Matrix Games Forums

 Forums  Register  Login  Photo Gallery  Member List  Search  Calendars  FAQ 

My Profile  Inbox  Address Book  My Subscription  My Forums  Log Out

AGEOD's American Civil War

 
View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest
Users viewing this topic: none
  Printable Version
All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [Age of Muskets] >> Birth of America >> AGEOD's American Civil War Page: [1] 2   next >   >>
Login
Message << Older Topic   Newer Topic >>
AGEOD's American Civil War - 1/29/2007 3:52:09 PM   
Willard


Posts: 125
Joined: 2/7/2004
From: Up the Nung river past Do Lung bridge...
Status: offline 		Hi all -

Can you advise if Matrix has picked up AGEOD's upcoming American Civil War?
I hope that Matrix does add ACW to the stable.
BoA is a great game and I expect ACW to surpass even that.

Additionally, as a plug, will someone at Matrix pick up the phone and call the boys over at Mad Minute Games?

MMG created, IMO, the best tactical battle simulation out there for the ACW with 2nd Manassas (the follow-on to 1st Bull Run).
The game concept takes that of SMG Gettysburg to a new level.
Unfortunately, MMG has had some commercial problems...probably the result of a crappy deal with the History Channel on 1st Bull Run and Paradox with 2nd Manassas.

It would be a terrible shame to see MMG's future Shiloh title and others go the way of the dodo because of deals that don't build upon the strengths of the franchise and cater to the right audience. IMO, Matrix has enough juice to get this series going and is a natural fit given their partnership with Panther Games on HTTR and COTA.

Anyway, my two cents for what it is worth.

Thanks!

_____________________________
Post #: 1
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/11/2007 3:02:28 AM   
General Quarters

 

Posts: 1059
Joined: 12/3/2006
Status: offline 		I second the point about MadMinute Games. They have created an extraordinarily immersive and realistic tactical ACW engine. You can command anything from a cavalry troop to the whole army. Afterwards, it is as if you had commanded a unit in a real historical battle. They have a demo. Check it out!

I waited for years for a good strategic ACW game. Now we have Forge of Freedom, the best ever produced, and I am really looking forward to trying out AGEOD's game.

(in reply to Willard)
Post #: 2
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/14/2007 6:26:41 PM   
Gibbon


Posts: 56
Joined: 12/7/2006
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Willard
Can you advise if Matrix has picked up AGEOD's upcoming American Civil War?
I hope that Matrix does add ACW to the stable.


So do I
From the AGEOD forum, it looks like they are still discussing. When asked, PhilThib said that nothing was signed yet. Link is here


< Message edited by Gibbon -- 2/14/2007 6:42:29 PM >

_____________________________

McClellan asked, "What troops are those fighting in the Pike?"
Hooker replied, "[Brigadier] General Gibbon's brigade of Western men."
McClellan stated, "They must be made of iron."

(in reply to Willard)
Post #: 3
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/17/2007 8:49:01 PM   
Skeleton


Posts: 560
Joined: 3/14/2006
Status: offline 		Willard, I could not agree with you more regarding MadMinuteGames. Both of their titles are among the best war/strategy games that have come around in some time. For the life of me, I cannot figure out why they have struggled so much for commercial success. I would not only like and hope that Shiloh sees the light of day, but also I would love to see them go in two directions. One have a campaign, a big grand campaign. With their current engine being as good as it is, a nice big campaign map would be something to behold. The other thing I would one day like to see them do is a Napoleonic game in the same vien. I just thought I would pipe in, MMG is a class organization with two brilliant guys who deserve better. Matrix, please make them an offer they can't refuse!

