FOG2 Developer’s Diary – Innovations and Differences
FOG2 Developer’s Diary – Innovations and Differences
As the developing process is marching quickly along the beta testing phase, it’s time to dig a bit more into the main differences and improvements players will find from the original game released in 2009.
“Field of Glory II is a complete reboot of the franchise, based on the original tabletop Field of Glory rules as a starting point, rather than on Field of Glory I” says Richard Bodley Scott, the main designer of Field of Glory 2. “There are therefore many differences from FOG1 – which we hope are all improvements. Being co-author of the original tabletop game, I am in a unique position to create a fresh take on the system”.
Let’s take a closer look, shall we?
New graphics!
The game has vastly improved graphics. All of the terrain and unit models are true 3D. They are all fully animated – firing bows, throwing javelins, charging with lance, meleeing with sword or spear and so forth. Arrows and javelins fly. Men fall mortally wounded to the ground and die. The battlefield is littered with their corpses. Rear ranks shuffle up to replace the lost men.
Formations become disordered, and men turn to face their opponents when a unit is fighting in multiple directions. Pikes visibly form square. Each unit type has up to 4 variants within the unit, but also has multiple variant texture sheets, allowing the units of each side to be easily distinguished even in civil war battles.
New AI!
The game has vastly improved AI, drawing on the experience of developing the (generally praised) AI for Pike and Shot and Sengoku Jidai. There are six levels of difficulty, allowing all players from novices to experts to enjoy challenging games against the AI.
New Campaign System!
In addition to the expected historical scenarios and skirmish mode, the game has a brand new campaign system that concentrates on battles, but allows real strategic decisions without time spent moving armies around a strategic map. The player’s core troops continue from one battle to the next, gaining experience and elan from each victory.
There is a sandbox campaign that allows the player to lead any nation (and their historical allies) against any other nation (and their allies) – giving many thousands of permutations.
There are also four campaigns allowing the player to follow the careers of some of the most famous historical leaders of the era: Pyrrhos of Epeiros, Hannibal, Mithridates of Pontus and Julius Caesar.
The game allows custom battles (skirmishes) ranging in size from 600 to 2000 points. (The points system is almost identical to that in FOG1).
New Army Lists!
The army list system has been greatly streamlined. Force selection is quick and easy, and takes place on the actual battlefield, making the pre-selection of “DAG” armies unnecessary. The initial release comes with 75 army lists, covering 48 nations and factions from Britain and Spain to India between 280 and 25 BC.
We have something interesting coming about the Army Lists! Stay tuned for further updates!
New Random Generated Maps!
Terrain maps for non-preset scenarios are freshly generated using a sophisticated random map generator – not picked from a library of preset maps. Every map is therefore unique. The map generator can generate realistic maps for all the usual territory types – including agricultural, wooded, hilly, mountains, steppes and desert in Mediterranean, North European, Middle Eastern and Tropical regions.
The battle is fought on a square grid rather than a hexagonal grid. This allows realistic looking battle lines, and 8 directions of movement instead of 6. The computer takes care of the issue of diagonal moves being further than orthogonal ones.
New Function for Army Movement!
Group moves allow whole commands to be moved with one order in the early stages of the battle. The units taking part in a group move all move simultaneously rather than one at a time.
Anarchy Charges
Anarchy charges (which players either loved or hated) no longer occur in FOG2.
Mathematical Algorithms
Unlike FOG1, FOG2 does not attempt to replicate the tabletop game’s dice, but uses mathematical algorithms that avoid some of the extreme against-the-odds combat results that could occur in FOG1
POA System
The POA system has been modified to get more historical results. One FOG1 POA becomes 100 FOG2 POAs, allowing us to have fractional POAs. This allow finer gradations. For example, armour advantage is reduced in importance, so that standard common ancient troop types, such as “Protected” hoplites, are no longer ineffective.
