Middle East campaign series releases sep. 24

[jomni]

We fully intend to back port "those counters".  But we will be unbundling the older games into separate, standalone WF 3.0, EF 3.0 & RS 3.0, you should know.  Of course, Rome Wasn't Built in a Day.

So if version 3.0 WF, EF and RS are separately sold, what will be the price? And will the owners of Matrix JTCS be able to get any discount?

Can't say, because we don't set the price; Matrix/Slitherine do.  Can't say about any discounts either.  We are talking here about games to be released over the course of several years from now.

Remember:  These games will be substantially revamped.  They will not be mere repackaging of the old JTCS.  So much of the data, graphics included, are being reworked.  New code is being written, and old code is being overhauled.  The game engine etc. continue to evolve incrementally.

...

Speaking not to you or anybody in particular, some general comments:

From a marketing perspective, and financially, it is entirely unfeasible to sell, at less than premium price, a game bundle with well over 700+ scenarios (officially supported; and the entirely new scenarios planned; not counting the many 100s more available from elsewhere).  Even when unbundled, each of WF 3.0, EF 3.0 & RS 3.0 will have 200+ scenarios apiece.  That, and with all the game play & OOB & map & graphics & other improvements we have planned, is it not right and proper that M/S sell them as they would any new mid-priced game?

Bottom line:  If former customers, who have been enjoying freebie upgrades of the original JTCS for years; if such customers can't accept the new marketing/pricing model; and if we can't attract enough entirely new customers -- that spells the end of the Campaign Series.  Finis.  There will be no more freebie updates (we don't follow the DLC model).  And there would be no new games.  There would be no incentive for the Dev Team to slave away producing them, and no incentive for M/S to publish them.  A Labor of Love mentality can only take us so far.  M/S' gotta pay its employees, the Devs too gotta eat, not to mention otherwise have a Real Life outside of CS.

Why spend time and effort to enhance JTCS? I find that it does the job well already.  Why not focus on new eras like Vietnam / modern?

[Jason Petho]

Vietnam is next.

Cold War and NATO War will be worked on in the background while the World War Two games are updated.

There are lots of big things coming for the series! We are super excited!

[Bison]

Oddball question but are pbem files able to be encrypted?

[jomni]

Vietnam is next.

Cold War and NATO War will be worked on in the background while the World War Two games are updated.

There are lots of big things coming for the series! We are super excited!

I see.  Lots of thing going on.

[Jason Petho]

Not yet, but that's on the chopping block to get done.

[Jason Petho]

Definitely lots going on and lots to do!

I'm extremely interested in the Cold War and NATO War games, but I still have a lot of OOB building to do before they can be ready to be worked on. That takes the most time, on the data side.

[PAK]

So You will stop updating/enhancing JTCS, if I want to get updated I will have to buy three new games. Ok, I fully understand Your reasons, although I'm not fully happy with it.  >:D

[Jason Petho]

Price of progress?

Although, in my humbled and biased opinion, well worth the price of admission.

[PAK]

We'll see. Although, personally I would prefer If You keep the games bundled and gave it a proportional (I mean higher - 3 games in one package, updated to the level of the newest title) price. But, that's just my 5 cents.

[Jason Petho]

What do you think a fair price point would be for such a package?

[Sir Slash]

I remember the original East Front and West Front games as having very long AI turns in big scenarios-- the D-Day scenario, and not being able to save game during the scenario. Is this still the case in both instances?

[-budd-]

Just release them as stand alone and bundle them when there all done. I imagine doing them all as a bundle from start would take a lot more time.

[PAK]

What do you think a fair price point would be for such a package?

In case of JTCS - around 100 bucks

[Tuna]

What do you think a fair price point would be for such a package?

In case of JTCS - around 100 bucks

You are kidding right?

[berto]

What do you think a fair price point would be for such a package?

In case of JTCS - around 100 bucks

You are kidding right?

Why kidding?  For a game bundle that would be several years in the making and include a number approaching 1,000 scenarios?

For that many scenarios, not to mention the OOBs, custom graphics, etc. to go with it -- other game projects would charge for the original game, then also "expansion packs", or DLCs, or "gold version".

In any case, (re)bundling ain't ever gonna happen (again), so why even speculate about it?