FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTH


    Gregor Whiley, one of SSG's directors, tells the story of the
  development of "WarLords", SSG's latest war game software. This could
  serve as an incentive for ambitious game programmers, as it is the story
  of an independent programmer's success. SSG are interesting in hearing
  from such people - see the details of address etc below.


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Local partnership a world wide success.

    24th September 1991. Strategic Studies Group's fantasy/strategy game
  Warlords has proved to be a best seller. With world-wide sales heading
  for the 40,000 unit mark, it has a stranglehold on the prestigious
  Computer Gaming World number one rating.  The Warlords program is
  actually a joint effort between SSG and an independent programmer. The
  original program was created by Melbourne programmer Steve Fawkner,
  working in his spare time, and was finished in collaboration with SSG.
  After a lot of hard work, Steve sent SSG a working copy of the game. It
  was not of a commercial standard, but it was obvious that it could be
  easily improved. The main areas to need improvement were the user
  interface, the movement routines for units, and the AI routines for the
  computer players.  The interface was improved by turning the most common
  commands into mouse clicks on the map, substantially reducing the amount
  of mouse travel and clicking involved in a typical turn.  The AI and
  movement routines were completely replaced. SSG has an extensive
  library of movement routines, the result of chief programmer Roger
  Keating's 25 games programmed to date. Keating also programmed the AI
  routines.  The form data is stored in is often more important to the
  program than the data itself, and this is another area where SSG's
  experience can optimise design elements. Even the data structures in
  Warlords can be improved upon, and SSG are doing just that.

    Steve has found Warlords a very financially rewarding project and is
  hard at work on a new game. SSG is now looking for other Australian
  programmers who may be working on games of their own.  SSG believes that
  they can add a great deal to a game, and can bring it up to commercial
  standards. The elements that they added to Warlords, especially
  movement and AI (Artificial Intelligence) routines, are those which a
  new programmer would find hardest to do.  SSG also offers established
  conversion paths for games.  Warlords was originally programmed for the
  Amiga. SSG were able to do an IBM version in time for a simultaneous
  release, and a Mac version is almost finished. This represents extra
  income for no extra work to the games creator.

    SSG is now acknowledged as the best strategy game publisher in the
  world, so any game published through them has a great chance of success.
  Strategic Studies Group is actively encouraging submissions from
  programmers. If you are interested, give Gregor Whiley a call on (02)
  567-8318, or write to him at P.O. Box 261, Drummoyne, 2047.




STRATEGIC STUDIES GROUP PTY LTD
P.O. BOX 261, DRUMMOYNE 2047
AUSTRALIA
Ph: (02) 819-7199 Fax: (02) 819-7737



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