The history of computer wargames, one game at a time starting in 1973 ! Also on a Bluer Sky.
Joined January 2022
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One title that has been ignored is the Tactical Kriegsspiel (1812), by Reisswitz Sr, father of the Reisswitz designed Kriegsspiel (1824). It was a popular game in courts (both Prussia and Russia), but was not used by the Prussian Army to train its officer, so less relevant [3/6]
Wargaming Scribe retweeted
An analysis of the plot of "Ultima 8: The Lost Vale", based on newly-found usecode for the cancelled expansion.
I reached the first Spanish strategy game in my quest to play all Wargames. An opportunity to cover the beginnings of Spanish gaming, from "nothing" in 1982 to, maybe, "second only to UK in Europe" by 1989. Oddly, this is thanks to the textile industry. zeitgame.net/archives/15599
Wargaming Scribe retweeted
Computer Bismarck, the "$2,160" war game, that launched SSI and brought war games into the digital age
retro365.blog/2024/12/08/com…
#ComputerBismarck #SSI #StrategicSimulationsInc #AppleII #JoelBillings #JohnLyon
Given how cumbersome hidden movement is on boardgame, designers loved to code "find the Bismarck/Panzerschiffe" games - but playing the "chasee" was usually terrible: you're sailing blind! This is for instance the case in Under the Skies (1984). Test here:
zeitgame.net/archives/16110
Just based on this screenshot, can you guess which event is covered by the next game I am going to write about? It should be super easy :).
I return to Carriers at War [1984] with the Battle of Midway, which no computer designer had managed to nail thus far. CaW succeeds, but not without showing some significant engine limitations (useless seaplane tenders, obtuse naval bombardement rules...)
zeitgame.net/archives/16045
On the Color Computer, wargames range in quality from "average" to "terrible". Ark Royal Games' Battle of the Bulge (1984) is clearly in the former category. While a terrible simulation of the Bulge, it is however a somewhat fun game with a competent AI:
zeitgame.net/archives/15978
Carriers at War (1984) is a contender for the position of "favourite old wargame". For now, I only played (and AAred) the Battle of the Coral Sea, and it was a banger. And for the first time, you can play the Japanese! @ShunGumma would love it :)
zeitgame.net/archives/15887
Listen, it's not a good game by any stretch of the imagination, but I'd like to inform you that I covered another Pacific War wargame: CINCPAC - The battle of Midway (1984) for Color Computer
Read how bad it is here:
zeitgame.net/archives/15827
Ron Potkin's Kriegspiel (1979, TRS-80) is one of the oldest computer wargames. It was followed by Kriegspiel II (1980). When Potkin returned to UK in 82-83, he ported KS2 to Dragon 32 as just "Kriegspiel"
Superb design, but terrible AI. Read about it:
zeitgame.net/archives/15767
Ron Potkin's Up Periscope (1980/1983) was one of Beyond Software (of Lords of Midnight fame) first games. It is a beer & pretzel submarine warfare game that chose gameplay over realism and with a limited scope, but what it does, it does very well.
zeitgame.net/archives/15712
For the first time in 40 years, a review of Star Explorer (1980), a game that had been, until September 2024, lost media. Not the best game in history, but a great opportunity to cover early Midkemia Press and what would later become Betrayal at Krondor.
zeitgame.net/archives/15604
Clear for Action (1984, Avalon Hill) is the second Age of Sails wargame released on PC.
Alas, it came one year after SSI's Broadsides, which was real-time and beautiful, and CfA was neither. Released without marketing, CfA went unnoticed.
AAR & review: zeitgame.net/archives/15502
Compare Clear for Action to this GIF of Broadsides! In 1990, wargame specialist Evan Brooks still considered Broadsides the standard for Age of Sails (5 stars), whereas Clear for Action was deemed obsolete (1.5 stars).
AAR/Review of Broadsides here: zeitgame.net/archives/7979
I'd like to add a new contender in the "Worst Video Game of All Times" category: King Arthur (1983) by Chameleon. Why is it so bad and why did a company even release it? Read an AAR and the context (a fraud!) on my blog:
zeitgame.net/archives/15364
Wargaming Scribe retweeted
Dynamix's Adventures
retro365.blog/2024/08/23/dyn…
A write-up on some of the most visually striking adventure games of the early '90s.
#SierraOnLine #Dynamix #RiseoftheDragon #HeartofChina #TheAdventuresofWillyBeamish
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- @JAMOGRAD
