TeAcH Posted January 24, 2001 Share Posted January 24, 2001 Taken from Computer Games Online posted 7/15/1998: ------------------------ Computer Squad Leader is dead by Scott Udell It’s a story strangely reminiscent of the Beyond Squad Leader saga of several years ago. Wargame developer Big Time Software (like developer Atomic Games) was signed by Avalon Hill to do a computer version of the classic board wargame Squad Leader. Like Atomic's Beyond Squad Leader (which became Close Combat and was published by Microsoft), Big Time’s early design was not a direct translation of the board game (although it was much closer), but instead a game in the spirit of the board game. And also like Atomic, Big Time has experienced some "strategic differences" with Avalon Hill and has broken with them on this project, taking the design (now called Combat Mission) on the road. "Combat Mission is an entirely original work that uses nothing from Advanced Squad Leader [ASL]," says Charles Moylan, president of Big Time Software. According to him he "shifted the original design work to the front [of the development schedule], pushing the inclusion of copyrighted ASL materials (like scenarios, vehicle data, etc.) back to the very end of the schedule." Since he maintains rights to the original portions of the project, this approach has allowed him to take all his design work to date with him; because of this, he says "we’re free and clear to continue development without skipping a beat. No delays!" While he’s not talking about potential publishers yet, Moylan says he is in serious discussions, and that even now Big Time has the resources to complete the game, on its own, by Spring of 1999 (a "rough release date"). Computer Games Online contacted several known wargame publishers but at press time have spoken only with Jim Rose, president of TalonSoft, who said they were not at this time talking to Big Time (although Rose, upon hearing the news of the split with Avalon Hill, indicated he would be contacting Moylan soon). CGO also spoke with Avalon Hill’s Eric Dott, who had little comment beyond confirming that Big Time would no longer be developing Computer Squad Leader. Neither Moylan nor Dott could comment for certain on the publication status of Big Time’s other development project for Avalon Hill, Whistling Death (the Pacific Theater follow-on to Over the Reich and Achtung! Spitfire), saying only that things were up in the air (Moylan did say that Big Time would continue development on the project after Combat Mission was finished). ---------------- TeAcH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Dorosh Posted January 24, 2001 Share Posted January 24, 2001 Avalon Hill should rot in hell. As a kid I sent them 50 undervalued Canadian dollars for a huge order - by money order, no less, since what kid in the 80s had credit cards or a chequing account - and I never heard a word from them. Not a word. They published an article of mine in the ASL Annual, but the payment they promised was also never sent. Like a fool I kept buying their stuff. On a Saving Private Ryan messageboard, I got into an argument about tank traverse mechanisms, dimly remembering an article in The General by a SL designer who stated that Tiger tanks did not have power traverse. I made the mistake of relying on the ASL rulebook to support my arguments. DOH! That one served me right. Then Hasbro/TAHGC release "Squad Leader" and have the nerve to call it a computer version of their award-winning boardgame? Grrrrrrr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maximus Posted January 24, 2001 Share Posted January 24, 2001 Hey TeAcH, long time no post? I think. What an interesting article. LOL! on the estimated release date of Spring '99. Thank God they didn't release it back then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeAcH Posted January 24, 2001 Author Share Posted January 24, 2001 Yeah...hehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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