Matrix Games Forums

I know that the game has only just been announced but I have to ask if there are plans to take the game global in the future by adding the Pacific theatre?

Plans include a Pacific and a World War scenario. The European Theater is the best place to solidify the proof of concept for the game mechanics and test the A.I. to its maximum potential.

Currently there is are 1939, 1942, 1943, 1944 scenarios.

thanks for the update and extra info fuzzypup and good luck on the beta and release

ORIGINAL: fuzzypup

Plans include a Pacific and a World War scenario. The European Theater is the best place to solidify the proof of concept for the game mechanics and test the A.I. to its maximum potential.

Currently there is are 1939, 1942, 1943, 1944 scenarios.

That's great news. I've always wanted to be able to fight the entire world war on all fronts. Very excited about this game.

Great news !

Will the game only include the "full" ETO campaigns with different starting dates or will it have (at release or in the future) the possibility of "smaller" scenarios ? (eg, Barbarossa, NA campaign, et al) =

Regards

ORIGINAL: Franciscus

Great news !

Will the game only include the "full" ETO campaigns with different starting dates or will it have (at release or in the future) the possibility of "smaller" scenarios ? (eg, Barbarossa, NA campaign, et al) =

Regards

Currently it has full "ETO" scenarios. There are some smaller scenarios in the works. Most players play the main 1939 scenario or the larger ones so I am focusing on finishing those first. Currently I am completing the 1944 scenario.

How would you rate the gameplay complexity on a scale of 1-10 using Strategic Command as a 5 rating?

ORIGINAL: Hanal

How would you rate the gameplay complexity on a scale of 1-10 using Strategic Command as a 5 rating?

I designed WarPlan to be between Strategic Command 3 and War in the East. But there are different levels of complexity within the game itself. Taking a single example Strategic Command has more tactical complexity while WarPlan has more production and logistics complexity. Each game appeals to a certain type of player.

ORIGINAL: fuzzypup
[...] while WarPlan has more production and logistics complexity.

That sounds like fun to me! I love the balance that MWiF accomplishes. There is enough abstraction so that you get a quick review of a front and take decissions and it's complex enough to spent a good time planning your move.


I don't like when units have factors for combat, readiness, experience, morale, supply... you end up launching a 7:1 combat, failing and not knowing why.

Regarding multiplayer, how many players can play? Just 2 or more?

ORIGINAL: juntoalmar

ORIGINAL: fuzzypup
[...] while WarPlan has more production and logistics complexity.

That sounds like fun to me! I love the balance that MWiF accomplishes. There is enough abstraction so that you get a quick review of a front and take decissions and it's complex enough to spent a good time planning your move.


I don't like when units have factors for combat, readiness, experience, morale, supply... you end up launching a 7:1 combat, failing and not knowing why.

Regarding multiplayer, how many players can play? Just 2 or more?

Sometimes high odds attack fail to retreat. If you played MWIF with the 2d10 system even a +12 attack can roll a 2

As for multiplayer.... PBEM2, PBEM normal, Hotseat. If you play PBEM normal you can pass around the file to each player. PBEM2 is heads up.

ORIGINAL: fuzzypup

Sometimes high odds attack fail to retreat. If you played MWIF with the 2d10 system even a +12 attack can roll a 2

Of course that can happen, although it's unlikely and the fact that the dice roll and combat tables are visible allows you to know that it was simply bad luck.

When there is an attack with 10 units, each of them with 8 different factors and it fails... (with no public dice roll) it's hard to know why.

ORIGINAL: fuzzypup

ORIGINAL: Hanal

How would you rate the gameplay complexity on a scale of 1-10 using Strategic Command as a 5 rating?

I designed WarPlan to be between Strategic Command 3 and War in the East. But there are different levels of complexity within the game itself. Taking a single example Strategic Command has more tactical complexity while WarPlan has more production and logistics complexity. Each game appeals to a certain type of player.

I am confused. Doesn't Strategic command take place on a smaller map? Your map is one hex = 50km so why wouldn't your game have more tactical complexity. I also hope that this game does include morale, experience, supply etc... otherwise you might as well play Risk.

ORIGINAL: ajarnlance

ORIGINAL: fuzzypup

ORIGINAL: Hanal

How would you rate the gameplay complexity on a scale of 1-10 using Strategic Command as a 5 rating?

I designed WarPlan to be between Strategic Command 3 and War in the East. But there are different levels of complexity within the game itself. Taking a single example Strategic Command has more tactical complexity while WarPlan has more production and logistics complexity. Each game appeals to a certain type of player.

I am confused. Doesn't Strategic command take place on a smaller map? Your map is one hex = 50km so why wouldn't your game have more tactical complexity. I also hope that this game does include morale, experience, supply etc... otherwise you might as well play Risk.

SCWW2WIE is 20M hex, Warplan is 30M a hex, and SCWW2WAW is something like 40-50M a hex (not sure exactly), so WarPlan is in between the two SC games, but you are correct that this has larger hexes as an ETO game than the SC ETO game.

ORIGINAL: Bamilus

ORIGINAL: ajarnlance

ORIGINAL: fuzzypup




I designed WarPlan to be between Strategic Command 3 and War in the East. But there are different levels of complexity within the game itself. Taking a single example Strategic Command has more tactical complexity while WarPlan has more production and logistics complexity. Each game appeals to a certain type of player.

I am confused. Doesn't Strategic command take place on a smaller map? Your map is one hex = 50km so why wouldn't your game have more tactical complexity. I also hope that this game does include morale, experience, supply etc... otherwise you might as well play Risk.

SCWW2WIE is 20M hex, Warplan is 30M a hex, and SCWW2WAW is something like 40-50M a hex (not sure exactly), so WarPlan is in between the two SC games, but you are correct that this has larger hexes as an ETO game than the SC ETO game.

Thanks!

I felt one corp per hex was about correct for a game that would be playable and fun with a lot of flexibility.

There are different ways to do maps for a game. SC3 Europe map uses a Mercator map which is what everyone is used to. I use a modified Peter's map which makes the map get taller the closer it gets to the equator.
If you play War in the East 1 WarPlan Europe hex = 7-9 hexes
If you play World in Flames 4 WarPlan Europe hexes = 1 hex

In Beta testing we will hammer out some details and corrections to movement, combat, and the map.

I bought SC WIE but not SC World at War because I do not like the scale used in the latter taking a lot of the ability to maneuver in Europe away. How are you going to handle the vast distances in the Pacific theater when you consider that it is about 6200 kilometers from Hawaii to Tokyo. At 50 km a hex that would be 12400 hexes!

Sorry but my math was obviously screwed up. At 6200 km. and 50 km per hex that would be 124 hexes.

The game system uses reconnaissance levels. So the physical distance isn't an issue. Almost all naval combat took place near a coast and seldom in deep ocean waters. Consider it took half the British fleet to find the Bismark. If it's rudder had not been hit it is very likely it would have escaped. The Pacific is 4x larger than Europe. How to implement it might be to double the scale which would fit along the European map. But these are future plans. Currently my goal is to make sure WarPlan comes out bug free and fun to play for my target audience.

like what i see and hear so far

Good luck with this. It looks very promising.

Can you tell us any more about naval combat? I've found it pretty much has to be a Grigsby game for naval combat at this scale to work well.

Cheers,
CB