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mogami -> (11/1/2001 8:50:00 PM)

Howdy everyone I have not been here to vist recently. I am redonning a military uniform (for the 5th time. Today I find out whether I am going active U.S. Army (In which case I will be a e-4 and have to go through bootcamp again-maybe set a record, Parris Island 1973, Great Lakes 1981 and now Fort ? 2001 or I might be placed in reserves and not have to go to boot camp and keep e-6 rank.
Find out at 1300 today. Anyway back to the thread,
I worked on both MCNA and MCW and really enjoyed doing so. I hope you all enjoy my modest efforts. And would encourge any one interested in this kind of thing to be ready when the next project comes down the road. Matrixgames is the most dedicated war game spot on the internet and everyone I have encountered here is super. See you all later.



challenge -> (11/1/2001 11:43:00 PM)

SOB, I don't purchase over the internet (paranoid about security) but having just found out that 7-11 sells "internet purchase cards" with preset amounts on them I may soon be the proud owner of a Mega Campaign -- I'm just holding out for the new one with the 7.x version of the game. Having only found this about a month ago, I figured I should play with it enough to see if I liked it or not. I have; I do; I will!



Lars Remmen -> (11/2/2001 2:54:00 AM)

I have MCNA. Will purchase MCLV and MCWT - and CL. Have been testing quite a number of scenarios in two of the MC's and have done all sorts of weird tests to get as many bugs as possible out of SPWAW. Regards, Lars



Grumble -> (11/2/2001 7:42:00 AM)

Got MCNA. Preordered #2. Not really interested in ground combat in the Pac, but I'll probably get #3 as well. I think it's the least I can do (never let it be said I never did the least I could), given the FREE game I've enjoyed for over a year, not to mention the best damn gaming/history Forum(s) on the web. As others have said, I think regardless, Matrix's improvements to SP make it the most ACCURATE SIMULATION of tactical armored combat.
[Editorial again: If those who whine and bitch about "Bugs" would fully understand those two words, maybe we wouldn't have Paul venting like he has had to do..end editorial.]
Was already planning to get Matrix's original Napoleonic game. So, when that one's available for preorder I'll pick that up too.
Definitely, a Matrix customer for as long as they're around. I'm hoping that's a really long time.



Wild Bill -> (11/2/2001 9:29:00 AM)

I'm still hanging around too, Ruxius! Like a stranger lurking in the shadows, but I'm hanging in and supporting this fine effort. This creation of the Mega Campaign Operation Watchtower -42 (Guadalcancal) will be something to behold! I've read all these posts and an overwhelmed at this kind of support. Matrix will do fine with guys like you around! Wild Bill
The Old Colonel



Randy -> (11/3/2001 2:29:00 PM)

I also have MCNA, and have pre ordered MCLV, and will soon order MCWT when it is ready. I am really looking forward to the modern Combat Leader. I think that Team Matrix has gone above and beyond in their development of SPWAW. They had taken one of the best games, and made it a GREAT game! With the new Combat Leader series I think the best is yet to come!!!



AmmoSgt -> (11/3/2001 11:16:00 PM)

As most of ya know . I only play as American ..but I bought 2 MCNA and will order two MCLV when it goes gold..will definately order 2 MCWT ( at last) ... The MC/SPWAW CD's make great Christmas Gifts/Birthday Gifts/? whatever gifts ( Gifts that keep on giving) and even though CL is starting on the darn east front , I might as well get some of those so I will be ready when the Western Front Module comes out



achappelle -> (11/4/2001 3:28:00 AM)

Just ordering MCNA right now, read Von Luck's bio, and now I want to get some sand in my teeth. Thank you Matrix, Paul, WB, et al.



ruxius -> (11/5/2001 6:25:00 PM)

and now : 60 loyalists!
Where many speaks...
a few understand..
THE BEST ones are here..! Sometimes there are places and situations where also a single contribution counts as a whole...
The soldiers here..needed NO words !
Thank you Loyalists !



AmmoSgt -> (11/7/2001 10:54:00 AM)

I thought "poison" meant "fish"



ruxius -> (11/7/2001 5:30:00 PM)

Hello Ammosgt..
I humbly ask you to stay on topic here..it's clear that it's only up to you to respect my desire..so I would appreciate..
I intended this topic as a Call for Loyalists .. [ November 10, 2001: Message edited by: ruxius ]



Tom Terror -> (11/7/2001 7:29:00 PM)

Shame on me that I didn't support your fine effort earlier, Ruxuis. Anyway, here it comes:
I bought MCNA and preordered MCLV and quite sure I'm gonna buy CA or CL. From time to time I try some other games but always come back to SPWaW. TomT Oh, btw AmmoSgt, Poison does mean fish but in french.
Its funny how the very same words change meanings in different languages. I guess neither american nor french or german guys like "poisenous fishy gifts".



ruxius -> (11/14/2001 6:25:00 PM)

My call for Loyalty does not expire...
If YOU belong to us..SIGN YOUR NAME..



