The Matrix Volunteer Appreciation Thread

[KG Erwin]

I want you guys to keep in mind that Matrix Games doesn't have a payroll, so to speak. Everyone involved here have real jobs, and keeping this company in existence is a voluntary effort.

Don't forget this-- every scenario, every OOB, every Mega Campaign was designed by unpaid volunteers.

The forum membership should offer kudos and a slap on the back to everyone who has contributed.

It is high time we recognized their efforts.

I'm personally grateful to many people who allowed me to offer my contributions, and here's a toast to all of the unsung heroes.

Well done, lads! [&o]

[Huffy]

Agreed.....thank you to all the people involved in creating...updating...., and always enhancing this game.
It is one of the few that has always been on my comp since I first got it...and I have drawers full of games collecting dust.
Thank you,...and take care,
Huffy

[pappasmurf]

Kudo's

[rich12545]

We're all grateful of course. But that doesn't stop us from being perplexed at some of the shortcomings here.

For example, why are there still some problems, even minor, with the mega campaigns?
And, this is timely, why does it take soooooo long to post a finished patch?
Inquiring minds would like to know.

[Hexed Gamer]

I am of course grateful for Matrix Games giving me Steel Panthers.

Grateful for introducing me to computer wargaming.
Grateful for showing me there is something to do other than chatting with women online.
Grateful for giving me something that I can occasionally call work "sorry dear I am busy beta testing".
Grateful for showing me a new way to not have enough money for models (I have to many as it is).
Grateful for giving me a means to hang out with guys that are mostly like me (believe it or not).

Yep, I am indeed grateful hehe

Hmm did I say all that correctly

[Orzel Bialy]

KG

I'll do my part and say thank you for the hard work and dedication to those people who perform the work. On the flip side I don't believe that the reminder warranted every time someone questions MG protocol. The community hasn't been forgetful or non-appreciative of the efforts...just baffled by the apparent continued lack of follow up and communication in regard to things like patch availability dates, etc.

The recently discovered 8.3 patch that was found in passing by a community member (while the rest of us awaited the formal announcement) is just another example of the type of stuff that Rich12545 made reference to. A lot of us were waiting around for "the word" and the patch has been sitting there apparently. Surely one could venture to ask "why?" without it being seen as an afront to those who worked on the project...right?

I don't meant to be negative...but it's the little things that add up which cause posts like this to become necessary.[:(]

[#Vassago]

Hey gives the guys a break!!! [:'(]

The patch was posted October 16...I was just doing my usual round up check to see if it was there...and against all expectations..IT WAS THERE! [:)]

I may have been a tad bit faster that the official annoucement.

[KG Erwin]

Orzel, I explained in another thread what I believe are the circumstances which led to this. Vassago, once again, I'm sorry I doubted your word, but this indeed took me by surprise. There were extentuating circumstances, but the fact that the forum moderator wasn't given this information beforehand does disturb me.

[rich12545]

More lack of communication from Matrix.

I've asked about the mega campaign problems on this forum SEVERAL times and so far NOBODY from MG has had the courtesy to answer. I've spent more than $100 of my hard earned money with the company and they don't seem to give a sh*t about these concerns. KG, since you've answered posts on this thread that means you've read my post and simply ignored it. What gives with you people?

[m10bob]

ORIGINAL: KG Erwin

Orzel, I explained in another thread what I believe are the circumstances which led to this. Vassago, once again, I'm sorry I doubted your word, but this indeed took me by surprise. There were extentuating circumstances, but the fact that the forum moderator wasn't given this information beforehand does disturb me.

All of us have been victims of commo breakdowns sometime in life..I can get over it..
Since you are the moderator,it looks like sometimes people hold you accountable,singularly..That is WRONG..
I don't forget that Matrixgames ressurrected SP from the ashes after Mr Gates "latest and greatest flavor o' the week" made SP stop working on my old CPU's..
I would not be so quick to not be forgiving,and should keep in mind that no patches are really owed anybody..
If a company makes a patch,excellent,I'll keep coming back,and that is everybodies option,but I'm a little more loyal than to hold a grudge,(or not notice when a thread has been compromised by somebody with cross-purpose or questionable motive?).
..........................................................The Old Guard

[Goblin]

I think a relationship works both ways.

We wait patiently for the patch. The patch date is announced. Then reannounced. We wait patiently some more. The patch is delayed a couple more times. We again wait patiently.

The patch is secretly released with no announcement to the anxious players of the game. Oops, the relationship doesn't work both ways.

Since it takes far less than one minute to post on a forum, and any Matrix staff member could have done it (or KG would have been happy too have posted it for them, I am sure), I find the lack of any official notification to be inexcusable.

Maybe its because I have been around long enough now to remember when Matrix always communicated with us, and made sure we were 'in the know' on things that everyone was anxiously waiting for, that this bothers me so much.

