About Patch or Version 2.0

[WBWilder]

I'm assuming that the patch will be announced here in the main SPMBT forum and that the download will be in the download section of SPMBT corner of the Shrapnel site...correct?

WB

[DRG]

Yes. Once I know it's ready to go there will be announcement here and the main shrapnel page and a number of other places as well. You won't have too much longer to wait.

Don

[WBWilder]

Looking forward to it, Don. The changes appear to be all good ones. Great news...WB

[Artur]

I got my CD version today. Great job guys!!! Now if only we could get that patch :-D.
How many days are left???

Artur.

[DRG]

The patch is ready and has been uploaded, the PR copy has been checked and OK'd so it should be available anytime between now and the end of the week. There's a good chance someone else is going to see the thing posted before I will because I'm either working or sleeping for the next two days so keep checking the Shrapnel main page

Don

[Artur]

Thanks for the update Don!

Artur.

[Stirling]

Gentlemen, start your Refresh buttons! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

[JaM]

Im refreshing about two weeks http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Artur]

Same here...

Artur.

[scJazz]

Argggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhh! The wait is killing me.

[Artur]

Patience is one of the greatest virtues of a warrior http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif .

Artur.

PS: Where the hack is that patch...??? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Double_Deuce]

Maybe they'll do another midnight (Eastern US Time) release like they did with the WinSPMBT DL. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

[JaM]

Maybe they will release it in October http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif ??? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif joke

[Artur]

Are people at Schrapnel working on weekends? If not we have to wait only for one day http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif.

Artur.

[JaM]

Hope so.I wanna play whole weekend!

[Marek_Tucan]

JaM said:
Hope so.I wanna play whole weekend!



Now I have a trip pre-planned for the weekend, consuming entire Saturday and most of Sunday, but if it gets out just now maybe... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smirk.gif

[Nightblade]

The patch feature-list is indeed very impressive, and will be a really nice addition to this superb WinSP:MBT.

Thank you for all your work on WinSP:MBT , i really appreciate all the amount of time you have put in this wargame and your continuing support to enhance the user experience on the game.

Long live to The Camo Workshop members.

[JaM]

Dude, im afraid WinSPMBT is not SPCammo project...

[Fabfire]

Well... I just can't understand this delay. The patch "has been uploaded, the PR copy has been checked and OK'd" by 09/21. Today it is 09/23. If I had the patch already uploaded, it would take me 15 minutes, tops, to get it posted on my website. Personally, I wouldn't like to keep my customers waiting... But this is just me...

EDIT: This is NOT directed to Don or Andy. Their work is done and in the most satisfactory way anyone could expect. The critic is directed at the Shrapnel Games staff.

[Artur]

Oh well... we need to keep on refreshing...

Artur.

[scJazz]

M256 said:
EDIT: This is NOT directed to Don or Andy. Their work is done and in the most satisfactory way anyone could expect. The critic is directed at the Shrapnel Games staff.



Exactly!!! This is the reason why middle men suck! Hey Shrapnel remove head from butt and spend the 15minutes putting the patch up for godsake!

[Double_Deuce]

JaM said:
Dude, im afraid WinSPMBT is not SPCammo project...

Actually wouldn't it still be a CAMO product? Don and Andy are essentially CAMO Group, Shrapnel is a Publisher although I know they probably provided some technical support.

[JaM]

Im confused. I think that i saw somewhere,that they said that this is not a SPCammo project. At the other side, Yahoo group is still going, and they wanna make their own addons based on dos SPMBT... Try ask Andy and Don how it is...

[Double_Deuce]

This is from the WinSPMBT part of the Shrapnel Site ---> "The best in Steel Panthers brought to you by The Camo Workshop and Shrapnel Games! (http://shrapnelgames.com/SPCamo/index.htm)"

Lets just call it a group effort. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

[DRG]

Yesterday we discovered that one of the fixes we put into the game to correct changes made to scenarios caused unexpected problems with scenarios that had been altered. It wasn't an obvious bug and only affected what seemed to be small number of random scenarios. Andy stayed up late into the night and corrected the problem.

