Why Is Squad Battles Dead??????

KEYSTONE07950 · 06-16-2017, 12:30 AM,

Why is Mr Tiller not improving and expanding this excellent series?

I'd assume it's an economic decision. I would think an improved (ie - flesh out AFV modeling) game engine would sell like hot cakes. Maybe that's just my wishful thinking.

Does anyone in the know why Squad Battles is being left to wither on the vine? Cry

jmlima · 06-16-2017, 12:59 AM,

I think this is no new news, so, there are new titles in the pipeline, but for a variety of essentially personal reasons, not related to JT, they are taking a much greater time in development that was intended or desired.

As Jon Bon Jovi would say, keep the faith.

TheBigRedOne · 06-16-2017, 02:00 AM,

I think Joao is more optimistic than I am about future titles...

Tiller's new series, Panzer Battles, is probably one of the main reasons SB has faded from the scene. A lot of the current work is devoted to building and expanding that series. Another reason seems that many of the veteran SB designers have either moved on due to life reasons, or have moved into other areas. There were a very limited number of designers out there willing and able to tackle a big project like a full SB game. I know that it took those guys a lot of man-hours to craft and develop each of the last 6-7 games that I was involved with the playtesting. To my knowledge no new guys have ever stepped up to the plate and engaged Rich Hamilton to offer their services to take on a new title. I'm sure if someone would, they'd be listened to.

Another reason, if I had to guess, would be economics. Despite the intense loyalty of the SB world, there just aren't a ton of players out there. Rich never divulged the sales numbers to the team, but it was said that the other JT series all did considerably better than the SB games in terms of sales. I don't have a feel for how Panzer Battles is doing with regards to sales versus SB. Maybe Rich could pop in and talk about things.

I'd say 'never say never' about another title, but it won't be for quite some time, most likely.

My $0.02 worth

kolc · 06-16-2017, 02:36 AM,

Saw a post talking about WDS looking to update the ACW games...lets hope they take up the SB mantle as well...seems to be a logical fit....but

KEYSTONE07950 · 06-16-2017, 03:15 AM,

I think WDS does great work. I enjoy the Panzer Battles series and look forward to them updating Panzer Campaigns. Berto's work (along with many others) has helped turn the Campaign Series into a new wonderful game!

All that being said, I find Squad Battles to be my sweet spot. The scale and level of abstraction seem perfect to me.

If no new titles are expected in the near future, I (and I hope other fans) would PAY for an enhanced game engine. I rarely play the stock scenarios more than a few times each. I spend most of my time creating new scenarios. Having an updated engine would be an expense I would gladly pay.

TheBigRedOne · 06-16-2017, 03:47 AM,

(06-16-2017, 03:15 AM)KEYSTONE07950 Wrote: I think WDS does great work. I enjoy the Panzer Battles series and look forward to them updating Panzer Campaigns. Berto's work (along with many others) has helped turn the Campaign Series into a new wonderful game!

All that being said, I find Squad Battles to be my sweet spot. The scale and level of abstraction seem perfect to me.

If no new titles are expected in the near future, I (and I hope other fans) would PAY for an enhanced game engine. I rarely play the stock scenarios more than a few times each. I spend most of my time creating new scenarios. Having an updated engine would be an expense I would gladly pay.

If you ever want to share your new scenarios, let me know. I would be more than happy to put them up onto Task Force Echo 4 for the SB community to enjoy....

Pepe Botijo · 06-16-2017, 04:53 AM,

It doesn´t matter if they publish more or less titles. Like it or not casual young gamers will never get into games with dated UI and graphics.

Spud · 06-16-2017, 06:05 AM,

I've long thought JTS should add a proper map editor to the SB title series that would allow players to create their own maps, rather than as now having to use the ones the games come with over and over again to design new scenarios on.

I have no problem with the UI and, I have to admit SB is by far my favorite of all the JTS titles I own.

But a proper map editor would be a simple way to breath a new life into the game.

Spud.

kolc · 06-16-2017, 08:54 AM,

I like Panzer Battles and I am looking forward to future titles for the series....but SB was always my go to game...hate to think its heading to pasture....

TheBigRedOne · 06-22-2017, 05:14 AM,

(06-16-2017, 06:05 AM)Spud Wrote: I've long thought JTS should add a proper map editor to the SB title series that would allow players to create their own maps, rather than as now having to use the ones the games come with over and over again to design new scenarios on.

I have no problem with the UI and, I have to admit SB is by far my favorite of all the JTS titles I own.

But a proper map editor would be a simple way to breath a new life into the game.

Spud.

The Map Editor debate is one that has gone on the entire lifespan of the series. In realistic terms, I doubt that it would have created more sales of the games, which would be the point of doing something like this (from Tiller's perspective). SB is a pretty niche game, so the numbers are always going to be modest in terms of sales.

There is a map editor with the game, just not a full one. There have been hundreds of custom scenarios made from the stock maps. I don't think a map editor would have increased those numbers by that much overall. Tiller put fairly huge maps for all the game so that would-be scenario designers could explore things. At the end of the day, there were only a small handful of folks out there creating new scenarios and releasing them to the general SB community.