Goblin[:(]

[KG Erwin]

ORIGINAL: rich12545

We're all grateful of course. But that doesn't stop us from being perplexed at some of the shortcomings here.

For example, why are there still some problems, even minor, with the mega campaigns?
And, this is timely, why does it take soooooo long to post a finished patch?
Inquiring minds would like to know.

Rich, the MCs are not gonna be patched to conform with the latest OOBs, period. Apart from some minor lbm-icon glitches, all of them work fine and are fully playable with the subsequent versions & patches. However, many of the existing game scenarios/campaigns have been updated to incorporate the latest OOB revisions. Some of these are included in the 8.3 patch.

[rich12545]

I was speaking specifically of the lost leader problem, the save problem (called a feature but virtually everyone hates it enough for mg to fix it) and LV not being finished. All we've heard in the past have been excuses that don't hold water.

Also, nobody addressed my second question.

KG, not your fault of course, but I'll repeat what I've said before - if I had known then about the MC problems and all the hassles for so long a time I never would have spent my money on them. But even more than the money what I really don't like is the silence and the "to hell with you" attitude toward problems by the company.

[kingwanabee]

Bravo, Matrix Games crew, and thank-you very much! That you are still breathing new life into a great game like Steel Panthers after all these years is truely remarkable. Thanks again!

[Sgt Popov]

I do not feel the need to donate, as I have spent $100s of dollars with Matrix Games.

[rrockw]

Thanks to all for creating this product which continues to provide me with such enjoyment!

Rich

[RockinHarry]

ORIGINAL: rich12545

I was speaking specifically of the lost leader problem, the save problem (called a feature but virtually everyone hates it enough for mg to fix it) and LV not being finished. All we've heard in the past have been excuses that don't hold water.

#1: The cause of the lost leader problem was never safely identified. I investigated many hours to find out about various data that might have an impact to the issue, but couldn´t find a final solution although it might have helped following MCSE somewhat. Wild Bill probably knows better. Suffice to mention, I´m one of the unpaid volunteers, which are many as Glen already mentioned. Michael Wood who was the programmer of the Mega campaign engine and most parts of the current SPWAW game code left the SPWAW development team somewhere in 2001 or 2002 and since then no programmer was available to make any more bug fixes or code enhancements. What we have now is still a V7.1 mech.exe with a handful bug fixes made by an "outside" programmer so to say. The rest is OOB, LBM, SHP and other minor file "enhancements" that finally lead to an overall V8.3 version.

#2: The save problem: I don´t like the mega cam "save" feature much either and things are made worse by some bug that causes the save file to get corrupted at times. I have my guesses about that bug, but it does not help since a programmer is needed to check the code for it. Since there is currently no programmer....oh well.[:(]

#3: LV not beeing finished? It is as much finished as a mamooth project like this can be finished AND under the circumstances it was finished! Many people from all over the world who were (and are) unpaid volunteers contributed and communicated solely by means of the internet. The team leaders did their very best to get it all coordinated and organized and I wouldn´t volunteer to make the job they did since it was so hard after all! Since 2001 when MCLV was released some key members of the team dropped out for various reasons. Don´t know if it was health, job or a simple shift of interests but I respect their decision that SPWAW (and mega cams) can not be the most important thing in life for a very long time. I surely DON´T respect those people who always complain, never contribute and think unpaid volunteers owe them something! [:-] I also don´t respect those people who proofed repeatedly that they are unable to read the game manuals or are too lazy to try the forum search feature.[8|]

Also a big thanks and RESPECT to Glenn, who both contributed and volunteered to take all that flak from those who don´t! [8D]

[rich12545]

#1 Lost leader. Don't know the cause? Get a programmer, find the cause and fix it.

#2 Save Game. No programmer? Get a programmer and fix it.

#3 LV not finished. I've been talking about this ad finitum for years (YEARS). The volunteers unable to finish it? Then hire someone to do the job.

The megas are programs we PAID for. They have bugs. Don't give us excuses. Give us results.

"I surely DON´T respect those people who always complain, never contribute and think unpaid volunteers owe them something!"

You talkin' to me? YOU TALKIN' TO ME? I'm not a programmer or a scenario designer or an artist. BUT I contributed in the only way I am capable of. With my money. I bought all four megas. Cost me more than $100. Now that's what I call contributing. And I expect the company to live up to its share of the bargain - by ridding them of bugs.

[Hexed Gamer]

Rich, just curious, are you this bad on other game's forums?

Just curious, because if I had to list every game out there with significant problems, you know where the program won't even run at all, or where even when it do runs so what, the game was so crummy a person would have trouble caring, it would be a long list.

I am well known for my rants , and you might as well get over it, everyone here knows the history of your LV rant.

What I want to know, is when are you going to accept what has already been said (by everyone that could count).

Your LV isn't going to be modified further.

Play it or don't, your choice.

I am just assuming you have been very angry a great deal over the years by many wargames that have failed to live up to your needs.

[JJKettunen]

I love you guys!