TWILIGHT STRUGGLE (closed beta) activating soon on Steam

Ian C · April 21, 2016, 11:34:00 AM

Loving this game. Genuine edge-of-the-seat moments and tension here. Got my money's worth. Great game.

Drakken · April 21, 2016, 06:38:48 PM

This game is a classic, on par with Paths of Glory (another game I wish to see a PC version soon). Currently getting schooled by an experienced player on another forum. Now I am at least able to stand the distance against him.

Lord_Drakken, for those who want to hit me on TS,

A Groghead tournament perhaps, some day?

GJK · April 21, 2016, 07:54:26 PM

This game has probably the best UI of any computer "wargame" (loosly said) that I've ever played. It's very well done. I'm hoping that multiplayer will hold my attention longer than playing against the AI however.

BanzaiCat · April 22, 2016, 06:53:24 AM

I suck at this game, as my AAR on the front page shows. I've at least realized some of the major errors I made in Turn 1 (I hope I did, anyway).

JasonPratt · April 22, 2016, 11:44:17 AM

Quote from: GJK on April 21, 2016, 07:54:26 PM
This game has probably the best UI of any computer "wargame" (loosly said) that I've ever played. It's very well done. I'm hoping that multiplayer will hold my attention longer than playing against the AI however.

One thing that print AARs can't get across well, even with visuals, is the quality of the UI. I'm trying hard to give readers an idea about that as I go. Even where I have a few complaints, generally there's a factor compensating for it somehow.

Example: the other player's move can go by way too fast to understand what's going on; sometimes it also looks as though influence played one place landed somewhere else. But there's a bar at the bottom which traces what happened during the turn, and clicking on the move will clarify where the influence was actually placed and how much of it. Plus this game history can be pulled up at any time. There's another nice window at the top of the screen which can be opened to show the cards played for each round of each turn, even though it doesn't show whether the cards were played for effect or whatever. I'm a bit miffed that the two windows have to complement each other (one window doesn't explain what the event on the card did or would have done; the other window doesn't explain whether the card was played as an event or what otherwise happened when it played) -- but I'm glad they exist, and they look super-clean and clear.

Queeg · April 22, 2016, 03:25:35 PM

I never played the board game, so for me this is a very nice surprise.

I agree wholeheartedly on the UI and overall fun factor. But for me, the game's most amazing quality is that it somehow manages to be both highly abstracted yet wonderfully evocative. You're doing nothing but playing cards and roling dice, but it still feels like the Cold War. I suppose it helps to have lived through most of the era, but this game has that elusive "just feels right" quality.

I'm impressed.

Moreb · April 22, 2016, 07:01:28 PM

I'm going to have to get this. Are any of you guys experiencing game ending bugs? Ive read some comments on the Steam forum where people cannot make it past certain turns.

I'm old enough to remember the drills for a nuclear attack in grade school. It was the same for a tornado. Get under a Formica desk with your hands over your head in a fetal position and kiss your ass goodbye.

At least the ashes would be in nice uniform piles.

And now, a sing-song. Why? Because I can.

Queeg · April 23, 2016, 04:34:57 PM

Started and restarted a few games to get the feel of things, then dove into my first real game. And got crushed.

I was so busy worrying about Europe, the Middle East and Asia that I didn't pay attention to the AI buidling up a few points here and there in Africa and South America. Then they played both scoring cards in the same round - 14 VPs and I'm dead.

Most fun I've had getting obliterated in a long time.

DennisS · April 24, 2016, 03:51:02 PM

Quote from: Queeg on April 23, 2016, 04:34:57 PM
Started and restarted a few games to get the feel of things, then dove into my first real game. And got crushed.

I was so busy worrying about Europe, the Middle East and Asia that I didn't pay attention to the AI buidling up a few points here and there in Africa and South America. Then they played both scoring cards in the same round - 14 VPs and I'm dead.

Most fun I've had getting obliterated in a long time.

....aaaaand I got crushed as well. Deeply crushed. Crushed as in the kids in Birmingham will be speaking Russian soon.

Moreb · April 24, 2016, 09:55:01 PM

Just playing the tutorials now. What a complicated game. I think Ill have to run them again so it sinks in. The tutorials are very well done and I'm quite happy with the small cost of the game for such a unique experience.

airboy · April 25, 2016, 03:42:03 PM

Looks very interesting. I'll get it eventually. I have such a big stack of unplayed games already.

Hofstadter · April 25, 2016, 08:45:14 PM

Getting this game to tomorrow. Going to record it, it looks SO DAMN GOOD.

Silent Disapproval Robot · April 29, 2016, 02:40:33 AM

Just got back home from vacation today. Despite 22 hours sitting at airports or flying and a 16 hour time change, first thing I did was grab a copy of the game.

I lost the first one due to stupidity on my part (played the Olympics at DEFCON 2, the AI boycotted and I was labelled the instigator of WWIII).

Second game was much better. I played as the USSR and scored a win on turn 5 by getting to +22 VP. The AI is actually fairly good. I'm pleasantly surprised. Who's up for a game?

JasonPratt · April 29, 2016, 07:30:33 AM

:o ???

That's weird; I was sure the rule worked the other way, with the Olympic boycotter being responsible for moving the DEFclock down.

If the rule works as you reported, I sure dodged a bullet in my game against Bart: I played the Olympics for Ops, so the event didn't trigger, but since Bart has recklessly pushed us to DEF2

by late Turn 2, had I played it for the VP attempt Bart could have won the game by boycotting the Olympics! (Whereas I would have thought he would lose the game by doing that, thus forcing him in that case to take the weighted risk in my favor of rolling for extra VPs.)

Barthheart · April 29, 2016, 07:36:30 AM

Quote from: JasonPratt on April 29, 2016, 07:30:33 AM
:o ???

That's weird; I was sure the rule worked the other way, with the Olympic boycotter being responsible for moving the DEFclock down.

If the rule works as you reported, I sure dodged a bullet in my game against Bart: I played the Olympics for Ops, so the event didn't trigger, but since Bart has recklessly pushed us to DEF2 by late Turn 2, had I played it for the VP attempt Bart could have won the game by boycotting the Olympics! (Whereas I would have thought he would lose the game by doing that, thus forcing him in that case to take the weighted risk in my favor of rolling for extra VPs.)

It's whomever's turn it currently is (he who played the card) when the Defcon one is triggered gets the blame.... I was disappointed when you played it fer Ops.... ;)