Lead Adventure Forum
Other Stuff => General Wargames and Hobby Discussion => Topic started by: dijit on September 21, 2013, 03:24:25 PM
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Since so many of us seem to regularly play games against ourselves, why is that there seem to be so few purpose designed rulesets out there for solo gaming? Are the mechanics just too difficult or what?
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Two Hour Wargames games are perfect for solo gaming, and can be used equally well for group play as well.
http://site.twohourwargames.com/forum/
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However, THW is still just a two player rule set that works better than most for solo gaming, rather than a purposefully designed solo ruleset.
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<snip> rather than a purposefully designed solo ruleset.
Okay.
What rule sets are there that were designed for solo play?
What traits make a good solo play game?
Gracias,
Glenn
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Something that involves random encounters would be good for a solo game. I reckon best for games that involve hero vs lots of bad minions. You would ned to develop a solid AI for the bad guys though. MERCS brought out Myth on kickstarter which is a co-op game so no dungeon master. Don't know if it could be played solo but I imagine so. Each monster has its own intelligence so moves towards or away from the heroes and spawn points are used to summon the monsters.
Maybe a small comp could be made for developing a solo game?
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AKULA's zombie rules are perfect for solo gaming.
You may control the survivors, and the rules engine controls the zombies.
http://akulasrules.blogspot.mx/2011/01/akulas-rules-skirmish-edition-arse.html
Even if you play with one or more friends, the rules engine still controls the zombies (but nothing prevents a player to hendle them too if desired).
I higly recommend them.
Hope that helps.
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I'd forgotten Akula's ruleset. Zombie/horde/asymmetirc type games do seem to be easier than more equal opponents.
A good AI and randomness do seem t be very necessary. Looking a various video games it's that that seems to set them apart. But how to do it elegantly and without pages and pages of tables.
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The good thing about zombies are that they are mindless so AI isn't really necessary. Just set them loose and the go for the closest without any concern for themselves.
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7ombieTV can also be played solo as the zeds get programmed moves. Zed games are PERFECT for solo's, another reason they are so close to my heart that I play in 2 scales! 20 and 28mm!
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Cool! Can you recommand a place to buy good 20mm zombies?
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I don't see why it's impossible to come up with a decent set of rules for behaviour that aren't dozens of pages long. Of course, I've never tried so what do I know? ;D
Happy to offer opinions on any attempt to do so, however!
The good thing about zombies are that they are mindless so AI isn't really necessary. Just set them loose and the go for the closest without any concern for themselves.
That's still 'AI' though - just because it's not complex it doesn't mean there isn't a 'program'. For a zombie it's something like:
1 - determine nearest target;
2 - attack;
3 - ignore wounds/morale tests;
4 - until target or zombie is dead;
5 - got to 1 if zombie is still functioning.
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I made some Aliens rules earlier in the year that are card based, not unlike Akula's, that run the xenos according to set parameters. Solo play was a must as my lot only do historicals. I've not given them much of a playtest yet though.
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I think it would be interesting to see an app that was capable of handling all the AI duties. Perhaps have player created maps, different classes of AI for the enemy, all that malarky. Set up your table top and use your ipad or whatever. Just a day dream though.
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Cool! Can you recommand a place to buy good 20mm zombies?
Elhiem, they' a nice deal.
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Using a computer to handle the AI decision tree would be the easiest answer. You can make it horridly complex and still have the comp deliver an instant order. Sheesh you could even write something like this in basic. IF THEN and GOTO's out the wazzo.
Someone should get on that then! I'd have to buy a tablet though. ;)
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If I had any programming skill I'd give it a shot, but not knowing anything about it, anything I produced would be terrible. But it must be possible with a deck of card or something to create some sort of engine to control an opposing force.
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There is a mechanism for controlling the other side in two sets of rules both of which are quite old. They are:
Pony Wars (or B Troop ain't coming back) and Science versus Pluck (or Too much for the Mahdi). Each deal with hordes (indiand and Mahdists) but the mechanism should wotk for other periods.
There is also a lot refereneces to Soo Wargaming in Donald Fearherstone's and Terry Wis'e books about wargaming published in the 70s and 80s.
Hope that helps.
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There are a lot of good card based solo board games out there, but not sure they could be used in mini games.
It depends if you want a tactical challenge with or without minis....
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Gears of War uses a simple card based AI for the monsters. I have played it solo a few times. Normally I control two or three characters. It is quite fun. A bit similar to those zombie rules someone mentioned, but a bit more elaborate. It is set in a sort of dungeon environment that is semi randomly determined and explored as you go along.
No doubt many other games can be modified to work in similar fashion.
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I've since found a couple of good blogs about solo gaming.
solo-battles.blogspot.com/ (http://solo-battles.blogspot.com/)
solonexus.blogspot.com/ (http://solonexus.blogspot.com/)
Both are well worth reading for anyone interested and take quite different approaches.
Duncan