Bang! Howdy

Bang! Howdy
Developer(s) YourFunWorld Studios
Publisher(s) YourFunWorld Studios
Designer(s) YourFunWorld Studios, Three Rings Design
Engine jMonkey Engine
Platform(s) Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, SteamOS
Release 2006-12-01
Genre(s) Strategy, Western
Mode(s) Online single- and multi-player

Bang! Howdy is an online free-to-play strategy game published by American company YourFunWorld Studios and the original was released on December 1, 2006 after public beta testing by Three Rings Design. The game can be played through Steam. Three Rings Design's website tallies the total number of players, at 500,000.[1]

The setting mixes elements from a variety of related genres, such as steampunk or Native American myth. Several of the players' available units are entirely mechanical, including artillery and a "steam gunman", a robot boasting large wagon wheels for movement while wearing a cowboy hat. Other, more conventional units include cavalry and gunslingers. At the 2006 Game Developer's Conference, Three Rings described the formula as "Chess + Mario Kart + Real Time/ Turn-Based + Steampunk Westerns + Secret Sauce".[2]

Development

Initially conceived as an insect-themed game,[3] the primary mechanic of Bang! Howdy is designed to get around the problems of both real-time and turn-based strategy. Michael Bayne, project leader of Bang! Howdy, described RTS as "overly complex and too fast-paced", and described turn-based strategy as "no fun when it's not your turn."[3]

Bayne described the development approach as episodic, with the plan of getting the core game released quickly and working on new towns in turn.[3]

The game development has been revived by Your Fun World Studios on Steam.There is now a Coins system with a script to gold conversation.The game has new developers now which are actively fixing bugs as of August 1st 2017.[4][5]

Reception

Bang! Howdy won the Technical Excellence award from the 2007 Independent Games Festival,[6] and was a finalist for the Seumas McNally Grand Prize.[7] The editors of Computer Games Magazine presented Bang! Howdy with their 2006 "Best MMO Debut" award.[8]

In game websites reviews it was receveived positively.[9][10][11]

References

  1. ↑ "Three Rings Design website". Archived from the original on 8 February 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
  2. ↑ Slashdot coverage of Bang! Howdy at the 2006 Game Developers Conference
  3. 1 2 3 "How The West Will Be Won: Michael Bayne on Bang! Howdy". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 18 October 2006. Retrieved October 2, 2006.
  4. ↑ Bang Howdy's Official Website on Bang Howdy's Website Footer
  5. ↑ Bang Howdy's Steam Page
  6. ↑ GDC: Independent Games Festival Awards Topped By Aquaria, Gamasutra
  7. ↑ 2007 Independent Games Festival Finalists Announced, Gamasutra
  8. ↑ Staff (March 2007). "The Best (and Worst) of 2006; The 16th Annual Computer Games Awards". Computer Games Magazine (195): 46–51.
  9. ↑ bang-howdy-review on gameradar
  10. ↑ http://www.avclub.com/article/bang-howdy-8234
  11. ↑ http://www.gamezebo.com/2009/12/31/bang-howdy-review/
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