Quick update on development progress.

[freeboy]

hello kaleun,
Aren;t you glad it isn't a hundred copies each sold on auction.. that would be ugly

[ZOOMIE1980]

ORIGINAL: kaleun

Considering the length of the turns, the length of the game, I would not buy thisd game if it was one of those pay as you go kind of games. I would be concerned about the site that runs it going under.
On the other hand, I would pay $100 for the game. Probably $110... well may be even $150 but I would want a map with it[8|]

I think both have a niche. You offer the complete game (server and a client) for a fixed price ($70-100) for those that have no multi-player desires. That version plays like the one that will soon ship. But a subscription based service or even a tiered subscription level based on how deeply involved in the minutia you want to be for players desiring a better multi-player interface than e-mail based stuff. Not only that, a server based model could offer true MULTI player games where each player could represent a theator field commander, central commander, production minister, etc... for each side, or one player the British in CBI, one the American, one the Chinese, one the Japanese Army commanding the CBI forces, one Yamamoto, etc.... That sort of thing....

[kaleun]

That would be ugly indeed!
I am taking a long flight in August, and all I have to say is: IT BETTER BE READY BY THEN! or I'll just have to sabotage the Matrix until I get back! (With extreme prejudice)

[Mr.Frag]

The serious wargamer will get many hundreds of hours of play out of the thing.

You mean out of the *first* turn, not the entire game [:D]

[Grotius]

I have no problem with the price of WiTP.

[ASHBERY76]

ORIGINAL: Grotius

I have no problem with the price of WiTP.

A limited amount of these boards might not, but what about the average guy who might have wanted a game about the pacific? there will say "no thanks" to a very,very high priced game.

[GameTester]

ORIGINAL: ASHBERY76

ORIGINAL: Grotius

I have no problem with the price of WiTP.

A limited amount of these boards might not, but what about the average guy who might have wanted a game about the pacific? there will say "no thanks" to a very,very high priced game.

The average guy should probably buy a different game. He won't like this one. Hopefully they lower the price on UV after WiTP is released, that could serve as a cheaper alternative for the beginner.

[Bob L]

I've been following this game for a couple of years now, dropping by every week or so to try to find when it's going to be released. That info has been hard to find in this forum. This thread seemed to be a godsend! Problem is it's getting cluttered with a lot of other stuff now with little to do with when I can get my hands on the darned game! Please give more updates or reassurances on when we'll be able to buy! Is it still on track for 6/24? Daily updates would be nice. Hourly would be better!!

[Mr.Frag]

No change on the release. It hasn't slipped *yet* [;)]

[GBirkn]

Nine days and a wake-up, as we used to say. We're getting so short we'll need a step-ladder to climb up onto the sidewalk! [:)]

[Damien Thorn]

ORIGINAL: GameTester
The average guy should probably buy a different game. He won't like this one.

That's a bit elitist, don't you think? Give the average guy a little more credit than that. WitP will have a lot of stuff going on but its not like its hard to learn the controls. It's also not like the average person won't learn to beat the AI within the first game or two.

[Fallschirmjager]

The average guy wont ever make it though a single game...

[GameTester]

ORIGINAL: Damien Thorn

ORIGINAL: GameTester
The average guy should probably buy a different game. He won't like this one.

That's a bit elitist, don't you think? Give the average guy a little more credit than that. WitP will have a lot of stuff going on but its not like its hard to learn the controls. It's also not like the average person won't learn to beat the AI within the first game or two.

No, I have to disagree. The average guy doesn't want to sit in front of his computer for months on end so he can fight the entire War in the Pacific on a pilot by pilot basis. This only sounds like a good time to the 'special' guy. [:D]

[siRkid]

ORIGINAL: GameTester

ORIGINAL: ASHBERY76

ORIGINAL: Grotius

I have no problem with the price of WiTP.

A limited amount of these boards might not, but what about the average guy who might have wanted a game about the pacific? there will say "no thanks" to a very,very high priced game.

The average guy should probably buy a different game. He won't like this one. Hopefully they lower the price on UV after WiTP is released, that could serve as a cheaper alternative for the beginner.

If it was my call, I would sell UV at half price as a good way to get players intrested in WitP.

[denisonh]

Look at the "age" thread.

You will find the AVERAGE age of the guys on the forum is over 40.

Now, WHAT is the average gamer that YOU are talking about? WHO is he compared to that population?

ORIGINAL: GameTester

ORIGINAL: Damien Thorn

ORIGINAL: GameTester
The average guy should probably buy a different game. He won't like this one.

