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Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPhones and iPads

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#1: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPhones and iPads Author: SeanOConnor,

Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 1:39 pm
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Thought some of you guys here might be interested in my new iOS WW2 simulation game "Firefight" that's just gone live in the AppStore at:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/firefight-ww2/id883314282?mt=8

It's a free download which gets you the fully playable tutorial, and then it's $5 for the full scenarios.

It's a bit like Close Combat but I've really tried to up the realism by giving the tanks a physics engine so they steer themselves like real tracked vehicles, and bullets and shells are all modelled in 3D so they ricochet realistically off buildings and vehicles, etc...

If you take a look please let me know what you think!

Last edited by SeanOConnor on Tue Jan 20, 2015 4:52 pm; edited 1 time in total

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#2: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: Pzt_Kanov, Location: México

Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 4:59 pm
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Looks really interesting, I tried your other firefight game for PC ages ago.

Is this only for ipad? I don't have one but would like to try it out.

#3: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: mooxe,

Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 5:34 pm
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Hey Sean thanks for keeping us updated on it.

#4: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: Pzt_Crackwise, Location: Switzerland

Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 6:27 pm
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@Sean: I don't have an IPad, but would really like to see a gameplay footage of this game, at least I could recommend it to a friend perhaps.

I couldn't find a video on Youtube so far though. Could you upload a couple of gameplay videos if possible?

#5: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: Pzt_Kanov, Location: México

Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 6:47 pm
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Sean please post more videos

here's one for you guys.

Infantry: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/96522875/FF%20infantry%20sneaking.mp4
Tanks: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/96522875/FF_tanks.mp4

Looks incredible.

Seems someone is going to steal CC userbase... lol

#6: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: Ivan_Zaitzev,

Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 9:00 pm
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Looks nice. Hope it gets out for Android too, I don't have an iPad.
I was about to ask if you are the same guy from the Close Combat Like game Firefight, but looked at your site and you are! It's great to see how you managed to make a mobile version.

#7: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: pt11070,

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2014 1:35 pm
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I remember this as a possible alternative to CC at the time. Very nice to see it still around. I am downloading it. Wow. Never give up your dreams, Sean.

Pt

#8: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: Dima,

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2014 5:01 pm
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Just tried - seems to be very good!

#9: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: SeanOConnor,

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 9:46 am
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Sorry the videos are a bit shaky. The only way I could figure out how to record them was to hold a camera over my iPad while playing a game! The game runs at 60 fps on an actual iPad but horribly slowly on a Mac's iPad simulator (because it does the OpenGL in software rather than hardware) so I can't record a video from that.

If the game sells well there will definitely be Android and Windows ports.

#10: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: Dima,

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 11:22 am
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SeanOConnor wrote (View Post):

Sorry the videos are a bit shaky. The only way I could figure out how to record them was to hold a camera over my iPad while playing a game! The game runs at 60 fps on an actual iPad but horribly slowly on a Mac's iPad simulator (because it does the OpenGL in software rather than hardware) so I can't record a video from that.
If the game sells well there will definitely be Android and Windows ports.

i've bought it Smile

#11: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: diggin.robat, Location: Land of the krauts

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 2:04 pm
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Wow! Always tried to evade mac products, but this is the first argument to make me think over! Keep up the good work!

#12: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: Pzt_Kanov, Location: México

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 4:52 pm
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Sean, shouldn't you have released the game first for PC? isn't your whole previous fan base in that market? why you decided ipad first?

#13: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: diggin.robat, Location: Land of the krauts

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 4:56 pm
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Hehehe, I would turn on the touch screen on my notebook. Directing units with finger tips might be cool. Maybe hammering with the finger onto the screen would work against lousy Panzer pathing...

#14: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: SeanOConnor,

Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2014 1:58 pm
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Pzt_Kanov wrote (View Post):

Sean, shouldn't you have released the game first for PC? isn't your whole previous fan base in that market? why you decided ipad first?

That's a good question! Originally I was doing a straight port of the Windows game over to iPad but I quickly realised there was so much more I could do as that old code was written in 1996. I started again from scratch and just got a bit carried away adding more and more things as I realised how much extra processing power there was available now. I thought I'd spend about 6 months on this but ended up spending nearly 2 years.