Medium Foot
Medium Foot have been divided into Bowmen and Medium Foot – the latter representing close combat types such as thureophoroi, Thracians and Spanish scutarii. These are no longer as vulnerable to mounted troops in the open, allowing them to take their historical place in the battle line. This also makes medium foot armies viable.
Unit Role
All unit types now have an effective role. There are no really weak army types.
Multiplayer
Multiplayer uses the same PBEM system as FOG1. However, in addition, FOG2 will implement Slitherine’s automated tournament system.
Excited? We have more content to share in the coming days. Check out our official product page and the forums to be updated on the progress of Field of Glory 2!
“Field of Glory II is a complete reboot of the franchise, based on the original tabletop Field of Glory rules as a starting point, rather than on Field of Glory I” says Richard Bodley Scott, the main designer of Field of Glory 2. “There are therefore many differences from FOG1 – which we hope are all improvements. Being co-author of the original tabletop game, I am in a unique position to create a fresh take on the system”.
Let’s take a closer look, shall we?
New graphics!
The game has vastly improved graphics. All of the terrain and unit models are true 3D. They are all fully animated – firing bows, throwing javelins, charging with lance, meleeing with sword or spear and so forth. Arrows and javelins fly. Men fall mortally wounded to the ground and die. The battlefield is littered with their corpses. Rear ranks shuffle up to replace the lost men.
Formations become disordered, and men turn to face their opponents when a unit is fighting in multiple directions. Pikes visibly form square. Each unit type has up to 4 variants within the unit, but also has multiple variant texture sheets, allowing the units of each side to be easily distinguished even in civil war battles.
New AI!
The game has vastly improved AI, drawing on the experience of developing the (generally praised) AI for Pike and Shot and Sengoku Jidai. There are six levels of difficulty, allowing all players from novices to experts to enjoy challenging games against the AI.
New Campaign System!
In addition to the expected historical scenarios and skirmish mode, the game has a brand new campaign system that concentrates on battles, but allows real strategic decisions without time spent moving armies around a strategic map. The player’s core troops continue from one battle to the next, gaining experience and elan from each victory.
There is a sandbox campaign that allows the player to lead any nation (and their historical allies) against any other nation (and their allies) – giving many thousands of permutations.
There are also four campaigns allowing the player to follow the careers of some of the most famous historical leaders of the era: Pyrrhos of Epeiros, Hannibal, Mithridates of Pontus and Julius Caesar.
The game allows custom battles (skirmishes) ranging in size from 600 to 2000 points. (The points system is almost identical to that in FOG1).
New Army Lists!
The army list system has been greatly streamlined. Force selection is quick and easy, and takes place on the actual battlefield, making the pre-selection of “DAG” armies unnecessary. The initial release comes with 75 army lists, covering 48 nations and factions from Britain and Spain to India between 280 and 25 BC.
We have something interesting coming about the Army Lists! Stay tuned for further updates!
New Random Generated Maps!
Terrain maps for non-preset scenarios are freshly generated using a sophisticated random map generator – not picked from a library of preset maps. Every map is therefore unique. The map generator can generate realistic maps for all the usual territory types – including agricultural, wooded, hilly, mountains, steppes and desert in Mediterranean, North European, Middle Eastern and Tropical regions.
The battle is fought on a square grid rather than a hexagonal grid. This allows realistic looking battle lines, and 8 directions of movement instead of 6. The computer takes care of the issue of diagonal moves being further than orthogonal ones.
New Function for Army Movement!
Group moves allow whole commands to be moved with one order in the early stages of the battle. The units taking part in a group move all move simultaneously rather than one at a time.
Anarchy Charges
Anarchy charges (which players either loved or hated) no longer occur in FOG2.
