BFG's Fate

[Xyon]

I've never read the AI rules so I dont know what that would do.    I do think having some kind of  'momentum' system would be good though, since it is realistic for space.  But adding some 3d would be realistic too.

[Zhukov]

Making BFG a video game...

Easy actually. Just use a Total War or Empire at War technique. Turn based campaign maps? Already have rules for that. Commanding the ships in a battle? If using 2-D space with 3-D graphics, already have rules for that. Special Orders would have time limits for how long they are in affect (with BFI starting the timer over and replacing whatever other SO the ship/squadron is on.

First issue I see however is that BFG battles tend to be small. Where this is not an issue to some video gamers in that it makes using your resources wisely, many gamers are attracted to the huge fleets and such. This could be easily remedied by having a scenario editor. This also allows for the possibilities of making "Historical Battles".

-Zhukov

[BaronIveagh]

Making BFG a video game...

Easy actually. Just use a Total War or Empire at War technique. Turn based campaign maps? Already have rules for that. Commanding the ships in a battle? If using 2-D space with 3-D graphics, already have rules for that. Special Orders would have time limits for how long they are in affect (with BFI starting the timer over and replacing whatever other SO the ship/squadron is on.

First issue I see however is that BFG battles tend to be small. Where this is not an issue to some video gamers in that it makes using your resources wisely, many gamers are attracted to the huge fleets and such. This could be easily remedied by having a scenario editor. This also allows for the possibilities of making "Historical Battles".

-Zhukov

Considering how Napoleon: Total War bombed, that's probably not a good idea. 

Let's look at successful space RTS: Homeworld (1/2), Nexus: The Jupiter Incident, ST: Armada 2, and Sins.

Most of these involved a 3rd dimension to the game (even sins) where by simply flying 'over' the 2d plane that most structures are built on, you can bypass them.  Games that have used a 2-d 'space as the ocean' approach have, more often then not, sold badly. 

[Zhukov]

Well let's be fair, Napolean was an expansion pack. Empire: Total War is the original. And the Total War series has been very successful as a whole.

Back on the subject now.

Only ones I have played is Sins and Star Wars Empire at War(not the greatest example but still valid to bring up (never had the money to go crazy with video games and minis at the same time )). Sins doesn't have much of a 3-D effect to it and having played it extensively I would say its more of a 2-D game with 3-D graphics. But something I think for a BFG game is the whole game may not be suitable for RTS consistently like Sins. It's entirely doable, but I don't think it works well for it. The appeal for Battlefleet Gothic is to focus more on the tactics of each battle, not the grand strategic level where you just build a fleet and send it off and hope it's enough to conquer the system without needing to dictate every ships maneuver.

Now I honestly think a 40k Universe BFG space game is not hard even for total 3-D. I think the fleet with the hardest time in this situation is Chaos. Without a lot of firepower to the front and no hardened armor, it seems to me they will always play more stand-off ish. Imperial wouldn't even have a problem. Go straight at the enemy and rotate the vessel if the enemy chooses to go above/below the area of engagement. I could see ramming being an issue though... Otherwise, the alien fleets will play a lot like most of the fleets that exist in games now (such as Eve).

-Zhukov

[Zhukov]

Well let's be fair, Napolean was an expansion pack. Empire: Total War is the original. And the Total War series has been very successful as a whole.

Back on the subject now.

Only ones I have played is Sins and Star Wars Empire at War(not the greatest example but still valid to bring up (never had the money to go crazy with video games and minis at the same time )). Sins doesn't have much of a 3-D effect to it and having played it extensively I would say its more of a 2-D game with 3-D graphics. But something I think for a BFG game is the whole game may not be suitable for RTS consistently like Sins. It's entirely doable, but I don't think it works well for it. The appeal for Battlefleet Gothic is to focus more on the tactics of each battle, not the grand strategic level where you just build a fleet and send it off and hope it's enough to conquer the system without needing to dictate every ships maneuver.

Now I honestly think a 40k Universe BFG space game is not hard even for total 3-D. I think the fleet with the hardest time in this situation is Chaos. Without a lot of firepower to the front and no hardened armor, it seems to me they will always play more stand-off ish. Imperial wouldn't even have a problem. Go straight at the enemy and rotate the vessel if the enemy chooses to go above/below the area of engagement. I could see ramming being an issue though... Otherwise, the alien fleets will play a lot like most of the fleets that exist in games now.

-Zhukov

[horizon]

I don't care. I don't play Computer/Console games.

I still live in the past. Monkey Island II is still the best game ever.

Oh those old days.. Sensible Soccer, Space Quest, It Came from the Desert, Quest for Glory, Monkey Island I, Indy III & IV, etc

aaah yeah!


ahem...
sorry for the hi-jack.

[TheTuninator]

Sins of a Solar Empire is a perfect example of the way a BFG game could be done. It's fully 3D, and strikingly so, yet combat essentially takes place in two dimensions. There was even an (unfortunately now dead) BFG mod for it, which looked pretty damn good:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wlZTBHJsIw&feature=related

[Valhallan]

Yeah, the Sins BFG mod was depressing... invisible torpedoes that wouldn't fire straight OR ignore shields... and zooming in too close on the ships - they'd disappear!

I could see the space combat in Star wars Rebellion as feasible (never played empire at war or whatev'.)

Really though, I'd want something as specific and tedious as Xcom or Chaos Gate - but in space.

**hell ya quest for glory!**

[Ruckdog]

I dunno...I thought that the Sins of a Solar Empire mod worked well as far as gameplay/visuals went. It just never got finished. The biggest problem with making BFG into an RTS style game is that it spoils some of the fluff, since the ships are all supposed to be ancient. That makes it hard to build them in a few minutes from a factory at your base  .

[Zhukov]

Well that is easily remedied ya know. Having Battleship hulks drift into and out of your territory for you to try and hijack could be the proper access. The escorts and light cruisers wouldn't have a problem being built in the frequency of the game (whether RTS or turn based). Cruisers and Heavy Cruisers are a bit more problamatic. Maybe if you start out with a fleet you can include the cruisers then?

[BaronIveagh]

Anther possibility would be that you select your fleet at the start of the game, total war style.

[RCgothic]

Or you don't really build vessels, but requisition them from other sectors or forge worlds as you gain more renown/importance.

[BaronIveagh]

Or you don't really build vessels, but requisition them from other sectors or forge worlds as you gain more renown/importance.

Or as the fighting in your sector increases in importance ships from surrounding sectors trickle in.  But this would only be good for the single player mode.