First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against Brother"

[Gil R.]

I don't know -- maybe our graphics guy is experimenting with different colors for contour lines. It's probably not necessary, though, since when you zoom out a bit the map looks much more 3-D and you can easily see the differences among height levels.

No, nothing like what you describe in Steel Panthers is planned, though once the game is out we will listen to customer feedback. Since BAB will involve a number of releases we have always planned to add features over time.

About companies, I think you read that in Armchair General, where the writer wrote something a bit misleading. The actual OOB includes companies whenever historically they were functioning independently of a regiment -- just look at any OOB for a Civil War battle and you'll see several independent companies. In BAB one cannot split of a company, but one can split just about any unit in half. (If there is player demand then perhaps one day we'd create the option of specifying how many companies instead of just having a 50-50 split, but for now when we want to finish programming new features that's nonessential.)

Also about companies, battles that involve companies rather than full regiments would presumably work well, but we do not plan any such scenarios. The smallest scenario that we currently plan is the Battle of Blackburn's Ford, which involves a few regiments, since we already have the Manassas map and this would make a good "learning scenario." (Perhaps the small scenario for Hancock's flanking attack at Williamsburg is smaller. Don't think so, though.)

[Hexagon]

Thanks for the reply.

Well, i dont know the game status and only can talk about the things i see but maybe the use of white lines/marks is a bit confusing... i find good the interface, good the map but rest looks for me not well joined to them.

The SP battle mode is an idea to improve the value of the game, as you plan release the serie every game on it needs have enough value to be a buy... i think in JT titles (is the one i know better) where titles has a lot of value as indivial games more in the number of stock scens and you allways select a battle you like or are interested and receive more than the battle.

Yes, i read armchair preview and understand that you can detach companies from the battalions (well, regiments is more correct but real thing is that they are battalions hehehehe) this is an interesting feature but divide in 2 the unit is not bad as a first implementation (i want see the game soon released to try it and nothing better to improve a game that give it to "little kids" to leave us broke it on pieces hahahaha) but if you have more than 1 commander/official in the unit you can allways use them to divide the unit in companies... more commanders alive more companies you can detach (and if the commander in the company is killed you are forced to rejoin it to mother unit to dont suffer great morale penalties for example).

The idea for company battles is in part an idea i take from JT Early America Serie and certain Nap titles that have as bonus company battles both are very fun but i feel that at this level they need more details like your commander feature in units and the option to have more than 1 type of weapon.... ooo, talking about the 2 weapon feature, is possible capture enemy weapons??? when an unit is low of ammo or when find a much better weapon... this feature could be great specially for south side and if you add in future a certain operation/campaign system ... [X(]

A question about improvements in old games... you plan do this retroactive to old titles or improvements are exclusive in last titles??? thanks.

Good luck with the game, i remember read release next year??? i hope my eyes dont lie me [:D]

[Gil R.]

We expect to release this winter. Depends mostly on the maps.

I'm not sure about your question regarding improvements to old games -- presumably, you mean that things done for BAB#2 could be retrofitted to BAB#1, which is indeed how we intend to do it. But changes to BAB would not be made to "Forge of Freedom," since at this point the code is too different.

[sol_invictus]

I had just about given up on ever seeing this game released. Very happy to finally see some progress and the screenshots look great. I eagerly await release. I would also love to see this engine cover Seven Years War, Napoleonic Wars, and the Wars of German Unification.

[Hexagon]

Yes, i refer to this, is one of the good things in Tiller games, you have Smolensk 1941 a title from 1999 with all feature from Moscow 1942 a title of 2012 same in all series [&o] this is a good way to release a game serie and people can buy the first title not like a "dead line" waiting the new title with the new features.

Ummm winter a little over 6 months... lets see 7, time to see more about game expect you have luck and dont suffer technical problems

[jeffk3510]

Really excited for this game. FOF is my favorite Civil War ear game right along with CWG2.

Looks great!

[heyhellowhatsnew]

Really thought I posted in this thread earlier but I must have been dreaming. The game looks great and I am loving the hexes!

[Anguille]

Do you have plans for more maps after release (Gettysburg etc)? will this be seen as an addon?

