RE: The Countdown begins! (Full Version)

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mack2 -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/6/2007 7:38:04 PM)

What annoys me most is if they said it would be around christmas, I would not be getting angry when it was not out in June, July, August or September and getting next to no information from Matrix. Instead, they say June/July/August etc etc but give no follow up except for "sorry, next month" and then go away leaving AGSI people to kick the can around.

Plus it would actually probably make people HAPPY if it was released early.



EXRANPO -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/7/2007 3:06:08 AM)

Bungle et all,

Yup - understand chooks........

And yes the point is that if Matrix actually communicated instead of using the old "sorry - maybe next month" line that would work for most of us - and if they said it would be out xmas and it was released sometime before then it would be a pleasant bonus. (sort of like johnny howard calling an election here in oz)

And yes - having a captive audience/customer base would tend to make you complacent but you think that customers actually count for something in that whole supply and demand thing......

Battle of River Plate - great flick - almost as good as Sink The Bismark - am torn this weekend between watching Bathurst (the world's premier endurance motor race - 1000kms of sheer bliss for the audience watching GM and Ford go head to head with the big V8's) or watching the other two great movies I got for my wedding anniversary - did I mention that it is this weekend? - HCCe was supposed to be my birthday present (which is this tuesday) but got let down on that one........ anyhow - bathurst or above us the waves/49th parallel....... decisions decisions.......




Bungle -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/7/2007 5:31:42 AM)

BATHURST!!!!!!

dvd any ol' time Bathurst is once a year and not to be missed by anyone with a drop of hydrocarbon in their veins.

Have the lap top with live timing and in car camera options re big pond on my lap (derr) and the wide screen of automotive goodness blazing away to the tv footage, my idea of bliss [sm=happy0065.gif]

hey is the bedford (?) incident on dvd..............



EXRANPO -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/7/2007 9:41:23 AM)

Bungle,

I guess you are right bathurst is the go for today - as yet I do not have broadband nor adsl - alas i am still chained to dialup which is a real pain at times (especially teamed with optus).

Anyhow - to answer your other question - Bedford Incident on DVD:

https://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/780380

for the princely sum of $15.00 but I strongly suggest you buy in store rather than online because their customer service sucks and we all know how we hate that.

I shall return to my usual holding pattern and await for an announcement (or not) from Matrix about the HCE being released in april/may next year or some such time frame.

Rod



Erik Rutins -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/7/2007 1:47:09 PM)

The plan is to release HCCE before Christmas this year, but it's been tough to set a release date when there were still pieces that needed putting together and a busy schedule around them as well. We have a date set internally and we should be on the home stretch, but there are a lot of titles we're juggling for pre-Christmas releases right now. Just keep watch here and we'll let you know as soon as we've cleared the last hurdle.



Bungle -> RE: The Countdown begins! wot a film! (10/7/2007 2:43:38 PM)

Thanks Rod, and now to quote whoever does the film synopsis
 
Academy Award® Winner SIDNEY POITIER headlines a first-rate cast - including RICHARD WIDMARK and MARTIN BALSAM - in this ‘grim, all to realistic cold war thriller’ that treads similar territory to THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER and CRIMSON TIDE. A taut and engaging psychological thriller about an American Destroyer hunting a Soviet submarine, THE BEDFORD INCIDENT is a guaranteed nail-biter that will stretch your ‘nerves to the breaking point’!
 
[&o]
A movie from 'the day' when film plots didnt have to be 'pointedly explained' or made 'bleeding obvious' for the dumbed down. No spec effects here, dialogue driven thriller, a film that was pound for pound the equal of (in my opinion exceeded)  hunt for red october!

Im definitely rating it 4  [8D] emoty wotsits out of 5

.....and now it is over to the panel for their analysis of the film........[:(] 



Davard74 -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/7/2007 5:59:02 PM)

Well at least that some news. I guess I can stop checking everyday now.

See you all in a month or so....



mack2 -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/7/2007 8:01:39 PM)

I was making a joke when I suggested christmas.

Seems like the joke is on us.



Newton -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/7/2007 8:58:50 PM)

"The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time"
James Taylor



TonyE -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/8/2007 12:48:45 AM)

Oh hum :( Hard to keep the faith some days....



Hertston -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/8/2007 1:03:04 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Newton

"The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time"
James Taylor


Probably the most apt first post in the history of these forums! [:D]



BlindOldUmp -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/8/2007 4:00:11 AM)

Christmas eh ....... Like watching the Indians when you are long term Clevelander ......
Now - where did I put my copy of Friedman's Leyte Gulf anyway .......



cuthbo2001 -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/8/2007 11:03:14 AM)

Which Christmas ???????