(in reply to Willard)
Post #: 4
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/19/2007 2:26:49 AM   
Willard


Posts: 125
Joined: 2/7/2004
From: Up the Nung river past Do Lung bridge...
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Marcus the leper

Willard, I could not agree with you more regarding MadMinuteGames. Both of their titles are among the best war/strategy games that have come around in some time. For the life of me, I cannot figure out why they have struggled so much for commercial success. I would not only like and hope that Shiloh sees the light of day, but also I would love to see them go in two directions. One have a campaign, a big grand campaign. With their current engine being as good as it is, a nice big campaign map would be something to behold. The other thing I would one day like to see them do is a Napoleonic game in the same vien. I just thought I would pipe in, MMG is a class organization with two brilliant guys who deserve better. Matrix, please make them an offer they can't refuse!


Marcus -

I too would like to see MMG add the campaign feature. Shiloh is fine, but I would love for them to do the 7 Days...I think that would be the best place to start with.

As for the success, Paradox is carrying the title now after the History Channel debacle. I am not a big fan of Paradox or their game release/patch policies. I did own HOI, HOI2 and EU2, but finally gave up on all 3. First, all 3 were unplayable out of the box. Second, patches are good, but when patch after patch comes out that impacts the game play so fundamentally, that says to me the game wasn't finished when it was initially released. That being said, MMG and 2nd Manassas has suffered from that problem. However, I think the MMG system is not a good fit with the gaming audience that Paradox caters to. IMO, it is a better fit with Matrix or even Battlefront.

As a Napoleonic version...that would be my dream game also. Hopefully the MMG guys will get some good luck going their way here pretty soon.

_____________________________


(in reply to Skeleton)
Post #: 5
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/19/2007 2:57:29 AM   
Skeleton


Posts: 560
Joined: 3/14/2006
Status: offline 		Willard,
To keep this from becoming a MMG appreciation society of two or a Paradox bashing thread, I will make my response short and sweet; I could not agree with you more on everything you have said regarding everything. That was easy! By the way, a Seven Days campaign is a great idea. Cheers and a great thread Willard, I tip my hat to you.

(in reply to Willard)
Post #: 6
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/19/2007 4:49:41 PM   
Joe D.


Posts: 4004
Joined: 8/31/2005
From: Stratford, Connecticut
Status: offline 		I've enjoyed my brief time so far w/BoA, but had second thoughts about buying this engine again for a Civil War game as Gettysburg will probably be just another "victory city."

However, there are several gaming similarities between the Rev and Civil Wars which will probably work well with this engine:

-- Both should still involve population support, i.e, Maryland -- the capital of the USA -- was a "southern" city rife with spies and supporters of Jeff Davis.

-- There should still be seige warfare, i.e., Atlanta, etc.

-- Volunteer regiments should disappear in months (instead of just in winter).

-- Mobility, weather, supply and training should still be a major factor.

But I will still miss the TC series; I was looking forward to a successor to Sid Meir's Gettysburg game, but at this rate I may die of old age before that happens.

(in reply to Willard)
Post #: 7
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/19/2007 8:55:24 PM   
chris0827

 

Posts: 441
Joined: 11/17/2006
Status: offline
quote:

  -- Volunteer regiments should disappear in months (instead of just in winter


The only regiments that disappeared after a few months were composed of men who had signed up for 90 days. Most men in the Union army signed up for 3 years.

(in reply to Joe D.)
Post #: 8
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/19/2007 9:10:12 PM   
Pocus


Posts: 1185
Joined: 9/22/2004
Status: offline
quote:


I've enjoyed my brief time so far w/BoA, but had second thoughts about buying this engine again for a Civil War game as Gettysburg will probably be just another "victory city."


not quite. Gettysburg is not even considered as an objective, except in the Gettysburg scenario

Vicksburg is a permanent objective city, and if you take it, the national morale of both side change significantly. Add that in 1864, prior to the election, the Union side is handicapped and must be wary of not having a low morale, or the election is lost for Lincoln. The game differs on many aspect compared to BOA, while the basics are still there.


_____________________________

AGEOD Team

(in reply to chris0827)
Post #: 9
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/19/2007 11:30:05 PM   
Joe D.


