High Frontier
Vassal Module
So I did some poking around and found the 3rd edition Vassal module here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/yx04l0yl1wquzek/AACzSW0w5eKPIClXrOr2Ta3na?dl=0
Vassalengine.org is where you go to download Vassal itself.
Oh and there’s an interesting technical note about the HF3E module here: https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1399748/high-frontier-3rd-edition-vassal-module
There are also Cyberboard and Tabletop Simulator modules available but for various reasons I think I like Vassal the best.
Actually I should amend: I’ve fumbled around with Vassal before (for Fire in the Lake) and it’s semi-clear how things work, but it’s kind of alarming how manual all three versions are: you absolutely must know the rules yourself and there will be no automated auditing. I happen to have three monitors in my office so I can sprawl a dozen screens across them to contain all the game-state windows at once. Just like the analog version, it takes up a ton of space.
I’m fiddling with a solitaire game right now just to see if it’s tolerable. TBQH I kind of hate it, especially trying to suss out the board. Yes yes you can zoom in but jeez, route-finding on even a rather large monitor isn’t nearly as easy as doing it on the board.
I may in fact end up duplicating the gamestate with my physical copy, although you can’t see the card decks card-by-card I don’t think.
Anyway, gimme a couple days and I suggest others experiment as well. Then I’ll figure out how to set up a PBEM thing.
Maaaaaan…then I look at screenshots of the TTS module and if we’re doing manual stuff anyway this sure looks a lot nicer…
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/GMR2ajgKyr1rOMRzv6pk9KxsyarqYGTB7KvchHixXktI7mAVFyYeFopCzABV_7zC5RLnDEoETA2xIr4rceI6xjztEhDH3HDFd18=s0
Now I’m in the TTS version and I’m thinking I like the interface a lot more, especially since everything is manual no matter which version you use. Argh. But $20/seat and I’d hate to make people spend money they didn’t want to…
I’ve got TTS already, so for me it would be /slightly/ easier to use TTS…
I’ve got TTS too. I think starting in PBEM style feels pretty rough for a game of this complexity: I’d want ideally some sort of hangout style thing where we talked through a few turns together!
James Stuart totally agreed! The real time chat, yeah, vital for teaching.
I’ve about halfway read through the rules but the hangouts thing definitely sounds the way to go… What timezone are you all in? I’m EST and basically work 9-5…
I’m in AZ, so three hours ahead?