ATD will be delayed

[Gregor_SSG]

Here at SSG we have a long standing tradition of simultaneously announcing good and bad news.

The bad news is that Across the Dnepr will be delayed until some time next year. The good news is that the heart attack suffered by Ian Trout (which is the cause of the delay), was a very minor one, requiring no surgery or other intervention. It will require Ian to take things easy for a little while, so ATD will take a little while longer.

This doesn't mean that work will stop, Ian tells me that he has created over 400 operations for the Soviet AI alone, and he and Roger have worked out a new AI card that will improve the AI's use of artillery outside of actual combats.

So work continues. ATD is a huge game, and the AI for it is commensurately massive, but as its the last task to do to finish the game, the end is in sight, just not quite as close as we all would like.

Gregor

[Fred98]

All the best to Ian !

-

[sabre1]

It's a game for crying out loud. Tell Ian to take care of himself and he is in my prayers for his rapid recovery, we gamers can wait, and I'm sure the wait will be worth it.

Thanks for giving us an update.

[mariovalleemtl]

God save Ian !

[rickier65]

My wishes for Ian to have a speedy recovery.

Rick

[flintlock]

Glad to hear Ian is doing well. Wishing him a full and speedy recovery!

[planetbrain]

I don't know Ian but the name Ian Trout along with Roger Keating & SSG have been familiar to me since the Commodore 64 days and Run 5 magazine.
So, yes, all the best, Ian.

[JD Walter]

I had the esteemed pleasure to meet Ian at an GenCon a number of years ago. He was sitting in at the Peoples War Games booth for Jack Radey, while the latter took a much-needed break from the hectic hub-bub of a 3-day convention. I was a vendor myself, representing a small gaming company I was helping get started.

A true gentleman, and a fascinating person to talk to.

Here's wishing Ian a full recovery. God Speed, my good man!

[Skeleton]

I have not seen an update here or over at Run5 in awhile, so, I wanted to see how Ian's recovery is going and if work on ATD is back online? If so, is there any type of "loose" ETA; 1Q or 2Q? Lastly, is there any chance of this wonderful engine evolving into other conflicts, most notably, The Korean War? I love everything about the DB series and Kharkov; they are all first rate games. Cheers and I hope 2010 brings a couple of releases from SSG!

[Gregor_SSG]

ORIGINAL: Marcus the leper

I have not seen an update here or over at Run5 in awhile, so, I wanted to see how Ian's recovery is going and if work on ATD is back online? If so, is there any type of "loose" ETA; 1Q or 2Q? Lastly, is there any chance of this wonderful engine evolving into other conflicts, most notably, The Korean War? I love everything about the DB series and Kharkov; they are all first rate games. Cheers and I hope 2010 brings a couple of releases from SSG!

SSG is an enlightened and compassionate employer, and our very generous employee welfare policy mercifully states that anyone not actually hooked up to a machine that goes 'ping' is fit for duty. On this basis, Ian has been fit for some time, and all joking aside, is actually back at work on ATD2. Currently we are working through the German AI and making good progress.

Gregor