Upcoming Tablet Games - From Historicon

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IainMcNeil
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Upcoming Tablet Games - From Historicon

Post by IainMcNeil »

Hi guys

at Historicon we went over our current & upcoming tablet releases. Here are the details of the show!

Watch our Wargaming on iOS Video


Hi guys

its great to see you all here and we’re very excited to have this chance to show you some of the games we are working on that will be releasing soon. Today I will be focusing on our tablet games so those with an iOS or Android version. We have had huge success with our iOS releases, much more than we had expected to be honest, and we know there is a significant demand for high quality premium priced strategy games on the format.

Insert photos - Iain McNeil making presentation - coming soon!

As a result of our initial success we now have 17 games in development or releasing this year for tablets, and 24 expansions packs. The games cover a variety of periods and genres from ancient battle games to medieval role playing games to WWII and science fiction wargames, and even space management sims.

Simply put – we have something for everyone.


Legion PC/iOS

Legion was our first release back in 2002 for PC and developed entirely internally. It is an empire building strategy game set during the Roman era with a number of scenarios to play. Earlier this year we ported it to iOS and were pleased and surprised by the success. It jumped to #1 board game in 9 countries including the UK and #2 in US. The look and feel are perfect for iOS and the gameplay hasn't dated.

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Available in the app store!
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Great Battles Medieval PC/PS3/X360/iOS/Android

Great Battles Medieval was released on PC in 2009 and since then has seen a PS3, 360, Android and now iOS version. It is a role playing strategy game set during the 100 years war and allows you to take your army with you through the entire campaign, levelling up, equipping and even customizing their appearance. When it released it jumped to #1 role playing game in 16 countries including the UK and #2 in US. The original PC version was built internally but the ports were made by War Drum Studios.

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Available in the app store!
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Chariots of War PC/iOS

Chariots of War is the sequel to Legion. It is a turn based empire building game set in Egypt and the ancient near east. It takes the Legion engine to the next level with more nations, larger maps and more features. It is being developed internally and is due for release on iOS later this year.


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Field of Glory PC/Mac/iOS/Android

Field of Glory is an adaption of our tabletop miniatures gaming system. The PC and Mac versions were originally released in 2009. The code base has been completely rebuilt in the Unity engine and we will soon be releasing the iOS and Android versions as well as updated PC and Mac versions. ON launch the existing 8 expansions will be available and a new expansion, Wolves from the Sea will also be available with the Oath of Fealty expansion coming soon. The game is in development at NewRoSoft.


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Battle Academy PC/Mac/iOS

Battle Academy is the game that really kick started our tablet plans. Originally released on PC in 2010, in March 2012 we released the iOS and Mac versions. It is a fun yet accurate turn based tactical game set during WW2. It has airstrikes, bombardments, detailed combat and morale models and all the things you expect from a realistic tactical game. It even allows cross platform multiplayer from PC to Mac or iPad. The success was almost immediate and is ongoing. We have already sold more on iOS than PC and Mac combined and currently sell at a rate of roughly 5 to 1, iOS to PC/Mac. When it released BA jumped to #1 grossing board game in 47 countries and #1 grossing strategy game in 18 countries. It was a huge success and much of our current plans on tablets can be related back to this in some way. We also have 2 new expansions on the way - Rommel in Normandy will be releasing in August an unannounced new campaign will release before the end of the year. Battle Academy is entirely developed internally.

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Available in the app store!
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Battle Academy 2 PC/Mac/iOS

Battle Academy 2 builds on the success of the original game but takes things to the next level. New features such as trenches, smoke, multi-height hills, skirmish and co-op modes and much more are included. The sequel is set on the east front and allows player to play either side in the campaign. It is being fully developed internally.

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Panzer Corps PC/iOS

Panzer Corps is our hugely successful homage to Panzer General. It is an approachable turn based strategy game set during WW2 where you take your core force with you all through the war. It has great single and multiplayer features and is cross compatible from PC to iOS. The iOS version will chip with the Allied Corps and Afrika Korps campaigns available as in app purchases but it will also include all 10 Grand Campaigns or the megapck for a single huge content package. This is an enormous game and is going to set a new standard on iOS! The original game was developed by Flashback Games and the Lordz Games Studio, but so far the porting work has been handled internally by Slitherine and we are just at the point where we can hand over to Flashback Games to complete the project.

