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Mike Wood -> (4/24/2001 7:34:00 PM)
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Hello...
I have played both versions. In fact, I wrote both versions. I was the programmer for SPWW2, although since version 2.9, Andy has been adding features. I was the programmer for SPWAW, although since version 4.5, Tom has been adding features. I am, however, currently working with Gary Grigsby on Uncommon Valor.
I really liked the work that we did in SPWW2. The design team included David Heath, Don Goodbrand, Andy Gailey, Nick Papp, Bill Wilder, Paul Vebber and myself. The game was produced by TGN, the Camo Group and Wild Bill's Raiders.
Some of us wanted to add TCP\IP play and make the game a native Windows program. Some wanted to add more features, but basically leave the game alone. So, we broke into two teams. Those who stayed with The Camo Group set their design agenda and those who went with David Heath set ours.
The primary design improvements the Camo Group settled on were an expanded orders of battle database and an expanded set of map variables. We decided that downward compatibility was more important to us, we would forego these changes.
Before we could decide our primary design improvements, we needed a game. Having written the earlier game, we felt we had learned a lot about what would work well in a game of this type and what would not. We took the code from Steel Panthers III, which was much more advanced and had far fewer bugs to begin with, and started work. We included many of the same type features we had put into the earlier game and added many new ones.
We eventually put on a second programmer. Several of the Camo Group artist had left and come over to us. The composer and most all of the production people had stayed with David. We had a larger team of very dedicated folks. We had to make our orders of battle from scratch, so until version 5.0, ours were not really complete.
The better points about our product have become the infantry and armor combat systems, the ambiance produced by the sound effects, the addition of the role playing elements of Mega Campaign, the new and very improved orders of battle in version 5.0, our newer and more friendly secure PBEM system, TCP\IP play of up to four players, the new op fire system that allows the player to be more than a spectator during his opponents turn and the many other improvements that have proved popular with many players.
If SPWAW is a better game, and I feel it is, it is not only because it is a later game, but also because David has listened to end user input and incorporated many of the suggestions made by you folk.
I feel the people in the Camo Group have worked hard to improve our original game and have done good work. But, if I might say this without offending the loyal SPWW2 players, I also feel that David's group has really, really, really done an outstanding job with their effort.
Humbly...
Michael Wood
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