Order of Battle: Pacific First Screens!

[hs1611]

From the product page (http://www.slitherine.com/games/order_of_battle_pacific): "Play as the Japanese or Allies in 3 dynamic campaigns with unit carryover and multiple "what-if" scenarios including the Japanese invasion of Australia!"

So, yes!! There will be a core that carries over, scenario to scenario.

[kool_kat]

Gents:

Nice looking "eye candy" with these first screen shots for Order of Battle: Pacific!

I have a few questions:

(1.) Do unit counters have the option to show stands / mounts? It would aid in viewing the units - especially the land ones that sometimes blend into the backgrounds.

(2.) Are there appropriate sound effects when units are moved? For example, tread sounds for tanks, marching for foot units, naval vessels moving through the ocean, etc.

(3.) What is the game scale? What is the size represented by each hex?

(4.) Most importantly - how does the game play? What sorts of decisions do players need to make each turn?

(5.) Estimated availability (date) for Order of Battle: Pacific? Price tag?

Thanks in advance for your answers!

[AntoniChmielowski]

Looks good.

Cant wait to get it on with Kool Kat !

When will it be released and how much will it cost ?

[adherbal]

(1.) Do unit counters have the option to show stands / mounts? It would aid in viewing the units - especially the land ones that sometimes blend into the backgrounds.

No. There is an option to switch to boardgame style counters though (square plates with unit icon drawn on top of it). I don't think blending into the background is as much an issue in a 3D game as it can be in 2D. With animations, real-time lighting and shadow casting units tend to pop out more than in a 2D engine.

(2.) Are there appropriate sound effects when units are moved? For example, tread sounds for tanks, marching for foot units, naval vessels moving through the ocean, etc.

Yes of course. A lot of detail is going into sound effects.

(3.) What is the game scale? What is the size represented by each hex?

We're currently laying out the final campaign trees and determining scenario designs. So until that's set in stone it's hard to answer this question precisely. Map scales will probably differ a bit per scenario though, because of the big difference in scale of the war's engagements (Ex. Guadal Canal VS Philippines).

(4.) Most importantly - how does the game play? What sorts of decisions do players need to make each turn?

Bit of a big question but I'll list a few things:
- Target selection: AT excel vs Vehicles, torpedo bombers vs capital ships, dive bombers vs smaller vessels, artillery to weaken defenders, heavy fighters VS bombers, ...
- Unit positioning: Protect weak units such as artillery, keep support weapons such as AT and AA guns nearby for support fire, keep reserves to protect flanks and supply lines, ...
- Use special abilities: Destroy bridges to slow down enemy advance, lay minefields, clear minefields, switch between AT/AA/Arty mode, switch between normal or kamikaze setup for Japanese aircraft, ...
- Manage army core: Repair units, purchase new units, upgrade outdated types, assign transportation to infantry and towed weapons, assign commanders to specific units, ...

More details about gameplay will be revealed soon.

(5.) Estimated availability (date) for Order of Battle: Pacific? Price tag?

I can't really answer these yet. It's stuff we also need to discuss with Slitherine. "First half of 2014" is all I can give you for now.

[kool_kat]

adherbal:

Many thanks for your prompt reply to my questions!

Looking forward to more game details being revealed shortly!

[kool_kat]

I have one follow-up question on "scale."

(3.a) What size unit do the counters represent? e.g. Company, battalion, regiment, army, etc. I assume the capital ship counters represent individual ships. But what about the infantry, armor, artillery, aircraft, etc. counters

I would greatly appreciate a reply from the game developers! Thanks!

[the_iron_duke]

Since the graphics are very nice, it might good to have one key - e.g. Space bar, Tab, Control etc - that when held down removes all the overlay information and so one can view the battlefield au naturel.

[philstat]

I'm really hoping this game is going to be IPAD Retina display friendly, i.e, native 2048 x 1536 resolution vice some upscaling and resampling of a lower resolution.

[LandMarine47]

Any news on how this game is progressing?

[adherbal]

I'm really hoping this game is going to be IPAD Retina display friendly, i.e, native 2048 x 1536 resolution vice some upscaling and resampling of a lower resolution.

I'm pretty sure that won't be a problem. In a 2D engine you'd have to redraw everything in a higher scale, but since this is 3D it automatically scales to any screen resolution. I'm using a 2560x1440 monitor myself so that's pretty close to retina pixel size. Only thing that needs to be redone is the UI, but we're already planning a special UI for iPad anyway, specifically designed for touch controls. Gameplay will remain identical and compatible with other platforms of course.

Any news on how this game is progressing?

We're almost feature complete, so hopefully beta testing is not very far off now!

[kool_kat]

Gents:

Still waiting on a reply back from the developers on my "scale question." I've copied and pasted it here:

I have one follow-up question on "scale."

(3.a) What size unit do the counters represent? e.g. Company, battalion, regiment, army, etc. I assume the capital ship counters represent individual ships. But what about the infantry, armor, artillery, aircraft, etc. counters

I would greatly appreciate a reply from the game developers! Thanks!

[adherbal]

The game is not very strict in terms of unit scales because it's very hard to keep all the main battles on exactly the same scale. For example the scale of Guadal Canal will be slightly lower than a much bigger campaign on Okinawa.

But we're trying to stay close these guidelines:
Infantry: Brigade (~3000 men)
Aircraft: Wing (~30 aircraft)
Ships: Individual (Altho the smaller types rather represent small groups from a combat POV).

[Mark50]

The game is not very strict in terms of unit scales because it's very hard to keep all the main battles on exactly the same scale. For example the scale of Guadal Canal will be slightly lower than a much bigger campaign on Okinawa.

I know that some people have a hard time accepting in games of the PG style that the army which conquered France fits into the Crimea next to Sevatopol, but I think that with a bit of good will and imagination one can overcome this necessary variation of scale. I`ve always supposed that it can be explained by the fact that you`re not taking all your troops with you, but detachments from each unit. That is, what in France was a brigade, in Crimea might be a battalion from that brigade. The rest are on leave or needed elsewhere.

[ruggs215]

We're almost feature complete, so hopefully beta testing is not very far off now!

Will the game be launched on the same day for IOS as PC? Or will we have to wait for the ipad version?

[adherbal]

Tablet versions will come a bit later as they require some extra treatment. UI adapted to touch controls etc.

[LandMarine47]

Tablet versions will come a bit later as they require some extra treatment. UI adapted to touch controls etc.

In beta testing or official release?

[adherbal]

After the initial PC/Mac release.

[ruggs215]

Tablet versions will come a bit later as they require some extra treatment. UI adapted to touch controls etc.

This makes me sad. Can't wait for it to come out on the tablet.

[LandMarine47]

How exactly should I play this game? With a fast and furious Panzer Corps tactic or slow and steady Commander The Great War mindset?

[adherbal]

Somewhat in between. It's designed to be a "quick" action-packed game, but you have more to consider than in a general PzC game (supply lines, more special unit abilities, more ways to spend resources, ...). Rather than just throwing units at the enemy you can outwit them by strategic manoeuvres (cutting off supply), blowing bridges, laying minefields etc. So a turn does require a bit of planning ahead if you want to get the best out of it.

And being a Pacific game the naval aspect of the game is of course much more extensive than both PzC and CTGW. Subs that can submerge or surface, carriers that carry aircraft, naval minefields, torpedo & dive bombers, recon planes, radar, ...