First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against Brother"

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First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against Broth... - 7/18/2013 11:31:33 PM

Gil R.

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I just gave a presentation on BAB at Historicon, which was attended by the press as well as other developers, so I think I can share a few of the screenshots. These are from Wilson's Creek, which is our first finished map.

First, a zoomed out view showing the Confederates in their encampments.

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 7/18/2013 11:32:37 PM

Gil R.

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Next, two screenshots showing parts of the OOB screens.

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 7/18/2013 11:33:15 PM

Gil R.

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The other.

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 7/18/2013 11:35:53 PM

Gil R.

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An early exchange with the Union lead units encountering the CSA cavalry guarding the main approach to the CSA encampments.

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 7/18/2013 11:38:29 PM

Gil R.

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And finally, since my laptop is dying, the opening salvo fired by Sigel at the encamped Confederates (who are unidentified and thus shown as flags).

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 7/18/2013 11:39:37 PM

Gil R.

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Oh, one more. This shows (with white boxes/+ signs) the hexes into which Sigel's artillery can fire).

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 7/18/2013 11:42:00 PM

Wardyr

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Wow, that looks awesome. Just send a shout out if you need beta testers!!!!!!

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 7/19/2013 1:37:30 PM

wodin

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Looks great..

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 7/19/2013 7:29:25 PM

Maulet

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great great, it sounds fantastic!

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 7/22/2013 10:34:39 AM

Anguille

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Cool!

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 7/22/2013 2:38:51 PM

Agathosdaimon

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this looks so good! beautiful actually. when will this be coming out if i may ask?

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 7/22/2013 5:41:52 PM

Alan Sharif

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Looking forward to this.

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 7/23/2013 9:47:39 AM

Anguille

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How many maps are planned?

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 7/24/2013 11:59:07 PM

Gil R.

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Thanks to all of you for your comments.

Regarding your questions, I can at best say that we expect this out sometime this winter -- I learned long ago not to make narrow predictions this far out (and I learned it that hard way!) -- and that it will include four battles with four or five maps. The battles are 1st Manassas/Bull Run, Wilson's Creek, Williamsburg, and Mill Springs. For Mill Springs two maps are currently planned, with the second being for alternate-history scenarios at the CSA encampment 10 miles from the actual battlefield. But each of our battles is set on a single map, and that map is large enough for maneuvers far from the focus of the fighting. (In fact, it is the enormous size of our battlefields, with much bonus space, that has added considerably to the time it will take to complete the maps. But it should be worth it.)

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 7/29/2013 2:40:43 AM

RyanCrierie

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Regarding battle map size being a limitation; have you considered using automation to reduce map creation? e.g. creating a map maker that can load multiple bitmaps and then turn them into a raw map?

There's something like this already in a matrix game (Panzer Command Kharkov); so you could ask them for help on how to do that.

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 7/30/2013 6:34:00 AM

Gil R.

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Thanks for the suggestion. In deciding to do things this way we looked at all options, and this sort of hand-drawn map was deemed best. We didn't anticipate how difficult the final maps would be to produce, but that's partly because we didn't anticipate how insanely detailed I would make them. As you can see just from these screenshots, for example, there is a greater variety of vegetation types than one normally sees, not to mention that we have four levels of heights, and various other elements that make the maps quite complex.

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 7/30/2013 2:35:54 PM

Hexagon

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Great pics, looks like the walking dead is alive!!!!

A few things about the game:

-the map lines are the only way to see the terrain elevations and objetives??? or are other ways to see this.
-how are the casualties details??? dead, wounded, captured... or only a single number to cover casualties???
-3D units only or is posible use counters???
-is posible change the 3D soldier image in the info panel??? i refer to the pic that appear in armchair web.
-random generator is a good idea, maybe release game with a "poor" version is a good idea, i think in one using the game maps where you choose one, select between historical OOB or custom OOB and you have a new battle.

Great job on game, maybe the engine is better to cover moustaches, grenadiers, curassiers and other napoleonic guys but...

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 8/4/2013 7:32:19 PM

Gil R.

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Thanks for your comments/questions. See my boldface responses below.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Hexagon

Great pics, looks like the walking dead is alive!!!!

Well, zombies are big these days, so we're trying to tap into that. It's a business decision.

