March Update!

[ardilla]

ORIGINAL: John Umber
Will the "entire" map be presented as well? Just for checking spelling etc...
That is normaly a very boring part but so important for the overall feeling...

Thank you for your fast reply.

The map its the same as the original boardgame with a new state, between Russian and Turkey in the north east of syria, Persia. And some new states in north Italy, Modena and Savoy, so it is exactly like the EiH map.

About missspelling, eventhough you may see some in the last screenshots it is all clear and the beta testers we already did our job about that, dont worry [;)] Marshall is aware of them.

Regards

[Hoche]

ORIGINAL: David Heath

If so, lets hope both are beyond words.

David

Will EiA be out before or after Starwars: Revenge of the Sith?

[hlj]

ORIGINAL: Hoche

ORIGINAL: David Heath

If so, lets hope both are beyond words.

David

Will EiA be out before or after Starwars: Revenge of the Sith?

Yes, that is correct! EiA will be out either before or after.[:'(]

[incbob]

Lurking Mode Off

I just want to take a moment here to reinforce what some others have said. I have been waiting a long time for this game. I don't post much, but I continually check the Matrix website and this forum for updates.

Take you time and get it right. I can wait. I remember waiting and wanting Hearts of Iron only to find that the game has nothing whatsoever to do with WWII except in name. Hearts of Iron II has come out and I hear it is really good, but I refuse to spend to much on it because I spent so much on Hearts of Iron I.

Take your time. Get it right. That is what makes Matrix games so good.

[JamesM]

ORIGINAL: David Heath

Hi Guys

Remember one of the reasons why we announce our games early is to get your input at the start and thoughout the development process. I hope everyone can see from this forum conference alone that we do listen to what you are saying. We then research your comments and make changes that we feel are justified and are able to make. Its stinks as far as time lines but from our track record it does seem to make some great games. I also like to thank Marshall and the beta testers for sticking with it.

David Heath
Matrix Games

Hear Hear!!!

Great comment David!

I have brought too many games in the past that where clearly not ready. The trouble with this is that you become quite annoyed with the game, you play it only a couple of times and never play it again. The now defunct 360 Games was a classic at this, they great games but there playability was marginal as they kept crashing. The only one they got right from this respect was Harpoon 2.

[1LTRambo]

I could not agree more. A game is not worth playing if it is not a good game (does not play well). So Marshall, Beta testers, and crew of Matrix, keep up the good work and continue to fix the game so that a quality product is released. The faithfull will continue to patiently wait while the nay-sayers will fade away.

[Titi]

ORIGINAL: 1LTRambo

I could not agree more. A game is not worth playing if it is not a good game (does not play well). So Marshall, Beta testers, and crew of Matrix, keep up the good work and continue to fix the game so that a quality product is released. The faithfull will continue to patiently wait while the nay-sayers will fade away.

Oh boy, that needed to be said [:'(]
I was still looking how to become immortal.

[Sonny]

ORIGINAL: David Heath

Hi Guys

Remember one of the reasons why we announce our games early is to get your input at the start and thoughout the development process. I hope everyone can see from this forum conference alone that we do listen to what you are saying. We then research your comments and make changes that we feel are justified and are able to make. Its stinks as far as time lines but from our track record it does seem to make some great games. I also like to thank Marshall and the beta testers for sticking with it.

David Heath
Matrix Games

Folks lose a lot of confidence/interest when you demo games at Origins hinting that they are almost ready for release and 9 months later they (EIA & GGWAW) are still not out the door.

Perhaps you should call for alpha designers/testers sooner rather than later.


I noticed Matrix isn't on the list of participants for Origins this year. Too embarrassed to demo the same game twice in a row?

[Pippin]

I don't know, didn't that happen with Half-Life 2?

I think MG would be more embarrassed to release another ET or Iron Blitz package. Also there are often regrets when a developer keeps reading in journals “Good game, but if ONLY they had tweaked this, or tweaked that more, it would deserve two more stars.”

PBEM etc is currently being kept under testing so that when the package is released, no one will have to be told to go download a patch because some killer bug is causing a lockup, etc.

[Sonny]

ORIGINAL: Pippin

I don't know, didn't that happen with Half-Life 2?

I think MG would be more embarrassed to release another ET or Iron Blitz package. Also there are often regrets when a developer keeps reading in journals “Good game, but if ONLY they had tweaked this, or tweaked that more, it would deserve two more stars.”

PBEM etc is currently being kept under testing so that when the package is released, no one will have to be told to go download a patch because some killer bug is causing a lockup, etc.

Then they should not have the demo at Origins last year if it is that far away from being released. Thats all I'm trying to get across. I want the game to be perfect out of the box too. But the reality is there will need to be a patch even if they don't release it until June - or July or...

