A General Discussion

[RBWhite]

I would like to get serious about why I joined as a Matrix member and a forum member.

I have been playing the Steel Panthers simulations since day one.

I have all the Steel Panther simulations sold or offered for free in the US, all the expansion disks updates and patches.

I have always been impressed with Matrix Games advancing the genres of war gaming and Scifi. I think the Steel Panthers World At War series is a very enjoyable simulation free or purchased. If I could get it to work correctly.

I see quite a few Matrix simulation that I would purchase, but I can not be sure that they would function on my machine.

The threads I see suggest there is a problem with Matrix game platform with Win98se & WinXP, a few video cards, drivers, both or all.

I have had problems with SPWAW 8.0 - 8.30 on both operating systems and two different video cards but the same driver base, Nvidia.

I'm not very confident in the responces I have received or have seen.

I think a good discussion for the forum would be solving the current problems with the platform.

Not so abrasive this time

Thank You:

Rick White[:)]

[Hexed Gamer]

To quote, the Developers Journal from 2b3's own site.

"He'll also invest some of his time to look into some new ideas that we have regarding a project which we all hope to get to in 2006 or 2007, Steel Panthers IV."

Not sure, but I think the "he'll" targets Mike Wood (feel free to correct that if needed).

Hmm Steel Panthers IV.

First off that will be an interesting trick if the game is to be actually called Steel Panthers IV considering the ownership of the name.
Is there something we wargamers are not being told?
Posting comments like that publicly is either silly or foolish or ill advised or all of the above.

Question, what the heck does Steel Panthers IV mean to Combat Leader?

I am not thinking Steel Panthers IV is a code name for Combat Leader for instance.

As it currently stands, SPWaW is a great game, but some would rather Matrix Games had enjoyed complete control over the actual original software (not being subservient to the wishes of SSI's owner). That is my own conjecture, though.
Either way, the code is old, and no amount of fiddling with the OOBs is every really going to alter that reality.

SP Camo's versions of the game run nicely, well as nice as those that like it need it to run.
You get two choices of course, run it in 98SE and just not worry. Or run it in XP and learn the tricks to get it to cooperate. Yes there is more out there than 98 SE and XP, but I don't care much more than anyone else does for them.
And of course, you might be in the lucky small group that has no trouble running it at all in the first place.

This spring, happy Steel Panthers fanatics (me included) will no doubt be driving SP Camo crazy with "is it here yet is it here yet?"
They have announced they have done what can be done with their versions in the non Windows frendly mode, and are planning to take the bold step and make it go Windows friendly.
The day I get a download of a Windows friendly SPWW2 and SPMBT file, is likely the day I fill out a money order to send a respectable donation to the offices of SP Camo. Can't buy the game from them, but I can still do the right thing
It will have been earned.

What exactly is 2by3 planning to do with this Steel Panthers IV, that will make Steel Panthers IV worth buying? I assume they expect to sell it.

Come, let's not suddenly go quiet now. You guys (2by3) let the cat out of the bag, so now it's out of the bag.

SP3 was brigade level and went from WW2 all the way to current modern.
I suspect I would play SP3 more than all the others if the darn thing liked me.
But of the 3 versions, it's the most cantankerous to me. It even gives me attitude on my 98SE machine occasonally.

SP IV, well I can't see any option not already done efficiently other than totally new code really.
But isn't that pretty much like telling the guys huffing and puffing on Combat Leader to get stuffed?
Correct me if I am wrong on this one, but we have all long called Combat Leader the evolution of the experience.
More game, but basically driving tanks around and controlling squads.

So what precisely is the deal with Steel Panthers IV?
Or is it merely they want to get money from it, and it's not relevant if they do it and detract from the efforts to produce Combat Leader?

If I hear SP IV is going to be 3d though, get ready to be assaulted by my best verbal barrage eh.
You won't have seen anything from me from the past that would compare

[wodin]

Dont quite understand the problem. All the games are developed by other people not Matrix. Matrix is the publisher. All games have problems with drivers etc thats the negatives of computers where all the parts are made by different companies. As for Win98 and XP thats a job for microsoft.

