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Topic: Computer wargame

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	Chapter 7 - Designing Computer Games
		Wargames on computer have had a mixed record.
		This team approach is becoming increasingly common, particularly since current computer wargames are so elaborate that many different specialists must be called in (for programming, graphics, interface, sound and documentation) that adding a game designer to the list is no burden and is usually a decided plus.
		Designing computer wargames consists of principles and techniques that are less subject to change.
	www.hyw.com /Books/WargamesHandbook/7-design.htm (1343 words)

	dunnigan (Site not responding. Last check: )
		Board wargames still had advantages, the major one being that you knew exactly what the game was doing, but many wargamers knew that had a downside in that you had to master a lot of rules and procedures to make a manual game go.
		Oh, sure, some computer game designers, and publishers, often former board wargamers, went out of their way to provide thick manuals showing all the details of what was going on in the game; And many gamers appreciated this, but many just took the buzz from knowing all that stuff was there and otherwise ignored it.
		It was commercial wargames that attracted the troops attention in the early 1970s and led to a renaissance of military wargaming.
	www.mindsim.com /MindSim/Corporate/dunnigan.html (3384 words)

	Appendices - Computer Wargame Publishers
		Has obtained the rights to several detailed computer wargames that were unable to obtain wide distribution on their own.
		Switched to computer wargames in the 1980s, but their games were not as flashy as the usual computer wargame and many still depend on paper play aids (as in a paper map).
		An Australian computer wargame publisher that stresses the use of standard game systems that, for different battles, are modified to fit each unique situation.
	www.hyw.com /Books/WargamesHandbook/ap-cpub.htm (673 words)

	game
		Wargaming's heyday was the 70s, when America was in the throes of post-Vietnam malaise, when anyone with an interest in military affairs was thought to be a fascistic warmonger.
		Computer wargames have, with few exceptions, been derivative and intellectually void; still, their attractions for the avid gamer are obvious.
		And computer wargaming is a minuscule part of the computer games industry; in that field, the conventional wisdom holds that computer wargames sell to a small, niche market.
	members.tripod.com /~shadojak/game.html (5096 words)

	[No title] (Site not responding. Last check: )
		Did you notice that most operational computer wargames mimic their card board counterparts : same hex grid, same basic rules, turn based (mostly "I go/you go"), similar units graphic, micromanagement of each unit required.
		The computer takes care of handling the subordinates of that unit, exactly as if virtual commanders were there to carry-out your orders.
		Compared to traditional computer wargames, a unit does not accupy "just an hex" : if you followed so far, you know there is no hex grid.
	www.wargamer.com /Hosted/DropZone/articles/compare/compare_aa_with_other_op_wg.html (686 words)

	History of Wargaming
		Nevertheless, the history of military wargames is such that most failures seem to occur when the results of a wargame are ignored, not when they are taken seriously.
		Historical miniature wargaming is the recreation of historical battles (the Tactical level of war) through the use of a 3D terrain table over which are deployed model forests, roads, rivers and buildings as well as miniature soldiers and vehicles depicting the actual participants of the engagement.
		Miniature wargaming is definitely not a lazy person's hobby, and one of the reasons is the necessity of doing one's own historical research in order to participate.
	www.hmgs.org /history.htm (7050 words)

	Wargames Wargame Strategy Games
		Team Trackless is a volunteer, unclassified effort to use commercial wargames to test new doctrine and tactics for the new "trackless" (wheeled armored vehicles) brigades the US Army is experimenting with.
		PWP serves as an unclassified, unofficial clearing house for information on Professional Wargames (those used by the military and government agencies).
		The emphasis is on board wargames, but miniatures, computer and card-based wargames are also covered.
	www.strategypage.com /wargames (256 words)

	Wargame Reviews
		The manual is 51 pages, and covers all of the materials in the computer simulation.
		It gives a brief overview, giving a rough idea as to the capabilities of each unit that is applied.
		In short, it is well worth the price paid, and I would recommend it for anyone who wishes to start computer wargaming, whether or not they have experience with board games.
	www.strategypage.com /wargames/articles_reviews/strategic_command.asp (555 words)

	Designing Tomorrow’s Wargame
		Nevertheless, his best-selling Balance of Power, which was in its time the most sophisticated commercial computer wargame yet designed, was a failure—an abject lesson in how a talented designer allowed his ideology to ruin a game.
		Pursuant to Crawford’s simplistic system, the computer (playing the Soviet side) found that I had infringed in a Soviet sphere of interest, and had ignored every possible threat from the Soviets warning me to shut up.
		I’d agree that the military should wargame more than just “Raging Dragon: The Battle for the Straits of Taiwan.” But I think Barnett goes much too far in concluding that wargaming the Chinese invasion is a waste of time.
	www.davekopel.com /Terror/Mags/Designing-Tomorrow's-Wargame.htm (2159 words)