Paul Wykes -> (11/15/2001 3:47:00 AM)

Got MCNA and pre-ordered the MC 2. can`t wait for combat leader and all the other up and coming matrix releases.



ruxius -> (11/17/2001 7:48:00 PM)

Mangling Ruxius..eh eh eh ..
ok you got it ! I am not English..I tried to make you think I was coming from the heart of USA but I live very far from your country..I failed...

Now I will start speaking italian...so you will better understand me..right ?
eh eh eh ! Ok I am kidding.. .. I am sorry mate I always try to improve my scholastic english..sometimes it's terrible, you know now.. Ok seriously !
Let's go ahead but before we go on , I will ask to you a courtesy..
will you delete your posts from here ? ..Please do not misunderstand me ! ..I do not mean that I do not like what you wrote !!!..this is a free forum and I have not any arrogance at all to decide who can and who can not write here...I hope this is really clear !
So feel free to do what you want..I hope you too will make me happy.. I only intended to think at this post as a call for the members who joined it ..it is supposed to be a way to express approvation to what Matrix is doing (with a lot amount of time and resources) to growing up..the try to keep alive an "experiment".. Almost all members who wrote here respected my desire..
-------------------------- Now :
quote:

Lets separate the fans from the leeches right now eh. Who would support making 7.0 for fans only. Who will stand up and be counted and say "Yes put it only on Mega Campaign". This way we reeeeally find out who really wants to play Steel Panthers. Matrix wont reeeally be "selling" Steel Panthers WaW 7.0 per se, but they will sure find out if anyone really cares.
Ok !
Let's start from the beginning...
Matrix took the SP3 engine and redesigned it to make it basically a SP1 modern-Windows compatible-multiplayer online wargame
These are the best developments since SP1...
Before , SP3 was very different from SP1 , you know... Here starts the SPWAW era...

The agreement with SSI was that they could access the source code..but they couldn't sell whatever they realized from that code..
 Matrix established through Paul Vebber ,Wild Bill and David Heath a direct channel with SPWAW's supporters through this forum... Players gave a strong contribution to the develepment of SPWAW 6.1 from its first version..
we helped to correct bugs and added thousands of design tips..(there is a list of them somewhere..) All of this flew in a way that was never attempted before..
The numbers I reported into the first page of this topic show what I am saying.. Matrix worked hard to this project..but they were not allowed to have any economical return to pay programmers ,designers ,engineers ecc.ecc.
(this forum should comprehend a fee to be paid to Bulletin vboard for instance) (also servers to make this forum available all the day maybe need money) (who pays ? )it was all FREE !
MONEY AND TIME ... During the golden age Paul And WB ANSWERED to almost ALL POSTS HERE ! THEY DIDN'T LET ANYONE without an answer..ALMOST NEVER !!!!!!!!!! DO YOU UNDERSTAND what I say ? read their numbers !
4500 fellows here had a home and a game that was trying at his best to fit our desires...
(for sure that everything was not possible !..but they tried to do it for each of us at their best!) The megacd , t-shirts and gadgets were the only
way to have a return only to cover some costs ! Thus they started an experiment..implicitly they GAVE without asking nothing... Which was the result of this experiment ?
74 Loyalists...
74 fellows who understood that we were not asked anything..BUT WE HAD TO DO SOMETHING TO MAKE ALL OF THIS GOING ON AND ON...
There is a lot that can be done to still improve SPWAW6 !!!
 The results ?
WB retired as a full time helper of this forum
and Paul V wrote the post I reported in my link at the first page... Have you read it ? I don't think I have to explain more about my call for loyalty except to the newbies who are too young to know what happened here ...
Since I do not thing they are allowed to put SPWAW7.0 into a CD with MEGACD and not put it allowable for a free download (it violates the
agreement with SSI)
many of us demonstrate why other gaming companies
do not open towards supporters too much.. Simply we DO NOT DESERVE IT ! You have to force people to buy..that must the only rule... What a pity !!
it seemed here it could be different..just for one time in History.. But the experiment failed... ------------ Now please Les the Sarge 9-1 respect my ask..we can open a new topic and discuss about this if you like...but leave me the chance to make my call here... Thank you
Sincerely
Ruxius



BjörnR -> (11/18/2001 12:12:00 AM)

