Napolean's Campaigns and Empire in Arms

[Prussian Prince]

Last word from Matrix is that Empire in Arms will be ready sometime around the end of November or the beginning of December. With Ageod's great Napleon's Campaigns and EIA coming out I'm in Naploleanic bliss

Who else is interested in Empire in Arms?

[Reiryc]

I can't wait for it's release...

I also plan to get napoleon in italy soon as well. I'm really enjoying ANC (ageod's napoleons campaigns) but I do miss the creation of units through spending money/resources.

Either way, another great release and I'm again in napoleonic hog heaven!

[Syt]

I also plan to get napoleon in italy soon as well. I'm really enjoying ANC (ageod's napoleons campaigns) but I do miss the creation of units through spending money/resources.

NiI doesn't have that either - you do get reinforcement pools, though, that you can use to instant-reinforce your units. Additionally, NiI doesn't really have any chain of command rules (stack up units and assign a leader). On the other hand it's hex based, making maneuvering very crucial. And you get tactical battles if you like (I rather prefer dedicated games for that, though, like the Battleground series).

[pasternakski]

I will buy EiANW understanding that it is archaic, flawed, and at variance with the original design idea (a "new" Napoleonic strategic level game) and with the revised design idea (a "port" of ADG's EiA), hoping that it will tide me over until AGEod's game (which I will not be buying immediately) is refined to include a full Napoleonic campaign.

[GShock]

I've been playing WIF and EIA a long time ago and both are great games...both being built by matrix. They said November? I've learned not to believe release dates coming from matrix.

WiF is still being programmed and if i'm not wrong it's the 8th year consecutive.

[Prussian Prince]

I've been playing WIF and EIA a long time ago and both are great games...both being built by matrix. They said November? I've learned not to believe release dates coming from matrix.

WiF is still being programmed and if i'm not wrong it's the 8th year consecutive.

Your not wrong but one of the Beta Testers is putting out guides for playing the game. The last time this happened Matrix released the game a couple of weeks later. Here's hoping.

[LooksLikeRain]

EiA is vaporware ... if they'd gotten the game out a few years ago I might have been interested. They've been promising that its almost done for at least a couple of years now.

Any game that goes through that crazy of a design process is very, very likely to be seriously flawed. Especially when about all they had to really do was port a decent board game to the computer. When a design process makes U-turns in the middle, that almost always means a very compromised game.

And I never, never, never buy games just before Christmas. Its almost always crap rushed to market. Way too many times I've been waiting till the following summer for long-promised patches to finally make a Christmas game work.

All the economic signs say this game is likely to be junk. It has to be over-budget because of the u-turn in the middle. And that always means that parts of the game are half-done. Add to that a rushed release before Christmas and the smell is overpowering.

Add to that the fact that games through Matrix are always seriously overpriced. Its been a long, long time since buying a game from Matrix didn't leave me with a sick taste in my mouth and feeling like I was ripped off.

[Syt]

Rain, I can understand that sentiment. I used to be really pumped for EiA back in 2004 (I haven't played the boardgame but had heard good things about its MP goodness), but have lost interest in it.

Then again, Guns of August was in development for a similar length (4+ years), and even though the game looks positively dated it is a blast to play. So I will reserve my judgment till I read reviews of EiA.

The price policy of Matrix is sometimes hard to understand. War in the Pacific is almost 60 € and has been for quite some time. The recently released GoA or the new Napoleon in Italy come for half the price or less. I usually don't buy games from them that are above the 30 € bracket, though, unless I have very good reason to believe the game is stellar. (I may get the Battleground re-releases, though, to have them all in a nice bundle ... I am missing a few of those titles.)

But I think this thread is moving Off Topic fast.

[pailleterie]

I'm playing Napoleon in Italy and I'm enyoing it very much.

[Prussian Prince]

But I think this thread is moving Off Topic fast.

I asked who else was interested and that includes thier opinion. I repect a person that say's what's on his mind. I have been waiting for Guns of August for as long as Empire in Arms and World in Flames. I still haven't bought GoA but will probably buy EiA's. I own the board game but my group kinda split a few years ago and I haven't been able to play since (Almost 12 years)

Whether your intersted or not let's not bash any particular company. I like SOME of what Matrix does and yes their not perfect. So far Ageod is at the top of my list but I still find things that I would do different, but that's my personal opinion and no Pocus I won't elaborate So say what you will but let's stay on topic and keep it to are you interested in Empire in Arms or not?

