So for the past few months I've been primarily working on my next title. Interloper has done way better than I could've expected, but after two and a bit years I think it's time to work on something new.
I've built a bunch of prototypes over the past year or so, every now and then taking the time to create something small, or some tiny slice of a larger game. From a spiritual sequel to Unstoppable, to some experiments with smaller game mechanics to taking some new swings at old ideas I've had running around, none of them stuck.
That is until Apple released the Unity Plugins at WWDC this year. There's a lot of good API's exposed via these plugins, including some cool audio stuff, a neato input alternative, but the one that stood out to me was GameKit, particularly Turn Based Games.
I'm a long time tabletop wargamer. I was brought up on the likes of Operation Warboard, Squad Leader, Napoleons Battles and then of course… Warhammer. My first miniature was a 2nd edition Space Marine Dreadnaught, but the first army I'd fully painted was a 5th edition Warhammer Fantasy Brettonian army. This is where my love for what became the genre of “Rank and Flank” games began. Growing up through my teenage years I'd assembled both the aforementioned Brettonian army, and then later a Skaven army. Building the miniatures, painting the ranks of rats, trying out the odd combinations of the army lists, winning and losing games were all some of the most formative moments of my life. I was extremely fortunate to have an incredibly supportive family with this hobby. My Dad, Brother, Stepdad and Uncle were all just as into the game as I was. Most weekends we'd have a game of some kind.
This is all to say, I've spent the past twenty years forming opinions on tabletop wargames. That through my time as a game developer I've felt that I can bring something to .. uh… the table.
Enter: CHARGE (working title) a tabletop wargame that spans both digital and physical versions.
The core conceit is that it should get to the meat of what makes a rank and flank interesting quickly. It'll bring back some mechanics that've been lost to time, and it'll simultaneously be a multiplayer digital title (initially available on apple platforms) and a rules set for physical tabletop play. (there's a stretch goal of adapting the digital models as printable files for 3D printers, separately available on something like MyMiniFactory)