That's a bit elitist, don't you think? Give the average guy a little more credit than that. WitP will have a lot of stuff going on but its not like its hard to learn the controls. It's also not like the average person won't learn to beat the AI within the first game or two.

No, I have to disagree. The average guy doesn't want to sit in front of his computer for months on end so he can fight the entire War in the Pacific on a pilot by pilot basis. This only sounds like a good time to the 'special' guy. [:D]

[Dukemourn]

I'd be happy to pay $70 for any GG game. I've had nearly all of them....this one promises to be the best of all by a wide margin. I want it bad enough to pay $500 (maybe more) if that was the price and drive to 900 miles to Columbus on the 23rd to make sure I got it quickly.

I'll play it like I always play them. Set it on max realism and difficulty, read the manual over and over, maybe take two weeks to do my first turn, get my rear end kicked by the AI early because of inexperience (just like real commanders) and play it to the end. Then I'll play again and see how much I improve.

[GameTester]

Look at the "age" thread.

You will find the AVERAGE age of the guys on the forum is over 40.

Now, WHAT is the average gamer that YOU are talking about? WHO is he compared to that population?

The average guy doesn't refer to people who are on these boards. This is about those who aren't interested in this project at this time . The question as I see it is whether dropping the price down $20-$30 brings in enough new faces to makeup for the lost revenue from the old faces.

The right move would be to create a short demo, then any average guy who has an interest can try it out for a spin. If they got hooked, they will gladly lay out the $70. If it's not for them, they move on.

[denisonh]

One thing to keep in mind that the this game has a certain market.

And at least for initial distribution, the "average guy" ain't it.

Mass marketing games for the "average guy" killed the games for the "grognard" market.

Too much "Cheez Whiz" and not enough substance. I NEVER owned a game that I played for TWO YEARS straight until I played UV. That game has gotten so so reviews and been marginized in reviews meant for consumption by the "average guy". Most guys on this forum will tell you it is a true gem in PBEM and did nothing more than whet their appetite for WitP.

Matrix is challenging the "form over substance" common in the "average" wargames, and brought some quality gaming back to a specific market demographic: Old Fart Grognards.

Average is just that: average. Average is for the gamer whose games last 3 months on the hard drive. Not this crowd.

Matrix is above average and so is the market demographic that is interested in WitP.

ORIGINAL: GameTester

Look at the "age" thread.

You will find the AVERAGE age of the guys on the forum is over 40.

Now, WHAT is the average gamer that YOU are talking about? WHO is he compared to that population?

The average guy doesn't refer to people who are on these boards. This is about those who aren't interested in this project at this time . The question as I see it is whether dropping the price down $20-$30 brings in enough new faces to makeup for the lost revenue from the old faces.

The right move would be to create a short demo, then any average guy who has an interest can try it out for a spin. If they got hooked, they will gladly lay out the $70. If it's not for them, they move on.

[rawink]

I consider myself a gamer.. I like Flight Sims.. I don't pay more than $49 for one.. regardless of how good, because a newer, better one will be out next year. In the past few years eye candy has become more important than physics and long term playability. Random mission generators don't make it anymore.. so you geta linear campaign that is played out after you learn the tricks and puzzle solving of the campaign. Sure that impossible mission is a pchallenge the first 3 times.. but then it's cake. I HATE that. Janes Longbow 2 had a dynamic campaign where what you did affected the campaign in real time. Ala Falcon 4.0.. Falcon was worth $100 in it's day.. "Generic flgiht Sim 2004" isn't worth it..

I have all 3 of the Steel Panthers games.. the first is bit dated now, and doesn't appear on the hard drive now.. but 2 and 3 both do. But my favorite Steel Panthers game is the Steel panthers: MBT hack done by SP-Camo I literally play 40 hours a month on it. All for free.. it's about the experience and REPLAY ability to me. I have started maybe 200 games of UV.. finished maybe 30 of them in the last few years. It has INFINITE replay ability. I have no doubt I will be playing WITP in 5 years, unless they come out with a world wide version covering the globe with all Navies and air forces!!! (DROOL)!

So paying $100 or even a bit more for that kind of replay ability to me is a great bargain! 3 games at $49 that will bore me in 3 months.. vs $100 for a game I will play 80-100 hours a month for 6 months straight? what a bargain!

[tsimmonds]

This is the game I've been waiting for for 20 years. In 1985 I paid $220 for an unpunched WitP. I would certainly pay that much for this game now.

I look at it this way; I may never need to buy another game....[:)]