Matrix Games Forums

How many scenarios do you envision the game having?

The opportunity to play both Roman and non-Roman factions is a great new feature. Will there also be multiplayer (pbem) for two human players.?

I expect to have 16 campaign scenarios. I hope to have the same number of land battle scenarios.

When you say land battle scenarios how does that different from campaign scenarios? Are you saying that land battle scenarios only focus on one battle, unlike campaigns which have a series of battles within a strategic context?

ORIGINAL: mercenarius

These are placeholder graphics, so, yes, they don't look that great.

Actually, those graphics are fine, they have a very Roman "feel" to them, at least in my opinion.

I have been looking forward to this game for years, maybe I will buy it for myself as a birthday gift latter this year.

Thank you for the update. [:)]

ORIGINAL: Lascar

When you say land battle scenarios how does that different from campaign scenarios? Are you saying that land battle scenarios only focus on one battle, unlike campaigns which have a series of battles within a strategic context?

In a word, yes. The land battle scenarios will focus on one battle and, to be honest, are mostly chrome. The campaign scenarios will be each be roughly like playing "Hannibal." Most of them will last between 20 and 80 turns (5 - 20 years). I want to include at least 3 short scenarios, and some kind of a Grand Campaign. I am still tweaking the scenario list a little, as you can surmise.

Actually, those graphics are fine, they have a very Roman "feel" to them, at least in my opinion.

Thanks for your kind words!

That sounds great! Considering that I still play Hannibal every now and then, I imagine getting my money's worth, and then some, from the new game. [:)]

Speaking of Hannibal, I'd love to see both the First and Second Punic Wars included. Now I understand that you can't exactly have *every* ancient war in the initial release, but maybe add new ones in separate scenario packs? Ageod did that with their Alea Jacta Est.

See, I'm already confident that this new game will do well enough to warrant expansion packs. No pressure! [;)]

Thx for update, can you set a more specific date of launch?

ORIGINAL: Lascar

When you say land battle scenarios how does that different from campaign scenarios? Are you saying that land battle scenarios only focus on one battle, unlike campaigns which have a series of battles within a strategic context?

In a word, yes. The land battle scenarios will focus on one battle and, to be honest, are mostly chrome. The campaign scenarios will be each be roughly like playing "Hannibal." Most of them will last between 20 and 80 turns (5 - 20 years). I want to include at least 3 short scenarios, and some kind of a Grand Campaign. I am still tweaking the scenario list a little, as you can surmise.

Will the war between Queen Zenobia of Palmyria and Rome be one of the campaigns?

Speaking of Hannibal, I'd love to see both the First and Second Punic Wars included.

I plan to eventually do that with an expansion or an add-on product. That is definitely something that I will want to follow up with.

Will the war between Queen Zenobia of Palmyria and Rome be one of the campaigns?

Yes. [:)]

Thx for update, can you set a more specific date of launch?

No. [:(]


To be more specific, I'll have to get closer to the finished game before I want to give any estimates of a release date. I haven't been very accurate with that in the past. Sorry.

mercenarius

Will the war between Queen Zenobia of Palmyria and Rome be one of the campaigns?

Yes. [:)]

Outstanding. That was one of the more intriguing Roman wars: a potentially powerful rival to Rome based on the resource rich regions of Asia minor, the Levant and Egypt.

Would this campaign allow for other factions becoming involved such as intervention by the Persians?

Any updates on the game?

I am still plugging away on it. I am still working on the Administrative Interface. I have finished the first generation of all the "Major Enactments" and planned their themes (some details are still being worked out). I have also refined the departments and improved the existing icons. They'll probably go through one or two revisions before the game is released. Here is an updated sample:

Here are the Major Enactments for two other departments:

You'll have the option to turn off the Latin and see the labels in English, btw. So you could see something like "Unit Status & Regulations" in place of "Status et Ordines".

I realize that I haven't given you the information that you really want. But, I cannot give a date for release, however. Sorry. [:(]

Between contract work and the need to finish the artwork myself, I am just not sure how quickly I can finish the game, but I am working on it.

Thanks for asking!

Would this campaign allow for other factions becoming involved such as intervention by the Persians?

First off, Lascar, let me apologize for taking so long to respond. You ask a very good question. My answer is that yes, I want to do that. But, after thinking about this, I have half decided that I may need to consider some kind of expansion pack with additional resources to do justice to players who want to cause the Fall of Rome, as it were.

I'll have see how this plays out after I have gotten the administrative functions working and I start to program the AI and get the economy working. I want to keep the focus on the game being a war game, but I do want the players to have some taste of administration.

In practical terms, a Persian player is going to need a different experience in the Administrative Interface. And that probably means deferring the "Anti-Roman" scenarios to some kind of add-on. Not for extra money, but to do justice to the game play, of course. [8D]

I know that I am flip-flopping on some earlier statements, but I now more fully realize what is going to be required. [&:]

This all looks very intriguing!

ORIGINAL: mercenarius

In practical terms, a Persian player is going to need a different experience in the Administrative Interface. And that probably means deferring the "Anti-Roman" scenarios to some kind of add-on. Not for extra money, but to do justice to the game play, of course. [8D]

That's probably the wisest course of action. Cramming everything into the initial release would only make the development process even longer, and the natives are already getting restless. [;)]

I imagine Carthage would be the power with the best chance of actually beating Rome, so one expansion pack could perhaps be devoted to the Punic Wars. At least the first two of them were hard struggles for Rome.

I like the screenshots! [:)]

As this will be including multiplayer, may I please ask that you include something other than PBEM in addition to whatever else you do. Even if all you do on LAN play when it isn't your turn is watch the other person do theirs with FOW still on, I hate having to log in and out and wait for notifications when I just want to play a game with a friend for a few hours.