The PzC stuff seems like some kind of insiders club at this point. A couple of years of two guys running around wargaming forums yelling how much fun it is to play a better version than we untouchables have access to.
There has been some of that. I've been one that has been guilty of that.
Unfortunately, at the moment it is very much an insiders club. For our part, those involved are very much bursting at the seams with the way the series plays at the moment. We are very much held on a leash as J2D has said. We DO NOT want to release something that isn't as much a quality release as we can make it.
That means there are a couple of issues we are working on...seems like there always are with games you are actually interested in and are waiting to get your hands on.
All I can say is that everyday this takes, the product that will get released will be that much better. I've been on development teams before but I've never seen anything like the effort this patch is getting. Everyday that goes by on development has more material added.
To give you some idea, I've played a bit of CM since I got them, and even managed to make the editor work to produce a few scenarios. I liked CM. I've not started a game of CM since before Thanksgiving of last year. I've been playing PC exclusively.
It's not because I have to or that I couldn't play CM. I still have a machine that can play it.
It's because at this point in time PC is that good.
I've been right there where you're sitting. WAITING....and WAITING...and they tell you just enough to get your hopes up only to WAIT some more. I've been one of those that has told game developers to not release the product until IT'S READY! Now I'm on the other side of the line and it is EXTREMELY frustrating for us to not be able to release this yet and not flood you guys with screen shots, videos and information. Better yet, it would be great to hear Matrix say, to the entire community, that they were releasing the patch this weekend.
All I can say is the standard, "They will release it when it's ready". I agree with that and when this patch is released you will all see what we've been so excited about.
There are some current screen shots of what the game has developed into from a mod POV here...
http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tt.asp?forumid=478
There are multiple posts that are current from June on that forum. So stay tuned. Again the train is in the station. The materials are getting loaded on. More everyday. We're just not sure when the train is going to get permission to pull out and head down the tracks to you.
Everyday it gets closer to release. That's all we can say until we finish the product that we have been working on for more than a year now.
Those of you that have played HSG scenarios before, or have dealt with me in any capacity, will know the kind of detail I put in my work. In this case there is an entire development group with that same attitude. Perfection is the goal here.
You can see why game companies don't want to talk about projects in development. As in this case, there are gamers hopes that get raised, then issues come up and the project isn't released in what the gamers consider a timely manner. Then everyone is frustrated.
When Matrix is ready to release this there will be no doubt in your minds. They are a very quality company that LISTENS to what they are told by YOU. They don't want to raise expectations without being able to produce the product.
It will be more than worth your wait to join the insiders club and you can play it too. We are all ready to fight with you guys when they open the gates!
Good Hunting.
MR