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Firm's homesite lists only 3 people: Joel Billings, Keith Brors and Gary Grigsby. Are there any else not listed?

World War II by three people = 2 by 3.

E

I have read that game development cost millions (any currency) per game these days. I wonder where 3 people spend so much money???

Welcome to the wonderful world of wargames, where mainstream video game numbers are completely meaningless! [;)]

Regards,

- Erik

ORIGINAL: Matti Kuokkanen

I have read that game development cost millions (any currency) per game these days. I wonder where 3 people spend so much money???

ha ha ha ho ho ha ho ho ho........sigh

I wish it worked like that......

E

Are you in the wargaming industry old man of the sea?

Chad

EDIT: Just checked your profile....Eric Young!
It's an honor....

[8D]

E

ORIGINAL: Juggalo

Are you in the wargaming industry old man of the sea?

Chad

EDIT: Just checked your profile....Eric Young!
It's an honor....

The "Mad Bunny" [;)]

ORIGINAL: Matti Kuokkanen

I have read that game development cost millions (any currency) per game these days. I wonder where 3 people spend so much money???

Millions of working hours in this wargaming niche, but not millions of dollars [;)]

ORIGINAL: Matti Kuokkanen

I have read that game development cost millions (any currency) per game these days. I wonder where 3 people spend so much money???

Whenever I want a good laugh I'll just associate that sentence with the name "HPS" [:D]

Sometimes it shows, though. I recently acquired the old Talonsoft "Campaign" series (East Front 1 & 2, West Front, Rising Sun) games in a trade and was amazed to see how much better the graphics are than in recent HPS games. East Front 2 in particular stands up graphically against any recent wargame release I can think of (and runs in my desktop resolution of 1280 x 1024 very nicely). An awful lot of that money goes on "polish" that is often missing from the more indie releases. Fair enough.. in terms of extra sales its just not worth it for "serious" wargames these days.

Whenever I want a good laugh I'll just associate that sentence with the name "HPS" [:D]

Sometimes it shows, though. I recently acquired the old Talonsoft "Campaign" series (East Front 1 & 2, West Front, Rising Sun) games in a trade and was amazed to see how much better the graphics are than in recent HPS games. East Front 2 in particular stands up graphically against any recent wargame release I can think of (and runs in my desktop resolution of 1280 x 1024 very nicely). An awful lot of that money goes on "polish" that is often missing from the more indie releases. Fair enough.. in terms of extra sales its just not worth it for "serious" wargames these days.

It certainly doesnt cost millions of dollars for the type of art in west front/east front, or even a game like close combat.

A single competent artist working for the span of time that recent wargames are taking could certainly come up with some very cool visuals. I dont think the lack of visuals in HPS games has anything to do with a small budget or a small market.

ORIGINAL: Hertston

ORIGINAL: Matti Kuokkanen

I have read that game development cost millions (any currency) per game these days. I wonder where 3 people spend so much money???

Whenever I want a good laugh I'll just associate that sentence with the name "HPS" [:D]

I have had few good laughs reading these replies [:D]

Anyway I write to WWW game magazine and I consider story about Gary Grigsby. Where can I find detailed information about him and his career? Maybe I could speak (chat) with him on person (IRC, MSN, ICQ, Skype...).

I got original Steel Panthers and SP:WAW is free (did Gary had anything to do with it?). So are Pacific War and War in Russia (now). Are there other free games from Gary than just 3 mentioned? Or could I get permission to use 10+ year old games for story without fee? I might consider buying some if games are available and prices are reasonable.

Game magazine I mentioned is written in my native language only (Finnish) and it is about old games and game machines. We Finns use term retro but I don't know does it mean anything to you. If anyone is interested, take a look:
http://pelikapseli.cjb.net

By the way, Pelikapseli has got permission from Glyn Williams himself to place his Warhead game to site for download. Game could be freeware anyway though...

