New patch...will it come????

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All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [Napoleonics] >> Crown of Glory >> New patch...will it come????

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New patch...will it come???? - 11/26/2007 12:53:10 AM

semper fi

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My question is for the moderators/developers of COG. Do you plan on releasing any new patches for COG in order to fix the known bugs/glitches in the game? You�ve basically stopped all support for COG since FOF came out. I know about the expansion pack, which you plan on charging people for. However, before, I buy anymore of your products, I want to know about your support for the game.

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RE: New patch...will it come???? - 11/26/2007 2:23:07 AM

ericbabe

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We do plan to release a small patch shortly that will fix two critical problems that show up not very frequently. As we plan to redo the way protectorates work for the expansion pack, I really don't want to spend a lot of time changing the way they work in the original game in order to fix "glitches" with them. There are two fixes for multi-player detailed battle issues we may be able to make as well. We may just remove the treaty clause that allows lending of units, as I've had problems with this thing forever. We may be able to fix the interface bug with the lancers if that still exists (need to try to replicate). Other than the issues that some people have with the underlying TCP/IP libraries (from DirectPlay 4.0), which we can't do anything about, I think these are the extent of remaining bugs in COG... not too serious of a list as far as bugs go. There are, however, things that confuse some people or things that people think should be done differently, such as the declaration of war rules, or the resolution of Terms of Surrender when multiple nations want the same territory. I don't think we'll be changing any of these things, though for the expansion we will be be making it much harder to conquer territory.

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RE: New patch...will it come???? - 11/26/2007 3:37:47 AM

semper fi

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Thanks for your response and to let you know I�m not one to state that a game has problems without stating what those problems are. I released a post last year with I thought what was wrong with game (see below link). Some of the comments are ideas to improve the game historically and others are problems �glitches.�

Don�t get me wrong, I like COG, but I stopped playing for many of these reasons, but specifically the �Provincial Control� issue. This seams to be a major issue with many players. I would like to begin playing the game again since this is my favorite time period.

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=1295772&mpage=1&key=�

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RE: New patch...will it come???? - 11/26/2007 4:34:33 AM

ericbabe

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I estimate that you have about 125 suggestions for improving COG in that list. In skimming the list I don't see anything that is really actually addressing any bugs, it mostly constitutes a list of things you'd like to see changed. You might call these "glitches" but I don't actually consider them to be flaws in the way the game works.

I agree with many of the things on your list, and some of these areas are things we're improving in the expansion pack. Perhaps you'd be interested in signing-on as a beta tester. However, we simply cannot afford to make these sort of extensive changes for free. There are dozens of lists like yours, so if we were to implement the demands of every customer who made a long list then we should be changing thousands of things. Changing small things, especially economic things, can drastically affect game balance, and as such, these sorts of changes require extensive play testing to get right. We would all starve to death if we did nothing other than patch COG.

Take one of the items on your list:

"Guard Cavalry and Guard Artillery � Allow the building of these types of units."

Great idea to have guard cavalry, but do you have any notion of how much it would cost us to add this feature in terms of a graphics budget, coding, redoing all the scenarios that might have these units, then managing a play-testing cycle for these? It would cost more than COG is making in a single month now to add these two units, and my guess is that adding guard cavalry wouldn't make up the month of revenue that it would cost to implement.

Honestly, the number one complaint I hear from people who either didn't buy COG or who bought it but didn't play it much is that it was "too complicated" for them. This isn't just the mainstream audience either, but people who get into other relatively complicated Matrix games. Obviously we don't hear that complaint on this forum very much, but on other forums and from people who take the time to write e-mails to me, this is the #1 thing I hear. If I were to address the main complaint I have heard about COG in a patch, then I would probably make a patch that would remove 2/3rds of the complexity in the game! Based on the feedback I've gotten, we've clearly lost more sales because of all the little rules we have in COG than we have because we didn't implement the 1000+ additional rules that people wish we would add.

