RE: Is Matrix dying?

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RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/18/2015 1:11:46 AM

balto

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I see the references that sales are up, but I believe Matrix is dying. It is not Matrix fault. PC wargaming and the PC wargame market has changed so much the past few years. Matrix is like the small deli that sells high quality meats at a higher price, but a Super-Walmart (Steam, etc.,) moved next door. So yeah, you will have some old timers hanging around, but it will not expand and it will die. And every time Matrix sends an old or new game to Steam to make money, the people on the forum will also go to Steam.

There is no remedy or way to stop this, just enjoy it while it is here.

< Message edited by balto -- 9/18/2015 2:12:55 AM >

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Post #: 31

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/18/2015 1:37:56 AM

Blond_Knight

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As much as I personally hate it, selling games on Steam makes sense financially. And their games are exposed to a much wider audience, that cant be a bad thing. Matrix and I will only part ways if they start releasing Steam-only.
Integrating the beta-test sign up on the front page was a smart move and I think that gives us more input on the development of the games we intend to buy. And makes for a more interactive experience.

< Message edited by Blond_Knight -- 9/18/2015 2:39:59 AM >

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Post #: 32

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/18/2015 1:49:18 AM

budd

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it looks like its changing for sure, dying, not to sure about that. Change is just the way of things, the cozy little Matrix Hamlet wasn't going to last forever. They have some really good Dev teams on board and i will support those whose products i enjoy and who support their products and communicate with their customers.There are some good wargames coming up. I often think were in a golden age of wargames with all the choices of games to choose from, something for everybody, so be of good cheer. If it all went belly up tomorrow I already have enough wargaming goodness to last my lifetime.

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Post #: 33

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/18/2015 1:57:33 AM

Fred98

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quote:

ORIGINAL: balto

Matrix is like the small deli that sells high quality meats at a higher price,

I don't agree. I think:

1: The quality of wargames has declined. The isometric/toy soldier look is for boys with their first wargame. It now seems to dominate wargaming.

2: Wargames on the whole do not take advantage of computers. There should be short cuts or database that can be sorted by any column to find things quickly.

3: If a game has too many variables then the player who studies the variables will defeat the player who has the better strategy and tactics.

.

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Post #: 34

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/18/2015 2:08:12 AM

wodin

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I'm really confused why people think it's dying. As far as I can see it hasn't slowed down any with regards to new releases. I can't see any real competition that could snap up new developers and new games that will fall into the "wargaming" genre\category. They have Mr Grigsby on their side who will always make games that will turn a profit and Steel Tigers I recon will be a big future seller. It has a fairly good slice of the digital wargame market, which I'm sure will keep them ticking over nicely. No they wont make Millions and Millions but they will have a viable business. As long as they keep and eye out for new developer talent to sign up and they treat the companies in their stable well I see no real issues.

I do think though well made conversions of board\Mini's wargames that are superb and have a good following but are time intensive due to rules etc or aren't solo friendly so would be superb on the PC with an AI. Heroes of Normandy is looking excellent and visually is spot on for the style\type of wargame the board game is. I can think of quite a few that would make excellent PC games. I also think they should stick to the board game as closely as possible however if it will enhance the game then yes add new features. Sya for instance a tactical air warfare game is being converted. Well then add a RPG element and Squadron management etc etc but you keep the actual combat just like the board but you could use 3D esp for a Air Warfare type game as long as it looks great and plays just the same. The you have classics that are out of print and or cost the earth like Streets of Stalingrad or something like the mini's game NUTS! which would make one superb PC game, infact would make the best man vs man PC wargame made yet. The only alarming thing I noticed recently was seeing Command Ops depart which was a greta talent and classic game to lose, but then with the extremely slow rate of development and sparse releases it wont be a financial loss that hurts.

< Message edited by wodin -- 9/18/2015 3:12:29 AM >

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Post #: 35

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/18/2015 2:30:04 AM

aaatoysandmore

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In regards to Heroes of Normandy I hope the game plays better than it looks. I felt like I had gone back 10 years or so when I saw those icons and graphics of it.