[RBWhite]

?[8|]

[RBWhite]

Matrix Games: Steel Panthers World At War 8.0 through 8.3 [:)]

[Murky71]

I seem to be running just about the same hardware (MSI Nvidea card, Pentium 2800) and it runs fine. I have to ask: are your drivers up to date? I have seen a number of updates and I only have had this pc for a couple of months. Most problems I've encountered are down to aging drivers.

[RBWhite]

Murky71

I check Nvidia weekly for updated driver.

I'm using the most recent version 66.93 WHQL certified issued on 11/9/04

Pentium4 2.4 ghz.

Thanks

Rick White

[Hexed Gamer]

I see quite a few Matrix simulation that I would purchase, but I can not be sure that they would function on my machine.

snip

I think a good discussion for the forum would be solving the current problems with the platform.

I detected a slight bit of confusion as to the relevance to my first post.

Steel Panthers WaW runs fine on my machine.
It runs fine on most machines.
But there is always someone that has trouble.
Nature of the beast.
It explains why some say they have no trouble with SP Camo versions on XP at all, while others have troubles.

2by3 is associated with Matrix Games 9through other titles), thus the connection here.
They (2by3) have defacto discussed Steel Panthers IV (by publicly commenting on it).
Naturally, one is to wonder, exactly what Steel Panthers IV will actually be.
I seek some definitive quantification (as do many others it would appear as evidenced by comments on other forums that are out there).

Thus, your need to fret over the current versions of Steel Panthers (including SPWaW), might alter in time.

Or will they.

[RBWhite]

Hexed Gamer

Runs fine on most machines, not all.

To be perfectly honest I have had computers and games in my home since 1985 and my job revolved around computers, I have never seen anything like this. I consider myself a pretty good trouble shooter when it comes to problem with computers. Got me.

Theres a problem.

Regards

Rick White

[Reiryc]

ORIGINAL: RBWhite

?[8|]

Rofl!

[RBWhite]

?[>:]

[wodin]

ORIGINAL: RBWhite



I see quite a few Matrix simulation that I would purchase, but I can not be sure that they would function on my machine.

The threads I see suggest there is a problem with Matrix game platform with Win98se & WinXP, a few video cards, drivers, both or all.


Rick White[:)]

This is what I dont understand. As far as Im aware most games will have compatibility issues and its not Matrix fault. They dont develop the games. Ie never heard of the MAtrix game platform.

[RBWhite]

wodin:

Answer me this, who's staff created the version 8.30 patch for SPWAW 8.20?

I already know the answer.

[Kevinugly]

I've had no problems with SPWaW8.0 - 8.3 although I have with the SPCamo versions. However, I did find WaW7.1 refused to run on W98. I'm not a big fan of the game, I download it because it's free and I find the occasional game is a decent break from some of the other games. What else can I say?

[RBWhite]

Kevinugly

Thanks for the responce.

I trying to find out what would make my machine different from those who say they are basicly running the same machine configuration as me.

Theres something embedded in that program that some machine configurations don't like.

It is odd SPWAW 7.1 worked ok on my Win98 se machine it also runs on my WinXp machine.

Again

Thank You

Rick White

[chief]

RB:

I have read where using the next newest Nvidia (ie previous issue) driver solved many problems with SPwaw.....FWIW

[RBWhite]

Chief [Senior, master?]

Good to hear from you.

I've rolled back the Nvidia divers as far as I could go with my video card, I think that was version 45.23 WHQL.

There was no difference, the scenario starts at a blacked out screen or within less than minute it will blackout.

I'm talking about after I choose which scenario I want to play and hit the start button.

The only change with the 8.30 patch is that the autoplay screen now works

Thanks for responding

Rick White

[Goblin]

The problem could be the sound card, or DirectX. You must have version 9 or better (mentioning it just in case you didn't already check it). Also, are you starting the game thru the mech.exe file? If not, try that too.


Goblin

[RBWhite]

Goblin

I do have the current Directx, 9.0c

I ruled out the Audigy sound card along time ago, I loaded the drivers for the onboard sound and activated it in cmos same results. Got rid of all of it and went back to the audigy.

I have started from the mech.exe and I started from spwaw.exe.

Same result screen blacks out.

Thanks for responding

Rick White

[Goblin]

Damn, sounds like you have tried the usual tricks. Its got me stumped. The only other thing I can think of: a corrupted download or file within the download?


Goblin