I have been playing SP, different versions, for many years.
The improvment of the game during these years is enormous. I haven´t had to much time to play, now and then, niether to visit this forum.
BUT - i have bought the two campains.
Better late than never (swedish proverb)



Paul Vebber -> (11/18/2001 12:16:00 AM)

No need to delete posts if folks don;t want to... they could be copied to another thread perhaps? Get Rich...LOL...I have a good job (Nothing like Curt Schillings!) That I don't expect game stuff could come close to replacing... We will see what happens as Matrix gets more "for sale" games. The "experiment" part was about putting our time and effort in with Free SP:WaW and seeing if folks would reward that with purchases of the MC. For whatever reason, we have not sold nearly as many MCs as we had hoped (Our goal was 3500 each for the first two to support Combat Leader/Close Assault development...we didn't make it). People seem to be of 2 minds in the wargaming community, as I said, those who think that if a "Holy Grail WarGame" were made 100's of thousands of copies would sold... That Its poor quality, poor marketing and poor support that has lead to the demise of mainstream wargames. Others think that the basic market is just too small to support anything more than "hobbyist" efforts - no matter how much support, quality and marketing go into it. Visibility is a big factor. As are "impulse buys". Games like "PaintBrawl" sell more copies than the most popular wargames becasue kids see them in Walmart and EB and buy them on impulse. Wargames get dissected until the unavoidable flaws are exposed and then cast off as not "The One". We are trying several different ideas to try to be able successfully create and publish wargames. Our first happened to be working on SP:WaW - a game forced to be "free". We have developed a decent following if the number of forum registrations is any indication. But it remains to be seen if these folks are "loyalists" in that they will make some "impulse" purchases as a measure of suppport to the future ability to make wargames that may be of more interest to them. Or whether they will look at the negative things and "wait for the Holy Grail". I and several others spent a LOT of time maintaining a presence here on the forum in the hopes that that effort would be rewarded. It was not, so in that regard the "support" piece of the equation, at least in thse forums made no impact on our ability to meet our sales goals, so it had to be curtailed. Time spent here, from a business standpoint, is time better spent on other things, or so sales seem to indicate. So that is what has happened, allocating our time to other areas. This thread was an attempt see how many of the thousands registered on the forum would take the time to post to it "to show support". Very few have, and that does not bode well for our future or the future of wargaming. "Getting Rich" on wargaming is a pipedream...we are talking will the genre cease to be viable as a business venture of any type...or is it simply dying off...I personally think there is life out there, or I would not be here. [ November 17, 2001: Message edited by: Paul Vebber ]



ruxius -> (11/19/2001 5:47:00 PM)

Thank you Paul,
you make clear what I was trying to do here... What can I say , more ? I see things from a supporter point of view ...
I look now at the forum with different eyes...
realizing that not many here like to dream as well as me.. I can see from this forum that except for the Loyalists who suddenly answered my call, the others either do not realize what has happened neither do not care about it .. but Now it's my turn to make my call aloud...


To the crew out there :




Let me say that sometimes there is a tiny line to be crossed in choosing the best thing to do in your life...a tiny line which determines weather or not YOU can count to make the difference...
This is the case ! Here you can read what has happened out there... But I think I need to repeat it better... SPWAW is free...
SPWAW may like or may dislike....
But You know whether you like it !
You know about this forum...and I have to say this forum had a soul...this spirit is dying now..Certainly the forum will not be closed..but we will lose what made him very special for all of us : Here you write , Here you read and ask...you have a voice and again I say : "for the first time in history of wargaming we had a direct channel with the game's directors....that is SOMETHING more than a 'voice' ! Put here your idea:it may become your own true contribute to SPWAW !
HEY THAT HAS HAPPENED VERY OFTEN here as several versions SHOW !
DO YOU UNDERSTAND that if you do not cross that tiny line ..for a few dollars ..(something you can do for one time in your life especially if you believe in what you have achieved)
then you LOOSE this PRIVILEGE ?
Don't you care about what you are given ?
Do you think SPWAW has exausted it's evolution ?
MATRIX CLEARLY SPOKE ABOUT BIG AND NEW IMPROVEMENTS IF ONLY WE COULD REACH 3500 copies sold !
You forgot these words or you were not there when they was announced..anyway that is the TRUTH ! For one time in history WE could have decided
to make our favourite game to its competitors level ...
SPWAW is really better and deeper than many
other wargames like Close combat ,PAnzer General, Suddenstrike ecc.ecc. it only needs not so many some further steps for its growing to be realized ! We should have been the parents who help their baby making his first steps into the jungle... I do not think the MAtrix will surrender..
They will go on , despite any odd because
they believe in what they do..they have patience
they go slow, but they are planning things..


