Will it never be updated?

[woos1981]

Will this game never be updated? Please don't！

[dduckett]

You got 172 views as of time I write this but no replies. Unless people are checking back a lot

[Lobster]

Probably because the only person who can give you a true answer has been AWOL from developing the game for some time. His last post was a year ago. His last login was June this year. Last time this happened he was gone for two or three years. In other words, it doesn't look good. Enjoy what you have.

[fogger]

I think Bob is the brains and driving force behind the game now. We as a community should be giving him as much support as possible. He has had one heart attack (apologies if I am incorrect) and the more time he spends answering questions the less time he has on working on the game.

[Curtis Lemay]

ORIGINAL: Lobster

Probably because the only person who can give you a true answer has been AWOL from developing the game for some time. His last post was a year ago. His last login was June this year. Last time this happened he was gone for two or three years. In other words, it doesn't look good. Enjoy what you have.

Matrix stopped Ralph's royalties around February 2020. He still worked on it a while, but I think he's gone for good now. Not AWOL...fired. I've questioned Matrix about this (that date was only two months after the last public update), and they say I don't have all the facts about it - and they're right. But they're not moveable on that subject, despite my best efforts.

[Lobster]

Thanks for the update Bob. Maybe Matrix will give you full control? Back to someone who cares about the game.

[larryfulkerson]

It feels like Matrix has put this project on the back burner. If it has any future at all.

[altipueri]

Game over.

I'm glad I've a working version of TOAW4 and downloaded from somewhere a few hundred TOAW3 scenarios.

Thanks to all of you who have contributed to this classic of wargaming.


Now, I really must get beyond Arrancourt and Kasserine....

[fogger]

David, I disagree. It is not over until Bob pulls the pin.

[Curtis Lemay]

ORIGINAL: fogger

David, I disagree. It is not over until Bob pulls the pin.

And I'm not going to pull the pin.

But, as I've said before, anyone who thinks that Bob = Bob + Ralph flunked algebra. I'm on my own on a much more ambitious update than ever before. And I've had some health issues. Everyone needs to be patient.

Edit: One more point: In addition to Ralph, Bart Schouten also quit some time ago without any announcement. (He was the replacement for Tamas). So, it really is just me and the testers for now.

[ncc1701e]

Thank you Ralph, if you are reading this, for what you did for TOAW 3 and 4.
Thank you Bob for continuing a labor of love on this series of games.

[Fred98]

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson

It feels like Matrix has put this project on the back burner.

TOAW IV was released many years ago. So I am wondering what project you are referring to.

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: Fred98

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson
It feels like Matrix has put this project on the back burner.

TOAW IV was released many years ago. So I am wondering what project you are referring to.

Whatever comes after what we have right now. Another patch? TOAW V ? Your guess is as good as mine. Fingers crossed for good luck. Knock on wood. Throw a pinch of salt over your right shoulder. Sacrifice a goat. Actually, whatever you think might work is fine.

[Rosseau]

I'm a bit shocked that a classic Talonsoft/Matrix sim like this will be left in the gutter, while the baffling (IMO) Empire in Arms gets an update!

No way one person (Bob?) can move things forward on their own. Matrix should initiate a "crowd fund" here to support the game's future. I'm willing to invest if the rest of you are. Of course, the game may be at its apex, with future updates not really needed.

After a hiatus of two years, I jumped back into the game playing Eastern Front 1941-1945.v6, and the overall experience was very impressive. There is still nothing quite like it, and very sad for it to lose support.

[76mm]

ORIGINAL: Rosseau

I'm a bit shocked that a classic Talonsoft/Matrix sim like this will be left in the gutter, while the baffling (IMO) Empire in Arms gets an update!

No way one person (Bob?) can move things forward on their own.

AFAIK the EiA update was due solely to the efforts of a volunteer programmer (pzgndr, here on the forum). He's put in a ton of work over the years fixing bugs, etc and has generally done a great job.

[Erik Rutins]

We all recognize the value of TOAW. It's personally one of my favorite computer wargames and I consider it Norm Koger's masterpiece, which we were able through the work of talented programmers, producers and designers to continue updating and improving through the years.

There's a lot more to the situation than what was posted above. I'm very thankful to Ralph for his efforts on TOAW III and IV, but it's not accurate to say that we fired Ralph. I can't share any details, but to the best of my knowledge the parting was mutual.

We're also thankful that Bob has continued working on TOAW after Ralph left, but regarding the possibility of any future updates it's up to him at this time what's realistic and what the timeline might be. It's possible that in the future, we may be able to ramp things up again with more resources and get more ambitious with TOAW, but for now that is a hope rather than a reality.

Regards,

- Erik

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins
We all recognize the value of TOAW. It's personally one of my favorite computer wargames and I consider it Norm Koger's masterpiece, which we were able through the work of talented programmers, producers and designers to continue updating and improving through the years.

There's a lot more to the situation than what was posted above. I'm very thankful to Ralph for his efforts on TOAW III and IV, but it's not accurate to say that we fired Ralph. I can't share any details, but to the best of my knowledge the parting was mutual.

We're also thankful that Bob has continued working on TOAW Ralph left, but regarding the possibility of any future updates it's up to him at this time what's realistic and what the timeline might be. It's possible that in the future, we may be able to ramp things up again with more resources and get more ambitious with TOAW, but for now that is a hope rather than a reality.

Regards,
- Erik

Thank you very much Erik dude, for the update. Now we know the higher ups are at least thinking about TOAW still. Posts like yours are appreciated by me and the rest of the gaming community and I thank you on behalf of all of us.

[76mm]

Erik, thanks for the updated, appreciated!

[r6kunz]

Hey Larry.
Did you ever see the movie Battle Cry with Tab Hunter? Maybe 4th grade. WWII. The Marine Bn was marching back when a convey passed them in the dust and one of the guys shot the finger. I had to stay to watch that gain!

[r6kunz]

Erik,
Thanks for the feedback from the higher-ups!

(Thanks again for the permission to update Red Thunder. In my opinion the sweet spot of complexity\playability.)