Mathematical Algorithms
Unlike FOG1, FOG2 does not attempt to replicate the tabletop game’s dice, but uses mathematical algorithms that avoid some of the extreme against-the-odds combat results that could occur in FOG1
POA System
The POA system has been modified to get more historical results. One FOG1 POA becomes 100 FOG2 POAs, allowing us to have fractional POAs. This allow finer gradations. For example, armour advantage is reduced in importance, so that standard common ancient troop types, such as “Protected” hoplites, are no longer ineffective.
Medium Foot
Medium Foot have been divided into Bowmen and Medium Foot – the latter representing close combat types such as thureophoroi, Thracians and Spanish scutarii. These are no longer as vulnerable to mounted troops in the open, allowing them to take their historical place in the battle line. This also makes medium foot armies viable.
Unit Role
All unit types now have an effective role. There are no really weak army types.
Multiplayer
Multiplayer uses the same PBEM system as FOG1. However, in addition, FOG2 will implement Slitherine’s automated tournament system.
Excited? We have more content to share in the coming days. Check out our official product page and the forums to be updated on the progress of Field of Glory 2!
Re: FOG2 Developer’s Diary – Innovations and Differences
Most impressive!
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- Staff Sergeant - StuG IIIF
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Re: FOG2 Developer’s Diary – Innovations and Differences
This is shaping up to what I had hoped the original FoG would have been - and more!
Be interesting to see how the command/leader structure works. Something that was so important historically but which gets scant attention in most games.
Be interesting to see how the command/leader structure works. Something that was so important historically but which gets scant attention in most games.
Re: FOG2 Developer’s Diary – Innovations and Differences
When release game!?
Please, open Early Access on Steam now! I buy with pleasure!
Please, open Early Access on Steam now! I buy with pleasure!
My ingame nickname is Caothri.
Re: FOG2 Developer’s Diary – Innovations and Differences
Game release - Fall 2017Captaii wrote:When release game!?
Fall 2017
Please, open Early Access on Steam now! I buy with pleasure!
Early Access - Good Idea
My channel : www.youtube.com/user/Uszatek444/feed
Re: FOG2 Developer’s Diary – Innovations and Differences
Excellent, now give me a time machine to reach Fall 2017
Anyway, i was one that loved Anarchy Charges ... maybe, if FOG2 will touch fall of rome and middleage, would it be possible to add the "anarchy charge" rule to portrait the "so loved" impetuous units of germans and latin knights?
Anyway, i was one that loved Anarchy Charges ... maybe, if FOG2 will touch fall of rome and middleage, would it be possible to add the "anarchy charge" rule to portrait the "so loved" impetuous units of germans and latin knights?
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Re: FOG2 Developer’s Diary – Innovations and Differences
Looking really great. Instant buy.
After this, use this engine in a Sparta 2 or Legion 2....this would be awesome.
After this, use this engine in a Sparta 2 or Legion 2....this would be awesome.
Re: FOG2 Developer’s Diary – Innovations and Differences
The innovations are fine, but
"Anarchy charges (which players either loved or hated) no longer occur in FOG2."!!??
Some players (who hates anarchy charges) shouldn't play ancient games...
Thanks for the rest...The game is getting better and better.
"Anarchy charges (which players either loved or hated) no longer occur in FOG2."!!??
Some players (who hates anarchy charges) shouldn't play ancient games...
Thanks for the rest...The game is getting better and better.
Re: FOG2 Developer’s Diary – Innovations and Differences
Great news!
This engine will be a step forward in the franchise.
Instant buy... But...a game with celtic and german units needs "anarchy/mad/drunk charges"
+1 to using this engine in Sparta 2 or Legion 2
This engine will be a step forward in the franchise.
Instant buy... But...a game with celtic and german units needs "anarchy/mad/drunk charges"
+1 to using this engine in Sparta 2 or Legion 2
Re: FOG2 Developer’s Diary – Innovations and Differences
Almost certainly a buy, but I've learned enough to wait and read the reviews first...but so far sounds like a massive amount of content, and fixes for the things I didn't like about FoG1.