One advantage of iOS programming over Windows though is you can guarantee that every iPad has OpenGL. Windows has DirectX but you don't know which version of the vital helper D3DX9_nn.DLL the user has installed, if any. The top-end games solution to this is to just ship the DirectX installer with every download. The lack of a Windows AppStore for anyone except Windows 8 users is ridiculous too. It feels as if MS really doesn't care about us small developers, but Apple has embraced us!

My plan is to look into the newish Direct2D that MS has made (available on Vista, 7 and 8 - but not XP) and maybe try and use Steam too.

#15: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: US_Brake, Location: USA

Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2014 4:51 pm
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Looks kinda like the game Zonbie was workin on

#16: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: Dima,

Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 2:25 am
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Hi Sean,

Been playing FF on my Ipad mini Retina during the flight recently, there are some problems I've noticed:

1) Tank pathfinding is on CC2 level Sad

. They move backward instead of forward. No way to turn them in right direction with commands.
2) Tanks don't fire a main gun when ordered "fire" command.
3) Infantry squads should have at least 1 LMG not just rifles and SMG.
4) Tanks don't fire main guns on spotted infantry/gun targets marked by "?" and only use MGs.
5) Please add new maps, as it is kind of boring to play different scenarios of a single map.

#17: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: SeanOConnor,

Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2014 11:56 am
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Dima wrote (View Post):

Hi Sean,

Been playing FF on my Ipad mini Retina during the flight recently, there are some problems I've noticed:

1) Tank pathfinding is on CC2 level Sad

1) I don't think it's the path finding itself that's the problem, it's getting the tanks to drive along that path that is the tricky bit. CC cheats because it allows tanks to turn on the spot (which very few WW2 tanks could do - and they'd probably lose a track if they did try it). I wanted FF tanks to drive more realistically, so they have to use their brake levers to steer. They'll reverse if the destination is just a little way behind them, rather than turn around. I'll need to add some more code though to prevent them doing that reverse if they are pointing their rear at the enemy. I'll also make it so they put more effort into facing the danger front on once they have reached their destinations.

2) Tanks will tend to not waste their main gun ammo if you order them to fire, but they will on occasion. They wont shoot their main gun if they only have armour-piercing shells like with 2 pounders. There's just not much point shooting AP speculatively!

3) I'm pretty sure every infantry squad does have an LMG

4) see answer for (2)

5) I'm working on the next map right now! It would have been great to have had a whole set of maps ready for the initial release, but I'd spent nearly 2 years working on this game and I needed to start making some money!

#18: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: Pzt_Kanov, Location: México

Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2014 4:24 pm
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Sean, in the original Firefight you had the option to make random maps based on some parameters. Correct?

Why this changed in this version? why are you following the artisanal manual creation of maps like in close combat? doesn't this seems like a step backwards?

#19: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: SeanOConnor,

Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2014 4:17 pm
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Pzt_Kanov wrote (View Post):

Sean, in the original Firefight you had the option to make random maps based on some parameters. Correct?

Why this changed in this version? why are you following the artisanal manual creation of maps like in close combat? doesn't this seems like a step backwards?

Yes, that's right, the Windows version does generate random maps. The trouble with that I thought was they were always a bit samey and it would be virtually impossible to get them to look as nice as the hand-drawn ones I'll be adding to the new iPad version.

When I come to do a Windows port I might include the Windows map data generator I've written so it would be possible for people to create their own maps. You'd need to create a 4096x4096 background image, and then use my map generator to add the buildings, trees, fences, hill contours, units etc...

#20: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: SeanOConnor,

Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 5:40 pm
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Dima wrote (View Post):

Hi Sean,

Been playing FF on my Ipad mini Retina during the flight recently, there are some problems I've noticed:

1) Tank pathfinding is on CC2 level Sad

1) A new update has just gone live and there are some improvements to tank movement, and they'll now always try and keep their fronts facing danger.
2) Tanks do fire their main gun sometimes but mostly will use their MGs. They won't fire their main gun though if it doesn't have any HE rounds - I didn't think they'd be much point in firing AP rounds speculatively.
3) I think all the squads do have an LMG?
4) Same as 2) I guess
5) I'm working on new maps right now! There are two more in the works at the moment and they should be ready in a couple of weeks time.

#21: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: Ivan_Zaitzev,

Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 1:04 am
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Are these historical maps or just gameplay friendly maps?

#22: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: sod98,

Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 5:33 am
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Cheers Sean- job well done. Plays really well.

