Wings of War - How a Game Learns to Fly

[Angiolillo]

Hi everybody. Please spread the new... and come, if you can.

Saturday 12th of June at 7 pm, during the Pisa Gioca convention (Logge di Banchi, Pisa, Italy), I will be toghether with my publisher Roberto Di Meglio at the meeting "Wings of War: come un gioco impara a volare" ("Wings of War - How a Game Learns to Fly"). We will play the very first proptotype, invented in one night in February 2002.

http://images.boardgamegeek.com/images/pic38822_md.jpg

Then we will follow all the game and graphics evolution trough all the different prototypes made and play the published version of March 2004, having finallty a look at the further evolution. A good occasion for would-be authors to see a "game backstage" but also to WoW players to see how our game was born and evolved.

More details here:
http://www.gioconomicon.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=5419

The next day, Sunday at 3.30 pm, a tournament will be held with a WW2 Deluxe and several miniatures as prizes, including some not-for-sale golden/silver ones.

Pisa Gioca is the same convention where the 81 players recod game has been held in 2009.

Happy gaming!

Andrea

[Oberst Hajj]

Wish I could be there for this! Good luck everyone!

[Ducalutra]

I'll be there! Sunday at least.
I already own a Silver Fighter, now I'm after the Golden one.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs327.snc3/28966_1377738736336_1617912829_865877_3803872_n.jpg

[gregbond77]

Sounds like fun. Wish I could be there.

[Ducalutra]

I hope I'll be able to post some pics!

[Flying Officer Kyte]

How did you win your silver fighter?
Rob.

[Ducalutra]

I actually didn't win it. I was given it in return for organizing tournaments at our local store (being the arbiter, I couldn't play).

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Very nice to have anyway, and I bet you actually did more work to get that than if you had played. It has given me an idea for our end of year prizes.
Rob.

[Ducalutra]

It took some time, but was worth it. I collected eight people that didn't know the game, and after half an hour they were cursing and swearing around the game mat.

As far as I know the gold and silver fighters are distributed by Nexus itself to be used as prizes (see http://www.wingsofwar.it/read.asp?id=3637).
Perhaps if you write them, they'll provide some.

http://www.wingsofwar.it/backoffice/cms/images/mini7011.jpg
http://www.wingsofwar.it/backoffice/cms/images/mini7012.jpg

[Oberst Hajj]

They were out of these for a while... looks like they have them "in stock" again. I contacted Nexus about getting some for prizes here on the site, but got no reply. May have to try again.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Thanks for the info chaps. I knew I'd seen the gold one somewhere on one of the sites but could not remember anything about it. This clears it up.
Rob.

[Ducalutra]

It's strange they didn't answer. As far as I know Nexus is very keen on helping players spread the game, e.g., at Sunday's tournament in Pise, it's them who provided the 24 minis required, and the prizes as well I guess.

[Angiolillo]

Each dealer is on charge of its language area. So I think that you should ask Nexus for those prizes if you live in Italy, but FFG if you live in USA. They should have them too.

Here there are several photogalleries about Pisa Gioca 2010:

http://gioconomicon.net/modules.php?name=coppermine&cat=26

You find "Wings of War" prototypes and relics in the "Wings of War: come un gioco impara a volare" section of the gallery - Picture 4 is even the original project, drawn in a hurry and then immediately transformed into the prototype of Pictures 6 onward. The new WW2 Series 2 minis are in the "Wings of War: nuovi modelli" section and pictures of the tournament at page 2 of the "Evento" gallery.

An article (in Italian) about the success of the convention is there:

http://www.gioconomicon.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=5426

Have fun!

Andrea

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Each dealer is on charge of its language area. So I think that you should ask Nexus for those prizes if you live in Italy, but FFG if you live in USA. They should have them too.
Andrea

Hi Andrea.
May I ask what we do about asking if we live in Britain?
Rob.

[Angiolillo]

This is a very good point. Fantasy Flight Games is on charge of all the English speaking countries, UK included. So I would ask them.

They gave the distribution to Esvedium, so maybe also promotion is up to them, and maybe Esvedium also has some special miniatures to be used as prizes - I do not know. It would be a good thing, to save some shipping costs. Anyway I still suggest to ask FFG, and then it could be them to tell you to refer to Esvedium.

Here the contact form:

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_atencion.asp

By the way I would suggest the same to anybody being in a country that has no official distribution and so gets English copies. Countries like France, Spain, Greece, Finland, Portugal, Poland, Sweden, Germany, Japan have local distributors to refer to. The others should better refer to FFG.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Thanks for the super fast response Andrea. I have made a note of the contact address and form.
Rob.

[NeilCFord]

Rob

I know that Esdevium have supported demos in the past, but I'm not sure if they have the special miniatures.

I'll see if I can find contact details for the demo/support person at Esdevium.

- Neil.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Rob

I know that Esdevium have supported demos in the past, but I'm not sure if they have the special miniatures.

I'll see if I can find contact details for the demo/support person at Esdevium.

- Neil.

Thanks Neil. There is no immediate rush, but I'd like to get something worked out for Aug Bank if I can. It is all in the melting pot at the moment.
Rob.

[Colmanspig]

Shutting down wings PBEM . net

A site that promoted sales as you need the packs to plan your moves with accuracy.
A site that connected gamers, particular importaint in places as big as the USA canada etc.
A site that was just gamers enjoying your game.

poor show

[Angiolillo]

How is it happening?

