Star Wolf Studio report : November 2020

In short: we failed. As 2020 comes to its conclusion, and Star Wolf Studio looks back at the amount of work we have and have not done this year, the conclusion is simple one. We have failed to achieve all of the set goals for this year. Out of 8 concepts we have managed to get only our global strategy to the play testing stage. That is 1 out of 8. Lets look at our projects during this year:

1. Churchill: trident of peace: the mod has gone thorough a complete overhaul. In its initial stage, we hoped to just to modify main mechanics of conference and modify how the war was being waged. In second version of the rules, the illusion of "that is just a mod" was eliminated. We were working on the completely different game, losing any pretense of old rules and mechanics. Game suddenly changed into a global war game, where battle were resolved using odd table, armies had industry ratings to support them, each and every nation had Intelligence and Counter Intel services, with varied quality. Game used d4, d6, d8 and d10. This is where we took a step back, gave it several play testing games and to our horror we realized, what kind of monster was born. Gameplay time jumped from 3 hours to 6, and flow of events became bogged down in calculating the odds and figuring out how to apply it naval, ground and diplomatic combat. It was, probably one the most complicated wargames written in our studio up to date, but it was not the game we were intending to make.

So third (and current version) of the rules had to be created. We came back to "cards only" mechanics during Conference phase, but retained the mechanics for Support, Abstain and Debate Action. War resolution is a roll of 2d6, but clandestine markers play a much more important role of adding extra die, and allowing player to choose one of the results. The biggest challenges at this point are game scoring mechanics, clandestine marker placement and influence gaining, and finally AI system for solitaire play.

if you don't look back, how do you learn from your mistakes?

2. STALCKER : was and still is the main focus of our efforts. Sadly, project has been put on pause in June this year, when after substantial playtesting we found out that hybrid numeric (d12) and pictorial (custom d8 with several outcomes) is too heavy for the gameplay we had in mind. In addition, game has took a very significant influence from XCOM 2 and Descent 2nd edition, which was difficult to marry with hybrid system. Although, the new core mechanics will consist only of custom D8, there is a substantial amount of work left, testing and applying new core. That is the 6th version of the game, all the while the lore of the game is slowly getting built.

Another huge influence on the development was a game ZONA by polish studio Rebel games. If any game out there has captured the story aspect of Stalker universe is this one.

3. War and Peace : keeps evolving into base of both semi-historic global strategy game (similar to Axis and Allies or classic Pandemic) or sci-fi global strategy game. Although its very early to disclose any particular details of the project, we hope that cross, between classic war gaming odds and roll results system and custom dice resolutions, will prove easy enough and simple enough for our future players. However, there is still a lot of things that require further development. Current variant of the game is ready to be play tested, but due to Covid-19 restrictions its not possible to implement to fullest potential.

4. Combat Turn: our WW2 air combat game has reached the point of solidifying and simplifying major rules. All pilots/crews are divided into 4 levels of Battle expertise, one major super-skill that affects piloting and gunnery, while Initiative determines not only activation order, but who is firing first in the heat of combat. Stress became much more important mechanics, since it stops players from modifying the result of the dice roll. Considering that air combat is fast and furious affair, we removed a clunky planned activation step, now players will alternate activation on the fly, until someone runs out of fuel and must disengage from combat. Although, Combat turn did not get much development during this year, it proved that its basic concepts were correct.

5. Conclusion: despite the "elephant in the room", the current Covid pandemic, we took an approach that did not delivered positive results, namely a finished game, ready to for pre-production run. However mainly due Covid effects on gaming industry and our personal mental health some of the set goal were impossible to fulfill. Play testing in usual gaming clubs or friends became impossible. Due to the mental strain of being locked in the same house for more than several months had a significant debilitating effect on creativity and quality of life. The other significant discovery made during those failed attempts, is that we should stop developing so called "game engine", a universal library and tools for all possible games and focus on creating game delivering unique feel and core mechanics to them. That realization actually freed us to develop some unique decision for Combat Turn and War and Peace, as both were struggling with unified mechanics, while being very different games.

Another failed topic for us this year is a regular, once a month updates on our development process, simply due the lack of focus in said process. This and other failures of this year are the things we have learned, and will address in the planning and execution of our development schedule in coming year.

