Tag: war-of-ages

Blacksburg, VA; May 1, 2015 –

This is the week you have been waiting for. On Monday, May 4th, War of Ages will be revealed to the public. After months of work our development team has finally finished the first version of the game and is ready to show it off. Players can play as their favorite race, either the barbarians, renegades, or reptiles, each with their own unique play style.

Due to time constraints with programming and balancing, we had to reduce the number of playable units at launch. There are four units that all classes can use, the runner, the attacker, the mine placer, and the mine diffuser. Along with these units each race gets 2 units that only they can use. The reptiles have access to a rock mortar that can take out units and mines from across the map, along with a devastating earthquake unit that takes out everything in its surroundings. The barbarians control the battlefield with ice powers that can stop units in their tracks. Their ice mortar can stop a units movement from across the battlefield, while the freeze unit can prevent all nearby units from moving the next turn. Finally the renegades get their own deadly mortar that is hard to escape, and an armored unit that can survive one strike from anything.

This release also gives us a chance to check the balance between the units and the races. We have spent a majority of our time on this project making sure everyone is on a level playing field, but it is easy to miss something. Once everyone starts playing we will get thousands of hours of test data we can analyze to figure out how to make the game as balanced as possible.

Although the game is being revealed there is still a lot of work to be done on it. We have a lot of great ideas for units we want to put into the game. We were very disappointed that we couldn’t put all of our ideas into the first release, but we’ll make sure they get implemented in the future. We also want to make this game playable from two devices. This is the biggest problem with the game right now, and we hope to fix it soon.

Until then enjoy going head to head against your friends in War of Ages.

For more information, contact Joe Wileman @ wjoe113@vt.edu

Blacksburg, VA; April 17, 2015 –

Big things are happening in War of Ages this week. First of all, out mid-level prototype is complete and ready to be tested. We will be sharing the prototype with anyone who is willing to play to get as much feedback as possible. Once we finish testing we can solidify our balancing plans and ensure every game will be fair and fun. We have decided to run our prototypes with limited numbers of units in order to pinpoint balancing problems. With fewer units in play, there are fewer variables to cause problems.

Our prototype isn’t the only big news from our team this week. Progress on the game has been swift this week. In the last week the team has made the complete game board, with random mountains and lakes scattered throughout, making each game a unique experience. With the map generation, we have also developed the visuals for the grass, water and mountains. The mountains even utilize the 3D and pop out of the map. Once the map was complete we were able to implement unit movement too. When the user clicks on a unit, it becomes selected and highlights the spaces around it that it can move to. This movement range takes into account the terrain, and other units. In order to move you have to click a space next to the selected unit and it will move there and change the highlighted spaces where it can move(since it has one less move this turn and is in a different spot). According to programmer AJ Fritsch “The game has been coming together faster than we thought. It looks like it will be a lot of fun, and I can’t wait to release it”.

Next on the agenda is to implement turns so that units can only move on their turn, and their movement range will reset after each turn. With the implementation of turns we can then add in the mana crystals to restrict the number/type of units spawned each turn. After all of this the last step to finishing the game is to add in the mines and the bases. These features should complete the game, leaving the only programming left to be menus.

With this exciting news, you should be expecting to be able to join the battle within the next couple of weeks.

For more information, contact Joe Wileman @ wjoe113@vt.edu

Blacksburg, VA; April 10, 2015 – Shapes are forming in War of Ages, as we start developing the units and their podiums. Each unit will have a symbol mounted on a podium. The larger and more elaborate podiums signify higher units. After we have a podium for each unit tier, we plan to start drawing the unit symbols. We decided to go with podiums because they look impressive the more elaborate they get, and that gives each unit more character.

(Figure 1: Tier 1 unit podium under development)

Since last week, we decided to completely scrap the 2D board for our original idea of a 3D board. This will allow us to add more dynamic animations to each cube if we have time. The podiums will also appear as 3D objects on a 3D board, rather than top view 2D objects on a 2D board. Our next step with our board is to load the unit podium prototypes and start adding movements.

Our final focus is on our mid-level prototype. Vasily has been developing the prototype for the past few weeks, and he is almost able to implement units and turns. Once our prototype is available to play, we will open it up to the class and friends for another session of feedback. We decided to make a mid-level prototype in order to get it out quicker to our audience before the final launch.

Our main goal in the next week is to finish the board and units in order to start programing the units on the board. Once we finish the units, we will start working on the crystals and making it turn-based. We look forward to the coming weeks and presenting our game to our patient audience.