Posts: 4004
Joined: 8/31/2005
From: Stratford, Connecticut
Status: offline 		At the beginning of the Civil War, many men signed-up for short enlistments as both they and their leaders thought the war wouldn't last very long!

This was a big headache for the federal government; I wonder if it is reflected in the early stages of the game?

(in reply to chris0827)
Post #: 10
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/19/2007 11:53:45 PM   
Joe D.


Posts: 4004
Joined: 8/31/2005
From: Stratford, Connecticut
Status: offline 		So there is a separate "Gettysburg scenario." Is it all urban terrain, or does it have any of the historical geographic features, i.e., the wheat field, seminary ridge, etc?

Screenshot, s'il vous plait?

So if Grant doesn't take Vicksburg and Lincoln loses the election, does McClennan become president and game over?

(in reply to Pocus)
Post #: 11
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/20/2007 12:12:42 AM   
chris0827

 

Posts: 441
Joined: 11/17/2006
Status: offline 		You can find more information about the civil war game along with screenshots here.
http://www.ageod.com/
It's not a tactical level game. You won't see the wheatfield and seminary ridge in the Gettysburg scenario.

(in reply to Joe D.)
Post #: 12
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/20/2007 1:37:15 PM   
Pocus


Posts: 1185
Joined: 9/22/2004
Status: offline 		as Chris said, the Gettysburg scenario is a small one where the Gettysburg region is an objective, but you are still handling troops at the operational level, manipulating armies, corps and divisions/brigades. This game is about the whole war, from 61 to 65.

_____________________________

AGEOD Team

(in reply to chris0827)
Post #: 13
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/20/2007 3:04:12 PM   
Joe D.


Posts: 4004
Joined: 8/31/2005
From: Stratford, Connecticut
Status: offline 		Here's a more direct link to the screen shots I asked for: http://www.ageod.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1949
Thank you , Chris.

Pocus, your ACW sounds intriguing, mais ou allez-vous apres? I don't see modern warfare with the BoA engine, perhaps a European Midevial/Crusading game w/chess piece-looking icons?

Just a thought.

(in reply to Pocus)
Post #: 14
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/21/2007 1:37:19 AM   
SpharV2

 

Posts: 218
Joined: 6/13/2004
Status: offline 		They've already announced the follow up game for AACW, which will be Vainglory of Nations which will be a game on a worldwide map set in the Victorian age. See their News board for further info on the plan so far. I'm personally hoping for a Roman era game along the way somewhere, but medieval would work for me too, just might have to wait a few years for it. :)

< Message edited by SpharV2 -- 2/21/2007 1:52:05 AM >

(in reply to Joe D.)
Post #: 15
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/21/2007 3:43:28 AM   
Joe D.


Posts: 4004
Joined: 8/31/2005
From: Stratford, Connecticut
Status: offline 		I wonder how far AGEOD can push their BoA engine?

Paradox built the successful EU engine, which won them strategy game of the year. It then went from EU to EU2, Victoria, HoI, HoI Platinum, HoI2, HoI Doomsday and now EU3.

I confess I purchased 4 out of the 8, but now have only EU2 and Doomsday; re the latter, it took Paradox 4 tries to get their HoI (WW II) version playable.

(in reply to SpharV2)
Post #: 16
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/21/2007 9:28:40 AM   
Pocus


Posts: 1185
Joined: 9/22/2004
Status: offline 		the BOA engine is not the BOA engine, it is the AGE engine (Adaptive Game Engine), designed from ground to be morphable*, as long as basics are kept: turn-based, regions-based, units grouped in stacks, using drag&drop, simultaneous client/server processing. Aside that, no era can't be done.

VGN will features the whole world from 1820 to 1920, but no, you won't be able to play Tibet, we are keeping things more focused. After VGN, we have already choosen our project, but it is not disclosed for now.

