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Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/14/2012 4:32:48 AM

wodin

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The coming soon forum is looking very small these days. At least three of those games have no real release date and are definately not going to arrive this year thats WiF, Lock n Load and Combined Arms, this leaves just two other games. I know we will see Panzer Corps DLC and Battle Academy DLC aswell as Distant Worlds stuff but thats not what I'd call a new release as such.

So Apart from Conflict Of Heroes and Team Assault (which I have no interest in) that we know about but neither have a forum and that but I expect to see them released this year what other games do you have up your sleeve as 2012 is looking pretty damn poor so far on the wargaming front.

Even last year was a slow burner with for myself with only one or two wargames I had any interest in. Matrix really only released one new wargame last year (Unity of Command), all the others where either DLC or re-imaginings of older games (Panzer Corps and the CC series) or Sci Fi X4, Time of Fury really is a remake of Time of Wrath, the game before UoC that can be classed as new was GGWitE which I believe was released in 2010 wasn't it? I really do want to buy some Matrix products to support you but unfortunately for awhile now nothing has been released that takes my fancy. I am looking forward to CoH and I hope that will be my first Matrix purchase in a long time.

Are there any NEW games coming along this year?
Any new developers getting signed up?

< Message edited by wodin -- 1/14/2012 4:39:54 AM >

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/14/2012 4:39:17 AM

Hanal

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I would like to think that Commander WWI will come out this year........

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/14/2012 4:44:38 AM

wodin

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Yes thats one of the game sin the coming soon forum that and BaB are the only two that are likely to be released this year. So I count four games for release thats Team Assault, Commander WW1, Conflict of heroes and Brother against brother (which I have doubts will be released this year actually). So thats three new games for the whole year, plus I suppose loads of DLC for BA, PC and FoG.

It's the lack of new games that makes me downhearted in respect to my wargaming year.

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/14/2012 7:28:23 AM

Rosseau

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Disheartening, isn't it? Now let's look beyond Matrix for a moment:

No offense, but Shrapnel is dead-in-the-water, BF will be just CM2. And Crusaders 2 isn't my thing. That's why I hope we see some surprises maybe from indie developers. But they won't be WitE material. Maybe 2012 will be a year to catch up on games we haven't played. I just don't know if I can stand seeing another $50 FPS come out

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/14/2012 3:13:15 PM

wodin

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I'm with you there rosseau....We also have Mr Tiller but we know whats coming with them..then we have HPS who fair enough keep bringing out new types of game and one recent one in particular has so much potential that was sadly by all appearances rushed out the door, no doubt in time it will be great but it doesn't even have historical maps and some of the scenarios supposedly in different parts of Russia use the same GeoMap. I do have faith it will come good though. Abnother game they released was a new concept but was more of a novelty than a fully fledged wargame. GMT games are looking for programmers to convert some of there games but they are mainly for tablets and phones. Though some are coming for the PC at some point like Nightfighter. Who else do we have...no one I can think of, Paradox maybe but again is another game on the same old engine a new wargame?

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/14/2012 5:22:10 PM

ccsdc83

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I wonder if these different companies are trying to bring "watered down" or "lite versions" of wargames to the mobile sector? People are playing on mobile devices a lot these days. Not many wargames out yet though on the Ios app store.

I like playing stuff on my Ipod and tablets now. I mostly read books,email, twitter, etc with light gaming.

< Message edited by ccsdc83 -- 1/14/2012 6:13:25 PM >

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/14/2012 5:31:17 PM

junk2drive

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Look at 5 year chunks of computing. In the 90s I had an Apple IIe then a PC with Win95 and 33Mhz. By 2002 a 1Ghz WinME. 2007 2.8Ghz XP. 2012 I have dual core 3.0.
In 5 years we may be in the minority with desktops. The market for war games may be so small as to not be profitable.

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/14/2012 6:17:22 PM

wodin

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For me the advent of Phones and lite games are the biggest threat to in depth wargames far more so than consoles. As I said GMT are concentrating on phine and tablets for their conversions. It's a damn shame, I hate mobile phones, I hate even answering my normal phone. As for tablets they are expensive and will never feel as right as using a PC plus with a PC we have all the power we need.

I have yet to play a browser based game that can hold my interest longer than a few seconds. All in all I detest lite games and would weep manly tears if all we got was lite games on these devices in the future.

