I think that he should do it and and have it ready by this time next year since he thinks that it is so easy. [:D]
Well... Not saying it's easy, but it is doable. Or at least, worth trying [;)]
And about doing what must be done, I have been asking myself this question everyday for more than a year already...
I sure can't say for sure what should be done in order to create the aforementioned chimaera, a WitP Real Time clone on a Grand Strategic scale. Of course, as Hans pointed out with tact, challenges are different in terms of gameplay at this scale. In that regard, Victory at Sea: Pacific is a recent example of an attempt to put everything under the same hood, which isn't an easy task to say the least. You can’t expect true real time action not to force the gameplay to make concessions, if it aims at somewhat recreating the amount and depth of work WitP asks of the player. The mention of Hearts of Iron is an obvious illustration of the limitations of the genre once you step into the age of modern warfare – being an Europa Universalis fan of the first hour, I never could transition to the amount of abstraction required to make HoI’s magic work.
But at the tactical/grand tactical scale, it's quite another story. For those who asked themselves about how and what to do in that regard, know that there’s a few of us out there trying new things as we speak.[;)]
Regarding our project, we’re a bunch of PTO enthusiasts who went to the same school(s) of thought as you did (and by that I mean WitP, UV, but also CAW, GNB or the more platform-centric TF1942, 1942:PAW, etc...). Doesn’t take much more than what was mentioned earlier in this topic: a big chunk of time, a genius programmer, great, hardworking and generous 3D & 2D artists, and a guy with a few bucks to spare and a love for the topic – not to mention long years spent here and elsewhere, accumulating data & ideas. [8D]
For our first attempt, we’re going for a carrier combat tactical wargame - I tend to call it a carrier command simulation... But it's pausable real time, to me the level of realism and accuracy will still qualify it to be considered a wargame. The kind of wargame we never got, as a good base to grow further afterwards, step by step, towards surface warfare, platform-centric experiences and new game-modes allowing for a larger scale. A comprehensive yet understandable wargame, one that doesn't scare grognards or newcomers, using a modern interface and clear mechanics that will require little abstraction, and strive for intuitiveness instead. Something that looks beautiful and still plays well, has scalable difficulty and will give you a few chills - the nice kind.
We’ll be happy to tease a little content in due time indeed, if anyone is interested that is [;)]
Sorry for the shameless episode of self-promotion, but you might consider it as the first public acknowledgement that something is in the works, and I was happy that I could make it on these sacred and beloved grounds on mine, it’s kind of symbolic. For more info (and in fairness to the Matrixgames team, except if they were to authorize me to do otherwise), don’t hesitate to drop me a PM.
And yes, sometimes, it seems the only option left is to do it yourself ^^
See you later over Task Force 17 boys
Fish
