[Deleted]

[gekkoguy35]

@wodin

Please forgive me if you're already aware of this game, but you might check out "On the Western Front" on Steam. While you're a divisional commander rather than a company, it does incorporate many things you list in your last wargame idea. There's also some elements of air combat. It's pretty detailed, and you can construct trenches, place hospitals, HQ bunkers, manage your OOB and more. Very neat. I've not had a chance to play it extensively but it seems to have a lot of potential.



For my part, I'd love a ACW game that's done to a level of detail like WitE2. Hexes covering the country, production system, the whole bit. Maybe even some streamlined political options. Like an updated version of the old Frank Hunter ACW game.

[wodin]

ORIGINAL: gekkoguy35

@wodin

Please forgive me if you're already aware of this game, but you might check out "On the Western Front" on Steam. While you're a divisional commander rather than a company, it does incorporate many things you list in your last wargame idea. There's also some elements of air combat. It's pretty detailed, and you can construct trenches, place hospitals, HQ bunkers, manage your OOB and more. Very neat. I've not had a chance to play it extensively but it seems to have a lot of potential.



For my part, I'd love a ACW game that's done to a level of detail like WitE2. Hexes covering the country, production system, the whole bit. Maybe even some streamlined political options. Like an updated version of the old Frank Hunter ACW game.

Have it:)

I find certain things about it not sit right. Would have been better at a smaller scale, plus actual to scale trench design building.

[ncc1701e]

ORIGINAL: Grognerd_INC

What would you do to make the game ground-breaking - or to set it apart from the rest of the designers??

I have for a long time thought war game designs for computers don't utilize the full potential of the computer. But I'm not a programmer so I'm not sure if this is just a perception of mine.

I would do a wargame in VR. Like this, you have a tabletop, some counters, simulated opponents in front of you moving their counters. You have a real wargame in front of you but without the beers.

[wodin]

ORIGINAL: Grognerd_INC

What would you do to make the game ground-breaking - or to set it apart from the rest of the designers??

I have for a long time thought war game designs for computers don't utilize the full potential of the computer. But I'm not a programmer so I'm not sure if this is just a perception of mine.

I agree.

[Kuokkanen]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

I would like to have a game where you start out and make a settlement and go on to have a space empire. Micromanage at first but as your settlement grows, then less micromanagement. If there is combat, then you go to a different game engine for the military movements, then you can either do the battles or the computer can do them.

Meh, already made & done
Empire Earth
Spore
Maybe others too

[hapshott]

A wargame with good AI. I don't have the possibility to commit to an online game.

I always have the feeling that most of the current game designers give a lot of attention to the graphics. This at the expense of the AI.

I find scripted scenario lazy programming and not replayable. You alreay know that X platoons are coming from the right or left when you replay it. A solution for such cases would be more scripts. But then you have a difficult time in debugging and fine-tune all the scripts.

I like the John Tiller campaign (Napoleonic and Civil war) series. But here the scenarios are also scripted. I also think that the AI does sometimes stupid things. I use house rules to restrict me such that the AI can keep up a little. E.g. Use a dice to determine if a unit is allowed to move. Something like the brother against brother system. Here you need to pass a check to see if a unit can move. Do this only for the player and not the AI. By this you give the AI a nice advantage and the AI can be a little stupid. The JT campaign have a lot of scenarios. This also helps replayability

My design would be the topdown look of steel panthers (but better sprites). Combined with we-go mechanic and of course the whole WW2 just as steel panthers has. No DLC for the fronts. I know that we already have something this with Combat Mission. But I think that the AI should be much better than it now is. Especially the random generated missions.

An idea of my would be that the AI determines the tactics it want to us on higher level. Attack centre, use right flank, etc. Perhaps help the AI by looking at the player units, then it selects 4 tactics and randomize which tactics is chosen. After that it will use a tactics engine.

best regards,

Hapshott

[Rosseau]

"Groundbreaking" is a tough call. But I'd settle for a version of winSPMBT: Main Battle Tank with improved graphics and UI.

Maybe that will be the modern version of the upcoming Matrix Steel Panthers II, or whatever they are calling the true sequel.

[Anonymous]

[Deleted by Admins]

[Rosseau]

Those three titles would certainly be in my (personal) Top 10 over the last 35 years, and I still play them all, except CM is now CMx2.

All three also have detailed scenario editors, so that's a must-have.

They are all groundbreaking for the reasons you listed. And hybrid real time and turn based would be great.

So an amalgamation of those three that will also sell enough copies - there you have it! [;)]

[gamer78]

By ground breaking?, I've always been in a rush to beta test in Ageod games. But Russian Civil War Gold found me when I've been already playing vanilla. Any historical conflict interest me not only game mechanics, fascinating to learn new history and conflicts.

[Rosseau]

The larger (optional) Revolution Under Siege Gold campaign game has always been my favorite Ageod scenario. Thanks for reminding me, gamer78!

And yes, I knew nothing about the Russian Civil War until then.

