Announcement from the development team!

[Ursa MAior]

ORIGINAL: Marshall Ellis

I'm excited that our journey is closing...

More news to follow SOON!

Thank you

With all respect sir this was posted on 1st of October. It well could be that I am expecting too much, or my wishful thinkng has tkaen over my judgement.

As I said I am not a game developer but if the testers are not makeing progress then they should be made responsible, if they are volunteers then why are not properly employed (ie paid)? Someone in the management does not believe (I am sorry to say anymore) thath it ever gets finshed, therefore is not financing the testers?

Please forgive my bitterness I was among the adamant defenders, but I feel VERY disappointed.

[Will_L_OLD]

While it is a disappointment that this will not be out before Christmas this year I for one appreciate the additions to the game that Marshall has made since this thread was started.

Its not easy to playtest a game like this, needing seven players each of whom has their own personality. I've seen players who are not doing well in our FTF games of EIA lose interest and start to skip game sessions(we either nominate an ally to play their position for the day or UMP them if it continues), so its probably the same with the testers to some extent. Just a little more patience and we'll have our grail.

[Joisey]

They must not really be all that close to release. Missing the Christmas buying season, with all it's potential for sales, is HUGE for a game publishing company and very important in the computer game industry. I'm sure that if Matrix could get this thing out the door before 12/25 they'd be doing it.

If they can't, then that means they are pretty far from the finish line to be passing up all those sales profits.

[Ursa MAior]

ORIGINAL: Joisey

They must not really be all that close to release. Missing the Christmas buying season, with all it's potential for sales, is HUGE for a game publishing company and very important in the computer game industry. I'm sure that if Matrix could get this thing out the door before 12/25 they'd be doing it.

If they can't, then that means they are pretty far from the finish line to be passing up all those sales profits.

You are probably right. See ya around Eastern!

[Vyshka]

ORIGINAL: Ursa MAior

ORIGINAL: Marshall Ellis

I'm excited that our journey is closing...

More news to follow SOON!

Thank you

With all respect sir this was posted on 1st of October. It well could be that I am expecting too much, or my wishful thinkng has tkaen over my judgement.

As I said I am not a game developer but if the testers are not makeing progress then they should be made responsible, if they are volunteers then why are not properly employed (ie paid)? Someone in the management does not believe (I am sorry to say anymore) thath it ever gets finshed, therefore is not financing the testers?

Please forgive my bitterness I was among the adamant defenders, but I feel VERY disappointed.

Matrix is a pretty small operation, and so are the groups that develop their games. Neither party can really afford to pay playtesters. Most people involved, including those developing the games, have daytime jobs and the work they do on these projects is outside of that. The fact that the testers are volunteers has nothing to do with how Matrix and the developers feel about them. I am sure if they could make economic sense they would have paid testers. As it is they do compensate the testers to some extent by mention in credits for the game, and also for those that actively test possibly a free copy of the game.

People get bent out of shape because they are looking forward to titles and anxious to play them, but you have to remember this is not a huge shop like EA games with massive budgets. Just find something else to expend your time on and check in every once in a while. Eventually the game will be out and you will be able to enjoy it.

[Murat]

ORIGINAL: Paper Tiger
Many things here are priceless, I would include the whinges of those who don't remember it taking 4 years in the old days to get enough players together to start a game of empire in arms only to find that mice had eaten Napoleon[8|] 

Military bases and colleges are gold mines for players =) It might take you 4 years to finish the game but you will have a steady stream of players!

[Murat]

ORIGINAL: Marshall Ellis

Hello all:

I think I can get this out before "A" Christmas BUT probably not this Christmas!
Have you ever tried any PBEM testing with 7 people? It's easier to herd cats. This is not a slam against the testers BUT schedules this time of the year (including mine) are tough!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Thank you

As it is they do compensate the testers to some extent by mention in credits for the game, and also for those that actively test possibly a free copy of the game.

Well not much we can do about Marshall being busy but I think it is safe to say that there are several willing subs for playtesting hanging around in this room, if they are needed.

[Ursa MAior]

ORIGINAL: Murat
Well not much we can do about Marshall being busy but I think it is safe to say that there are several willing subs for playtesting hanging around in this room, if they are needed.

Second to that. A fair BUT demanding agreement can be made AND SHOULD BE MADE even with volunteer playtesters. Even if some drops aout ther are always willing people in these forums (hint, hint) so this should not really be a problem. IMHO the bigger pool you use for selection the bigger chance you have to achieve your goal. Why must it be only 7 people? Why it cannot be 2 or 3 times seven?

As of small companies in my firm opinion it is a much BIGGER WASTE of money to develop games which are so-to-say not reaching their sales goal due to gameplay or other issues which could have been avoided given there was proper testing.

I seriously doubt that people who have a lot of spare time overseas soldeirs (I dont know whether they can accept money for such activities), university students and willing freelancers wont honor with good and reliable work even a small compensation of 100-200 USD. Well here in East-Eu it is a lot of money for a month to do what you do otherwise in your spare time.

Ha, a great Idea to Matrix management. Outsource gametesting. What do you think?:

[timewalker03]

This forum gets better and better every year. I can't say enough how some here take the high road and some the low when it comes to this game. For those who have just Joined the forum with in the last year, it seems you are now the ones defending Marshall and Matrix. Those who used to like Ursa and Murat have changed tunes and now like most of us who were here in 2003 hearing the same things are waiting impatiently. Yes the important thing here is a good product. Whats funny about the good product is it has changed very little in going on 4 years for some here. (I am at 3.5 years waiting from when I joined the forums.)Changed very little as in its in progress and will be released by "a Christmas just not this one".

