Matrix games - websites, game line continuity etc.

[Redwolf]

As part of my concern about the "computer wargame winter" that I think we are in I would like to hear people's thoughts about Maxtrix games' current practices.

There are a number of way in which they, especially since Slitherine took over, make it a bit too painful (or amateurish) for me to get excited about their games. In fact I can't even find what are suitable games in there.

In no particular order here are some of my concerns:

• Ancient, unsuitable and messy forum software both on Matrixgames.com and wargamer.com.  (taking over wargamer.com and then not making it a performing forum property was a bad move IMHO)
  
• Just large and large lists of game splattered around with no guidance what kind of game is what
  
• Traditional style licensing with no copy protection to speak of but randomly anchoring serial numbers in the windows registry. This is bad style in 2016, I have many computers that I randomly use and I want the full collection of my games to be available where I happen to sit right now.  Not a problem if you use steam or any of the MMORPGs, or simpler games where you can just copy the file tree.  With Matrix' licensing stream you can't do that, you have to go through the installer to pick up a couple of registry entries that contribute nothing to the running game.  It can also get in the way of using these games in emulators. I generally don't like to use Windows even for gaming anymore and many games run fine in Wine.
  
• Very little feedback about what the developers of games are up to. I understand that part of Matrix' business model is that development roadmaps are not enforced on developer partners. Fine. QA... well most of Matrix games work fine. However, it is very hard to follow what is a currently ongoing development effort.
  
• Now combine these two points: (1) little enforcement of development done and (2) little information on who develops what.  I can't make head or tails out of that messy game listing with > 100 titles.
  
• There really needs to be a stronger identify for games classified by what kind of game they are and who makes them. When developers changes then I presume they give up on all games so you can carry that line of thought over.
  
• As an example, I am trying to find out what the developers of "Airborne Assault" are up to and what the latest stages of their game line is (Conquest of the Aegean etc). Not a chance to do that on Matrix' forum or website.
  
• Last but not least the forums add additional suckage from tech support. There's some dude sitting in England closing tickets as WAI no matter how ridiculous. I reported the CAPCHA for forum login (which other forums don't feel they need in the first place, they only have CAPCHAs for registration) not working on Chrome. Dude over there cannot be bothered to even try.
  

Does that resonate with somebody?

I think this mess is not suitable for trying to do large scale game business in the year 2016. I want to spend money and throw my hands up in the air instead.

[veb_yw]

Hi I am a newcomer to war games. What do you mean by "war game winter"? Was there a period when war games were much more in abundance or something?

[bayonetbrant]

Red wolf, probably 90% of what you're describing goes back to a coherent corporate communication strategy. 
Very few companies do it well.
Many do it quite poorly.

[Rayfer]

Hi I am a newcomer to war games. What do you mean by "war game winter"? Was there a period when war games were much more in abundance or something?

I was wondering the same thing....what does redwolf mean by 'war game winter'....? Personally, I think we are in a war game golden age. Too many good titles for me to 1) afford and 2) have the time to learn and play.  Could the Matrix site be better? Sure, but I'm glad they're around and publishing some excellent, hardcore war games.

[jomni]

Take note that matrix is a publisher and not a developer. They have signed up many independent developers to make a diverse set of games. I know they usually only announce things when in beta or close to release so the general public don't know what they are up to. I guess they're playing it safe not to hype something up unless a game is near completion.

Also Matrix may have slowed down a bit. A lot of activity is in the Slitherine side. And many just cross posted in Matrix. They could have just pulled the plug?

Regarding ancient copy protection, you can install them on any number of machines so what's the problem?

[JasonPratt]

As with others, I don't see this as a wargame winter. We've had a lot of releases and even updates on old engines are happening again. Be that as it may.

I think Redwolf is complaining about Matrixlitherine not being on something like Steam, with something like cross-platform Steam access. Except they are: all new properties either release on Steam or move there in a few months, and they are steadily migrating older titles to Steam so far as they can figure out how to make the system architecture work together (plus legal issues for intellectual properties, which can get a bit snafuy, WW1Gold being an extreme example affected also by their desire not to compete with themselves on a big new release.)

Generally I have found their forums to be informational from their various developers, largely (though not entirely) proportionate to the popularity of their games. That included Panther Games (per the example), but since Panther Games has moved on to another publisher and is directly competing with their prior releases, it shouldn't be entirely surprising if their presence on the Matrix boards has been somewhat curtailed, much less that Matrix isn't promoting what they're currently working on. Still, the product pages for ordering projects do include links (maybe dead now in some cases for older devs) to developer sites.

I've never personally had any problem searching for game genres on the Matrix site, although the Slithersite seems kind of thin on that sort of content. But maybe I haven't used it enough to compare search functions properly. I admittedly always go to the Matrix site, unless I absolutely have to go to Slitherine (for making sure my games are registered and to get my Steam codes for items I bought directly before).

[magnus]

 If this is winter it has been made glorious summer by these sons of York ( Marix/Slitherine).

I see as many wargames coming out as there were in the Commodore's heyday.

[Steelgrave]

I've got more wargames than I have time to play. If this is winter, it's only because I'm snowed under   8)

[mirth]

I've got more wargames than I have time to play. If this is winter, it's only because I'm snowed under   8)

Ditto. I'm buried.

[Steelgrave]

I've got more wargames than I have time to play. If this is winter, it's only because I'm snowed under   8)

Ditto. I'm buried.

Yeah, but you live in Maine, so....duh!

[mirth]

We have a lovely 2 weeks of summer!

[Steelgrave]

We have a lovely 2 weeks of summer!

Just enough for a tan!

[mirth]

We have a lovely 2 weeks of summer!

Just enough for a tan!

Just enough so we don't all look like White Walkers.

[Staggerwing]

• As an example, I am trying to find out what the developers of "Airborne Assault" are up to and what the latest stages of their game line is (Conquest of the Aegean etc). Not a chance to do that on Matrix' forum or website.
  

Actually, Panther Games (the developers of the airborne assault series) has moved on to another publisher, Lock N Load. Their games are now collected under the Command Ops 2 title.

[mirth]

• As an example, I am trying to find out what the developers of "Airborne Assault" are up to and what the latest stages of their game line is (Conquest of the Aegean etc). Not a chance to do that on Matrix' forum or website.
  

Actually, Panther Games (the developers of the airborne assault series) has moved on to another publisher, Lock N Load. Their games are now collected under the Command Ops 2 title.

Matrix has some nerve not posting updates about that on their website!