As for now Only the Loyalists one day could be proud to say WE GAVE OUR HAND !



As a call for your country here it's a call for
your FAVOURITE DREAM ...
WARGAMING
DO it ! So that you will have more and more...
Do not limit yourself to statically enjoy what you had by free..go outside , feel emotioned do something you never thought you could do..
Pay for your dream !
Become a LOYALIST...
or let the soul die... YOUR SINGLE LITTLE HELP COUNTS NOW !!

The hidden agreement was : "WE give to you a free game fit with your contribution-YOU make us going on by your support.." It was not requested..but we lacked our part in
the mechanism.. What I ask is to reflect about time and fun that SPWAW gave to each one of you ... now answer to yourself if ever ,for maybe your first time , you could do something to let it growing up ! I will stay here for a long time...
I want to do this to be sure everyone of you
can reach My call
I want that if SPWAW is closed YOU are aware about it ! Thank you !
anyway...


[ November 19, 2001: Message edited by: ruxius ]



voyrep -> (11/19/2001 8:33:00 PM)

!!!Update!!! Januari 18th
I said I would buy Combat leader etc.
Well I managed to save up a little money
so I just had to buy Lost Victories
to keep me busy in the mean time
I am enjoying it very much so far!
__________________________________________________
Voyrep has not bought anything so far...
But I do intend to buy Combat Leader and
those grand strategic games about the pacific war
that is being developed by Matrix and 2by3. Thanks
Voyrep [ January 18, 2002: Message edited by: voyrep ] [ January 18, 2002: Message edited by: voyrep ]



Don Eddins -> (11/19/2001 8:37:00 PM)

If I count correctly, I represent number 76. I've bought the NA MC, I've pre-ordered MCLV; I've got two t-shirts and a coffee mug (which is ugly as sin but I bought it anyway simply to support Matrix.) I'll buy the third MC and CL. And the Napoleonic games look interesting. I'll never have time to play all those games. But I feel obliged to do whatever I can to support the guys who have given me so many hours of pleasure ... for little investment. (Second only to my wife ... but there's more investment involved there.) So ... 76. That's rather pathetic when they needed something like 3500. I know they sold many more than 76 MCNA's, but they must have fallen way short, judging from the tone of Paul's e-mails. I have a thought to help sell a few more copies to non-US fans. Look for a separate posting on that.



waynef -> (11/19/2001 8:57:00 PM)

Paul You know how many Mega Campaigns were sold to date ( I hope you do). Im not sure what this thread accomplishes. Matrix knows how many games and accesories it has sold and the revenue generated through those sales. I purchased the 1st Mega Campaign. How many did Matrix sell? Did it meet your goals? If it didnt meet expectations how can we help get a wider base to sell to? Is Matrix saying its in trouble, or may no longer exist?



Les_the_Sarge_9_1 -> (11/19/2001 10:11:00 PM)

This is the new me here NOT the old me (just so we are clear on that). Paul...just how many MC have been sold?. Come on tell us actual figures. As of today eeeeexactly how many.
Its none of my damn business, but tell us, of all MC produced, how many disks called Mega Campaign have been sold ie you received money for them. If the sales are 76 items(like this thread implies, you will still have spares). As it appears here (on this thread), sales are less than 100. Why do I care?. Well I want a Mega Campaign dang it.
Its a month before christmas for crying out loud. Will you have any in stock after christmas? Is there any point in me hoping to buy one when I get money saved up. I have been living day to day wishing I could have one. I dont have a credit card though. I will have to send a money order (am I basically sh*t out of luck here. If the MC are selling so poorly, how have you justified developing more? I am very confused here. Some concrete statistics are needed.



Dan Bozza -> (11/20/2001 1:15:00 AM)

Sorry for missing your "call" on the first go-around, Ruxius. I own the first MC, pre-ordered the 2nd MC, will definitely order MC # 3, 4, 5 etc., and Combat Leader, plus Uncommon Valor and War in the Pacific. SP:WaW is the ONLY game to occupy a permanent place on my hard drive, and my game collection is not small. When I first heard about SP:WaW as a free standalone game I was sure it was a typo. "Must be a demo only" I said. NOPE! One heckuva game for free, zilch zip nada. I felt it was my OBLIGATION to purchase something when the first MC became available, as a small way to say thanks to all the hard working people who put this amazing game together, and keeps breathing life into a piece of code that by all rights should have been declared dead long ago. Hopefully you will continue to support SP:WaW as long as it is feasible for you to do so. If not, I can surely understand why, and don't blame you one bit. I for one will continue to try and do my part. Thanks again, for a great game.



