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Hi DakkaDakka!

My name's Thomas (or Arc, in gaming circles), and I'm part of Hammerfall Publishing - we're responsible for an upcoming video game called Warhammer 40,000: Chess - Regicide.
It's a turn-based strategy game set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Like the lore-derived game of 'Regicide', it's a throwback to a game played by primitive Terrans from roughly M2.
We haven't said much about the gameplay to date, but you only need to ask...

The idea here is that you can ask me anything about the game, and I'll answer to the best of my ability!

Here are some links!
Website: http://www.warhammer40kchess.com
Announce Teaser Trailer (May 13): http://youtu.be/4NswEA5N4As
Ork Warboss in-game asset: http://youtu.be/lvTrMwh2h-U
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/WH40kChess



I used to be a pretty heavy DakkaDakka user between 2008-2010 as 'Arctik_Firangi'.
My lame-to-fame, for those of you who don't know me, is that I'm partly responsible for this Orkmoticon --->
I also played a good few rounds of the forum game 'Genestealer', and I still think Orks are the best thing since... well, Orcs.

What races will be included as chess pieces, also can you tell us what Chaos' 'Queen' will be.

We have not yet revealed all the races - and for that matter we haven't publically confirmed any of the pieces either...

So far we've dropped images for a Blood Angels Assault Marine, a White Scars Tactical Marine, and the Ork Warboss above. There's a cheeky squig if you check out the 'turntable' vid I linked, too.

I'll pop those images up when I'm back in the office tomorrow!

Welcome to Dakka! Or is that welcome back?
I have to say I'm looking forward to the launch of this game.

When do you plan on launching the game?
What kind of game modes will there be ie. classic chess and 40k-specific modes? What will the general differences be?

Thanks.

Aside from any of the other modes you've yet to announced/have planned/etc., will the game, at the very least, allow you to just play a standard game of chess but with cool animations when the pieces fight one another?

I have to say that Ork Warboss looks great and the proportions of the Marines looks spot on too. Some other recent developers have seemed to miss the mark in this respect. Glad to see that you guys aren't!

I'd also be interested to know if they're will be special "executions" for pieces taking other pieces off the board.

Are all the pieces going to be comprised of Infantry to suggest some kind of scale?

As a previous Dakkanaut I'm hoping you have an excellent grasp of 40k and won't have to have us maul you for failing to deliver something cool.

H.B.M.C. wrote:Aside from any of the other modes you've yet to announced/have planned/etc., will the game, at the very least, allow you to just play a standard game of chess but with cool animations when the pieces fight one another?

We couldn't possibly leave out classic chess. We're fans of ol' Interplay's Battlechess - and yes, there will be a lot of brutal animations. Battlechess only had 35.

Medium of Death wrote:I have to say that Ork Warboss looks great and the proportions of the Marines looks spot on too. Some other recent developers have seemed to miss the mark in this respect. Glad to see that you guys aren't!

Aw thanks! We put a lot of work into realistic proportions - in relation to the motion-capture tech we're using it's vital. We've all seen Space Marines in games with odd running animations... dat thigh gap just ain't natural.

I'd also be interested to know if they're will be special "executions" for pieces taking other pieces off the board.

There will be animations for 'captures', in addition to various other kills in Regicide mode.

Are all the pieces going to be comprised of Infantry to suggest some kind of scale?

There will be non-Infantry...

As a previous Dakkanaut I'm hoping you have an excellent grasp of 40k and won't have to have us maul you for failing to deliver something cool.

We're sticklers for detail... everything down to the tiny Gothic script on a scroll - it's not just gibberish or 'lines that look like words'.
Let me know if there's anything you'd really like to see in game - we've had great feedback so far but we're still in development. We had a 'post your favourite warcry' question on Facebook, for example... we figure the more people talk to us, the more the game will be for 'them'.




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 Paradigm wrote:
Welcome to Dakka! Or is that welcome back?
I have to say I'm looking forward to the launch of this game.

When do you plan on launching the game?
What kind of game modes will there be ie. classic chess and 40k-specific modes? What will the general differences be?

