Twilight Struggle PC = CANNED!

jomni · March 10, 2014, 07:48:56 PM

I got this mail from GMT


Hi guys!

This Special Update is to let you guys know what's happening with the development of our electronic versions of Twilight Struggle.

As many of you may remember, when we first put our Electronic PC version of Twilight Struggle on our P500 list, I assured you guys that there was no way I was going to charge your cards or release that game unless I was satisfied that it would deliver a high-quality game experience, comparable to the other most popular boardgame to electronic conversions. Regrettably, after a long and challenging development process, I have come to the conclusion that the current PC version will not meet that standard, at least not in any reasonable time frame. Thus, after consulting personally with several experienced PC industry people who I trust and who were involved in the TS electronic version testing process, and with Tony Curtis, our LLC Manager, we have decided to cancel this project, effective immediately.

I want to thank all of you who supported us by pre-ordering the game and especially those of you who gave of your time to help us test it. I wish that we had been able to deliver the product we had envisioned in a timely manner.

And I want to thank all the folks at RiverMyst software, a group of really good people who I enjoyed meeting and getting to know over the years. I appreciate all the time they put into the project to try to make it happen and I certainly wish them only the best for the future. Alas, I think that between us, we just didn't have the necessary "PC Game-Building" experience to get this project over the finish line at a quality level and with a feature set that we would all be happy with. And I wasn't willing to keep you guys who were anxiously anticipating the game waiting any longer for a product whose delivery we could not project with any certainty.

What if You Have a P500 Order for the Game?

The impact to you guys who have pre-ordered the game will be nil, except for the unfortunate fact that we won't be producing the game. I have already deleted the item from our P500 list, so you won't see it on the P500 page or on your Personal Data Sheets on our website anymore.

So, What's Next?

We are keenly aware of the market share impact that tablet games have had over the past few years. And we've read all of those "please get Twilight Struggle to iPad!" e-mails and comments you guys have sent and posted online. And we've turned down quite a few companies who wanted to do a tablet version of TS over the past few years because we wanted to get the computer game to the finish line. But that's now all moot with the PC game cancelled, so our priority at this point is to get an agreement for a tablet version - and potentially maybe even a cross-platform version - in place. We're not ready to share any details on that front yet, but do think we have an agreement on the horizon. We expect to have more information for you guys on that later this Spring.

-------------------------------

We're really sorry that our first attempt at getting Twilight Struggle created on an electronic platform didn't cross the finish line, and that so many of you waited in anticipation to no avail. We're going to take the lesson learned and improve our process this time, as we work toward a tablet version of Twilight Struggle.

I hope this information is helpful. Thanks, as always, for your support of GMT!

Enjoy the games!

Gene

Grim.Reaper · March 10, 2014, 07:51:10 PM

Bummer, but not surprised....

tgb · March 10, 2014, 10:10:40 PM

Not surprising, since the last official GMT word was that it would "definitely be out before the end of 2012", and the most current update on the Rivermyst site is that they are hoping to start beta testing in March - of 2013. Oh yeah, and the forum was taken down a few months ago.

Actually I AM surprised, because I expected them to eventually release some half-assed piece of crap. Not that I wouldn't have bought it anyway (see the Paradox version of Diplomacy for more details.)

Bletchley_Geek · March 11, 2014, 12:40:45 AM

Quote from: jomni on March 10, 2014, 07:48:56 PM
This Special Update is to let you guys know what's happening with the development of our electronic versions of Twilight Struggle.

As many of you may remember, when we first put our Electronic PC version of Twilight Struggle on our P500 list, I assured you guys that there was no way I was going to charge your cards or release that game unless I was satisfied that it would deliver a high-quality game experience, comparable to the other most popular boardgame to electronic conversions. Regrettably, after a long and challenging development process, I have come to the conclusion that the current PC version will not meet that standard, at least not in any reasonable time frame. Thus, after consulting personally with several experienced PC industry people who I trust and who were involved in the TS electronic version testing process, and with Tony Curtis, our LLC Manager, we have decided to cancel this project, effective immediately.

I wonder about what they mean by that "comparable to the other most popular boardgame to electronic conversions" and how that fits the statement

Quote
But that's now all moot with the PC game cancelled, so our priority at this point is to get an agreement for a tablet version - and potentially maybe even a cross-platform version - in place.

where I can imagine "cross platform" to include as well a PC version. Unless the abandoned "PC version" implied some deep changes in the game mechanics, of course.

Staggerwing · March 11, 2014, 05:30:31 AM

Perhaps the issue was getting the game set up with a proper AI? I'm going to guess that the x-platform version is H2H or TB only, kind of like VASSAL.

Nefaro · March 11, 2014, 06:28:06 AM

Hopefully whichever developers takes up the Tablet/PC proposition can get it done well & quickly.

Not an end, just another beginning.

Bletchley_Geek · March 11, 2014, 06:26:25 PM

Quote from: Staggerwing on March 11, 2014, 05:30:31 AM
Perhaps the issue was getting the game set up with a proper AI? I'm going to guess that the x-platform version is H2H or TB only, kind of like VASSAL.

That's a good lead, indeed.

jomni · March 11, 2014, 07:45:34 PM

AI is most probably the cause of cancellation. Board games are made for the human mind to process. Takes a lot of effort to make it procedural and rules-based. That's why World in Flames still has no AI.

Bletchley_Geek · March 11, 2014, 11:16:29 PM

Quote from: jomni on March 11, 2014, 07:45:34 PM
AI is most probably the cause of cancellation. Board games are made for the human mind to process. Takes a lot of effort to make it prepcedural and rules-based. That's why World in Flames still has no AI.

It's indeed complex, but there's hope if we look at the Race for the Galaxy computer-player. I love RftG, and that computer-player is quite fearsome. On the other hand, Twilight Struggle is also a "deeper" game in my opinion. The interaction with the cards effects and the influence, between the cards - i.e. having scoring cards in your hand - and the DEFCON track - and the possibility of sudden death - strike me as somewhat more complex, or harder to encode, than the mechanics of RftG.

jomni · March 12, 2014, 04:15:42 AM

You can code some AI. But can it be as sneaky as a real human. Anyway sure hope someone does it.