(A very late) first look at the game (with just a few gripes

[borsook79]

I've only just bought BA with one expansion, before I was hesitating a lot for one reason, but now I am so happy I bought it. It's one of the most elegant and slick games I've ever seen. Those words are used a lot in reviews, but that's the first game deserving them. The interface, the easiness to download custom content, good AI. It's really great! Thanks for making such a wonderful game. I have just a few points:

1. Allied bias - playing one side all the time is no fun, you have here e.g. battle of the Ardennes which might be even more interesting from the German side... I would pay for a German version, even if it reused the maps.
2. The interface is great on a touch screen, decent with a mouse, but not so good on a laptop with a touchpad. Click and hold to choose new unit is hard to do with this configuration, but the alternative i.e. rightclick and click is a bit annoying too.
3. There are some strange quirks like choose the link to the forums from the game actually quits the game, seems not intuitive to me, I was looking for it to minimalised or something.

These are just small things of course (maybe expect for point 1), overall it is such a great game, I still can't believe it

[leci]

If you access my Directory of Playable Mods & Scenarios Sticky at viewtopic.php?f=87&t=43167 you will see a playable Mod et re the Battle of the Bulge from an Axis standpoint plus the Fuel Depot Mod.

In addition, the links to the various forums/threads illustrate very detailed and technical discussions and subsequent Mods that address force balance.

Gilles

[IainMcNeil]

Thanks for the feedback. The original game was produced with cooperation from the BBC as a result focused on the Allied sides. Since then we have rel;eased a German campaign in Blitzkrieg France and are working on Rommel in Normandy - a 1944 German campaign. In multiplayer you also get to play the cool German tanks though expect to be heavily outnumbered!

[borsook79]

If you access my Directory of Playable Mods & Scenarios Sticky at viewtopic.php?f=87&t=43167 you will see a playable Mod et re the Battle of the Bulge from an Axis standpoint plus the Fuel Depot Mod.

In addition, the links to the various forums/threads illustrate very detailed and technical discussions and subsequent Mods that address force balance.

Gilles

Yes, I've seen it, but I think it is marked as alpha? Will it appear in the ingame download screen when it is complete?

[borsook79]

Thanks for the feedback. The original game was produced with cooperation from the BBC as a result focused on the Allied sides. Since then we have rel;eased a German campaign in Blitzkrieg France and are working on Rommel in Normandy - a 1944 German campaign. In multiplayer you also get to play the cool German tanks though expect to be heavily outnumbered!

I've got Blitzkrieg and I'm waiting for Rommel, and I have to say the game is so good I even enjoy playing as allies, which I never do. Still it would be great to revisit other battles from the Axis perspective, those could be either remade or reusing existing maps and just sold for a bit less, I'm sure there are a lot of players who would be interested in Africa or Ardennes from German perspective. While mods are great, the official campaigns are of a really high quality and it would be great to be able to expect this level

[IainMcNeil]

We're finishing up the beta testing on Rommel at the moment.

BA2 has equal focus on the Germans and Soviets and covers the Eastern front so watch out for this!

[borsook79]

We're finishing up the beta testing on Rommel at the moment.

BA2 has equal focus on the Germans and Soviets and covers the Eastern front so watch out for this!

Yes, I'm really excited about BA2 and will get it for sure

[AVSF]

Good things first...

This is a really GREAT game for "casual" wargamers...FUN but also realistic "enough".
We know that it is not realistic...but it feels "real" and it is clear that it is deliberate!
The best game i have seen in this category since panzer general...(Panzer corps is also nice).

