''Wargame Construction Set'' is a

video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...

game creation system AHjbhb job u tv in ubjb, A game creation system (GCS) is a consumer-targeted game engine and a set of specialized design tools (and sometimes a light scripting language), engineered for the rapid iteration of user-derived video games. Examples incl ...

published in 1986 by

Strategic Simulations Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI) was a video game developer and video game publisher, publisher with over 100 titles to its credit from its founding in 1979 to its dissolution in 1994. The company was especially noted for its numerous wargames ...

. Developed by Roger Damon, it allows the user to construct, edit and play customizable wargame scenarios. It was released for the

Amiga Amiga is a family of personal computers introduced by Commodore in 1985. The original model is one of a number of mid-1980s computers with 16- or 32-bit processors, 256 KB or more of RAM, mouse-based GUIs, and significantly improved graphi ...

Atari 8-bit family The Atari 8-bit family is a series of 8-bit home computers introduced by Atari, Inc. in 1979 as the Atari 400 and Atari 800. The series was successively upgraded to Atari 1200XL , Atari 600XL, Atari 800XL, Atari 65XE, Atari 130XE, Atari 800XE, ...

Atari ST The Atari ST is a line of personal computers from Atari Corporation and the successor to the Atari 8-bit family. The initial model, the Atari 520ST, had limited release in April–June 1985 and was widely available in July. It was the first pers ...

Commodore 64 The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 7–10, 1982, in Las Vegas). It has been listed in the Guinness ...

, and

MS-DOS MS-DOS ( ; acronym for Microsoft Disk Operating System, also known as Microsoft DOS) is an operating system for x86-based personal computers mostly developed by Microsoft. Collectively, MS-DOS, its rebranding as IBM PC DOS, and a few ope ...

. Several sequels followed.

Overview

The application is based on Roger Damon's source code for ''Operation Whirlwind'', ''Field of Fire'', and ''Panzer Grenadier''. It lets users design and play wargames from simple to complex. Users start by drawing maps and placing geographical features and buildings in any arrangement and scale desired. There are several levels of combat: from man-to-man engagements to large scale strategic campaigns. Each unit can be given different attributes such as unit type, weapon type and firepower, movement and strength points. Users are able to create scenarios from many periods of military history, ranging from spears and catapults to missiles and tanks. Users can create various genres of wargames including sword-and-sorcery fantasies or science-fiction battles. The game comes with eight pre-made ready-to-play scenarios which can be modified or played as-is.

Reception

Computer Gaming World ''Computer Gaming World'' (CGW) was an American computer game magazine published between 1981 and 2006. One of the few magazines of the era to survive the video game crash of 1983, it was sold to Ziff Davis in 1993. It expanded greatly through ...

'' rated ''Wargame Construction Set'' in 1987 and twice in 1993 with 2.5, 2.5, and two points out of five, respectively. It stated that "the game's potential ... is limited by the failings of the system's mechanics", and only suitable for novices.

Orson Scott Card Orson Scott Card (born August 24, 1951) is an American writer known best for his science fiction works. He is the first and (as of 2022) only person to win both a Hugo Award and a Nebula Award in consecutive years, winning both awards for both ...

viewed it more favorably, describing it in ''

Compute! ''Compute!'' (), often stylized as ''COMPUTE!'', was an American home computer magazine that was published from 1979 to 1994. Its origins can be traced to 1978 in Len Lindsay's ''PET Gazette'', one of the first magazines for the Commodore PET c ...

'' as "a simple, elegant, infinitely variable game".

Review

* ''

Casus Belli A (; ) is an act or an event that either provokes or is used to justify a war. A ''casus belli'' involves direct offenses or threats against the nation declaring the war, whereas a ' involves offenses or threats against its ally—usually one b ...

'' #45 (June 1988)

Legacy

'' Wargame Construction Set II: Tanks!'' was released in 1994, supporting armored combat. It was named the best computer wargame of 1994 by ''

Computer Games Strategy Plus ''Computer Games Magazine'' was a monthly computer and console gaming print magazine, founded in October 1988 as the United Kingdom publication ''Games International''. During its history, it was known variously as ''Strategy Plus'' (October 1 ...

''. '' Wargame Construction Set III: Age of Rifles 1846-1905'' was released in 1996.

References

Games International ''Computer Games Magazine'' was a monthly computer and console gaming print magazine, founded in October 1988 as the United Kingdom publication ''Games International''. During its history, it was known variously as ''Strategy Plus'' (October 19 ...

{{Authority control 1986 video games Amiga games Atari 8-bit family games Atari ST games Commodore 64 games DOS games Strategic Simulations games Computer wargames Video games developed in the United States

Overview

Reception

Review

Legacy

References

External links