LNLP World At War - The Computer Game

[Capn Darwin]

LB, thanks for the inputs. Now we just need to get on the beta test team.  O0

[Nefaro]

How "modern" is a game that "happened" 30 years ago? :D

As long as some of the military hardware in use at the time is still in use today.  That's my definition of "Modern".  ;)

[bayonetbrant]

M2 Browning HB .50 caliber machine gun ;)

[Hot lead and dirty talk!]

Not a big fan of the cartoonish (is that a word?) cut scenes.

I believe it would look better if they used actual destroyed tank photos, real near misses, and actual photos of a tank gunner firing etc.

[jomni]

Yuck. Map too green.

[Barthheart]

Yuck. Map too green.

;D

The map and counter graphics are the same art as used in the board game.  O0

[Swatter]

I think it looks really interesting. I was going to jump in on the board game series, but was lacking time for face-to-face gaming since my second son was born. I am a sure go for this one, unless they screw up the implementation.

As for the graphical complaints, I am a little surprised. Its different, but I don't always regard that as bad. I think the graphics seem to do a great job of explaining what is going on.

[panzerde]

;D

The map and counter graphics are the same art as used in the board game.  O0

I like the map and counter graphics, and think the movement path mechanic and markers look pretty good. The animations put me off. Like HoS I think all of the dice roll windows are other panels obscure things a lot. I enjoyed HoS eventually, but only after turning off a lot of the panels and dice rolls and other chrome. Finally "Take a sip of vodka!" got old after the first game...

Not that I won't buy it when it releases. I just would wish for less clutter.

[Bletchley_Geek]

I'm almost certainly going to be in the minority here, but I'm not thrilled at all with what I see. Hopefully this is a very early build. The effects and graphics look very "meh" to me.

Maybe it'll grow on me.

My 15yr old said "that makes it look really stupid" (in reference to all the glitter and glam).  FWIW.

I don't want to stir up any trouble at someone's else household, but I wonder what does your 15-year-old think of your avatar GJK :-)

This looks very good, even if I would eventually disable the vignettes. Those who buy boardgame simulators on their tablets will totally love this. They're not very different from those little videos that John Tiller games' had back in the Talonsoft days. At least we don't get too see middle-aged overweight re-enactors engaged in their weekend hobby a gazillion times during a game :)

[Tinkershuffle]

I'm almost certainly going to be in the minority here, but I'm not thrilled at all with what I see. Hopefully this is a very early build. The effects and graphics look very "meh" to me.

Maybe it'll grow on me.

As much as I love WaW board game I have to agree with you. I don't know how it can compete with FCRS without drastic changes to the game mechanics.

[JudgeDredd]

Yuck. Map too green.

;D

The map and counter graphics are the same art as used in the board game.  O0

And therefore shouldn't change. We've already seen one boardgame released that didn't stay faithful to the boardgame and I know what I thought of that - it should've been superb - it was actually anything but and mainly because of the implementation.

Thankfully - they added the boardgame look and it was much better - though it still seemed to lack the boardgame feel.

LnLP managed to pull of HoS. The game kept the look AND feel of the boardgame and was/is superb.

Of course a lot will depend on a) whether you are a boardgamer at all and b) whether you have played the boardgame being converted. If the answer to either is yes then I think you are more likely to want the computer version to mimic the boardgame version. The computer version is really only to take care of the rules for you.

Of course the parts that are not in the boardgame (as panzerde pointed out) like animations and "cur scenes", sounds etc can all be enhanced by the developer...but imo with any good boardgame the look, feel and, where possible, gameplay mechanics should not be tampered with.

I thank the lord it's coming out because it might help me get to grips with his bloody rule book  :P

[RooksBailey]

I was going to jump in on the board game series, but was lacking time for face-to-face gaming since my second son was born. I am a sure go for this one, unless they screw up the implementation.

Almost the same for me!  I've been very interested in the board game, but I never purchased it because as much as I would like to get back into board games, playing on the PC has just made me too lazy to do so!   :-[  A PC conversion would be a definite buy for me!

Hope this develops well!

[jomni]

Haven't played this title but have LnL Day of Heroes board game and LnL HoS PC. I got bored with HoS quickly.  I did beta. Some board game conversions lose their soul when turned to PC because they become rather simple.

[JudgeDredd]

Haven't played this title but have LnL Day of Heroes board game and LnL HoS PC. I got bored with HoS quickly.  I did beta. Some board game conversions lose their soul when turned to PC because they become rather simple.

I agree 100% with this. I think that's why a PC conversion of a boardgame has to stay as true as it can to the boardgame..and that means keeping it's quaint look and feel. But they do need to replace that physical and mental element that you are missing from the conversion.

Part of the problem, as you say, is the complexity of boardgames but also the physical element.

I'm stoked though. The rules are what keep kicking me in the nuts every time I want to fire this game up and I know for a fact that Heroes of Stalingrad helped me with the boardgame rules for the Band of Heroes boardgame I have (which I should get back to  :'( )

As with PC games, I now have too many boardgames to make an effective choice when wanting to play.

[jomni]

Automated resolution takes out the mental aspect of manually assessing the odds and looking at factors that modify the die roll.  It can be a tense and immersive exercise in itself.