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Commander the Great War PC/Mac/iOS

Commander the Great War is the latest in the Commander Series, taking the series of grand strategy games to a WW1 setting. The PC game released in 2012 and the team have been busy porting it to iPad and we expect to be complete early next year. It is in development at the Lordz Games Studio.

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Gary Grisby’s World at War - PC/iOS

World at War is a classic grand strategy game set during WW2 from wargaming legend Gary Grigsby. It was originally released in 2006 on PC but has been revived for iOS. The game is best described as Axis and Allies but with a lot more detail and complexity. It covers the entire war, technology, diplomacy and obviously combat and supply. It has been described by the press who saw it as a "game changer" and will be the most fully featured strategy game on iPad when it releases late 2013 or early 2014. It is in development at 2by3 games.

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Warhammer 40,000 : Armageddon - PC/iOS

One of the most exciting projects we are currently working on is Armageddon. This is our turn based, hexed based strategy game set in Games Workshop's hugely popular Warhammer 40,000 setting. So far we have not released much info but we can now reveal the game is in development at Flashback Games and the Lordz Games Studio. The game includes over 300 units from the Imperial, Space Marine and Ork factions. A sneak peak of some of the units has been released as a beayutiful desktop wallpaper. Get yours here! Initially it will release on PC and iOS.

Download High res versions:
http://www.slitherine.com/files/histori ... eddon1.jpg
http://www.slitherine.com/files/histori ... eddon2.jpg

Preview
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Preview
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Buzz Aldrin's Space Program Manager PC/Mac/iOS/Android

This is our upcoming Space Management Sim which we have covered in much more detail here : viewtopic.php?f=58&t=43768

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Close Combat Unity - PC/Mac/iOS/Android

The team are working hard in Unity to get Close Combat running in 3D. Close Combat is the iconic real time and extremely realistic WW2 simulation original published by Microsoft and selling well in excess of a million units. We're updating everything except the great gameplay to modern platforms and UI systems and will be releasing the multi platform version in Unity in 2014. However, because of the success of Panthers in the Fog and the demand for more content we have added another Close Combat release to the schedule - Gateway to Caen. This is PC only and will help fill the gap while people wait for the Unity version! More information on this will be coming soon. It is too early to show screens of the Unity version so you'll just have to imagine how good its going to look :)


5 unannounced titles for 2014

We also have another 5 unannounced titles for 2014 and we are signing new games all the time. The future for tablet wargaming looks extremely bright! That brings us to the end of our tablet presentation. Please feel free to ask any questions.
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Re: Upcoming Tablet Games - From Historicon

Post by batesmotel »

Why are so many new titles for iOS only and not for Android as well? I understand there may be issues in converting old games with existing code but this seems like a short sighted decision for new release,

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Re: Upcoming Tablet Games - From Historicon

Post by IainMcNeil »

Unless we get the Android version for free the dev costs just don't make sense. We sell around between 10:1 and 100:1 on iOS compared to Android.

If the Android market matures we'll make more Android games but right now we lose money on every port, unless they are for free (e.g. Unity).
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Re: Upcoming Tablet Games - From Historicon

Post by MrsWargamer »

The answer that I have seen elsewhere in the past by official voices, was that Android is an OS that is hard to tie down with too many flavours. That is about the limitation of my knowledge of tablet OS designing though.

I have seen wargames for the Android, but I have seen more for iOS and there probably has to be a reason for it, and the above is likely it. The wargames on Android tend to be a great deal less complexity in the software and might have taken less effort and thus were easier to justify. If not for Small General from Victor and the Conflict Series from Joni though, I'd be inclined to say there weren't any wargames worth mention on Android at all.

Those absolutely in dire need of a tablet wargame, are likely going to b doing what I am doing. Choice A get an earlier iPad if the price is a problem, or, seek a Windows using tablet, and just use the PC edition you already have. That, or of course do what a buddy told me to do, shut up and just use my laptop :)
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Re: Upcoming Tablet Games - From Historicon

Post by LandMarine47 »

Iconically once Slitherine releases all these new shiny iOS titles its going to recieve lots of fame as the only true war gaming studio that can be trusted. But since you guys charge something over 10$ you constantly recieve complaints from "over priced" game when it's bit by bit identical to the PC version. But overall I sweating with anticipation for all these games especially BA 2 and Panzer Corps. Hope you guys make lots of sales! PS do you plan on porting other games to iOS devices after you finish with these titles? Or will you start a new franchise all toghether?
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Re: Upcoming Tablet Games - From Historicon

Post by Coreysr »