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Post #: 36

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/18/2015 2:34:53 AM

Missouri_Rebel

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quote:

ORIGINAL: warspite1

In fact I would say there is less unpleasantness on the forums now - a lot of the less pleasant characters seem to have moved on.

I haven't moved on. Just post a lot less frequently than I have in the past.

2014 and 2015 were not stellar years as far as products that were of interest to me for whatever reason. Not much seemed to grab me. Hopefully that will change in the near future.

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Post #: 37

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/18/2015 2:53:47 AM

nate25

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I generally agree with the Reb.

Everything looks like a cheap console game now.

Actually glad I stopped posting so much. Didn't realize we were so "unpleasant," it seems.

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Post #: 38

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/18/2015 3:50:09 AM

Ranger33

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I think some people just like to be bitter and pessimistic. There are new games coming out around the clock, of all shapes and sizes, there are dozens of active posts across the various forums, older games like Advanced Tactics Gold, TOAW, the Campaign Series, and Panzer Command: Ostfront have all received major patches in the last few months, and there are some really exciting titles coming down the pipe. The guys running the place show up to personally clear up various concerns, and point out that things have never been better in terms of the business, yet it's still all doom and gloom for some.

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Post #: 39

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/18/2015 4:57:35 AM

warspite1

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quote:

ORIGINAL: nate25

I generally agree with the Reb.

Everything looks like a cheap console game now.

Actually glad I stopped posting so much. Didn't realize we were so "unpleasant," it seems.

warspite1

Well that's a shame

I just read post 37 and 38.

So I state:

quote:

In fact I would say there is less unpleasantness on the forums now - a lot of the less pleasant characters seem to have moved on.

and Missouri_Rebel writes in response to that:

quote:

I haven't moved on. Just post a lot less frequently than I have in the past.

and nate25 writes:

quote:

Didn't realize we were so "unpleasant,"

a) As far as I know we have never had any online arguments, and indeed I thought we had always got on.

b) Why would you assume I was referring to you two? What on earth did I say to make you think that? I was referring - quite obviously, or so I thought - to UNPLEASANT CHARACTERS; the likes of that guy that used to have a dog as an Avatar - and got banned a couple of years back, or the guy in the WITPAE forum with a Soviet badge of some description or other who loved lobbing a few hand grenades every now and then.

So I am sorry if you took my reference to 'unpleasant characters' as a personal insult - even though I have no idea why you would and was clearly (at least to me) not my intention.

< Message edited by warspite1 -- 9/18/2015 6:21:04 AM >

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Post #: 40

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/18/2015 6:34:52 AM

wodin

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Cross wires here..my message was telling Iain I sent him a PM:)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

quote:

ORIGINAL: wodin
Iain PM'd you:)

Actually, it was Paulo and I asked him to also ping Iain.

Regards,

- Erik

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Post #: 41

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/18/2015 11:29:54 AM

terje439

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I'm not here that much anymore, and the reason for that is one that actually annoys me a little bit. The games I've bought lately have been Slitherine, and although those games also have forums here, it is easier to get in touch with the devs at the Slitherine forum...
A forum merge is one I would like, now I am posting in some posts here in the general forum every now and then, but when I am posting about games I've bought, I have to go to Slitherine.

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Post #: 42

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/18/2015 11:36:16 AM

loki100

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quote:

ORIGINAL: terje439

I'm not here that much anymore, and the reason for that is one that actually annoys me a little bit. The games I've bought lately have been Slitherine, and although those games also have forums here, it is easier to get in touch with the devs at the Slitherine forum...
A forum merge is one I would like, now I am posting in some posts here in the general forum every now and then, but when I am posting about games I've bought, I have to go to Slitherine.

think that is a valid point and goes wider. I've always played a lot of AGEOD games and the AGE community tends to post/discuss on their forums rather than here and that was true even when they were under Paradox's (mis)rule

No reason why it all needs to wrapped together, but the wider community of people who buy Matrix/Slitherine/AGEOD games are scattered across three different sites

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Post #: 43

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/18/2015 2:07:19 PM

IainMcNeil

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The forum merge has happened. If you check every new release either lives on Slitherine or Matrix. However we cant retrofit it forums that already exist so it will sort itself out over time. We want top avoid fragmenting the community as much as possible. The Steam forums don't help here but we can't do anything about those.