	Armchair General Magazine: Interactive Military History
		Wargames should have disappeared by now, swallowed up by video games, the Internet, and 14-hour workdays.
		Computer game publishers such as Matrix, Battlefront, and HPS are churning out titles, with at least 20 games expected in the next year or so.
		As a journalist and wargamer who writes about simulations used by the military – from converted hobby games to $400 million computer sims by major defense contractors – I was asked to discuss the state of hobby wargaming.
	www.armchairgeneral.com /articles.php?p=2958&page=1&cat=59 (991 words)

	Wargames Board - Phased Play (Site not responding. Last check: )
		Given the financial limitations of the computer wargame business alluded to above, designers have got to start "thinking outside the box" and partner with computer scientists at universities across the country to improve AI routines at an affordable cost.
		Computer wargaming nirvana for me would be a game where I could function at the level of command I'm supposed to represent and not have to wear every hat from battalion commander to Army Group commander to get a situation on the map that looks realistic.
		If the AI was more intelligent (my constant complaint of every computer game), you could trust more of these tasks to the AI and concentrate on strategy.
	www.wargame.ch /topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2707 (1562 words)

	I Have No Words & I Must Design
		Computer games are almost inherently solitaire, and to the degree they permit diplomacy with NPC computer opponents, they generally don't make it interesting.
		I have to believe that the solitary nature of most computer games is a temporary aberration, a consequence of the technology, and that as networks spread and their bandwidth increases, the historical norm will reassert itself.
		But, especially in solitaire computer games, it should be possible to ensure that every stage of the game involves a set of challenges, and that the player's job is done only at the end.
	www.costik.com /nowords.html (6549 words)

	Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord- Reviews Page
		Its marriage of traditional turn-based wargaming with RTS is truly inspired and may mark the way forward for the hardcore wargame.
		Combat Mission has truly done something special for the computer wargame genre, and it will be remembered years from now as the game that turned the genre on its ear...
		Combat Mission is a standard-setting wargame of the highest caliber, and is probably the most enjoyable tactically-focused game that I've had the pleasure of playing.
	www.battlefront.com /products/cmbo/reviews.html (1471 words)

	CRASH 51 - Frontline (2)
		The spirit of the dedicated wargamer still lurks inside those games, however: as easy as they are to play, somewhere inside the computer there are as many sets of rules as any table top game.
		As a result, designing a computer wargame is not as straightforward as it seems, but with an eye for accuracy and an idea of what makes a game entertaining, almost anyone can design a reasonable strategy game.
		The latter is closer to board wargames, and is in many ways easier to implement, because it is easier to calculate how fast a unit should move in terms of squares than in pixels.
	www.crashonline.org.uk /51/frontline2.htm (1832 words)

	Games \| ManifestoGames.com (Site not responding. Last check: )
		Hailed as a revolutionary advance in computer wargames when first published, Beyond Overlord is the first of the Combat Mission series, and now available at a mere ten bucks.
		Computer wargames have today almost disappeared from the store shelves, as the conventional market has narrowed its focus to potential best-sellers.
		Luckily, companies like Storm Eagle are working to keep computer wargames alive, moving primarily to online distribution, and we're proud to offer this excellent example.
	manifestogames.com /games/23 (1074 words)

	Strategy Gaming Online - Reviews : West Front
		However, computers are finally reaching the level of power where they can adequately manage the massive amounts of information present in a serious wargame.
		Wargamers LOVE these things: tables, numbers, and a big heavy rulebook are guaranteed to immediately warm the cockles of even the most cynical grognard.
		Certainly FPS are more suited to drop-in action than a strategic wargame, but there has to be a better way than what I’ve seen in the strategic arena to date.
	www.strategy-gaming.com /reviews/west_front/index.shtml (2985 words)

	Computer Moderated
		Iron Duke V5 is a windows based set of computer moderated wargame rules and features tactical, solo and campaign modules for the Napoleonic Wars and the American War of Independence.
		Age of Heroes windows version 5 features computer moderated wargame rules for biblical and chariot period warfare with tactical and solo modules and optional sound effects for $24.95.
		Desert Whirlwind windows version 5 features computer moderated wargame rules for modern warfare from Korea to the present day with tactical and sol modules and optional sound effects for $24.95.
	www.miniaturewargames.com /computer_moderated.htm (577 words)

	GameSpot Presents: A History of Real-Time Strategy Games
		Early computer strategy games adhered firmly to the turn-based concepts of their board game ancestors, where--by necessity--players had time to plan their turns before their opponents had a chance to move.
		He offers some insight into its christening: "A lesser-known fact was the official genre naming that was going to be used to explain the game to the press and players.
		Before 1992, wargames and strategy games were very much niche markets--with the exception of Sid Meier's work--so my fears were justified.
	www.gamespot.com /gamespot/features/all/real_time (418 words)

