Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary

[Hanal]

ORIGINAL: markhwalker

An update... Marc is now working on the first four Soviet campaign maps, and Tom is coding in offboard artillery and airstrike rules. David is working on, well... let's just say unique counters for the Soviets. These weapons are revealed if the Germans choose to take a branch in thier campaign.

Artillery will start by using the V3 rules, in other words the strike impacts in the same impulse it is called, but we may back off that after testing. We do that in the board game to prevent units from running away from an attack. In the computer game we have other options.

The airstrike will use the same rules that we are testing for the Falklands module on the board game, titled Ring of Hills.

The first four Soviet campaign scenarios are pretty interesting with the Soviets required to do everything from escort civilians, to master a temporary change from turn-base to real-time as they attempt to rush off a board.

I do not like the sound of the "temporary change from turn based to real time...." description. If I want a real time game then I'll buy that; I'm not looking for that here....

[Rocko911]

"II do not like the sound of the "temporary change from turn based to real time...." description. If I want a real time game then I'll buy that; I'm not looking for that here.... "


I agree on that point!

[andym]

PLEASE dont make this a real time based game.Theres plenty already out there.If it does change then i shant be spending my money on it!

[pad152]

I would hate to see this go real time![&:]

[HobbesACW]

Yes, that sounds very off putting.

[Barthheart]

Guys, If you read Mark's message again you'll sse quite clearly that this is NOT a RTS game. There is a part of 1 scenario that requires you to react in realtime to get off the map. It's only 1 small part of one scenario of one of the campaigns programmed.

Dont' worry, be happy![8D]

[Owen]

Heroes of Stalingrad is based on a system originally designed for a series of board games. And, like every squad level WWII board game I've ever seen, I'm sure it allows for opportunity fire. It may be your turn to move but as you move your units from hex to hex your opponent has the opportunity to interrupt your movement by firing at you or otherwise reacting.

So it that sense it is both turn based AND real time. Board games are structured for head to head play. Heroes of Stalingrad probably could not be played PBEM (I'm guessing here) because it seems to be a pretty straight conversion of the board game ruleset and it's impossible to have opportunity fire in a PBEM game unless it's automated somehow.

A lot of board wargamers play online using a program like Vassal which provides people with an interface to play over the computer. But both players need to be connected and usually need to have the real board game in front of them as they play. Vassal is just a way to communicate and show your moves to a distant opponent. My point is that board games in general, even when played over the computer, need to have both players present.

[thewood1]

SP (and the Campaign series) is the same basic design as a board game, turn-based and sequential movement.  It handles opp fire fairly well.  I would expect the same mechanic as those.

[Owen]

SP? Steel Panthers? It sure helps to spell out an abbreviation the first time it's used in a discussion. I haven't played Steel Panthers for a decade or so. I can't remember, in SP does a tank counter represent a single tank like in the Lock 'n Load system or a squad of tanks?

Opp fire in a squad based game is no problem against a computer opponent. But I was thinking about what kind of head to head play would be featured in Heroes of Stalingrad. My guess is that it will not have PBEM (much beloved by turn based wargamers) because the opp fire would have to be handled by the computer and that would really not work well at this scale where the decision to opp fire or not is so important.

Are you saying that Steel Panthers featured opp fire in PBEM games? Was it handled automatically by the AI?

[lancerunolfsson]

John Tillers Campaign series uses auto op fire in PBEM and in vs AI play. The player actually has a lot of control over the types of targets (if any)and ranges at which his units op fire. Biggest problem is setting the variables and then watching your trigger happy knuckle heads blaze away at exactly what you told them to shoot at. You just have to write it off to Comand and Control issues and FOG of war. I would much rather have this kind of set up than either no OP fire or having to interupt play every time something crosses a hostile line of fire. A big improvement in this kind of system would be an ability to set (optionally) unit specific overwatch areas. 

[markhwalker]

Hi Guys,
 
Quick update. German campaign complete...albeit not completely tested...five scenarios into the Soviet campaign.

[rickier65]

ORIGINAL: markhwalker

Hi Guys,

Quick update. German campaign complete...albeit not completely tested...five scenarios into the Soviet campaign.

Great! - Thanks for update.

Rick

[general_solomon]

Hi Mark,

thanks for the update, any chance of giving us fans a guestimated release date.  I am sure you have seen the Squad battles series.  how do thing this game will differ. 

thanks

[coreybowman]

sorry to interrupt the the real time turn based debate, but im dying to play this game. im not lokking for a hard date but any i dea when we are going to see this? a few weeks, months, by Christmas (i hope not).

[dougb]

Mark posted over at the lock n load forums that they have 3 more scenarios to go (was 5). BTW, the forums over here are now open for registration.

Best wishes,

Doug

[general_solomon]

Hi Mark: whats the word on the game.  can you throw us a bone. thanks

[benpark]

I just got my copies of Heroes of the Blitzkrieg and Noville. I'm really impressed with the components, but they lack the computer opponent and the Eastern Front angles. I'm hoping it's a matter of a few months (or less) now.

[general_solomon]

hello,

any news on the progress of the game.  when can we expect the game.  at least add some new video gameplay on utube.