Is Steve ok?

[Neilster]

I'm a bit worried about Steve. From memory his last activity was 02FEB23 and there hasn't been a monthly update since mid December. Does anyone know anything?

[Centuur]

He posted a new version for the test team today. So I think everything is OK.

[Orm]

Thank you, Peter.

[CanInf]

good to know! I just popped in to check the same thing!

[Magpius]

Will monthly reports be continued?
I miss reading them.

[CanInf]

I am sure Steve won't miss them one bit!

[Vanman]

The lack of clarification from Steve is disconcerting. It probably means one or more of the following:

-Steve is having health issues and the game is secondary (understandably so).
-Relationship between Steve and Matrix Games has deteriorated and he feels its not appropriate to comment publicly.
-Matrix Games has pulled back support. Less $$ equals significantly slower progress.

I personally thought the monthly updates were a bit much (too much work for him). Quarterly would be more reasonable.

I just hope Steve is ok.

[warspite1]

The lack of clarification from Steve is disconcerting.
I just hope Steve is ok.

warspite1

I find this behaviour strange. There are people clearly concerned about Steve and just want to know he's okay (myself included) but there is no word from Steve. All it would take is a simple one liner.

If (god forbid) Steve is unwell then why would Matrix not simply provide an update for the MWIF community?

[Orm]

I suspect that he is just deep into the code to create the AIO, and that he will resurface once he has gotten a decent version of the AIO.

[CanInf]

AIO would be inconceivably cool....

[paulderynck]

True. A decent AI for this game is inconceivable.

[Magpius]

This is not the first time, on this site, that a line of communication between the author/ developer and their user group has gone cold.
Given that all these forums are moderated, some comment is warranted.
As onerous as monthly reports may be, a simple 'work proceeding' message would not take much effort. (less time than it took to write this comment, for example).

[pzgndr]

True. A decent AI for this game is inconceivable.

"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." That was also the general consensus for Empires in Arms, but I am doing what I can to change that. The real problem with decent AI is not that it cannot be done, but that it takes a very long time to get it done. Time that most developers do not have. I took on EIA from Marshall Ellis, and now that I've been retired for the past couple of years I am staying busy with EIA code development. Frankly, I'm not sure if it's keeping me from going insane or contributing to my insanity. Time will tell. LOL

Anyways, I wish Steve well with his efforts and I am looking forward to his next updates.

[Joseignacio]

Let's not get crazy about Steven's health, he keeps on working, as we have been told, this should be showing he is at least more or less ok.
I understand that, had he wanted to comment on this, he would had done by now. If he is ill and doesnt want to comment, that is his prerrogative, and belongs to his intimacy. Although I believe he is just absorved by his AI work. I remember reading him that that was the part of the game he was more excited about (or sth like that), because he had done this kind of work before and he liked it.

[Vanman]

I suspect that he is just deep into the code to create the AIO, and that he will resurface once he has gotten a decent version of the AIO.

My guess is that this is low odds. It would be out of character for a programmer to be as enthusiastic as he was, to post long monthly updates and suddenly switch off for months on end with a positive surprise in store.

[Courtenay]

Steve's last activity anywhere on the forums was 6 April, so not that far back. (Click on his name somewhere to see his profile.)

[Erik Rutins]

The lack of clarification from Steve is disconcerting. It probably means one or more of the following:

-Steve is having health issues and the game is secondary (understandably so).
-Relationship between Steve and Matrix Games has deteriorated and he feels its not appropriate to comment publicly.
-Matrix Games has pulled back support. Less $$ equals significantly slower progress.

I personally thought the monthly updates were a bit much (too much work for him). Quarterly would be more reasonable.

I just hope Steve is ok.

Fortunately, none of these things are actually true. Steve has just been very, very busy trying to get ready for the first AI beta, which we'll be looking to recruit a few more testers for this week.

Regards,

- Erik

[CanInf]

good to hear Erik!! Thanks for supporting this game, and thanks for the continued effort to make it better. Of all my games this is the one that has by far the best ROI. I do not walk home musing about my next move for any other game... and going back to cardboard or a game where the rules are not hard wired just ain't happening!! thank you so very much for this one! I really appreciate it!

[Neilster]

Excellent news

[AxelNL]

good to hear.