A few "comercial" suggestions...from somebody that understands that the game MUST MAKE MONEY...and you should know better than me...but i can't resist

1 - I can't understand why scenarios can't be played from both sides. AI can attack and defend...the map is already made, the force selection is made, the briefing is made...you could alter the force balance a bit and add "intelligence" with little extra work...and provide double the value and entertainment.
(I don't like Multiplayer...i lose too much )

2 - I don't like the DLC model...i think that extra campaigns seem to be overpriced...half the full game price for 7 or so scenarios!?
(i wan't to play them, but can't justify the value to myself...it is more logical to wait for BA2)

3 - Core Unit System would be nice...and a Dynamic campaign...a great plus from similar games is the ability to lead a personal unit trough the war BUT these i admit would generate much more work...perhaps on a future version

4 - Android version (I also refuse to buy Apple produts...and this is a great game to take on a tablet) but i have to accept that it MUST be profitable:(

Don't get me wrong...IT IS A GREAT GAME and well worth its price...AND there is a lot of good will from the developers (Modding and Support) BUT i end up thinking that it would require little to be EVEN BETTER.

[pipfromslitherine]

Good things first...

This is a really GREAT game for "casual" wargamers...FUN but also realistic "enough".
We know that it is not realistic...but it feels "real" and it is clear that it is deliberate!
The best game i have seen in this category since panzer general...(Panzer corps is also nice).

A few "comercial" suggestions...from somebody that understands that the game MUST MAKE MONEY...and you should know better than me...but i can't resist

1 - I can't understand why scenarios can't be played from both sides. AI can attack and defend...the map is already made, the force selection is made, the briefing is made...you could alter the force balance a bit and add "intelligence" with little extra work...and provide double the value and entertainment.
(I don't like Multiplayer...i lose too much )

2 - I don't like the DLC model...i think that extra campaigns seem to be overpriced...half the full game price for 7 or so scenarios!?
(i wan't to play them, but can't justify the value to myself...it is more logical to wait for BA2)

3 - Core Unit System would be nice...and a Dynamic campaign...a great plus from similar games is the ability to lead a personal unit trough the war BUT these i admit would generate much more work...perhaps on a future version

4 - Android version (I also refuse to buy Apple produts...and this is a great game to take on a tablet) but i have to accept that it MUST be profitable:(

Don't get me wrong...IT IS A GREAT GAME and well worth its price...AND there is a lot of good will from the developers (Modding and Support) BUT i end up thinking that it would require little to be EVEN BETTER.

Thanks for the feedback!

1 - most of the time spent to build a good SP map is in the play balancing. And SP maps tend to be asymetric to make them more interesting, so having the map etc built doesn't really save all that much time. Scripting and balancing play from the other side would be not much less work than a whole new map.

2 - we appreciate that people value DLCs differently. If the price doesn't work for you then no worries

3 - a campaign is definitely on the wishlist for some, but it's a major task to build a fun campaign that is well balanced.

4 - Android is on our list too, but HW and OS fragmentation, as well as other priorities, keep us from progressing the Android version currently.

Cheers

Pip

[AVSF]

Thanks for the feedback!

1 - most of the time spent to build a good SP map is in the play balancing. And SP maps tend to be asymetric to make them more interesting, so having the map etc built doesn't really save all that much time. Scripting and balancing play from the other side would be not much less work than a whole new map.

2 - we appreciate that people value DLCs differently. If the price doesn't work for you then no worries

3 - a campaign is definitely on the wishlist for some, but it's a major task to build a fun campaign that is well balanced.

4 - Android is on our list too, but HW and OS fragmentation, as well as other priorities, keep us from progressing the Android version currently.

Cheers

Pip

OK...the important thing is that you make enough revenue to pay the excellent developers and continue making very good games...i KNOW that profit margins are very low on this business...(almost) nobody gets rich with wargames.

Point 1 was a suggestion...even if play balance is not optimal i still think it would be a good development decision to make scenarios playable from both sides. Other games have scenarios that are "harder" from one of the sides or even suggest that scenarios should be played from one specific perspective...mostly it can be solved by adding (or removing) units...EVEN if not optimal it is usually better than not allowing it. For instance...in western desert you would get the chance to play with italian units (better sales in Italy?) or use a lone Tiger to salvage a bad situation (interesting last scenario for all wargamers...we all like the Tiger)...

I understand that you must decide where to invest money (or developer time) and what to charge for your products (points 2 to 4)...from my perspective i guess i will wait for a good deal (perhaps a package with all DLCs) OR BA2. And Slitherine games seem to be the best option in the market by far...