I would like to make a gamebox for a game that has hidden data. Like the Kevin Zucker's games, this one have a map with generals, visible to both players (although the generals can have a hidden counter face), and some displays (could be considered maps) where the units of that general are placed, visible only to the player owning the display.
Are these features implemented in Sun Tzu? Thanks!
Features
Moderators: Ichibrothers, Cambronne
Hi, Edgar!
Currently there's no way to do that in ZunTzu, but that would make a great feature, especially because it's also a requirement for the strategic air missions in the Fleet series by Victory Games!
I don't know the Kevin Zucker's games that you're trying to adapt (I own a copy of Napoleon's Last Battles, but there's no hidden display in that old game). Are you required to show the display to the other player at some time or is it kept secret all the time?
Currently there's no way to do that in ZunTzu, but that would make a great feature, especially because it's also a requirement for the strategic air missions in the Fleet series by Victory Games!
I don't know the Kevin Zucker's games that you're trying to adapt (I own a copy of Napoleon's Last Battles, but there's no hidden display in that old game). Are you required to show the display to the other player at some time or is it kept secret all the time?
Jerome, ZunTzu developer.
The Campaigns of Napoleon series (Napoleon at Bay, Sun of Austerlitz, Napoleon at Crossroads, Highway to the Kremlin, etc...) all of them have hidden displays to place the forces that command a general on them, and the general is on map, but his counter side (name -statistics) is on the back to hide it to the opposite player.
Also, the game "All is Lost Save Honour" uses a similar system.
If these features could be done in Sun-Tzu, better
Also, the game "All is Lost Save Honour" uses a similar system.
If these features could be done in Sun-Tzu, better
I have found the rules for the series on Operational Studies Group's web site. Good news: you should be able to play the games with ZunTzu.
According to the rules, the information on the Organization Display should remain confidential once Players feel comfortable with the game mechanics. So the secrecy is optional but is not mandatory, which is great because that feature doesn't exist in ZunTzu at the moment.
On the other hand it is absolutely mandatory to have Force Leaders moving across the map with their informational side down, hidden from the opposing Player. That is something that ZunTzu will allow you to do. The owning player can secretly inspect a counter by dragging it into his "hand".
According to the rules, the information on the Organization Display should remain confidential once Players feel comfortable with the game mechanics. So the secrecy is optional but is not mandatory, which is great because that feature doesn't exist in ZunTzu at the moment.
On the other hand it is absolutely mandatory to have Force Leaders moving across the map with their informational side down, hidden from the opposing Player. That is something that ZunTzu will allow you to do. The owning player can secretly inspect a counter by dragging it into his "hand".
Jerome, ZunTzu developer.
Playing with open displays is rarely done, the usual is maintain the displays hidden always.
The generals are visible always to the owning player, can you do that without draging the piece to the hand? And when in combat, or some moments, they are visible to all players.
Four Lost Battles, from Kevin Zucker too, has all the pieces on map, and are visible under certain circumstances, like being in combat, or at x hexes of distance. Can you give the pieces a "hidden" trait so the owning can see them always (and the opposite player only can see a piece with a flag or something), and an option to "show piece" and "hide piece".
The generals are visible always to the owning player, can you do that without draging the piece to the hand? And when in combat, or some moments, they are visible to all players.
Four Lost Battles, from Kevin Zucker too, has all the pieces on map, and are visible under certain circumstances, like being in combat, or at x hexes of distance. Can you give the pieces a "hidden" trait so the owning can see them always (and the opposite player only can see a piece with a flag or something), and an option to "show piece" and "hide piece".
Then maybe a solution would be to maintain the displays outside ZunTzu: the players would keep the cardboard displays next to their computer screens and would keep track of their units using real cardboard counters from the original game box. Would that work?Edgar wrote:Playing with open displays is rarely done, the usual is maintain the displays hidden always.
In a future release, ZunTzu will include support for block wargames. Then you will be able to represent leaders as blocks and your problem will be solved.Edgar wrote:The generals are visible always to the owning player, can you do that without draging the piece to the hand? And when in combat, or some moments, they are visible to all players.
But at the moment I'm afraid the only solution is to keep the informational side down and reveal the counters before a battle by flipping them, just like with the original carboard game.
Jerome, ZunTzu developer.