Last night around 5:00pm I put a hold on the patch release while we fixed the problem. I will be forwarding a corrected version of the patch to Shrapnel after we have run some further tests. That is why the patch has been delayed and due to time zone issues and personal work and sleep schedules it was not possible, nor desirable, nor even necessary to give everyone on this list hourly updates. I can understand the desire on some peoples part to get the patch and play the game and for we are grateful for your support.

However, the nasty little childish comments ARE being noted. Some of you really need to grow up.

I said the patch will be released this week and this week isn't over and even if it doesn't become available for a few more days it's not REALLY that important that anyone needs to start flinging insults around at the people who are doing the work and providing the service.

The patch will be ready, when it's ready and when it is you will be informed.

Don

[Pyros]

scJazz said:

M256 said:
EDIT: This is NOT directed to Don or Andy. Their work is done and in the most satisfactory way anyone could expect. The critic is directed at the Shrapnel Games staff.



Exactly!!! This is the reason why middle men suck! Hey Shrapnel remove head from butt and spend the 15minutes putting the patch up for godsake!



scJazz and M256,

Shrapnel has nothing to do with any delay in the time of release of the patch.
I would also like to inform you that Shrapnel is doing an excellent work in supporting WinSPMBT, so please (you and anyone else) think twice before making statements that not only are wrong but they are also insulting hard working people.
I am sure that you gentlemen will reconsider your statements.

regards,
Pyros

[Fabfire]

You can't blame anyone who was not adequately informed about the situation for not understanding why things are happening the way they are.

Given this fact, I can't see why to reconsider anything.

[markgame]

People might consider that it would be appropriate just to behave nicely to one another! Sadly, like bad drivers, anonymity breeds boorishness. If we were talking face to face we'd be buying each other beers and commiserating about last minute gotchas in our lives, too.

I too have been waiting and checking for the patch, but if it's not ready tonight, so be it. I'll just check back and see who remains boorish http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[scJazz]

In 15 years of IT related work (I'm sure this happens in other fields as well I've just never done anything else)I've continuously bumped into the middle man problem. Faster faster get the project done, work 30 hours straight and it is done, wait 3 days for the middleman to actually do something useful with the work I performed so feverishly.

Therefore it is with no surprise that I would lash out at a perceived middleman problem.

What is annoying is that instead of just simply ignoring my misinformed comment because it was misinformed it gets raised to the level of an "issue that will be monitored". It would have been easier to just let it slide because I was mistaken. Instead I'm turned into a paraiah. Gee thanks guys!

Jazz

[Beeg]

Cool. Entertainment while we wait for the patch http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

[Fabfire]

scJazz said:
What is annoying is that instead of just simply ignoring my misinformed comment because it was misinformed it gets raised to the level of an "issue that will be monitored". It would have been easier to just let it slide because I was mistaken. Instead I'm turned into a paraiah. Gee thanks guys!

Jazz


110% agreed.
Regretfully, overreaction seems to be the SOP over here, my friend... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

[Fabfire]

BEEG said:
Cool. Entertainment while we wait for the patch http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif



Absolutely. Have fun! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

[medicff]

We are all waiting with anticipation but when the explaination about a delay came out, a simple apology would be in order and then it would be a done deal. In the big scheme of life, it really is very small. You could be packing and leaving from Rita right now http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

[Richard]

Guys,

I apologize for the lack of information on the delay in the patch, but I am sure everyone here will be happy with the end result. The release is queued for next week and I will post more details when a date is finalized. I can understand the frustration on getting the fixes, and new features, out now so everyone can enjoy them. Making sure all of our customers are 100% satisfied is job number one at Shrapnel Games. To alleviate that frustration I will make sure we have an exact date firm date before I post another date in this thread.

