WaW Heritage and Peers

[bmodified]

Hearts of Iron has been mentioned (RTS, Global, area map PC game). Axis and Allies has been brought up (Turn based, Global, area map boardgame). There are other board and computer games with a theater setting (Strategic Command, Third Reich, Kreig,
Hitler's War) but not so many global scale games.

The old SPI WWII comes to mind, as does the ever popular World in Flames. Probably the closest thing to the concept of WaW that I've played is Blitzkreig General from UGG, a turn based, area map, global boardgame. The basic BG game was simple indeed, but the advanced game added enough features (including an interesting card based series of events) to keep it out of the "Risk" class.

Computer WiF looms on the horizon (someday), but the complexity and time commitment will keep it in another class entirely. SC2 has been promised, but I think it will still be theater level. As a computer game, it seems that WaW will be without peer, for the time being.

Since the concept seems to be a no-brainer, Why hasn't this been done before (if it has been, I'm not aware of it) in a PC game? Getting it to "feel" right must be harder than it looks, not to mention the task of coming up with a usable map that represents the whole planet. Was the combat in the Pacific so different from that in Europe that it is hard to capture in a single format (WiF did nicely by doubling the scale of the vast Pacific)?
What is it that is so hard to capture here?

Also, what features from previous designs did you really like, in past computer or board games?

[SeaMonkey]

Ok bmodified I'll bite. My CPU heritage wargames are CM, TOAW, PzC, SC, and HttR. The board games are to numerous to mention. So far as a system goes I love the dynamics of HttR, only one problem, no PBEM. Here is what I forsee. To mesh the Pacific and European scales will take a highly flexible system to incorporate the "feel of battle". Yes I love the research, diplomacy, and production aspects, but I'm not fooling myself, the recon anticipation and climax of the battle is what makes the "wargame" for me. The global scale can be made of hexes or areas, makes no difference, but when it comes to the search/battle we'll need hexes or a grid. Can todays CPUs handle a global grid, I don't think so. So we'll need a zoom feature to get to the smaller battles, like the Pacific islands. I liked the way TOAW used the TO&E of each unit to define its combat specialties as well as the HttR feature of grouping units into a task oriented battlegroup, this can be used for naval and air also. Keep in mind if hexes are used in the strategic scale then you could break each hex into a subhex zoomed in map for operations. Think of concentric hex configurations as being nothing but a larger hex. You select a hex in some area and use the zoom feature and voila, an operational map(with all the terrain features) of hexes appears in that area for you to deploy your forces on against your opponents. You simply conduct the battle to its conclusion ala IGO/UGO or RTS or simultaneously. Or you could simply decide to role the dice for the whole battle at the strategic scale, instant gratification or failure. Now in reality the major combatants planned and stockpiled for various operations on a selective philosophy of which area was the most crucial. Since obviously you and your opponent can't go around fighting operational size conflicts all over the globe, there would have to be some mechanism that would allow for such battles. I call that mechanism initiative. Based upon your supply, force structure, and intelligence level(others?) in an area you may be able to force a smaller scale battle by having the initiative. So in a nutshell there it is. A grand strategic/operational battle conflict simulation across the entire planet. Glad I'm not going to be the designers, just a player. I will start saving up my $ for the CPU that will eventually be marketed to handle it.......hmmmm maybe next lifetime.

[Cheesehead]

Based on Joel's descriptions of GGWaW, I'm going to go out on a limb and predict greatness for this game. It will be an instant classic. It will set a new standard for global, grand-strategy WWII games (board and computer). It will be the death blow for Axis and Allies and will inspire other companies to try and keep up. [:)]

[Von Rom]

ORIGINAL: Cheesehead

Based on Joel's descriptions of GGWaW, I'm going to go out on a limb and predict greatness for this game. It will be an instant classic. It will set a new standard for global, grand-strategy WWII games (board and computer). It will be the death blow for Axis and Allies and will inspire other companies to try and keep up. [:)]

This is my feeling as well, especially when you consider who is designing it.

Gary and company are well known for their attention to detail, and with Matrix backing the product, it should be a sure fire winner.

With WiTP and WiF coming out with super detail, it will be refreshing to play a grand strategy game like WaW that offers a bit more in the way of streamlined gameplay. It also looks perfect for PBEM games.

With the ability to mod the game, then the possibilities look bright indeed.

CheerS!