3.4 Target Date

[rhinobones]

Ralph - Can you give us a target date for 3.4? Something like; after July 4th and before Christmas.
A date more definitive would be appreciated.

Regards, RhinoBones

[ralphtricky]

To quote Brad Wardell, 'When it's done.'

The most I'll say is that I'm pretty sure it's going to be this year.

It's a lot like sausage-making at this point, the less you know, the better you'll feel about the finished product.

A lot depends on when Matrix can package it, how many tries it takes to get it right, and when they can get it into the release schedule, etc.

It will also probably take me at least a day to do the release to 3.4 and the release to 3.2 to 3.4 testing to make sure the setup program works for those cases.

This part always seems to take a lot longer that I expect, I'm afraid.

Ralph

[cantona2]

When ever its ready Ralph, many thanks for your efforts!

[morleron1225]

It'll probably go faster if I quit finding little problems with the supply system. [:)]  BTW, it looks like your fixes for that have worked Ralph. [:)]

Ron

[Panama]

Any word on how the patient is doing? Any new complications or setbacks? Any ETA? [&:]

[Jo van der Pluym]

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay Re: Deadline

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay

Erik has informed me that their schedule will delay the start of the build until next Tueday (7/20/10). Therefore, there is still a window to get any last minute scenarios in to me by Monday evening (7/19/10). After that the window will shut for good, unless there is a need for a second build.

And now, this last little window is closed.

It's today 3 weeks ago that Matrixgames has started with the build of the patch. How is the progress of it. And when[&:][&:][&:]

[Curtis Lemay]

The first build had some problems. They were fixed. But then we discovered another problem in the second build. We haven't decided if it's serious enough to warrant a third build.

[Jo van der Pluym]

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay

The first build had some problems. They were fixed. But then we discovered another problem in the second build. We haven't decided if it's serious enough to warrant a third build.

[&:] What do you mean with serious enough?

[berto]

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay
We haven't decided if it's serious enough to warrant a third build.

Given the long shelf life of patches, I'd say any problem is serious enough. We've waited this long; we can wait a while longer. Release no patch before its time.

[ralphtricky]

The issue is that there will be a duplicate Scenario Descriptions file.

I'm hoping that this patch will actually be short-lived, at least I'd like for the next patch to be a lot smaller and more targeted than this one was. I'm hoping that if I run it as a work project, with requirements, timeframes and deadlines, it will help keep me disciplined. The last patch was far bigger than it was supposed to be, with lots of extra features.

I'm 99% sure that despite Bob's and everyone else's best efforts to catch all the bugs I introduced I'm wily enough to have put in some edge cases, at a minimum. Because of that, I've got to put out the next patch relatively soon.

Ralph

[Panama]

ORIGINAL: ralphtrick

I'm 99% sure that despite Bob's and everyone else's best efforts to catch all the bugs I introduced I'm wily enough to have put in some edge cases, at a minimum.

Ralph

You sly dog. [;)]

[ralphtricky]

ORIGINAL: Panama

ORIGINAL: ralphtrick
I'm 99% sure that despite Bob's and everyone else's best efforts to catch all the bugs I introduced I'm wily enough to have put in some edge cases, at a minimum.

Ralph

You sly dog. [;)]

Things like, I'd get pathfinding all fixed and Bob would test it, then I'd try to make it faster (and thoroughly break fog of war for the SECOND turn [who plays more than one turn anyway?]) All kinds of little things like that. I'm not sure where I'd be without Bob and his test scenarios.

Ralph

[Panama]

It's been beta for awhile now. I know the Matrix people have it and maybe they are really busy but I was wondering if we'll see 3.5 beta before 3.4 makes it out. [&:]

[PRUSSIAN TOM]

I for one am not generally patient, but for TAOW 3, and it's esteemed crew of coders, designers, debuggers, (all making six figures at least [:D]), IT'S WORTH THE WAIT! You guys do it right, and this much support for a game that came out ~2005-2006 (Matrix Version), it's a credit to both the original design, and all the people working on TAOW3 that it is so popular. Keep up the good work! [&o]

[Panama]

ORIGINAL: PRUSSIAN TOM

I for one am not generally patient, but for TAOW 3, and it's esteemed crew of coders, designers, debuggers, (all making six figures at least [:D]), IT'S WORTH THE WAIT! You guys do it right, and this much support for a game that came out ~2005-2006 (Matrix Version), it's a credit to both the original design, and all the people working on TAOW3 that it is so popular. Keep up the good work! [&o]

Ralph is done with the patch. It's not really in the coding, designing, debugging stage. He sent it to be 'packaged' some time ago. I'm asking when that is going to be done.

[Silvanski]

Ralph posted the public 3.4.0.191 Alpha on his blog on September 24.
That one has been surpassed by several non-public test versions with bug fixes.
I'm also wondering when we'll see the official release. That's up to the "packaging department" at Matrix Games

[PRUSSIAN TOM]

I spent $50.00 for a WW2 Real time simulation, "HO*3", or something like that. Lots of detail, 1:1 scale, individual weapon selection, yada, yada [>:] . After 2 years (with a computer that exceeded specs), I was then asked to shuck out another $20.00 for an upgrade, that was supposed to fix everything. [:@]. True, Semper Fi (oops, spoiler) runs better, but I don't see the attention to detail that I get from Matrix (although the game DOES have 10,000 provinces). I don't play the real time monster because it is STILL buggy and slow , and is nowhere near as fun as TAOW3.

Forgive my rambling, but w/Matrix, I don't spend $70 on a game that isn't fixed 3 years after I bought it.

I'm willing to wait till the packaging is set. With TAOW 3, I can play the beta, and my questions are answered promptly by people who are experienced with the product. [&o]

[larryfulkerson]

Thank you for that Prussian Tom dude.  My thoughts exactly.  About a different game though.  I mean buying a dog and trying to play it and then comparing it to TOAW.  I've played TOAW for about 10 years now and it just keeps getting better and better.  

[Panama]

I have HOI3. Games are all a matter of personal tastes. What one person likes the other may not. I like HOI3. I won't try to compare a global strategic game with production and diplomacy with an operational level game that doesn't have those things. I have Victoria and Europa Universalis III. Won't compare those with TOAW either. [;)]

I bought Theatre of War 2 and am still wondering why. I guess cuz it was on sale. [:D]

I'm a counter pusher from way back in 1965 (Blitzkreig, Avalon Hill). I bought it mail order and that was in the days of 'allow four to eight weeks for delivery'. I was on pins and needles for over a month. For an operational level game TOAW is one of the best out there IMO. TOAW could use a few enhancements to improve some under the hood things. That's why I'm always enthused when Ralph is doing anything with it and want it finished yesterday. [:D]

[PRUSSIAN TOM]

Fair point. I still play HOI 2, and work on HOI 3 (which is very ambitious [:)]), but:

1) I enjoy TAOW more, it is less of a marathon, even the biggest scernarios. [:D]
2) TAOW is more streamlined, and less cumbersome, and, (I feel) better supported.[:'(]
3) 3.4 is not a 20.00 add-on. [:-]

OK, I like TAOW better, its closer to counter pushing, and I'm more familiar with the Matrix team, because I like TAOW better. HOI (I own 1, 2, &, 3...play 2 & 3) Good games, but not as high on my list as TAOW3. And the Europa engine has been around long enough for Paradox to be as familiar with it as Matrix is w/ TAOW3. Matrix may take a while, but when they say "it's ready, it usually is, with bells on!
You have a lot more experience in this than I do, and although I do not always acknowledge it, I frequently am delighted by the info & tidbits YOU post. [&o]

Have a great holiday. [:)]