Waiting to buy and future patches

[entwood]

I am sure there are others like myself

There are 2 reasons to not buy a desired game when first released;
A) Wait for patches which are almost always going to happen (at least a few times depending on game and company)
B) Price comes down (not expecting here)
In both cases, the customer benefits except for having to wait.

I almost clicked buy a few times in the last few days but I see a lot of 'stuff'; Winter '41 and other that is making me still hesitate. Is there any news about content and estimate of when a new patch will happen? If the next patch is big stuff and soon I would wait. If it will be 6 months wait then maybe buy now and just live with issues and have a bit of fun.

[2ndACR]

Not sure about time frame, but I would buy now. It is stable and fun as heck, even with the issues.

So my advice, buy now.

[Klydon]

There is a bit of a learning curve to the game and blizzard issues aside, that curve will have to be conquered at some point. You can get going on that and be familiar with the game (and have a blast at it) by the time the next major version comes out. 

[Josh]

ORIGINAL: 2ndACR

Not sure about time frame, but I would buy now. It is stable and fun as heck, even with the issues.

So my advice, buy now.

Ditto, +1

Really, I'm having a blast of a time with the smaller scenarios.
My advice too, go have some fun, buy now.

[Angelo]

ORIGINAL: entwood

I am sure there are others like myself

There are 2 reasons to not buy a desired game when first released;
A) Wait for patches which are almost always going to happen (at least a few times depending on game and company)
B) Price comes down (not expecting here)
In both cases, the customer benefits except for having to wait.

I almost clicked buy a few times in the last few days but I see a lot of 'stuff'; Winter '41 and other that is making me still hesitate. Is there any news about content and estimate of when a new patch will happen? If the next patch is big stuff and soon I would wait. If it will be 6 months wait then maybe buy now and just live with issues and have a bit of fun.

Well, I see no reason for not buying it and lots of reasons for getting it.

It's one of those games where you love it, with all the warts, or you never will.

Great game really!

[Joel Billings]

I can't give you a time frame on the next patch. Now that 1.03 has become the official patch we are working on 1.04. In 1.04 we expect to work on the 1st winter balance. This is important for the long campaign, but not important at all for the many short scenarios and the campaigns that start in 42 or later. There's plenty of gameplay to learn and fun to be had with the 1.03 version. As some have said, there is a learning curve to the game, so probably by the time you get through that and are ready for the long campaign, the 1.04 will be available. Of course if that's the only scenario you plan on playing than there's more reason to wait, but even then there's plenty to learn in playing it with 1.03. The game will develop over time and should continue to improve, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it now.

[fbs]

ORIGINAL: entwood

I almost clicked buy a few times in the last few days but I see a lot of 'stuff'; Winter '41 and other that is making me still hesitate. Is there any news about content and estimate of when a new patch will happen? If the next patch is big stuff and soon I would wait. If it will be 6 months wait then maybe buy now and just live with issues and have a bit of fun.

Don't worry, entwood, this is a safe bet. The game is very, very stable, incredibly detailed, plays very nicely and everybody here is super helpful.

It so happens that, for example, if the game has a device "77mm HV Gun" as the weapon for the Comet, someone is going to create a fuss that "What the heck! Everybody knows that is a 76.2mm gun, not 77mm!!", and then someone else will argue that "Too continental! This is a really a 3-inch gun!", "Un-historical!! That is just the 17-pdr gun, so it should be called that way!!"... and by now we're at page 5 of brawling, when someone else jumps in... "This game is **BROKEN**!! This should be called Short 17-pdr with 3-inch 20cwt AA projectiles", and it goes on and on and on...

It's quite funny to watch these guys spar some arcane bit of military information, and the amount of arguing gives the impression that someone is having a cow because everything is broken, but trust me, the game is very good.

[Garth Vader]

I often wait to buy a game but bought this one early and haven't been dissappointed. There is enough content and learning curve to keep you busy for a long time before worrying about patches.

[Rosseau]

Based on my experience, there is no reason to wait to buy this game, assuming the price is not a burden.

These days, you should wait for most games--I wish I had with quite a few--but this one is here to stay and you will want a head start learning it. As an example, I spent two months just with the scenario editor and two or three smaller scenarios. Playing almost daily. I say, treat yourself, life is relatively short.

[Oleg Mastruko]

ORIGINAL: entwood
There are 2 reasons to not buy a desired game when first released;
A) Wait for patches which are almost always going to happen (at least a few times depending on game and company)
B) Price comes down (not expecting here)
In both cases, the customer benefits except for having to wait.

There is a learning curve with WITE. Game is very enjoyable in it's current state, but even if you insist on waiting for some patch you can use the time to learn the game better.