As someone once said: you may fail, fail, fail again, fail better than last time, but for as long as you stand up, you failures do not matter.

Sincerely yours,

Star Wolf Studio.

Star Wolf Studio is announcing development of STALCKER table-top game.

What is STALCKER?  STALCKER is a table-top role playing game, where players assume roles of various specialists facing the dangers of unpredictable Tchernobyl Exclusion Zone. You may lead a team, play as lone wolf, play cooperatively with friends or against an AI or living opponent. Core of the game is based on 12 skirmish missions, but players always have at several options on how to resolve the mission. That involves non-lethal, diplomatic or stealth approaches.

What character's or roles players will be playing?

Game offers classes based on real-life emergency services workers, medics, firefighter, engineers, security specialists and mercenary soldiers. Although It is possible to learn more than one specialization, those playing as a team will have much higher rate of survival.

Wait, but stalcking was illegal? Can I play as a classic stalker, who crawls through the Zone in order to get rich by selling artefacts?

Of course you can. In addition to main factions who have legalized their work in the Zone, pay good and stable money for their contracts you can always go freelance, or even work for one of several crime syndicates of our world. You may start as underworld operative, or slowly/drastically change you position from respected professional to a wanted criminal. The choice is yours.

By the way, you made a mistake in writing Stalker with “C”.

Thank you for noticing, but that “mistake” is totally intentional. If you remember, our game is RPG, and C stands for one of the character's attributes.

So what does STALCKER stands for?

• S.T.A.L.C.K.E.R. stands for the following:
• Speed: character's ability to move and react to threats.
• Toughness: raw physical strength, grit and prowess.
• Awareness: observation, perception, and spotting.
• Life: how many wound a character can take before dying
• Courage: natural willpower, resistance to fear and charisma
• Karma: fate, luck and ability to cheat death.
• Education: practical knowledge and intellect
• Resistance: ability to withstand physical and other forms of harm.

So what kind of game system is it? Is it S.P.E.C.I.A.L.?

This game uses home-brew system tailor made for this game. It has more than one strong influences in both skirmish and RPG games. The list is rather too long to bring it here, but you are correct, Fallout 1 and 2 and XCOM2 were main inspirations for the game system. However, unlike Fallout where you have to manage your action points pool in combat and use d10/d100 for the tests STALCKER uses combination of d12 and up to 6 custom dice, which affect not only success or failure of the test, but side effects of your actions as well. In addition we decided to use 2 actions per activation approach, as most flexible for managing group of 4 or more character's. Similar to XCOM2, our game offers action economy as well tactical limitations designed to make each mission tense and unpredictable.

What is your relation with authors of “Roadside picnic” and “Stalker: shadow of Chernobyl”?Author is life long fan of their work. However if you are interested in copyright aspect, them I'm sorry to inform you, that we take only inspiration in aforementioned work, and all rights remain under their respective owners. Our game may share some similarities and subjects, but it remains a separate universe and product.

How much it cost to buy your game? What do you offer in the “box”?

Currently the first iteration of rules is under development, and upon release it will be free download in pdf form. That document will include additional print-and-play elements like custom rulers, custom dice markers and several basic tables with players help (turn order, main test, dice modifications ext). As it stands now, game is miniatures agnostic, so you can collect, paint and use any models. Although there is variety of different miniatures on the market, game is designed with 28-32 mm “heroic” scale in mind. However there will be a conversion for 1/35 mm scale minis, at some point in development. Game can be played with both 3d terrain and/or board game style maps.

There are other companies and individual authors that have done skirmish games in similar setting, or even setting free rule sets. Why your is different?

Although that is true, there are plenty of pure skirmish games out there, our game is different because its not a skirmish game. Every mission may be resolved in variety of ways, each gaining different bonuses to your team. Not every mission requires an opponent to fight, the very wild nature will provide plenty of difficulties. For example there is plenty of firefighting missions or simple convoy security missions, where just getting to your objective in one piece is challenging. In addition, in majority of contracts you will be taking, your standing inside of your chosen organization will make an impact on available resources to you.

