One Game to rule them all…
I’ve got an idea that could make Johan the Sauron of war gaming: HOI3 with the ability to interface with other games.
Think of HOI3 as the trunk of a tree. Other games designed to simulate cabinet posts or operational, tactical, squad level, or even individual roles in combat would be like progressively smaller branches. Each game or expansion module would be able to interface with a game that is immediately broader in scope (its broader-scoped game or “BSG”) and/or a game that is immediately narrower in scope (NSG).
Each game (except the individual shooter at the end of a line) would have an interface designed to correspond with its NSG, which would send specs for scenarios (objectives, units, supplies etc…) to the NSG. The interface would then receive from the NSG win/loss outcomes, unit configurations and ratings (leader/unit experience/specialization etc…) and other effects resultant from combat or other actions (captured enemy equipment/AAR with enemy troop assessment/sniped leaders, etc…). Additionally, each game (except HOI3) would have an interface that corresponds with its BSG, which would obviously send win/loss and other effects to the BSG and receive specs for scenarios from the BSG.
For example, Paradox could sell a Chief of Army expansion for HOI3 that would allow the player to design ground force structures and deployment configurations, oversee R&D of specific weapons, develop doctrines through war-gaming and field-testing, and lobby for needed ICs. Through the BSG interface, it would send the appropriate ratings for units including costs, speed etc. to HOI3 and would receive ICs and directives from HOI3.
HOI3 would also interface with an operational warfare game (HOI3’s NSG) not unlike “Operational Art of War” where the player is an FM or General. This game would also allow the player to configure some of his specialized units and receive unit specs from the Chief of Army expansion. It would receive scenario specs (units, objectives, supplies, battlefield specs etc…) from HOI3 and send outcomes from battles back to HOI3. HOI3 would be able to interface with multiple players of the Operational Level so that an HOI3 player could have more than one corps commander being played by humans directly under his command.
The Operational Level game could then interface with a tactical game something like Close Combat or Combat Mission in a similar fashion, which would in turn interface with a squad level and/or an individual shoot-em-up game (great for recon units and snipers). The Operational Level game would be able to interface with multiple players of the Tactical Level game so that multiple battalion/company commanders could be played by humans under the same operational commander. The Tactical Level game would be able to interface with multiple players of its NSG so that a battalion commander could have more than one recon squad and more than one sniper being played by humans under his command.
You could have a Chief of Navy expansion and Admirals commanding fleets, Captains commanding ships and shooters leading elite frog-man units. You could have a Chief of Air expansion that would lead to an ace pilot in an aerial combat game. You could have a Chief of Intel line responsible for protecting your R&D, protecting your leaders, espionage, assassinations, and stealing blue prints from other countries that would culminate in a spy game like Splinter Cell only with characters being OSS or whatever.
Paradox would not have to produce all of these games but could cooperate with other developers on the interface. Each interface would really only need to convert game scores into ratings that make sense to its BSG and/or NSG, convey outcomes to the BSG, and convey specs for scenarios that make sense to the NSG.
Game play would be possible on different scales.
Single player games could be customized to the depth and detail desired by each individual player:
HOI3↔Cabinet Level Expansion
↕ ↓
Operational Level
↕
Tactical Level
↕
Squad/Shooter Level
Multiplayer could involve many or few players:
HOI3↔Cabinet Level Expansion (One player for each cabinet post)
↕↕↕↕ ↓↓↓↓
Operational Level (multiple)
↕↕↕↕
Tactical Level (multiple)
↕↕↕↕
Squad/Shooter Level (multiple)
Multiplayer games could involve segments of the chain of command (Tactical ↔ Squad, Operational ↔ Tactical etc…).