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Post #: 44

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/18/2015 3:47:38 PM

terje439

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Iain McNeil

The forum merge has happened.

Not really since there are still different forums

I know that the forums are merged per ce, however they still operate in different places of that weird place known as internet, and as such (atleast to me) feels like different independent forums. Might just be me though.

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Post #: 45

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/18/2015 3:57:01 PM

IainMcNeil

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I think you may misunderstand. Look at the Bulge forum just released. It forwards you to Slitherine Bulge - there is no Matrix Bulge forum.

Look at the Thirty Years War forum on Slitherine - it forwards to Matrix. There is no Slitherine forum.

This has been happening for new releases for some time but cant be retrofitted. They only have one forum and where it sits depends on which community it fits better with.

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Post #: 46

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/18/2015 4:06:24 PM

operating

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Yes, there is only one forum I visit at Steam, which is the CTGW forum. For the most part the commenters there are completely lost (not a lot of depth to the forum), although I do see Slitherine Staff occasionally do support there. Many of the posters there need help or basic information, often I refer them here to the Matrix forums or Slitherine forums (as Iain's sub forum suggests) to see what these 2 forums have to offer. Nothing at the Steam forum compares to the thought and energy that has accumulated at the Matrix or Slitherine CTGW forums. I feel many Steam followers miss out on the activity of these other forums, not just with CTGW, but these forums in general. There are a lot of really smart cookies right here who go the extra mile to help others....

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Post #: 47

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/18/2015 4:12:37 PM

loki100

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Iain McNeil

I think you may misunderstand. Look at the Bulge forum just released. It forwards you to Slitherine Bulge - there is no Matrix Bulge forum.

Look at the Thirty Years War forum on Slitherine - it forwards to Matrix. There is no Slitherine forum.

This has been happening for new releases for some time but cant be retrofitted. They only have one forum and where it sits depends on which community it fits better with.

But terje439's point is valid. Most of the discussion actually occurs on the AGEOD forum, those of us who are active on both will often try and direct people over there ... not to reduce traffic here but to help point people to where the most active discussion is.

Not least there are regular posters on the AGEOD boards who I don't think have any presence at all with the Matrix boards.

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Post #: 48

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/18/2015 6:12:22 PM

aaatoysandmore

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I have to say that is one of the turnoffs here is having to goto several sites to discuss a particular game by the same company or merged companies. 3 or 4 forums to bind them but one forum to rule them all.

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Post #: 49

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/18/2015 7:53:17 PM

parusski

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Iain McNeil

Errr.. no :)

Never been busier. Never had more developers coming to us with games. Got to go - meeting with the Pentagon.

The Pentagon - I KNEW IT!!.

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Post #: 50

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/18/2015 7:54:37 PM

parusski

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Iain McNeil

We haven't had a flagship wargame release for a while so there has been a drop off in forum traffic. The next one will be Decisive Campaigns 3 which is looking awesome! :)

The number of major serious wargame & strategy game projects under way has greatly increased. We are funding a greater number and bigger games than ever before.

And I can't wait for DC3...but guess I will have to.

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Post #: 51

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/18/2015 9:26:07 PM

Missouri_Rebel

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I was being facetious. Maybe a smiley face would have conveyed that a little better?

Oh, and I think we 'get on' just fine. That is a good thing, right? You know I don't speak British very well.

But the dry spell in recent games was factual from my standpoint.

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Post #: 52

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/19/2015 8:41:15 AM

warspite1

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Missouri_Rebel

I was being facetious. Maybe a smiley face would have conveyed that a little better?

Oh, and I think we 'get on' just fine. That is a good thing, right? You know I don't speak British very well.

But the dry spell in recent games was factual from my standpoint.

warspite1

Yes it would have avoided any doubt. But no harm done - we've all done it

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Post #: 53

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/19/2015 11:40:43 AM

Freyr Oakenshield

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As for me, I like the direction things are going in at the moment. I can't say I can see any signs of kicking the bucket...

