Posts: 178
Joined: 8/5/2004 From: Sydney, Australia Status: offline
Do we have an ETA on the project start date? I have heard Matrix are finishing some other projects (flashpoint Germany) before dedicating their time to this one.
Posts: 2252
Joined: 10/27/2003 From: Sydney, Australia Status: offline
Correct. FPG is very close. You can start holding your breath. After FPG goes Gold then RobertC will probably take a week off to let his brain defragment before looking at MWiF.
However even after he starts on MWiF I fear it will be many months before he has something he can show us. Building an AI from scratch is a fearsome thing.
Save "Archive" copys of the game so you don't have to start from scratch. It's fun, but how many times do you want to conquer Poland? This way if you encounter a error you won't necessarily have to stop testing.
Keep a diary of your testing (this can run in background while you are testing the game)
This dosn't need to be detailed just a brief what you were doing and/or were planing on doing the day you were testing the game.
Only an example:
xx/xx/xx Invaded Denmark. Game locked up in window "Window name" because ships with inadiquate range can't be scuttled. restored Archive 1. Need to get rule # and submit bug report.
Read the bug fix reports to avoid duplication of error reports. The developers may be working on your problem already.
Bug Reports
Include machine specifications, beta version, scenario, and options used in any bug report. I usually set up a document with the machine spec's and copy and paste to the bug report that I e-mail. Things may happen on your machine that will not happen on other machines. Sometimes your bug report will get to the developer after a new release comes out.
Be as clear and specific as possible on what you were doing that caused any error.
Only an example:
Machine specifications go here.
When I invaded Denmark the game locked up (explain locked up) during "forced rebasing of ships". This was because ships with inadiquate range can't be scuttled, stay at sea, or rebased (as specified in rule # and rule ##). Ships starting based in the major port of Copenhagen can't even go to sea.
Use a spell checker to check your spelling and grammar. Are there others out there, like myself, who can't spell?
Stay calm, beta testing takes time.
< Message edited by Mziln -- 9/17/2004 5:31:46 PM >
Why from scratch? I played a beta version of it back a few months ago?
I don't like setting up to invade a country. Then find out the invasion will create a situation you can't get out of (I.e. lock up). Then if you restart from your saved game your units are in the wrong place to do anything else.
Your options then are: load a Archived game or restart with the invasion of Poland.
There is no AI, but that doesnt mean from scratch, Unless they are throwing out all the work already done on the game, please be more specific, if you mean from scratch on the AI, thats one thing, but the whole game is not from scratch.
However even after he starts on MWiF I fear it will be many months before he has something he can show us. Building an AI from scratch is a fearsome thing.
Seems pretty clear to me the writters intent.
As to what MATRIX has to work with, C.M. did one hell of a job getting the game to the point it's at, but as has been stated it is far from a polished product. There is a great deal of work to be done to be sure. A number of rules need to be implimented /corrected / updated, some optional components / kits that may yet be added, the graphics are functional but .....whats the word I'm looking for...... mundane perhaps, and all of this doesn't even take into account the AI issues that a game of this scope will face.
Having started with SPWaW and it's MegaCampaigns and thru some of Matrix'x other fantastic titles, I am convinced that this is the game we have all been waiting for. On the other hand; Having played WiF for a decade and knowing it's complexities, I am equally convinced that the wait may be significantly longer than any of us anticipate.
Still and all, if Matrix is making, I'll be playing it.....
Correct. FPG is very close. You can start holding your breath. After FPG goes Gold then RobertC will probably take a week off to let his brain defragment before looking at MWiF.
However even after he starts on MWiF I fear it will be many months before he has something he can show us. Building an AI from scratch is a fearsome thing.
Let me get this straight...is anyone currently working on MWiF right now? I read on this forum last year that Matrix had to get some other game out (I thing it was WitP) before they would start working on MWiF. Now FPG is in the way? I'm not expecting anything soon, but it would be nice to know if progress is being made on this project.
Posts: 665
Joined: 3/13/2002 From: Durango, CO Status: offline
Cheesehead,
FPG is the program that has to go out the door before WiF; not WiTP. The WiTP developers are not working on WiF. I can assure you WiF is not just sitting cold on the stove though. The lead programmer (Rob) who has taken it over from Chris is in the process of reviewing the code base that Chris created. It is a difficult task, but it is underway. I suspect it will be a while before anything pops out for people to see out of the development though.
Posts: 2252
Joined: 10/27/2003 From: Sydney, Australia Status: offline
Hindsight tells us that CM should have been building the AI into CWiF from Day 1. That didn't happen. Even though CWiF looks and feels 95% complete I would bet my left one that Robert will need to do a lot of:
* Game familiarisation... not only does he have to learn the entire rule set but he has to teach it to his computer * Legacy Code documentation... uh... you did document the original code didn't you Chris? * Create AND document Logic flows on a massive scale... so how do you determine if and when Germany declares war on Turkey? * Code rebuilding to streamline the AI interaction. * Keep his wife and his boss happy
I'd be happy to see a first beta by Christmas, but I'm not betting on it.
Posts: 1143
Joined: 10/7/2002 From: Toronto Status: offline
quote:
ORIGINAL: Greyshaft
Hindsight tells us that CM should have been building the AI into CWiF from Day 1. That didn't happen. Even though CWiF looks and feels 95% complete I would bet my left one that Robert will need to do a lot of:
* Game familiarisation... not only does he have to learn the entire rule set but he has to teach it to his computer * Legacy Code documentation... uh... you did document the original code didn't you Chris? * Create AND document Logic flows on a massive scale... so how do you determine if and when Germany declares war on Turkey? * Code rebuilding to streamline the AI interaction. * Keep his wife and his boss happy
I'd be happy to see a first beta by Christmas, but I'm not betting on it.
Neither am I, but if EiA or WaW hits the street I will be one content puppy for some time :)
Hindsight tells us that CM should have been building the AI into CWiF from Day 1. That didn't happen. Even though CWiF looks and feels 95% complete I would bet my left one that Robert will need to do a lot of:
* Game familiarisation... not only does he have to learn the entire rule set but he has to teach it to his computer * Legacy Code documentation... uh... you did document the original code didn't you Chris? * Create AND document Logic flows on a massive scale... so how do you determine if and when Germany declares war on Turkey? * Code rebuilding to streamline the AI interaction. * Keep his wife and his boss happy
I'd be happy to see a first beta by Christmas, but I'm not betting on it.
That wasn't Chris's fault. I think the general consensus on the WiF mailing list at the time was for a no ai game. It was quite a long process from the first discussions to the first beta. Very few design decisions were taken by Chris alone if at all. Quite a few people were involved including Harry and the folk of ADG.
Marc aka Caran... just looking at this board occasionally
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project start date - 
RE: project start date - 
Ahhh, but MWiF Beta will have to start sometime. 
Use a spell checker to check your spelling and grammar. Are there others out there, like myself, who can't spell? 
Stay calm, beta testing takes time. 
I don't like setting up to invade a country. Then find out the invasion will create a situation you can't get out of (I.e. lock up). Then if you restart from your saved game your units are in the wrong place to do anything else. 
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