Virtual tabletop miniature wargaming, feedback wanted

[heruca]

Hi folks,

I am the developer of a virtual tabletop program intended for boardgaming, called Battlegrounds Gaming Engine (aka BGE). I am currently trying to widen the program's appeal and userbase by making it a useful tool for playing tabletop miniatures games, as well.

If you take a look at this software preview video, you'll get a good idea of where the software is headed.

I am posting here to try to solicit feedback and advice from gamers far better versed than I in the intricacies of tabletop miniature wargaming (I've only dabbled with Warhammer, and I focused more on the miniature painting and scenery building than on the gameplay). I need one or two experienced gamers to help direct the addition of the features necessary to make my program better support this hobby.

Any takers?

[ArizonaTank]

I wish I had time to throw in more than my two-cents...but for what it is worth....

Line of sight tool is critical...

Less clicks, more dragging...IMHO

3D is more appealing...I believe you will find that most of your audience for this software have Windows PC / Mac devices for miniature gaming.  I know 3D adds some technical hurdles. 

"Open" backend.  Let users easily import their own "figures" and terrain.  If users import 2D into 3D module, paste the image on "blocks"

Allow users to set the measurement scale.  Provide dragable "rulers"

Battlefield smoke and haze....units that "fire" marked with white smoke (black powder era)

Allow extreme zoom out.  Naval battles may take up huge areas of table space.  When the user mouses over the extreme zoomed out units, they see a "pop" up of the close up unit image.

Command range and artillery blast radius "templates"

Gotta go....good luck.

[Nefaro]

Gameleaper started a post about your program down in the RPG & Adventure Gaming section not long ago, too -

http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=17653.0

He'll probably be along for some extra discussion before long.  :)


Welcome to the forum!

[gameleaper]

Gameleaper started a post about your program down in the RPG & Adventure Gaming section not long ago, too -

http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=17653.0

He'll probably be along for some extra discussion before long.  :)


Welcome to the forum!

you know me to well Nef :))

I love BG, I don't even use it to half its potential, but it really is quality app, the VTT for RPGs is great and you have kept on supporting it for years, so I'm sure anybody will get a good deal if they buy from you as you will keep making it better.

[heruca]

Thanks for the feedback, ArizonaTank.

Aside from the 3D thing, most of what you mentioned is already in the featureset or is otherwise supported.

3D games are far less efficient for fast gameplay, because perspective makes many things unreadable in normal boardgames (card text, etc.). This is less of a factor in tabletop mini games, of course. But there are already 3D based VTTs out there, if someone really wants that. But you pay the price in limited customizability of terrain features. Most people can add a custom 2D bitmap if they need a unique terrain feature, but fewer people can make a custom 3D model and texture it properly.

[heruca]

Thanks for the welcome, Nefaro.  :)

[weateallthepies]

I use BGE for playing some of the Two Hour Wargames stuff solo. I may be able to offer some input when I have time to collect my thoughts though I largely play skirmish type stuff rather than large mass battles kind of stuff so it's probably at the simpler end and largely covered by current features.

I'll definitely have a think about it though. I am just about to start setting up something new so I may have some ideas whilst I'm doing that.

[Richie61]

I agree with what :ArizonaTank" commented about  :) 3D isn't that important to me.

FOW = Fog of War is important.

[heruca]

Looking forward to hearing what you come up with, weateallthepies.

[reapagan]

3d is not all that important but eye candy is. Most miniature players spend endless hours painting and lavishing love on their miniatures. I think to be really successful you'll have to be able to make things look drop dead gorgeous.  Miniature rule sets tend to have simpler ways to resolve combats(less dependent on real world statistics and interactions more 6 sided die rolls and saves) so the biggest draw is in the units themselves and the terrain. Hex and counter games are more "technically" driven and gameplay and realism is more important. Miniature game play needs to be sexy and less complex.

[Jack Nastyface]

How does the software handle tank turret rotation?  What about something like an infantry weapon that is on top of a turret - can it be pointed to cover a completely different direction than the tank main gun turret?

[heruca]

The same way shown in the software preview video I linked to in the OP. Basically, you'd anchor the turret to the tank. The turret will keep its relative position and orientation as the tank moves and turns on the map, and with a modifier key, you can make the turret continue pointing in the same direction even though the tank itself is turning. Same basic principle applies to gun turrets on a battleship, spaceship, or whatever.

[heruca]

This should be of interest to boardgamers and tabletop wargamers.



The goal of this Kickstarter campaign is to fund the development of the next generation of Battlegrounds virtual tabletop software, which will be called "Battlegrounds Ultimate" (aka BGU).

This "new" virtual tabletop isn't starting from scratch. It builds upon the ten years of development that went into the first generation of the software (BRPG). This project should be of interest to anyone with an interest in RPGs (it supports both remote play and face-to-face game sessions). Among other worthy goals, a successful campaign will help Battlegrounds restore full support for Macs.

OK, so far, not particularly interesting to boardgamers/wargamers. However...

If the first Stretch Goal can be reached, Battlegrounds Gaming Engine (BGE) will also get the v2 treatment, providing a great new virtual tabletop app specifically tailored for boardgamers. If this happens, a new Pledge Level will be added to allow existing BGE users to upgrade to BGU (ie, pay a modest upgrade fee without having to purchase a license at full price).

If the second Stretch Goal can be reached, it will add a "free-to-play" mode, where anyone can use the BGU app without a license (albeit with a reduced feature-set), and that will mean LOADS more users, making it much easier to find extra players for your games. A BGU Gamer license will still be required to create digital boardgame conversions, but simply playing games produced by others will be absolutely free.

Please check out the Kickstarter campaign page to learn more. At least watch the brief 2-minute video, which is pretty cool.

[GJK]

I have some ideas for miniatures gaming and was thinking of Battlegrounds but I have no idea on how to even begin to make a gamebox/module for it.  Documentation seemed scarce.  Is there a detailed guide on how to do that?  If I can acquire and then take the time to learn how to do 3D images, how do I animate them in Battlegrounds?  It all seems so confusing.  This coming from someone that can make 2D graphics and VASSAL modules with no problems.

[acctingman]

My guess is that you need to know how to use Blender or something similar to make a 3d image of a tank or infantry unit. I wanted to do the same thing in Tabletop Simulator for Heroclix but realized it takes 3d skills I do not have the patience to learn.