For more information, contact Joe Wileman at wjoe113@vt.edu

Blacksburg, VA; April 03, 2015 –

Things are picking up on the battlefield, as the battlefield is literally being created! Our original design used a 9×9 grid of cubes to make a 3D board. This would allow us to use better skins for each cube. After much deliberation, we are now implementing a 9×9 grid of tiles. Because the game is going to be played on a 2D vector (with a few 3D graphics), we felt a grid of tiles would be more efficient and easier to manage. They are easier to manage because the square tile art we decided to use fits perfectly on the tile, and do not need to be multiplied for the cube.

Speaking of art, we are also designing the tiles to represent the different terrain on the board. For the background layer on the tiles, we decided to make vibrant balls. Vibrant balls you ask?! When the balls are aligned they show each individual tile without needing the grid. This will create a more immersive board. Also, when we add layers and effects to the tiles, the balls become less vibrant, but still visible. This will keep the objective of the game clear while adding some flair.

Lastly, we are working on a prototype using Gamemaker. As per peer request, we are developing our mid-level prototype using Gamemaker. Gamemaker is easy to use and does not require a lot of the high end development to start letting people test our game. This will allow us to release our game sooner for testing, while continuing to develop it in our primary game engine.

Our goal for the next week is to finish initializing the board so we can move on to the pieces. Once the board and pieces are finalized, we’ll focus on programming movements, turns, and possibly an A.I. As the beta gets closer to being finished, we will start asking fans to join us in our first closed beta.

Remember, when Abraham Lincoln was told he had one hour to prepare for battle, he spent 45 minutes sharpening his sword. So sharpen your swords and I hope to see you on the battlefield soon!

For more information, contact Joe Wileman at wjoe113@vt.edu.

Blacksburg, VA; March 27, 2015 –

This week the War of Ages gone from cold to hot. We unveiled our mobile prototype to a very receptive audience. We thank the audience for their participation and feedback. Using this suggestions, the team has decided to focus on creating a playable prototype in GameMaker and push it out next week. We are hoping to give willing participants a hands on experience of leading their troops on the Fields of Battle. As was mentioned during the unveiling of the prototype, our game is open to any strategy. We would like to foster a community that creates their own tactics and is not restrained by the game mechanics.

To reiterate our goals, we are planning to roll out a playable version of the game on Android devices by the end of the semester with the ability to play with your friends and right then and there. So make sure to keep your poker face, unless you want to give away your mines. For those that might be uneasy jumping into a new game without anybody to play with, we are going to introduce Facebook sign-in. This will allow our first settlers to easily get into the game and tell their friends to prove their worth with three unique races. Will you be the defenders of your homeland that used to leave peacefully on this land and had to sometimes protect their territory from invading forces? Or will you be the mighty conquering force that through skill and cunning has enlisted allies to acquire  the precious gems whose power was told through legends and now only the very few know of their locations? Last, but certainly not least, will you be able to survive the fate that has been dealt to you by time’s cruel irony?

Join us next week as we prepare to relinquish the command of our armies into your hands and allow you to write the story of this War of Ages.

For more information, contact Joe Wileman @ wjoe113@vt.edu

Blacksburg, VA; March 20, 2015 –

War of Ages has gone under some serious redesign since the break! The cavemen are all but extinct, and taking their place are the small cute natives to our battlefield: the kittens. These kittens are mighty small cats who parade the battlefield with intense prowess, stealth, and cutenessssss!… Just kidding, they’re reptiles.

Snake-men, flying raptor, burrowed drakes, you name it they have it. Or should I say “become it”? These ancestral creatures guard precious gems that alter living creatures around them. They become stronger, faster, and smarter versions of themselves, and having extra arms never hurt. The gems are super rare, and very desirable! Not only can the reptile people summon gems on the battlefield to boost their units, but they wear armor and weapons of armies they’ve previously defeated. Who doesn’t like a T-Rex with four arms and a machine gun?!

The vikings are now the war-seeking Barbarians. Still a mighty conquering race of medieval warriors, the Barbarians are led by a council of elders, who can channel great magics long forgotten. The elders can also call on old allies such as the Necromancers and the Sorcerers. Necromancers gain bonuses the more units are killed on the battlefield, and sorcerers… well sorcerers just like to play with fire. Lots and lots of fire!

For the board, we are introducing our idea of “turn crystals”. On the start of a new turn, both players receive an additional crystal to spend on units, upgrades, etc. After the crystals are all but spent, the player will end their turn and look forward to their next turn with the additional crystal.

For more information, please contact Joe Wileman: wjoe113@vt.edu

Blacksburg, VA; February 27, 2015 –

A schedule has now been planned out for the War of Ages development and an official release date has been set! Developers have confirmed, the release date for War of Ages will be May 4, 2015. War of Ages will be available to Android users, and the price has not yet been announced.

