Just for the heck of it, I went to the Matrix and Lock and Load websites to check the status of this game.  Like hundreds if not thousands of subscribers to this forum, I have been dissapointed that a title that comes so close (in appearance at least) to Squad Leader has not been published after 3-5 years in development.  I had pretty much given up on this one assumming it was vapor ware.

Anyway, it appears to me that there are relatively new screen shots on the publisher's website.  As well as a notice that the game will be available for pre-order "soon".  A demo "soon" to be released is also mentioned. B-t-w, the in-game counters are so gorgeous that I wanted to hit on the female nurse counter (anyway that was the first thing that popped into my mind when I saw the screen shot).  Never had that experience in a wargame!

So, does anyone know what the deal is with this title?  Is it going to be published or not? 

Finally, if you have not been to the Lock and Load website recently, treat yourself.  Check out the videos for Nuclear Winter 68.  And, I am going to purchase Not One Step Back the board version of Heroes of Stalingrad even though I do not do board games.  It is just to pretty to pass up and who knows maybe the Nurse Natasha counter will be in there

Regrads,

Haigg

From what I've gathered, the PC version of Lock & Load was taking a 2nd or even 3rd seat to their tabletop stuff.  Slow progress.

Their web site doesn't even mention the game. 

.

its a doomed project i fear - there are no 'new' screenshots and the demo has been promised for about 2 years now - on facebook he has clearly mentioned a priority to make boardgames and recently stated that books and mobile games could be a way forward - its almost like the PC game was a hobby to him and hes realised he needs more commitment than that - i would transfer your interest to CoH due in a few weeks

What is COH? As a aside thats sad news I was going to buy this as a PC game. I spent many a hour in the university dorm with buds playing ASL.

CoH = Conflict of Heroes from Academy Games.  Matrix is doing a PC version.

Originally Posted By Haigg (16 FEB 2012 11:10am)

Just for the heck of it, I went to the Matrix and Lock and Load websites to check the status of this game.  Like hundreds if not thousands of subscribers to this forum, I have been dissapointed that a title that comes so close (in appearance at least) to Squad Leader has not been published after 3-5 years in development.  I had pretty much given up on this one assumming it was vapor ware.

 

Anyway, it appears to me that there are relatively new screen shots on the publisher's website.  As well as a notice that the game will be available for pre-order "soon".  A demo "soon" to be released is also mentioned. B-t-w, the in-game counters are so gorgeous that I wanted to hit on the female nurse counter (anyway that was the first thing that popped into my mind when I saw the screen shot).  Never had that experience in a wargame!

 

So, does anyone know what the deal is with this title?  Is it going to be published or not? 

 

Finally, if you have not been to the Lock and Load website recently, treat yourself.  Check out the videos for Nuclear Winter 68.  And, I am going to purchase Not One Step Back the board version of Heroes of Stalingrad even though I do not do board games.  It is just to pretty to pass up and who knows maybe the Nurse Natasha counter will be in there

 

Regrads,

 

Haigg

Mark Walker, the owner of Lock N' Load Publishing says that Heroes of Stalingrad is still a go. But it does get the back seat to his main business - board games.

Re: Not One Step Back - this is not a complete game but an expansion for Band of Heroes, which you must own to be able to play.

Re: Nuklear Winter '68 - looks to be a really cool game. I've made a vassal module for it for them to use while testing. I didn't get any of the scenarios but I did get the rules and it's got some really fun concepts in it.

Mark did a session on the Three Moves Ahead podcast many moons ago, talking about Lock and Load.

http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2009/08/25/three-moves-ahead-episode-27-mark-h-walker-and-lock-n-load/

He did take a  bit of a bruising during the podcast, and I've wondered ever since if that session had an effect on his release schedule for the game. The podcast was late August 2009, and his game was touted to be released Christmas 2009 (or after). The podcast panel all had a preview build of the game AFAIK (or can remember).

Originally Posted By Blakjack (17 FEB 2012 4:17am)

CoH = Conflict of Heroes from Academy Games.  Matrix is doing a PC version.

Thanks.

Originally Posted By spelk (17 FEB 2012 6:21am)

Mark did a session on the Three Moves Ahead podcast many moons ago, talking about Lock and Load.

 

http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2009/08/25/three-moves-ahead-episode-27-mark-h-walker-and-lock-n-load/

 

He did take a  bit of a bruising during the podcast, and I've wondered ever since if that session had an effect on his release schedule for the game. The podcast was late August 2009, and his game was touted to be released Christmas 2009 (or after). The podcast panel all had a preview build of the game AFAIK (or can remember).

I remember that podcast. That I suppose is the reason why as you say. It's quite obvious to be honest. 

First, thanks to all for giving me some insight into the development of this game.  I just spent an hour listening to the Mark Walker's pod cast interview. 

It is highly unlikely that I would have spent an hour reading an interview with Mark Walker.  But, I had no problem spending an hour listening to the podcast interview.  The point I am trying to make is that listening to the voice inflections of the speakers conveyed information that would be impossible to obtain from written words. So, I am pitching for more podcast interviews of war game developers, producers, and distributors. I think you can gain insight into motive and intent from the sound of someones voice under pressure.

I do not know how many of the folks on this forum remember Chris Crawford storming into a game designers conference many years ago supposedly swinging a sword and declaring graphics are dead in computer gaming design (apologies to Chris Crawford for muddying the story or not getting it right.  I was not there).  According to the articles I have read, Chris's point was that computer gaming should be story telling not graphics dependent.  I heard elements of that design philosophy in Mr. Walker's responses to the podcast interviewers.