One thing to keep in mind that in software development a last minute bug can always be found by a QC/QA team at the very last minute that can put a monkey wrench into everyone's plan. So even after I commit to a date, anything can always happen. My full time job is at a Fortune 25 company, where I am involved in different elements of software development, QA, and Project Management. I would be a rich man if I had a dollar for every time something like this put a release off a day, a week, a month, or more.

Again let me get a firm date and I will let you guys know. The new date probably won't be posted until after the weekend.

Thanks for everyones patience.

[Fabfire]

Richard,

Thank you so much for your kind attention. It is most appreciated.

I can only speak for myself, but I think the problem is not how much I'll have to wait - I have no problem with that - but that we have been kept in the dark, and then been labaled guilty of not knowing what is going on...

A kind, calm, and educated answer like yours is all that we, as customers, want to hear.

Again, thank you so much.

FAP

[Marek_Tucan]

Going to a trip this morning, off until sunday evening... Atleast I'd have a motivation to get home earlier;o)

And if the patch won't still be published by that time... So what? Programming is a black magic to me, so I leave it up to professionals:o)

[JaM]

SO i will play Rome total war this weekend instead of WinSPMBT... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[narwan]

M256 said:
A kind, calm, and educated answer like yours is all that we, as customers, want to hear.

FAP



Not to distract anything from the notice Richard gave, I would appreciate it if you wouldn't speak on my behalf. This customer is one who doesn't demand answers but is perfectly happy to wait it out and who can accept that the staff has better things to do (like fixing the bugs and getting on with RL) than babysitting anxious users minute to minute.

And to set one thing straigth, you were NOT misinformed. It was clearly stated that the patch would come out before the end of the week. Before the end of that week the bug was found, a message concerning it posted and the subsequent delay of release (as further testing is needed) announced.
Your mistake was not because of misinformation but because of misjudgement.

Narwan

[Artur]

Come on guys, we wait a week more then we play like hell with WinSPMBT 2.0.

I am sure that:
1. Don and Andy and the Schrapnel staff do their best to please us - their customers.
2. I am sure those that stated their opinion more harshly then usual were just to eager to get the long-waited patch.

Let us not leave from here with a bad feeling. If Schrapnel inteds to keep on supporting WinSPMBT (with new patches etc) we need to build up a strong community with a lot of players , scenario designers, tournament organizers, etc, while Don and Andy do some more improvements to the software. (I have some suggestions http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif ) We are one team.

Artur.

[Fabfire]

Artur is right. There is no point in keeping this going on anymore.

[WBWilder]

IN THE MEANTIME! Instead of waiting, I am playing. I was playing it before the first patch and I'm playing and designing in it now.

And if another patch never comes out I'll still be playing it and designing scenarios for it.

I really am looking forward to the section that assures me that AI units will observe the reaction turns and waypoints. I still have AI units that just won't do that in this version, even when following "protocol" for making it happen. This little bit of control of the AI is VERY helpful in designing scenarios.

WB

[Artur]

Quite right Bill http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif. I am working hard on a campaign for the contest announced at SZO http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif.

Artur.

[Nightblade]

Instead of waiting, I am playing. I was playing it before the first patch and I'm playing and designing in it now.
And if another patch never comes out I'll still be playing it and designing scenarios for it.


Right on the point.

I am very glad to The Camo Workshop for the upcoming patch, but i am even more glad to them for allowing me to play WinSP:MBT .

[Pepper]

markgame said:
People might consider that it would be appropriate just to behave nicely to one another! Sadly, like bad drivers, anonymity breeds boorishness. If we were talking face to face we'd be buying each other beers and commiserating about last minute gotchas in our lives, too.

I too have been waiting and checking for the patch, but if it's not ready tonight, so be it. I'll just check back and see who remains boorish http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif



best post on this topic yet.

as you all know from your own lives, crap happens. when we focus on the crap it just takes an unfortunate situation and makes it even worse.

with that, I think I'll go have a beer and play some battlefield 2....

[Artur]

Is there a new official date for the patch? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Artur.

[Pyros]

Artur,

The patch will be released when it is ready.
As you already know, the patch was scheduled for release during the period of the weekend, but a last moment issue has postponed the release.

