But I do agree rule enforcement and bookkeeping do indeed have value especially for monster titles like EIW……..[;)]
For another great monster board game that can be played using a system like vassal but with actual rule enforcement and such look to Warplanner. This engine is specifiaclly designed for Advanced Third Reich and its sucessor A World at War. AWAW was not made by Avalon Hill however. AWAW was made by GMT. In any case Warplanner is sweet. The map graphics are identical to the published map. Give it a look.
For me no AI is an advantage. The AI in games of this scope cannot hope to compete with a human mind as there are so many possibilites and permutatations.
I agree wholeheartedly...AI at this level is pretty useless...I would think about buying but for two things...lack of knowledge of where pbem players are and, most of all, price.It's way too costly. £40 and not knowing if it would be right for me? Too much of a gamble.
The demo was piss poor and in know way allowed a noob to the game to see if it was acceptable. Half a dozen turns of world wide play and a tutorial thrown in would have been a bigger seller. A longer bigger scale demo would've sufficed I expect, allowing people to see the bigger picture of what their money is going for.
Don't forget, and I'm not taking away from developers here, but creating a game, from an existing board game, without an AI is alot easier than producing one with an AI...bad or good. So £40 without the effort put in to an AI is alot of money for less work, as far as I can gather.
Meant to say, throw in postage and it's an expensive purchase at $94 and it's a big no-no.
I agree totally 110% another reason why they lost my sale they are charging premium price and shipping costs for a game with no AI. I am tired of the fan boys saying AI would be too hard to program or wont do the game justice? Why if the developer can't do the AI because a) they don't know how or b) dont feel like wasting time then that is their choice but don't expect me to pay that price. No AI is a deal breaker for me if the price was $19.99 maybe that would be different.