Thanks

[Gil R.]

heyhellowhatsnew,
Thank you for your comments. I agree that Pixelpusher does great work.

Anguille,
"Brother against Brother" is meant to be a series, and we plan to work up to Gettysburg (especially now that we've blown past the 150th anniversary[:@]). So it would be part of a separate release. (Our next two releases will have Shiloh and 2nd Manassas as their two main battles.)

[Anguille]

ORIGINAL: Gil R.

heyhellowhatsnew,
Thank you for your comments. I agree that Pixelpusher does great work.

Anguille,
"Brother against Brother" is meant to be a series, and we plan to work up to Gettysburg (especially now that we've blown past the 150th anniversary[:@]). So it would be part of a separate release. (Our next two releases will have Shiloh and 2nd Manassas as their two main battles.)

Excellent...[;)]

Thanks

[balto]

Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

[Maulet]

ORIGINAL: Gil R.

heyhellowhatsnew,
Thank you for your comments. I agree that Pixelpusher does great work.

Anguille,
"Brother against Brother" is meant to be a series, and we plan to work up to Gettysburg (especially now that we've blown past the 150th anniversary[:@]). So it would be part of a separate release. (Our next two releases will have Shiloh and 2nd Manassas as their two main battles.)

sorry, but i don't understand. Gettysburg will be a new one, ok. But Manassas and shiloh will be included in the first one?

thanks!

[Hexagon]

The first game has 1st Bull Run, Williamsburg, Wilson's Creek and Mill Springs battles, the second game the combo Shilo+2nd Bull Run at least i understand this.

[Maulet]

ORIGINAL: Hexagon

The first game has 1st Bull Run, Williamsburg, Wilson's Creek and Mill Springs battles, the second game the combo Shilo+2nd Bull Run at least i understand this.

ok perfect! [:)] thanks

[Gil R.]

ORIGINAL: Maulet

ORIGINAL: Gil R.

heyhellowhatsnew,
Thank you for your comments. I agree that Pixelpusher does great work.

Anguille,
"Brother against Brother" is meant to be a series, and we plan to work up to Gettysburg (especially now that we've blown past the 150th anniversary[:@]). So it would be part of a separate release. (Our next two releases will have Shiloh and 2nd Manassas as their two main battles.)

sorry, but i don't understand. Gettysburg will be a new one, ok. But Manassas and shiloh will be included in the first one?

thanks!

No, I meant our next two releases after the first one. BAB#2-3 will be "The War in the West (1862)" and "Lee Takes Command" -- not sure which will be released first, though. The Western Theater one will also have Pea Ridge, Fort Donelson, and Murfreesboro (although this last one might get pushed back to another release), while the Lee one will be 2nd Manassas plus the Seven Days.

[Kipper]

One of the things that I disliked about the battle engine in FOF was that the battles took ages, too long for a time-pressed gamer! How long would it take to play a battle in BAB? Or will there be a battle with the wife?

[TR]

Are the graphics being updated in the upcoming versions?

[Gil R.]

ORIGINAL: Kipper

One of the things that I disliked about the battle engine in FOF was that the battles took ages, too long for a time-pressed gamer! How long would it take to play a battle in BAB? Or will there be a battle with the wife?

Not to be glib, but it depends on the size of the battle. We haven't gotten to Gettysburg yet (that's about two years off before we start working on it, I would guess), but that will probably be hellaciously long. In this release our biggest battle is 1st Bull Run, which is a wee bit less time-consuming.

If any of the veteran testers want to respond and give an idea how long battles take, feel free. I have to confess that I have not yet played 1st Bull Run all the way through to completion, since when I test I am looking for a whole bunch of things that don't necessitate finishing the game.

[Gil R.]

ORIGINAL: TR

Are the graphics being updated in the upcoming versions?

Not to be glib, but which graphics do you mean? (Okay, the "not to be glib" part is glib, but not the question itself.)

[Kipper]

ORIGINAL: Gil R.

ORIGINAL: Kipper

One of the things that I disliked about the battle engine in FOF was that the battles took ages, too long for a time-pressed gamer! How long would it take to play a battle in BAB? Or will there be a battle with the wife?

Not to be glib, but it depends on the size of the battle.

I was hoping for some benchmarks which maybe your testers might now provide.