From my personal knowledge this particular problem is already solved so (perhaps) the time of release should be shortly announced.

cheers,
Pyros

p.s Just a small note: If neither Don or Andy had mentioned anything specific about the release of a patch, then no one would ever request an exact release date. You must understand that everyone and each of you receive amazing technical support from both Don G. and Andy G. and this is something very rare in the gaming industry. From my point of view whenever you don't hear news from a developer it is because he is totally devoted in the development of his project.
Please understand that these people have been working countless hours during a very big period of time for providing you with an excellent game.
Don't be so demanding, for something that doesn't really matter (few days of justified delay in the release of a patch).

[Listy]

I've tested a few games and campaigns for the SP series. I would like to make some observations.

1. Most of the people who playtest and design are not employed, but are volunteers. We have our own lives to look after.

2. Bugs show up and need to be fixed, then tested. Wild Bill will probably remember the release date Overshoot that happened to lost victories Mega campaign for SPWAW. IIRC it was several months.

3. The game will arive, but how would you like to DL a second rate patch with huge bugs in it? Sounds like a microsoft product.. needs updating every two weeks as a new Issue is found... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

[Artur]

Pyros said:
...
Don't be so demanding, for something that doesn't really matter (few days of justified delay in the release of a patch).



I am very sorry Pyros BUT i was not demanding anything _just_ asking very nicely. I fully understand if there will be no more deadlines set, I have no problem with that. But if you make people being afraid to ask about things that is something else...

Artur.

[Pyros]

Artur,

Not only your contribution inside the SP community is remarkable but you are also a very nice person.
You are always welcome to ask whatever you wish but please keep in mind that the best questions to ask are the ones related with the "Why" and "How" (on the other hand the more stressing are the ones related with the "When exactly")... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

Anyway, I don't know the "When exactly" and I don't care to ask for it, because I know very well that all the persons involved in this task (release) are doing their best to provide you with a great patch as soon as possible.

Friendly yours,
Pyros

[WBWilder]

For those who have not done a "patch," (I have in a number of games), remember that it requires research and testing... LOTS http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rant.gif of testing.

Sometimes when you fix one problem, you cause another. You won't know that until you test it thoroughly. A patch is not a "quick fix." Its a rather complicated, long process.

Keep that in mind. I've been involved in efforts where a patch was sent out prematurely only to require another patch to fix the former one.

I remember one instance working with a now defunct gaming company where test patches were being sent out every day to the patch testers. It nearly drove me crazy...or should I say crazier. I finally just decided to download the test patches once a week and work with them.

I'm sure SP-Camo (and you!) do not want one patch, then another patch, then another.

It will come, just like the game came. I reiterate, keep playing the game. Enjoy it. When the patch does come, enjoy it and the changes it will make hopefully for the better.

There are lots of scenarios and some nice campaigns to keep us occupied in the meantime.

Wild Bill

[jvankessel]

It'll be ready when it's ready. Andy and Don: Thank you very much for your brilliant work.

[Alpha]

Haha, this reminds me of the Paradox forums.

Guys: there are other things ( or even other games )
in live than Steel Panthers.

@ Camo + Shrapnell: Take your time and test the patch
before releasing. My opinion is: better a good late
patch, than a bad early one.

[Bernard]

Alpha said:
Guys: there are other things ( or even other games )
in live than Steel Panthers.




I think this is something a few folk in this forum should remember before they go harassing the very people who gave us winSPMBT in the first place.

Personally, I still can't get over the fact that we now have SPMBT in windows, so I don't have to lug my mouse about like a bus and fiddle with VDMS sound.

When the patch is ready, it will be great, but until then, be greatful for the fact that:

a) the game is free
b) that the developers dedicate so much of their time to working on the game and answering our questions, no matter how ridiculous, regarding the game.

How many other games do you know where you can discover a bug or a gameplay issue, and that the developers will actually takes issues on board and offer advice?
I can't think of many...