Hello.
Someday i readed, I think, in a forum post that someone at Matrix were part of the old and merry Novastar Company, IIRC.
I enjoyed with a CD expansion for SP 1 made by Novastar, with a lot of scenarios. it was great!!!
If someone at Matrix was a former member of Novastar, I have more reasons than ever to congratulate you for your work.
If I remember correctly, 'Wild Bill' Wilder has mentioned working for Novastar in the past, in fact I'm reasonably sure many of the scenarios on the Cd you mentioned were his handiwork.
ZinZan <br/> Peace is an extension of war by political means. Plenty of elbow room is pleasanter - and much safer. <br/> Lazarus Long, Time Enough For Love by Robert Heinlein.
Novastar was a company that put together several scenarios and campaigns for various computer wargames. The ones I'm most familiar with are the Steel Panthers ones.
The company and its owners hit on some very hard times and the company closed it's doors.
I'm not sure about Wild Bill actually "working" for them, but it wouldn't surprise me if he had some input into the scenarios. I do remember Mike Wood (designer of the current Mega-Campaign in SPWAW 5.0) was a programer with them.
They really did have some neat products, though a little pricey I thought.
Yes.
I remember (correctly?) a projected Mega-Campaign ambientated in Sicily? with USA infantry teams of 2-6 men, perhaps announced in a french magazine (cyberestratège).
The mechanichs were similar to a RPG, very interactive and with high replayability. It sounds to me like MCNA (as explained by Matrix team). Later we knew Novastar closed, again in Cyberestratège (later this magnificent magazine closed).
Tot plegat una pena... (Sad, sad, sad)
Novastar were a great little group of people. I'll never forget the sadness in their last message to the customers, tlaking about the death of the landrey's daughter.
Their series od scenarios were just great at the time.
My favorites were the Norway ones and the Patton ones, I had tremendous fun with them.
My Otta scenario, one of the two I published, is based on their work.
Yes Phil, you are right. I have finded the disk and it's from SSI and Novastar. In the readme.txt files is a list of the scenarios and Campaigns included. And wishes of gratitude to the men who did the work:
Hayden Dawson
James Young
John Welch
Mark Walker
Michael Knight
Wild Bill Wilder
Tim Maushardt
C.B. Blackard
Charles A. Meconis
Chuck Hooker
David Landrey
Mike Whitehead
Terry Lee
Peter D'Adamo
You can see Wild Bill Raider in the list.
The scenarios were fine. I specially remember "The Iron Cross" (the game meeted the vision of the film, 6 years ago), very tough Steiner.
Someone know about the adaptation of SP1 to Warzone (the Miniature Wargame from Target Games) made by Novastar? (Target games dessapeared also)
I heared about it, but did not know if was true. Sorry for my English. And Thanks.
David Landrey actually ran Novastar. He wrote Battles of Napoleon and I bought a few scenario disks from him for that game and Tanks. BON was a great game. I still remember the article in Computer Gaming World. The author said it was better than sex. I wouldn't go that far, though.
Thanks for the news.
I did not knew Novastar was in active. Can you say to me the Web, please? When it was active, i had'nt Internet at home. Thanks.
:p
A walk down memory lane, Mikimoto. I worked with Novastar for two years. For awhile it was David, me and James Young only.
My work began with scenario discs for TANKS (remember). I did some 10 disks and about 200 scenarios in Tanks.
Then came SP1. David asked me to be a part of the beta team for SP1, which I did. In fact, I've had the honor of being on every beta team for every version of SP, including the subsequent campaign disks.
With SP, I did some 19 discs, and about 15 single scenarios for Novastar, including the Steiner Iron Cross one you mentioned. I did two on Steiner. With Novastar it was some 200+ SP1 scenarios.
Those Cds included (If I can remember them all)
Hell on Wheels (2 Armored Division - 10 Scen)
Desert Fox (NA - 10 Scen)
Blood and Guts 1&2 (20 scenarios - 2 CDs)
SP Goes to Movies (10 scenarios)
Birth of a Legend (Rommel in France - 10 scen)
Tank Battles around Bastogne (10 scenarios)
Cross of Iron (10 scenarios)
Medal of Honor (10 Scenarios)
3 Part Series on the Pacific (30 scenarios - 3CDs)
3 Part Series on Western Europe, Sept 44-May45 30 scenarios - 3 CDs)
Tank Aces I (10 scenarios)
Tank Aces II (10 scenarios)
Market Garden (10 scenarios)
There may have been others, plus some 12+ single scenarios.
I learned a lot while working with David Landrey. He was the man who put his trust in me and gave me my chance. I'll always be greatful to him for that.
Wild Bill
In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Independent Game Consultant
David Landrey was a warm, mild-mannered gentleman to talk with over the phone - very generous with his time, I thought. I ordered virtually every SP campaign add-on as well as the BoN scenario disks (6 of 'em, I believe).
I agree about the BoN system. Nothing has really come along to surpass it for turn based Napoleonic play.
Now, I frankly thought that SP was dead in the water until Matrix came along to magnificently resurrect a great game system!
