Aw shucks, folks. I'm speechless!
When I got into computer gaming I quickly became disinterested in any game that did not have a full editor--oob, map, the whole nine yards. Regardless of due diligence, all packaged scenarios, maps and oobs contain flaws, which cannot be corrected by the gamer, and I don't have to tell you fellows that that is very frustrating. In designing Overland, we tried to give players as many options as possible, mindful of what we would like to see if we were the players.
My first computer game was in 1986. Carriers at War, for a Commodore 64! It was fully editable, and I spent way more time building navies and scenarios and maps than I did playing the game. Next was Decisive Battles of the Civil War, also by SSG of Australia. Max maps were 27 x 27 hexes and max units were 127, I think. Fully editable. Next was Age of Rifles, which would be the best there is if not for max maps of only 50 x 50 hexes, only 300 units on a side, and a casualty system that is even more bloody than HPS/JTS. After I playtested Chickamauga, Rich Hamilton hired me to help finish up the Mexican War game, which had been hanging fire for quite some time. I designed all of Zachary Taylor's battles, which required a steep learning curve because all I knew about that war was that Grant was there as a peach-fuzz 2nd Lt. I was then honored to be given the Overland job, in partnership with Ken Jones, and the rest is history. We are now looking for other worlds to conquer.
I guess I was not quite as speechless as I thought. Sorry about that.
And by the way, we are still looking for rebs to MP the monster scenario
JD Ferry
2lt 2/20th Corps
