Browser version of Imperium Romanum II

General Discussion
1

Hello @clanmacrae,

I’m Patrick, from France. I discovered Imperium Romanum II in 1989 and played it a great deal solo back then, and I’m a long-time fan of ancient history. I only found VASSAL recently, and your module has been a very useful reference for me. Thank you for maintaining it for over 13 years.

I’m building a free, non-commercial browser version of the game and I’ve made good progress on the engine. I’m now looking for beta testers who can send me their feedback. Rob, if you’re interested, I’d be happy to send you a tester code.

I hold no rights from VASSAL or from West End Games, so I won’t open the game publicly. Access will be by invitation only.

I’d also like to discuss a few points with you privately, including a possible collaboration. Could you tell me the best way to reach you (forum private message or e-mail)? I can’t send private messages yet with my new account.

Best regards,
Patrick

2

Thank you for the interest in the IRII module. Your project sounds interesting. I will be willing to offer you any support you need. That said, my strength is more in Vassal module building, more than being an expert at IRII game play. But, in building the module, I had to sort out many of the rules processes to incorporate them into the game.

Rob

I am from Alabama, USA.

3

Hi,
Thanks for your reply.
Here is my project:

I work in IT and am passionate about history; for a long time, I’ve had the idea of ​​attempting something like this using IR2.
I’ve finally taken the plunge.
So, what’s the goal?

IR2 is a niche game, so trying to turn it into a commercial venture would be unrealistic. Besides, I’m not interested in that—if you sell a service, you have to provide after-sales support.
In any case, to make it a commercial product, I would need to track down, contact, and convince the rights holders.
Therefore, the game will remain invite-only, with the aim of providing a platform for the few IR2 enthusiasts who are willing to forgo a physical game board.
That covers the administrative and legal side of things.

Regarding the functional aspects: I’ve recreated all the graphics to minimize any potential legal issues, though I’ve kept the original IR2 rules. They are complex, but well-structured enough for a software system. The biggest challenge lies in the exceptions found within the scenarios, which make the code more cumbersome—but these are precisely what ensure historical accuracy.

As for the future, I see a few possible paths. First, if I can reach an agreement with the rights holders, I could stick as closely as possible to the original IR2 or IR3.
Alternatively, I could adapt the game based on requests from the few players who might want specific changes. The possibilities here are vast: implementing an AI for solo play, adding various modules—such as tactical battle management or an RPG-style political system—and so on.

In the short term, however, I need to refine the game. While I believe it is certainly playable, there is undoubtedly more work to be done to make the experience truly enjoyable and to fully immerse the player in the ancient world. That is my immediate goal.

Here are two links for you to access Scenario 16: Probus vs. Florianus.

Probus => IMPERIVM ROMANVM II
Florianus => IMPERIVM ROMANVM II

I would be delighted to hear your impressions—whether regarding technical aspects, rules, or the user experience (UX)—to help me improve the game.

If you enjoy it and would like to try other scenarios, I can grant you the permissions to set up your own games; just let me know. There are 40 scenarios in total to explore! Haha.

Thank you,
Patrick

4

Our forum is not for advertising competing projects. Thanks.

5

Understood.
However, I do not want my project to become a competitor to Vassal.
I am not familiar with Vassal, but perhaps I could contribute something?

6

Use the email that I sent you to correspond directly to me.