On the other hand I don't buy that about the market being so small it wouldn't be profitable, many wargame developers also work for the military which is where the main money is and games are really a sideline. It will be no smaller in ten years than it is today and most who make wargames it's because they love wargaming and that will be the case in the future aswell. I'd imagine if your expecting to make a great living from making commercial wargames your fooling yourself, they are more a labour of love. It's not that I don't think there will be some kind of wargames around it's what kind of game will they be is my worry lite tower defense style or rock paper scissors style just don't do it for me at all.

Just check to see how many GMT boardgames are up for development on Andriod or IoS..and they are looking for more people willing to develop their catalogue.

< Message edited by wodin -- 1/14/2012 6:24:31 PM >

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/14/2012 10:30:50 PM

Rosseau

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Yes, the mobile market is a worry. And unfortunately, more old wargamers will be dying off. My nephew didn't even know they fought WWII in Russia. So imagine the next generation. Actually, they'll probably be fighting a real big war in the Middle East with no time to simulate it.

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/15/2012 6:07:09 PM

Alan Sharif

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Dont forget Graviteam have new tiles on the horizon, be it additions to the Achtung Panzer range, which I do enjoy to be fair.

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/15/2012 8:14:44 PM

wodin

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Yes I enjoy the Graviteam games. However I'm thinking more along the lines of less mainstream games. The Achtung Panzer games do an amazing job balancing between the hardcore wargame and the mainstream RTS. They are my modern day Close Combat games.

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/16/2012 1:36:22 AM

Joe D.

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quote:

ORIGINAL: junk2drive
... In 5 years we may be in the minority with desktops. The market for war games may be so small as to not be profitable.

It's getting almost impossible to find any sizeable selection of retail martial computer games that don't start with "Call of Duty" et al.

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/16/2012 9:36:59 AM

IainMcNeil

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I think the issues is the coming soon forum is not that up to date. There is more than needs to get added in as thigns are announced. We're a little behind due to the Christmas rush.

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/16/2012 10:49:10 AM

goodwoodrw

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Well not sure if that's a sound argument Iain the coming soon section has been looking a bit lame for months.
I made comment on it several months ago. However if you're about to update the section soon, I don't think anyone will complain. I guess people are getting bored, coming soon announcements normally generate a bit of chat on the forums, good and bad. Only have to look at Dave's comment on the new HTTR upgrade. People are whinging about the price that hasn't been announced already! any activity is better than no activity

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/16/2012 4:52:38 PM

IainMcNeil

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I can't promise it will get updated soon - just that not everything that is comig is in there!

Not enough hours in the day to do everything we want to right now :(

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/16/2012 4:53:49 PM

wodin

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I agree with BASB it has been many months that the coming soon section has looked bare and it's at its worse now.

Who's moaning about what price???

In explained my worries with regards to that issue on said forum.

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/16/2012 6:58:06 PM

JudgeDredd

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Just to put my two pence in Iain - and I'm not accusing - just wanting to shoot off some issues.

When Slitherine joined Matrix, one can assume (possibly incorrectly) that the staff levels increased...with that we've seen...

1. An increase in spam
2. A seemingly linked decrease in delaing with said spam
3. Posts with general questions going unanswered for some time
4. Posts about issues with games going unanswered (BftB and now Combat Command are recent examples) for quite some time
5. A general lack of forum response
6. Lack of updates for customers re info about existing games/coming games

I'm sorry to say that I hang about here a fraction of the time I used to (some people no doubt love that

) and it's a direct consequence of the above.

I always wondered why you guys didn't have a moderator. An in-between that could sort the chaff and get questions to the staff and answered in a timely manner.

Just saying...I still love you all

Meant to say - at least your forum works!

< Message edited by JudgeDredd -- 1/16/2012 7:02:50 PM >

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/16/2012 9:02:39 PM

wodin

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I for one JD like your around, though I know you wont get this as you've green buttoned me!

Conflict of Heroes is a typical example. This game has been in BETA for months, and I mean months, yet we still have no forum or even a hint of what it will be like. For me it's the biggest release news Matrix has had in ages, infact not since the collapse of Combat leader have I been more eager with regards to one of your releases.

Yet we have zero news. However we do have forums for Combine Arms and Lock n Load which no matter what anyone from Matrix can now say are classed as Vapourware and if they ever do arrive it won't be in the next two+ years.

