Matrix Games Forums

What ever happened to those guys? (Jim Rose and Charlie-what's-his-nut)?


Also what the hell happened to Norm Kroeger? (retired?)


Chad

I agree! I loved their Battleground series. Still play Gettysburg whenever I have a chance.

Norm is making a naval warfare game
Informatin available from his personal website

ORIGINAL: John III

I agree! I loved their Battleground series. Still play Gettysburg whenever I have a chance.

I will echo those sentiments! I've got more hours in on Gettysburg than any other wargame.

I seem to remember some of the Talonsoft guys guys joining Breakaway games. And if you mean Charlie Kibler, not sure what he is doing full-time, but he is doing some ASL work for MMP again.

Yes, Charlie Kibler....thanks Challerain..that was buggin' me all day...


I checked out BreakAway Games....not real impressed....

John III and rhondabrwn...
I actually own all those Battleground titles but have never played them!
Maybe I should bust 'em out of storage....
I was more of a Campaign Series fan-boy....East Front II multi-player with five other dorks was gaming nirvana...

Thanks for the infos.
Chad

I could not find Norm Kroeger's website via a search....can someone provide the addy?

http://home.austin.rr.com/normkoger/toc.html

Charles Kibler, Bob McNamara, and a few others from Talonsoft went to Breakaway Games hortly after Talonsoft was bought out by Take Two Interactive. Most of their work since then has been for the government. They do have a great tactical sim that they show at military sim shows. They are alive and well.

E

Thanks for the info old man of the sea....I forgot all about Bob McNamara and I'm happy to know they're alive and well....


But GOVERNMENT WORK!!!???[X(]

Don't we have enough goobers to do that kind of stuff already?

What a shame....


I wonder if Matrix would publish Norm's Russo-Jappo game.....

Government work is where the money is.

E

ORIGINAL: Juggalo

Yes, Charlie Kibler....thanks Challerain..that was buggin' me all day...


I checked out BreakAway Games....not real impressed....

John III and rhondabrwn...
I actually own all those Battleground titles but have never played them!
Maybe I should bust 'em out of storage....
I was more of a Campaign Series fan-boy....East Front II multi-player with five other dorks was gaming nirvana...

Thanks for the infos.
Chad

I highly recommend playing them, but be sure and go to John Tiller's website and get his 32 bit patches. Details at:

http://fly.hiwaay.net/~tiller/

You need to patch the games with Talonsoft patches before applying Tiller's 32 bit upgrades. You have to get the original patches because Talonsoft modified their versions to not work with the Tiller upgrades. Details are on Tiller's site with links to websites where the original Talonsoft patches may be found. Anyway, don't miss trying these games!

If you guys like the old Battleground Civil War games, and you have the money, you should try some of the newer HPS versions, especially the Gettysburg Campaign and Penninsular Campaigns. They are basically the same game system as the old Battlegrond series but have many new enhancements that make the games play much better. The biggest difference is that now you can select to play with an auto defensive fire setting so that defensive units get to fire while units are moving up instead of having to wait till all the phasing units have moved. This give a much more realistic and fluid feeling when maneuvering troops. It also eliminates one mailing when playing someone by email. There is also a new combat results formula that gives much more accurate fire and melee results. I'm not real pleased with the terrain and unit graphics but I've been able to incorporate my own graphics that make the new games look just like the old Battleground games. And of course all these games come with a campaign game too.

The AI is still weak, but when I play solitaire, I usually play both sides as human with full Fog of War. However, these games really bloom when playing against another person. I have probably spent more time playing, tweaking and creating with these games than any other game I own.

Dave, do you have the graphics mods up anywhere? I enjoy the games, but the graphics are rather...uninspired as is.

ORIGINAL: Dave Briggs

I'm not real pleased with the terrain and unit graphics but I've been able to incorporate my own graphics that make the new games look just like the old Battleground games. And of course all these games come with a campaign game too.

You just hit the nail on the head. When I view screenshots of the newer HPS games, I just cringe over the garish looking graphics. I preferred the old Battleground look as it really gave the feeling of having an aerial view of an actual battlefield. I had the same problem with Sid Meier's Gettysburg game... just too cartoonish looking.

I'd love to see a screenshot with your modified graphics!

Dave,

Your graphics mod interests me as well.

I forgot to add that Jim Rose has moved to Virginia and should be around gaming more in the near future me thinks.

E

This is the only site with ACW for HPS CW Campaigns graphics I have found:

http://brettschulte.net/ACWCGDC/index.html

The Regimental scale mod is the my favorite. Wish there was one for the Napoleonic games. If there were 100 hours in the day, I would make one...

I guess I should have explained that I only play these games in the 2D mode. It looks much more like a board game to me. I do not like the 3D images at all even if they were more clearly done. So if you are looking for 3D mods then I can't help you. But here is a snap shot of part of the Seven Pines battle from the Peninsula Campaign. I should also mention that these graphics were not necessarily done by me but I have collected and used those graphics that I thought were most clear. So I feel like I should give credit to other people who have provided various graphics mods for these game. But as far as giving a clear and quickly readable image, this is good as I've been able to get.

John Tiller is at HPS Simulations still putting out great games.
Including new game systems for your old Battleground series.
Waterloo has just been released.[;)]

The only graphics mods that I've seen are for the unit info box.
Whoever did the 3D units for Talonsoft was very very good at his trade.

ORIGINAL: Juggalo

Thanks for the info old man of the sea....I forgot all about Bob McNamara and I'm happy to know they're alive and well....


But GOVERNMENT WORK!!!???[X(]

Don't we have enough goobers to do that kind of stuff already?

What a shame....

By no means is all of Breakaway's work for the government. They make regular games too (like Civilization3: Conquests - which Charlie and Mac worked on). But after putting out 3 critically acclaimed wargames (Sid Meier's Antietam, Waterloo, and Austerlitz) that didn't sell, I guess it was time to move on to things that pay the bills. Mac is working on a game of non-violent conflict called A Force More Powerful (definitely not for the government).