Michael Dorosh Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 From the 25th Anniversary issue of THE GENERAL, 1988. Infomaniac By Jon Mischon (Talking about reviving the wargaming hobby, these are the final two paragraphs in his article). Second, all advanced wargames are going to have to become computer games. Computers were made to store, sort and compare the huge piles of data that make a wargame "advanced." Advanced wargames don't have to be as visually enticing as entry level games, but they still have to avoid nausea. The ideal computer advanced wargame should have: quick-play instructions with an appendix that gives complete details on all aspects of play (just as if you were writing the rules to a board game); good graphics at the detail level with ability to switch back and forth to an overview map; rapid ability to display unit type, readiness, mode and any other essential characteristic of play; ability to be saved at any time, and to save more than one game; the computer must be able to play either side, or both, and to switch sides; the computer opponent must have the ability to give you a run for your money (if the algorithm isn't good enough to beat you fair and square, then give the machine a progressive handicap); simultaneous(emphasis in original) movement and combat for both sides; hidden units; automatic handling of the scut work of unit rebuilding/repair and supply; and onscreen help for commands. "Impossible," the gentleman way in back shouts. "You'll never live to see it." Precisely wrong again, my friend. There is already on the market a computer game that does everything I've just described. (Well, almost everything - the game documentation stinks and the computer opponent is still too easy to beat.) Is the future coming? NO - the first generation of the future is here now. WARgaming is just going through a transition. Transition is mostly new information. Infomaniacs love new information. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junk2drive Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 Interesting. Anything in his next article about CMX2? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pvt. Ryan Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 I read that article too. He says it will be done when it's ready. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Dorosh Posted October 12, 2004 Author Share Posted October 12, 2004 :cool: I don't suppose either of you smart asses want to read his 1992 prediction on when the CMAK patch would be out, so I'll just let you twist in the wind on that one. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junk2drive Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 Touche! But I did think it was interesting. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwolf Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 And 640KB will be enough for everybody. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent Pollock Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 Michael, what in blazes possessed you to crack open an issue of THE GENERAL in the first place?! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Dorosh Posted October 12, 2004 Author Share Posted October 12, 2004 Originally posted by Brent Pollock: Michael, what in blazes possessed you to crack open an issue of THE GENERAL in the first place?! Working on the Vietnam ASL module of course... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junk2drive Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 Any chance you would make CMAK battles out of the ASL module when you are done? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Dorosh Posted October 12, 2004 Author Share Posted October 12, 2004 Originally posted by junk2drive: Any chance you would make CMAK battles out of the ASL module when you are done? Almost none. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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