If you’re a regular wearer of cargo pants you’ll know the importance of a thorough pre-laundry garment frisk. This morning while searching the numerous pockets of my battle breeches in preparation for a forty degree Easy Care cycle, I came across multiple bits of game news.
Folded up postage stamp small in the left thigh pocket, was a forgotten Weather Gage flier. On paper, The Weather Gage is the Hornblower/Aubery/Bolitho/Cochrane (delete as applicable) sim every brine-blooded PC gamer has been yearning for since trying Neil Thapen’s A Painted Ocean.
The feature list…
- Realistic physically based sailing, simulating real forces of sails, hull, rudder, anchor, boats, …
- Combat ship to ship and ship to fortifications with cannons or carronades using solid shot, grape shot & canister shot. Damage to the hull, sails, crew or rudder
- Crew combat from ship to ship or boat to ship with small firearms and boarding actions with edged weapons
- NPC controlled ships consider relationship to other ships, own crew morale, terrain elements & wind direction to decide their behavior. Perception from NPC ships is modelled to consider light (day/night), weather (e.g. fog) or false flags
- Coastline based on real world data, including sea depth, with ports & fortifications modelled according to historical data on their real positions.
…is mouthwatering, the screenshots less so, but not distractingly dated or unsightly. Does solo dev Aidedecamp, possess the skills, funds, and willpower necessary to complete this ambitious debut project? Let’s hope so.
* * *
In the right thigh pocket was an old postcard with a photo of Chiang Kai-shek on the front and the following message scrawled on the reverse.
“Hi Tim. I know you’re interested in demos and post about them from time to time. I’ve just released a demo for Maestro’s Cold War 2. The game is a PC adaptation of one of my old browser games. It’s not just a more polished redux – the full game will include cool features like multiplayer and modding tools. Have a nice day! Maestro Cinetik”
* * *
Stuck to a fluffy/sticky pear drop in the left back pocket was a crumpled Post-it note bearing this cryptic message: PACF → PC. After some brain racking, I realised that the ‘PACF’ in question was Wirraway Software’s well-received mobile wargame Pacific Fire.
Although the due-next-year Steam version will sport superior sprites and maps, in most other respects it will be identical to the original, meaning PC players can enjoy scenarios created by users of the phone/tablet version.
* * *
From the other back pocket I retrieved a Matchbox GI that I knew I’d put there for a reason. Was it a memory jogger related to Full Metal Sergeant 2, perhaps? CarloC has recently shared details of the overhauled combat system he’ll be employing in his sequel.
No, that wasn’t it. Of course, it was a knobbly reminder to try The Troop’s first DLC! Purchasers of the £7 ‘US Forces’ add-on get seven new scenarios and over 30 new units including rhino versions of the Sherman, Stuart, and Cromwell.
* * *
The toothpicks I found in the pen pocket probably had no ulterior meaning, but thoughts of Strategos cantered through my cranium while I was extracting them. In his latest progress report Gabe lists the factions he’s added in the past couple of months and details the great lengths he’s going to to ensure AI adversaries cut mustard.