Panzer Command may be at a deadend.

[thewood]

Just saw on the Matrix forums that the developer for the Panzer Command series is kaput. This explains a lot about why the alledged update is taking so long. Looks like Matrix is trying to pick up the pieces, but this makes it kind of a long shot to go after the CM1 market.

I know this is a CM forum, but there are so many comparisons of this title to CM, I thought it was relevant.

 

[Redwolf]

Well, they said the existing developer team split up but they also said a new developer is taking over the codebase, plus a volunteer.

That would mean pretty much no change, except that if the new org would be effective the patch wouldn't be in so much trouble. I guess the new person is still in the learning curve.

 

[dalem]

Did their V4Victory descendent called Battlelines or Battleground or something ever happen? It was vaporware for a few years but it looked like a worthy successor from screenshots.

-dale

 

[thewood]

PC may get ressurected, but its obviously struggling just by looking at the lack of activity on the forums at Matrix and the length of time for the update.

You know how difficult it can be to transition from one developer to another.

 

[British Tommy]

I do hope PC can continue. It promised so much in the past. I think we had better keep a close eye on this.

 

[Redwolf]

New developer sounds good to me as I was progressively questioning some decision making of the old one.

The whole effort was underpowered. At least after getting an initial CMx1 like 3D engine off the ground. It's just too little that got pushed down the changes chain compared to how many things were missing even compared to the 2002 release of CMBB.

Very good thought was put into moddability. But very bad decisions were made with some "useless" combat mechanics like the 20+20 turn which was interesting but didn't really add anything except adaption problems. There was a little too much "we aren't CMx1" in there but nothing really telling it apart in important aspects either (such as multiplayer per side, larger battle or maps etc.).

I think the moddability was the killer feature here but ironically useless since not enough people picked up on the game in the first place.

I have hopes that the new developer has, without slamming the old one, a better view on what is important and what is not. Hindsight or not, the balance picked by the old one did not end up in either commercial or popular success.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Pretty much agree with Redwolf's comments. It's a project worthy of continuation despite some minor oddities - and I do mean minor. I hope they work out the problems and find an enthusiastic developer.

 

[junk2drive]

As Mark Twain said...

the wood, I don't know how you got your first post out of Erik's post.

It's alive, slow, but alive.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Okay, the speculation and he said/he said is pointless. Here is the post. My apologies, I thought there was some announcement of some importance regarding the impending death of the series, but apparently not.

Blond Knight,

Koios is in fact no longer in business, their employees went their separate ways shortly after PCK's release and now work in various other companies. We at Matrix are working on the update together with community volunteers and a new developer who will be continuing the series. If your issue is that you updated to IE8 and the external tools no longer work, then the fix for that has already been posted here and you do not have to wait for the next update for that.

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2220232

This coming update is effectively a labor of love for a game that (apart from the IE8 fix above) does not really require any fixing. We released PCK in good shape and updated it quickly to 1.01, which addressed all the significant known issues at that time (before IE8 showed up). The next official update will contain a vast amount of new content as well as some additional fixes for various minor bugs that were noticed since the 1.01 official update.

This upcoming update is very much a "community update" with many community volunteers putting in many hours to improve both the tools (and create a new Map Maker) as well as scenarios, campaigns, and new units. I consider it a privilege to work with these folks and I believe the wait will be worth it and the future of the series much better thanks to their involvement.

Regards,

- Erik

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2050854&mpage=3

Seems like business as usual for Panzer Command? Which is good news.

 

[mOBIUS]

It's not dead. Its being worked on. It is a fully owned product of Matrix now, sans Koios.
The people of Koios went there separate ways.
Thankfully, the system in very moddable or it might have perished. But since a few users are still modding we can add stuff to it and it can go on in perpetuity.

 

[Geordie]

The double turn thing is what most put me off PC. I have just never been able to get into it. Also, and I dont know why, it runs slow on any PC I have ever installed it on, and again, I have no idea why that is.

 

[shell-shocked]

Did their V4Victory descendent called Battlelines or Battleground or something ever happen? It was vaporware for a few years but it looked like a worthy successor from screenshots.

I think you mean Combined Arms (previously known as Battlefields). I used to follow it, but it entered a frozen state.

I don't think it has anything to do with V4V. Same scale, that's all.

 

[thewood]

My whole point was its been quite some time with no real update news on the update or a new module. I mean not even a scrap of information on what the update is. Almost non-existent posting by developers on thier forum. Combine that with the developer going out the door and you have the makings for something that will limp along.

I never said it was officially done, but the signs sure point to some serious issues with moving it forward.

 

[Redwolf]

Not that there aren't wargames that move at the same tranquilizer pace while the original developer is still hacking on it.

Let's face it, in this bad economy the little money you can theoretically make out of a wargame is just not enough to really focus the attention of people who have to hold on to a daytime job (and they all do).

 

[mOBIUS]

Not that there aren't wargames that move at the same tranquilizer pace while the original developer is still hacking on it.

Let's face it, in this bad economy the little money you can theoretically make out of a wargame is just not enough to really focus the attention of people who have to hold on to a daytime job (and they all do).

I was a little surprised in this economy for them to buy the rights to the game. But then maybe they made Koios an offer they couldn't refuse.

Yeah, the new programmer has to figure out the code before he makes some difficult changes. But then when he does it will help going forward with the next complete game.

 

[dalem]

I think you mean Combined Arms (previously known as Battlefields). I used to follow it, but it entered a frozen state.

I don't think it has anything to do with V4V. Same scale, that's all.

Ahh, thanks. That's too bad. You're right in that it wasn't a direct descendent but the scale made it very desirable to me. I have a DOS box specifically to run V4V and MOO2.

-dale

 

[Redwolf]

I was a little surprised in this economy for them to buy the rights to the game. But then maybe they made Koios an offer they couldn't refuse.

It's also possible that a contract between Matrix and a developer specifies that the developer has to provide X for Y years or else the source code falls to Matrix to give to a new developer of their choice.

I remember that Matrix did do some considerable advertising to get the Panzer Command franchise off the ground and IIRC I have even seen it on the shelves of Microcenter at one point. That is very expensive.

Yeah, the new programmer has to figure out the code before he makes some difficult changes. But then when he does it will help going forward with the next complete game.

Well, again not to slam the old developers but I guess it can only go upward from here.

I am slightly concerned about the information so far which indicated that people other than the new developer(s?) had to hack up the patch, which could mean we are not talking a full new programming effort here.

 

[mOBIUS]

I am slightly concerned about the information so far which indicated that people other than the new developer(s?) had to hack up the patch, which could mean we are not talking a full new programming effort here.

I'm not sure what information you are looking at concerning a hack patch. Since the program can use data created outside the exe engine new things like maps, models and data have been added, often in html text format.

Doing this by hand would be very tedious. But someone has developed tools to make maps, campaigns and scenarios. These tools are not in the same language as the exe but use MSE as an interface. New models can also be added along with the appropriate combat data in text form.

I don't think a map editor was part of the original Koios contract. It might have been in future plans but that future never was to be.

 

[Redwolf]

My reading is that Erik is now stuck with doing coding or other serious work. That wouldn't indicate the new developer is fully deployed yet.

 

[mOBIUS]

My reading is that Erik is now stuck with doing coding or other serious work. That wouldn't indicate the new developer is fully deployed yet.

Erik doesn't code. Eric codes. There's two Erik/cs. The new programmer is named Eric too. There's a new developer group who Eric is with is working on this project. They may have other irons in the fire too.