Re: FOG2 Developer’s Diary – Innovations and Differences
Looks better with every info update
Maybe the complete remove of anarchy charges... maybe instead remove them is better made that certain type of armies or troops, suffer them when they are outside command range... something like 50% chance for them and units under command a lower chance to suffer one of them... and if unit has commander with it or has unit+commander on his flank-rear 0% chance.
I dislike allways anarchy charges BUT more for the random system and the number of them... if i can control them to prevent at least in an area with commander that charges... i am happy.
I am curious to know how unit combat effectivity is going to be affected by casualties... maybe is possible that units with heavy casualties CANT attack and only can perform defensive role??? and well, we can control in some way when an unit is going to disrupt-break??? like have a morale value that is reduced or increased with combat results and at certain level auto disrupt and autobreak (autobreak was present in old FOG for example).
Maybe the complete remove of anarchy charges... maybe instead remove them is better made that certain type of armies or troops, suffer them when they are outside command range... something like 50% chance for them and units under command a lower chance to suffer one of them... and if unit has commander with it or has unit+commander on his flank-rear 0% chance.
I dislike allways anarchy charges BUT more for the random system and the number of them... if i can control them to prevent at least in an area with commander that charges... i am happy.
I am curious to know how unit combat effectivity is going to be affected by casualties... maybe is possible that units with heavy casualties CANT attack and only can perform defensive role??? and well, we can control in some way when an unit is going to disrupt-break??? like have a morale value that is reduced or increased with combat results and at certain level auto disrupt and autobreak (autobreak was present in old FOG for example).
Re: FOG2 Developer’s Diary – Innovations and Differences
Oh my god. I'm in love. please, add hotseat multiplayer; I loved playing FOG1 with friends in the same pc when we met. And I know it's hardly going to happen but it would be awesome a hotseat multiplayer campaign or something like this.
Great Great Great game.
Great Great Great game.
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- Field of Glory 2
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Re: FOG2 Developer’s Diary – Innovations and Differences
Hotseat is already in.Kaede11 wrote:Oh my god. I'm in love. please, add hotseat multiplayer; I loved playing FOG1 with friends in the same pc when we met.
Richard Bodley Scott
Re: FOG2 Developer’s Diary – Innovations and Differences
Open Early Access on Steam! I instant buy!
My ingame nickname is Caothri.
Re: FOG2 Developer’s Diary – Innovations and Differences
Early access or at least put it on steam. Game looks really good tho likely a day one buy for me.
Re: FOG2 Developer’s Diary – Innovations and Differences
Anarchy charges (which players either loved or hated) no longer occur in FOG2.
This is very bad for historical wargame, some impetus units must have an anarchy charges!
This is very bad for historical wargame, some impetus units must have an anarchy charges!
Re: FOG2 Developer’s Diary – Innovations and Differences
This is very bad for historical wargame, some impetus units must have an anarchy charges!Daniele wrote: Anarchy Charges
Anarchy charges (which players either loved or hated) no longer occur in FOG2.
Captaii wrote:Open Early Access on Steam! I instant buy!
Yes! I instant buy it in early access on Steam too!nox16555 wrote:Early access or at least put it on steam. Game looks really good tho likely a day one buy for me.
And how about discount on Steam for FOG(U) buyers?
Re: FOG2 Developer’s Diary – Innovations and Differences
as someone who did not play the first game what is anarchy exactly?XOPT13 wrote:Anarchy charges (which players either loved or hated) no longer occur in FOG2.
This is very bad for historical wargame, some impetus units must have an anarchy charges!
Re: FOG2 Developer’s Diary – Innovations and Differences
In field of glory 1 some had to past an anarchy test to not charge the enemy without orders this was frustrating sometimes because calvary sometimes charged pikes uphill resulting in a disaster.nox16555 wrote:as someone who did not play the first game what is anarchy exactly?
Re: FOG2 Developer’s Diary – Innovations and Differences
Sounds kind of cool, but also I think I would rage if something like that happened.