Blast from the past.

[Jax]

Howdy fellas.

I found a couple of old space crusade miniatures loitering in a box as I was having a sort out. And memories 20years+ came flooding back. So I decided to try and find a complete copy of the game. I was horrified at the prices initially, but I still needed to get a copy, in the end it cost me £36. But it did include the dreadnought expansion so thought it quite reasonable.

I managed to play my first game this Saturday with some friends that had travelled up from Cambridge. My memories didn't do the game justice, plus it was even better as I won both missions, even though I was the alien player, and they were working together.
Now I have a big problem because they've gone back and I'm stuck in Yorkshire and am already needing another fix.
I'm considering using an online programme called vassal to play them again has anyone used this before?

P.S keep up the good work with additional characters. I'm thinking of making a squad of kroot as an invading force, I'll let you know more when I've worked out the final details.

[Mezillious]

Hey Jax, I know what you're saying! I had a buddy who lived in the same town as me and it meant that all we needed was one extra to get a decent game going. He moved to the States (I'm in Australia) and I've barely been able to get a game together since. It's really surprising how fun this game is, even after all these years. And with such scope for expansion and so many ideas floating around forums like these, makes it even more awesome!

I tried running a game over facebook earlier in the year which consisted of a GIMP image file with all of the pieces as different layers. Players would send their orders and I would update the map and post it up. It worked ok, but I was spending hours updating the map, it just wasn't efficient.

I toyed with the idea of running a Skype game with my buddy in the States but the time difference would make it quite difficult. The fact that it is a turn based game means that technically you could run it as a facebook-style game, as long as you can automate the process somehow.

In short I would be keen to join in if you can find a way to do it online, I can't get enough of the game and since I'm always trying to find new players I end up playing the Alien player 95% of the time, so it would be great to bust out a team of Marines again!

I did find a site (http://dicelog.com/dice) which allows you to open a dice log, meaning that people who have access to it can make a roll and the results will be recorded and visible to everyone. I didn't implement this in my game, however it looks like it would suit this pretty well.

Good luck setting up a game, I'm happy to help if I can!

Mez

[Fenryz]

Someone mentioned this in another thread, it might be useful for running boardgames over the net : http://www.vassalengine.org/

I havent tried it myself, but basically you load modules into the engine emulating different boardgames. Could be worth a try ? :)

[Tony1978]

Hi Jax,
I've played several times with SC on Vassal, but... in italian language.
If that's not a problem for you, try a search with google.

[Jax]

Did you think it was any good playing on Vassal Tony?

 I've downloaded Vassal and the SC module. 1st impressions are I'm very impressed by the programme and the hard work the Italian fellas have done.  My Italian is pretty awful, but so far it seems pretty simple. After a bit of messing about I've manged to make the original mission 1 board.

I'm definately up for trying if anybody else wants to give it a go.

[Tony1978]

Hi Jax,
at this moment I've no time to spend for Vassal, but, when I'll inform you if I play with my group.