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Avacar

Vice Admiral
Pilot Avacar here. Just curious if there was to be a new WTCO scenario anytime soon, or if any of my old opponents are out there and interested in finishing the on-going scenarios...
 
If you guys are willing to organize and run a game (which I strongly encourage you to do :) ), we'd be happy to post a note on the front page asking for more players.
 
Whoa, and here I thought I was checking on the WCTO forum regularly! Well, there might actually be some interest in coming up with a new scenario (or finishing the ones we've started). I was busy with a lot of different things in real life (and still am), but I nevertheless thought about refining the existing rules every now and then. I'm still pondering whether to make the game's rules a bit more casual in order to allow for faster game play (and easier hosting), or extending it to include stuff like internal damage and hit zones.

To cut it short, I'd like to come back to the game, even if that means using the old rules for the time being. I guess I could fit an easy scenario in my busy schedule, like a light fighter dogfight or a no-missiles engagement. :p
 
I'm still pondering whether to make the game's rules a bit more casual in order to allow for faster game play (and easier hosting), or extending it to include stuff like internal damage and hit zones.

Sometimes it's nice to have the option of both: a simplified quicker version for when you don't have a lot of time and/or are playing with newer players unfamiliar with the rules, and then a second more complicated rule-set for when you just want to get into the nitty-gritty of it.
 
Kind of like the quick start rules for some games.

But I would be down for some light fighter engagements

By the way...would we do Play by Email, or via IM?

If by IM we could start gathering a list of people who want to play, and compare timezones.
 
That's what I intended to do with basic and advanced rules, but somehow I'm not satisfied with the basic movement options (since special maneuvers belong to the advanced rules section). And I might make it easier to hit targets... We'll see! :)

I'd prefer the email variant, if only to be able to archive orders. And while I have ICQ installed on my desktop PC, I usually don't use it anymore. Then again, we could even use Twitter (and direct messages). :p
 
Yeah, people could. Even if they don't, it's a convenient way for a bunch of people to communicate about Wing Commander.
 
I was thinking more of attracting new players.

Anyway, we could do a weekly dogfight on the IRC and do the larger missions via PBMs.

Just a thought
 
IRC would be perfect - if only you guys were anywhere near my time zone. ;) However, you could host your own games anytime if you want to! The rules are all there, so it would just be a matter of displaying ships' positions and stuff. (Using MapView or something similar might help.)

Meanwhile, I'll try to hit up an old friend of mine who did a web client for Crimson Skies - maybe he can twist the code a bit to make it usable with WCTO. I doubt he has the time, but wish me luck anyway! ;)
 
Meanwhile, I'll try to hit up an old friend of mine who did a web client for Crimson Skies - maybe he can twist the code a bit to make it usable with WCTO. I doubt he has the time, but wish me luck anyway! ;)

Good Luck!

I might not post in here, or on the forums much anymore, but I am still hoping and waiting for Wing Commander: Tactical Operations Deluxe Edition. New and in the box for $29.99

I'm sort of kidding, but if you ever get everything put together enough to sell a boxed set of WCTO, I would buy it in an instant.
 
You know what? I'm still in :)
So what's the plan? I guess we should finish the existing games with the current rules, and play-test any major rule changes on new games :p

And if I remember correctly, there were those damage sheets for each ship, so I think I have to ask: In what direction shall WCTO itself go? More in the direction of a game where each player has one ship, or where one player controls a whole wing (similar to Warhammer)? I mean, we have the point cost for each ship, but the stats for each ship are getting more complex, and with many it could be difficult to keep up... Your opinions?

(Oh, and Ironduke, although I still should be in the same time zone as you, I don't think there are many others :D )
 
Europe and the US aren't that far off. I've played a bajillion games with Kris in Belgium. Start early in the US and late in Germany on the weekends.
 
@Raptor_Pilot: We all know this will never happen, though, as much as I'd like the idea. :) I produced some nicely looking maps and ship tokens for my own use, but that's probably as close to a boxed set as WCTO will ever get. (Personally, I'd settle with an unboxed XBLA Indie Games title, but even that would infringe several laws...)

@QuailPilot: No, I never fully understood MapView with its modules, to be honest. I took a look at MapTool as well, but didn't have the time to deal with it. Featuring an implemented chat support, it might be worth a deeper look for anyone interested in hosting an "independent" WCTO game.

@Humungus: I've thought about both options while tinkering around with the game, and I think a Warhammer-like tabletop experience should be reasonably possible when using stripped down, simple rules. Me, I prefer every fighter being controlled by one person with more detailed rules - like the tabletop version of Crimson Skies, if anyone is familar with it. For the purpose of playing online, I've been considering "AI" wingmen lately - you could give them orders, but wouldn't be able to have direct control over their actions.

@ChrisReid: Yes, I'm aware it's mainly myself having a problem with this, since I usually work in the evenings and on weekends, and I only have one or two free afternoons. (One of the few downsides of being a musician...) Which is why I wouldn't mind if someone else went ahead and hosted a game with the given rules.

However, there's a small ray of hope: I've asked my friend if he could convert his Crimson Skies web client to a WCTO client, and he answered it wouldn't be much of a problem! Here's hoping he finds the time to do it... If this works out, anyone could host a game of WCTO, and it would only take some editing of ship stats and rolling the dice (knowing the rules would still be a bonus, of course :p).
I'll keep you posted on his progress... This isn't the first time someone tried to pull this off, so I'm rather doubtful about the outcome, but I'll keep my fingers crossed! ;)
 
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