Maybe, someone <wink> could do the same for the venerable BoN system?
Both these game systems share some pleasing similarites in that they both sport powerful editors. And I love the idea of "scenario packs" and "plug-ins" . . . . Also, the BoN 'selectable' AI scheme was rather ahead of its time, given the kinds of AI's we have seen around even of late.
But, my main point was to chorus Novastar and send my best to David Landrey; and to thank Wild Bill (just learned of his participation via this thread!) for his excellent choice to work at Novastar . . . a determined 'maverick' [small] company with a big heart to support a wargamer's "add-on" interests.
Sounds like Matrix Games is the closest thing around to Novastar. I'm not aware of any current company that is as good to its customers as Matrix. (If there is, please let me know!!!) We need to support Matrix so that it continues to be successful, otherwise we will be stuck with big corporations that will only pursue gaming efforts to stuff their pocketbooks.
"I would have much rather that he had given me one more division" - Rommel after receiving his field marshall baton
Novastar and David were two of the best, pioneers in the small independent gaming efforts.
It was an honor for me to be a part of it. Of course you all know I am sure Michael Wood was also a vital part of Novastar.
We thank you for your support of Matrix. It won't last long without it. You are the lifeblood that keeps the organs (I guess that is us) working and the body alive and productive.
Thanks for standing with us...WB
In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Independent Game Consultant
Originally posted by Mikimoto: Yes. I remember (correctly?)...
That's right! I remember the article that was published in one of the first issues of Cyberstratège.
...Later we knew Novastar closed, again in Cyberestratège (later this magnificent magazine closed)...
I wasn't aware the mag was sold in Spain but you're right, it was a great publication. If you are looking for something similar you should give a try to Vae Victis. It's the same publisher (Histoire et Collections), the same look and feel and you will find some pages (two to four) pursuing the work done with Cyberstratège.
Mainly this magazine is talking about boardgames though (there's also a fully playable game inserted in each issue)... .
I had a few of those discs from Novastar. Probley close to 50 or 60 scenarios....and that wasn't even close to what Novastar had.
I wonder how many of those scenarios have been converted to the SPWAW format?
Hello, Gloo.
Cyberestratège was sold in Spain, because two or three wargame shops imported them from France. The same about VaeVictis and Ravage (fantasy equivalent). I own VaeVictis since number 19, and the three available numbers of Ravage.
The sperit of Cyber is inside those excepcional magazines, but not the CD, a source of wonderfuls scenarios, add-ons, etc..
If only one substitute of it, here in Europe...
Tres Anillos para los Reyes Elfos bajo el cielo.
Siete para los Señores Enanos en casas de piedra.
Nueve para los Hombres Mortales condenados a morir.
Uno para el Señor Oscuro, sobre el trono oscuro en la Tierra de Mordor donde se extienden las sombras.
Un Anillo para gobernarlos a todos.
Un Anillo para encontrarlos,
un Anillo para atraerlos a todos y atarlos en las tinieblas
en la Tierra de Mordor donde se extienden las Sombras.
I talked to the owners of Novastar when their company was going down to find out about the money for my subscription that was not fullfilled. They were very nice people. They sent me everything they had for Steel Panthers in return.
The letter they sent out saying why they were quitting was very sad.
The thing I missed about the whole deal was the little Warzone flier that they would send out. It made for good reading on my lunch breaks. I still have everything in a wine box. They were very good people.
Afterwards, I went on a quest to find out if any of those guys were still making scenerios for Steel Panthers on their own (Especially that "Wild Bill" guy) and I landed here.
I think I had all of the Landry scenarios for SP. They were great in their time. The tragedies of that company were too much for it. I remember Mr. Landry's letter stating that SSI had begun giving away free SP scenarios on their website, thus pretty much screwing the Landrys. The Landry's did deliver as much of the last Mega Campaign as they could when they flamed out.
The SSI operation was driven over the cliff by Mattell. "How many Barbie Dolls can SSI games sell for us?" No Barbie Dolls means no corporate budget. sorry! Now SSI is a husk.
Earlier in grognard history SPI was purchased by the dragonmasters. SPI had mismanaged itself into a financial black hole all on their own. The dragonmasters essentially told the SPI-dependent grognards to "shift over to D&D or piss off!" We left there and migrated around.
It seems like these corporate mergers are deadly for the wargame community. I won' even go into AH and their sorry later devolution. AH's biggest genius play: selling Civilization I! That is on the stupid scale right up there with Zitadelle!
I hope that Matrix can remain pretty much like it is: grognard-friendly, feedback-driven, financially careful, high quality. The truth is that when people get into technical gaming they tend to go up. They get into more and more powerful computers, more technical games, better cars etc. Matrix is right there.
You are right, Matrix is here and I like how it is. When a Company remains Human and closest to people, it's a Hit.
"Matrix has Grognard Feeling."
Well said! The only thing that troubles me now is that I don't 'grumble' here on these boards like I HAVE to grumble elsewhere, because of what you already observed.
I want a "Matrix has a Grognard Feeling" bumper sticker for my jeep utility 'wagon'
