RPS interview with John Tiller

[Strela]

Some harsh criticism:  I think Mark Walkers team is miles ahead with the Lock n Load series, graphically speaking. Even Panzer Campaign graphics are looking a bit rough around the edges. Sorry if that's harsh to hear.

Hi,

There is no issue with harsh criticism. I do want to check that you looked at the Panzer Battles rather than the Panzer Campaign graphics for your comparison though?

As far as Lock n Load, I agree Mark and team have some great artwork. His is drawn where as we have used colourized photos. The other variance is that he has done head shots only vs our 'head to breast' approach. What we have for Panzer Battles is every bit as good as the Volcanoman Mods for example, but not necessarily at Lock n Load level.

We will keep tweaking the art to try and improve.

As a final aside, Jison is now starting to do some official map work for Tiller so expect that to become more the norm.

David

[Nefaro]

As a final aside, Jison is now starting to do some official map work for Tiller so expect that to become more the norm.

That's good news.

[Apocalypse 31]

Some harsh criticism:  I think Mark Walkers team is miles ahead with the Lock n Load series, graphically speaking. Even Panzer Campaign graphics are looking a bit rough around the edges. Sorry if that's harsh to hear.

Hi,

There is no issue with harsh criticism. I do want to check that you looked at the Panzer Battles rather than the Panzer Campaign graphics for your comparison though?

As far as Lock n Load, I agree Mark and team have some great artwork. His is drawn where as we have used colourized photos. The other variance is that he has done head shots only vs our 'head to breast' approach. What we have for Panzer Battles is every bit as good as the Volcanoman Mods for example, but not necessarily at Lock n Load level.

We will keep tweaking the art to try and improve.

As a final aside, Jison is now starting to do some official map work for Tiller so expect that to become more the norm.

David

I am referring to Panzer Battles, specifically the terrain

[Strela]

I am referring to Panzer Battles, specifically the terrain

My only concern with that comment is that it's an apples & oranges comparison. Lock n Load has a hand painted map with hexes put over it while Panzer Battles is built up with hexes by type to form a map. The Lock and Load method limits maps to a much smaller size and an inability to randomly create a map.

The method used by Tiller loses some of the beauty and variation you get when it's hand crafted.

Do note for Tiller there is six different images for each hex type, so for example there would be six different village hexes and one would randomly be used when a village hex is placed. All Tillers images can be modded and for example a building of the same quality as Lock n Load could be included, it just would be repeated across the map.

The Lock n Load map requires the map image to be imported and then a hex grid put over it. Each hex then needs to be designated by type, altitude etc as well as whether there is roads and other links to adjacent hexes. This is the reason you see much smaller maps in the computer version of Lock n Load than other computer wargames.

It's all a trade-off for what you're trying to simulate and at what scale (don't forget Panzer Battles is 250 meter hexes vs lock n Load's 50 meters).

David

[Cyrano]

JTS games and BF make up well over 90% of my gaming diet so hearing from the man himself is always interesting.  I particularly found his remarks about the AI in Midway fascinating.

SB is as close to Squad Leader on a PC that anyone has come and all there's really nothing else out there for Napoleonics (absent Battles of Napoleon on a DoS Box).

I hope one day they're able to fire up TillerCon again because playing the larger games with multiple opponents in the same room is a good time.

Best,

Jim
"Cyrano"
:/7)

[TacticalWargames]

SB Modern War for em is the worse SB game. I was on the testing team but pulled out as I just thought the engine couldn't do Modern Warfare weapons well enough. However using the recently released X Mod I reckon this will solve some of it's problems. Infact the X Mod for me fixes the most annoying issue in SB which is the way low ammo and wounds are treated with the efficiency loss.

I just picked up Squad Battles: Modern War and Modern Campaigns: Danube 85.

Both enjoyable, but extremely difficult. I've played the tutorial mission for SB:MW about 20 times and have only been able to pull off a draw.

Both are also a little dated in the graphics department, but there are a few nice map mods that I picked up.

SB:MW is not as polished as Lock n Load, but very similar. Haven't played much, and kind of upset with no campaign.

Just curious, what are folks opinions on Modern Campaigns against Flashpoint Campaigns?

Squad Battles MW Boot Camp is really hard.  Move on and play the other scenarios.

Graphics not so good but I'm easy to please.

There is a campaign. But it works differently. You play a single leader that you need to keep alive through a series of linked scenarios. Scoring is different from regular scenarios. Objectives and casualties do not count. Winning or losing does not count. What counts is to keep your leader alive as long as possible. But that is only half of it. Points are awarded to your leader as he rallies troops, gets shot at, or engages in combat. So no use putting him behind the lines as you won't be earning points. You have to risk his life which is counter to the survival objective.

[Bison]

My favorite Squad Battles titles are Falklands, First World War, and Vietnam. 

[Apocalypse 31]

SB Modern War for em is the worse SB game. I was on the testing team but pulled out as I just thought the engine couldn't do Modern Warfare weapons well enough. However using the recently released X Mod I reckon this will solve some of it's problems. Infact the X Mod for me fixes the most annoying issue in SB which is the way low ammo and wounds are treated with the efficiency loss.

Weapons seem really weak.

In the tutorial scenario the M1A1 HEAT rounds should be decimating the Iraqis in their bunker. Same for the SMAW - a weapon designed to counter bunkers.

Where can I find the X Mod? Google search produced nothing

[TacticalWargames]

Go to the Blitz Forum.

Then message Keif149 to email you the mod for what ever SB game you have.

http://www.theblitz.org/message_boards/showthread.php?tid=66229

[jomni]

SB Modern War for em is the worse SB game. I was on the testing team but pulled out as I just thought the engine couldn't do Modern Warfare weapons well enough. However using the recently released X Mod I reckon this will solve some of it's problems. Infact the X Mod for me fixes the most annoying issue in SB which is the way low ammo and wounds are treated with the efficiency loss.

Weapons seem really weak.

In the tutorial scenario the M1A1 HEAT rounds should be decimating the Iraqis in their bunker. Same for the SMAW - a weapon designed to counter bunkers.

Where can I find the X Mod? Google search produced nothing

Forces you to assault using infantry.

[Cyrano]

My sense of SB has always been that it marginalizes vehicular weapon systems...sort of like Squad Leader once upon a time, but I digress...

Best,

Jim
"Cyrano"
:/7)

[Bison]

My sense of SB has always been that it marginalizes vehicular weapon systems...sort of like Squad Leader once upon a time, but I digress...

Best,

Jim
"Cyrano"
:/7)

This is a very true statement and one of the reasons why I stayed away from Modern War.  There could be a whole dissertation on ROE and EOF and the limiting impacts on firepower but the games do not take those factors into consideration.