Another new one from Matrix: Piercing Fortess Europa

jomni · April 24, 2013, 06:08:49 PM

It's a Frank Hunter game and the screenshot reminds me of Guns of August.

http://matrixgames.com/products/467/details/Piercing.Fortress.Europa

mikeck · April 24, 2013, 07:29:11 PM

Man, I wish I had even a passing interest in WW2...so many good turn based games for it. I would buy them all if a developer agreed -in exchange- to make one good turn based mid 19th century game (age of rifles stuff) anyway, looks good

Bison · April 24, 2013, 07:36:21 PM

Well I hope he put some time in actually creating a usable interface. Guns of August was a giant PITA to play. I hated the UI setup to the point I stopped attempting to learn the game.

Al · April 24, 2013, 07:52:48 PM

I'm usually a sucker for games like these but I think I'll have to wait for some previews/reviews. I like the Italian peninsula campaign idea.

son_of_montfort · April 25, 2013, 01:00:44 AM

Quote from: Bison on April 24, 2013, 07:36:21 PM
Well I hope he put some time in actually creating a usable interface. Guns of August was a giant PITA to play. I hated the UI setup to the point I stopped attempting to learn the game.

+1

I was so excited to play GoA, but the UI was just so bad that it was impossible to get past the first few turns. The worst in memory, for me, was Empires in Arms. Now THAT was a UI mess to end all UI. To call it a UI would be kind.

GJK · April 25, 2013, 01:49:46 AM

Leaked screenshots! :)

I'm the graphic artist for PFE and also on the beta test team. I can assure you that this interface is much, much easier than what GOA has. I'm under the NDA so can't say too much about it at this point but the games are vastly different in that you obviously don't have all the diplomacy and technology builds and all the other elements that a game that covered the entire WWI had and thus there's a lot less "distraction" and more just pure maneuver and fight. If you're at all interested in the Italian campaign (both Sicily and Italy), then I think you'll find that Frank is making a really solid game here.
Edit: NOT leaked screnshots....and they did put out the presser on my birthday as I requested! LOL

JudgeDredd · April 25, 2013, 02:09:33 AM

^ Best be k9ind about the graphics gents - we have someone of note in da house ;)

JudgeDredd · April 25, 2013, 02:10:16 AM

Quote from: Al on April 24, 2013, 07:52:48 PM
I'm usually a sucker for games like these but I think I'll have to wait for some previews/reviews. I like the Italian peninsula campaign idea.

You could always get the demo and try it ou.....oh...wait...demo's don't work ;D

spelk · April 25, 2013, 03:13:40 AM

Quote from: son_of_montfort on April 25, 2013, 01:00:44 AM
I was so excited to play GoA, but the UI was just so bad that it was impossible to get past the first few turns. The worst in memory, for me, was Empires in Arms. Now THAT was a UI mess to end all UI. To call it a UI would be kind.

+1

I'd also like to chip in Campaigns on the Danube as another UI monstrosity.

A lot of exciting and groovey gaming ideas and a lot of very poor implementations. Its a shame the youthful game coders nowadays don't seem to gravitate towards PC wargaming... unless Tomislav from the Unity of Command lot is a youngster!

GJK · April 25, 2013, 05:58:20 AM

Quote from: JudgeDredd on April 25, 2013, 02:09:33 AM
^ Best be k9ind about the graphics gents - we have someone of note in da house ;)

No - talk about it. I want to evolve as a graphic artist for wargame companies so I'll take any criticism, suggestions, nods, or what have you's. I'm working on another print project now and then Mr. Hunter has another game on the horizon that he indicated that he'd like me to work on graphically for him. Do understand however that many times we're a bit at the mercy of what the developer/designer wants as far as certain aspects or aesthetics go. Mr. Hunter was really easy to work with however; he made one recommendation but otherwise it was up to my artistic freedom. So you guys chat as if I wasn't here, m'kay? :)

Barthheart · April 25, 2013, 06:53:37 AM

Quote from: GJK on April 25, 2013, 05:58:20 AM
Quote from: JudgeDredd on April 25, 2013, 02:09:33 AM
^ Best be k9ind about the graphics gents - we have someone of note in da house ;)

No - talk about it. I want to evolve as a graphic artist for wargame companies so I'll take any criticism, suggestions, nods, or what have you's. I'm working on another print project now and then Mr. Hunter has another game on the horizon that he indicated that he'd like me to work on graphically for him. Do understand however that many times we're a bit at the mercy of what the developer/designer wants as far as certain aspects or aesthetics go. Mr. Hunter was really easy to work with however; he made one recommendation but otherwise it was up to my artistic freedom. So you guys chat as if I wasn't here, m'kay? :)

Gary, I like the look so far, very crisp and clear, and I'm very interested in this game.

2 questions if you can answer them...
1) Roads over rivers don't seem to have bridges... these are not destroyable?
2) The counters seem shifted "up" in the hexes... is that for a reason?

Oh and yer counters aren't clipped! ;)

JudgeDredd · April 25, 2013, 07:04:58 AM

Quote from: Barthheart on April 25, 2013, 06:53:37 AM
Oh and yer counters aren't clipped! ;)

I was just going to point that out! ;)

GJK · April 25, 2013, 07:30:10 AM

Argh, no clipped counters! I'll mod that up and test it and then if it works I'll propose the idea to Mr. Hunter. It depends on if his program will hide or show transparency (they use .BMP's which normally don't translate transparency but he may have a certain color coded to hide the pixels). I'll check on that.

As for the bridges, I don't know to be honest. I can test it later tonight. I know that ports are destructable so I would imagine that bridges are as well.

jjdenver · April 25, 2013, 10:01:23 AM

Quote from: son_of_montfort on April 25, 2013, 01:00:44 AM
Quote from: Bison on April 24, 2013, 07:36:21 PM
Well I hope he put some time in actually creating a usable interface. Guns of August was a giant PITA to play. I hated the UI setup to the point I stopped attempting to learn the game.

+1

I was so excited to play GoA, but the UI was just so bad that it was impossible to get past the first few turns. The worst in memory, for me, was Empires in Arms. Now THAT was a UI mess to end all UI. To call it a UI would be kind.

+2. The GOA UI was awful. I bought it and literally couldn't play it.

Sadly I think the Italian campaign is fairly boring - slow going over rough terrain with limited front and manuever options available. However, I guess if this is a series it has to start somewhere. :)

I wish that he would overhaul the GUI and release a strategic WW2 game rather than an operational game - we have lots of those but it's tough to find a good strategic level game of WW2 ETO or WW2 Global.

Anyway, I'm still happy to see any turn based strategy game released and it's probably on my buy list no matter what topic it covers as long as the GUI is use-able.

jomni · April 25, 2013, 08:04:51 PM

Ui horrors aside, GOA is the only WW1 strategic game that I finished. ;)