Today I purchased the recently released (on Battlefront so far) Combat Mission Cold War. That's a potential conflict I knew something about, so I was not sure I would enjoy it. Very close to home. But we'll see.

Back on topic to the OP's original post, a game that would allow the larger engagements simulated by a game like CMCW via a higher level resolution, with the option to play it out tactically, would be quite nice. Something like a Command Ops 2 with the ability to go deeper.

[berto]

ORIGINAL: hapshott

A wargame with good AI...

I find scripted scenario lazy programming and not replayable. You alreay know that X platoons are coming from the right or left when you replay it. A solution for such cases would be more scripts. But then you have a difficult time in debugging and fine-tune all the scripts.

It depends on the game's scripting engine. With a robust scripting engine, the scenario designer can vary the action, and reaction, and even have it auto-adapt.

An idea of my would be that the AI determines the tactics it want to us on higher level. Attack centre, use right flank, etc. Perhaps help the AI by looking at the player units, then it selects 4 tactics and randomize which tactics is chosen. After that it will use a tactics engine.

We are doing this more or less (not quite for all scenarios) in the forthcoming Campaign Series: Vietnam game (and all future CS games).

With the CSEE (Campaign Series Event Engine) and its SAI (Scripted AI), there is no end to the sophistication, and replayability. As you say, it is time consuming debugging and fine tuning the scripts. But practical time constraints and programming difficulty aside, inherently there are no limits on what you can do with the CSEE/SAI.

[Jason Petho]

Yes, with Campaign Series Vietnam, there is a lot of scripting for the scenarios.

For the scenarios I have scripted, the AI will play (with a few options down to the company level) as I would be playing against you. Will it be a Napoleon? No. Will it give you a run for your money? Yes, I believe it will.

[gamer78]

ORIGINAL: Rosseau

The larger (optional) Revolution Under Siege Gold campaign game has always been my favorite Ageod scenario. Thanks for reminding me, gamer78!

And yes, I knew nothing about the Russian Civil War until then.

Today I purchased the recently released (on Battlefront so far) Combat Mission Cold War. That's a potential conflict I knew something about, so I was not sure I would enjoy it. Very close to home. But we'll see.

Back on topic to the OP's original post, a game that would allow the larger engagements simulated by a game like CMCW via a higher level resolution, with the option to play it out tactically, would be quite nice. Something like a Command Ops 2 with the ability to go deeper.

Hi Rosseau, I'll check combat missions-but I don't like "potential conflicts"-[:)]. There are real conflicts in the past still no game about it. I've watched previously The Vietnam War(TV series) directed by Ken Burns, it was full of military and civilian back home conflicts and I enjoy it. I'll definetely like a game about it. More nations produce a documentary such as this quality I'll definitely watch and play a game about it.

[Kuokkanen]

ORIGINAL: Grognerd_INC

Which games do you think are ground breaking and why?

Sid Meier's Civilization

Do I need to tell why?

I don't know what would be as groundbreaking game like that, so my game design would be just to refine the Civ series with wargame level detail. More unit statistics, logistics, combined arms...

[Rosseau]

Yes, one might imagine the Civ Series with a decent wargaming engine. That might be a huge hit for many gamers.

And I forgot about the Campaign Series, which I own. The scripting capabilities are exciting. And I love the current CSME game in general.

But even for an old wargamer like me, CSME is relatively difficult to play UI-wise. There is pleasure there for sure, but you really need to invest in learning the system - greatly improved - but still going back to the late John Tiller's Campaign Series roots.

[Jason Petho]

But even for an old wargamer like me, CSME is relatively difficult to play UI-wise.

We have updated the UI for Vietnam, and will port these improvements with the 3.0 Update for Middle East.

[gamer78]

ORIGINAL: Rosseau

Yes, one might imagine the Civ Series with a decent wargaming engine. That might be a huge hit for many gamers.

With Civ 6 series IMHO- if you've played- it become perfect city building- perfect engineering game -with best city placements and districts system- no where near in wargaming this perfect plan..

For the topic If I could design computer wargame I'll also look at conflicts before 20'th century. There is always worth developing game about.

[Elessar2]

For me it would be a hybrid grand strategy/FPS/sim of WWII. Spawn at your base, head out in your tank/ship/airplane, fight for bases, interdict convoys, bomb factories. Would have a chain of command, experienced players running the show and deciding on the broader moves.

Now, I am well aware that this has already been tried, with WW2 Online, whose graphics engine is wayyy out of date and feature adds have been glacial. I'd try to appeal to the World of X crowd; with a sufficient critical mass of players it would be awesome. Maybe.

[Rosseau]

With that in mind, from a Naval point-of-view, we have Steam's War on the Sea in early access, which is not bad, and may be worth a look for some. It is also easily text-moddable.

And thanks Matrix for reminding us on your Home Page ([:)]), but there is Broken Arrow coming our way. Hoping for the best on that one, but will still commit to purchase it on day-one.