Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: tiredoftryingnames

We've been asking that for a while and keep in mind it all could change. When they get time the word is they are going to do a patch to put some refinements and tweaks into UV, but it's not going to be a major overhaul to bring UV up to WITP's interface. We've all pitched suggestions of what we'd like to see in the patch, but no decision has been made as WITP is the focus now. The priority is to get WITP released and then add some features in a follow on patch that didn't make the deadline. I think the main focus if they do anything will be some of the formulas and stuff under the hood. Alot of the screens and changes to what is displayed in WITP aren't going to change in UV I BELIEVE. I can't stress that this might change or never be done at all. That's just from what we've heard when we've asked over time if a new change we like will make it UV eventually.

I understand that major overhaul is impossible, I thought about basic features, which could be easily retrofitted into UV within a patch scope. I hope they will find some time to do it.

ORIGINAL: Mr.Frag

Where do you draw the line?

ORIGINAL: Mr.Frag

I understand that major overhaul is impossible, I thought about basic features, which could be easily retrofitted into UV within a patch scope. I hope they will find some time to do it.

I doubt even 10% of what has changed could be done. But there are a number of bugs that we found that go right back to the UV code. These might be fixed, but you have to think about it this way. Time spent doing that is time not spent moving forward. UV has already gotten a fair number of patches. Where do you draw the line?

ORIGINAL: Kid

Quik poll , would you rather we patch UV or work on Bomb Alley?

ORIGINAL: pad152

If 2by3/matrix plans on doing a Med game, would it be based on the UV engine (30 mi per hex) or Witp (60 mi per hex)? Is there any future in the UV game engine? I think this may factor in new UV improvements.

Why spend much of any time at all making significant modifications to a game that has run its sales course? Major mods won't generate additional new sales so why bother? It's not like we are purchasing a long term maintenance contract with these games or anything.

ORIGINAL: kaleun

That's what's great about Matrix. They keep upgrading/modifying/improving games that they have put out, even if they won't make more money on them. I guess the upside is that once you buy from Matrix, you expect that level of service, and nothing else will do, so you will come back to Matrix for more.
(Kind of like what happens when you buy a Toyota)[8|]

ORIGINAL: ZOOMIE1980

ORIGINAL: kaleun

That's what's great about Matrix. They keep upgrading/modifying/improving games that they have put out, even if they won't make more money on them. I guess the upside is that once you buy from Matrix, you expect that level of service, and nothing else will do, so you will come back to Matrix for more.
(Kind of like what happens when you buy a Toyota)[8|]

Some MAtrix games are based on a pretty mature set of core libraries (reusable kernel-level code) and some aren't. When you have a game like that, continually patching it is not too hard. But you will notice, Matrix never wholesale rewrites games (sans those WIP and WIR Dos titles). WitP basically has a completely reworked kernel (the engine) and from what we hear is a REPLACEMENT game for UV. UV appears, in hindsight, more and more to be nothing but a "Beta" game for WitP. Kind of a feasability study.

Now once maybe WitP stablizes, may that will be the reusable kernel for other follow-on games. But then again, over on the tech forum, I get the impression they are moving to yet again, to a completely new game engine design using structured disk files, and some OOP paradigms, so that may not be the case either....

But long term, it is Matrix or 2X3's best interest to develop an underlying turn based wargame engine that is reusable for years to come, based on modern data and object oriented designs, and then start spitting out games using that kernel, much like companies have been doing with the Unreal engine, rather than reinventing the kernel over and over again..... And if it's solid enough, they could even license the engine itself to other gaming companies just like Unreal does with theirs...

ORIGINAL: ZOOMIE1980

ORIGINAL: pad152

If 2by3/matrix plans on doing a Med game, would it be based on the UV engine (30 mi per hex) or Witp (60 mi per hex)? Is there any future in the UV game engine? I think this may factor in new UV improvements.

Why spend much of any time at all making significant modifications to a game that has run its sales course? Major mods won't generate additional new sales so why bother? It's not like we are purchasing a long term maintenance contract with these games or anything.