I'm working on a major update that will bring some larger map sizes and also a handicapping system.
Handicapping
The handicapping system allows players to start with more or fewer cities than their opponent. Forward Line is a game of skill that requires some practice to master, and it can be very useful to up the challenge against a newer player, so that both players can learn with a challenge appropriate to their relative level. Also, it can extend the usefulness of the AI in single player games by giving it an advantage against the human. It's kinda fun learning to surgically pick apart a continent spanning wall of units coming at you from the AI.
Larger Maps
I will include two new map sizes in addition to the current 24x24 map. There will be a 36x36 map with 18 cities, and also a 48x48 map with 32 cities. You can expect that games on these larger maps will take considerably more time to complete.
I was hesitant to make large maps initially, because I detest grindy games and I wanted to ensure a good balance between game enjoyment and time spent. I would prefer that people spend 10 hours having fun than feeling compelled to spend 50 hours just to feel like they've learned what there is to learn about the game.
After some experiments with larger maps however, I feel like I'm really enjoying certain aspects of a larger map. For one thing, larger continents means that the balance of land combat versus naval combat is more even. Battleships have a very far reach on a small map, but become less important as land masses become bigger. Also, supply networks also become more emphasized as there are more cities and also larger rear areas away from the fighting where it's safer to focus build supply units, rather than the usual situation of fighting for your life at every corner of the small map.
ETA
So far things are mostly in place, however there are some major issues getting the single player AI to handle these large maps. There is an exponential increase with these maps in the number of units that need to receive orders and be evaluated as targets. There are a great many O(N^3) or O(N^4) algorithms the AI uses that are acceptable on the small map, but on the largest map just get way out of hand, to the point of taking many hours for a turn or just crashing the computer if you start with a high handicap.
That means I might have to totally rethink the AI from scratch. I imagine that if I'm not close to finished by February 2019, I may be forced to make the larger maps multiplayer only. Check back around February for further news.
Patch Notes 6
Version Update: BravoCharlieRomeoBaconflavor
Fixed a few end game presentation bugs
Website launched.
Doing things a bit backwards here. Launched a game on two platforms and only then made a website for it a month later...
Anyway, it's mostly useless except for a very nice online manual! This will hopeful show people what kind of game this is without having to buy it first. Buying games on impulse is totally ok, I do it myself all the time, but some people are just smarter about that. Check it out, its even more detailed than the tutorials, and let me know if there are more questions that need answers or something you would like to see explained in the manual.
The advantage of mobile is that almost everyone has a phone, so it should be much easier to arrange head to head matches any time two people with phones have some downtime, even if they are supposed to be working! (I won't tell!)
The advantage of the Windows version is mainly screen size. It's a bit easier to visualize the situation on the board when you can see the whole thing. On a phone you have to play zoomed in most of the time, though the camera will pan automatically to show you enemy moves etc. I find that it still works well.
Also, the two different versions are multiplayer compatible, so you can have one player on computer and another on phone/tablet.
I hope you have time to check it out.
Patch Notes 5
Version Update: EchoFoxtrotTangoGoosepimple
<*>Made some optimizations in preparation for mobile release coming soon. These should benefit the Windows version in a small way also, so might as well publish them.
Release!
Thank you to all who helped with the beta test! Forward Line is a product of 12 years of little tiny bits of my limited free time. It started off as a very different game, with a custom game engine that couldn’t hold up to breaking changes in operating systems, forcing me to abandon the project repeatedly. I always had faith in the game and it bothered me that it was perpetually unfinished. Every time I abandoned it, I would soon regret that and give it another go, until some other difficulty took the wind out of my sails, or if I got too busy with other priorities.
Finally, I discovered the Unity game engine, and decided to dig up this old project as way to learn how to use it. It was a huge time saver to let someone else handle all the under the hood stuff of game development that every game needs, and it allowed me to focus almost entirely on gameplay. I realized then how much more work was needed to get this game to where I wanted it, but with most of the unpleasant work being handled by Unity, it was the part of game development that is actually fun and enjoyable. In less than a year, I finally saw a light at the end of the long tunnel.
And now we have arrived! The graphics in Forward Line are simple, but functional. I enjoy top quality visuals as much as anyone, but don’t let yourself get too used to them, or let them dull your imagination. The important thing is that they should convey the game’s narrative. I think that Forward Line will give you a particular experience that you will not find elsewhere.
Thank you. It is a great honor to have you play my game.
Patch Notes 4
Getting closer to release!
Version Update: CharlieDeltaPapaSnorington
<*>Added LAN discovery so players do not have to manually type in IP adresses.
Patch Notes 3
Still looking for a few more beta testers, inquire within the General Discussion forum for a free permanent copy of the game.
Version Update: EchoFoxtrotQuebecPuppies
<*>Made some needed improvements to the AI. I originally took pains to prevent the AI from making mistakes against skilled players. I came to realize after looking at some playthroughs from my super awesome beta testers that this approach was a mistake. Rather than have the AI turtle up and create annoying obstacles to the player, I have it set to go all out and make flamboyant, foolhardy attacks. Skilled players can exploit this and new players will have a greater challenge, and games against the AI should be faster and more fun.
<*>Placed a 'Start Here' stamp on the Tutorial button on the main menu to further encourage people to learn the rules before playing. This stamp will go away once a tutorial is started. So to get rid of the stamp just start a tutorial and return to the main menu.
<*>Fixed an issue that created a warning when a supply ship captured a neutral city.
Patch Notes 2
Still looking for a few more beta testers, inquire within the General Discussion forum for a free permanent copy of the game.
Version Update: AlfaBravoNovemberPickles
<*>Added relay selection to allow long distance international matches.
<*>Limited framerate to 60 fps.
Patch Notes 1
Still looking for a few more beta testers, inquire within the General Discussion forum for a free permanent copy of the game.
Version Update: FoxtrotGolfRomeoSlowpokey
<*>Added a new versioning system so I can do proper patch notes!
<*>Added a 'Quit' button on main menu.
<*>Stopped 'End Game' screen from trying to reconnect when other player left game.
<*>Added an 'Options' menu, but it currently has no working options except a placeholder for future localization.