EXRANPO -> RE: The Countdown begins! wot a film! (10/8/2007 12:41:45 PM)

Bungle old bean.....

Nothing like a good one liner from a classic movie - cannot recall if I had seen the whole flick or not. There was a good one in the Battle of River Plate - when the Commodore South Atlantic asked the (British) CO of the Kiwi cruiser how he was getting along with his New Zealanders - the reply was "500 individuals Sir"!!!!!

You're right of course - these days you sit down to watch a movie and there are at least 3 different story lines and at very least one romance - and you are forced to actually have to thnk about what is going on instead of watching the dang thing....... give me a good old shoot em up any time - although I did watch mosquito squadron a while back and it was amusing to see the RAF aircraft sweeping back across the good old british countryside returning from a bit of a scuffle over jolly old germany - only to see two nuclear power station towers in the background.........

Anyhow - back to the subject at hand - seems like we got a bit more of the old smoke and mirrors on the release date for HCE - wonder if they really take us to be that silly to believe the party line........

Anyhow - tally ho - damn the torpedoes - full speed ahead

Until next time.

Adieu my friends.......



dyoox01 -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/9/2007 3:44:15 AM)

Wow. I'm glad someone from matrix responded but Christmas?

What happened to evrything was done, we're just waiting for the manual?




TonyE -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/10/2007 3:33:59 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: dyoox01
Wow. I'm glad someone from matrix responded but Christmas?

What happened to evrything was done, we're just waiting for the manual?


Well, I could say it again and use AGSI words, but just read it for yourself at http://www.advancedgaming.biz/what-is-harpoon/classic.html

Anyway, sooner than Christmas sure would be nice.



mack2 -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/10/2007 9:32:03 AM)

The only thing I see on that link is:
quote:

STATUS: Coding and the manual are done and Matrix Games is in finall production in order to shiip as soon as September.


I also found it funny the Hornet Leader game was announced in early August, and was released in the last day or so. 2 months from announced to released, whilst we had been waiting that long since the last time Matrix updated the status of HCE.

Apparently printing errors don't exist for that game. [8|]



Harvester -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/12/2007 6:45:57 AM)

Christmas!? lol  [X(]

I thought only the manual needed to be finished? 



Renato -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/12/2007 9:21:58 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: TonyE
Well, I could say it again and use AGSI words, but just read it for yourself at http://www.advancedgaming.biz/what-is-harpoon/classic.html


Thank you for the informations.

Do you think there will be a demo ?



Erik Rutins -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/12/2007 1:29:42 PM)

I did say _before_ Christmas, which when combined with the "as early as September" should give you a probable range. The earliest it would be released I'd say is the end of this month, but it shouldn't be much later than that. The entire delay is stilll in the manual area. We have a very full schedule and will be releasing titles as soon as each one reaches the gold master state.

Regards,

- Erik



BlindOldUmp -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/12/2007 5:21:08 PM)

Hey - If it had been released already we'd be yelling at Tony about that update he said he was working on [;)] [:D]
Which BTW I'm sure will also be Well worth the wait!!! [&o]



mack2 -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/12/2007 5:31:46 PM)

Release the game for digital download. Put the manual in .pdf format on the digital download (assuming the actual manual is done at all, if it's not then obviously don't include it, and make it clear there is no manual at this stage) and send out the full boxed version (if someone uses the "Download+Physical Copy") with printed manual once it's done.



BlindOldUmp -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/12/2007 6:20:43 PM)

Actually, despite the technical correctness of the edited version of your comment Mack - I Loved the version that made my inbox. I keep trying to be nice but after all - I am descended from the gentleman in the picture. Let me second the comments. I don't NEED a manual to play the game. I'll hit f1 or ask in one of - what - 5 or 6 - forums or just play it & see what it does. I'll be happy to wait for my perfect disk & book to put under the tree. My last disk didn't include a couple of NECESSARY modules and I have been reloading the game from my download since then anyway. My WestPac Beta module expired and I have really wanted to go playing around in the Pacific :-) So - release the download game now - noting there is no manual due to circumstances beyond your control - assuming that the .pdf isn't ready either due to the problems discussed earlier. I'll (Personal not obligating Anyone Else) be happy to buy the download + physical and download the manual when it's ready from the update bin. Like I said - the box goes under the tree anyway for my wife to look surprised about. It will then go on the shelf with the rest of them to be consulted occasionally or dropped on a Troll's head or [:D]



Erik Rutins -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/12/2007 9:35:53 PM)

Sorry guys, we do not release without a fully layed out professional manual. Aside from the fact that a release like that would not meet our standards, you have no idea the level of grief we would get from people who DO need a manual to play a game like this.

