Questions from a Fence Sitter

[Gerry4321]

Hello All:

I am still on the fence in terms of this one. A bit worried about the lack of forum activity. Eric and Erik don't seem to be here much? So I am wondering where the series will go. The idea of future games/modules a la ASL would be very exciting.

Nevertheless I am still interested and have some questions.

1. How hard is it to make a map for a scenario? (I have enjoyed ASL in the past and I see people have made conversions recently.) Is it just a case of picking say level 1 Hill tiles, ground level tiles, then some building tiles?

2. Will there be factories and multilevel buildings later in the game?

3. In terms of playing live do some players play a scenario over a few evenings? I ask as I may not be able to do it all in one session. (Bummer that PBEM is not possible).

4. I enjoyed ASL campaigns very much, Red Barricades, etc. Are similar type campaigns in the plans, i.e. large map with destructible terrain that would carry over to the next campaign date along with surviving units? (I am not interested in campaigns that follow a certain unit through the whole war.)

Thanks for your time and any thoughts you have.

Gerry

[Charly G]

Don't be worry about the lack of forum activity, all wait the next patch to play again in the lobby multiplayer. I hope new expansions for this game. After the new patch, some good news will be cheering for the players community.
About your question number 3, some scenarios are played in short time during one evening.

[hugi]

I think the same like Charly.
Many from us are waiting for the next big and great patch (LOS display from each hex, orginal graphic like the board game).
The game is amazing and will be even better.

1. How hard is it to make a map for a scenario? (I have enjoyed ASL in the past and I see people have made conversions recently.) Is it just a case of picking say level 1 Hill tiles, ground level tiles, then some building tiles?

The designing is easy but I have no idea how difficult it is to write an AI script for singleplayer. (ok the game is anyway more multiplayer than singleplayer)

2. Will there be factories and multilevel buildings later in the game?

I know the maps from the next expansions and there are no such buildings. Of course you can build villages with many houses. But there is no city or factory titles yet. I also think the rules does not care about this things, but don't be afraid, the rules of the board game are still growing (night chart, plans, cavalry, beach landings, etc.).

3. In terms of playing live do some players play a scenario over a few evenings? I ask as I may not be able to do it all in one session. (Bummer that PBEM is not possible).

It depends on the scenario. I need from 1 hour for a very small map to 6 hours for a huge map. You can save and load the game, no worry. And the game system will not work with PBEM because a "turn" is only one action. The game has no downtime for one player!

4. I enjoyed ASL campaigns very much, Red Barricades, etc. Are similar type campaigns in the plans, i.e. large map with destructible terrain that would carry over to the next campaign date along with surviving units? (I am not interested in campaigns that follow a certain unit through the whole war.)

I have no idea about this. I think the official support for campaigns are missing.

To find people for multiplayer ask here, or in the ingame forum or in the facebook group.

Greetings
hugi

[Jamm]

Hey Gerry,
If you've enjoyed ASL I think you'll like this game.
It has the right feel to it for a tactical game. Like ASL without all the minutae.
And I think the turn structure with the action points improves the flow of the battle.

Map and scenario design are pretty easy, though you'll want to read the editor manual.
The hard part is trying to achieve the right balance of forces for gameplay. And do you design it for single player against the AI or multiplayer.

Online games normally do not take too long.
Just post with a game request and I'm sure someone will answer.

ORIGINAL: Gerry

Hello All:

I am still on the fence in terms of this one. A bit worried about the lack of forum activity. Eric and Erik don't seem to be here much? So I am wondering where the series will go. The idea of future games/modules a la ASL would be very exciting.

Nevertheless I am still interested and have some questions.

1. How hard is it to make a map for a scenario? (I have enjoyed ASL in the past and I see people have made conversions recently.) Is it just a case of picking say level 1 Hill tiles, ground level tiles, then some building tiles?

2. Will there be factories and multilevel buildings later in the game?

3. In terms of playing live do some players play a scenario over a few evenings? I ask as I may not be able to do it all in one session. (Bummer that PBEM is not possible).

4. I enjoyed ASL campaigns very much, Red Barricades, etc. Are similar type campaigns in the plans, i.e. large map with destructible terrain that would carry over to the next campaign date along with surviving units? (I am not interested in campaigns that follow a certain unit through the whole war.)

Thanks for your time and any thoughts you have.

Gerry

[Gerry4321]

Hello:

When creating maps, do you have to use mapping tools like Google Earth and graphics software? Or can you build a map from scratch in the editor? If so, any ideas of how long this takes? (I was hoping it was a matter of going hex-by-hex and choosing the type of terrain.)

Thanks,

Gerry

[DoubleDeuce]

You can "paint" the map one hex at a time. The time involved depends on the size of the map.

[Gerry4321]

Thanks. One of the reasons I am getting curious again about the game are the scenarios you and Jamm have converted from ASL.

Do you mean using a Paint-like program or choosing precreated tiles/hexes from a menu?

Gerry

[Jamm]

ORIGINAL: Gerry

Thanks. One of the reasons I am getting curious again about the game are the scenarios you and Jamm have converted from ASL.

Do you mean using a Paint-like program or choosing precreated tiles/hexes from a menu?

Gerry

Yes, there's a drop down list for the terrains tiles. Just click and place it.
Roads are dragged as a line from hex to hex and walls are dragged along hex sides.

It takes a bit more time to copy an ASL mapboard as you're going hex by hex but seeing the mapboards come to life in 3d is pretty cool.
But it doesn't have all of ASL's terrain features. The biggest for me is multi-hex buildings.
I see COH boardgame has these so I'm hoping they're implemented in the future.