A few things about the game:

-the map lines are the only way to see the terrain elevations and objetives??? or are other ways to see this.
Look in the upper-right of the screen shots and you will see some white text saying "Terrain under mouse" -- that will tell you everything possibly about a hex you mouse over.
-how are the casualties details??? dead, wounded, captured... or only a single number to cover casualties???
Just a single number for the men, though there is specific info for officers and generals. "Casualties" means men who are killed or too wounded to fight, since their totals are removed from Unit Strength.
-3D units only or is posible use counters???
Yes, we have the NATO chits.
-is posible change the 3D soldier image in the info panel??? i refer to the pic that appear in armchair web.
I'm not on that webpage, but you mean the guy announcing something or other? That's probably a graphic that will be replaced.
-random generator is a good idea, maybe release game with a "poor" version is a good idea, i think in one using the game maps where you choose one, select between historical OOB or custom OOB and you have a new battle.
If I understand your suggestion correctly, adding a random OOB generator would be more work than we can do right now, especially since it would delay the game. But our files are easily moddable, and will be "modder-friendly" in terms of explanatory notes.

Great job on game, maybe the engine is better to cover moustaches, grenadiers, curassiers and other napoleonic guys but...
We'd love to use the engine for that period as well, but are limited simply because WCS is a small team. If BAB does well, though, I can definitely see doing that in the next few years, though.

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 8/4/2013 7:42:47 PM

danlongman

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And I wonder why I ain't rich yet. You will have my money.
Anything else you want? GF is cranky and daughter is getting expensive....

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 8/5/2013 10:59:41 AM

Hexagon

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First, thanks for the reply

hehehe

Well, yes, i notice the option to see the type of terrain under the mouse but i refer to another way to see at simple view the terrain elevation and another way to see the objectives is a little hard notice what is the terrain you have, elevated terrain, lower terrain... and when are a great number of changes in terrain elevatios is hard understand it (for example HPS/JT titles use diferent colours to notice elevatios apart a border in hexes that you can activate or no).

Then only 1 number for casualties... then i asume that casualties are a single victory factor... i expect see more details here apart for stats to touch a little victory points like 50% per wounded/missing 75% captured, something to add more random value, but is not a critical thing if rest of game works fine.

Great, use counters is something very good for me maybe is a better way to see deployment when are a lot of troops and maybe counters can offer more info about unit, and about the 3D guy, yes, is the one that appear in an event window, he receive the nick name of botox fanboy in a forum lol

Well, for generated battles i refer to something like the battle option in Steel Panthers, you have the OOB with units that you can buy and add to your battle OOB apart that you have an units editor to add new units to OOB, this is i want refer, you have a serie of stock OOBs in game and the option to create your own OOBs to use in a random battle option, select the map, select the OOB you want use, battle type (attack, defend, encounter) and side advantage in buy points (you select the force points to buy units), maybe a map editor is interesting or at least a scenario editor to create custom scenarios for what ifs for example but is a bonus (well years ago this was a must have but...).

If engine is good to cover ACW in some years could be great see a nap title but step by step even when i am

Something i dont remember ask... i read about the game has the option to detach companies from the regiment/battalion this made me ask if is posible that engine deal fine with company level fights (i think that you can add as bonus in big battles a few scens at this level covering certain action in battle apart that we can create small actions to).

Again thanks for the replies and good luck in your work.

PD: today to improve somethign you need add zombies to it... World War??? much better World War Z even when movie and book only have in common the title

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 8/7/2013 12:26:52 AM

Gil R.

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I don't know -- maybe our graphics guy is experimenting with different colors for contour lines. It's probably not necessary, though, since when you zoom out a bit the map looks much more 3-D and you can easily see the differences among height levels.

No, nothing like what you describe in Steel Panthers is planned, though once the game is out we will listen to customer feedback. Since BAB will involve a number of releases we have always planned to add features over time.

About companies, I think you read that in Armchair General, where the writer wrote something a bit misleading. The actual OOB includes companies whenever historically they were functioning independently of a regiment -- just look at any OOB for a Civil War battle and you'll see several independent companies. In BAB one cannot split of a company, but one can split just about any unit in half. (If there is player demand then perhaps one day we'd create the option of specifying how many companies instead of just having a 50-50 split, but for now when we want to finish programming new features that's nonessential.)

