American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

So, I stumbled back across the Madminute 2nd Manassas website http://www.madminutegames.com/MadMinuteBB/index.php and found that the game has spawned hundreds of mods covering what appears to be every battle of the war. Along with endless OOBs, graphics, and maps which are... to be honest... awesome.



What they lack is the organization of our Club or any sort of system to encourage anything more than tons of modders designing everything from 1861 to 1865 for others to enjoy. Meanwhile our Club's organization is extremely healthy but our ability to create unique battles and OOBs is nil.

Their maps are so detailed it's incredible. Down to weeping willow trees that obstruct the line of sight of soldiers to the hanging of spanish moss. The sky changes with the time of day and buildings can catch fire and burn during a battle to cause a smoke screen to cover one's army. Gees! That's just flat-out awesome! Plus if you have ever played these games you know the sounds are "nature" so when you battle you can hear the chirping of birds, the wind, the sound of marching men, horses galloping and the running streams in the background... until the shooting starts that is.

I continue to hope that somehow or another the MP turn based concept of these games can be merged with the graphics and modding capabilities of Madminute games to form one very awesome Civil War game to end all Civil War gaming for the next generation to come.

(NOTE: after viewing this for a while I noticed the battle on the horizon marked by the rising white smoke! Awesome detail! Imagine playing a MP game and not knowing what was happening there and having to wait for a galloping courier - which these games use - to arrive and inform you of the action! Now that would really create a fog of war!)

AMEN!

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MG Mike Mihalik
Forrest's Cavalry Corps
AoWest/CSA

I asked that very question of Richard Hamilton myself only yesterday. Well last year actually. He he.

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General
Frank (Old Banshee) Mullins,
2nd Brigade, 1st Division, XVI Corps.
Army of the Tennessee.

I seem to remember that the answer was given sometime in 2010 or 2009 - which was - the OOBs will be unlocked when they are done with the series.

No commitment on a map editor -but frankly when you got a map that stretches from the Potomac to Richmond at 125 yards a hex (and there are others like the one stretching from the Tennessee-Georgia border to south of Atlanta...) - are you really missing out on much map area?

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~Retired~

when you got a map that stretches from the Potomac to Richmond at 125 yards a hex (and there are others like the one stretching from the Tennessee-Georgia border to south of Atlanta...) - are you really missing out on much map area?

I think you have the wrong end of the stick, what I meant was for the 3d graphics as the background that changes like the madminute games with the units being moved in turns like in the HPS games. You could paint an entire map but it would be so large and take up so much memory apart from being a pain to use in an art package. I know I have tried. Where as the 3d scrolling background will take up no memory at all the program loads it as it needs.
Does that explain it a bit better?
All the best,

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General
Frank (Old Banshee) Mullins,
2nd Brigade, 1st Division, XVI Corps.
Army of the Tennessee.

In the back of my mind is the "fear" that by the time they are done releasing the games it may be five or more years and who knows if these games will continue to be compatible with Windows 8, 9 or 10 and whatever version Mac is on by that point. We used to use them on Windows 95 though so I guess I shouldn't worry, lol.

My understanding is that the new "Overland Campaign" game is not locked and you can change the OOB and MAP files. I haven't had a chance to verify this but as soon as I get a "round toit" I will.

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General Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
AoT II/1/3 (CSA)

Made a quick test and the Overland game can run the Gettysburg MAP and OOB. One of my bet interest is making a "What If Jackson was there?" Would there be any interest in the Club?

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General Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
AoT II/1/3 (CSA)

Ha, ha. The locked versus unlocked debate.

I guess there would be great interest amongst the club membership. Sadly, if we see any "abuse" of the game system (like we saw with the original unlocked Corinth release) then you can bet that the first patch for Overland from HPS will feature efforts to lock down the OOB's.

As far as I know, then this Campaign Series is still active. I can think of one more title I'd like to see covered.

I'm not sure why the Overland files were left unlocked. But whatever the reason I don't think the designers / owners plan to allow the community a free hand in creating mods on it?

I guess an official word one way or the other clearly stating the situation is what we need?

I have begun to change the OOB's for an Old Banshee Overland release so I'd be interested to see where we stand.

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Brigadier-General Jim Wilkes.
2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, XX Corps.
AoC. U.S.A.

As far as I am concerned I have waited a very long time to have this game unlocked, we at the old banshee site can come up with some wonderful graphics based on historical units and leaders. We can represent every unit with its own icon (a lot of work but it will be special.). I would like to thank all the scenario designers who have worked on the civil war series who have given us so many well reserched and professionally produced scenarios.
Lets not kill the goose that lays the golden eggs, lets not abuse what we have been given.

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General
Frank (Old Banshee) Mullins,
2nd Brigade, 1st Division, XVI Corps.
Army of the Tennessee.

Another thing that I would mention is that I dedicated specific unit pics to the various states represented, as well as dismounted cavqalry and heavy arty and other uniform-specific outfits like the Iron Brigade. Players can get a little bit of intel when an enemy is spotted but not in contact, as to what state or specific unit is indicated. Maybe your graphics can keep that going.
I think it was an Avalon Hill game that used state silhouettes in CS unit graphics and Corps patches for the Yanks.