War of Ages also revealed a look at the factions and units available to the players.

First, from the Northern Realm of the ice factions, the mystical vikings have the power to control artifacts of the frozen tundra. They can freeze the battlefield and slow down their clans’ greatest enemies. There is no colder place on earth than their war path!

Next, an ancient horde of cavemen who can bend the earth to their will. They are known to create trenches and cliffs, hurl giant boulders, and even command earthquakes. In the battle of brain versus brawn, they leave brains splattered across the battlefield!

Finally, a group of high tech soldiers from the future have stumbled on the Field of Ages. Those, who have access to incredible technology that allows them to launch explosives across the battlefield, detonate mines with the flip of a switch, and even cheat unbreakable odds. War grinds their gears to their fullest!

“We are very excited about the gameplay options these factions introduce, it truly is a war of the ages” said Scott Fraser. “Each faction has a unique play style and gives the user lots of options on how they want to play. ” War of Ages’ Graphics Designer,  Joe Wileman,  has  created logos that are specific to each faction:

Each faction’s symbol represents their dedication and fullness to war. The symbol of the Northern Realm holds each viking faction to the soaring ideals of bravery, courage, and sacrifice. Meaning “deny witchcraft”, their symbol is a constant reminder of the clans’ willingness to serve no one but themselves!

The symbol of the caveman horde is simple and bold. Resembling their sacred rock, the cavemen call to the Boulder Cube as a reminder of their strength in battle. While numbers enrich their army’s advantage, each caveman cannot deny the oldest of sayings: “nothing is as hard as a rock!”

Lastly, the mechanics symbol is a communion of all the inventors lost in time. Many slain by wild beasts after the event, their symbol is a constant reminder of those ideas lost to simpler forces. Their beacon of hope remains as they will slay anything to return to a time that accepts them. “Long live the eternal!”

Which side will you take on the Field of Ages?…

The team plans to conduct several interviews to gain feedback about the concept from the general population. With that in hand, we will be able to refine our design and make preparations for the War of Ages

For more information, please contact Joe Wileman: wjoe113@vt.edu

Blacksburg, VA; February 20, 2015

Development of War of Ages is en-route. After a much-needed conference, teammates Joe Wileman, Vasily Prokhorov, Scott Fraser, and AJ Fritsch agreed on the theme, map, and gameplay mechanics of War of Ages.

Expanding on previous rumors, War of Ages will feature a 9 x 9 environment-changing PvP board (map). Before the game starts, each player will view the map, select a race, and select 5 units from that race to represent their army. When it is their turn, the player will receive an additional “mana crystal” to summon their units. There is a max of 10 crystals, so after 10 turns each player will have access to all crystals every proceeding turn. Before the game begins, each player will place 5 mines on their “home turf” followed by 5 random mines generated randomly across the center of the map. Units can spawn on the edge closest the player, except on their base.

Unit mechanics and balance are in development, but rest assured they will be fierce fighting machines ready for war! Terrain is another feature in development in War of Ages, as each race has a unique role depending on the type of environment on the map. In the coming weeks we hope to have races, units, and social developments in pre-production. Until then, we await updating you on the newest features to our world conquering game: War of Ages!

For more information contact Joe Wileman.

Blacksburg, VA; February 13, 2015 – Joe Wileman, Vasily Prokhorov, Scott Fraser, and AJ Fritsch announced the development of their new mobile game, War of Ages. Inspired by games like Stratego, Chess, and Minesweeper, War of Ages is a 1v1 turn based strategy game where you must reach your opponents base before they reach yours.

Use your 10-unit army to protect your base and destroy your opponent! As the warmongering player you are, you have units such as mortars, scouts, and mines at your disposal. Plant mines to protect your territory, but beware….You are fighting on an ancient battlefield littered with hidden traps from battles past. The Fields of Ruin, once home of an ancient race, this land has been manipulated by war and grief, until all that remained is the promise of battle.

Choose to ally with one of three races, each with their own abilities. Create custom landscapes to challenge your friends and rival guilds across distant lands. “It will be the most explosive turn-based game on the app store… literally!” said Joe Wileman, one of the head developers on this project. “We are really excited about our next project and can’t wait to start production”.

War of Ages is a turn-based grid strategy game where players do battle on ancient playgrounds of war, conquest, and blowing crap up! You, the player, have a mission to conquer your opponent’s base before they conquer yours. With three races to choose as your ally and an army at your disposal, the world is yours to take in War of Ages!

For more information contact Joe Wileman.