	The Happy Hacker -- Computers that you can legally break into! (Site not responding. Last check: )
		AMD 50x15 computer, which has been designed to be so inexpensive that almost anyone in the world can afford it.
		The reason for this is that although it is difficult (we hope impossible) to break into it, if it does turn out to be possible, Windows CE makes it almost impossible for the user to repair the operating system, or install antivirus or antispyware programs.
		Hackerslab.org is a genuine hacker playground with computer break-in games, run by Korean hackers who want to discourage computer crime while encouraging those who want to legally learn how to hack.
	www.happyhacker.org /wargame/index.shtml (867 words)

	COMBATSIM.COM: Combat Command 2: Danger Forward (www.combatsim.com)
		This is much more detailed than most wargames where leaving an EZOC usually just entails a movement penalty, and it reflects that fact that to withdraw from an engaged position, you really have to turn your back to the enemy with all the danger that that entails.
		This level of victory is further modified by the amount of troops the player has remaining on the map that are undisrupted and not adjacent to the enemy, reflecting the ability of the player to exploit his victory beyond the artifical end of the scenario.
		Ironically, it is a welcome change that breaks the mold of many recent computer wargames which have tried too hard to distance themselves from their boardgaming roots.
	www.combatsim.com /memb123/htm/2001/02/combatcom2 (3064 words)

	The Wargamer - Review - Waterloo: Napoleon's Last Battle
		The computer AI is a very efficient chief of staff for the opposing force, in the manner of Marshal Berthier, Napoleon's chief of staff who died before the beginning of The Hundred Days campaign.
		I sincerely hope that this excellent AI is not the result of computer "cheating" inside the game engine, although some comments from the forums have made this allegation and it has happened in other games.
		With a manual board wargame, all the game rules, charts, tables, and map legends are visible to the player; this added to complexity but reinforced good research and design credibility.
	www.wargamer.com /reviews/waterloo/page3.asp (924 words)

	War in the Pits: Marine-Futures Traders Wargame (Site not responding. Last check: )
		The computer chip and digital systems for ground combat are as radical as the machinegun in World War I and the blitzkrieg in World War II; they permit standoff attacks rather than closure to rifle range, decreasing U.S. casualty rates and increasing the tempo and breadth of the battlefield.
		The wargame, matching 22 traders and 22 Marine generals and colonels, brought out strong parallels.
		Mission control of infantry is achieved when the unit in contact understands and acts in accord with the general intention of the higher commander.
	www.au.af.mil /au/awc/awcgate/ndu/forum61.htm (2451 words)

	Hierarchal AI (Site not responding. Last check: )
		It is hoped that the scheme will allow the efficient, or at least feasible, implementation of opponents which are capable of formulating strategy, rather than behaving predictably according to fixed sets of simple rules.
		Some time ago I asked myself how a programmer might begin to implement the AI of a wargame which requires the computer opponent to develop a sensible military strategy.
		The main advantage of this scheme is that it allows the "higher levels" of the hierarchy to formulate strategy, without being overwhelmed by the immense and intractably large number of possibilities which the computer AI would have to consider if it possessed only information about individual soldiers.
	www-cs-students.stanford.edu /~amitp/Articles/HierarchalAI.html (758 words)

	Wargaming
		Larry is also very interested in the application of computers to wargaming.
		Recently Larry has been playing Carnage and Glory by Nigel Marsh, a computer moderated set of miniature wargame rules and a series of games from Computer Strategies, Pty.
		Larry has been playing Carnage and Glory which is an excellent way to meld wargaming and computers.
	www.irons-assoc.com /larry/wargaming.html (800 words)

	Airborne Assault: Conquest of the Aegean Announced: Game News - The Armchair Empire
		Designed by the talented historical wargame specialists at Panther Games and planned for release during fall 2004, Conquest of the Aegean will bring to life 20th Century warfare on ancient battlegrounds.
		Conquest of the Aegean is the third wargame released by Panther Games in their critically acclaimed Airborne Assault series.
		They released their first computer wargame, Fire-Brigade, in 1988 and won many awards including the prestigious Charles S Roberts award for Best 20th Century Computer Wargame.
	www.armchairempire.com /videogame-news/PC-Games/June-2004/airborne-assault-conquest-aegean.htm (742 words)

	Wargames 4b: Hobby Wargames Links
		If wargaming has a Dalai Lama, it is James F Dunnigan.
		Dunnigan wrote the book on wargaming in most every sense of the word, and this is the book.
		Computer wargame sites don't get much better than this.
	faculty.virginia.edu /setear/students/wargames/page4b.htm (388 words)

	COMBATSIM.COM: Uncommon Valor: Campaign for the South Pacific
		It is an operational wargame that leans towards the strategic.
		Nevertheless, this is the first time that I’ve played a computer game from one of the small independent publishers in which I’ve been thoroughly impressed with every aspect of the graphics, sounds and interfaces.
		Players who are newer to computer wargaming may find Uncommon Valor daunting, but the time spent studying the system in order to play it effectively will be rewarded many times over.
	www.combatsim.com /memb123/htm/2002/06/uncomm (2102 words)

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