Shrapnel Games Blog

A relatively recent trend in computer gaming is the episodic game; short games, often part of an overarching storyline, purchased cheaply via a download. While there have been failures (the relaunch of SiN, but then again did anyone really want SiN relaunched?) one particularly successful episodic series has been Telltale’s Sam & Max.

Now what’s interesting is Sam & Max is an adventure game, a genre generally seen as extinct by the industry. So, if Sam & Max can gain widespread mainstream acceptance could wargaming do the same?

Step One: The Little Game Engine That Could

While computers are capable of creating wargames that are not easily done on the tabletop (i.e. the ProSIM line does a wonderful job of this), for this system you’d want to keep it simple. Hex maps, combat results tables, ZOCs, and so forth. Basically create an engine that could handle most of the games from the ‘70s and ‘80s. Allow the engine to be flexible enough for scenario designers to implement new features and chrome depending on the game. For example, a squad level game would need opportunity fire, while a strategic game would not.

Step Two: Learning The Ropes

You know those wargames that would teach their rule system by a series of graduated scenarios, with each scenario incorporating a little more of the rule set? Same idea here. You create a series of demos (you could probably even do it in Flash) that teach new players the core mechanics. Since every game uses the same basic engine, players would only have to learn the unique properties of the various episodes.

Make these tutorials easy to pick up. One thing I’m sure that scares off newcomers to wargames is the perceived complexity, yet all wargames share enough core traits that once you learn the basics you open up a whole world of games.

Step Three: Vanilla Is Good

The subject matter should be familiar material. Save the exotic themes for the hardcore. Make games on conflicts going on today, or World War II. Once people develop an interest in historical gaming they’ll seek out the lesser known conflicts themselves.

Another idea is to tie it into educational projects. If Canadian schools are buying copies of “An Inconvenient Truth” by the truckload, why wouldn’t they purchase other entertainment, such as a computer wargame on the War of 1812?

The series could hook up with a school system and create a multitude of episodes for their history classes, or perhaps team up with a television documentary and create wargames based off the television episodes.

Step Four: The Price Is Right

Each episode should contain one scenario, a couple of variants, and the ability to play either against the computer or other opponents. That’s certainly no worse than most magazine games. Sell an episode for $10 a pop.

Remember microgames? Consider the episodic wargame the microgame of the 21st century.

So, what d’ya think? Could self-contained $10 wargames garner interest in folks who would normally not wargame? Would the educational tie-in help?