I think the biggest challenge for complex multiplayer games would be time compression. I think an intelligent approach to time compression (ability for the game to automatically increase compression of time when no human involvement in battles or player-defined circumstances require uncompressed time) and the ability for AI to fill-in for human players when they are unavailable would be needed for very complex multiplayer games. AI stand-ins could be given appropriate experience and skill ratings that reflect the human players accomplishments. Complex multiplayer games would still almost be running at real (uncompressed) time. They would take patience. HOI3 Heads of State would almost be like game administrators. You could be involved in smaller multiplayer games simultaneously though. It would be cool if HOI3 could send you a pop-up type notification whenever circumstances require your attention (this also could be player-defined).
Paradox would get a cut of the sales of related games and would be in a great position to make $$$ hosting massive multiplayer games involving every kind of WWII war-gamer. Can you see people teaming up and recruiting, win/loss results having ramifications to the bigger picture, everyone playing the kinds of war-game they like and taking interest in each others performance, player’s characters gaining skill levels, being promoted, earning/awarding medals – the whole deal??
This concept would allow people to pursue their specific interests in detail and it would make their contribution to the grand game very meaningful. This would also create common interest between geeks who like real-time shooter action and us strategy geeks.
I know this is quite an ambitious idea. I am sure there are a lot of obstacles that would have to be overcome for this to happen, but I believe that Paradox along with input from people in this forum would be able to pull it off and do it well.
I hope this is a good time to bring this idea up (just days before the release of HOI2). I imagine this forum will be kind of quiet once the game is out and we are all conquering or saving the world. (God save our marriages and our jobs!! ). Paradox is probably considering what their next project will be and what they will be doing with the huge $IC$ they will hopefully make on HOI2.
What do you think? I am no programmer and I have very little experience with multiplayer gaming. I’m sure “The Devil Himself” is in the details of this (or at least DarkRenown and GrimReaper ). I hope this leads to constructive discussion and not destructive concussion :wacko: If some other developers are already doing this, if it’s already been discussed, or if it really is just a stupid idea, no big deal, I’ll add it to my list.
I’ve got an idea that could make Johan the Sauron of war gaming: HOI3 with the ability to interface with other games.
Think of HOI3 as the trunk of a tree. Other games designed to simulate cabinet posts or operational, tactical, squad level, or even individual roles in combat would be like progressively smaller branches. Each game or expansion module would be able to interface with a game that is immediately broader in scope (its broader-scoped game or “BSG”) and/or a game that is immediately narrower in scope (NSG).
Each game (except the individual shooter at the end of a line) would have an interface designed to correspond with its NSG, which would send specs for scenarios (objectives, units, supplies etc…) to the NSG. The interface would then receive from the NSG win/loss outcomes, unit configurations and ratings (leader/unit experience/specialization etc…) and other effects resultant from combat or other actions (captured enemy equipment/AAR with enemy troop assessment/sniped leaders, etc…). Additionally, each game (except HOI3) would have an interface that corresponds with its BSG, which would obviously send win/loss and other effects to the BSG and receive specs for scenarios from the BSG.
For example, Paradox could sell a Chief of Army expansion for HOI3 that would allow the player to design ground force structures and deployment configurations, oversee R&D of specific weapons, develop doctrines through war-gaming and field-testing, and lobby for needed ICs. Through the BSG interface, it would send the appropriate ratings for units including costs, speed etc. to HOI3 and would receive ICs and directives from HOI3.
HOI3 would also interface with an operational warfare game (HOI3’s NSG) not unlike “Operational Art of War” where the player is an FM or General. This game would also allow the player to configure some of his specialized units and receive unit specs from the Chief of Army expansion. It would receive scenario specs (units, objectives, supplies, battlefield specs etc…) from HOI3 and send outcomes from battles back to HOI3. HOI3 would be able to interface with multiple players of the Operational Level so that an HOI3 player could have more than one corps commander being played by humans directly under his command.
