Just some input

[KuVenet]

Hey guys,
First off to the people at white moon thank you for attempting to create this game. I listened to your interview on Iron Agenda. I know and understand that you couldn't talk a lot about the game given that you simply just don't know yet. But in your interview you asked for input from the fans of warmachine.
I understand that you are creators for console games. I have no doubt that you have done your research. But I would like to say please don't make the same mistake as Games Workshop did with their video games series. That mistake being, trying to put too much into one game. I would recommend focusing on a few key aspects of the game and history to start with. Don't try to encompass the entire world. Instead focus on say the cygnar and khador conflict in the north. Sure you can throw in some aspects of the other factions becuase they are always present. everyone who reads this and has played FIRE WARRIOR knows what I am talking about about trying to encompass far too much in one game. you don't need to include EVERY faction in order to appeal to the warmachine players at large. Hell just creating a warmachine game alone is an achievement unto itself.

All i am trying to say is don't try and put EVERYTHING into a single game. I mean hell if this first game takes off like many are anticipating it will. who is to say their wont be a sequel. But I am getting ahead of myself.

And as a final note, I believe that this game would produce the best results as an RTS. Only for the fact that it can give the player total control of their chosen faction. Granted this may not even be a possibility but its just an Idea, if you are really wanting to encompass the entire world that is warmachine.

hopefully I have been helpful if not. and I have just wasted your time. feel free to delete this posting.

[ATC 1982]

Welcome and your post will not be deleted because it is not spam. I know the guys/gals at WhiteMoon Dreams will look at everyone's ideas. So please enjoy the forums here. :cool:

[GcFlash]

I agree with KuVenet... for the most part.

Trying to squeeze the whole of the IK into one game would be stupid. Hell its taken Privateer Press how many years to get to where they are know with it? But to be honest there are only 5 factions, +4 contracts, in Warmachine. If you did a map style mission select ala Command and Conquer or Advance Wars (which is by far the better game, imo).

Which brings me to another subject. Graphics aint everything! I would much rather play a supurb game with average graphics than an uber shiney looking game with average game play. These days though that is much less of an issue with the amazing game engines about, and as you are going to be using the one from Fallout 3 there should be no issues.

While an RTS may be the best idea if you want huge sprawling games, I really dont think it will give the feeling of IK and Warmachine. While I dont want to be presumptuous and tell you what you should do, which is what most of the internet is full of, I shall offer my thoughts.

For example if you look at any of the material in the books, while there is a huge battle going on it only looks at the few heroic individuals and their contribution to the fight. And that is what I feel Warmachine is all about.

In the aforementioned Iron Agenda announcement, they said they were aiming for a skirmish game, which by definition is what Warmachine and Hoards is. I think something along the lines of Ghost Recon style controls would be somewhere to start. Point and click commands, a map to do out of line of sight commands. Or Knights of the Old Rebublic / Mass Effect pause time when you are commanding your party.

The reason I would prefer this to an RTS is that these systems give a more invovled feel than the alternative and you would therefore be the Warcaster rather than simply controlling it.

The other thing I really hope, I think they covered this at the end of the announcement, is that the focus is on the single player! For me if there were no multiplayer I would be more likely to buy it, as all too often adding the multiplayer just dilutes the funding and time constraints put on the project and you end up with neither being worth while.

I will be interested to see what others have to say on these issues.

[KuVenet]

the sole reason I said an RTS style would be better, is namely for controls purposes. now yes a ghost recon or starwars commandos style of control set up would be superb if you are making it so the game focuses on just the warcaster in the middle of epic battles. though one idea to possibly integrate is voice commands. much like total warfare (I think is the name of the game) where you can control all your maneuver elements by voice and still control a single character with your hand held controller. I dont really know just how difficult of a task that would be for the game designers themselves, but for me. it would definitely make me feel like a warcaster while playing the game. because after all the jacks are just an extension of the warcaster himself. again just a though.

