what is the next step for winspww2?

[Mobhack]

Originally Posted by Spledge

The vision I have for the game is to make it a web based game where folks play the game directly through a browser with real-time (or as reasonable as possible) updating of events. Players could also play live, online head-to-head, and even utilize game and/or turn time limits if desired similar to playing online chess.

Just my wish list.

How boring would that be? - like chess or snooker but even more so as you wait 1-2 hours for your opponent to finish his turn with no input whatsoever from you.

The game is PBEM precisely so that each player can take his requisite time without the other side having to hang around waiting awake at 3AM Finnish time, while his Japan-based opponent is on his own clock, whatever the time difference may be on the other side of the world.

Online type games are only relevant for instant-gratification arcade shooters, or maybe real time flight sims, and the players require to be on the same clock cycle.

PBEM decouples the players from having to both be present and connected - and if the internet goes down, the email can wait a while.

Andy

[Spledge]

You're entitled to your opinion.

I see values in being able to play head-to-head and PBEM through a connection to a server. I also see value in having a choice to utilize a per turn and/or per game timer.

[Mobhack]

Originally Posted by Spledge

You're entitled to your opinion.

I see values in being able to play head-to-head and PBEM through a connection to a server. I also see value in having a choice to utilize a per turn and/or per game timer.

Of course I have an opinion, since I develop this thing!.

I could write a real-time engine for an entirely new game system, but there are already plenty of those out there, for section level (Medal of honour etc) and tanks. If you want real-time tank simulation then Steel Beasts is probably your best bet: http://www.esimgames.com/

[Cross]

Originally Posted by Spledge

I see values in being able to play head-to-head and PBEM through a connection to a server. I also see value in having a choice to utilize a per turn and/or per game timer.

In chess, the average move takes a couple of minutes (although some turns may take a lot longer), and most games are over within 2 hours, so chess is well suited for head-to-head play.

A Steel Panthers turn, just for one side, usually takes about 30 minutes or more to play. If a game lasts 24 turns that's 24 hours of play. Because of this Steel Panthers is not well suited to 'head to head'.


If you want to play a fast human vs human game of Steel Panthers, I recommend:

- Small forces sizes
Perhaps only a reinforced company each.

- An opponent who says they can play at least one turn a day

- An opponent who is not playing other PBEM games
Obviously a player who's playing multiple games will not get back to you as quickly.

- An opponent in your time zone
I've found they are more likely to have similar free time. You may be able to send a couple of turns back and forth in an evening; but if they're in Europe and you're in North America you'll send a turn in the evening and they're already asleep and won't get back to you until the next day.

- Use email that notifys you that mail has been received.
I had my mail set up so a carrier pidgeon coos when I get mail. So if I'm somewhere in the house I know when I get mail.


I think the shortest PBEM game I've played has still taken around 10 days to complete. With the average being around 3 or 4weeks.

Cross

[Rosollia]

Spledge, you do know that SPWAW has an online play feature?

I used to play that game alot online with a friend. The gameplay in SPWAW is much faster and more "arcade". There is also that op-fire confirm thing in the game. So when the opponent was taking his turn you would be sitting there and watching his moves in real-time. And when his unit got within firing range of your unit it would pop up with a fire back Yes/No dialog.

We used to play those SPWAW online games like a real time strategy. There was very little thinking involved and we just moved our units fast and without much thought. Consequently the matches were quite fast (in Steel Panthers standards) and causualty heavy. Even so it was common for a game to take 6-8 hours. Ofcourse there was a possibility to save that online game anytime and continue later so we did not need to play a large game to the end in one day.

The system that SPWAW game uses was originaly developed for the Steel Panthers 3 Campaign Disk. It was called SP3 Online. There used to be a server on which you could find games and play against strangers too.

That all said these games (WinSPMBT / WinSPWW2) play so different compared to SPWAW that I doubt a similar online game system could be developed for them. A major part in making the online game work on SPWAW was due to it´s manual op-fire confirm system and a streamlined faster more arcade style of game play. Still there were alot of bugs in that SPWAW online game.

[Warhero]

Yeah head-to-head online feature could be cool. I remember times when I played SPWAW vs. my relative. We had quite small amount units (maybe 2000-3000 points/side?) and games lasted about 1-2 hours (if my memory works). And we communicated each other via game's message option all time.

[Spledge]

Thanks for the recent replies and suggestions. Initially, I must admit to feeling slammed for expressing my opinions, different as they may be for some folks.

Hopefully I'll get the game WinSPWW2 game installed soon (Previously played earlier versions of the family of this game.) and we can engage in some lively though fun battles.

Thanks again.