New games announced by Matrixgames at The Home of Wargamers

[panzerde]

On a purely academic note, I'd be interested in what put off those people who couldn't get in to BA. Always looking to improve our games. Feel free to PM me if you don't want to wander OT.

In my case I'm not sure there's anything wrong with the game per se, it's just no more my cup of tea than Panzer Korps is. Both games seem too abstract and chess-like to me. Unity of Command is about as far as I can go in that direction before I lose interest. I'm probably exactly NOT the audience for these games.

Having said that I'm probably pretty representative of the Matrix core buyer. I spend a ton of money with Matrix, far more than I do on Steam. I understand the desire to provide games that appeal to a more casual, mainstream gamer, and to branch out to new platforms like tablets. What I hope doesn't happen is for that to become the bulk of what Matrix markets and sells. My local board game store went this road a few years back, selling nothing but games like Settlers, Axis & Allies, card games and Warhammer. Actual wargames have completely disappeared from the shelves. It seems like there's a lot more BA sort of stuff being released than Command Ops sort of stuff, and that is beginning to concern me a little.

[Grimnirsson]

I didn't care for the cartoonish graphics and the fact that the missions all appeared to be scripted.

So you prefer procedurally generated missions?

I rarely play the SP so if you ask me, skip the single player scenarios altogether and release a BA purely multiplayer with tons of *balanced* scenarios...that's the only complaint I have about BA which otherwise is a fantastic game - many MP scenarios are not balanced. At least that's what W8taminute, Hiimori and I think based on our PbEM sessions.

[PipFromSlitherine]

On a purely academic note, I'd be interested in what put off those people who couldn't get in to BA. Always looking to improve our games. Feel free to PM me if you don't want to wander OT.

In my case I'm not sure there's anything wrong with the game per se, it's just no more my cup of tea than Panzer Korps is. Both games seem too abstract and chess-like to me. Unity of Command is about as far as I can go in that direction before I lose interest. I'm probably exactly NOT the audience for these games.

Having said that I'm probably pretty representative of the Matrix core buyer. I spend a ton of money with Matrix, far more than I do on Steam. I understand the desire to provide games that appeal to a more casual, mainstream gamer, and to branch out to new platforms like tablets. What I hope doesn't happen is for that to become the bulk of what Matrix markets and sells. My local board game store went this road a few years back, selling nothing but games like Settlers, Axis & Allies, card games and Warhammer. Actual wargames have completely disappeared from the shelves. It seems like there's a lot more BA sort of stuff being released than Command Ops sort of stuff, and that is beginning to concern me a little.

I think that the monster hardcore wargames just need the devs to be players of those kinds of games, so you have a tiny number of people who are qualified to make them.  They then take a long time to build, as their complexity means the AI is a major task.  That said, we have some in the pipeline, so don't despair!

Oddly I think that our assessment of BA is that it is too hardcore :).  It's combat model probably requires too much wargamey knowledge to match up with its visuals.  BA2 fixes that to some extent.

Cheers

Pip

[PipFromSlitherine]

I didn't care for the cartoonish graphics and the fact that the missions all appeared to be scripted.

So you prefer procedurally generated missions?

I rarely play the SP so if you ask me, skip the single player scenarios altogether and release a BA purely multiplayer with tons of *balanced* scenarios...that's the only complaint I have about BA which otherwise is a fantastic game - many MP scenarios are not balanced. At least that's what W8taminute, Hiimori and I think based on our PbEM sessions.

If you can let us know which ones that would be useful.  That said, generally Iain has always provided counter tactics on unwinnable missions on the game forums when it has come up. :) But for high level players it's definitely possible that it could come down to one too few infantry etc.

Cheers

Pip

[tgb]

Yes.

[Nefaro]

On a purely academic note, I'd be interested in what put off those people who couldn't get in to BA. Always looking to improve our games. Feel free to PM me if you don't want to wander OT.

