6. Can you explain the process of how you and your team pared down the list of 100′s of available scenarios out there to arrive at a list you could all be proud of?
Its important to stress that we did not have time to play test and formally vouchsafe “play balance and playability” for all of these scenarios. What we have done is to cull the scenarios that display no obvious flaws preventing them from being played properly, and which also exhibit superior research and design talent and have an inherent interest factor for gamers. Incidentally, this does not mean scenarios have to be fanatically historical—there is a broad array of designer approaches to historicity in this package, and a fair number of hypothetical or ‘what-if’ scenarios as well. What we really wanted to do was demonstrate how far design has evolved for TOAW since it first appeared. It’s about time these hard-working designers got some recognition.
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7. Working with a team of people on the internet has often been categorized just behind "herding cats" as far as complexity. Did you face any special challenges working with your team or was it smooth sailing in the scenario department?
There are always problems in running groups, and online groups of volunteers present special challenges, but this group made it pretty easy given the amount of talent on the forum, from grognard ladder players, to designers, and a few programmers as well. I just orchestrated discussions on method, we arrived at the method democratically, and then went ahead and did it broken down into 4 teams, one of which was mine. Real life demands saw some of us (myself included) pull back a bit for awhile, and then dive back in. Everyone did extremely well.
8. From where you sit you have a special perspective of the game, and where it may be going in the future. Knowing that this is just speculation and not an official statement, what do you think TOAW is capable of doing as a game engine which it is not doing now? In short, what is a perfect end-state where you would say the game does everything it should?
Before I list areas of development important to me, I’d like to say that TOAW in my view is still without competition as a flexible operational level war game also able to model the strategic sweep of things. The flexible scales and equipment database (not at all chrome in my view) are important here, but it is the event editor which makes this package very much an open-ended proposition. Since it has appeared, it has not been seriously challenged as an operational-strategic package, most of the new systems being developed opting for a tight focus upon the operational, even tactical. I therefore see the future for this game system as good as it ever was—better in fact, as TOAW scenario design is a mature art at this point and we have effective programming changes in the works.
I see development in the following areas as important:
–Improved combat system, more effective equipment database, enhanced naval and air dynamics.
–Dramatically improved Programmed Opponent (PO) capabilities.
–Enhanced designer control of game dynamics in editor; e.g. control over ZOC “stickiness,” combat round limitations more detailed national characteristics.
–Command Control rubric and leadership values.
–Enhanced supply stockpiling and assignment.
–3-d map zoom slider down to topo map style projections…. (Ok got carried away there.)
9. Many in the TOAW community know you are fond of monster-sized scenarios, and naturally one wonders whether you have plans for other scenarios that have yet to be done? In general, what is next for you?
The huge scenarios are all going to be redone, completely, and will be new games in and of themselves, never mind the changes Ralph will be putting through to the program itself in future. I am particularly looking forward to redoing my Braunschweig/Edelweiss German campaign in Caucasus 1942 scenario. As well, my proto-type Great War scenario which I put up for people to look at will likely be finished off.
Apart from that I have a completely new Winterstorm scenario (large) on the German counter-attack to free the 6th Army winter 1942 at 2 km per hex including ‘Operation Koltso’, the Russian attack to clear the pocket, complete Manstein in the Crimea scenario (large), and Voronezh scenario (Large) depicting a little known and near largest east front tank battle in 1942, in the works.
10. I’ve asked this question in my interview with James Mathews (also on the TOAW 3 team), and I’m dying to ask you as well; When all is said and done and this first release is out the door and you can relax and actually play the game – what scenario are you most anxious to play using the new features in TOAW 3?
I’m not going to single out individual designs in the group we selected but instead make the general point that I am keen to try a number of them. Over the past years I’ve put most of my playing time into play testing my own stuff as TOAW is very labour-intensive in this regard. It was great to discover some obvious gems I had no idea were out there. I’ll certainly make the time to try them out down the road.
Thanks for taking the time to speak about this game, and we wish you and the TOAW team the best of luck in the future with TOAW 3. We of course look forward to any new improvements you all can cook up for us!
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