< Message edited by ericbabe -- 11/26/2007 4:37:33 AM >

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RE: New patch...will it come???? - 11/26/2007 5:56:43 AM

alaric318

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greetings, agreed that guard units is not a big issue, i must say, only with a few of modding knownledge you can make very different "nation advantages" on morale, from my personal point of view and opinion we can make changes on the nations that indeed increase for example overall morale for france, sure that we do not have guards but the high quality of french forces can be adjusted to each player concept of perfection, the process need some testing from playing with the changes made, is so easy to tweak and balance the national morale, for a player that have some mod knownledge it will take no more than 5/10 minutes to make these changes and impact reflected on game will be very great "players2.txt" is The KEY file for doing that and we all know about france overall army great mastery above all other nations, not only guards, i reccommend to not make national morale above at max of 6.7 or new units will start on guard status given the barracks morale increase modifier, with france at 6.7 morale national and barracks 10 you will have french units at 7.7, only 0.3 away of guard status, from this point onwards it all depends on make the middle point that adjust french overall dominance but not make france unbeatable, some testing will be needed for find the balance-real balance "key morale stats", and then, if we can mod national morale to reflect supperior troops quality to any wished point, do not anymore need guard units, as regular troops will do the work, Crown of Glory being moddable, and easily moddable is one of the better features, i can make an example with my adjusted "players2.txt" settled at my own whises, aside note i can say that france with these national morale settings is nearly unbeatable but then, what other nation in europe will have taken in strategic check all of european nations for nearly ten years, as france does?. and thanks eric for take the time to read and advice about all personal whises about the game, i know it is difficult to reach success on everyone and any player whises, in this and every game. as a side note i will like to view the new implemented the power balance settings if there comes a new patch and time let the developers do it, thanks in advance, regards.

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RE: New patch...will it come???? - 11/27/2007 4:37:52 AM

semper fi

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Again, thanks for taking the time to respond. I�m not in the computer gaming industry; therefore, I wouldn�t know about the cost of doing business. However, since I�ve been playing games most of life, I do know what it takes to make a good game. I would be interested in becoming a beta tester, but before I commit to it, what does it entail? Also, do want me to beta test COG, the expansion or the COG2?

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RE: New patch...will it come???? - 11/27/2007 6:14:10 AM

Gil R.

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semper fi,
There are different types of testers, so I'm sure you'd fit into one of the basic categories. Some get deep into analyzing the numbers, working on issues such as game-balance, economics, etc.; some have expertise in military matters and will put a game through its paces to make sure that the code is working and the AI knows what it needs to do; some love to look for bugs, and will try anything and everything to find them; some will play simply to see if the game is fun; and so forth. In terms of time, we recognize that this is voluntary so we're not exactly having people punch clocks -- the more time you can devote, the better, but there's no need to be concerned that testing will come to dominate your life (unless you let it!). Based on your post, I have no doubt that you'd be able to make a valuable contribution, so message me if you want me to have you added to the team.

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Post #: 7

RE: New patch...will it come???? - 11/27/2007 11:52:14 AM

semper fi

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I'll be interested in giving beta testing a shot. I'm not a computer programmer. While I 'm able to identify a bug, I couldn't tell you how to fix the code. However, I do know history, understand military matters and love to game. I'll need to re-familiarize myself with COG, which will take some time...

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RE: New patch...will it come???? - 11/28/2007 2:30:15 AM

Gil R.

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Great. I'll e-mail Karlis Rutins (Erik's father), who handles the paperwork for adding testers.

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RE: New patch...will it come???? - 11/29/2007 5:18:05 AM

Marshall Thomas

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Hi, this is my first post here. I'm planning on buying Crown of Glory soon. It seems like the type of Napoleonic period game that I've always hoped for.

My question is, and I'm sure it's been asked before is: Is there any estimate for the release time of the Emporer's Edition? If it's coming out pretty soon, then I might wait to learn how to play with the Emporer's Edition changes. Thanks in advance

Also: What are the main differences between Crown of Glory and Empires in Arms?

