World War: In the balance

Tornado7 · August 29, 1999, 02:17

I'm thinking about making a scenario based on this series of books by Harry Turtledove. If anyone has any suggestions, ideas, units, or wants to help, either post on this thread or e-mail me. I could definetly use the help. Actually, what I'm looking for is a mediocre WW-II scenario that really doesn't get too deep into units that I could use as a base for modifying. It'll make things alot easier.
For those of you that don't know, this series of books is an alternate history, where in the middle of WWII, aliens invade and basically, try to take over the world. The big trick to the whole thing is that a)They were expecting to fight knights in shining armor, not panzers in, uhh, shining armor, and except for spacecraft their technology is only a couple years ahead of our own current tech level. So, If anyone's got any ideas, feel free to throw them in.

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"And how much, my fellow warriors, can a world change in a mere 800 revolutions??!!"
-Shiplord Kirel, Worldwar:In the Balance

Michael Daumen · August 29, 1999, 11:41

Do the other non-alien series instead, with WW1 and the Communist Revolution happening on American soil.

Tornado7 · August 29, 1999, 14:18

Yeah, I'm going to, but this one will be a whole lot easier for two reasons-1)there are a bunch of sucky WWII scenarios out there that I can use as a basis for this, and 2)This series is actually finished, as opposed to The Great War series, which is only half done.

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"And how much, my fellow warriors, can a world change in a mere 800 revolutions??!!"
-Shiplord Kirel, Worldwar:In the Balance

Red_Loki · August 30, 1999, 20:00

Great idea! Are you the one who told Turtledove he was trying to make a scenario in the cybling chatroom? Anyway, I have few suggestions.

#1. Maybe you should create another scenario starting at the sixth book of that series (or another words, the book after Colonization: Second Contact). There are less nations, so fewer civs are needed. Plus there is a handy map in the back of of Second Contact, which is the same is the one would be in the next book. If you like this idea, this is how the Civs would stand:
United States: in control of the mainland, Hawaii, Greenland, Alaska, Iceland, and maybe Canada. Possesing nukes
Japanese Empire: in control of the Home Islands, Indonesia, French Indochina, the Phillipines, and all other Pacific islands.
German Reich: ruling all of western Europe exept the British Isles and Switzerland. In east Europe ruling greece and the vicinity. Has nukes
Soviet Union: as it was during the cold war
British Empire: Britain, and maybe New Zealand and Canada. nukes
Chinese: I am guessing they are essential, give them some guerrilla units in China, also some bases in the middle of the USSR and United States (to keep them alive and demonstrate the help their allies are giving them.
The Race: all the rest of the territory. Has nukes and other advancements. You could demonstrate the vulnuerability of their interplanatary empire by creating an advance or wonder that triggers their destruction or something with the message: their home planets threatened, the Race leaves for home, or something of the kind.

Japan should be able to both discover or obtain nukes from an ally, though maybe not from stealing. Write back if you like this idea, and I would like to help. By the way WERE you the one who mentioned a scenario to Dr. Turtledove?

Miner · August 31, 1999, 07:47

The "balance" series is brilliant and I have often considered making a scenario for it, although I could not do it with Civ2. Now TOT has come out I think it can be done well - this is why.

The humans could research "Alien Behaviour" (or something), once done the new events text grants Leonardos Workshop to The Race.
LW is renamed The Curse Of Ginger. A new advance is given at the same time to the Race (call it the Curse of Ginger as well) which makes all their units obsolete and the new ones are WORSE for A/D/M 'cos of the insidious effect of Ginger on The Race.

This couldn't be done with Civ2 but with TOT this would be superb! I love this series of books but didn't know about book 6???
My books end rahter lamely with a truce after the allies come up with nukes.

I have plenty of ideas for this scenario as I nearly did it myself (will have a crack at it once I get TOT) - would love to see Otto Skorzeny as a one -off alien butt kicking super unit

Michael Daumen · August 31, 1999, 07:57

Make it so.

Tornado7 · August 31, 1999, 08:51

No actually, it wasn't me. What did he say? I decided to do this 'cause I reread the first book in the series recently, and it jogged some ideas loose in the old cranium. I'm glad that you guys are interested though. I don't know about tot, although it could be done fairly easily. I just have no experience working in the files themselves, 'cause I have MGE that has all the menus to change the stuff around.
BTW book five just came out in paperback, I think. It takes place when the Race's colonization ships arrive, and things start getting kinda ugly. I don't know when 6 is coming out, but Turtledove just came out with the second book in the Great War series, so I assume he's gotta write it first.
[This message has been edited by Tornado7 (edited August 31, 1999).]

August 31, 1999, 13:59

I once tried that, but the one I ended out making was pretty bad. If you're desperate for ideas, though, I'll send it to you.

Miner · September 1, 1999, 05:03

Tornado7

If you wanna join forces on this one, with you all the way. Mail me. If not, don't use the menu editors which come with MGE they f*** with the files big time, stick with editing via Notepad and Adobe.

Tornado7 · September 3, 1999, 11:51

*bump*

Red_Loki · September 3, 1999, 20:03

Sorry, but Test of Time SUCKS!!! Even if you like it, the scenario would never become widespread, in part because of the lack of ToT owners. As for the book six in the the Worldwar series, it comes out this March. It is when the action really begans. With some good unit designers, it could be made into a really exellent game. I wouldn't bother with a scenario beginning at Worldwar: In the Balance anyway, some software company is working on a licensed game based on that. If you don't know how the Worldwar series goes, here it is:

Worldwar: In the Balance
Worldwar: Tilting the Balance
Worldwar: Upsetting the Balance
Worldwar: Striking the Balance
Colonization: Second Contact

there are two more novels not yet published, and that's it. I propose making a scenario in the upcoming sixth installation, because there are less nations to deal with and the game already mentioned. The sixth book is tentitively titled Colonization: Down to Earth. With a few good graphic designers and some alteration of the basic settings I already mentioned, this could be a great scenario.

Tornado7 · September 3, 1999, 20:12

Thanks for the info. The biggest reason I want to do this scenario in ToT first is that I can use multiple maps. This means that the Race is safe in orbit until the humans can start developing spacetechs. Another reason is that ToT offers a whole lot more available unit and tech slots, which gives me more flexability in game design.

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"And how much, my fellow warriors, can a world change in a mere 800 revolutions??!!"
-Shiplord Kirel, Worldwar:In the Balance

Tornado7 · September 8, 1999, 11:00

*bump*

I'll start working on this thing probably sometime next week. Everyone with ideas, throw them in now!
My college schedule has settled down, so I'll have some free time

Whoo Hoo!

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"And how much, my fellow warriors, can a world change in a mere 800 revolutions??!!"
-Shiplord Kirel, Worldwar:In the Balance

Tornado7 · September 14, 1999, 07:56

Ok, updates:I have made the maps up, which are a world map, (slightly modded), and an "orbital" map. The 7 civs will be-Americans, Russians, Germans, Japanese, British, Neutral(all the counties that get their collective behinds conquered) and of course, the Race. I intend of following 2194 days of Wars model of terrain improvments and modding a useless type of terrain into a "urban" terrain with enhanced resources and higher defense bonuses. Questions, comments, etc.? Mail Me!
PS-The part I'm gonna need the most help on is making the units, so if you're interested, Mail Me!!!

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"And how much, my fellow warriors, can a world change in a mere 800 revolutions??!!"
-Shiplord Kirel, Worldwar:In the Balance