Lady in distress… Matrix, Please Help…

Laura · Post by **Laura** » Thu Jul 19, 2001 2:40 am

Matrix Games,

I seem to have a problem that no one has been able to solve. My husband and I have been waiting to receive our copy of the SPwaw Mega Desert Campaign CD. We faithfully preordered via UPS second day air way back in early April.

Two weeks ago, we received an E-mail message stating that our order would be shipped at the end of the week. No UPS tracking number was given or received later on.

As of today we still do not have our game. While I have counseled patience to my husband with some success, today I have reached the end of my rope. Since all of the back orders have been shipped, ours is lost again (if it ever had been shipped.) MY CD IS NOT HERE!!!

Since no one at Matrix knows how to answer E-mail with complete information or mail a CD, you have ruined our wargaming enjoyment (and yes, both of us do play!). Although we have used the help desk 'several' times, it has been of little help… other than to provide delays, or excuses which are never properly followed up on.

Mind you, SPwaw is the *finest* computer wargame for our type of interest! Unfortunately many of our games are screwed-up because of the OOB modifications and mismatched information due to version changes. In addition, all of the new games are being set-up for version 6.1 and we have been left out in the cold. Yes, we are one of the many who don't have high-speed Internet access.

So please tell me, what is so difficult in giving us our UPS tracking number or sending the CD? Is this an endemic problem, or are we one of the few "lucky" ones?

Laura
Wisconsin, USA
serenakell@aol.com

P.S. No, it's not that time of the month… I'm just really upset!!

P.P.S. Thanks for letting me blow off some steam; I just don't know who to turn to...

Huffy · Post by **Huffy** » Thu Jul 19, 2001 3:21 am

Hi Laura...I feel your pain...I too am waiting . I am filling my time playing v 4.5 campain. I know , but it will have to do for now. Our cd's will come...the team really has thier hands full . When they come , it will be worth the wait.
Take care....and enjoy.
Huffy

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Thu Jul 19, 2001 5:00 am

I've always tried to answer the call of a Lady in distress.

Laura, welcome to the forum! You don't know me from Adam. My name is Wild Bill Wilder and I love driving folks crazy with challenging (frustrating) scenarios. I am the coordinator who along with a very dedicated team put together the Mega Campaign North Africa...but nothing to do with shipping them, may I add

.

I've prided myself as a southern gentleman on honoring ladies, even in war, and going to their aid in times of distress.

My answer may not help you. I don't have the CDs. If I did, I'd ship one overnight to you!
I mean it! I'd even run it to your door, but Wisconsin is a loooooong way from Georgia.

Huffy, same for you, my good friend, as loyal as you have been to the Matrix efforts.

By way of explanation, Laura, MCNA is the first saleable attempt by Matrix. It has been like a baby taking its first steps. Quite a few falls and bumps. From what I am told we have had our share! This includes problems with the store, problems with the supplier and problems with the shippers.

We are learning our way. I humbly beg your forgiveness on behalf of Matrix Games. I'm very sorry you've had to wait so long...the same goes for the rest of you very patient Matrix supporters.

By the way, there are other ladies (Amazon Warriors!) who are frequent contributors here on the forum. Alexanda and Ammo Sgt are the two that I know of.

We are delighted to have you, though it had to be under these adverse circumstances.

I'm a long way from wherever the CDs are but I'll surely do whatever I can from here to help with your problem.

Small consolation, but at least you know someone is listening and does care.

Thank you for joining us.

Wild Bill

Laura · Post by **Laura** » Thu Jul 19, 2001 5:56 am

Dear Huffy and Wild Bill,

Thanks for your understanding support. I guess I'm just kind of venting here since it's been so long and we've really been looking forward to trying out the new version and campaign. After a lot of back and forth e-mail with the help desk, it just seems frustrating that things couldn't be resolved any sooner… but I do understand that this is a new experience for all of us in the SPwaw community.

My husband and I have been playing the new incarnation of Steel Panthers for months now, and have really enjoyed what we consider the BEST computer-squad-level-turn-based wargame out there.

And thanks a bunch for the warm welcome Wild Bill! It's great to see a 'Southern Gentleman Grognard' like yourself jumping in to send a few warm words of encouragement all the way up here to Wisconsin. Now there's a title only a wargamer could love.

By the way, my husband and I are certainly familiar with all your wonderful contributions and scenario additions to SPwaw!

