Ron,

I just recently purchased a number of older computer games on eBay and among them was one called

Storm in the West by Schwerpunkt PC Wargames. The box indicates that it is part of the 'Campaign WW2

Series'. None of the weblinks on the box are still active but I did notice that the mail address is in Texas.

Is that an earlier incarnation of your present studio? If so, I did not realize that you had published anything

before RGW. Are there yet others? How does this older game relate to your more recent ones? Is it the same

engine? What'schanged in the intervening years? I won't be able to check out the game itself until I find a

way to networka floppy drive from an older computer to my current rig.

Hi,

Where did you find Storm in the West? I couldn't find it.

Thanks,

Emilio 

Originally Posted By Kutnezov (4 MAR 2012 3:44pm)

Hi,

 

Where did you find Storm in the West? I couldn't find it.

 

Thanks,

 

Emilio 

Just dumb luck. I bought a box of old wargames on eBay and Storm in the West was part of the bundle.

I'm guessing you've heard of it then?

Yes, it is a 1940 West Campaign game from Schwerpunkt.

First game I bought from Schwerpunkt was RGW and I tried to buy Storm In The West, but it was out of order.

Since then, I bought AGW and MDE. Looking forward for WWII Europe. 

Okay guys, you are giving me the opportunity to talk about the beginnings of Schwerpunkt.  I'll take that challenge!

1. Started Schwerpunkt in 1995 after a failed attempt to develop a PC based version of the Avalon Hill Battle of the Bulge boardgame.  They decided not to pursue it.  I had already developed a Russian Front DOS game, but they decided not to pursue that either.  Decided I did not need them.  I believe they went out of business a few years after that, which explained why they chose not to pursue these boardgame to PC conversions.

2. Schwerpunkt developed our first game, Leningrad, in 1995.  DOS-based.  Three scenarios.  Toughest critic was Jim Cobb.  A lucky break for us, since he gave us great advice, and we took it.

3. Developed Kiev next.  Also three scenarios.

4. Next up was Crimea. Also three scenarios.

5. Rostov came next.  Three scenarios.  24 x 24 hexes, 10 miles across a hex.  Same as the first 3.  I was picking an area of Russia where at least 3 battles occurred.

6. The fifth game was called Izyum.  Five scenarios. 

7. For game 6, I decided to move west.  This is the game being discussed.  Storm in the West. Six scenarios.

8. For game 7, I went back to the East Front for Smolensk to Moscow.  9 scenarios (lots of battles around Smolensk).

For each game, I was learning and improving the game engine.  I decided to move from DOS-based games, and develop a Windows-based game, leveraging from the previous attempts.  I decided to go for the entire (well, almost all) East front rather than just a part like I had been doing.  The result was Russo-German War 41-44, or RGW for short.

Since then, we developed Anglo-German War 39-45 (AGW) and Middle East 1948-2010 (MDE).  Currently in development of World War II Europe (WWIIE).

Hope you enjoyed the history of Schwerpunkt!

Ron

One more note:  I still have the Software Design Notebooks on these games, if anyone would like more information.

I would have to looking to find the code.

Remember these are DOS-based games.  Much simpler than the ones starting with RGW.

Ron

Interesting background info!

I'm looking forward to trying out this fossil of yours once I have a working floppy drive to load it from.

The design notebook info would be cool to check out if it wouldn't be too much of a distraction to post.

The Software Design Notebooks consist of paper only.  Description of data arrays, major C functions, scenario order of battle information, some printed screenshots, some display layouts, that sort of thing.  None of it is electronic, so I can't post it.  I can answer any questions about the games based on those notebooks though.

Ron

Thanks for the replies, Ron. I'm a programing N00b so I'd probably not understand

any of the coding references.  I was just curious as to how you went about thinking

up the way you wanted your game to look. Do you 'boardgame' it first? Do you

draw up some kind of flow charts?

Originally Posted By Ron Dockal (5 MAR 2012 7:03pm)

They decided not to pursue it.. .  Decided I did not need them. 

Their loss, our gain!

The recent Schwerpunkt design change to use odds-based CRTs and combat modifiers is a nice improvement.  It makes gameplay much more like the traditional boardgames of yesteryear. 

I watch with some interest the development of Gary Grigsby's War in the East and his upcoming War in the West.  Whereas Schwerpunkt takes a more traditional AF-DF-MF unit approach and relatively simple game mechanics, the squad/tank/gun-level detail and micromanagement in Grigsby's games leaves something to be desired.  FWIW, I just do not get the same sense of enjoyment playing WitE as I did playing RGW, or the old Russian Campaign and Russian Front boardgames.  Keep it simple, keep it fun.  

Interesting question.  That first step on any project is so important.  Once taken, it determines how difficult it will be to get to a good software application.

For the old DOS games, I build a paper version.  For the Windows games, I did the following:

I generate a list of concepts that I want the game to have.  Things like basic map area, hex distance, and scenarios to cover.  I then generate a list of concepts.  Things like smooth scrolling, combat estimators, and will air/ground/naval units all be included or just ground units.  For the user interface, I develop a set of use cases.  How will the scenarios be selected?  How will you move a unit?  How do you cause a combat?  Then I determine how the game will react to keyboard and mouse moves and mouse clicks.

After I have done enough system engineering up front, I then start to "build a little, test a little".  Then I start to integrate the pieces together to play a battle.  Each of these steps cause change to the game engine.  After I have some functional pieces working, then the playtester become actively involved.  Up til then, I have been asking them questions and getting their opinions as the game is developing.  I start sending them pre-release versions of the game, and getting their feedback. This is such as key step, as their input greatly improves the game.

Because the games are so complex, it is virtually impossible to test every combination of inputs and outputs.  So, there is a tough decison to make when a game is ready for release.  Once released, then I get feedback from several areas, with the most feedback coming from this very Wargamer Forum.  Each game gets several releases with game improvements.

Thanks for listening,

Ron

Originally Posted By pzgndr (7 MAR 2012 6:12am)

 

I watch with some interest the development of Gary Grigsby's War in the East and his upcoming War in the West.  Whereas Schwerpunkt takes a more traditional AF-DF-MF unit approach and relatively simple game mechanics, the squad/tank/gun-level detail and micromanagement in Grigsby's games leaves something to be desired.  FWIW, I just do not get the same sense of enjoyment playing WitE as I did playing RGW, or the old Russian Campaign and Russian Front boardgames.  Keep it simple, keep it fun.  

 

I have to agree. Even though I enjoyed WITE I really think its combat/logistics model is way too complex and doesn't really work too well at all. I am getting back in to AGW and am on board for WWIE.