Matrix Games

It is almost impossible to enumerate the vast number of improvements that have been made to the game since release. We have selected a few important features from this major update to give you a taste of all the goodies you’ll find in it:

• NetPlay is fully working!  Now you can play World in Flames online against other players with all the assistance the computer adaptation can provide to your game.
• As part of the major work to get NetPlay fully working, we added the ability of a player to review his NetPlay games off-line.  That is, without logging into the NetPlay Server, he can restore any saved NetPlay game using the new Review button (instead of the normal Restore button).
• That brings up the game with all the usual capabilities - except advancing the sequence of play.  This lets the player check where his own and the enemy units are and what they are capable of doing in the near future.  It is especially useful for planning what to build at the end of the turn and assessing what reinforcements are going to enter the game next turn.

When the US enters the war, checking where all the Japanese and US carriers are and what air units they have aboard is important.  At all times, keeping an eye on enemy invasion units deserves some of a player's time.   During gameplay, while on-line with an opponent, a player can get distracted and forget to watch what is happening all over the map.  Reviewing a game between gaming sessions helps a player keep his bearings as to what just happened, what is happening, and what is about to happen.

• As part of the thousands of additional improvements to World in Flames since release, it's important to note that the game now handles well many situations that only arise rarely and correctly implements cases where the rules interact in ways which the original board game design hadn't anticipated.  Relationships between countries that are at war with only some of the major powers and minor countries on the other side can affect supply lines and resource routing.  Even the placement of reinforcements on the map can be complex under some circumstances.   In the board game, interpreting the rules to resolve what is permitted depends on the players reaching an agreement - typically after a long and at times heated discussion. 

• The program now does a much better job of figuring things out and acts as the final arbiter.  These conditions were rare and until they occurred and were reported to us by the players, they weren't always handled to everyone's satisfaction.  Now the ability to deal with obscure rule interactions covers a lot more ground, with the solutions based on thoughtful analysis - often provided by the original designer of World in Flames.  This gives players the best method yet to play World in Flames online with the rules enforced as the original board game design intended.

To celebrate this key milestone, World in Flames will be on sale for a week! From April 9^th to April 16^th you’ll have the chance to take this incredible wargame at 60% off! You cannot miss this chance!

Are you eager to try the full potential of the NetPlay Ready Update but you are still intimidated by the sheer amount of features? Fear no more! A highly detailed multiplayer AAR has been written, designed to illustrate all the characteristics and mechanics of the game in its current stage. This massive AAR will be divided into 7 chapters, guiding you through the hard choices the players had to take. We will post a chapter every day in the forum, so be sure to not miss any of it!

If you want to read Chapter 1, “Conquest of France”, click here!

Kudos to G and S for having created such an awesome AAR!

Stay tuned for the further chapters.