TBS Fantasy General II by Slitherine Games

[Zboj Lamignat]

None of these games look particularly good imo, although they do look (much) better than most indie pixel "art" shite. It's a shame that the talent to make a game akin to actually good looking titles from the ninties seems to be completely gone and what we are getting seems like a result of Atari ST graphic designer suffering from a stroke.

One game that wasn't particularly pretty, but did remind me of playing a strategy fame from the General era is Sovereignty. Unfortunately it was released in a very barebones state and then abandoned.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

 

[Beowulf]

https://www.wargamer.com/articles/computer-war-game-news-april-12th-2019/

About Fantasy General 2 developers:

[...] Jan Wagner is the co-founder of Owned by Gravity and has been doing games for longer than Fantasy General exists. He has been working on games such as Diablo 2, Warcraft 3, the SpellForce series, Drakensang, Sacred 2, Shadowrun Chronicles and over 50 other titles. The core of the studio was formed by industry veterans, each bringing more than 10 years of experience to the company with a focus on turn-based games in all shapes and sizes. They have worked in lead capacities on Jagged Alliance Online, AErena and Shadowrun Chronicles amongst others.

 

[Morkar Left]

https://www.wargamer.com/articles/computer-war-game-news-april-12th-2019/

About Fantasy General 2 developers:

[...] Jan Wagner is the co-founder of Owned by Gravity and has been doing games for longer than Fantasy General exists. He has been working on games such as Diablo 2, Warcraft 3, the SpellForce series, Drakensang, Sacred 2, Shadowrun Chronicles and over 50 other titles. The core of the studio was formed by industry veterans, each bringing more than 10 years of experience to the company with a focus on turn-based games in all shapes and sizes. They have worked in lead capacities on Jagged Alliance Online, AErena and Shadowrun Chronicles amongst others.

He takes part in the german devplay / devtalk. He's the second from the right:

His former company Cliffhanger Productions had to be closed. Shdowrun Chronicles was basically mismanaged because they really couldn't agree on what excatly it should be or they overstretches. For Fantasy Generals I never liked that approach to have combat and strategy take place on the same map because it always gives me an uncanny valley vibe. But so far it looks good and well rounded and - for oldschool fans - true to the original. I'm interested.

 

[Elephantman]

Considering how the art and atmosphere is the best and only good part about Fantasy General - I dont see how Slitherins abortions is worth anything...

 

[Elephantman]

Including the great unorthodox soundtrack that can be enjoyed here

 

[Darth Roxor]

Victimae Paschali Laudes...

 

[Lone Wolf]

Looks more like an update of Kohan/Kohan 2 than FG.

Also, how am I supposed to make an army entirely made up of Phoenix Knights, if there are no Phoenix Knights?

 

[Lagi]

True to the tradition of the original game, Fantasy General II is all about turn-based battles

no single line of substantial text. Whats is the point writing this twaddle?

so i'm guessing;
resources: gold, weapon, armor, mana, food1, food2(on right)... left top blue ball = turn counter/available spells?
enough resources to make 4x (more than in AoWonders f.ex).

units have different HP bar. Monster/hero 1 bar - receiving wound. Core unit => each hit -1 men (that could affect amount of attacks f.ex). If core troops are represent by multiple models - maybe drop the HP bar, and represent squad status by amount of models for immersion? "No, this will hinder the readability of battlefield".
units have big banners - for clarity of unit type. So devs are aware that 3d is an unreadable clusterfuck with camera fiddling around?

map - its hard to read, req. camera turning, ugly, artificial (look at that hex water), burden PC, I gain epilepsy from this colors.

dont you wish your game was hot like me?

where are the flyers ?!
babysitting heroes
==================

Fantasy General 2 should :

• have sky hunters & sky bombardiers
  
• melee,skirmish,range (vs some no return fire) - this concept stay
  
• be 2d
• have bigger view port

  

  
• the combat mechanic should be more clear, better explained. include more things (facing,terrain...)
  
• better UI - the side buttons are blend together. More key shortcuts.
• as much as possible thing represent on screen - without opening temporary info windows (to check amount of wounded)
  
• idea of wound / dead soldier and resting is nice - could be expanded.
  
• Different amount of men in units, combine multiple peasant in one unit (like in heroes of mm 3) or split SkyHunters into 2 for more versatility. This need good study to avoid Doomstacks XOR tedious fragmentation = more work with unit moving.
  
• i dont like the global spell casting. If there is spellcaster he should be on map (so i can kill him).
• giving single magic shield item to the squad of men doesnt make sens (it protect only 1 dude right?)
• could be nice if heroes (wizards, warriors,... apothecary) be an attachment to squads - like in Dawn of War 1.

