Squad Battles not dead if I can help it!! - Printable Version

Squad Battles not dead if I can help it!! - Printable Version

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RE: Squad Battles not dead if I can help it!! - Warhorse - 05-13-2020

(05-13-2020, 06:56 AM)Compass Rose Wrote: Looks really nice Mike!

Thanks, love this!

RE: Squad Battles not dead if I can help it!! - Juan Manuel - 05-13-2020

(05-13-2020, 06:18 AM)Warhorse Wrote: As I mentioned in the first post, am working on an all-encompassing game based on the Pacific War title. Right now it covers the Blitzkrieg era, still have to finish adding the British kit, and then Netherlands. I will release it incrementally as I get done segments of in, so folks can hopefully make scenario's. I made a few already, here is a screenie from the adaptation of the ASL scenario Stonne. French tanks with infantry advance on Stonne spearheaded by tanks from the 45th and 49th Battalions of the 3e Division Cuirassée! Made the map using Google Earth with a numbered hexgrid!

First congratulate you on the work on the SBs. That image of Stonne in the campaign of France of 1940 is wonderful. You miss the battles on the western front from the early part of the war. If I may make a suggestion, it would be to round off your work, if instead of a top view of the units, it were lateral, it is only an opinion and personal taste. Again thank you for your work at SB.

Best Regards

RE: Squad Battles not dead if I can help it!! - kolc - 05-14-2020

Looks good Mike. Been playing the Series since 2002 (first bought TOD) has been my "go to" game ever since...with the new updates...it looks like it will be staying that way for some time to come....

RE: Squad Battles not dead if I can help it!! - WargameGeneral - 05-18-2020

I think SB is still one of the best infantry simulators on the market. There are quite a number of ASL guys who prefer a quick SB game, when the ASL handbook looks too daunting... In my opinion, the real problem is currently the price-performance ratio. The games are visually not even last generation, which I can personally ignore, but in the current state the graphics are unlikely to pull in a new generation of players at the high price point per game.

Lock ´n Load, which might not be everyone's "cup of tea", is sold for a fraction of the price (depending on your location) and offers comparable scenario modules, for instance:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1149940/Lock_n_Load_Tactical_Digital/

I would personally hate if SB would visually move into the LnL direction and the "Top Down" mod was a great improvement and a labor of love. But I feel that SB needs a major, visual overhaul for maps and units comparable to the PzC Gold Standard to stay alive. Although a completely different scale, but maybe you guys know the Blue Max Mod for "Strategic Command: World War I":

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4719822

Is there a guide or tutorial available somewhere how SB map and unit modding works? Helmet Rolleyes

RE: Squad Battles not dead if I can help it!! - Warhorse - 05-18-2020

(05-18-2020, 05:24 AM)WargameGeneral Wrote: I think SB is still one of the best infantry simulators on the market. There are quite a number of ASL guys who prefer a quick SB game, when the ASL handbook looks too daunting... In my opinion, the real problem is currently the price-performance ratio. The games are visually not even last generation, which I can personally ignore, but in the current state the graphics are unlikely to pull in a new generation of players at the high price point per game.

Lock ´n Load, which might not be everyone's "cup of tea", is sold for a fraction of the price (depending on your location) and offers comparable scenario modules, for instance:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1149940/Lock_n_Load_Tactical_Digital/

I would personally hate if SB would visually move into the LnL direction and the "Top Down" mod was a great improvement and a labor of love. But I feel that SB needs a major, visual overhaul for maps and units comparable to the PzC Gold Standard to stay alive. Although a completely different scale, but maybe you guys know the Blue Max Mod for "Strategic Command: World War I":

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4719822

Is there a guide or tutorial available somewhere how SB map and unit modding works?

In the notes folder of any of the games, there's a pdf SB editing v2. I use Google Earth do make my maps, with a numbered grid overlay like the game has, you can import it, lay it on the area, then size it to what you want and have realistic elevations and such. Some towns one must adjust for population over time, but refer to an old map, to see if that town was there or not.

RE: Squad Battles not dead if I can help it!! - Mowgli - 05-18-2020

(05-18-2020, 05:24 AM)WargameGeneral Wrote: Is there a guide or tutorial available somewhere how SB map and unit modding works?

The graphics themselves are just pictures (in bitmap format). You can modify them with any image editing software. The only caveat is that bmp files don't support transparency, so there is no way to have semi-transparent pixels.

So some basic modding is incredibly easy. Anyone is free to edit the graphics to his liking. And in fact, I change almost all my graphics in some way. I just had a rage moment because I was unable to see a very important "high wall" hexside in Afghanistan which cost me the game. I added a shadow so that this can't happen to me any more. More fundamental changes (e.g. concerning the size and display locations of graphics) would require proper modding though.

RE: Squad Battles not dead if I can help it!! - kolc - 05-18-2020

Nice!

RE: Squad Battles not dead if I can help it!! - WargameGeneral - 05-19-2020

Thanks for the feedback. Will have a look at those files and the mentioned process.

If the maps visuals could be improved and standardized that would already be a big step forward.

I really like what they did with TOAW IV and the "board game style" map mod:

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4757572

Maybe it's possible to develop something comparable.

It would also be great if the "Top Down" unit mod had character images for the leaders. I think that would help the player to better relate to key figures on the battlefield... Helmet Smile

RE: Squad Battles not dead if I can help it!! - Mowgli - 05-19-2020

(05-19-2020, 12:13 AM)WargameGeneral Wrote: Thanks for the feedback. Will have a look at those files and the mentioned process.

If the maps visuals could be improved and standardized that would already be a big step forward.

I really like what they did with TOAW IV and the "board game style" map mod:

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4757572

Maybe it's possible to develop something comparable.

It would also be great if the "Top Down" unit mod had character images for the leaders. I think that would help the player to better relate to key figures on the battlefield...

Just as an example. Here is my current Flakland game. I haven't done much, but I think even small changes go a long way. Here the terrain is slightly altered, the unit counters are prettier, the UI bar at the bottom is not as bright and has less contrast (so it doesn't attract the player's attention that much), new unit boxes, the terrain info box is clearer/calmer, etc.

[Image: 2020-05-18_16h22_47.png]

Here some counters and unit graphics for Red victory:

[Image: 2020-05-18_16h26_20.png]

RE: Squad Battles not dead if I can help it!! - WargameGeneral - 05-19-2020

Nice work... Helmet Smile

Why not start a community project, define standards and create a public repository to combine efforts?

In the current state, I doubt that SB will develop anywhere if the community does not step up.