Two new HPS games announced

[wodin]

ORIGINAL: mgarnett

I'm a big fan of HPS games as well and own a few Panzer Campaign and Squad Battles games as well all of the Ancient Warfare series.

I'd own a whole heap more as well if they would only just get some sort of direct download option working. C'mon guys, I keep hoping, but I've been hoping for about 18 months now and still nothing.

Cheers

Mark

It is in the pipeline

[mgarnett]

It must be a long pipeline!!!

[benpark]

Just ordered the 2 new titles. The later war Squad Battles game is the one I have been looking forward to the most of all HPS games, so I will be checking my mail box for it with anticipation.

I would also like to see some sprucing up of the 2D graphics, but understand that the pace of release and budget issues limit the ability of HPS to do too much. There are some great mods out there, don't forget. Top down AFV counters would also be nice.

[Peter Fisla]

Same here, ordered Proud and Few as well as Red Victory...I don't mind the boardgame feel like for the graphics. Since the graphic files are just a plain bmp files, it will be possible to modify the game graphics. The challenge with top down view of the vehicles is that then you need 6 different facings graphics sprites for the hull and 6 different graphics sprites for the turret...and if the game is using say 100 vehicles well then this becomes a bit of a job.

[V22 Osprey]

I have never had a problem with the graphics. Yes there are plenty of 'mods' out there, but I just prefer the stock.

As previous stated, I prefer released games over games taking 20 years to be released just because of graphics.

To be honest, I kinda of like the SqB 3D Graphics. It has nice details on the soldiers and although not nearly as good a JTCS, the terrain looks pretty good. Only thing they really need is to make the ground look more green and not so dull.

[DiggyDad]

Hi everyone! I haven't bought a John Tiller game in ages, and I have a question. HPS has many titles that I am interested in but I don't have the time to PBEM. Do they have an AI that can be competitive? I know they would never be as good as another human player but, well you know what I mean....

[wodin]

Benpark,

Topdwon AFV's for me aswell....I'd do a mod IF I could get some pics of counters from boardgames that have this look....

[Richard III]

They ( HPS ) are losing tons of money because of a lack of direct download combined with the option of disk shipment. Maybe they don`t care about money ....[>:]

They are losing sales because of a lack of Forums devoted to the Games and support.

They should just let Matrix publish the games and devote themselves to game design. If that`s a non starter they should copy the Matrix model.

Their current business model is archaic.

[Widell]

Interesting! Where can we find the statistics? I would like to see them, just to be able to prepare some argumentation regarding d/l versus non-d/l option for a (non-gaming) project I'm helping a friend of a friend with.

[wodin]

There are forums wargamer has a section\gamesquad and http://hpssims.com.c7.previewyoursite.c ... /index.php.

I will push Rich to talk to John Tiller about the download of games.

[Yogi the Great]

ORIGINAL: DiggyDad

Hi everyone! I haven't bought a John Tiller game in ages, and I have a question. HPS has many titles that I am interested in but I don't have the time to PBEM. Do they have an AI that can be competitive? I know they would never be as good as another human player but, well you know what I mean....

The squad battles series AI isn't too bad. I have found the campaign series games AI to often be quite poor. A few of them tend to give you fairly intense competition for a short time at the start of the game, but then loose out. Stupid attacks that should not be made and poor ability to retreat/defend.

I still enjoy playing them though, and would encourage you to pick out a few that interest you most and give it a try. The campaigns result in some interesting battlgrounds in the civil war series depending on player decisions.

[wodin]

The latest games First Blitzkreig and The Souhtern Front are supposed to have an excellent AI.

The AI for the SB series has been updated aswell. The latest games give you a good go.

[NefariousKoel]

ORIGINAL: Richard III

They ( HPS ) are losing tons of money because of a lack of direct download combined with the option of disk shipment. Maybe they don`t care about money ....[>:]

They are losing sales because of a lack of Forums devoted to the Games and support.

