http://fortressat.com/ Sat, 25 May 2013 02:27:12 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2478#josc34041 I'm a big Twilight Struggle fan and dove right into Labyrinth. I knew I would be playing mostly solo and it is an interesting game but I grew frustrated with how much time I was spending working through the AI flowcharts. I thought they would stick more but there are a lot of thing to consider. Since I was in the market for a programming project I started in on computerizing the flowcharts. I didn't really know at first if I'd be able to see it though but it's looking good so far. I have all the flowchart commands and US Ops activities implemented and the first 50 cards. You have to pay a bit of a price by describing to the program you own moves so that it can keep track of the map, but in return you get instant instructions on what the AI does for a given card. I hope to have a beta version out in a few weeks if there is any interest in testing it. Note that it is a command line program with no GUI, that's what works for me and is much faster to implement. tharkad Sat, 02 Apr 2011 11:22:12 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2478#josc33890 [quote]One more comment/question: Do you know if there is any context to the cover art?[/quote] None that I know of. And I haven't noticed anything emerging from the gameplay to offer any clues. MattDP Mon, 28 Mar 2011 23:32:40 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2478#josc33878 [i]I'm not sure I understand this question.... If you're asking how detailed the game is in regards to recent history, I would say very. It has a lot of cards, many of which pertain to events or cultural motifs of which I was completely unaware, and all of these are of course briefly examined in the playbook, so you can certainly learn a fair bit from playing the game.[/i] Thank you. My apologies for not wording this question correctly; I tend to do that at 4AM. I love a game that has historical flavor text; this game may be of particular interest to me because it is set in current day. One more comment/question: Do you know if there is any context to the cover art? To me, the image is of a single soldier walking down the paved walkways of Washington DC, perhaps to look at the Vietnam Memorial. In any case, it seems very understated, while at the same time sending a message. (Again, this may just be me.) daveroswell Mon, 28 Mar 2011 09:57:45 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2478#josc33869 What I really want to know is what does Branygyn think? Pat II Mon, 28 Mar 2011 06:44:25 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2478#josc33868 The solo game is not very puzzle like at all, IMHO. It's pretty good solo too. If it were just a solo game it would get a 6 or a 7 from me. That's not bad considering it's only one part of the game that wasn't originally designed in. Gary Sax Mon, 28 Mar 2011 06:01:37 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2478#josc33863 [quote]If I purchased the game, it would be primarily for solo play; it seems to me you are saying it is engaging enough as a solitaire game. My fear would be that like many solo games, it would get to feel almost puzzle like in its dynamic. This is also my concern. Can anyone comment on this? Matt, how would you compare it to something like Phantom Leader?[/quote] I've played the solo game twice, so you can't take my opinions as gospel but my gut feeling is that the solo game is not going to get puzzle-like anytime soon. The AI flowcharts included are complex, includes some random elements in the form of country selection and slightly different outcomes depending on the ops value of the card and can lead to the Islamists taking a wide variety of actions and it generally does a good job of "feeling" dynamic. It's totally, totally different from Phantom Leader. In that game there's an element of setting things up with a good plan and then watching them run and hoping the dice are nice to you. This game is much more about immediate reaction to what's just happened during the previous AI card plays. The other way in which its different is, as I mentioned, length. I can see a single deck solo game easily lasting four hours or so. Personally I think that's too much time to invest in a solo game but your mileage may vary. [quote]Now for the elephant in the room: I know it has been talked about on the forums, but I am certain GMT has treated this topic with a certain amount of sensitivity. I understand the aversion to a game dealing with current events, but that being said: how historically in-depth is the game with details? [/quote] I'm not sure I understand this question. If you're asking whether it works as a simulation then, as I said in the review, I would say not. It does however work as a high-level portayal of the need to balance hard and soft power to successfully combat terrorism, and it works fairly well as a simulation [i]along the lines of the designers political beliefs[/i], which he has clearly stated in the rulebook. Personally I'd suggest current events in the middle east have in fact already undermined his position, but that's just my view: his background in intelligence work makes him far better placed to comment that I am. If you're asking how detailed the game is in regards to recent history, I would say very. It has a lot of cards, many of which pertain to events or cultural motifs of which I was completely unaware, and all of these are of course briefly examined in the playbook, so you can certainly learn a fair bit from playing the game. MattDP Mon, 28 Mar 2011 01:59:10 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2478#josc33861 [i]If I purchased the game, it would be primarily for solo play; it seems to me you are saying it is engaging enough as a solitaire game. My fear would be that like many solo games, it would get to feel almost puzzle like in its dynamic.[/i] This is also my concern. Can anyone comment on this? Matt, how would you compare it to something like Phantom Leader? Bullwinkle Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:40:57 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2478#josc33860 If I purchased the game, it would be primarily for solo play; it seems to me you are saying it is engaging enough as a solitaire game. My fear would be that like many solo games, it would get to feel almost puzzle like in its dynamic. Now for the elephant in the room: I know it has been talked about on the forums, but I am certain GMT has treated this topic with a certain amount of sensitivity. I understand the aversion to a game dealing with current events, but that being said: how historically in-depth is the game with details? daveroswell Sun, 27 Mar 2011 22:02:17 +0100