#23: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: SeanOConnor,

Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 9:50 am
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Ivan_Zaitzev wrote (View Post):

Are these historical maps or just gameplay friendly maps?

I'm using Google Maps to find interesting/game play friendly maps and basing them on that. The scale of the game is 8 pixels = 1 metre so even my big 4096x4096 map images are only 512m x 512m. This probably does make all the tank v tank combat quite close in compared to historical actions, so I need to make the maps quite "cluttered" or tanks would see each other right from the start.

#24: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: SeanOConnor,

Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 9:52 am
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I've also just released 2 new maps (Bléneau railway station and Remilly town). They're both in-app purchases but you can give them a test for free using the built-in tutorials using:

Firefight on the AppStore

#25: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: Dima,

Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2014 3:52 pm
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SeanOConnor wrote (View Post):

I've also just released 2 new maps (Bléneau railway station and Remilly town). They're both in-app purchases but you can give them a test for free using the built-in tutorials using:
Firefight on the AppStore

Hi Sean,

thanks for new maps and pathfinding is good now.
still there are alot of problems with TOEs:

Germany:

May-June 1940
1) 10men squad instead of 11men, 8 K98k, 1 leMG (Mg34 or Mg26(t)), 1 Pistol. MP40 was quite rare that time.
2) SdKfz 251/1 crew was 2men.
June 1944
1) 9men squad instead of 11men, 1 MP40, 1 leMG, 7 K98k (1 K98k with Grenade Launcher - 12 rounds should be ok).
2) Or if you simulate static units in Normandy then 10men, 1 MP (french or old german), 2 leMG, 2 Pistols, 6 K98k (1 K98k with Grenade Launcher - 12 rounds should be ok). MGs - french or czech.
August 1944
1) There was no SS-Grenadiers there were SS-PzGrenadiere, if carried by SdKfz 251 then 10men with 1 MP40, 1 G41, 2 leMG42, 2 Pistols, 2 K98k (1 K98k with Grenade Launcher - 12 rounds should be ok). If carried by truck - 12men, 1 MP40, 1 G41, 2 leMG42, 2 pistols, 6 K98k (1 K98k with Grenade Launcher - 12 rounds should be ok, maybe 1 sniper K98k).
2) StuG IIIG, crew - 4men, no MG34, gun - 7,5cm StuK40 L/48.
3) Panzer IVJ was quite rare in Normandy, would be better using PzIVH, add 4 90cm smoke dischargers.
4) SdKfz 251/1 crew was 2men.
5) Infantry - 1 MP40, 1 leMG, 7 K98k (1 K98k with Grenade Launcher - 12 rounds should be ok).

UK:
May 1940
1)8men with 7 LE MkIII and 1 Vickers-Berthier or BREN. No SMG!
July 1944
1) Sherman VC (Firefly - post war nickname) - 4men crew.
2) 10men Section with 1 Sten MkII, 1 BREN and 8 SMLE No4. No Thompson for the brits (besides commandos) in ETO.
3) 2" mortar crew was 2 with Sten for loader.

US:
July-September 1944:
1) M4A4 Sherman was not used by the US. Should be M4 (most common) or M4A3 in July.
2) M3A2 HT was not used by the US. Should be M3A1.
3) If that's armored infantry then 12men with 1 M3 SMG and 11 M1 rifles (2 grenade launchers), 1 Bazooka M1 with 6 rounds, if normal infantry then 12men with 1 M1 carbine, 1 BAR and 10 M1 rifles (1-2 grenade launchers).
February 1945:
1) M4A4 Sherman was not used by the US. Should be M4A3 and M4A3(76) in February.
2) Infantry 12men with 1 M1A1 SMG, 2 BARs and 2 M1 carbines (BAR assistants), 7 M1 rifles (1-2 grenade launchers).

Please add smoke grenades to infantry sections, 1-2 per section is enough.
Please add smoke mortars for US shermans and VC (2", 147m range) and smoke dischargers 4" for Sherman V.
Please add smoke bombs to mortars.
Would be good to have paired 3"/81mm/8cm mortars as that's how they usually worked.

Guess that's enough work for you for now Smile

#26: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: SeanOConnor,

Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 1:21 pm
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Wow, thanks Dima! I'll get all of your fixes in the game asap!

