What is with this time limited demo???

[cdbeck]

So, I'm trolling around today, my usual game-buying addicted self, looking for something to distract me from all the other things I have to play and do, when - lo and behold - I find a demo for Larry Bond's Harpoon: Commander's Edition floating around in cyberspace. As it has the name Hermann (which I assume is the good man Hermann Humm here) attached to it, I guess that it is legitimate and download it. I boot the thing up, get messing around a little, get completely lost in how to do things (because I, of course, didn't read the manual before "testing the install") and generally have fun launching some torps and watching enemy missiles hammer my SAM sites. My wife calls me to lunch and I have to shut it down.

So I come back and reboot, but this time I notice that the demo states it will - "end on January 16!" Now, I know that there is no way I can get a proper view of CE with this short amount of time and I am baffled by the decision to limit the demo time. Clearly the demo does not contain all of the scenarios nor the features of the full version, so nobody is going to feel fully satisfied by simply playing the demo rather than buying the full version - if they like the system. What baffles me even more is the fact that I saw no announcement, no general statement, or any sort of clue that the demo was available (I guess from December 19). So it seems even stranger that there is a time limit here, with so little word out and the holidays to distract people from playing it.

I would think that the best time for this demo would be AFTER the holidays, when people spend the money given to them or return presents and get money to spend here!

So is there any chance for an extension or renewal of the demo? I think this is really one of the best ways to get new players hooked on CE (may get me if I can devote some time to it) and showcase what CE has to offer. It seems crazy that the only chance people can get to see this game is either time-limited or from 1996 (and definitely not as snazzy as this updated version).

What gives?

SoM

[TonyE]

We made a new build of the demo available to AGSI yesterday with an expiration date of Feb 15th.  It should be available before the current one expires and there will be some sort of forum post when it is available.  There was a big announcement of the demo at HarpGamer and other Harpoon commmunity outlets.  In deference to Matrix we didn't make a big splash here but will eventually with their support.
 
 

[cdbeck]

Great news Tony! I'm fairly pleased by this as I am really having some good fun with this demo, but still have no idea what I am doing (looks like some manual reading is in order).

Of course, you know, posting the demo announcement at HarpGamer is like selling ice to Eskimos, as they probably already own it! [;)]

Can you post the new demo link and forum post over at the Wargamer.com. I KNOW people over there will be MORE than happy to have a look at Harpoon:CE, and there are constant threads over which of these versions to get.

By the way, be sure to give Hermann Humm a pat on the back, this guy is like a one-man marketing campaign!

Best,
SoM

[hermanhum]

I did manage to post the initial release of the demo over at Wargamer forum:

http://www.wargamer.com/forums/tm.aspx?m=324802

I'll try to keep it up-to-date with any new demo releases.  Glad to hear that you can get some enjoyment out of the HCE demo (without even really know what you are doing... [;)])

[TonyE]

ORIGINAL: hermanhum
I'll try to keep it up-to-date with any new demo releases. 

I dunno Herman, you totally missed 2008.066 [:'(]

Anyway guys, http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?showtopic=3446 always indicates the up to date demo and where to go to get it.

Speaking of which, Demo 2008.068 is up, expiration Feb 15th.

[hermanhum]

Didn't want to be spamming the forum with monthly demo release changes, so the HG link was provided, too.  [:'(]

Looks like Son_of_Montfort had no problem finding the demo, though.  [8D]

[cdbeck]

Well, call me crazy, but I cackle with glee every time I see that torpedo screen and my little white line smashes into the ship graphic - then I hear the "dun dun dun duuun dun da dun dun dun da dun."

Thanks for the link and demo extension, I'll be redownloading. I wish I had known about this during the Matrix sale, though, as I would already own it at that price, even from the limited time I have had with the demo.

I wouldn't say "no problem" Hermann. I actually found it when looking for the Harpoon 97 demo that is floating around out there. I got thinking about it again from you scenario list over at Wargamer. BTW, are pretty much all the scenarios listed over there (which I think are for ANW version) also available in the CE version? Last year I tried the ANW demo (that one was also time limited, a strange decision in my mind, not to criticize present company) and I'm pretty sure that CE is more along the lines of what I can handle, with the "graphics," the more streamlined UI, and the help of the CE staff (in-game, but you guys are good too). ANW seemed a tad more "hardcore," although I can't really put my finger on why.

As a side note, can anyone tell me what ASuW means (is this Anti-Surface Warfare, as opposed to ASW - Anti-Sub Warfare)? Also, I finally found out how to use the formation editor to send out heli scouts to search for subs - but are the little black boxes sonar buoys?

SoM

[CV32]

ORIGINAL: Son_of_Montfort
As a side note, can anyone tell me what ASuW means (is this Anti-Surface Warfare, as opposed to ASW - Anti-Sub Warfare)?

Yes.

Also, I finally found out how to use the formation editor to send out heli scouts to search for subs - but are the little black boxes sonar buoys?

Yes.

Glad you're enjoying it. [:)]

[hermanhum]

ORIGINAL: Son_of_Montfort

BTW, are pretty much all the scenarios listed over there (which I think are for ANW version) also available in the CE version?

Many of the HCE scenarios have been re-made for ANW users. Two separate threads are maintained on Wargamer. One is for HC scenarios and the other for H3/ANW scenarios.