< Message edited by Marshall Thomas -- 11/29/2007 5:31:32 AM >

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RE: New patch...will it come???? - 11/29/2007 5:32:30 AM

Gil R.

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I long ago learned not to make specific predictions regarding when products or patches would come out, but I can say that we are still many months away. The earliest I can imagine the expansion coming out would be mid-spring, but that would require everything to break right in terms of coding and testing going nearly flawlessly. And experience shows that things don't always break right...

As for EIA, we at WCS haven't seen it yet. And anyway, we shouldn't be the ones to compare the two. I have absolute faith that when EIA comes out there will be plenty of COG vs. EIA discussions, both here and elsewhere. And, as with the FOF vs. AACW debate, our view would be, of course, "buy both!"

< Message edited by Gil R. -- 11/29/2007 5:35:20 AM >

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RE: New patch...will it come???? - 11/29/2007 5:47:41 AM

Marshall Thomas

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Thanks for your quick response and for the estimate for the Emporer's Edition release. I'll be reading the forum discussions comparing Crown of Glory to Empires in Arms, and yes I'm going to order CoG tonight and EiA around Christmas when the boxed version comes out. Thanks again

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RE: New patch...will it come???? - 11/29/2007 6:14:15 AM

Gil R.

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Great news. We hope you enjoy the game.

By the way, do be sure to check out the "Ralegh Guides" in the "War Room" sub-forum. Essential reading for anyone who wants to know the game.

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RE: New patch...will it come???? - 12/7/2007 10:29:42 PM

DasTactic

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I was interested in Eric's comment about many players finding COG too complicated (I am one of those). Does this mean that the expansion/new game will be much more approachable from the perspective of a casual player? If so, you've won me! I enjoyed the game - especially the battle maps (wish there was an option to just play these and forego the campaign).

Thanks

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Post #: 14

RE: New patch...will it come???? - 12/8/2007 3:58:34 AM

Gil R.

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Das123,
We'll definitely be providing an option for playing with a simplified economy, for those who just want to focus on military and diplomacy. Go to this thread to read more: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=1592876

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RE: New patch...will it come???? - 12/8/2007 10:34:37 PM

DasTactic

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Thanks Gil,

I'll definitely get it when it comes out. I read that there will be a discount for players who already own CoG. I search high and low yesterday to try and locate the game. I usually burn a DVD of downloadable games but couldn't find it. It was downloaded onto a computer that has since died. Will I need the serial number to buy the new game or will my details already be logged?

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RE: New patch...will it come???? - 12/9/2007 12:28:34 AM

ericbabe

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That's the plan. I'm not sure how the details will work exactly -- you may need your serial number, I'm just not sure how these Matrix systems work.

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RE: New patch...will it come???? - 12/9/2007 3:01:39 AM

sabre100

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I for one can't wait for this expansion to come out,� I have the original game and it is very nice. I also purchased FOF as well because of this game.

< Message edited by sabre100 -- 12/9/2007 3:03:37 AM >

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RE: New patch...will it come???? - 12/9/2007 3:22:57 AM

ericbabe

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Thanks! I better get back to work!

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RE: New patch...will it come???? - 12/14/2007 10:36:56 PM

semper fi

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Gil,

I've received an initial Email from Karlis asking for my Email to send me the COG NDA for Beta Testing. I've replied, but I have not heard back in two weeks. Please look in to this since I'm still interested...

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RE: New patch...will it come???? - 12/15/2007 2:59:00 AM

Gil R.

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quote:

ORIGINAL: semper fi

Gil,

I've received an initial Email from Karlis asking for my Email to send me the COG NDA for Beta Testing. I've replied, but I have not heard back in two weeks. Please look in to this since I'm still interested...

I just e-mailed Karlis. Thanks for letting me know.

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RE: New patch...will it come???? - 12/15/2007 3:53:59 AM

semper fi

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Thanks...

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