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I am rather new to SP -SPWAW. Is there some place I can go/ download the history of how we got from SP I,II,III with SSI to A free download only SPWAW with Materix gamesand TGN ?

Currently, there is no such article, Chuck.

I joined TGN since shortly after David Heath began operating the site in the late summer of 1997.

My purpose was to establish a new section on TGN called "Wild Bill's Raiders." We opened the site three years ago this month with our first scenarios. It was well received.

The original intent of the site was to provide one scenario with some historical background every week for SP1 and SP2 (SP3 was still under beta testing with SSI).

Since I had been involved with the beta testing of these three versions of SP and done extensive scenario design with Novastar Gaming, SSI and the Pegasus website, I wanted to offer a site that would help to keep interest alive and well in the game.

The first idea for change came from outside of TGN when a representative of the SP-Camo Workshop approached me with new icons for the game. He knew of our work at the Raider site and wanted to make some graphic improvements.

I liked the idea, passed it on to David, who approved it, and TGN began working with the SP-Camo Workshop on changing not only the icons but some of the inner workings of the game.

The response was so positive on the TGN site with the superficial (but much needed) changes in a newer version of the game, that we felt we could do much more if we had access to the code of the game. All of us really were enthused about seeing Steel Panthers improved even more.

David Heath got into contact with SSI and offered our services to improve the game.

David explained to SSI that our intentions were not to sell the game, only improve and enhance it. SSI agreed and gave TGN the code solely for that purpose.

A beta team was formed at TGN, with all of the Raiders taking part. Then the help of an excellent programmer, Michael Wood, was secured to work in the code and in about 8 months TGN, SP-Camo Workshop and the beta team had produced Steel Panthers-World War 2.

In the early summer of 1999, others of us saw more potential in the code used in Steel Panthers III, which seemed to offer much more initially in possibilities for improving the game than the original SP2 version did.

The SP-Camo Workshop decided that they wanted to continue to build on what had been done with SPWW2 up until that point.

The final result was the SP-Camo Workshop continued their work on SPWW2, while a new Gaming Company, Matrix Games, opted to develop a Windows compatible version called Steel Panthers World at War, using the SP3 code as the basis for change.

Now, After a more than a year and thousands of man hours of work, including testing and scenario design, a brand new Windows compatible version of this magnificent game
was born, known as Steel Panthers World at War.

And that is where we are today. It has actually been a project that has been going on since the summer of 1998.

We now have a version of Steel Panthers that should be around for some years to come, now Windows compatible, with improved programming, graphics, sounds and a ton of new battles and campaigns. And we are just getting started.

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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games

Thanks Wild Bill,That sure was a fast and gomplete explaination.

Chuck P.

Cut & paste it in the FAQ.

Wild Bill - Thanks for the run down on SPWAW. I've tried to explain it to several people but I was only putting pieces of different posts to tell the story. It's comforting to know that I was generally accurate.

I do have one follow-up question: How did Matrix Games get involved in remaking WIR and WIP?

Same process, degen. We knew of the earlier interest and the fine quality of these games. David talked with SSI and Gary Grigsby and got an okay to update them so that they can be played as Windows games. This increases their longevity.

It was my pleasure, Chuck. I'm glad the brief historical resume was clear enough.

I agree, Zarquon, it should be a part of the game document, and probably posted on the main SPWAW page.

Thanks for your positive responses.

Wild Bill

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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games