Where I can buy TOAW from still?

[Ike99]

I would really advise anyone who wants TOAW now to just hold on a little while longer. We are not planning to keep this off the market for months. As soon as it returns with a Matrix Edition, you'll have an updated and supported version with ongoing development, which is definitely a strong plus over what you might get with an old version from Ebay.

Regards,

- Erik

Am I understanding you correctly Richard? TOAW Matrix edition will be released within say 4 months?

Also...will this have the digital download option? As I'm on the other side, bottom half of the world this would be my prefered method of purchase.

And one more....

Do we have an idea as to the price? Are we talking 30 something, 40 something US dollars or more?

Gracias por todo! [:)]

[golden delicious]

ORIGINAL: Ike99

Am I understanding you correctly Richard? TOAW Matrix edition will be released within say 4 months?

Matrix have more than once mentioned a "first quarter" release date, which means by the end of March.

Also...will this have the digital download option?

Almost certainly.

Do we have an idea as to the price? Are we talking 30 something, 40 something US dollars or more?

I heard $40. Plus the cost of printing your own bloody manual.

[ralphtricky]

ORIGINAL: golden delicious

Do we have an idea as to the price? Are we talking 30 something, 40 something US dollars or more?

I heard $40. Plus the cost of printing your own bloody manual.

You have to provide your own blood, it's strictly optional.[:'(]

[MorbiusStorm]

A few questions. I have TOAW2 Elite Edition. Where does that sit in the food chain? What is COW and WOTY?

At one point I had TOAW1 & 2, in addition to the Elite Edition, but have managed to loose those over the years. For TOAW2 elite edition, I only have the original disc. It looks like its brand new even. But I don't have the box or instructions any more. Are there some web sites dedicated to TOAW that might help me get started with it again? Patches, mods, etc.

Also, I'm not trying to flame or be negative with this new undertaking from Matrix. I'd like to see it happen. But I do have to ask something? Is this new updated version just going to be the old version, tweaked and adjusted to run on XP, for roughly $40? I know we might not have the exact cost released yet. I also know that for this to be profitable for Matrix, especially with this type of gaming being more of a niche group, that its likely they won't have the same number of end players buying it, as would something like Half Life. But, not trying to be cynical, I seem to be getting the impression that we'll be paying almost the cost of a full and new game, in exchange for a tweak to an old game to make it run on XP? Am I wrong? I hope so. But are we getting a couple tweaks, like some simple logging that is churned out as a sit rep and then its going to be sold at a price of maybe $10 less then a full game? Or should this be priced closer to an expansion pack?

What I'm saying is that I don't know what kind of upgrade is going into this project. But I get the impression its just a tweak/expansion in terms of value. And also that it could be priced at maybe $10 less then a full new game that had years of development put into it. Is it going to warrant calling this an entirely new game version, with fancy new and expanded this and that? Or is it virtually going to be a tweak, to make it work on XP with one or two little expansion pack values added? What exactly is the scope of this project and will it be priced accordingly?

[JAMiAM]

ORIGINAL: Eloryn

A few questions. I have TOAW2 Elite Edition. Where does that sit in the food chain? What is COW and WOTY?

TOAW2 EE would be the carcass from Thanksgiving's turkey, two years ago. WOTY, was the Christmas ham that you left in the tupperware and forgot in the back of the patio fridge. CoW is last week's pizza - still edible, if you're on a budget, but you might want to sprinkle a bit more parmesan on it, before you pop it into the oven for a reheat.[:D]

We're not reinventing the wheel here, or pizzas for that matter, but if you want the meal delivered, clad in Matrix's version of the stay fresh pouch, then you will end up paying the cost of a full game again. And that will be around the cost of 2 or 3 pizzas in most locales.[:'(]

[golden delicious]

What I find appealling about what Matrix is doing is the suggestion that there will be ongoing development of TOAW in the long term.

As it stands, none of the features that have so far been mentioned make me want to shell out $40. But I expect that to change in the future.

[rhinobones]

ORIGINAL: JAMiAM

ORIGINAL: Eloryn

A few questions. I have TOAW2 Elite Edition. Where does that sit in the food chain? What is COW and WOTY?

TOAW2 EE would be the carcass from Thanksgiving's turkey . . . that will be around the cost of 2 or 3 pizzas in most locales.

Maybe I can provide a more direct answer to your question.

TOAW2 Elite Edition and WOTY are basically obsolete. Little, if anything, is being done to support either the game or scenarios. COW patched to 1.04 is the current version for the majority of the TOAW community. TOAW 3 is the upcoming version slated to be released by Matrix.

As I understand it, the Matrix plan is to issue TOAW 3 as soon as possible containing fixes for the most glaring bugs and most popularly requested features. Of course all this is subject to the amount of programming and testing required to incorporate the changes. TOAW 3 is more or less is intended to give the community some immediate gratification and to give Matrix some feedback regarding the financial viability of TOAW. Personally, I think that they will be glad they bought the rights to TOAW.

A longer range goal is for a release incorporating as many of the more difficult features and bug fixes as possible. This could be a ways down the road and the game engine may not be compatible with existing scenarios. But this is for the future to tell.