That sounds like you want me to do a lot of book keeping. What if I just want to shoot people in the face?

We'll provide campaign management sheet with all 4 tabs of information that you'd need. But yes there are pure combat mission which you can play in variety of terrain, complications and objectives.

So when can I get my hands on your game?

When its ready. :) We will keep you posted on our blog.

Sincerely yours,

Star Wolf Studio.

Stalcker: blood, greed 'n' guns

If our studio new year resolution for 2020 was to finish at least one game project, then now things have changed.
We have committed to creation of STALCKER, table-top role-play game.

Details will be posted here: STACKER; BLOOD, GREED 'N' GUNS.  

It has been long time coming.

P.Sh. 

StarWolf Studio: 2019 report

So, as some of you may have noticed our blog went into hibernation for some time. That of course did not mean that our development stopped. But before we start talking about what has been done, lets quickly look at our great plans for 2019.

First of all, 2019 was a year of prototypes. We began this year with a bucket of games in sketches, written in various development diaries. There were almost 16 different projects in different stages of development, from two sentences like : "game about blowing up transports in the ocean" to a developed and ready to be tested miniatures air combat game set in WW II. So it was decided that we take 8 projects and develop each one of them into working and playable prototype. 8 seems like a middle ground number, and just in the balance between time, effort and our game development skills.

Platform for play testing and feedback was chosen a Birmingham Board Game Bash group. In retrospect, that is an amazing group of motivated and friendly game designers, who had a tremendous input on our development as Studio, as game designers and as human being.

So eight chosen projects were:
● CHURCHILL -TRIDENT OF PEACE, mod for Mark Herman's Churchill (game about conferences between allies during WW II),
● COMBAT TURN: tactical miniatures air combat game, based on our BAZILEVS wargame engine,
● CONVOY COMMANDER: tactical logic and prediction game about moving a convoy through submarine infested waters,
● SWAT : tactical miniatures game about storming a rooms with hostages and bad guys,
● STALCKER: : tactical RPG about leading small crew in search of artifacts and survival across the Zone,
● STEEL BATTALION: wargame based on our BAZILEVS engine, set in ww2 where player controls up to battalion size combined force of infantry and tanks, along with air/artillery/naval support.
● WAR & PEACE '41: global strategy set around the World War II, and interaction between Axis and Allied players both in political, economical and military positions. Up to 7 players.
● MEGGIDO '95: global strategy set in alternative universe, where Earth is slowly terraformed by aliens, while two opposing blocks are fighting each other to the death. For 2-8 players.

Our ambitious plans were obviously tampered by events in ordinary life, poor health, day job and many other excuses. However, as of the end of September 2019 we have achieved following progress:
Churchill - second version of working ruleset, prototype is ready to be played.
Combat Turn - playable prototype with core mechanics set, development continues on talents, skills, national specifics.
Convoy Commander - second prototype of rules is in development
SWAT - first prototype is ready and being tested for combat mechanics and events
Stalcker - work on first prototype continues, as well as development of missions and event system.
War 'n' Peace 41 - work on first prototype continues.
Meggido 91 - work on first prototype continues, as game is slowly taking shape and focus.


Main achievement is we have gained as a studio, is that we have build a solid gaming engine capable of being applied to almost any type of the game. BAZILEVS engine remains simple 3 step solution to majority of tasks using one type custom dice and one numerical die:

1) Calculate your dice pool

2) Roll-off, modify and compare results with opponent's roll

3) Determine the difference in successes: the higher the bigger the effect of your action. .


In short, out 8 initial projects 4 are in the state we are happy with. Let me remind you, that despite so many projects, Studio had planned only to establish main working concepts and make prototypes during this period of our development. By reaching 50% of established mark, we should be at least satisfied with current result. Mind you, working on several projects at once has its pluses and minuses. First of all, it allows transfer of ideas from one project to another, second of all, it does not allow to get lost in details of just one system. The biggest problem of course, is that of concentration; focusing on only one project allows for a faster development times, and delivery to the players and customers.

That would be our next goal, as a studio: taking one working concept from prototype and developing it into a full fledged game, along with lore, graphics, dice and world map.

But that is a story for 2020.


Sincerey Yours,

Mark-Paul Severn