Regards,

- Erik



mack2 -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/12/2007 10:17:11 PM)

The first post in this thread says "We have finished edits on the manual". Now I'm going on a not so long limb and state that I think that uncleharpoon would never post up the first post annoucement without it authorised by matrix.

So it becomes a question of "Is the manual done but held up by _printing delays_?" or "Is the manual not done and being held up by it not being done?".

If the manual was actually done, then it should be a easy task to convert to .pdf (which as .pdf is an open and widely used, future ISO standard, any publishing/authoring software worth it's salt should include an "output to PDF" module) and include on a digital download. I assume that the manual would be included in an electronic format because there is a digital download only option and if there was no electronic manual then you would have people without the manual, so somewhere along the line it should get converted to electronic format, and probably starts off in electronic format anyway nowadays.

Which means that there is no reason to delay a digital download only purchase apart from a stubborn refusal to entertain the idea of getting the game out via digital download before the "printing error" was fixed.

If the manual itself is not done, then we have been lied to again (which I would have thought was not part of the "standards" referenced by the matrix staffer above), the manual was held up because of "it's not done error" instead of a "printing error" which was supposedly the reason for the last delay.

So logically, this appears to be either "There has been a huge printing screwup, and matrix will not budge on digital only or digital+future phyiscal purchase" or "matrix are lying again".

Neither are good. I'm not sure which is worse. Lying or refusal to adapt for the betterment of your customers as well as allowing a printing screwup to hold back the game for 2-4 months. Note I do not blame Matrix for the actual error, I'm sure it's not in their power to control the actual problem, but surely there are secondary options and contingencies that Matrix could control.

Am I wrong? Should I be less harsh?



Erik Rutins -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/12/2007 11:11:10 PM)

There has been no lying. There are three parts to finishing a manual. In this case, the developer(s) wrote the first draft of the manual and did their edits. The second stage is to have our manual editor do his edits and restructure the manual to get it ready for layout, this is not a simple process. The third stage is the actual layout. We're at the end of the second stage and the beginning of the third now.



dyoox01 -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/12/2007 11:56:25 PM)

I guess Mack2 was a little harsh, but at least it made Erik reply with a little more detail. We now know where things stand.

My guess is that we will see release last week of November.

Any more predictions?



AW1Steve -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/15/2007 6:11:58 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

There has been no lying. There are three parts to finishing a manual. In this case, the developer(s) wrote the first draft of the manual and did their edits. The second stage is to have our manual editor do his edits and restructure the manual to get it ready for layout, this is not a simple process. The third stage is the actual layout. We're at the end of the second stage and the beginning of the third now.

[:)]Thank you. People will put up with just about anything if they are kept reasonably informed. Game players and game buyers--that is customers , are generally not game developers. We don't understand developer jargon. If you give us information about a new product , please give us information. Please don't tease us beyond a reasonable degree or we see the tease become a cheat and bad feeling result. If you don't know or have a reasonable idea of when you will release , please tell us. Please don't make a "come-on" turn into a "no-sale". That's not very good salesmanship. People who are lined up with wallets in hand should be treated with consideration and above all, honesty. We like the product. We like your company. Be square with us and fair with us and we will buy from you forever. Damage that relationship and we will take up knitting or something. Playing Matrix games is a pleasure, not a necessity. Please don't make this experince into a trip to the airport or to our local DMV. Neither of us need that. Thank you.[:)]



TonyE -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/15/2007 7:50:32 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: dyoox01

My guess is that we will see release last week of November.

Any more predictions?


Now that's what I like, light-hearted humor at the 5+ year delayed release, and a bit of a guessing game to keep us occupied.




EXRANPO -> RE: The Countdown begins! (10/24/2007 2:42:56 PM)

Lets see -

Funny how it has gone really quiet in here since the "startling" revelation that Matrix had not really mislead anyone about the release date - seems we all just misconstrued the lack of communication from Matrix the wrong way and that an official communication about release being imminent in August should really have been taken by us all as meaning that the game may or may not be released 4 to 5 months later.

I note with tongue in cheek about the comment taking bets it may (or may not again) be released in November - although the learned gent who took the guess did not actually say November this year........

As for the three stages of the manual - seems to me somewhere I read that the manuals were finished a long ways back and were with the printers - again - we misconstrued that one as well the wrong way.....

Danged if all this misconstruing ain't getting me all confused......

Maybe the fact that this is the first post in the forum in about 5 days may indicate that people (customers) are losing interest or have just plain had enough of waiting?

I shall invite my learned colleagues to pass comment should they choose to do so.

Roger and out

Rod




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