*: how you design a morphable engine is essentially to program in such way that you think ahead in time on how the base code can evolve, without overdoing too much things (no over-engineering, at least not too much of it, and yes it takes more time at start, but it pays for the future). E.g, the levy of militia of BOA were designed so that it can evolves into mechanisms dealing with full scale, nation-wide, uprising and even partisans actions of WW2 (I'm not saying that we will do a WW2 game after VGN, I'm not saying we won't do it either ).

The second point to consider is that you must allow some time between projects for 'refactoring', meaning your code must be checked, cleaned and reworked  so that it can be expanded without too much of a problem. Many motivated programmers do that normally, the essence being that when you program a game, you must not think of it as the last game you will code, but as only a stone in a building. It changes enormously your approach of doing things.


_____________________________

AGEOD Team

(in reply to Joe D.)
Post #: 17
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/21/2007 4:49:03 PM   
MarkShot

 

Posts: 7089
Joined: 3/29/2003
Status: offline 		Just like any other software systems game engines have a life cycle. And like any other software systems there needs to be a constant struggle against code entropy which conspires to ever increase the complexity and cost of future enhancements. However, I would say that it is an axiom that despite best efforts all systems will eventually reach a break even point where a rewrite begins to look more attractive than further maintenance and enhancement. However, AGE is brand spanking new and is too youthful to worry about the toll that the years will take upon her. :)

_____________________________

(於 11/13/21 台北，台灣，中國退休)

(in reply to Pocus)
Post #: 18
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/21/2007 6:36:42 PM   
Pocus


Posts: 1185
Joined: 9/22/2004
Status: offline 		Rise of Rome or Fall of Byzance then? The first I hope 

_____________________________

AGEOD Team

(in reply to MarkShot)
Post #: 19
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/21/2007 7:49:05 PM   
Joe D.


Posts: 4004
Joined: 8/31/2005
From: Stratford, Connecticut
Status: offline 		Thanks to both Pocus and Markshot for their insight on programing/code. I only have an intro-level understanding of Visual Basic, but most complaints I heard against programers is that they are loathe to annotate their own work, making it harder for other programers trying to fix/modify it; case in point, fixing the Y2K "bug" as many of the original programers had retired and/or simply couldn't remember what they were coding -- from years ago -- because they didn't annotate their work!

Markshot, thanks again for all your BoA tips (posted by Gibbon); I recently beat the Colonial AI, which was set to enhanced, Hard and w/one degree of FoW. I wonder how far I can push the AGE engine, perhaps all the way to Very Hard and full FoW? Boosting the Colonial Ai makes it more fiesty and the game more exciting!

So what does "OD" -- in AGEOD -- stand for?

(in reply to Pocus)
Post #: 20
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/21/2007 9:41:12 PM   
MarkShot

 

Posts: 7089
Joined: 3/29/2003
Status: offline 		Joe,

Someone posted this link in our Panther Games Beta Forum. It makes for some hilarious reading if you know anything about programming:

http://thc.org/root/phun/unmaintain.html

< Message edited by MarkShot -- 2/21/2007 9:56:43 PM >

_____________________________

(於 11/13/21 台北，台灣，中國退休)

(in reply to Joe D.)
Post #: 21
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/22/2007 12:00:44 AM   
Joe D.


Posts: 4004
Joined: 8/31/2005
From: Stratford, Connecticut
Status: offline 		Diabolical!

Someone wrote a book titled "The 10 Worst Web Sites" to teach how not to design a web site; in that spirit, I forwarded your link to my college advisor, i.e., when writing code, don't do any of the following.

Discovering the next Y2K bug, then just writing a memo for record -- i.e., not telling anyone until just prior to the final fiasco -- was priceless.

Not long ago, a number of software firms here had windfall profits "saving" us from our ill-programmed machines and (almost) certain annilihation.

(in reply to MarkShot)
Post #: 22
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/22/2007 12:37:00 AM   
Pocus


Posts: 1185
Joined: 9/22/2004
Status: offline 		Online Distribution. Our primary chanel when it comes to spread all our evil projects 

_____________________________

AGEOD Team

(in reply to Joe D.)
Post #: 23
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/22/2007 6:09:26 PM   
Joe D.