I no longer play EiA and may not even buy the game now since my interests have changed in gaming, but I will keep my laminated map on my office wall as a reminder to what once was when I was younger and the fun i had playing passing time during the first Gulf war in 1990 waiting for the "action" to begin. Oh what a wonderful game it was. Now it stands to piss my wife off that the unsightly map hangs on the wall with all the corps and depots glued in place as they were during the last night my group of seven got together to finish 1807. That was 1991. Great times they were.

[Ursa MAior]

Hope dies last.

[Norden_slith]

Well not much we can do about Marshall being busy but I think it is safe to say that there are several willing subs for playtesting hanging around in this room, if they are needed.

HERE!

Norden

[Norden_slith]

ORIGINAL: Ursa MAior

ORIGINAL: Marshall Ellis

I'm excited that our journey is closing...

More news to follow SOON!

Thank you

With all respect sir this was posted on 1st of October. It well could be that I am expecting too much, or my wishful thinkng has tkaen over my judgement.

As I said I am not a game developer but if the testers are not makeing progress then they should be made responsible, if they are volunteers then why are not properly employed (ie paid)? Someone in the management does not believe (I am sorry to say anymore) thath it ever gets finshed, therefore is not financing the testers?

Please forgive my bitterness I was among the adamant defenders, but I feel VERY disappointed.

I have to agree with Ursa. Would the message have been "by eastern" instead, I would have been a lot happier. The least Marshall could do is comment on not following a posting like this up. Something like "sorry folks, something came up..." or whatever.

[Ursa MAior]

I think I understand the motivation of Marshall, at least a part of it. It has been going on since so long he REALLY wanted to show that process is being made etc. Well bad choice of words, bad selection of testers, bad selection of priorities (happend to the whole Imperial Japanese Navy officer corps not once in WWII) have further delayed the launch of EiA. Could be any of those, could all of them, could be none.
 
With all respect Marshall for the sake of our (yours too [;)]) sanity please only say somthing about the release when you have a set date for it (come hell or highwater)..

[Monadman]

ORIGINAL: Ursa MAior

I think I understand the motivation of Marshall, at least a part of it. It has been going on since so long he REALLY wanted to show that process is being made etc. Well bad choice of words, bad selection of testers, bad selection of priorities (happend to the whole Imperial Japanese Navy officer corps not once in WWII) have further delayed the launch of EiA. Could be any of those, could all of them, could be none.

Well guys, I also get frustrated with this project at times but quitting is not an option in my book. The game and test team of 2002 is not the game and team that is in place today (save a few and very little).

From my perspective:
Early on, as the game struggled to become an “EIA-like” game under the name “The Napoleonic Wars”, the EIA game connoisseurs (the game purists) were pushed aside. At some point, Matrix gained the rights to EiA and the game began its journey back to the fold. Since then, it has been a long, and at times unorganized, morphing experience to get EIANW as close as possible (within programming constraints) to the original EIA game. It is progressing but during this journey, we (the testers) can only move as fast as the programmer’s pace and the programmer is a very busy person.

Hang in there (like you would playing Prussia after surrendering to France) and FWIW, I’m just thankful that this game is still in the works.

Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow countrymen (and that does include the womenfolk too).

Richard

[Ursa MAior]

In no way am I quitting! Just deeply disappointed. I can thank innumerabée hours spent playing UV/WitP/ and Matrix War in Russia to the link that brought me here looking for cEiA. I just have to wait longer. Again.

[Naxias]

I assume if the game was comming out soon it would've been moved to the "Comming soon" part of the forum. [:)]

[Norden_slith]

Who said anything about quitting?

Norden

[ktotwf]

Wow, the high drama in this thread. I've been waiting A LONG TIME. Will I buy it when it comes out? Absolutely. Do I care if it takes two months or two years? Not really. I have other things to do in the mean time to keep me busy.
 
I can't possibly understand what is so upsetting. We are getting the game. That should be enough.
 
I have no right to demand a service from someone I have never met and with whom I have made no financial transactions. Take a valium, and chill guys. The ride ain't over yet.

[von_Bülow]

I agree that this is disappointing.
 
I only registered when I saw the announcent (~ kind of) "we are talking about days".
ok, it will take longer now but what really irritates me is the fact that the man responsible said not a long time ago
"3. NEVER talk too much on the forums early. I've said a lot that have changed (See #2) thus creating that group of quoters out there "But you said...". This is the reason for me staying away form the forums for a while. You can't be quoted if you don't say anything."
I'm certainly not in the position to have any claims on the release date of the game and I greatly appreciate the blood and sweat Mashall Ellis is putting into this game, but I have to say that his way of providing news to the public is - let's say - a bit unfortunate.
 
And I don't think it is unfair, disloyal or whatever to say this on these forums.

Greetings from Germany

[Norden_slith]

ORIGINAL: ktotwf

Wow, the high drama in this thread. I've been waiting A LONG TIME. Will I buy it when it comes out? Absolutely. Do I care if it takes two months or two years? Not really. I have other things to do in the mean time to keep me busy.

I can't possibly understand what is so upsetting. We are getting the game. That should be enough.

I have no right to demand a service from someone I have never met and with whom I have made no financial transactions. Take a valium, and chill guys. The ride ain't over yet.

Youre not getting it. Not much drama, just dissapointment. Its Marshalls statement. Somehow, hopes went up just to get crushed again. Somehow that strikes some people as slightly annoying. I'll wait, yes I have other things to do in the meantime.

Norden