They should just let Matrix publish the games and devote themselves to game design. If that`s a non starter they should copy the Matrix model.

Their current business model is archaic.

I've been thinking they should publish through Matrix, too, if they were wanting to catch up. The graphics aren't the only things that haven't changed. [:D]

[benpark]

ORIGINAL: wodin

Benpark,

Topdwon AFV's for me aswell....I'd do a mod IF I could get some pics of counters from boardgames that have this look....

Advanced Squad Leader has great line drawings for AFV counters, but Lock n'Load counters are the ones to beat:

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/image/5287 ... -step-back

[jomni]

ORIGINAL: Yogi the Great

ORIGINAL: DiggyDad

Hi everyone! I haven't bought a John Tiller game in ages, and I have a question. HPS has many titles that I am interested in but I don't have the time to PBEM. Do they have an AI that can be competitive? I know they would never be as good as another human player but, well you know what I mean....

The squad battles series AI isn't too bad. I have found the campaign series games AI to often be quite poor. A few of them tend to give you fairly intense competition for a short time at the start of the game, but then loose out. Stupid attacks that should not be made and poor ability to retreat/defend.

I still enjoy playing them though, and would encourage you to pick out a few that interest you most and give it a try. The campaigns result in some interesting battlgrounds in the civil war series depending on player decisions.

For me SB is tough not because of AI. Game mechanics make you move slowly, 1 to 2 hex at a time. And the objective and time limits aren't very forgiving. But's it still fun and challenging.

[jwilkerson]

ORIGINAL: wodin

There are forums wargamer has a section\gamesquad and http://hpssims.com.c7.previewyoursite.c ... /index.php.

I will push Rich to talk to John Tiller about the download of games.

At least for the Tiller games I'm familiar with (I did Budapest'45 so familiar with Panzer Campaigns and similar ilk) they use "CD in the drive" type security - so download doesn't fit that model.

[htuna]

On the different screen shots of Squad Battles, I see individual weapons listed.. do you actually choose which weapons are fired during game play?

[junk2drive]

ORIGINAL: jwilkerson

ORIGINAL: wodin

There are forums wargamer has a section\gamesquad and http://hpssims.com.c7.previewyoursite.c ... /index.php.

I will push Rich to talk to John Tiller about the download of games.

At least for the Tiller games I'm familiar with (I did Budapest'45 so familiar with Panzer Campaigns and similar ilk) they use "CD in the drive" type security - so download doesn't fit that model.

Any HPS title updated recently removes the CD check in the update.

[dudalb_slith]

Well, that;s the last time I buy a game direct from HPS, after seeing NWS's prices......Just last week I finally orders Austerlitz for 50 bucks........I had no idea NWS was offering it for Thirty.
Ordered Red VIctory, will wait and see what the France 1914 Game is like.
Vis a vis the ongoing debate on HPS Graphics: I don't expect cutting edge, find the 2d graphics to be acceptable, but see no reason why they cannot upgrade the Squad Battle series to at least the level of the John TIller Campaign series,,since, frankly, it's no secret that the Squad battles series is based on the Campaign system. SOme of the games have been upgraded to 3D level, I see no reason why it cannot be done for all of them.
On the other hand I find the graphics for the Panzer Campaign Series and the 19th Century battle series perfectly acceptable.
THe removal of CD check is a indication that HPS is going to go the Digital Download route,but HPS is rather notorious for doing things slowly, which is why it is a surprise that in Three months they have released FIve new games.
And the upgrade of "Guadalcanal" to "Midway" standard, with the addition of over 20 new scenarious was incredible. Now the game covers every major surface action from The Battle of the Java Sea to Leyte that happened int he Pacific.

[dudalb_slith]

NO. It's just for information puposes. Squad Battles is on the same scale....the squad as the basic unit...as Steel Panthers. You are commanding at least 10 squads in a game, most often more, and picking indiiduals weapons to fire would suck the playablity right of of the game.