 

[Morkar Left]

It seems you played already more of the game than even the devs. Maybe they can improve on the alpha if you give them your finished beta version

 

[Elephantman]

[*]melee,skirmish,range (vs some no return fire) - this concept stay

In the original the skirmish units were too flimsy to fight. They get stuck on a frontline and get obliterated.
And the ranged units were too weak to do any significant damage.
While a mass of elephantmen were nigh unstoppable. And 2tile charging cavalry as well... especially the ones that resurrect themselves...

 

[Darth Roxor]

The biggest problem with ranged units wasn't that they were too weak (they weren't) but that they were slow as slugs. They had the movement of heavy infantry but without March to compensate for longer relocations or moving through swamps/hills.

Skirmishers were fine cuz they had long movement and could attack without retaliation.

 

[Zboj Lamignat]

Casters and siege engines were the shit-tier units, but everything was usable. Though of course you could be a sperg and just mass spam the best units to steamroll.

 

[belated]

The top-tier skirmishers (trail runners) were amazing; open movement, magic attack, skirmish bonus in bad terrain. Just had to keep them away from the open and cavalry, or at least use their invisibility spell.

 

[Elephantman]

You are limited on the number of units in your army though. Not on income. Or turn time - game has a very generous time limits on all but 3 maps maybe. And I played Mordra on Hard, so there is no unit upgrading - money was still ok.

So if I have 1 slot and a choice between heavy inf or skirmishers, the choice is obvious.
I dont need defense in the game. I need offense. And heavies give more offense against everything, cavalry included.
And skirmisher defense is not even that good.

As for archers, they were too weak. Again, they are competing vs heavies. Their only use is as supports on enemy attacks cause than they get multiple shots per turn.

So if you have 1 unit slot free and can choose heavy, skir, arch - go heavy...

I basically played the game with 3 units - heavy, cavalry, airfighters. And heroes, free recuirts.

This might be different with other heroes but I kinda doubt it.
The paladin has cavalry.
The zerker has good infantry, incl heavies.
the wizard has ?.

 

[Parabalus]

Though of course you could be a sperg and just mass spam the best units to steamroll.

If you did that the game decided you had an "unbalanced" army and the AI spam recruited 5-shield units for the whole battle .

 

[rezaf]

Considering how the art and atmosphere is the best and only good part about Fantasy General - I dont see how Slitherins abortions is worth anything...

Maybe I'm alone on that, but I also liked that the classes were different and appreciated the existence of the unit-research "metagame".

I think they talked a bit about upgrading units or whatnot in the video, but did they acually mention or even show a research system? Otherwise I'd assume a SRPG-like approach, where you just can upgrade a unit to a different type when it has enough XP or something...

 

[Burning Bridges]

We live in an age of raping dead corpses it seems.

 

[Burning Bridges]

I know I'm being way too needy here, but what better game to actually go for nice, stylized 2D. But nope. Potato 3D it is.

exactly my thoughts.

Though in all fairness SSI made the same bullshit moves with Panzer General 3.

That trailers music is insulting, doubly so to a musician. Compare to the OST of the original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6vqMVs1Rz0

It's licensed music same as most trailers

I have no idea why none of those companies hire Kevin Manthei. He did the music on all the General games and also Jagged Alliance and you can recognize his music after a few tunes.

 

[PrettyDeadman]

I've played Fantasy General 1 and I approve this game.

 

[BING XI LAO]

civ5's visual design was an abomination that has ruined multiple other franchises which emulated it, everyone responsible really deserves to be burned alive by a Kodex Kool Kids squad

 

[Galdred]

Looks more like an update of Kohan/Kohan 2 than FG.

Also, how am I supposed to make an army entirely made up of Phoenix Knights, if there are no Phoenix Knights?

Actually, I would love a remake of Kohan more than a remake of FG...
I completely second the uncanny valley feel of the scale (I had the same problem with Rites of War actually), and it doesn't bother me as much in a RTS .

 

[Lagi]

here is my concept (day-dreaming, wish-list, fan-fiction - you call it) for next iteration of Fantasy General.

I post here crispy mock-up picture.

More text, rules, tables, formulas, comments and pictures is in downloadable pdf
(neater than wall of text here)

 

[coldcrow]

civ5's visual design was an abomination that has ruined multiple other franchises which emulated it, everyone responsible really deserves to be burned alive by a Kodex Kool Kids squad

Notably Age of wonders. I am pretty sour about the shift from Shadow Magic to AoW3.

 

[Elephantman]

downloadable pdf

No strategic layout
Just wall of text before each mission. No point to take player attention from tactical part, for the
sake of some half-baked conquer province game.

- Actually one of the good parts of FG. Optional missions, exclusive paths...

Mechanism of balancing player skill
Between missions, player may receive free units, if he has not enough.
If [X-Y] < 0 => player receive free, inexperienced units (preferably req. for this scenario).
X = current player number of units, after purchase between mission.
Y = Mission assumed amount of troops
The most exciting battles, are the one with heavy casualties. Unfortunately in campaign games
„under-performing” force player to repeat scenario to achieve better score.

- Levelscaling............................