Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (Full Version)

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markhwalker -> Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (11/15/2008 11:11:52 AM)

Not sure how to title this. I just want want there to be a place to get info.

The current update on the game... we have all but two of the German campaign missions in the game. We have also completed several of the stand-alone scenarios. Most of the animations and voice-overs are also in, and the AI is really, really improving. About 90% of everything that is in the V3 Lock 'n Load rules is in the game. We still need to get off-board artillery in, and some other stuff that I'm probably forgetting.

Humorous note on the voice-overs... when units rally they say something inspirational to let gamers know they are ready to go. For example a German squad might exclaim, "For Germany!" Well... one of the requested lines was, "Let's get them boys!" Unfortunately the actor's German accent didn't quite get it right. Much to our dismay, when we played the supposedly macho rally cry, it sounded like several men shouting, "Let's get some boys!" LOL.



SwampYankee68 -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (11/17/2008 4:30:01 PM)

Save that one for your ancient greek game!  [:)]



markhwalker -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (11/20/2008 10:19:20 AM)

An update... Marc is now working on the first four Soviet campaign maps, and Tom is coding in offboard artillery and airstrike rules. David is working on, well... let's just say unique counters for the Soviets. These weapons are revealed if the Germans choose to take a branch in thier campaign.

Artillery will start by using the V3 rules, in other words the strike impacts in the same impulse it is called, but we may back off that after testing. We do that in the board game to prevent units from running away from an attack. In the computer game we have other options.

The airstrike will use the same rules that we are testing for the Falklands module on the board game, titled Ring of Hills.

The first four Soviet campaign scenarios are pretty interesting with the Soviets required to do everything from escort civilians, to master a temporary change from turn-base to real-time as they attempt to rush off a board.



siRkid -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (11/24/2008 3:08:20 AM)

Crap, now I have to send out an updated Xmass list with this game on it to all my relatives.[;)]



markhwalker -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (11/24/2008 3:42:56 PM)

Hi Kid,

It won't make Christmas, sorry.



siRkid -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (11/24/2008 4:42:49 PM)

Well, thats ok now I have something to look forward to after Christmas.[:D]



andym -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (11/24/2008 5:58:02 PM)

Will the Ring of hills be coming out for PC?



markhwalker -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (11/26/2008 10:48:20 AM)

quote:

Ring of Hills

That is not currently in the plans, but anything is possible. We are, afterall, creating a game engine here, so that engine could conceivably be used to model any LnL game. Personally, the first one that comes to mind would be Day of Heroes.



markhwalker -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (11/26/2008 10:52:54 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Kid

Well, thats ok now I have something to look forward to after Christmas.[:D]


Thanks for your patience. BTW, are you interested in play testing? We are putting together an outside team...so far everything has been done in house. If so, email me at mark at markhwalker dot com.



Barthheart -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (11/26/2008 1:48:22 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: markhwalker


Thanks for your patience. BTW, are you interested in play testing? We are putting together an outside team...so far everything has been done in house. If so, email me at mark at markhwalker dot com.



Email sent.



funks -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (11/27/2008 8:41:24 AM)

Me too.




Punisher -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (11/27/2008 5:03:10 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Barthheart


quote:

ORIGINAL: markhwalker


Thanks for your patience. BTW, are you interested in play testing? We are putting together an outside team...so far everything has been done in house. If so, email me at mark at markhwalker dot com.



Email sent.


Yes count me in as a play tester!

Punisher



NefariousKoel -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (11/27/2008 5:23:38 PM)

I also sent an email last night. [:)]



andym -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (11/27/2008 6:04:30 PM)

I also did,however it wasnt to the right person.Oooops!Re sent.



SwampYankee68 -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (11/28/2008 9:18:04 PM)

Day of Heroes would be a good computer game certainly.  I'd like to see the Vietnam games out on the PC as well someday.

Then seeing them ported over to Xbox Live Arcade......  What, too soon?  ;-)



swetiger -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (12/9/2008 11:10:24 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: markhwalker


quote:

ORIGINAL: Kid

Well, thats ok now I have something to look forward to after Christmas.[:D]


Thanks for your patience. BTW, are you interested in play testing? We are putting together an outside team...so far everything has been done in house. If so, email me at mark at markhwalker dot com.



Still open? [:)]



markhwalker -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (12/17/2008 5:19:29 AM)

quote:

Still open?


Perhaps. Email trideau at locknloadgame dot com.



markhwalker -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (1/25/2009 1:24:27 PM)

We are busting our butt on this. Implementing the persistent layer to the German campaign now. Basically you'll be able choose up to three units to carry from mission to mission. You'll be able to upgrade those troops (or a single tank), increasing firepower, morale, range, buying skill cards, or --in the case of the tank-- armor upgrades, increasing rate oof fire, slight movement increases, etc. Also incorperated patrol technology this week...enabling enemy squads to hunt for your forces.

