Why Wargaming Will Never Die!

[Brethon]

'Why?' You ask? very simple my freinds, and here are the reasons;

1)-They don't need a fancy-arse computer that was built in the last 3 weeks. Look at Normandy '44, it just came out, and what are it's requirements? A 486 (not MHz, but whatever those old 486 boxes ran at), and it's a vary fine game..or so I'm told

2)-There will always be a thinking gamer. Seriously, I'm sure everyone wants to have some mindless fun now and again, but how long could you really go with out a game that challenged your mind--and not just to find the next key?

3)-No plot to build. In an FPS, RPG, RTS, you name it, for the game to be held together, there has to be a story. Wargames will never suffer from that. The bloody history of our race provides enough storys for thousands of games, and it really doesn't even matter if those stories get re-used, because the game may have a different perspective on it. lots of WW2 games have been done before, but look at how CM still manages to make it great.

4)-No hype. this may not make sense at first, but let me explain. FPS games get the most hype right? Well when a game gets hyped and hyped, more often then not the outcome is underwhelming. Wargames, while wargamers anticipate them, are not overly hyped. This makes it so that all the game has to do to be great, is be good. because nothing more is expected of it.

5)-Long lives. Sure, CM may breach the walls in replayability [is that even a word?], but there is so much that can be done with wargames that it's almost never boring. Here's an example of one of the most popular FPS around, Half-Life. Sure, it's still getting played, but how many people are actually running through the original story again? Thousands of people uninstalled HL after they beat it, why? Nothing more to do. The only thing that got them to re-install HL, was the user-made MODs. Without them, Half-Life would be very, very dead right now. While games like CM have huge fan bases, and big MODs, those are not, and will never be a nicessity to keep enjoying the game. Force altering (like 25%+ To Allies) gives Cm a long life on it's own. But then with the wonderful map editor included this game would be good for about 4 years. And with the Random Battle Generator! i don't think this game will ever die (especially with CM2 comming long before 4 years is up...I hope ). Wargames simply cannot get old if the company is smart about how they release their game.

6)-Good communities. Wargame communities seem to be the nicest around. you can go onto an FPS forum 9or almost any other genre) and be bombarded with cussing galore. Some of those people are just plain weird! Wargamers however, are not like this..maybe it's because they use their brains when they play[?].

7)-Graphics...seriously, who needs them? yes it makes CM like a wedding cake in a funeral (funeral being the polly based wargames around), but even so, wargames aside from Cm and Close Combat don't need graphics. Therefor companies don't have to worry about the latest colour scheme that computers can support, or how to get the perfect metallic reflection on the infanty's rifles. And this therefore gives them more time to work on gameplay, what really matters in games.

Well, I think that's the end of my rant. if you've stuck with me, thanks for your time . i'd appreciate any and all comments and/or counter arguments.

Have a good 'un.

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The worst part of any conflict is peacekeeping, it is the time when only one side may fire.

EDIT: Fix my bolding of 'gameplay'

[This message has been edited by Brethon (edited 07-26-2000).]

[howardb]

Talking about Wargaming communities, well I think they're not exceptionally nice just (mostly) grown up adults. You actually forgot something very interesting in why many wargames will survive, many w-games has an editor. CM would be a much worse game without all the excellent DYO's.

[Brethon]

DYOs?

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The worst part of any conflict is peacekeeping, it is the time when only one side may fire.

[Fionn]

DYO = Do Your Owns

As in do your own scenarios created using the random battle generator in CM.

[Brethon]

in that case, i think my post should have been read through a tad more carefully, as that matter was mentioned

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The worst part of any conflict is peacekeeping, it is the time when only one side may fire.

[Los]

Maybe I'm some sort of freak but I actually enjoy reading wargaming rules as a relaxing past time, the more complex the better.

Los

[howardb]

Brethon: Oh.. well I never said I was perfect

[Echo]

Your preaching to the choir brother.

[Guest TURBO]

Los

bet you loved ASL.

[guachi]

i've read the ASL manual and the rules additions with the first five modules half a dozen times straight through, AND I'VE NEVER PLAYED ASL. I own the modules, punched out the counters, but never played.

I hear you Los, loud and clear.

Jason

[Von Brizee]

I really hate when games that take place in WWII are so unrealistic. It really burns me up. Like COmmandos: Behind Enemy Lines

Damn, Panthers move like Corvettes and u can blow em up by chucking a grenade semi-near them! I remember playing that, screeching around corners in those things, and just saying "Sigh"

I think the best WWII games around are CM, CC series, PG series, Silent Hunter, and I have heard good things of this Normandy 44 but havent tried it yet.