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el cid again -> RE: How will WITP:AE affect RHS Development? (12/8/2007 4:37:49 AM)
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RHS was an attempt to "get there" without code changes. AE is fundamentally "doing it right" - via code changes. We got a bit more than we expected: the changes are too fundamental to be just thought of as another update. But that means some fundamental issues are being addressed in a way far better than otherwise: this is what we wanted - or anyway a giant step toward it - so we can hardly complain because it is happening. Implicit in the threads which appeared today is that there will be yet another giant step - the proposed and defined WITP II will be done - this is just 'walking before we run' - so this means we will have an even more fundamental code change in a year or two.
Just before RHS began, there was an official thread about how WITP was going to be abandoned. It is hard to imagine a more total reversal of fortune than the present one: we will get a near term addresing of major issues, and based on that experience we will also get a broadly enhansed WITP II product in the longer term. It is likely that CHS, RHS, NikMod and a number of others also can be said to have influenced the AE project - introducing features it now is now implementing - sometimes far more properly than we ever could have done: we now will have rivers with some depth control as a minor example. Matrix decided to cut the forum in on the development process - the new threads today are an example of that - taking suggestions from Forum members several times - both on the Forum and privately - is a more fundamental example. And clearly Matrix observed what the community wanted - more detail - more functionality - a product that continues to evolve. So - in the context of the announcement that WITP would not continue development - we should be very pleased indeed. It not only will stay in development (as far as I know longer than any other similar product) - it will do so for as far ahead as we can see.
So long as Matrix continues to support this product line (if there is a series it is a line, right?) with editors, and so long as there are users for a particular RHS scenario, we will adapt the new updates. The only exception is if a major naval war erupts in the Western Pacific (of which we had some unfortunate indicators in the last few days) - I might have to go away for a while. Even then, other members of the team may keep it going.
The principle unknown at this point is how much work (if any) is required on the map side of the table? It appears it was not possible to change scale and that implies current art may be somewhat usable. But if a contemplated off map movement system was implemented, it might mean that there are modifications that will be required by CHS or RHS type maps systems. This is more likely to apply to Levels 6 and 7 than 5. The problem here is two fold: major revisions of pwhex files take time to implement, and major changes to art require an artist with tools (and we don't seem to have Cobra at the moment - after serious loss of material on several drives). Until this is known it isn't possible to say how much will need to be done or how long it may take to do it.
Until the new edtion is released, and then understood, and presumably patched for bugs (there are always issues with new software, right?) - we will continue to support RHS on the present foundation. I would like NOT to keep developing it - but Forum members keep coming up with ideas - so I might not get my way about that. Ideally we only will address problems and get some longer term testing done. But after we get a revised form running - that support will probably stop.
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