If you are curious concerning the types of bugs and features identified by the TOAW community, you can check out the “Bugs Extermination List and Features/Modifications List” threads located at:

http://www.strategyzoneonline.com/forum ... .php?f=224

Obviously the lists are much longer than we can expect for the next revision, but it is a good indicator of what is desired. Shouldn’t be too long before we find out the details.

Regards, RhinoBones

[Curtis Lemay]

ORIGINAL: Eloryn
Also, I'm not trying to flame or be negative with this new undertaking from Matrix. I'd like to see it happen. But I do have to ask something? Is this new updated version just going to be the old version, tweaked and adjusted to run on XP, for roughly $40? I know we might not have the exact cost released yet. I also know that for this to be profitable for Matrix, especially with this type of gaming being more of a niche group, that its likely they won't have the same number of end players buying it, as would something like Half Life. But, not trying to be cynical, I seem to be getting the impression that we'll be paying almost the cost of a full and new game, in exchange for a tweak to an old game to make it run on XP? Am I wrong? I hope so. But are we getting a couple tweaks, like some simple logging that is churned out as a sit rep and then its going to be sold at a price of maybe $10 less then a full game? Or should this be priced closer to an expansion pack?

What I'm saying is that I don't know what kind of upgrade is going into this project. But I get the impression its just a tweak/expansion in terms of value. And also that it could be priced at maybe $10 less then a full new game that had years of development put into it. Is it going to warrant calling this an entirely new game version, with fancy new and expanded this and that? Or is it virtually going to be a tweak, to make it work on XP with one or two little expansion pack values added? What exactly is the scope of this project and will it be priced accordingly?

Matrix bought the rights to TOAW. They could have just continued to sell ACOW at the full price that Talonsoft had been selling it for. Instead they've chosen to invest time and resources to make a new update for it. Like everyone else, I have high hopes for further radical improvements in the future. But even if they don't materialize, I'm confident just the bug fixes included in the first version will be justification enough for long time addicts, like me. If you're addicted the price is trivial. And if you're an new convert, why would you buy any other version? As for someone with an obsolete version, they would have had to have purchased ACOW anyway, if they had wanted more than just PO play.

[ralphtricky]

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay

ORIGINAL: Eloryn
What I'm saying is that I don't know what kind of upgrade is going into this project. But I get the impression its just a tweak/expansion in terms of value. And also that it could be priced at maybe $10 less then a full new game that had years of development put into it. Is it going to warrant calling this an entirely new game version, with fancy new and expanded this and that? Or is it virtually going to be a tweak, to make it work on XP with one or two little expansion pack values added? What exactly is the scope of this project and will it be priced accordingly?

Matrix bought the rights to TOAW. They could have just continued to sell ACOW at the full price that Talonsoft had been selling it for. Instead they've chosen to invest time and resources to make a new update for it. Like everyone else, I have high hopes for further radical improvements in the future. But even if they don't materialize, I'm confident just the bug fixes included in the first version will be justification enough for long time addicts, like me. If you're addicted the price is trivial. And if you're an new convert, why would you buy any other version? As for someone with an obsolete version, they would have had to have purchased ACOW anyway, if they had wanted more than just PO play.

We actually have had quite a bit of discussion about whether there were enough changes to justify calling it TOAW 3 instead of TOAW Matrix Edition.

The original plan was actually to put in and test the changes that Norm had made, and remarket it pretty much as is, just to get it back out on the market. It's getting pretty hard to find. Unfortunately[;)], I didn't understand that was the plan, and made more changes than I should have, thanks to a great team of Beta Testers backing me up.

There are quite a few new features, tweaks and bug fixes in the new version. There are a couple of threads on the new features, and we'll probably see more threads, and a press release before too much longer.

Is any one feature going to be enough to entice players to return, new players to show up, and existing players to spend their money? Of course not. Is there at least one feature that will appeal to each person? I hope so, most of them were chosen because someone requested them. Are the total of the new features worth spending the money on? I think so, but I'm prejudiced<g>.

[Dr. Foo]

ORIGINAL: ralphtrick

Are the total of the new features worth spending the money on? I think so, but I'm prejudiced.

Oh...I think so. One of the fears that I have been having is getting TOAW to work on future operating systems. TOAWI, WOTY, TOAWII (to some extent) will not run on XP it is just a matter of time before CW is unsupported as well.

With TOAW III I can play for many more years to come! [:)]

[jjax]

ORIGINAL: Japanese_Spirit


Anyway, despite this good news, development time for the new Matrix Edition is still on going and from what I believe, it could take a while for the new edition to be released. That is why I am interested in purchasing the original Talonsoft version of TOAW: Century of Warfare.

Maybe matrix is taking a page from disney. You know, removing the game from the market for a long period of time, raise the demand, and sell it for full price. Disney does it all the time with their old movies.