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Post #: 54

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/19/2015 12:56:06 PM

operating

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Freyr Oakenshield

As for me, I like the direction things are going in at the moment. I can't say I can see any signs of kicking the bucket...

Sorry about the misconception of the this thread on Matrix, it was not the health of Matrix that was being questioned, it was more on that the Matrix forum was faltering. However, as you can see today it is alive and kicking!

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Post #: 55

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/19/2015 1:58:46 PM

RCHarmon

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I'll mention a problem that I have with Matrix. I support a small developer that was picked up here at Matrix. Norbsoft and the SOW series is really a great series. The SOW Gettysburg game is very well done. Norbsoft almost always gives us what we want. It is very favorable to modders.

Problem is that matrix got involved in the decision making for SOW Waterloo and it has really hurt the series. Matrix said change to 'My Gui' Norbsoft did and it is a disaster. The ease of play is gone now and modding difficulties are also a price that we must pay. Sorry, the old interface was just fine and we have plenty of younger players who do just fine with the old interface.

Also, Matrix told Norbsoft to get Waterloo out by the anniversary. They did an incredible job with Waterloo with combined arms and the like, but in the end not enough time was given to other areas. The problems with formation getting jumbled and crossing up hurts the game. Norbsoft was not able to develop a true Napoleonic game in the time allowed.

So, if Matrix is big and bad and wants to make the calls with Norbsoft then the SOW series is going to disappoint and I'll leave it behind.

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Post #: 56

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/19/2015 5:03:27 PM

jwarrenw13

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The only problem I have had with Matrix is that the sorry %*%*$*###s have so many good games out that I have had to impose some restrictions on what I buy. I have become a specialist. There are too many interesting games out there to do otherwise. These days I have the AGEOD games on my computer and WITE and WITW. And that is all I play. And I could easily just pick one and specialize in that because both are games that take some time. There are still some really basic things about the AGEOD series and WITE/WITW that I am just understanding despite having played the games several years, things in the "AGEOD for dummies" or "WITE for dummies" category. Okay, I also played Distant Worlds for a while because it is a really great game and I got it on sale. But I had to abandon it because I just don't have time for it. Even though I think it is one of the best games I've ever played, an amazing game. I just enjoy AGEOD games and WITE/WITW at little better. There are others I would like to play. But I just don't have time. And it is the fault of this dying company.

I realize the post is really about the forums, but I just had to throw that in. I think the forums are fine, though, too. I know where to go for what I need and don't see a problem there. Though I might see that someone new to Matrix/AGEOD/Slitherine games might get confused.

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Post #: 57

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/19/2015 6:26:11 PM

IainMcNeil

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Yes we did talk to Norbsoft about the timing of the release of Waterloo but they said they were going to be ready earlier and we held it back for the Anniversary, we did not bring it forwards. Once we agreed a release due we all worked towards it. We absolutely did not ask them to hit a date they could not meet. That would be ridiculous. Once a date is set by the developer, wheels are put in motion and campaigns booked and other releases planned around it and moving a release at this point is expensive, but again, we never had any request to do so or any thought there was a need to.

The UI was iterated many times with Norbsoft and we want through many versions. This was not imposed by us, we worked with them to make it more approachable to new players. It was not done against their will and they understood the need to make the game more approachable to new players, after all they are the ones who designed the new UI. Now you can argue about how it works and what you prefer but you have to understand there is a fundamental difference between a new players requirements and an advanced player. An advanced player wants to be able to do things in as few clicks as possible. A new player needs a very limited number of options presented at a time so they are not overwhelmed. These requirements are completely at odds. I know the team are still working on a variety of improvements for the game.

The above comments seem to be made on partial information and assumption. Hopefully this has cleared up that particular issue. After all there must be a reason why Waterloo has sold significantly more than Gettysburg did when it first released, so it must have got something right.

Ok whats next�. ;)

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Post #: 58

RE: Is Matrix dying? - 9/19/2015 7:28:40 PM

aaatoysandmore

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Estimated time for delivery of Steel Tigers??? Well, Iain you did say what's next.

Screenshots anything throw the dogs a bone.