I always thought conquest of the Aegean or battles from the bulge would be awesome on the ipad.
IainMcNeil
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Re: Upcoming Tablet Games - From Historicon

Post by IainMcNeil »

Our strategy right now is a mix of back catalog titles and new releases and expect that to continue going forwards, at least until we've brought all the back catalog games that are suitable across :)
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Re: Upcoming Tablet Games - From Historicon

Post by Blathergut »

Is there a Field of Glory Napoleonic in the works? Renaissance?
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Re: Upcoming Tablet Games - From Historicon

Post by IainMcNeil »

We don't have anything like FoG Ancients coming but we have some other new exciting things to announce related to that subject in the next few months.
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Re: Upcoming Tablet Games - From Historicon

Post by MrsWargamer »

One of the most important lessons I was taught during my business training, was perception of worth can kill a product.

The thing is it works both ways. If the customer thinks the game is worth 10 bucks, then asking 20 might seem outrageous and harm sales. If the customer thinks the game is worth 10 bucks, then asking 1.99 like all the rest of the crap does, will not always make the customer expect to get a game even worth 1.99.

There is a limit to how much value a business can expect to gain out of twitch purchases from people thinking 'oh it's just a couple of bucks'.

The thing is, there are a few wargame makers out there, and they are making for Android, and they are charging less than 10 bucks, but they are also not charging 1.99. I have seen a lot of games in the 5 dollar range. And these games are often quite fun looking, and the creators are often fussing over them and improving them and adding new expansions or additional titles in a series. They clearly have managed to succeed in continuing to do sales. The trick is finding out if they are making ENOUGH sales, and that is the hard part.

I think Slitherine Group would do well to contact Joni Nuutinen who produces games under the series name Conflicts and see about joining forces or at least sharing a brew and talking shop :) His titles are going for 3 bucks and I have some of them and they are getting good reviews over all.

I personally don't like Apple, it's more a case of my not liking how they do things. I have seen an iPad in my own hands though, and the hardware isn't bad, merely over priced on average. I have zero interest in buying anything Apple at launch ever. But the iPad is no longer all that unique, and it has already gone to several releases, and a person doesn't need to pay maximum price for the most recent item to play simple wargames.

I think 2014 will be quite the year considering a lot of things. I think 2014 will be a year when everyone needs to stop laughing at tablets as dumb wastes of cash, and Apple is no longer special with their iPad and who knows MS might even finally get a tablet running real full Windows 8 for a reasonable price.
It looks like I no longer need to rag on Slitherine Group and wargaming in general to get anyone to accept, that REAL wargaming is not just a PC experience.

Slitherine Group has managed to release enough wargames, to make it feel like it is the late 70s early 80s all over again, when you could find no shortage of wargames to taunt your wallet.
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Re: Upcoming Tablet Games - From Historicon

Post by bobk »

I guess it`s cruel irony. In the old days...the 90`s, you had to have a windows pc to play any kind of decent wargame. Now those gamers with the colorful Apple/Mac computers, and expensive ipads rule the roost. Now we know how they felt, hoping someone would make a decent game for their platform.
BK
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Re: Upcoming Tablet Games - From Historicon

Post by MrSaracen »

Beginning of the year I was searching a android strategy game for my tablet and most of the sites recommended BA, so after a few weeks of debating if it was worth the money took the plunge and bought an ipad (told kids/wife it would be for the family :wink: ) Honestly haven't looked back and now looking at all these games being released I now need a bigger ipad.
With FoG and PC and the expansions will you be incorporating a pay once get all policy or will you keep it like BA?
I take it then that FoG is just around the corner for release (late August?)shortly followed by PC(September?)
Thanks, Paul.
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Re: Upcoming Tablet Games - From Historicon

Post by IainMcNeil »

FoG will be broken in to chunks to make it more manageable like BA as more expansions are coming.
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Re: Upcoming Tablet Games - From Historicon

Post by LandMarine47 »

Will all the Standalone games in the Panzer Corps series have to be in app purchases?
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Re: Upcoming Tablet Games - From Historicon

Post by IainMcNeil »

Yes Allied Corps and Afrika Korps will be IAP on the iPad for logistical reasons. We did look at making them stand alone but we felt it was going to be too messy and complicated as each would need to be patches individually and there is no way to transfer IAP from one tot he other so you potentially could end up buying the Grand Campaign 3 times or we had to limit it to only being available with the base game, None of the options were very appealing so we decided to keep it all in one package.
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