The Operational Level game could then interface with a tactical game something like Close Combat or Combat Mission in a similar fashion, which would in turn interface with a squad level and/or an individual shoot-em-up game (great for recon units and snipers). The Operational Level game would be able to interface with multiple players of the Tactical Level game so that multiple battalion/company commanders could be played by humans under the same operational commander. The Tactical Level game would be able to interface with multiple players of its NSG so that a battalion commander could have more than one recon squad and more than one sniper being played by humans under his command.
You could have a Chief of Navy expansion and Admirals commanding fleets, Captains commanding ships and shooters leading elite frog-man units. You could have a Chief of Air expansion that would lead to an ace pilot in an aerial combat game. You could have a Chief of Intel line responsible for protecting your R&D, protecting your leaders, espionage, assassinations, and stealing blue prints from other countries that would culminate in a spy game like Splinter Cell only with characters being OSS or whatever.
Paradox would not have to produce all of these games but could cooperate with other developers on the interface. Each interface would really only need to convert game scores into ratings that make sense to its BSG and/or NSG, convey outcomes to the BSG, and convey specs for scenarios that make sense to the NSG.
Game play would be possible on different scales.
Single player games could be customized to the depth and detail desired by each individual player:
HOI3↔Cabinet Level Expansion
↕ ↓
Operational Level
↕
Tactical Level
↕
Squad/Shooter Level
Multiplayer could involve many or few players:
HOI3↔Cabinet Level Expansion (One player for each cabinet post)
↕↕↕↕ ↓↓↓↓
Operational Level (multiple)
↕↕↕↕
Tactical Level (multiple)
↕↕↕↕
Squad/Shooter Level (multiple)
Multiplayer games could involve segments of the chain of command (Tactical ↔ Squad, Operational ↔ Tactical etc…).
I think the biggest challenge for complex multiplayer games would be time compression. I think an intelligent approach to time compression (ability for the game to automatically increase compression of time when no human involvement in battles or player-defined circumstances require uncompressed time) and the ability for AI to fill-in for human players when they are unavailable would be needed for very complex multiplayer games. AI stand-ins could be given appropriate experience and skill ratings that reflect the human players accomplishments. Complex multiplayer games would still almost be running at real (uncompressed) time. They would take patience. HOI3 Heads of State would almost be like game administrators. You could be involved in smaller multiplayer games simultaneously though. It would be cool if HOI3 could send you a pop-up type notification whenever circumstances require your attention (this also could be player-defined).
Paradox would get a cut of the sales of related games and would be in a great position to make $$$ hosting massive multiplayer games involving every kind of WWII war-gamer. Can you see people teaming up and recruiting, win/loss results having ramifications to the bigger picture, everyone playing the kinds of war-game they like and taking interest in each others performance, player’s characters gaining skill levels, being promoted, earning/awarding medals – the whole deal??
One Game to rule them all
One Game to find them
One Game to bring them all
And in the chaos and total mayhem of feigned warfare bind them!!
One Game to find them
One Game to bring them all
And in the chaos and total mayhem of feigned warfare bind them!!
This concept would allow people to pursue their specific interests in detail and it would make their contribution to the grand game very meaningful. This would also create common interest between geeks who like real-time shooter action and us strategy geeks.
I know this is quite an ambitious idea. I am sure there are a lot of obstacles that would have to be overcome for this to happen, but I believe that Paradox along with input from people in this forum would be able to pull it off and do it well.
I hope this is a good time to bring this idea up (just days before the release of HOI2). I imagine this forum will be kind of quiet once the game is out and we are all conquering or saving the world. (God save our marriages and our jobs!!
). Paradox is probably considering what their next project will be and what they will be doing with the huge $IC$ they will hopefully make on HOI2. What do you think? I am no programmer and I have very little experience with multiplayer gaming. I’m sure “The Devil Himself” is in the details of this (or at least DarkRenown and GrimReaper
). I hope this leads to constructive discussion and not destructive concussion :wacko: If some other developers are already doing this, if it’s already been discussed, or if it really is just a stupid idea, no big deal, I’ll add it to my list.
