a Couple of questions on gameplay. Why hexes and other such.

[Destraex]

Just watched some of the Slitherine FOG movies and was wondering why a octagonal system allowing a proper line would not be used?


b) Can Roman legionaries in this video actually let elephants through
c) Can dust obscure view of some units
d) How like in chess - does the opening persons move not have an impact on the rest of the game? How is the starting side chosen?
e) Do facings have a penalty or is it instant no matter how much pressure the unit is under.
f) Are formations taken into account, or is it a one size fits all affair?
g) Is the FOG rule book included in the manual so we can really understand what is going on?

P.S. I found this while looking for the FOG video... classic FOG from microprose.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW9NdA5zCrI&NR=1


Actually FOG by microprose is what I want with realistic graphics and numbers represented 1:1
A really slick job professional job. Linked to a campaign map that allows troops to deteriorate, replenish or gain experience.

[IainMcNeil]

Diagonals result in all sorts of oddness with ranges facings and overlaps - one of the reasons I assume Civ 5 has finally changed to hexes

[Destraex]

civ used an octagonal system? That is interesting..did not know that.

[IainMcNeil]

Civ 5 uses hexes. Nothing uses Octagons as they cannot be tiled. I assumed you mean square tiles with diagonals.

[ChrisH]

It would have been possible to implement free form movement like the table top game, DBA Online managed it after all. This would have been much harder to implement, especially the AI but it is a shame that hexes were chosen instead.

[IainMcNeil]

Its not an AI issue - its all about playability. DBA Online is really fiddly to play in my opinion and not the kind of gameplay we are looking for

[omarquatar]

DBA Online is really fiddly to play in my opinion and not the kind of gameplay we are looking for

i really hope in a better computer game and not a pedisseque transposition of any tabletop rules (i mean, if i'd like to play DBA, i'd have bought figures and colours instead)

[Xiggy]

I played DBA online for a year or 2 and it was a lot of fun. The biggest issue the number of units limited to 12 and due do contractual issues it was never changed. The only program changes were making the maps prettier. (Cosmetic changes)

This game is much better. The Dev's are constantly making improvements in gameplay. The lists get expanded and DAG is huge.

[TheGrayMouser]

Its not an AI issue - its all about playability. DBA Online is really fiddly to play in my opinion and not the kind of gameplay we are looking for

Well that the job for you guys, to make it not "fiddly"

Its just not fair that realtime fans can get (theoretically) realistic maps with true elevation gradients and units that actually have "footprints" that are historical and accurate in terms of size and depth . Waa over.


Anyways i see that TT players are using the below really cool program to record their battle, including FOG players
Although its main use is for reporting and illustrating battles , there is no reason you couldnt play a game on it ! i have played around with this and with some work it wouldnt be too fiddly to move units around in an actual game

http://www.battlechronicler.com/index.html

Also check out racing spider games, Although only an Alpha (and likly not going any further) he has created a 3d virtual tabletop specifically for fighting out miniatures battles

I guess what i am hinting at is many players would, i think be interested in games like Ren if done in a way that would highlight the differnt formations without abstracting them and sqeezing em into a hex.. Such a game need not be a direct conversion from a TT game, either.