I do not know how Lock N Load intends to go about this.  How many war movies have we seen where soldiers do weird contradictory story worthy things in combat.  The Eagle has Landed-German soldier impersonating a Polish paratrooper jumps in mill pond to save a little girl in a British village.  He dies. Civilians see German uniform and cover is blown.  All Quiet on Western Front-Veteran German squad leader collects butterflies as a youth.  Raises head over trench to reach for butterfly in no mans land and is killed by French sniper.  Saving Private Ryan-American Ranger attempts to rescue crying child. He dies...and on and on.

That is the humanity and tragedy of good men in combat being ruled by the kinder gentler sides of their natures. And at the scale of squads, platoons, and individual vehicles these kinds of events can alter the trajectory of the story and the outcome of the scenario.  One obvious way that this could be achieved in game design is by drawing a random events card or having the computer randomly generate an event of this type from a predefined pool.

But, what if it were done this way? Going to the dark side of men in combat for a scenario. German company commander is tasked with supervision of several hundred Russian prisoners of war.  The computer generates a random event card with options that will affect game play.  Lets call it a card with a graphical and narrative description of the event ending with a question mark. The player clicks on the question mark and is confronted with ethically challenging options that will affect the outcome of the scenario and reflect on the character of the commander and by extension the player. 

The options are:

1) detach a platoon to escort the prisoners safely to designated rear area holding pen;

2) ask superior for instructions;

3) do nothing and brew some tea;

4) take out your pistol and execute the nearest prisoner; detach two men as escorts hoping you have made your point;

5) machine gun the lot; take their straw insulated boots; and receive a close combat clasp.

My point is twofold. If combat stories are going to be told; there are some very dark ones out there.  And, what would happen to war gaming if player/commanders were made morally culpable for the actions of their digital troops.  And, this was accomplished in such a way that if you do the "right" thing it could cost you the lives of your men.  Or, if you do the "wrong" thing it promotes your career. Forget the math and the crt tables because now you have a weirdly unpredictable fractal-like system of unforeseen consequences and unknowable outcomes. Wow...that would be a hell of a story telling multi-media war game!!!!

I do not know what that would be simulation, rpg, a contract for Lock and Load with DOD since we are supposed to be teaching troops the difference between right and wrong on the battlefield?

These are the things I ponder when I am too board to do the work I am being paid for...Lol. Thanks for your forbearance in letting me ruminate on this forum about the challenge Lock and Load has set itself.

Haigg

Great post!

I had never even thought of taking a wargame in that direction, but what an absolutely intriguing idea.  I like it.

Hmmm........................Close Combat meets Darth Vader, very intriguing, if only from a cynic's view..............very cool idea Haigg. For a peek at a "darker" war movie, I highly recommend "Cross of Iron".

Originally Posted By phredd1 (20 FEB 2012 12:10am)

Hmmm........................Close Combat meets Darth Vader, very intriguing, if only from a cynic's view..............very cool idea Haigg. For a peek at a "darker" war movie, I highly recommend "Cross of Iron".

Agreed...'Cross of Iron' is a great war movie.

I gave up on Lock & Load PC awhile back, as many did.  If it's not getting much priority during development, I'd also be worried about support after any possible future release.

Conflict of Heroes from Matrix will be coming up so you guys should keep an eye on that, if you want your squad wargame fix.

Originally Posted By Rayfer (20 FEB 2012 6:48am)

Originally Posted By phredd1 (20 FEB 2012 12:10am)

Hmmm........................Close Combat meets Darth Vader, very intriguing, if only from a cynic's view..............very cool idea Haigg. For a peek at a "darker" war movie, I highly recommend "Cross of Iron".

 

Agreed...'Cross of Iron' is a great war movie.

 

The book is even better!

Originally Posted By Rekim (20 FEB 2012 2:57pm)

Originally Posted By Rayfer (20 FEB 2012 6:48am)

Originally Posted By phredd1 (20 FEB 2012 12:10am)

Hmmm........................Close Combat meets Darth Vader, very intriguing, if only from a cynic's view..............very cool idea Haigg. For a peek at a "darker" war movie, I highly recommend "Cross of Iron".

 

Agreed...'Cross of Iron' is a great war movie.

 

 

The book is even better!

 

 

I agree the book is even better. Though the film is one of my favorites. He also wrote a follow up aswell, which I need to find on Amazon.

Originally Posted By Rekim (20 FEB 2012 2:57pm)

Originally Posted By Rayfer (20 FEB 2012 6:48am)

Originally Posted By phredd1 (20 FEB 2012 12:10am)

Hmmm........................Close Combat meets Darth Vader, very intriguing, if only from a cynic's view..............very cool idea Haigg. For a peek at a "darker" war movie, I highly recommend "Cross of Iron".

 

Agreed...'Cross of Iron' is a great war movie.

 

 

The book is even better!

 

 

I didn't know about the book! O, Amazon..............................................................................

Originally Posted By Rayfer (20 FEB 2012 6:48am)

 

 

Agreed...'Cross of Iron' is a great war movie.

 

The lesser known "When Trumpets Fade" is pretty dark.  A good watch.

Yes Hurtgen Forest...another great film thats overlooked.

DEMARKATION!!

SSSTEINER IS COMING IN!!

Sorry, couldnt help myself.

Cross of Iron Author actually served on the East front. The attack by the Russains is based on a reall attack.