Also about companies, battles that involve companies rather than full regiments would presumably work well, but we do not plan any such scenarios. The smallest scenario that we currently plan is the Battle of Blackburn's Ford, which involves a few regiments, since we already have the Manassas map and this would make a good "learning scenario." (Perhaps the small scenario for Hancock's flanking attack at Williamsburg is smaller. Don't think so, though.)

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 8/8/2013 11:25:53 AM

Hexagon

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Thanks for the reply.

Well, i dont know the game status and only can talk about the things i see but maybe the use of white lines/marks is a bit confusing... i find good the interface, good the map but rest looks for me not well joined to them.

The SP battle mode is an idea to improve the value of the game, as you plan release the serie every game on it needs have enough value to be a buy... i think in JT titles (is the one i know better) where titles has a lot of value as indivial games more in the number of stock scens and you allways select a battle you like or are interested and receive more than the battle.

Yes, i read armchair preview and understand that you can detach companies from the battalions (well, regiments is more correct but real thing is that they are battalions hehehehe) this is an interesting feature but divide in 2 the unit is not bad as a first implementation (i want see the game soon released to try it and nothing better to improve a game that give it to "little kids" to leave us broke it on pieces hahahaha) but if you have more than 1 commander/official in the unit you can allways use them to divide the unit in companies... more commanders alive more companies you can detach (and if the commander in the company is killed you are forced to rejoin it to mother unit to dont suffer great morale penalties for example).

The idea for company battles is in part an idea i take from JT Early America Serie and certain Nap titles that have as bonus company battles both are very fun but i feel that at this level they need more details like your commander feature in units and the option to have more than 1 type of weapon.... ooo, talking about the 2 weapon feature, is possible capture enemy weapons??? when an unit is low of ammo or when find a much better weapon... this feature could be great specially for south side and if you add in future a certain operation/campaign system ...

A question about improvements in old games... you plan do this retroactive to old titles or improvements are exclusive in last titles??? thanks.

Good luck with the game, i remember read release next year??? i hope my eyes dont lie me

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 8/11/2013 10:23:17 PM

Gil R.

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We expect to release this winter. Depends mostly on the maps.

I'm not sure about your question regarding improvements to old games -- presumably, you mean that things done for BAB#2 could be retrofitted to BAB#1, which is indeed how we intend to do it. But changes to BAB would not be made to "Forge of Freedom," since at this point the code is too different.

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 8/12/2013 4:33:51 PM

sol_invictus

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I had just about given up on ever seeing this game released. Very happy to finally see some progress and the screenshots look great. I eagerly await release. I would also love to see this engine cover Seven Years War, Napoleonic Wars, and the Wars of German Unification.

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 8/12/2013 8:56:43 PM

Hexagon

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Yes, i refer to this, is one of the good things in Tiller games, you have Smolensk 1941 a title from 1999 with all feature from Moscow 1942 a title of 2012 same in all series

this is a good way to release a game serie and people can buy the first title not like a "dead line" waiting the new title with the new features.

Ummm winter a little over 6 months... lets see 7, time to see more about game expect you have luck and dont suffer technical problems

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 8/30/2013 5:09:21 PM

jeffk3510

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Really excited for this game. FOF is my favorite Civil War ear game right along with CWG2.

Looks great!

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 10/9/2013 9:55:42 AM

heyhellowhatsnew

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Really thought I posted in this thread earlier but I must have been dreaming. The game looks great and I am loving the hexes!

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 10/9/2013 12:37:16 PM

Anguille

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Do you have plans for more maps after release (Gettysburg etc)? will this be seen as an addon?

Thanks

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 10/10/2013 11:24:47 PM

Gil R.

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heyhellowhatsnew,
Thank you for your comments. I agree that Pixelpusher does great work.

Anguille,
"Brother against Brother" is meant to be a series, and we plan to work up to Gettysburg (especially now that we've blown past the 150th anniversary

). So it would be part of a separate release. (Our next two releases will have Shiloh and 2nd Manassas as their two main battles.)

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RE: First REAL screenshots from "Brother Against B... - 10/11/2013 10:46:39 AM

Anguille

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Gil R.

heyhellowhatsnew,
Thank you for your comments. I agree that Pixelpusher does great work.

Anguille,
"Brother against Brother" is meant to be a series, and we plan to work up to Gettysburg (especially now that we've blown past the 150th anniversary). So it would be part of a separate release. (Our next two releases will have Shiloh and 2nd Manassas as their two main battles.)

Excellent...

Thanks

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