Last month we put in air support and off-board artillery. This game will rock your tactical world.



SwampYankee68 -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (1/25/2009 3:42:09 PM)

Thanks for the update.



RichyRambo -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (1/30/2009 4:04:20 PM)

Awesome!.  I'll assume the development is also being spent on a PC version of World at War: Eisenbach Gap right? RIGHT?



Hanal -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (2/21/2009 5:46:19 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: markhwalker

An update... Marc is now working on the first four Soviet campaign maps, and Tom is coding in offboard artillery and airstrike rules. David is working on, well... let's just say unique counters for the Soviets. These weapons are revealed if the Germans choose to take a branch in thier campaign.

Artillery will start by using the V3 rules, in other words the strike impacts in the same impulse it is called, but we may back off that after testing. We do that in the board game to prevent units from running away from an attack. In the computer game we have other options.

The airstrike will use the same rules that we are testing for the Falklands module on the board game, titled Ring of Hills.

The first four Soviet campaign scenarios are pretty interesting with the Soviets required to do everything from escort civilians, to master a temporary change from turn-base to real-time as they attempt to rush off a board.


I do not like the sound of the "temporary change from turn based to real time...." description. If I want a real time game then I'll buy that; I'm not looking for that here....



Rocko911 -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (2/26/2009 12:47:20 AM)

"II do not like the sound of the "temporary change from turn based to real time...." description. If I want a real time game then I'll buy that; I'm not looking for that here.... "


I agree on that point!



andym -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (2/26/2009 6:06:33 PM)

PLEASE dont make this a real time based game.Theres plenty already out there.If it does change then i shant be spending my money on it!



pad152 -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (3/1/2009 1:04:44 AM)

I would hate to see this go real time![&:]



HobbesACW -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (3/1/2009 11:59:22 AM)

Yes, that sounds very off putting.



Barthheart -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (3/1/2009 7:31:07 PM)

Guys, If you read Mark's message again you'll sse quite clearly that this is NOT a RTS game. There is a part of 1 scenario that requires you to react in realtime to get off the map. It's only 1 small part of one scenario of one of the campaigns programmed.

Dont' worry, be happy![8D]



Owen -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (3/3/2009 2:13:09 AM)

Heroes of Stalingrad is based on a system originally designed for a series of board games. And, like every squad level WWII board game I've ever seen, I'm sure it allows for opportunity fire. It may be your turn to move but as you move your units from hex to hex your opponent has the opportunity to interrupt your movement by firing at you or otherwise reacting.

So it that sense it is both turn based AND real time. Board games are structured for head to head play. Heroes of Stalingrad probably could not be played PBEM (I'm guessing here) because it seems to be a pretty straight conversion of the board game ruleset and it's impossible to have opportunity fire in a PBEM game unless it's automated somehow.

A lot of board wargamers play online using a program like Vassal which provides people with an interface to play over the computer. But both players need to be connected and usually need to have the real board game in front of them as they play. Vassal is just a way to communicate and show your moves to a distant opponent. My point is that board games in general, even when played over the computer, need to have both players present.



thewood1 -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (3/3/2009 2:36:04 AM)

SP (and the Campaign series) is the same basic design as a board game, turn-based and sequential movement.  It handles opp fire fairly well.  I would expect the same mechanic as those.



Owen -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (3/3/2009 10:40:04 PM)

SP? Steel Panthers? It sure helps to spell out an abbreviation the first time it's used in a discussion. I haven't played Steel Panthers for a decade or so. I can't remember, in SP does a tank counter represent a single tank like in the Lock 'n Load system or a squad of tanks?

Opp fire in a squad based game is no problem against a computer opponent. But I was thinking about what kind of head to head play would be featured in Heroes of Stalingrad. My guess is that it will not have PBEM (much beloved by turn based wargamers) because the opp fire would have to be handled by the computer and that would really not work well at this scale where the decision to opp fire or not is so important.

Are you saying that Steel Panthers featured opp fire in PBEM games? Was it handled automatically by the AI?



lancerunolfsson -> RE: Heroes of Stalingrad Developer Diary (3/5/2009 6:49:46 PM)

John Tillers Campaign series uses auto op fire in PBEM and in vs AI play. The player actually has a lot of control over the types of targets (if any)and ranges at which his units op fire. Biggest problem is setting the variables and then watching your trigger happy knuckle heads blaze away at exactly what you told them to shoot at. You just have to write it off to Comand and Control issues and FOG of war. I would much rather have this kind of set up than either no OP fire or having to interupt play every time something crosses a hostile line of fire. A big improvement in this kind of system would be an ability to set (optionally) unit specific overwatch areas. 



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