Matrix Games Forums

I write this as a player of MWIF, frequent visitor and poster to this forum. I write this on my own accord. I’m not in any way now, or ever have been, associated with MWIF development, marketing or beta testing. I’m just a user, or player, who’s discovered the passion, the joy of WIF through MWIF.
15 or so years ago I was part of the player’s team that developed the Commander Europe at War – Grand Strategy (CEaW-GS) mod. I joined Borger and Jim back in 2006 and the 3 of us developed a set of house rules for GS, which we called the BJR-mod. Our team grew to a dozen or more folks to include all disciplines from programming, graphic design, document publication and play testing. We were able to take our house rules, which certainly evolved in complexity and realism, and covert them to code and create a companion module, really a game, to the original GS. We didn’t do this for pay, reimbursement or fame but only for the joy for wargaming. Specifically on the subject of WWII strategic wargaming and the pursuit of a more accurate strategic wargaming experience through CEaW-GS. Until I found MWIF, CEaW-GS was by far the most accurate and enjoyable strategic game of WWII that I had experience with. MWIF has left CEaW-GS in the dust in those regards.
In 2013 for work reasons, I left the CEaW-GS community team. I continued to play the game for 2 or 3 years, even posting an AAR or two, but no longer participated in the GS mod development and distribution. I joined this forum around that time and bought MWIF on 16 Feb 2014. My strategic WWII gaming experience was about to change and change for the good. But the learning curve for someone who was not familiar with WIF was steep. Thank goodness for the patience, expertise and willingness to help from the users of this forum.

I have occasionally gone back to the CEAW forum on Slitherine but it’s dead. The CEaW-GS community team and enthusiastic player base of the 2006 ~ 2017 timeframe now is long gone to their other pursuits. Sad really, but life unfortunately.
I don’t want this to happen, or delay it as long as possible, to MWIF and this forum. I enjoy both so much that I want them to continue and to even flourish. I don’t think it’s possible to get back the enthusiasm from the days of 2010 – 2015. But I believe it is possible to provide a transfusion to keep it going and even make it better.
For me I enjoy the counterfactual aspect of strategic wargaming. Both the play, documentation and comparison to history. Along the way I’ve developed a few skills and tools for both the documentation (AARs) and game file editing to shape my MWIF experience. I pass along what of all this I can to the community as repayment for what the community has given me and, more significantly, in the hopes that this helps our community to continue longer than otherwise.
Back to my two questions in the title of this post.
Is MWIF on Life Support?
Can we help?

I ask these not of Matrix or anyone official but of our community, the dedicated or even casual players of MWIF. Do we as a community wish to try to help? Help in keeping this forum going? Help in improving our MWIF gaming experiences. I do realize that improving our gaming experience is subjective and specific to each one of us. I know that if we work together that we can accomplish more in improving our gaming experiences than working alone, or worse giving up on MWIF.
Sorry for the ramble but I was wondering if there are more than just me that’s notice a decline in this forum, would like to see a revival and be willing to do something? Not for Matrix or the outsider. But for us the current or future MWIF gamer?

Thank you for taking the initiative and the lead, Ronnie. I concur with all your arguments above. I would be willing to invest time and effort in improving MWIF and keep it alive, if Steve, Matrix or your fan based initiative has a need for my (unskilled) contributions.

Thanks for your post. But, what do you exaclty mean by MWiF being on life support?
Is there any other reason to think that MWiF could be at risk, besides Steve being silent for a while now?

I play weekly PBEM and write a question now and then, and I think the game is alive and well.

Cheers,

juntoalmar wrote: Wed Apr 26, 2023 4:26 pm But, what do you exaclty mean by MWiF being on life support?

I've noticed a significant drop off in the activity on this forum over the last couple of years. We use to get state of the game posts and updates for Matrix Execs. I don't think we've seen one of those in 4 years maybe? We aren't getting "official" responses to tech/bug reports. From what I can tell it's users helping users.

juntoalmar wrote: Wed Apr 26, 2023 4:26 pm Is there any other reason to think that MWiF could be at risk, besides Steve being silent for a while now?

I worded my question poorly. I wasn't referring specifically to the computer game. Those of us that have it will (can) always have it and play it until it's no longer compatible with the newest computer operating system. Even then, there are folks that can probably figure out how to make it run. Heck, there are DOS games still being played by some even today.

I meant is this community forum at risk? As I mentioned in my original post I was part of a thriving CEaW-GS gaming community and forum. Now, it's dead. I don't want that to happen here. I admit that this fear is probably an overreaction on my part.

juntoalmar wrote: Wed Apr 26, 2023 4:26 pm I play weekly PBEM and write a question now and then, and I think the game is alive and well.

MWIF is the best strategic WWII out there by far. It's a very good game. Could be a great game if they'd fix the complicated, frustrating and stubborn convoy and production part of the code.

MWIF is the best strategic WWII out there by far. It's a very good game. Could be a great game if they'd fix the complicated, frustrating and stubborn convoy and production part of the code.

AMEN

@rk1958: Thanks for the clarification. I agree to all your points. I have always been more a reader than a poster in the forums though, and I have less questions now than when I started.

Perhaps, the silence in the forum is a symptom that there are less new players to the game and less updates?

Joseignacio wrote: Wed Apr 26, 2023 9:09 pm

MWIF is the best strategic WWII out there by far. It's a very good game. Could be a great game if they'd fix the complicated, frustrating and stubborn convoy and production part of the code.

AMEN

My brother and I preorded the deluxe MWIF as soon as it was available. We have basically not played it, because we're waiting for a functional convoy system.