03/9/14

Lock’n’Load Heroes of Stalingrad – The Grogheads Interview

Mark H Walker takes a few minutes to talk with us about the new Heroes of Stalingrad game – the first digital entry in the Lock’n’Load line.

9 March 2014

Grogheads: OK, first things first: It’s been, what? – 6 years! What’s taken so long to get this game out?

Mark H Walker. First off, making a computer game is difficult. Damn difficult. I’ve written novels, designed board games, and raised three daughters. Creating Heroes of Stalingrad ranks right up there. If both Tom (the programmer) and I had been full time on the game, it might have been easier. However, I work full weeks designing board games as well as keeping the company that publishes them moving forward. By the same token, Tom also has several other irons in the fire. Hence the game took longer than we would have liked.

Secondly, nothing beats experience. I consider myself video and computer game fluent. I wrote full time in the industry for ten years before I founded Lock ‘n Load Publishing, but nothing prepares you for creating a computer game better than creating a computer game. We were lucky to have Matrix’s Erik Rutens join the team as producer, and bring the game home. His experience was invaluable.

GH: As computer games go, this one is clearly “playing a board game on the computer”. How hard was it to maintain the feel of the board game as you worked on the computer game? What were some of the particular challenges of keeping the soul of the game as you digitized it?

W. Not hard at all. Basically the design document centered on making this a PC board game.

GH: For someone who has never seen the board games, what’s the pitch for picking up this game over a comparable-scale WWII computer game?

W. It’s much better. LOL. Taking into consideration that this is a hex and counter game and no threat to the Titanfall crowd… it’s pretty, it’s immersive, it’s easy to get into, it doesn’t take itself seriously, and it has a cute Russian nurse.

GH: For the boardgamers out there, why should this be the game that causes them to boot up the computer instead of cracking a beer and taking over the dining room table with a map and counters?

W. They shouldn’t. If you have a chance to down a Parkway Get Bent IPA with friends as you play a great board game you should always do it. If you don’t have that chance HoS is a great substitute. The AI is pretty sharp, and the clean up is easy. Continue reading →

03/6/14

Birth of the Federation, an AAR, Part 3

Part 3: Oopsies all around

Wait…hello, nurse!

I’m using HyperSnap, and for some reason, the suns aren’t appearing in the screenshots. Nor are the dilithium displays. So, I’ve downloaded Fraps to capture these things, so let’s see if it’s done right.

Looks like it.

So, the Seadragon moves into the Sarona star system and finds not only lots of big planets with energy and food bonuses…but dilithium as well! This is huge news, because dilithium is what makes starships move, and starships moving means the Federation becoming big and powerful, which means we’re safer when we run into ali-err, I mean, IF we run into aliens, of course. Continue reading →

03/4/14

Tuesday Screenshot – Rome 2 Total War

The Tuesday Screenshot is goes back in time to Ancient Rome

Click to enlarge

Playing as a barbarian tribe, there is little better in Rome 2: Total War than taking the capital of the known world. About 200 turns in (with some seasonal and turns-per-year mods running) I almost feel like I can call the campaign a victory by taking Rome. But Sparta and Athens remain...as well as some consolidation in Gaul. A city-burning marauder's work is never done! — Playing as a barbarian tribe, there is little better in Rome 2: Total War than taking the capital of the known world. About 200 turns in (with some seasonal and turns-per-year mods running) I almost feel like I can call the campaign a victory by taking Rome. But Sparta and Athens remain…as well as some consolidation in Gaul. A city-burning marauder’s work is never done!

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02/23/14

First Impressions: Mark H. Walker’s Lock’n’Load Heroes of Stalingrad

The Grumpy Grog says “This is a new line of attack on an old campaigning favourite.”

Developed by Lock n Load Publishing and published by Matrix/Slitherine

First Impressions by Boggit, 23 February 2014

Click images to enlarge

I’ve never played any of the Lock’n’Load games before, so this is a truly fresh look at this game. I am looking at this game with the beta update v1.04. The game is tactical in scope, and each hex represents about fifty meters across, each turn represents 2-4 minutes, and each counter is a single vehicle, an individual, or a group of soldiers: for example, a half squad, or a weapons team.

Starting the game for the first time, the player is set up at the introductory level. This is a particularly forgiving mode that can be changed in the main menu. I immediately changed it to “hard”, which runs the game under unmodified rules. “Normal” gives a dice bonus. Rash perhaps, but you’ll see no signs of weakness from me!

HoS1 — The options screen gives a good choice of items to customise your game.

The main menu gives the usual options. Essentially it is the place to start a new game, load an old one, create missions and scenarios with the editor, and to play multiplayer. In multiplayer, the user needs to set up a Matrix/Slitherine account and you’re then taken to the Multiplayer lobby. From there you can create a new game for someone to play with you, go onto the forum, and can check-in on your own games. I’d seen this before with Field of Glory, and it is a very user friendly multiplayer system. I’m glad they didn’t reinvent the wheel on this one, as it works, and works well. The only downside was a very empty multiplayer lobby, but to be fair, the game’s just come out, so that should change with time. Continue reading →

02/20/14

Prosciutto – Hamming it up with the di Parmas… Part Twenty-Ace

We hit “blackjack” on UCG’s long-running Crusader Kings II AAR …

as always, click images to enlarge

In Part 20 Oberto’s cousin and Marshall was unexpectedly given ‘his’ Duchy of Capua, he received many claims on neighbouring provinces, and marched on the Muslims to complete the Duchy of Salerno. In this new part Sicily is found to be falling apart and unhappy subjects rise up.

Oberto’s armies arrive in Taranto to kick out the Muslims. It isn’t much of a match and they’re soon defeated and heading South

Taranto on its own doesn’t give up enough warscore for a victory. Oberto needs to take more Muslim land nearby to bump up the score. Heading South his scouts show the Emperor is already in Sicily, bravely keeping nine Muslims at bay!

Whilst Oberto knocks down the walls of Taranto rebels in Capua decide they’ve had enough and start knocking down its walls.

Continue reading →

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Tag: PC Games