"Viability of App Driven Games?" Topic

I've been gaming for 25+ years and I know many are opposed to computer/smartphone APPS being introduced. However, as a progressively Solo miniature gamer I wanted to see what opinions are regarding APP Driven Miniature Wargaming…starting with most popular periods/subject matter. Would it be commercially viable? How would the community of Gamers receive it?

Only one way to find out…try it.
Now, what are you talking about here:
1 – A "battle calculator" – tap the buttons to define your mini's status and let it figure out the to-hit roll needed.
2 – A dice roller. (Already have those, and personally, I prefer to scatter real dice across the table).
3 – A quick reference sheet on your phone
4 – A semi-random decision maker – you plug in the units and their layout and update as units are moved. The phone then suggests orders for the NPC side.
5 – something other than what my dice rattled mind can envision?

Although a board game using miniatures, rather than a traditional wargame, Star Wars Imperial Assault does an excellent job with an app-driven version of the game. It's official and serves as a tutorial and as a co-op/solo engine. I believe available for android and iphone. check it out.

What does "app driven" mean?

It determines the sequence of play by random activations?

It does all the dice rolling?

I can't see them being a big selling point any time soon.
Then again "Dark Tower" was a great "app" from way back.

Specifically, AI Opponent.
1. Standardized Game Mat.
2. Set types of Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery, stands with unit ratings and strength by scenario.
3. Terrain set up by scenario.
4. Movement, combat, and outcomes inputted on app and resolved. Duplicated on board.

The app acts as an AI opponent to counter your moves.

Sounds like a computer game but with the added hassle of moving figures around to match the screen!

Or maybe I'm just misunderstanding?

How long do you have until the APP is obsoleted, and/or no longer supported?

Stuff like this reminds me of vaporware, kind of like Microsoft Operating Systems.

It sounds like a good idea, but I think getting it to work in a fast and friendly manner will be difficult.

To my mind, here are some problems and potential solutions:
1. You'll be duplicating work: setting up the app and the tabletop. Unless you can do something like setup the table then take a picture to automatically populate the app. Or have pre-defined scenarios that are already in the app and only play those.

2. More duplication: You've move a squad on the table, now how do you get that info into the app? Again, taking a picture would be easy, but adds to the complexity (and size) of the app. Maybe using something like zone movement would be easier for the app, but probably less enjoyable on the table (there's a LOT of subjectivity in that sentence).

3. The app will layout orders for the NPC side. That supposes that the app can be programmed to know what the "best" option would be. It may be easier to randomly generate the orders based on a list of most likely orders for that situation.

hmm.. #3 suggests that the purpose of the app may be to keep lists of likely orders for given situations. The player moves his units. On the NPC turn, the player punches in the closest scenario for the active NPC unit. The app goes down the list and issues orders.

Well, that turned into a meandering train of thought.

Musing along…assuming something less than holograms…

Smart tabletops that automatically track miniatures with RFID chips in bases. AI-computer wargames already do track units on a 2D screen basis, so converting to 3D figure tracking shouldn't be too much of a stretch. Hexes, squares, or grid coordinates go back and forth.

Turn-based, crowd-sourced, social media-inputted 'turns' for your particular miniature. Pop up your app, get assigned a miniature in the game, and follow it like a double-blind game. You need to supply the terrain and minis on your tabletop, but every other mini but yours is moved by others. Maybe better for naval games than land ones.

App randomly spouts lines of encouragement and discouragement just like our real social games! :)

I have an idea for a hidden movement app but not the ability or funds to create it. It would allow a decent hidden movement in any game, any rules, with no umpire. But talking to a developer it would take 50-100k to develop…

The mat would have to have some designated areas probably grids but that could be subtle for appearance.

Example: commanders would issue orders to units on the App to move from one grid to another grid, rally units in another grid, move cavalry on a flank to threatened flank or rear attack…

The App would move, fire, etc…it's units simultaneously and determine if actions for each unit are completed or disrupted and any applicable status effects and casualties.

Yes, in a way it would be like duplicating a computer game with figures on top of it but not nearly as complicated as the App would only have (for example) a standard colored block with a diagonal line for cavalry with a quality rating and type such as LT for light. It can move so far…on a touch pad you simply move it 4 grids which is the planned move…the AI may opt to counter charge so when your planned move actually occurs you may only move 2 and then have to melee the AI's cavalry. Outcomes and statuses then read out on screen (Unit A takes 1 casualty and 1 fatigue, and must retreat 1 grid to regroup… Unit B takes 2 casualties and 1 fatigue and returns to its starting grid.

Cavalry in particular could be interesting because once you or the AI launches a charge, based upon the type of Cavalry and other conditions it may continue to pursue or attack other units that you may not have planned for…

The other good thing would be that miniature scale and basing could be rendered irrelevant. If someone has infantry based for different rules systems, it wouldn't matter. 24 man units could be the same as 16 man units.