I guess apologies are in order for the first post I make to this great group being a complaint of all things. Needless to say, I'm thankful for the fantastic job the whole Matrix staff is doing in producing this product for us.

I just hope they can get those 'lines of supply' worked out in time… sure don't need any 'Stale Panthers' getting here after all the battles are over.

As Huffy said, it will be worth the wait!!!

Laura
Wisconsin, USA
serenakell@aol.com

Drex · Post by **Drex** » Thu Jul 19, 2001 6:14 am

Hi Laura. I too dispaired of ever seeing my Mega-campaign so yesterday I went to the help desk and reported my CD as being probably lost and to send another one. So what happened? It arrived today of course. so put your replacement order in now and wait to get the original order the next day.

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Thu Jul 19, 2001 6:51 am

Way to go, Drex! Now that is quick!

Lady Laura, we don't want any "Stale Panthers"

around your neck of the woods, believe me.

Thanks for your support and your interest. It means a lot to me personally.

No apology needed. I thought you handled your frustration extremely well, something that I am still trying to learn how to do.

Wild Bill
======

Alexandra · Post by **Alexandra** » Thu Jul 19, 2001 6:41 pm

Welcome to the forums Laura!

It's nice to see another girl here, though I do have to say the guys here are all great!

Alex

skukko · Post by **skukko** » Thu Jul 19, 2001 9:47 pm

I am almost cryuing for all this deep emotion that moves air in here

Welcome Laura, and many others too

Can someone there at States burn and send 6.01 version of spwaw to Laura and his man ?? I would do it myself but its longer way from here

mosh

Warrior · Post by **Warrior** » Fri Jul 20, 2001 12:12 am

Originally posted by skukko:
Can someone there at States burn and send 6.01 version of spwaw to Laura and her man ??

It's done.

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Fri Jul 20, 2001 1:58 am

Warrior, Suh, as one southern gentleman to another who is even further south

, my thanks and respectful wishes for good health. Refill on that Julip

?

Wild Bill

Don · Post by **Don** » Fri Jul 20, 2001 3:36 am

Hmm, never known him to be a gentleman before - until a lady needed help!

Welcome Laura, and once you get your "highly collectible" copy of the MC you'll have so much fun you'll laugh about all this. I hope.

Laura · Post by **Laura** » Fri Jul 20, 2001 7:24 am

Thanks for the warm welcome Alexandra! It is great to see another female wargamer on the forums.

And I'll sure say one thing, the guys here are true gentlemen!

Speaking of that, many many thanks to Warrior for being so kind in sending his extra MCNA to me. Your help is truly appreciated!

I can only say the response from the community has been wonderful. It's certainly relieved the distress of feeling so frustrated. I know it's been a trying time for everyone given all the changes that Matrix has had to cope with.

So here's to looking forward to all those great new games!

Laura

Huffy · Post by **Huffy** » Fri Jul 20, 2001 6:38 pm

hey Laura...your wait may be coming to a end...I got mine Fri. morn. Hopfully yours will be there shortly.
Take care...
Huffy

Fabs · Post by **Fabs** » Fri Jul 20, 2001 7:51 pm

Laura, wellcome to the forum.

I'm in the same boat as you, having ordered five MCNA disks and five MCNA T-shirts several months ago, after putting up with about a month difficulties just to put my order through.

Like you, I didn't get the correct info to be able to track my order. Much as I admire Matrix Games for their work on the Steel Panther series of games, I am beginning to despair of their business ability.

One thing is to support a bunch of hard working enthusiasts who are doing great things for my favorite hobby, but things change once they start wanting to charge their fellow hobbyists.

Much as I want to support them, I feel I must urge them to get their business practices up to scratch.

I have paid a relative fortune to have my order delivered in Europe, as every item seems to be charged postage separately. I don't mind, but the long wait is testing my patience.

I also worry that these problems may stop potential future customers from supporting their products, which would be a disaster for us enthusiasts.

We need Matrix to do well commercially, but they are not going the right way about it right now, if die-hard supporters like me are getting browned off with them.

I will not be ordering any more products until my first order is fulfilled.

johnfmonahan · Post by **johnfmonahan** » Sat Jul 21, 2001 12:50 am

Laura,

Where be ye? I could drop a copy by if you are in SE WI.

Gallo Rojo · Post by **Gallo Rojo** » Sat Jul 21, 2001 12:59 am

Laura, don’t get worry, mine have arrived just a few minutes ago!!

I’m sure that yours will arrive soon