Introducing Wargame Design Studios

[Strela]

Lack of web... if there is something i "dislike" with Tiller titles is how many times you need search in diferent sites to fin the info... maybe select "official" sites where search info is necesary or at least release a blog where release info and link with info in other areas... a central area to have or find info.

I strongly agree here, the biggest problem of JTS/HPS was always the lack of a single board that would have allowed to concentrate any feedback, mods, bug reports, suggestions, etc. and by that improve the engine considerably but allows bring a community together that allowed communication to every relevant topic. Almostz all other publishers do that as it is simply beneficial to the publishers and its games.
Now I understand if an own site isn't wanted at the moment, but at least choose 1-2 official boards so all interested know where to go to to keep track with and participate in development.


Now some questions:
1. Is the PB engine the only one currently licensed?
2. Do you plan to license more engines? If so which ones?
3. Will the UI work contain changes to ingame screens like OOB & strength dialogs? If so, some suggestions would be: open more than one, leaving them open while playing on map, resizing them, connecting them to the map by allow jumping to unit selected.

Firstly as far as web presence, I will look at that, BUT keep in mind the moment we open up web forums we have to maintain and police them. There is also a cost for hosting them as well - the moment you open things up to the outside world you have to rely on commercial infrastructure for redundancy. Add to that curating web pages etc and we're having to use resources that would normally be generating games. We are not a resource (time) rich group and maintaining these kinds of infrastructures has an impact.


As far as your questions;

1. Yes, PB is the only one
2. Not at this time. We can if we have an appropriate project, but seriously our dance card is full currently.
3. The initial UI work is focused on what we have shown - shortcuts, icons and additional filters. There is a lot that we want to do beyond that - particularly to reduce mouse movement/mouse clicks but as mentioned that will be in a follow on phase. We have read all the threads posted on the game system and have a list of suggestions to be considered as we update the UI.


To answer Lowlanders question. There is no plan to bring 3D back at this point of time. It is actually possible as the original Panzer Battles code was built off Panzer Campaigns circa 2009, but there has just not been the public request to justify it. It also substantially increases the time to market as yet another graphics set needs to be maintained as there is little I think we should use from the old iteration. Trust me we still have a long way to go with graphics and it all chews up valuable programming cycles. Like all things we will listen to the majority...

David

[wiggum]

Any chance of adding 3D map views.
Would it be possible to use the PZC 3D graphics as a starting point, I really miss this mode when gaming.
John Tilliers Panzer Campaigns has been out for at least 20 years 3D and all !!!.

God no, please not !
Better concentrate on updating the 2D graphics in resolution so they get out of the DOS age.

Also, the PzC Graphics are no real 3D. They are just 2D drawn in a way to give the illusion of 3D.
Or to explain it better, they are 2.5D like the old isometric D&D games like Baldurs Gate.

[Xaver]

When i refer to have all info in one point i dont refer to have a dedicated web... with a simple blog where you can find the links to all areas where we can find info, mods etc etc for me is enough, used as signature in other forums for WDS members help to "fishing" wargamers. 

Even to have an active forum use one like theblitz is much better than a dedicated one in WDS because is obvious has a bigger potential customer base.

For me is a problem with have info, mods and valuable material disperse in diferent webs with no link between them or with a central node.

3D... i never play using it in Tiller games, even when is more "usable" in Nap and CW series i only use it to distract my eyes... play in 2D is for me more clear but if in future you add it without delay other features and new titles i cant say no to it.

[Lowlander]

Any chance of adding 3D map views.
Would it be possible to use the PZC 3D graphics as a starting point, I really miss this mode when gaming.
John Tilliers Panzer Campaigns has been out for at least 20 years 3D and all !!!.

God no, please not !
Better concentrate on updating the 2D graphics in resolution so they get out of the DOS age.

Also, the PzC Graphics are no real 3D. They are just 2D drawn in a way to give the illusion of 3D.
Or to explain it better, they are 2.5D like the old isometric D&D games like Baldurs Gate.

All I am requesting is the basic package from PZC, NOT a icon for each and every squad and vehicle.

[Pepe Botijo]

I never use the horrible 3D maps in Tiller games (snow maps are a nightmare). I wish 3D maps were like the updated ones of the campaign series.

A clear 2D map (using different colors for heights) makes unnecesary the 3D. So I think the 2D should be a priority.

[wiggum]

I never use the horrible 3D maps in Tiller games (snow maps are a nightmare).
A clear 2D map (using different colors for heights) makes innecesary the 3D. So I think the 2D should be a priority.

+1

[Xaver]

Another point is that using units colour in 3D even when they are bigger are harder to see and they cover terrain... here i prefer a lot more a better way to show units colours in 2D in the icon over a 3D mode.

Well, looks like now the thread is official on fire    imagine when we know more about PzB3 and demo specially Pacific area 

[BigDuke66]

Sorry but what do you need 3D for?
It's totally useless in PC as almost no unit uses facing, and even if they are most likely static like coastal artillery and can't even change their facing.

[Outlaw Josey Wales]

I spent some years as a Manual drafter and then learned some CAD OJT. My favorite drafting work was always land surveying because it was basically drawing small maps. Apartment complexes were my favorite there because of all the details of adding buildings and tying in all the sidewalks, driveways, pools, fire hydrants, power poles and the rest. So I take a special interest in the way the maps look. It is always the first thing I look at.

My opinion on maps is the PBs 2d relief map look to it is the best of all the games I have ever played. I truly think it would also make other series better if that kind of map style was introduced, especially PzCs/MCs, ACW and SBs. Others as well, but the ones mentioned are the ones I am currently playing. I don't think those little elevation numbers or some other heat or colored overlays or anything is needed. You already have the different elevations shown with the relief look and the shaded view of the units when clicked on them and should be the same when clicking on any hex. Trying to add anything else, IMO, is wasting time when it could be better used on other things.

The menu and hot keys........I don't use all the buttons and I assume nobody else does either. I'm sure some people use more and some less. I like the classic look over that colorful million buttons. Having the option for either one is good. I use some of the buttons and some of the drop down menu, it's what I am used to. What I was thinking was, if possible and not too difficult, would be to have the drag and drop of menu commands so a person can click and hold a command from the drop down menu and drag and drop in the button menu or right click on the ones a person uses and add to the buttons menu and right click the buttons they don't use and choose to return them to the drop down menus. Basically, everybody can personalize the menus for themselves.

As for the desert, I find all the area interesting..........Tobruk area covering Brevity, Battleaxe, Crusader, Gazala battles. Alamein area, but it would have lots of mines and bunkers, so probably the least interesting and I would easily find covering Tunisia very interesting. I also really like multinational forces more interesting than just the two enemies. I think Tunisia has lots to offer.

I know PBs is built around certain battles, but so much can't all really be covered. There is a lot more that could be covered in Normandy, but a line has to be drawn somewhere. The desert though, is much more spread out from Alamein to Tunisia and I would rather see scenarios that ranged all over the whole area rather than just one battle.

Anyway, I just throw things out there like everybody else and we understand that y'all are the ones in position that know better than us whether it is feasible or not.

[Xaver]

Well, Crusader and the previous actions (Brevity, Battleaxe and when Rommel enter in action) have a lot less minewarfare compared with Gazala and El-Alamein... true offer less armor compared with both actions but i think they are good "monster scens" but playable and with terrain to move .

PzC Tunis offer interesting scens for PzB scale but maybe i prefer first covered one of the 3 classic desert battles (and i allways prefer as first one Crusader), lets see, at least we are going to have a new nation in the serie... Italy.

Maybe next month we are going to know what expect in PzB3 hehehe.