Thanks.

Cheers Paradigm! Yes, I'm a returning Dakkite; I'll be getting on my old profile again when I get time! You seem to have joined the forum in my absence, but my you've been busy posting...

The game is proposed for launch in Q4 this year, although we haven't announced a specific date.

Regicide mode is where it gets dynamic. Our website is getting a bit of an update, but this is from the 'About' section:

Regicide - Plan the attack and command your soldiers through multiple phases of combat. Open fire on your enemies, utilise tactical abilities, battle through fog-of-war, and unleash psychic powers to crush your foes. Fight your way through violent single and multiplayer gameplay and destroy everything that stands between you and certain victory.

Classic - Sharpen your tactics in both single and multiplayer games based on traditional rules, executing brutally violent kills in diverse battlefield terrains.

 40K_Regicide wrote:
We couldn't possibly leave out classic chess. We're fans of ol' Interplay's Battlechess - and yes, there will be a lot of brutal animations. Battlechess only had 35.

So, at its most basic, it's Battlechess 40,000?

Ok. You've sold me. That's all I needed to hear.

Man I never played battlechess so I dunno what I am missing there.

But I did play star wars chess, which I heard was like it.

Sounds very reassuring!

Are you required to base units off of existing GW kits or is there a complete free reign?

Things I'd like to see? Just at the top of my head and not really though out...

I'd hope everything would be in scale, but if it wasn't it wouldn't be that big of a deal.

Chaos obviously!

One thing that might be nice would be to change the colours/decals on your forces like Dawn of War or perhaps earned replacements for certainly pieces linked to achievements or games won or something.

As for things said? Dawn of War covers a lot of good ones. I can't think of any Ork or SM ones at the moment. If you do Chaos and have a Berzerker piece you've got to have "Blood for the Blood God! Skulls for the Skull Throne!" perhaps said as one line or two distinct lines. Oh and "KILL! MAIM! BURN!"

 ZebioLizard2 wrote:
Man I never played battlechess so I dunno what I am missing there.

It was a fun game where the pieces had little canned animations whenever one piece took another. Lots of great ones, like when a Knight took a Knight, they'd do the Black Knight thing from Monty Python, with the Knight being taken losing one limb after another. When the Queen took a Pawn the Pawn would try to run away, dodging magical blasts before finally getting annihilated. Biship vs Bishop would turn into a full on staff v staff battle, and the King always had a fun way of dispatching people. He's use his septre to hit bombs into people, it'd turn into a flail. He even, at one point, would pull a gun from under his cloak!

It was all super-pixellated early 90's style graphics, but it was loads of fun!

 H.B.M.C. wrote:

 40K_Regicide wrote:
We couldn't possibly leave out classic chess. We're fans of ol' Interplay's Battlechess - and yes, there will be a lot of brutal animations. Battlechess only had 35.

So, at its most basic, it's Battlechess 40,000?

Ok. You've sold me. That's all I needed to hear.

BAM! Sold me as well!

But as a devout Black Library fan and lover of 40k fluff I hope you can really put some thought into the 'Regicide' game as described through Black Library novels. it will be slightly disappointing if it is just chess with a different name. If the rules for Regicide is innovative enough I hope it can expand out of the chess bracket and into a game of its own.

How is Regicide described in BL beyond the name?

 Medium of Death wrote:
How is Regicide described in BL beyond the name?

Not very much at all, and in variously conflicting ways. Some elements that may or may not be in the game are 'hidden' pieces/shrouded board setups, and both holographic/physical boards... Abnett even had a round board in a Sabbat Worlds novel.

Good to see you guys know what you are doing, at least.

 Medium of Death wrote:
Sounds very reassuring!
Are you required to base units off of existing GW kits or is there a complete free reign?

It is a licensed Warhammer 40,000 game so obviously we're not inventing new property or anything, but the characters (which are upgradable!) are pretty awesome if I do say so myself.

I daresay you will never have seen a game that as accurately recreates the models and environments you are familiar with. Our artists are top-notch, and let's just say they have... previous experience.