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/16/2012 10:14:13 PM

JudgeDredd

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I haven't green buttoned you. I just don't post in response to your posts - you know the reasons why

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/16/2012 10:56:57 PM

wodin

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Cool. Listen the past is the past and I very much doubt all that will happen again.

Oh and a massive thanks for your thread over at the other website\forum, appreciated it.

Take it easy.

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/17/2012 12:36:47 AM

vonRocko

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quote:

ORIGINAL: wodin

I for one JD like your around, though I know you wont get this as you've green buttoned me!

Conflict of Heroes is a typical example. This game has been in BETA for months, and I mean months, yet we still have no forum or even a hint of what it will be like. For me it's the biggest release news Matrix has had in ages, infact not since the collapse of Combat leader have I been more eager with regards to one of your releases.

Yet we have zero news. However we do have forums for Combine Arms and Lock n Load which no matter what anyone from Matrix can now say are classed as Vapourware and if they ever do arrive it won't be in the next two+ years.

I couldn't agree more wodin. I can't believe the silence for this game. It might be a good thing, I won't set false high expectations for it.
JD, I like you around!

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/17/2012 7:23:09 AM

JudgeDredd

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It was tongue in cheek guys - I know everyone likes me around

- who doesn't feel secure with the law around

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/17/2012 9:30:24 AM

wodin

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JD funny enough it was due to wanting to chat to you in someway I made a mess of things over at Wargamer! Though it wasn't because I wanted to chat you up as a woman;) You where right that was done to throw the scent off.

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/17/2012 10:01:47 AM

IainMcNeil

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Last year saw some very major personal issues with the Matrix team which took a number of them out of action for significant periods of time so forums monitoring was less active than usual, despite the fact we have more people. The other issues is the volume of spam has gone through the roof taking a lot more time to deal with. We also have more games releasing so generally more work to do. We've also had some pretty major changes such as leaving DR and moving to Plimus and a new store, most of which is fairly transparent. We have moved servers, we have taken on a new team to help with web development. The Christmas sale was pretty huge and the volume of feedback from customers has temporarily overwhelmed the tech support team and we are still catching up. Key titles like Panzer Corps being such a success are great but also put an extra load on our systems and staff that we;re having to scale up to deal with. All of these things are causing pain as they get set up but you'll see the benefits in the mid to long term. I guess its the transition that is a bit painful. Please bear with us as we go through these growing pains!

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/17/2012 10:25:38 AM

wodin

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Thanks Iain. I have a feeling Matrix games have benefited more from the Slitherine merger than the other way round. Seems they have been keeping the ship running plus no doubt with contracts with the BBC and TV they have the finacial clout aswell.

Big salute to Slitherine!

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/17/2012 11:31:37 AM

JudgeDredd

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Iain - I do feel the need to say this though - lack of information is probably one of the major factors with customers feeling discontent and a feeling of disconnection between customers and businesses then breeds.

I wouldn't dare tell you how to run a business - it's something that never appealed to me and I applaud anyone who has the balls to give it a go...but your customers are absolutely paramount. Getting money in is key - but if your customers have gone walkabout because they think they're not being listened to, then the money will not come in.

Seriously - quite often it's a case of a simple word or nod in the right direction and the customer is satisfied. I've seen countless surveys where the no1 complaint customers have is the feeling of being unheard.

Take a look at the group who complained about Combat Command. That thread has now turned funny and is likely to last - as long as there's feedback. It takes a small post now and again to inform customers that they are being listened to and their thoughts/questions/requests for help are not falling on deaf ears. The same with Command Ops and the patch - regular updates kept the whining to a minimum...if Dave had not come out with the updates he did, then the sh!t really could have hit the fan. As is, with regular updates (even when it's bad news), the uprising was squashed.

Even if the news isn't good news at that particular moment in time - regular updates are what's required by your customers.

That's all I'm saying on the matter.

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/17/2012 11:32:23 AM

JudgeDredd

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And your customers WILL bear with you - they just need contact.

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RE: Whats Matrix release plans for 2012? - 1/17/2012 11:40:18 AM

IainMcNeil

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I completely agree - we really do need to work on it. It simply is a question of finding the time :(

One of the issues is that only certain people know how to do some aspects and these people are the ones who have been out of action. E.g. setting up new Matrix forums, editing web pages etc.

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