Posts: 4004
Joined: 8/31/2005
From: Stratford, Connecticut
Status: offline 		One last link re real programmers -- hint: they don't write specs!
http://www.multicians.org/thvv/realprogs.html

(in reply to MarkShot)
Post #: 24
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/22/2007 7:34:41 PM   
MarkShot

 

Posts: 7089
Joined: 3/29/2003
Status: offline 		That's funny.

Actually, BASIC was a joke when I studied Computer Science in the 70s. Not a block structured language; no redeeming qualities. But that all changed with Windows 3.0 and Visual Basic.

Does anyone even remember paper tape and punch cards? To think I grew up in a world without micro-processors. Maybe one day, I'll be stuffed and displayed in the Museum of Natural History in exhibit called Primitive Pre-Processor Man. :)

< Message edited by MarkShot -- 2/22/2007 7:49:23 PM >

_____________________________

(於 11/13/21 台北，台灣，中國退休)

(in reply to Joe D.)
Post #: 25
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/23/2007 10:56:48 AM   
korrigan


Posts: 67
Joined: 6/26/2006
Status: offline 		AGEod

Adaptative Game Engine on line distribution


That's our poetic side...


_____________________________

AGEOD Team
Support independent developers!

(in reply to MarkShot)
Post #: 26
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/25/2007 6:19:21 PM   
Pford

 

Posts: 235
Joined: 11/10/2006
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Pocus
as long as basics are kept: turn-based, regions-based, units grouped in stacks, using drag&drop, simultaneous client/server processing.


One concern: in my experience, region-based sims work best depicting wars that don't feature extensive, nation-in-arms frontages. Like the EU series. Unfortunately, the Civil War degenerated in the last year or so into just that kind of war. At least in the eastern theatre.


< Message edited by Pford -- 2/25/2007 6:37:04 PM >

(in reply to Pocus)
Post #: 27
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/25/2007 10:51:14 PM   
SpharV2

 

Posts: 218
Joined: 6/13/2004
Status: offline 		The way they have the army corps structure set up, with corps being able to support units in adjacent regions, it allows you to have more of a frontage war like you're talking about.  Especially in the East where your space is restricted by natural obstacles.  In the West naturally, things will be more wide open.

(in reply to Pford)
Post #: 28
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/26/2007 12:23:22 AM   
Joe D.


Posts: 4004
Joined: 8/31/2005
From: Stratford, Connecticut
Status: offline 		For those of us that don't develop PC games for a living, could anyone explain what an "extensive nation-in-arms frontage" means?
I think it means nations at war all along their respective borders; if so, why would that pose a problem for a region-based sim?
The "Napolean's Ambition" scenario in EU2 has alliances of nation v. nation warfare all along their respective borders, but many neutral nations can get in the way of the belligerents.

(in reply to Pford)
Post #: 29
RE: AGEOD's American Civil War - 2/26/2007 3:07:29 AM   
Pford

 

Posts: 235
Joined: 11/10/2006
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Joe D.

For those of us that don't develop PC games for a living, could anyone explain what an "extensive nation-in-arms frontage" means?


For me it means a long, contiguous, unbroken front line. The iconic example is the English Channel to Switzerland trench system of WWI. They are made possible by universal male conscription and are pretty much a late modern phenomenon.

Grigsby's WAW game didn't work for me as a region based sim.

(in reply to Joe D.)
Post #: 30
Page:   [1] 2   next >   >>
All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [Age of Muskets] >> Birth of America >> AGEOD's American Civil War Page: [1] 2   next >   >>
Jump to:





New Messages No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages Locked w/o New Messages
 Post New Thread
 Reply to Message
 Post New Poll
 Submit Vote
 Delete My Own Post
 Delete My Own Thread
 Rate Posts


Forum Software © ASPPlayground.NET Advanced Edition 2.4.5 ANSI

0.797