We’re very pleased to announce that we’re now the proud owners of the Middle Earth PBM licence for the entire world, we’ve just bought GSI. This is another big step for us, but one that we’ve been looking to take for a long time.
What will this mean to you guys? Lots of things, more updates to software and improvements, but most likely we’ll be fixing some minor bugbears and bringing the game in the 21st Century. We’ll be able to do Face to Face events all over the World (planning the next one in March in Denmark) and hopefully bring out some new modules. As per usual we won’t go ahead with any changes without full consultation with you guys.
Okay we could change some things but we don’t want to change what’s not broken. Potentially anything could change, you could get your turns hand delivered by Ed wearing a dress but that’s unlikely. (Stu maybe yes - £50 gets him to wear a skirt in the office btw).
We’re thinking of things that could change. For now we’re in the process of getting the code onto PC and getting that to work. That’s around 6 months work.
After that we’re looking at several options, but feel free to give your opinion on what you’d like to see or not see changed. We’ve already sent out a questionnaire so have all those responses compiled (I’m slowly working through them and many of my other new responsibilities) so have a broad glimpse at what you want out of the game as it is.
However, I think that the 1650/2950 game is fine as it stands and although we’ll be offering variants of that in the future I’d not expect major changes. 1000 I think needs an overhaul of the set-up choices but it caters to a different style of player to the 1650 (mostly wargame), or 2950 (more character based) game.
Projects that we are working on include a new module, called Kin-Strife, 1650 customisable set-ups and 1000 set-up modifications along with 2 new mapping/input programs. As always if you want to assist with them then get in touch. We’re short on staff as always so these will all take time to develop so please be patient, the game has run for over a decade very successfully and we don’t want to change that with any rushed changes or major development into RTS meets Roleplaying weekend games of Middle Earth…
Ugh… Hate the idea. As seen with FA games, it takes 10-20 turns of dedicated work to identify the top artifacts amonst the heaps of +500 and +750 combat artifacts, and by then, most games are already decided. Few FA games that I’ve been in has anyone bothered even looking for artifacts.
Randomizing the artifacts makes mages nearly useless, unless of course, they removed 90% of the +500 and +750 combat artifacts from the list.
From what Clint has said there will be 6 months, or so, before they are ready to make any changes.
I have responded on the e-mail list suggesting that Harley give some paramters for the debate on what to change once they have understood what exactly they have bought. They could point us to areas of code that are quick and easy to change and areas which would be more difficult and take more time.
Still it is exciting and I’m glad to see that the 1650 is unlikely to change much. I suspect that this should continue as is more or less. Eventually time will catch up and its player base will dwindle if your changes are good enough. Still IMO 1650, although dated, is still the best PBM(e) on the market.
Good luck to you guys and look forward to the debates to come
What about the possibility of creating a region specific game along the lines of the Battle of Five Armies? There’s conflict all over Middle Earth, and the invasion of Lothlorien that Tolkien wrote about would make for an interesting scenario, FP trying to hold off for as long as they can against the DS…
It could be done but would take a lot more effort than one using the whole map. Either you’d have to have GM checking (eg no creating camps outside a certain hex radius) for players not playing by the rules in the module or prorgamming changes. Program changes = more work.
What we’d like to do with a new module is try out some ideas we’ve been working on. If you want to be a part of that we have a discussion Yahoo group that we’re playing with them on. Then we can bring them to the wider player base as a whole for more general discussion. It streamlines things so that the projects actually get completed I’ve found.
If you just want to ask questions that’s fine as well.
Clint - with the effort to convert to PC and being that you’re short staffed… can you invision the possibility of game moderators telecommuting? In otherwords, could you now have game moderators at locations outside your main office? If order inputs, changes, etc. could be handled at remote locations then you could have staff join from other global locations. Heck, some might even do it for free. Just a thought.
Looking forward to the new options, and glad you’re not going in and mucking up the games willy-nilly. A lot of people like to play the games just as they are, as your monthly revenue numbers indicate.
Yes I’m sure people would like you to fix bugs but which ones?
This game has been running for so long that the bugs are know and plans made around them. No problem with you fixing them but you must let people know which bugs are being fixed and when.
If possible (and I know this creates a configuration management head ache) bugs should not be fixed for games that have started. Somebody may have spent several turns working on a plan that relies on the bug to work. You “fix it” the turn before they need the bug for the plan that has been running for 5 turns and they won’t be pleased.
Before the question is asked, the bug I’m thinking off is Larry (but there will be more). I can’t accept that Larry waving one sandwich (butty we call them) can get the whole army to march on a full stomach. Or One person (larry again) can take a fortified pop centre at the end of a battle.
Define a bug?
So in short no problem with fixes but:-
Test them to make sure no other bugs are introduced (Regression Testing)
Tell players what you are fixing
Tell players WHEN you are fixing them (and give reasonable notice)
then you are fine in my eyes
Suspect harley will concentrate on new formats/scenarios. This must be the initial money spinner. Perhaps Clint can tell us what he considered the first target. Yes its a straw man that we will no doubt pull apart but it could start the ball rolling (which I seem, in previous posts) to have stopped (sorry about that)
John, there is this guy named Ovatha Easterling who (to his surprise) had an article he wrote republished in the “News From Bree”. It explains Larry and it is no bug at work. I think it is in the last August (#24) issue.
Frankly, I am opposed to any more tinkering with the game. One man’s bug is another man’s stepping stone. Every change, todate, has eroded the fog-of-war, the designers artistic vision and/or narrowed and constrained the horizonless intent of the game.
All you creative types (real or self appointed) please develop a new game and leave this one alone.
The problem with fixing some bugs like Larry, or other similiar type things. Is the change would drastically alter game play. Which could have a negative effect on the game as a whole.