If you'd like to check over all of my data files please send me an email at sean [at] windowsgames.co [dot] uk and I can email them to you. Each squad is a text file and is laid out in a sort of XML type way. I'm planning on writing a Windows app to help me create the tank ones as they're getting quite complicated now and it's easy to make a mistake when typing in the text rather than seeing it all visually.

I could credit you in the About box, and send you free copies of my Windows and iOS games in return?

#27: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: papa_whisky,

Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2014 5:40 am
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Looks really good well done and thanks for sharing. If I had an iPad I certainly would buy it.

#28: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPads Author: SeanOConnor,

Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 4:47 pm
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Version 2.0 is out now on the AppStore and it can run on iPhones and iPod Touches as well as iPads now. I've also added some new features like showing hill contours when you zoom out, and there are now 6 maps available with number 7 in the pipeline.

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#29: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPhones and iPa Author: Pzt_Crackwise, Location: Switzerland

Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 10:29 pm
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Hi Sean, I have had the chance to play your game a bit and it feels pretty good! I must say that it definitely has stuff that future CC games can take as an example - vehicle inertia and engine noise is some of those features which come to my mind, which really improve the vehicles in my opinion.

There are a few issues which make the game a bit chaotic for me though, such as:

1) I have a hard time trying to understand where the enemy is, who is shooting who etc.
2) No Line of Sight (LoS) indicator. No idea who has LoS on what.
3) Shots bouncing off like crazy from edges of buildings. Which is somehow over done.
4) Shots (or tracers) are too thick. Would prefer them a bit thinner with nicer graphics. Also explosion graphics could be better.

Finally, I don't know if you have the time and the means for that, but if you also implemented a psychological engine (a la Close Combat, supression, fatigue etc.) and made the game for PC, with solid AI and a stable and fun multiplayer (improving the weak parts of CC), I would definitely buy it! It would be great to have a new game with CC features + the stuff community asked for years from the developers (which mostly fell on deaf ears).

I hope you can advance the game and make a new generation CC game! I am not very optimistic about Matrix games in that regard, so people like you are probably our only hope.

#30: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPhones and iPa Author: Ivan_Zaitzev,

Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 7:18 pm
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I will definitely buy this when it is on Adnroid!

#31: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPhones and iPa Author: Bel8910,

Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 8:37 pm
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Wow! can't wait to see this in Android!

#32: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPhones and iPa Author: Schmal_Turm,

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 6:02 pm
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When I first got this for my iPad it was working great. Then the sound on the battles quit even though they are still going.

Has anyone else have any trouble like this?

#33: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPhones and iPa Author: SeanOConnor,

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2016 9:28 pm
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I've just released version 3.0 which now has local network play. One player can be the attacker while the other defends. If this is popular I'll look into having teams of network players attack and defend. If you give it a go please let me know what you think!

#34: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPhones and iPa Author: mooxe,

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2016 10:35 pm
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Thanks for update Sean, always welcome!

#35: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPhones and iPa Author: Ivan_Zaitzev,

Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2016 11:01 pm
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Still waiting for the Android version Sean!

#36: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPhones and iPa Author: mooxe,

Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2016 12:26 am
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If it comes to Android then I can play it via Bluestacks on my computer.

#37: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPhones and iPa Author: Ivan_Zaitzev,

Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 7:50 pm
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This game was released a couple of months ago on Steam, went under my radar at the time.
http://store.steampowered.com/app/500190/

#38: Re: Firefight - real time WW2 simulation for iPhones and iPa Author: Ivan_Zaitzev,

Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 7:57 pm
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From the author:
"The new Steam Windows version is a direct port of the iOS version from Objective C to C++ and uses SDL for the graphics and sound. The only thing it doesn't have is the networking in the iOS version but all the code is there and I just need to wire it up so that should be available in an update soon. I'll also add a feature to choose your own units/nationality/date. The only reason that's missing from the iOS version is that I thought iPad screens would be too small to have all the user interface lists and buttons etc.., that would be needed to select things. I'll add a mission debrief at the end of the game too. I'd also like to add more options for controlling your squads. On a small iPad screen there just wasn't much space for that and there's no such thing as a right click.

I'll also be looking into getting more hand drawn maps created and the Eastern front added too. After drawing the map background image the trees, buildings, objects, sheep etc... and the scenarios are created on a Windows app I wrote which I'll tidy up and release for free so people can create their own maps. The tank editor for modifying and creating tank info is also a Windows app which I'll release."

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