Our campaign storyline is being composed by Ross Watson, known in 40K circles primarily for his work with Fantasy Flight Games re. Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay.

 40K_Regicide wrote:
Our campaign storyline is being composed by Ross Watson, known in 40K circles primarily for his work with Fantasy Flight Games re. Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay.

I've worked on a few of the 40K RPG books with Ross. If he's doing it, then it should be good.

I frittered away many an hour playing Battlechess. Consider my interest piqued!

 H.B.M.C. wrote:

 ZebioLizard2 wrote:
Man I never played battlechess so I dunno what I am missing there.

It was a fun game where the pieces had little canned animations whenever one piece took another. Lots of great ones, like when a Knight took a Knight, they'd do the Black Knight thing from Monty Python, with the Knight being taken losing one limb after another. When the Queen took a Pawn the Pawn would try to run away, dodging magical blasts before finally getting annihilated. Biship vs Bishop would turn into a full on staff v staff battle, and the King always had a fun way of dispatching people. He's use his septre to hit bombs into people, it'd turn into a flail. He even, at one point, would pull a gun from under his cloak!

It was all super-pixellated early 90's style graphics, but it was loads of fun!

So it was like Star Wars Chess.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t95zWq5gQe8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGRox5sYQQw

Good to know! I'd play it then if its like that.

 H.B.M.C. wrote:

 40K_Regicide wrote:
Our campaign storyline is being composed by Ross Watson, known in 40K circles primarily for his work with Fantasy Flight Games re. Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay.

I've worked on a few of the 40K RPG books with Ross. If he's doing it, then it should be good.

I just noticed your signature! I've got every Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay source book up until about mid last-year... I have a bit of catching up to do as it's been a busy twelve months! Your support and approval means a lot - thanks mate.

Incidentally, we've met in real life too.


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 sarpedons-right-hand wrote:
I frittered away many an hour playing Battlechess. Consider my interest piqued!

Anyone who references the Soul Drinkers series and Father Ted within his left-hand column is someone I'm proud to have interested!

 40K_Regicide wrote:
Incidentally, we've met in real life too.

Now you're just freaking me out!!!

So, um, Guard?

Guard.

Guard!

That is all.

Very much looking forward to this.

I love chess. I abso-freaking-lutely suck at it. But I love it.


-What's with the name though? Why "Chess - Regicide"? Is it so that non-40k players know what they're looking at?

-Are they just going to be a standard 64 square board with 16 pieces aside? Can we expect large apocalypse sized boards with 30 or 40 or 50+ pieces or small skirmish boards with 5 or 6 pieces?

-What can we expect in the way of maps/battefields/boards (What are you calling them?). Urban, jungle, desert, etc?

 Snrub wrote:
-Are they just going to be a standard 64 square board with 16 pieces aside? Can we expect large apocalypse sized boards with 30 or 40 or 50+ pieces or small skirmish boards with 5 or 6 pieces?

Chess: Apocalypse. I actually love that concept!

How much of it is turn based and how much is real time?

No questions from me that you haven't covered here or on Facebook so far.(Well, plenty, but you've made it clear what you can and can't say )
Just happy to see this interaction with the community and look forward to seeing more as development continues.

Snrub wrote:Very much looking forward to this.
-What's with the name though? Why "Chess - Regicide"? Is it so that non-40k players know what they're looking at?

Great question. You might notice I didn't actually use the word 'chess' at all in my description of the game, or in the yellow text I posted from the game description!
For people like HBMC - we don't want to occlude the fact that this game is based on chess. As I said, Battlechess is a classic game and big inspiration...
I was sure that Dakkites and lore-followers would know what 'regicide' implies, but it's not clear to everyone.
We do need to dispel the idea that it's 'just chess', because it's a lot more, but as someone who spends a heap of time with a lot of real-life hobby communities I can tell you that the average 40K player either does not read the Black Library, or does not associate with the term 'Regicide'. It's a link to a familiar, real-world concept that even appeal to non-40k fans. Think of how many people know how to play chess compared to 40K!

