun" as they say. They're going to grab my chain and drag me back into the coding dungeon pretty soon...
L
Luke Hughes
Guest
Thanks I'm starting to feel I'm amongst at least tolerant heck maybe even friendly people we just got a hit at the wargamer http://www.wargamer.com/articles/wargamer-weekly-lay-down-your-burdens/
http://www.wargamer.com/articles/wargamer-weekly-lay-down-your-burdens/
To think, we knew Luke when he was just a start up developer. And now, since joining FGM...?
...he's all grown up (sheds tear).
Indeed, one of my favourite game engines (wishing for WWII title down the road). Welcome to the board
I was intrigued by the game you're making and look forward to the development. A plus for the splendid painting portrait art - it will help a lot in developing a relationship with your men.
L
Luke Hughes
Guest
@mTk and @Meat Grinder I am a worthless piece of @#$@## SIR!
@rocketman -- great avatar. Think I recognize from book The Liberator? Good book. Thanks on the portraits. Mariusz does work for Total War. We only got him because he really likes what we're doing. And you're right about the portraits, the moment we introduced them we started feeling more empathy. Writers plus art plus experience gain.. a wicked empathy brew.
@rocketman -- great avatar. Think I recognize from book The Liberator? Good book. Thanks on the portraits. Mariusz does work for Total War. We only got him because he really likes what we're doing. And you're right about the portraits, the moment we introduced them we started feeling more empathy. Writers plus art plus experience gain.. a wicked empathy brew.
F
Fredrocker
Guest
Welcome and enjoy...
L
Luke Hughes
Guest
Thanks @Fredrocker. This is indeed a friendly place. Nice to know that can happen on the internet.
Welcome to FGM. I read through the FP article and watched the video. Definitely an interesting concept and one that hasn't really been explored in depth in the wargaming world. Looking forward to seeing how it comes together. I like the art direction as well. You've done a good job so far in making the maps look as natural as they can be within the hex framework.
If it sells well and allows you to explore other theaters, you can add my vote to something dealing with the Pacific; an area that is rarely touched when it comes to tactical wargames. The PTO was much more than just the Central Pacific island hopping campaigns. There's also the southern drive up through the Solomons, Bismarck Archipelago, New Guinea and the Philippines. Considering the psychological and leadership elements BoC is exploring, the 41-42 Philippines Campaign would actually be a pretty interesting topic. Leading your troops through vicious fighting while under armed, facing supply/food shortages, water shortages, fatigue and a tenacious enemy could be quite the experience with the narrative and leadership elements you are incorporating. Likewise, a 44-45 Philippines Campaign would be just as interesting. Lots of varied terrains and mission types. If you want to talk about ethical decisions, the Battle of Manila is full of them. It was some of the most intense urban combat US forces faced in WW2. Anyway, I'll stop my rambling now.
Finally, poking around your website, I saw a place to sign up to be a playtester. Can anyone apply, or are there certain requirements?
If it sells well and allows you to explore other theaters, you can add my vote to something dealing with the Pacific; an area that is rarely touched when it comes to tactical wargames. The PTO was much more than just the Central Pacific island hopping campaigns. There's also the southern drive up through the Solomons, Bismarck Archipelago, New Guinea and the Philippines. Considering the psychological and leadership elements BoC is exploring, the 41-42 Philippines Campaign would actually be a pretty interesting topic. Leading your troops through vicious fighting while under armed, facing supply/food shortages, water shortages, fatigue and a tenacious enemy could be quite the experience with the narrative and leadership elements you are incorporating. Likewise, a 44-45 Philippines Campaign would be just as interesting. Lots of varied terrains and mission types. If you want to talk about ethical decisions, the Battle of Manila is full of them. It was some of the most intense urban combat US forces faced in WW2. Anyway, I'll stop my rambling now.
Finally, poking around your website, I saw a place to sign up to be a playtester. Can anyone apply, or are there certain requirements?
It's like walking into a party after midnight. This topic is all over the place. Meat Grinder... some things can not be unseen. <shudder>
L
Luke Hughes
Guest
@Rambler the Pacific is an interesting and tricky one. Honestly I had to stop several time and put the book down for a few weks when reading "With the Old Breed." It was just too horrific. Incredible book, very hard read. Feels almost masochistic, sadistic to make that a BoC game. A new youtube video (see rambj) analysis suggested a game from the Japanese standpoint for a different mindset. Maybe revisiting a campaign from both sides as was done with Letters from Iwo Jima and Flags of Our Fathers would be interesting.
So many possibilities. And @Bootie we're not in it for the money (or why would we do a wargame LOL) so while we do need sales so we can do more campaigns we are going to pick as much as what we and you think are interesting as on business.
So many possibilities. And @Bootie we're not in it for the money (or why would we do a wargame LOL) so while we do need sales so we can do more campaigns we are going to pick as much as what we and you think are interesting as on business.