[Colmanspig]

Click on the link


http://wings-pbem.net


or email the poor servant that ran it.
Matt Henderson <hendersondayton@wings-pbem

[Angiolillo]

Not Nexus fault, sorry. Never asked to close. See http://wings-pbem.net/

That's a real, real pity. Matt did a great job indeed and it is a waste that's finished.

[Angiolillo]

Back to the event that was the subject of the post, a report in Italian is there:
http://www.gioconomicon.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=5455

A photogallery there:
http://www.gioconomicon.net/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=thumbnails&album=180

Bye,

Andrea

[NeilCFord]

Thanks for sharing those Andrea, they were superb. I skipped the article as I can't read Italian, but the photos definitely told a story.

- Neil.

[Oberst Hajj]

Here is the article translated into English (via Google Translate):


In full of buzzing murmur fun hovering between banks PisaGioca 2010 , a group of pilots gathered around a table, not to challenge on board their biplanes as usual, but to hear the story directly by the voice of the author of Wings of War , Andrea Angiolino and publisher Roberto di Meglio ...

Initiative interesting meeting Wings of War: learn to fly like a game , not just a story that traces its history to prototype prototype but also the opportunity for those present to try his hand as the different versions have been held on time, with different rules from those which were then included in the final version.

The story begins with the first author approaches to the so-called simulation game, much more detailed and complex representations of WOW that is well expressed in the game of the 1994 Squadron of the Aces, attached to the aeronautical magazine, where as a backdrop to an enormous grid hexes glimpse a landscape very familiar to us is the same illustration of Darius Cali which is then used to fund the operation of the cards and "gaming mat" Wings of War .

Born during one night in 2002, following a discussion with co-author and friend Piergiorgio Paglia on why there were no simulated aerial combat fast and fun as Ace of Aces, the first prototype was designed by Andrea himself on cards Traditional white size (not as small as the current ones) are already in the early sketches and the winning ideas that marked the success of the game viewed from the air with triangles superimposed, charts maneuver curves with different widths to represent the difference in handling models. And a proposal for a name that already thinks sull'internazionalità like this: World War Wings.

The winning formula is found in a much smaller format cards and well illustrated by that fund watercolor Cali conflict with technical drawings that give just the right touch of realism to the whole. Regarding housing and components, everything is designed in the games industry (not paper!) And then in the little box to accompany meter ruler, we find the comfortable plancettes cardboard for positioning maneuvers and damage.

So armed with a mock-up almost indentical to the package then will be sold, Nexus at the time of the GTS in 2003 to illustrate the most famous American publishers that aviation simulation can be fun even if it lasts less than an hour. The first difficulty to be overcome was precisely the topic: World War I did not enjoy all this interest in the market, and the effective absence of various nations of the first war in heaven put doubts on the spread. Not a few interlocutors at the end of the presentation asked the possibility of transforming it into a game of fantasy battles between dragons and other flying creatures.

Curiously, the first concerned are like the Avalanche or GMT , which still produce eagoni full of boxes, markers and reference cards. Probably this is the end of the agreement was found with Fantasy Flight , which however did not fail to also bring the fantasy variant.

As a foreign partner is convinced that the project is successful?E 'in March 2004 saw the first light box in Italian by the Nexus : Wings of War: Famous Aces.

The Fantasy Flight expects May same year for the U.S. edition and the success is likely to see the first print run sold out in 12 days, and then before the big event in August, the Gen Con Indy .Indeed, the armored Nexus this is reflected in Indianapolis with no box to try the game, luckily there was a version oversized (floor) made for promotional purposes. The success of an historical background in the catalog Fantasy Flight affect subsequent choices of the American colossus, leading to invest in projects such as Tide of Iron or Britain.

From then on the story we know well, we have witnessed over the years with the succession of a long series of releases that still has no signs of abating. Angiolino and to better make us notice how the various ideas that have characterized the boxes next to the first set had been designed, however since the beginning of the game. The balloons, the bombers, the double arrows to the maneuvers of the war, but above the thumbnails!

The scale model aircraft of Wings of War was a dream Angiolino beginning, but this was likely to remain difficult because the production seemed to many.

It was the relationship between Nexus and Italeri feasible to make the dream in 2007, thanks to a project of biplanes aside from the famous producer of historical models that seemed to happen to French beans development that was living Wings of War .

They were not exactly those models chosen in the end, many tests and travel before reaching the final product that would ensure accuracy and quality even for fans of historical sophistication. Definitely a risky bet that was preparing to launch Nexus , considering the already widely available in the version of the game of cards around the globe. But now the box base Wings of War Miniatures has spread almost equal to that of Famous Aces and increases daily (at the meeting the editor explained to us just launched new models in the series of War II ).

Probably Better admits, is due at the exit of the game miniatures version enjoys such longevity.

And now?

apart from the news as Flight of the Giants or Rain of Destruction as we develop the game? there is a particular focus on the wishes of fans, gathered mainly in the yahoo group of over 3000 members from around the world, who have frequently expressed interest (or developed themselves) for systems of campaigns and scenarios such as to be of squadrons custom that evolve with the passing of the scenarios.

And for the moment this is the main idea on which they are thinking author and publisher, while other international partners have their say.

He tried the Fantasy Flight in 2008 announced with great fanfare by the video game of the Big Rooster. Unfortunately the cock, however big, has the contract for a series of internal problems and although the design of a Wings of War console is still standing the license must still be assigned to another development group.

The pleasant meeting ends trying to think of a less immediate future, in which the mechanisms of Wings of War used for any other setting. Fantasy? But more to the moment we can not say the game will probably light in the spring of 2011 so hopefully we will know for next Essen something more.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

;)P.D.G. Col.
Rob.