Gold Version for PON?

[Pocus]

Ideally, we would like to get a 'better PON' also. Nothing is ruled out (or certain) though, so don't lose hope, we are trying to think of a solution.

[Christophe.Barot]

Hi Pocus some mail for you and PhilThib soon
btw I am encountering Hofstadter's law daily now, since I work on the project, lol

for the others, and especially Templer
- there is a small staff busy improving PON - dedicated history-minded players personally close of AGEOD team - they may be unnoticed but they work - a lot !
- AGEOD brandmark (one of them) is they ensure a follow -up of their games, PON is no exception and I have no doubt it won't be exception
- there are a lot of things to improve so it is sometimes definitely better to adress them by big packs than piecemal - for events updating this is certainly true
- adressing problems requires time - free helpers (the team above) have their own family life and jobs - they do that on their free time, and job is huge - AGEOD staff has to keep AGEOD afloat, which means some economic balance, creating new games, selling them, and ensuring the follow up of these. PON follow up is on the list, but can't be sole priority, or there won't be any AGEOD team to ensure PON follow-up soon, that simple - to have FREE follow-up of PON, AGEOD team MUST make a living from the other titles - that simple ! still they work on it, just not at the rythm we- or they would like !
- PON is not the usual "battle" or "campaign" games, that is it is not American Civil War, Rise of Prussia, or Napoleon Campaigns - for this, the set of scenario of campaigns would be sufficient and could easily be modified/improved. PON is what is usually called "a monster game "that is you have the full 9th century universe (rather, between 1848 and 1914 - 1920 actually) which is an homogenous period - else would be almost undesignable
- it is worldwide - with 8 (or 10 or 12, but basically 8, the historical majors, Belgium, Spain, China, Ottoman can come as an addition, you can play other nations, but, honest,
playing Wilhelmian Germany and Serbia aren't to compare) major powers active in several fields, and minor actors
- it is historical, a flow of events, presently refining - not only set ups, but events, spheres of interests, objectives, nationalities, loyalties have been designed to put the player
into historical counterparts shoes, with their historical constraints and opportunities, this is sure perfectible, but we are perfecting it - right now
no competitor can claim such an historical flow - if you play Victoria with germany, you'll more easily get Abyssinia than Tanganyka - been there, done it
- the units models are gorgeous, a wonder for eyes, yes, there are still a HANDFUL if images missing (they exist, but aren't linked) which will be progressively corrected
- the military engine works well, offer a great challenge - you'd better prepare your wars well, for in battles, at normal levels a human player can be beaten,
something which rarely happens to me in other games (yes, I prepare my wars with a crushing force - so bad for finesse- war has a cost)
- colonial system is the better I ever saw, not only it works ! but it is historically accurate, elegant, conveys the historical chrome, is original - all in all, a good game in itself, a "chef d'oeuvre"

- crisis are taken in consideration - they probably need improvement, and will get one !
- Diplomacy is present, and takes a lot of factors in consideration - still may be improved, and is actually improving ! we are presently working full (free) time on this part

as game is, it is a GEM has huge potential and offer more for your money , even in present good but imperfect state, than any other competitor on the market - colonialism run smoothly, economy is sound and goes on till 1920 , not coming to a halt at mid -time (AI could anticipate a bit more, but it's very difficult to progtram when economy is that complex, and at least, she creates a sound viable economy, even in last stages) if one wishes a true Bismarckian/Gladstonian/Cavurian/Delcassian/Andraszian/Gortchakovian game - this one is the only one who provides the bases to build it

which we presently do, and goes far beyond the usual request of players (but we AGEOD fans, are a very demanding specie )

so we are going to go on with the job - those of you interested should consider supporting and encouraging AGEOD team (if you wait purchasing PON, then purchase other of their games, but let them kn,ow your interest in it if you have one)- I tell that freely, I have no AGEOD stocks - only a vested intellectual interest in 19th century - if someone can make THE definite 19th century game, it's them, and PON has already all the basics for it

[Kensai]

Ideally, we would like to get a 'better PON' also. Nothing is ruled out (or certain) though, so don't lose hope, we are trying to think of a solution.

Tell us what you need from us and we are here.

I still think that the best solution is a 1910 starting date DLC. This will give the opportunity to both fix the little issues of PON left, while offering a new product without a huge commitment by your developing team. If the main problem is the starting positions, quotas, etc, we could all together help you in that. There are some really enthusiastic people here that breathe by PON.

Regarding long-term plans, not necessarily for PON, I was thinking something else. Perhaps I will need to elaborate better on another longer post, but the point is this: it might be time to create some infrastructure tools for the community. For example I always craved for a semiautomatic form-based application to create events and decisions quickly.