Grenadier -> (11/20/2001 1:54:00 AM)

Sorry to come in so late into this topic, but I have been VERY BUSY on the East Front I appreciate all of you who have purchased Desert Fox and have committed to buying "Sight Unseen" Lost Victories. It has been my goal to make Lost Victories far more than a campaign game, but true multimedia gaming experience. It is my hope that it will stand alone as not only a great game but as an essential reference to the Barbarossa campaign for all of you. I have alway wanted to write a definitive history of the 1941 Eastern Front war with comprehensive details for both the German and Soviet side and this is the closest I have come to this goal. Your patience and loyalty are appreciated aand my hope is thaat both will be richly rewarded by Lost Victories



U235 -> (11/20/2001 10:49:00 AM)

I've purchaced MCNA and waiting for the next intallment. I'm sure more copies were sold than the posts here imply. I'm sure sales would improve if the $70 price our overseas brothers have to pay for a copy could be remedied. Also, a few copies to the game reviewers probably wouldn't hurt. The more advertisment the products get the better (and free advertisment is best). Best of luck Matrix, I do hope you are successful.



jackssn -> (11/20/2001 1:43:00 PM)

Sorry I'm so late in posting but here goes. I've have the first MC and have preordered the second one. I've worked on the OOB with ammo, Flashfyre, sven and Paul and will order any and all MC when they come out. Paul and all keep up the good work. Thanks again



ruxius -> (11/20/2001 5:34:00 PM)

HAIL to the first 70 Loyalists !!!
And a dear greeting also to you Les the Sarge-the good one-...Don't care about how many copies are sold..BIG THINGS always see their births from slow little steps...also your step Les is very very important ! Let's go ! I am looking to include you into my list of Loyalists !



Phil Buster -> (11/22/2001 6:04:00 PM)

I bought MCNA and ordered MCLV
WILL buy any game based on ancient, classical, US Civil War or Napoleonic battles or campaign researched with this incredibleinspiration.



nyarlathotep -> (11/22/2001 6:35:00 PM)

Purchased MCNA. Preordered MCLV. Will definately order CL and MCWT. If things go smooth will most likely snatch up the Napoleonic and Pacific war games. There are only two other game software companies that I have "invested" in that could possibly top my potential contributions to Matrix. SSI and Microprose. You guys are top class you just haven't seen results to self confirm that yet. The crusade to spread the Matrix Religio continues.



Paul Vebber -> (11/23/2001 9:22:00 AM)

I must have missed a post here... For Sarge...The issue is not teh MC's covering themselves, they have been doing well enough to keep things in the black, but as has been described, one of the major purposes of the MC's was to provide a way for folks to show their support for moving to a "next generation" tactical game. Originally we weren;t going to start that project (COmbat Leader/Close Assault) until we sold 7000 MC's, but there was so much encouragement that we went ahead in hopes that the support to back it up would come. THe failure of that support to materialize is the "problem". THat has caused CL (and CA) to be delayed. THe concet of a community supported wargame production entity relies on folks lokoking at the money they pay for the MC's as more than just buying an add-on to a free game, they expect support for SP:WAW to be provided as if that game were being bought, not just an ad on that was intended to help bankroll the NEXT game. Most of the scenarios were developed by fans of the game as a gesture of support, a gesture that we are extremely in their debt for. But again with the hope that the community would use it as teh vehicel to provide support many had been clamoring for. Our disappointment is not about the sales of the MC per se, they are frankly about what one would expect for a "scenario disk". But we thought we had something more than that and we had high hopes that those who had enjoyed the game free, would pony up a little scratch to help expedite a follow-on. Again, we are not a "company" in the usual sense of the word. We don;t own a building and have employees that come to work and have offices and get saleries. We are a network of gamers who want to do as much as we can to fill the void for high quality wargames in a time when there are only a handfule of companies doing wargames at all. So to those who have answered the bell and baought MC1 NA, and especially those of you who put money up front for Lost Victories - THANKS. TO those of you who have played SP:WaW for free, well we did give it away and can't complain. We can only ask you think about the enjoyment you get from it and how much enjoyment a "state of the art" version will bring you, and how many games you have bought in teh last year that sit gathering dust...and did nothing to "advance the hobby" Just a thought... I hope that resolves the "paradox" of "complaints" over MC sales. THey have been sufficient to keep us afloat, and for that we are appreciative, but we hoped they would help us capitilize for the future, and that has been where we have been disappointed. Combat Leader and Close Assault will come, but not nearly as quickly as we originally had hoped... [ November 22, 2001: Message edited by: Paul Vebber ]



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