ORIGINAL: Matti Kuokkanen
By the way, Pelikapseli has got permission from Glyn Williams himself to place his Warhead game to site for download. Game could be freeware anyway though...

I never had the chance to play Warhead (64 tape was all I had) but funnily I clearly remember the game from reading its review from Mikrobitti-magazine like 20 years ago.

So much useless information in my head...sighs

Eric, I don't mean to sound like some starry-eyed fanboy, but seeing your name again after so many years (to me), brought back my Greatest Wargame Memory.

The game was CC2; the place: Arnhem.

The Red Devils were barely hanging on to one particular section of Arnhem (can't remember which map), low on supplies and able-bodied men....a King Tiger tank being the main roadblock.

The King Tiger starts slowly advancing down the lane in between rows of houses, spitting fire and death....it rounds a corner and comes into range of a lowly 6 pounder AT gun which is hiding in a house.

The AT gun takes shots at the Tiger, which of course {PING} right off the thick frontal armor...it's like shooting a dinosaur with a BB gun...

The Tiger continues advancing and blasting away at everything that moves, but so far hasn't detected the AT gun that's shooting at it...

Looks like I'm gonna have to retreat from this map...

With exactly ONE round of AP ammo left....the crew takes aim at the exposed ass-end of the Tiger...at exactly the same time the tank's turret starts to rotate toward the AT gun..MG fire from the Tiger blankets the house...

BOOM! The pride of the SS Panzer Korps goes up smoke!

I started whoopin' and hollerin' like my team just won the Super Bowl.

Now I've played hundreds of games before and since, and wasted thousands of hours doing so....but that one moment from that one game remained forever etched in my brains.

I haven't played your new stuff yet...but if it's half as good as your Close Combat series, I'm there!
(as soon as I get a new computer that is)
Chad

< haven't played your new stuff yet...but if it's half as good as your Close Combat series, I'm there! >

Well, half as good at least. Opinions vary.

I'm always glad to hear stories like that. CC2 is, and most likely always will be, my favorite child....

E

The 3-D shooter market is brutal! You don't need that stress....too much competition!

I'm thinkin' you need to go back to your roots...[:D]


I know for sure my turd of a computer could handle CC6

Wouldn't it be nice if just once they spent that million dollars on perfecting an AI instead of pretty pictures?

ORIGINAL: Juggalo

The 3-D shooter market is brutal! You don't need that stress....too much competition!

I'm thinkin' you need to go back to your roots...[:D]


I know for sure my turd of a computer could handle CC6

Hmmm, the government 3D shooter market is where the money is......very low stress too.

I never left my roots, I am still a cowboy at heart.

Well, CC6 by Destineer is going to be a 3D game, so maybe you should get that upgrade.

Ravinwood, I really wish I could get just one million for a project, it is sooo very hard to doing anything with just sticks and mud.

E

ORIGINAL: ravinhood

Wouldn't it be nice if just once they spent that million dollars on perfecting an AI instead of pretty pictures?

It would be nice, but I'm sure the military have spent far more than that over the years and still failed miserably [;)]

ORIGINAL: Hertston

Whenever I want a good laugh I'll just associate that sentence with the name "HPS" [:D]

Sometimes it shows, though. I recently acquired the old Talonsoft "Campaign" series (East Front 1 & 2, West Front, Rising Sun) games in a trade and was amazed to see how much better the graphics are than in recent HPS games. East Front 2 in particular stands up graphically against any recent wargame release I can think of (and runs in my desktop resolution of 1280 x 1024 very nicely). An awful lot of that money goes on "polish" that is often missing from the more indie releases. Fair enough.. in terms of extra sales its just not worth it for "serious" wargames these days.

Hey, that's a nice gaming package you got there....literally hundreds of hours of game time there!

Do me a favor and download this user-made scenario for EF II and tell me what you think:
http://www.wargamer.com/ef/wg-scenarios/volga.zip