Introducing NewRoSoft!

[IainMcNeil]

Hi guys,

as many of you know HexWar have pulled out of Field of Glory development as part of a transition they want to make to non PC games. We wish them luck but obviously we can't let a successful game like FoG just wither and die. As a result over the last 6 months we've been looking for a team to replace them. It proved more complex than initially hoped because the source code for the game was all in Real Basic, an IDS that most developers won’t touch with a barge pole! We came to the hard decision that we could not use the current code base for ongoing development. Instead we are having to build the game from scratch in a new engine. Obviously this is a bunch of work and this is the bad news.

The good news is that we've appointed a developer to take on this challenge. The new team are NewRoSoft (http://www.newrosoft.com/index.php). They have a wealth of experience developing games on all formats. This experience will be invaluable for the future of Field of Glory. The thing that really sold us on NewRoSoft though was that the executive producer there is very experienced Tabletop and PC Field of Glory player. You may know him from the forums as Cothyso. This experience and love of the game will ensure that the game continues to be developed in a way that retains the playability and feel that has been the standard up to now. We'd like to say a big hello to the NewRoSoft team and welcome them to the forum and Field of Glory team. We know a number of people on the forum contributed to Field of Glory in various way with HexWar and we'd be happy to continue having them help going forwards so anyone interested in being involved should make themselves known to the NewRoSoft team.

The new engine will be based on Unity. This is a cross platform engine that means we can get PC and Mac up and running as soon as possible. The plan right now is to get the game to the point where we have a replica of the current game in the Unity engine. It may not be possible to exactly map 100% of the combat calculations and mechanics as they are currently coded but we will get something that is a very close approximation. We'll also be refining some parts of the UI or structure that are holding the game back. One example is that we plan to separate out maps and scenarios. This way a user can build a map, then set multiple scenarios on that map without the need to clear off the existing units. There will be various other tweaks and improvements included but exactly what those are will depend on how development goes. We expect this stage to take about 3-4 months but I have to stress this is an initial estimate and could be wildly inaccurate when we get deep in to the combat mechanisms and find issues we had not planned on.

Once the new engine is ready we'll be releasing at least 2 more expansions that are already well in production (Wolves from the Sea & Oath of Fealty).

We will probably have to release the new versions as a new installer that sits in a new folder rather than as a patch. Just to be clear - this new engine will be free to everyone who has the current game.

Once we have the game running in Unity we have a number of options that are still to be decided. We could look at doing an iPad and Android version of the game or we could look at making Field of Glory 2. We may even do both. The new engine opens up a wealth of possibilities that are not currently possible on the existing engine. It's a very exciting time for Field of Glory!

I hope you'll join me in welcoming Dan (Cothyso) and the NewRoSoft team!

[stockwellpete]

Iain, what is the situation with regards to the "Player Requests" document that myself and TheGrayMouser sent to you before Xmas? Might some of what was included in that document be considered by NewRoSoft now or will that have to wait until you have replicated the existing game in the Unity engine?

[IainMcNeil]

I think we should get the document to NewRoSoft now so they are aware of the things you'd like to see but until they review that list I dont think anything can be promised.

[deeter]

Good news! I recall Cothyso had some very specific ideas on how to improve the game. Looking forward to seeing these implemented. I would hope too that changes in FOG 2.0 will be included in the new build without having to wait for a FOG PC 2.0 release,

Deeter

[stockwellpete]

I think we should get the document to NewRoSoft now so they are aware of the things you'd like to see but until they review that list I dont think anything can be promised.

OK, Iain, that's great.

[davouthojo]

Congratulations to cothyso..........he will be even harder to beat as the creator of the code!
Very glad to have FOG's future in the hands of someone passionate about the game.

Just one query on the plan.........you estimate rewriting the code to take 3-4 months, and this is likely a low estimate. If I read your comment right, Wolves from the Sea and Oath of Fealty will be put on hold during this time.

Did you consider an alternative plan? Releasing Wolves and Oath in the current software (hopefully an incremental task), and have the new team build FOG 2, incorporating significant changes that will attract new players?
Advantages of this over your existing plan:
1) Maintain momentum, since otherwise there will be 6 months or so with no releases (and less revenue!)
2) Will accelerate getting to FOG 2, and reduce the total programming cost. If you are rebuilding the code from scratch, you may as well build it with full future functionality in mind.

[IainMcNeil]

Doing anything with the current code base is pretty much out of teh question without the original team which is why we went down this route. Its the kind of code base that you really need to know backwards to be able to modify/maintain as before you can even search for somethign you need to decide which part of the code base you want to look in before you try and find it. Real Basic is designed for fast development of small and simple programs and FoG is possibly one of the most complex things ever written in Real Basic. Its not what it was desigend for and it shows. We could have tried this and it could possibly have got an expansion out sooner but would have been all work that was thrown away as far as the future of FoG goes as it would be work on a dead code base. So possible short term gain with definitely long term pain.

However we do plan to get you something while you are waiting. More news soon!

[iandavidsmith]

Great New , FoG is no doubt the game with the most going on and its 2 years old.
there are always tournaments going on and a vast amount of user created scenario's.

a couple of questions....
does that mean that FOG-R and FOG-N (if they are made hint-hint) are way
down the track and developed under the same engine
and
will the user create scenarios still be compatible with the new code.

Keep up the great work , i have bought every expansion for this game
and will continue to support it , its far the best game i have ever played.
Cheers
Ian

[IainMcNeil]

Its a bit early to say anything on FoG-R and FoG-N, but we would love to have them on the PC/Mac if the economics make sense.

[stockwellpete]

will the user create scenarios still be compatible with the new code.

Ian asked this as well, Iain - which is a subject close to my own heart.

And can I assume that you will pass a copy of the "player's requests" document to cothyso and the new team? Or do you need me to do something too?

[berto]

will the user create scenarios still be compatible with the new code.

Not just "user create[d] scenarios" but official, standard scenarios too?

Or will we have to pay (a second time) to upgrade all of our existing expansions (I have most of them) to the new FOG engine?

[cothyso]

Hello guys!

You might want to have a look in HERE

[berto]

FWIW (and writing as someone who purchased FoG via Matrix), I suggest that you post these announcements also at the Matrix Games Forum, Field of Glory Series section.

[CaptainHuge]

Congrats Cothyso! I think this is great news! I love this game and having the question mark about the future has been a worry. Going forward with improvements and possibly porting to iPad is wonderful. Once things are back up with the new code base, is there a good possibility that the previously abandoned expansions might be delivered, Swifter Than Eagles, Empires of the Dragon etc.?

[TheGrayMouser]

Very interesting and look forward to the new lease on life the engine will have.

Question though, seems will get real confusing on compataibility . I own the base game and 7 expansions, of course all visual basic. Once the Unity version rolls out , it sounds like it will be applied as a sperate install? Will I simply redownload all the "new" unity-based expansions ( and then basically delete the old VB install?)

Cheers!

[IainMcNeil]

We haven't finalised any plans on how thigsn will work yet but I'm guessing the old version will be retired and you'll only use the new Unity version which will be free to anyone with the game. All expansiosn will work with the new engine. All previous patches will also be retired.

In theory you wont notice much difference on the surface - all the changes will be under the hood.

[SmickeyMcgee]

welcome new team! im loving the news and i cant wait for more FOG, this is my favorite tactical strategy game and has so much potential to be even better so cant wait to see what you guys come up with.