[NeverMan]

Half-Life 2 is one of the best video games ever made, period.

I love EiA (the boardgame), but as far as video games go, there is not going to be any comparison between HL2 and this belated EiA/EiH hybrid.

[carnifex]

HL2 sucked!

Single player mode totally linear, no choices to make, always only one tunnel or one door, all AI is scripted and not very well at that. Oh yeah, the water reflections are really really nice looking.

Should I mention that you CAN'T even play the stupid game without installing Steam, and waiting for an hour while it updates some stupid update that you don't want anyway? This is for the single player mode too. You can't play an offline game without being online. Man how stupid and annoying is that?

I was more disappointed with HL2 than any premium game I've purchased in the last couple of years. It was so hyped, over such a long time (which I believe is the point of the poster who originally brought up HL2) but aside from some new graphics, the game play really sucked and the game was inconvenient to play at best. My only hope is they license the HL2 engine to make a better game somewhere.

Anyways, BF1942 2.0 is coming out this summer I think, so I'll get my FPS fix in.

[anarchyintheuk]

Ditto to what you said. Although I'd still put HOI as a slightly bigger disappointment than HL2. I do hope they can make use of the engine for something better.

[Pippin]

Well while we are on half-life 2, I got a question. I remember watching my friend install it, and it took us two bloody hours to install because we had a problem with the number serial trying to get it to work. There was more than one god damn serial number on his package and both didn’t seem to work. Somehow, we found some combo that finally worked???

Did anyone else get confused on what numbers to input to unlock the damn cd? Puzzling why such a simple process had to be done so horridly.

[NeverMan]

I didn't have a problem installing it, although I think it is stupid that you have to have the internet to install a game you bought person. It didn't take me an hour to install, but then I have a fast comp and know how to operate it.

So HL2 game engine and graphics were a disappointment?? You have REALLY HIGH expectations, I feel sorry for you.

Yes the game was linear but never disappointed. The story was good, the control was great, the graphics were great, the play was great, etc, etc.

Not to mention that it came packed with two other games (CS:Source and Deathmatch). I don't play Deathmatch but CS:Source is good (except for the hackers, which it is apparently easy to hack it: another Steam issue).

Yes, if they had used someone besides Steam, it would have been REALLY great, instead of just great.

[Pippin]

As for myself I found the graphics a little disappointing too. They were actually not so bad, if you had a fetish for slow frame-rates and lockups even on a so-called high-end alien-ware box.

[NeverMan]

Like I said, I didn't suffer slow frame rates and it never locked up on me.

I do agree that it takes a pretty high end comp to play, but mine is nothing special:

3.0E Ghz 1MB Cache P4 Prescott HT
1 GIG DDR memory
7200 WD HDD
10x/24x DVD/CD ROM drive
256MB 128-bit ATI Radeon 9800 Sapphire Vid Card
SB Live 5.1 Sound Card
AOpen MB (forget chipset)
400 W PSU
etc, etc

Nothing special and it works great. I am sorry this game disappointed you. It didn't me and everyone else I have talked to.

And at the very least, HL2 is an actual video game I can play that is a reality, unlike some other games that have been in development for over 2 years and the release isn't even in sight.

Seriously though, I can't see how the graphics disappointed you, or the game engine. Odd.

EDIT: I don't understand why anyone would buy a comp from a company already built when you can buy perfectly good parts at perfectly good prices at plenty of eggy online sites and put it together yourself. At least you know what you are getting then.

[Soult]

ORIGINAL: Marshall Ellis
Hey guys:

The March update is here! I'm EARLY! Can you believe it?

well... unable to find an update from March 2006, but lets be serious: every update is just timeless

on the other side it was a real shock to find out that Marshal once was "EARLY"

[Hoche]

ORIGINAL: Soult

ORIGINAL: Marshall Ellis
Hey guys:

The March update is here! I'm EARLY! Can you believe it?

well... unable to find an update from March 2006, but lets be serious: every update is just timeless

on the other side it was a real shock to find out that Marshal once was "EARLY"

I thought this was a 2007 March update. I took me a few posts to realize it was a 2year old thread! [:-]

[SamuraiProgrmmr]

ORIGINAL: David Heath

Hi Guys

Remember one of the reasons why we announce our games early is to get your input at the start and thoughout the development process. I hope everyone can see from this forum conference alone that we do listen to what you are saying. We then research your comments and make changes that we feel are justified and are able to make. Its stinks as far as time lines but from our track record it does seem to make some great games. I also like to thank Marshall and the beta testers for sticking with it.

David Heath
Matrix Games

THAT is why it bothers me so much when people complain. I applaud your methods! Release it when it is ready, not a moment before!

Dean