[Randall]

I think it's already stated that RTS isn't the way they'll go at this time. By reading the descriptions, the most similar game I've in mind is Dinasty Warriors. Focus in characters in the middle of a big battle, adding warjacks to the mix, the possibility of take their control (focus) and maybe something to give orders to squads. Possibility to going 1st/3rd person, a radar that stats where warjacks are (and other warjacks), and maybe the possibility of having minicameras to view what warjacks are doing.

Oh, and Bruce Campbell doing Caine's and/or Magnus voices ;)

[Kaptajn Congoboy]

he most similar game I've in mind is Dinasty Warriors. )

Oh god, let's hope not.

[GcFlash]

Second to Bruce Campbell. Say hello to my Boomsticks!

So long as the voice commands were an optional thing that would be fine, I hate sitting in the living room shouting at the computer to do what I want and thats without voice commands!

Saddly I dont really care for Dynasty Warriors. But I can understand the appeal of it.

I guess my point is Whitemoon Dreams have some great minds that have been involved in games like Fallout and Medal of Honour and I am sure they will be more than capable of drawing from their experience to bring us a great game!

In the Iron Agenda announcement, they said they are looking to do a skirmish style game rather than anything else. In my mind games like Knights of the Old Rebublic (not Star Wars Republic Commando which was terrible) / Mass Effect / Ghost Recon command and controlls are the way I would imagine it to come out like. I may well be way off.

But if you look at the powers in the first two they have recharge time, like the spells and special abilities would in this game (bigger spells etc take longer to recharge). And adding in the RPG element of improving and gaining spells and abilities would work well with this also. The in game power/abilities menues from them would also be ideal. They all have a squad (battle group) that you point and they go and do what you tell them, how you tell them. With an added map ala Ghost recon and you can controll them out of sight, like in Warmachine.

However I can see where aspects of other games, such as Dynasty Warriors, can make this game different to the ones I have mentioned. Again going back to the announcement the guys were making noises about capping the number of troops etc in order to make what is there looking as good as can be.

I guess I have a very distinct image, already, of how I would design the game, like you all I am sure, but I also have other ideas which would not fall within the rough brief they gave. It really is about finding the niche genre for the game to fit into or cross between. I would very interested to here what the guys from Whitemoon Dreams are thinking, but I dont think we will hear anything for some time, the games industry is always very hush hush about work in progress.

[Skyydragonn]

To be honest, almost any genre would be good for Iron kingdoms/WARMACHINE. Given that the setting is still in its early adolescence compared to the other big hitters out there, the lore is exceedingly rich and detailed. Not to mention abundant.

I could see doing a Dynasty warrior style game focusing on the warcaster in the midst of battle with secondary RPG elements during and between battles. Mini cut scenes where you choose your next deployment, adjust the forces you bring with you based on whatever intel you have regarding your opponent.

In terms of RTS, while yes it could be done the problem is it already has been, in fact its been done to death. Very few RTS games ever make it anywhere near the top of the sales charts (thank SC I for that) Even big names like warhammer and Command & Conquer has been losing interest for the last couple of years. In order to release WARMACHINE as a RTS game Whitemoon would have to nail not only gameplay and graphics flawlessly but they would need a massively intriguing "hook" to draw in the curious masses and glue them to the game. Most notably a plot that players really cared about, an engaging campaign between missions and well balanaced multiplayer. Right now RTS games are almost as big a risk as starting up a brand new IP for an MMORPG. That is a risk I dont think Whitemoon is willing to make right out of the gate as a new development house.

For an RPG type game their are a lot of conventions they would have to break away from in order to keep the heart of warmachine intact.

Ideally what i'de love to see happen would be a similar game to planteside without the fail.

either 1st or 3rd person view MMORPG/Shooter/Fighting game. with zone control and upgradeable characters/classes.
I'de love to be able to play a flameguard cleanser or even a Long gunner :)

White moon has a LOT of options in front of them, so many in fact that i'm willing to wager they're quite possibly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of decisions they have to make before they can even begin on concept art.

As long as they're open and up front with the community, and willing to take our opinions as warmachine/Iron kingdoms players to heart I'm sure this title will be well worth the wait.