-Are they just going to be a standard 64 square board with 16 pieces aside? Can we expect large apocalypse sized boards with 30 or 40 or 50+ pieces or small skirmish boards with 5 or 6 pieces?

Did you play Cyanide Studios' Blood Bowl? I did, and as a Blood Bowl fan I loved it. I was a little disappointed by the AI (easy/hard mode just affected the probability of the dice roll mechanic) because for a strong Blood Bowl player, the AI was infantile in comparison.
Our Chess AI, the 'Codex Engine', is based on advanced chess AI - and chess established the very foundations of video game AI. That's our starting point - what we've added in Regicide makes this concept exponentially more complex, and different races or even factions with unique abilities does so again.
Now this doesn't answer your question, but let's just say that the size of a Blood Bowl field and the focus of the developers (they put more emphasis on their real-time mode) led to a pretty weak challenge in Blood Bowl, despite the faithful recreation. We're aiming for a happy medium, and are exploring lots of elements to balance out cinematic 40K gameplay with hardcore turn-based strategy.

-What can we expect in the way of maps/battefields/boards (What are you calling them?). Urban, jungle, desert, etc?

This will be so much better described in upcoming pictures than I could by confirming your questions, so hold on for this one.

MajorStoffer wrote:So, um, Guard?

Guard.

Guard!

That is all.

Well put!

H.B.M.C. wrote:

 Snrub wrote:
-Are they just going to be a standard 64 square board with 16 pieces aside? Can we expect large apocalypse sized boards with 30 or 40 or 50+ pieces or small skirmish boards with 5 or 6 pieces?

Chess: Apocalypse. I actually love that concept!

Maximus Bitch wrote:How much of it is turn based and how much is real time?

It's a turn-based strategy game. Battlechess wasn't our only inspiration... titles like X-Com and Final Fantasy Tactics are too

Squidbot wrote:No questions from me that you haven't covered here or on Facebook so far.(Well, plenty, but you've made it clear what you can and can't say )
Just happy to see this interaction with the community and look forward to seeing more as development continues.

Thanks mate! Great to see another familiar face/avatar.

 MajorStoffer wrote:
So, um, Guard?

Guard.

Guard!

That is all.

Please, no. I hold no dislike for the Guard and all, but seeing Guardsmen stand around on the playing field as equivalent pieces to other armies will just look bad. I already hold all my hopes for the Eternal Crusade devs to not add GKs or Guardsmen as playable for the same reason. Things should not be portrayed as equivalent when they are not even close. It's one thing when it's units that are reasonably close (Like pretty much all Eldar and Marine units, and, at a stretch, Orks) but seeing something like a Guardsman smacking a Warboss to death will just be off-putting, even if the game is made rather abstract.

Or well... Feel free to add them, really. But it's nothing I will consider using.

My two cents.


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As a side note, it's great to see game devs this close to the community. It's even more down-to-earth than the EC guys, in a way.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
As an extra side note, your Marine model is profoundly sexy. Best Marine model I have seen in a game so far.

Edits: Fixed some typos.

 Ashiraya wrote:

As a side note, it's great to see game devs this close to the community. It's even more down-to-earth than the EC guys, in a way.

As an extra side note, your Marine model is profoundly sexy. Best Marine model I have seen in a game so far.

Oh you.

I just make sure the background/lore is accurate and talk to all you wonderful people. I passed your compliment directly to the guys responsible, and their egos are thoroughly stroked.

There's be another marine pic for you on Monday.

Ashiraya wrote:but seeing something like a Guardsman smacking a Warboss to death will just be off-putting, even if the game is made rather abstract

Of course, he could simply shoot him, or bayonet-stab him in the head, or blow him up with a grenade, etc.
One of the most important basics of 40k is that everyone has a chance to kill everything, even if this tends to get ... neglected in certain licensed fiction.
Would you complain if it were about a Marine Scout "smacking" a Daemon Prince to death? (assuming that these would be the equivalent units for Astartes and Chaos Daemon armies in the game)


OT: I'll keep an eye on this - chess rocks. Good luck with your project!