Cheers

Pip

I didn't care for the cartoonish graphics and the fact that the missions all appeared to be scripted.

So you prefer procedurally generated missions?

Cheers

Pip

I definitely wanted the option to run procedurally generated campaigns with varied and somewhat historical force command options.  They make me want to play the game more, and start more campaigns, knowing that it will not be the same every time. 

The canned missions are okay for some of the extra scripting made possible by specific tailor-made scenarios, but they just make it feel like a disposable 'play once & throw away' game.  I get more enjoyment from experiencing the unknown when I start a new randomly generated campaign in any game.  Starting the same canned stuff over again just makes it feel more like a puzzle game than a war/strategy game in which you have to react to the unforeseen circumstances as best you can.

Procedurally generated content can vary greatly in quality, however, so I understand when such things take extra time, lots of testing, and cost extra (as an expansion or otherwise).  But I highly value it.

[Grimnirsson]

Oddly I think that our assessment of BA is that it is too hardcore :).  It's combat model probably requires too much wargamey knowledge to match up with its visuals.  BA2 fixes that to some extent.

Could you please elaborate on that point? More casual than BA...or what? I hope I'm mistaken...???

[Zonso]

Oddly I think that our assessment of BA is that it is too hardcore :).  It's combat model probably requires too much wargamey knowledge to match up with its visuals.  BA2 fixes that to some extent.

Cheers

Pip

Lol I choked on my coffee reading that!! If BA was considered too hardcore by the devs then...

[PipFromSlitherine]

Oddly I think that our assessment of BA is that it is too hardcore :).  It's combat model probably requires too much wargamey knowledge to match up with its visuals.  BA2 fixes that to some extent.

Could you please elaborate on that point? More casual than BA...or what? I hope I'm mistaken...???

Heh - no.  The look of BA2 is much less cartoony, to better reflect its nature.

BA1 is probably too approachable looking for the complexity of its model (which is more involved than most people would expect from the look).

Cheers

Pip

[JasonPratt]

I honestly don't get the feeling the BA model is especially complex; though I'm not sure how much it would have helped had I gotten that impression.

Like others above, it felt like a puzzle game to me -- which I suppose fits the idea that it's teaching tactical approaches. (I was okay with the graphics, meant to evoke comic strips.)

Granted a lot of games might as well be a puzzle when playing set maps, Panzer General and its remakes/homages being a good example, but those rarely feel like puzzle games to me. Unity of Command comes closest to feeling like a puzzle game, to me, out of PG-likes, but not quite over the edge. Maybe because of the touches of randomness; the weather often makes or breaks those missions.

It's hard for me to put a finger on why I never played more than a few missions of BA, but hearing people upthread describe it as a puzzle game does seem to strike an appropriate nerve.

Not that I think that's inherently a bad thing, just not what I was looking for I guess. :) The Slither team clearly worked very hard at it, so I hope it and its expansions sold well. I might use it some day to introduce my nieces to WW2 wargaming, and I mean that as a compliment.  O0

(Incidentally, I'm pretty sure I've bought at least 80% of the Matrix/Slitherine line over the years, counting sets like Distant Worlds as one property.)

[undercovergeek]

http://www.spacesector.com/blog/2014/05/slitherine-sci-fi-and-fantasy-games-what-to-look-for/

dont think its been posted, and a bit more info for Martok and sovereignity

[Anguille]

http://www.spacesector.com/blog/2014/05/slitherine-sci-fi-and-fantasy-games-what-to-look-for/

dont think its been posted, and a bit more info for Martok and sovereignity

Nice! Thanks

[Boggit]

I hope the 30 years war one includes the ECW.

IIRC this is planned DLC. The TYW is coming out first. The other planned DLC is the Renaissance Italian Wars. I will mention more in an upcoming article. It's very exciting stuff. :)

[magnus]

 I always promised my left testicle to whomever came out with a TYW battle game.

To whom do I send it?

[undercovergeek]

one of my staff hasnt got one - im sure hed be grateful