[larryfulkerson]

Um..........maybe some prespective from a relative newby to WITE?  I just obtained WITE as a birthday present last Saturday and it's Thursday now so that's about six days of exposure to the game and I have to say I'm blown away.  One of the first things I did was to move the intro movies into a folder somewhere so I never have to hit the space bar multiple times to avoid seeing the intro movies again and again etc.  Also, I turned the volume on the music to "0" because it actually starts to grate on your nerves after about the 30th rendition of the same music.  [ note to developer:  maybe some different music scores to vary the background sound(s) ].  Then I read the manual cover to cover in about 2 hours and then started up the tutorial scenario to start pushing units around and that raised more questions I needed to look up in the manual ( or ask someone on the forum ).  I'm starting to feel comfortable with my level of understanding though so it's starting to be more and more fun.  The sound effects are outstanding, the game interface is great, the level of detail will astound the average person.  It's as though they thought of just about everything that can happen in 1941 -> 1945 warfare.  I noticed the lack of bridges that can be dropped in the river to stop advances but that will no doubt be in a future version.  [ developer:  bridges, hint, hint ].   I especially like the ability to fly supplies / fuel by air to the units that need it, something sorely lacking in TOAW.  I started war gaming back when it was still cardboard and this game gives me the same "feel" I had then.  It's really a great game IMHO.  I'll be playing this the rest of my life.  Probably.        

[abulbulian]

I suggested buying now as you will not regret it. Worth every penny and more. I've been playing board and computer war games for many many year and what has been accomplished in WitE is second to none. IMO makes HOI series look like crap... well Paradox made HOI look like crap too. [:'(]
I'll never forgive Paradox for putting me through what they did with original HOI. The devs and testers for WitE have always been quick to make changes when needed and put out an excellent product from day. I've been purchasing games from Gary and Joel from back in their SSI days. Also, good stuff! Sure some play balancing issues have come up in WitE, but in a game as complex and detailed as WitE that was somewhat expected.

Buying now will give you the opportunity to learn the game and some of it's many hidden UI gems. Even starting a campaign for 41-45 won't be a problem as future patches for blizzard will be out before you reach those turns anyways. If you happen to get that far, can just pause your game for a bit as I know the turn around for patches in WitE is weeks rather than months.

So buy it and enjoy what the entire WitE community already has been for a while now!

[bwheatley]

The game is worth the buy. Play the road to scenarios by the time you are done that you will be set when the winter patch comes out.

It's worth the money.

[JAMiAM]

Hey! You're behind the learning curve already! By it now! Buy it yesterday!!!

[PeeDeeAitch]

I held off purchasing this game for about 2 hours. I am glad I waited. (I was at work and I could not play there, had I bought it then it would have harmed my productivity)

[entwood]

Thanks for the replies.

I am only still 'afraid' of development support diminishing and stopping before the game is 'just right' as much as possible.  I would hate to see that happen and a year from now it is 'dead', and the customers are ultimately disappointed and stuck with issues.  This is not to diminish the game as it stands now but I sense important improvements and 'fixes' are still needed.

I generally have become more careful with my game purchases and this game is also relatively expensive.  I tend to assume, from past experience with some other games, that development will halt prematurely, in the majority of player sentiment, and development effort goes on to new games for 'economic' reasons.

In a nutshell, are there reasonable assurances that this game will be supported and get important updates until it is 'fine'?, again, as much as possible without futile endless waiting or wishful thinking.  This, in some ways, may sound demanding, but if relatively good and timely support will be the case, then I am sold, for my own enjoyment and to support this company and it's games.

I am not at all adverse to playing with Beta's and mods should they be available.

[Senno]

The next game(s) in the series are under development. I believe that is War in the West, and I'm drawing a blank on the third, sorry. Anyway, I believe the untimate plan is to be able to play them all as 1 mega-campaign. That's a ways off, for certain. But it's exciting, and a dream for many wargamers.

Given Gary Grigsby's long body of work and support, I believe that this dev team is as trustworthy as the best dev houses are. He has proven it over 30 years or so.

It's a fun game, and the community is very helpful and kind, as well.

So, I do believe you will be very happy with the purchase.[:)]

[2ndACR]

This is Matrix Games and 2by3 we are talking about. I don't think I have purchased a game from any other game companies since I joined.

Look at War in the Pacific, been out for years now and still has active support.

We get to talk to the Devs here all the time (well Joel anyway). I cannot convince you totally, but the only 2by3 game I don't have was World at War. I have all the others. I have 18 Matrix titles total.

Sometimes you have to trust some and now is the time, support will be here for a long time.

And yes, they are planning a War in the West and hope to be able to link it to War in the East. (I am drooling)

[bcgames]

I bought it, played it, and modded it, and would advise those with a serious interest in the Eastern Front to do the same. Worth every penny--on day one and right now.

[Adnan Meshuggi]

ORIGINAL: entwood

I am sure there are others like myself

There are 2 reasons to not buy a desired game when first released;
A) Wait for patches which are almost always going to happen (at least a few times depending on game and company)
B) Price comes down (not expecting here)
In both cases, the customer benefits except for having to wait.

I almost clicked buy a few times in the last few days but I see a lot of 'stuff'; Winter '41 and other that is making me still hesitate. Is there any news about content and estimate of when a new patch will happen? If the next patch is big stuff and soon I would wait. If it will be 6 months wait then maybe buy now and just live with issues and have a bit of fun.

Well, i have NOT paid the money untill now, exactly because i fear the game handles historical results in a problematic way (russians have to be better as historical in a human to human game, so no chance for the axis side)

I wait for the patches to solve this problem - normaly i had bought the game in the first few minutes.
I have hopes that they solve this problem one or another way, but in the moment i wait.
Because even another year of waiting is no real problem