BBC Battlefield Academy announced!

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

We are proud and happy to give you a first look into another great strategy game we are co-developing with the boys from Slitherine. BBC Battlefield Academy is a spectacular 3D turn based tactical strategy game set in WWII.

Take control of Allied forces through 3 of the major campaigns. Battle in Africa where Montgomery and the mighty Eight Army have to take on Rommel , the "Desert Fox", and his Afrika Korps. Fight on D-day and beyond, battle for every beach, village and hedge between the treacherous "bocage" in Normandy.

Take on mighty panzers in the freezing cold forests and hills of the Ardennes in the Battle of the Bulge. Shermans against Tigers, Bazooka`s against Panzerfausts, 17-pounder against 88`s. This game is all about pure action, cunning tactics and grand strategy.

This is not a boring simulation but a fun packed action strategy game designed in conjunction with the BBC and their historical advisors. It concentrates on the key skills and tactics that worked without the boring micromanagement.

Missions will focus on the events people recognise from films and books, favourite tanks and aircraft will be easily recognisable and controlled by the player.

This is one strategy game you don't want to miss! Coming out on PC, PSP and NDS around Q1 2010.

Note: screenshots below are from the PSP version


http://www.slitherine.com/screenshots/original/game_739974226.jpg

http://www.slitherine.com/screenshots/original/game_1960691731.jpg

http://www.slitherine.com/screenshots/original/game_1760355268.jpg

http://www.slitherine.com/screenshots/original/game_890498749.jpg

http://www.slitherine.com/screenshots/original/game_1136000825.jpg

http://www.slitherine.com/screenshots/original/game_1040437113.jpg

http://www.slitherine.com/screenshots/original/game_599161784.jpg

http://www.slitherine.com/screenshots/original/game_444952059.jpg

http://www.slitherine.com/screenshots/original/game_60246793.jpg



Cheers,

Tim aka LZ

[Mailman653]

Looks similiar to the game series Close Combat, that was a fun game. WWI would of been a nice topic to cover IMO, but the game still looks cool, congratulations on the accomplishment ~:thumb:

[Jolt]

RTS Battlefield Heroes. Gg.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

It looks cute. What's the gameplay like?

[Marshal Murat]

I'm surprised there wasn't anything on Market Garden...do I hear expansion?

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Without revealing to much we are indeed brainstorming a whole range of downloadable expansions and campaigns when this is catching on.

The game is also a "modders dream", just by changing scripts you can simply almost adjust every parameter without to much effort.

We would like to support an active modding community around the game. Even creating other periods like WW1, Romans or Medieval is just a matter of some art and script changing and you can have a variety of games.

Cheers,

Tim aka LZ

[Husar]

When is the iPhone version due? :inquisitive:
Might buy it there for like 5 or 8 bucks if it's well done. ~D

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Here some more early PC screenshots for you of our new upcoming game BBC Battlefield Academy, expected late Q1 2010:


http://www.gamerzines.com/system.store/media/images/600/bbc-battlefield-academy-34a71d36a450d3.jpg

http://www.gamerzines.com/system.store/media/images/600/bbc-battlefield-academy-44a71d36a5d16e.jpg

http://www.gamerzines.com/system.store/media/images/600/bbc-battlefield-academy-24a71d36a2edb8.jpg

http://www.gamerzines.com/system.store/media/images/600/bbc-battlefield-academy-14a71d36a18555.jpg

http://www.gamerzines.com/system.store/media/images/600/bbc-battlefield-academy-04a71d369f30eb.jpg



Cheers,

Tim aka LZ

[Beskar]

LZ, just a question. Is there a particular reason all the names involve television channels?

You got History channel, BBC, etc. Did they sponser/give funding to create these games?

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

For small Indie companies like us and Slitherine, we have not the budgets to pay for huge PR campaigns like the big publishers have. So branding titles with partners who can help with PR is crucial.

We will never get the same primary shelf space in retail or exposure in the media, the big boys are just way to powerful, influential and rich to compete against.

BTW, we must pay them just to use their brands! Not the other way around, but in return they help us with PR, like advertisement, commercials etc...

Pretty cool is, it is the first time EVER the BBC have granted external use of their own BBC brand for a product.

Cheers,

Tim aka LZ

[Beskar]

For small Indie companies like us and Slitherine, we have not the budgets to pay for huge PR campaigns like the big publishers have. So branding titles with partners who can help with PR is crucial.

We will never get the same primary shelf space in retail or exposure in the media, the big boys are just way to powerful, influential and rich to compete against.

BTW, we must pay them just to use their brands! Not the other way around, but in return they help us with PR, like advertisement, commercials etc...

Pretty cool is, it is the first time EVER the BBC have granted external use of their own BBC brand for a product.

Cheers,

Tim aka LZ

Ouch, really ouch. Sorry to hear, I hope because of it, you get a better return.

I usually get a bunch of indy games myself because basically, as they don't try to cater for everyone, they cater by being different, which makes them good.

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

First Previews are here:

Gamerzines.com Preview (http://www.gamerzines.com/pc/previews/battlefield-academy-preview.html)

Nowgamer.com Preview (http://pc-mmo.nowgamer.com/previews/pc-mmo/676/bbc-battlefield-academy)

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Beta testers needed!

As we approach completion of the PC version of BBC Battlefield Academy and start the balancing work for the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP missions, we are starting to recruit a handful of lucky volunteers who will have the privilege of being the first to play the game.
BBC Battlefield Academy is a turn based strategy game with a real time flavor, similar to that seen in games like the UFO trilogy from Cenega. You will be controlling operations in World War II scenarios, spanning from the deserts of North Africa to the snows of the Ardennes and fighting your way across the plains of Normandy.

This is a game with a character of its own; unique comic style characters and a fresh gameplay approach that will confound expectations and drop you into battlefields the like of which you have never seen before.

· Real Military tactics set in a fun to play and fast-paced setting: Airpower, Maneuver, Cover, Ambushes, Suppressing Fire, are all there.
· Between battles, the player can upgrade their unit’s equipment and skills using points earned through combat.
· Rather than simply unlock new types of units, the upgrades provide bonuses to some or all of the player’s army. These are presented in historical terms and have solid game play effects: Including Air Superiority, Counter Battery fire, Spotter planes, Logistics, Interdiction.
· Four types of units - infantry, support, vehicles and bombardment.
· Twenty one battles, divided into three theatres - Western Desert, Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge.
· UI designed to be as simple and accessible as possible, using familiar metaphors from console and hand held games where possible.
· As well as the pre-designed battles within the game, players can construct their own missions
· Turn Based battles on a square tiled grid

To be part of a small selected group of beta testers who will help us improve this new production, please go to http://www.slitherine.com/beta_test/


Cheers,

Tim aka LZ

[HopAlongBunny]

This looks like a fun game :)

Any plan for Dieppe as a download? To assuage the depression of ppl playing the historical battle, you could include the original proposal of a full scale assault backed with air and naval assets.

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Like with our other games, we will pack it with all the necessary modding editors right upon release. One of the great things about the BBC Battlefield Academy game is that almost every aspect of the game can be script edited and the art is easily replaced. So it will be possible to create any possible scenario, battle, campaign or even new timeframe.

Cheers,

Tim aka LZ