Most events follow the same general recipe, after all, and most bugs are hidden when we write manually the commands. At least for the commonest of game commands, such a tool will be a boon for the creation and troubleshooting of EVERY AGEOD game.

More on this on a special thread.

[Taciturn Scot]

so we are going to go on with the job - those of you interested should consider supporting and encouraging AGEOD team (if you wait purchasing PON, then purchase other of their games, but let them kn,ow your interest in it if you have one)- I tell that freely, I have no AGEOD stocks - only a vested intellectual interest in 19th century - if someone can make THE definite 19th century game, it's them, and PON has already all the basics for it

I'm very excited to hear that you guys are going to give this one a bit more love and attention. I will be very happy to pay for a Gold edition to this game which, incidentally, might be a good place to included a 1900 start Count me in. Apart from WIA2, NC and ACW 1 & 2, I've got them all.

[Kensai]

While we are at it, totally theoretically, a 1900 or 1910 start would be better? Although the 1900 start might be cooler because of the many years ahead, I think the 1910 is a more interesting because it's right before the WW1 erupts. So the player will have a possibility to jump into action almost immediately or steer his nation out of the conflict for a very different alternate reality.

The other great advantage (of 1910) is that finally the players will get right into the thick of it, as all technologies will have been more or less invented (including aircrafts and dreadnaughts). So unless there are major wars between 1900 to 1910 that we need to simulate, I think 1910 is more appropriate. Having to play another 240 turns to reach the eve of the Great War (and its semi-scripted events) is such a pain.

[Christophe.Barot]

major difference, of course, is the russo-japanese war + some (not all) Morrocco crisis
1910 is the "extendedand open" 1914 scenario, actually, but which rules out this war (you still have the 2 balkan wars)

did you try aircraft in PON ? I did as a powerful Russian against Austria - vainly tried to force them into a Serbian peace - the stubborn wouldn't even with Russians in Innsbruck and Trieste and army destroyed at 95% - and wasn't convinced - did not see real ingame advantage to use them, they were abysmally costly, and very very vulnerable (to land attack I mean, not enemy aircraft)

[Kensai]

I thought of that. But the Russo-Japanese War has already its own dedicated scenario since the release of this game.

I have spawned aircraft to play around, but not much (mostly in RUS). The bombers can be effective.

[ajnatalo]

I would also gladly pay for a gold edition. Hell, I'd pay for a PON 2 if i knew the bugs would be worked out.

[Kensai]

1910 is the "extendedand open" 1914 scenario, actually, but which rules out this war (you still have the 2 balkan wars)

By the way, regarding this, the Balkan Wars could be considered a real prelude to the Great War. The spark was again in the Balkans and it was a test of nerves from major powers interventionism. It ended as it ended because of the relatively prompt Ottoman defeat, otherwise we could speculate that it would have been the perfect ground for interference.

If there is a 1910 starting date we could optimize further the Balkan events that lead to both the regional and world war. Regarding the First Moroccan Crisis, well, it was not even a war. You can abstract a "rise to arms" anytime you want by mobilizing.

[Templer]

Ideally, we would like to get a 'better PON' also. Nothing is ruled out (or certain) though, so don't lose hope, we are trying to think of a solution.

I see your sad truth here.
PON, this great game, but only minimal resources to eliminate the bugs and flaws.

What a grievance, what a shame.
In a perfect world...

[czert2]

so it was promise that we get general strategy pre battle as we have in civil war 2 - in new patch/"gold" version ?

[Van Diemen]

so we are going to go on with the job - those of you interested should consider supporting and encouraging AGEOD team (if you wait purchasing PON, then purchase other of their games, but let them kn,ow your interest in it if you have one)- I tell that freely, I have no AGEOD stocks - only a vested intellectual interest in 19th century - if someone can make THE definite 19th century game, it's them, and PON has already all the basics for it

If I may be so bold, could I ask what exactly the relations are between the so called PoN researchers and contributers and the official Ageod employed developers? I ask this because I have seen/read that people are contributing and working on improving PoN, but I have no clue how much involved or impact they have made up to this point in improving the game.

[Jim-NC]

The relationship is volunteers who love the game, who have no official capacity on the one hand. And developers who are working on several games at the same time.

We (volunteers), hope to be able to assit the developers by finding events/problems and then determining solutions, or helping to see different solutions.

[vaalen]

Thank you, Jim. Your work and that of the others is deeply appreciated. I am so happy that this magnificent game, already the best I have ever played( in half a century}, has not been abandoned. An improved PON would be a dream come true.