Then again, maybe not. 50 usd does sound like alot for a upgrade. I dont think you guys ( guys and gals from matrix) are justified in calling it TOAW III from what i have been reading. But im waiting for a release before i start the real complaining [;)]

[golden delicious]

ORIGINAL: jjax

Then again, maybe not. 50 usd does sound like alot for a upgrade. I dont think you guys ( guys and gals from matrix) are justified in calling it TOAW III from what i have been reading. But im waiting for a release before i start the real complaining [;)]

Depending on how many designers migrate to the new version (or new designers appear using it), and to a lesser extent players, it may be that if you want to play TOAW past Summer 2006, it'll more or less have to be Matrix's version.

We'll see how definitive the changes are. Thinking about it, just twice as many events and more EEVs would substantially extend the scope of design.

[David Heath]

ORIGINAL: jjax

ORIGINAL: Japanese_Spirit


Anyway, despite this good news, development time for the new Matrix Edition is still on going and from what I believe, it could take a while for the new edition to be released. That is why I am interested in purchasing the original Talonsoft version of TOAW: Century of Warfare.

Maybe matrix is taking a page from disney. You know, removing the game from the market for a long period of time, raise the demand, and sell it for full price. Disney does it all the time with their old movies.

Then again, maybe not. 50 usd does sound like alot for a upgrade. I dont think you guys ( guys and gals from matrix) are justified in calling it TOAW III from what i have been reading. But im waiting for a release before i start the real complaining [;)]

Heheheh Yes we been reading the business section of the paper and readly like that Disney tactic and and decided to model it. Sorry jjax I just really enjoy reading that.... ok as for the TOAW III its really more we wanted people to know this is a follow up to the older game series and not just a simple rebox edition of the old game. Granted the first release is not the final design but only a start but in the Matrix way we will be expanding the game for some time kinda in the same spirit as Steel Panthers World At War.

David

[golden delicious]

Well, the features already announced bring the improvement up to a par with the changes made by Talonsoft with their own new releases (WOTY, COW). Not that that's saying much.

[David Heath]

ORIGINAL: golden delicious

Well, the features already announced bring the improvement up to a par with the changes made by Talonsoft with their own new releases (WOTY, COW). Not that that's saying much.

Well we all would like a longer list as well but gamers and our self want the first edition released before much longer. I am very happy with the work the team has done both in the upgrading of the code and the scenarios with the time they have had.


David

[*Lava*]

ORIGINAL: golden delicious
Well, the features already announced bring the improvement up to a par with the changes made by Talonsoft with their own new releases (WOTY, COW). Not that that's saying much.

Why am I not wondering who is going to be the first to trash the game?

Ray (alias Lava)

[scout1]

Well we all would like a longer list as well but gamers and our self want the first edition released before much longer. I am very happy with the work the team has done both in the upgrading of the code and the scenarios with the time they have had.


David

David, my compliments. Two posts on your part and both avoided the "when" part quite well. I hope it is before summer. And since I know your from New England, your summer starts the same time as mine [;)]

[golden delicious]

ORIGINAL: Lava

Why am I not wondering who is going to be the first to trash the game?

Your position is understandable. There is a tendency to just gush about how great any change is. No doubt there was such a tendency when Century of Warfare was in the works (before my time, sadly). Rest assured, I'm glad to see people working on TOAW, and since the current game will never cease to exist, there is no way that any of this could be anything other than positive. I just think it's worth casting a critical eye on matters rather than just blindly following along.

Don't get me wrong- I do expect to buy the Matrix edition of TOAW at some point. As I have said several times, I find the prospect of ongoing development very exciting. Just that- for the little it's worth- I would prefer it if my purchase wasn't taken for granted.

[Jeff Norton]

ORIGINAL: David Heath

ORIGINAL: golden delicious

Well, the features already announced bring the improvement up to a par with the changes made by Talonsoft with their own new releases (WOTY, COW). Not that that's saying much.

Well we all would like a longer list as well but gamers and our self want the first edition released before much longer. I am very happy with the work the team has done both in the upgrading of the code and the scenarios with the time they have had.

David

Hi David,
Can't wait until this gets released. I guess once getting the product out, further 'add-ons' and 'upgrades' will be forthcoming?
What, if any, is the road map for further development once TOAW3 sees the light of day?

Not being nosy, just planning my budget for 'future expendatures'...[;)]-Jeff

[JAMiAM]

ORIGINAL: Jeff Norton


Can't wait until this gets released. I guess once getting the product out, further 'add-ons' and 'upgrades' will be forthcoming?
What, if any, is the road map for further development once TOAW3 sees the light of day?

Not being nosy, just planning my budget for 'future expendatures'...[;)]-Jeff

We promise not to break anybody's piggy bank. There will be no charges for ugrades to the basic program. There are, in fact, three projects that are on the drawing board, but I will not divulge what they will be, at this early date. This is due to the fact that it will be no less than 18-24 months down the road, before any one of them will be ready, and I don't want to get people too worked up about the projects until they are much closer to release. Each of these "add-on" or expansion packs will be reasonably priced.

Why such a delay, you might ask? Primarily for the fact that Ralph and I are planning a major (free) revision to the basic program, that will probably not be ready until around the end of this year. The changes envisioned for this major upgrade, will need substantial testing, and their effects within the scope of each of the add-on's, will need to be accounted for, by the co-developers of those packages.