[Syt]

I asked who else was interested and that includes thier opinion. I repect a person that say's what's on his mind. I have been waiting for Guns of August for as long as Empire in Arms and World in Flames. I still haven't bought GoA but will probably buy EiA's. I own the board game but my group kinda split a few years ago and I haven't been able to play since (Almost 12 years)

Whether your intersted or not let's not bash any particular company. I like SOME of what Matrix does and yes their not perfect. So far Ageod is at the top of my list but I still find things that I would do different, but that's my personal opinion and no Pocus I won't elaborate So say what you will but let's stay on topic and keep it to are you interested in Empire in Arms or not?

I am sorry if I came across rudely. I just thought that non NC-discussions (e.g. about EiA or NiI) would better fit in the general forum, but if others feel otherwise that's of course ok.

I didn't mean to bash Matrix - I am in fact glad that they are around to bring back classics (Tiller's games, for example, or TOAW) and to offer a forum for strategy game companies (like Hussar Games an, of course, AGEOD; I also love GoA for its elegant gameplay design). If I loathed them I wouldn't keep buying games from them.

EiA's development has gone through some transition if I understand correctly, so that's probably partly to account for the long delay. The only really big flaw in the development I see so far is that they have announced a few times already that the game is "very close to completion" over the course of months and years, frustrating the people waiting for it.

[Rafiki]

I just thought that non NC-discussions (e.g. about EiA or NiI) would better fit in the general forum,

Good point

[onslo89]

This was my favourite napoleonic game,but it was seriously flawed and full of bugs,it could of been the napoleonic game,hope NCP delivers the goods but after playing AACW i dont see why it shouldnt.

[GShock]

EiA or WiF are boardgames. There's no need for an AI there and thats how they became legend of boardgames. Trust me if WiF is not out yet it's because of the AI...if you see how pocus struggled so far with AACW AI and the results in comparisons between 1.05 and 1.07f you can see why i judge it to be a huge success.

I would have preferred for him to focus on other things...but that's just my personal opinion...let's hop EiA will come out...maybe i exaggerate in my distrust on matrix date accuracy.

[Reiryc]

NiI doesn't have that either - you do get reinforcement pools, though, that you can use to instant-reinforce your units. Additionally, NiI doesn't really have any chain of command rules (stack up units and assign a leader). On the other hand it's hex based, making maneuvering very crucial. And you get tactical battles if you like (I rather prefer dedicated games for that, though, like the Battleground series).

My desire was based upon aacw having the ability to create units...

[Prussian Prince]

I am sorry if I came across rudely. I just thought that non NC-discussions (e.g. about EiA or NiI) would better fit in the general forum, but if others feel otherwise that's of course ok.

I didn't mean to bash Matrix - I am in fact glad that they are around to bring back classics (Tiller's games, for example, or TOAW) and to offer a forum for strategy game companies (like Hussar Games an, of course, AGEOD; I also love GoA for its elegant gameplay design). If I loathed them I wouldn't keep buying games from them.

EiA's development has gone through some transition if I understand correctly, so that's probably partly to account for the long delay. The only really big flaw in the development I see so far is that they have announced a few times already that the game is "very close to completion" over the course of months and years, frustrating the people waiting for it.

EiA or WiF are boardgames. There's no need for an AI there and thats how they became legend of boardgames. Trust me if WiF is not out yet it's because of the AI...if you see how pocus struggled so far with AACW AI and the results in comparisons between 1.05 and 1.07f you can see why i judge it to be a huge success.

I would have preferred for him to focus on other things...but that's just my personal opinion...let's hop EiA will come out...maybe i exaggerate in my distrust on matrix date accuracy.

Syt - No offense taken. I've been a memeber of Paradox and Matrix Forums for a while now and it still surprises me how many people think that they need to bash someone for stating their opinion. Not that you bashed anyone If you have a problem discuss it and the problems merits and lets all read and stimulate our reasoning. I have read many of your posts and don't agree with everything you say but you have made valid points that have made me think. Keep on saying what's on your mind and keep us thinking.

GShock - I've been watching Matrix for 3 years now on EiA and WIF and want to give up on a regular basis. It really is beginning to feel as though EiA is about to be released. I also hope that the AI is good but if they offer PBEM or LAN play that will be good to.

[Syt]

Syt - No offense taken. I've been a memeber of Paradox and Matrix Forums for a while now and it still surprises me how many people think that they need to bash someone for stating their opinion. Not that you bashed anyone If you have a problem discuss it and the problems merits and lets all read and stimulate our reasoning. I have read many of your posts and don't agree with everything you say but you have made valid points that have made me think. Keep on saying what's on your mind and keep us thinking.

I see your point and agree - too many people on the internet take exception to people not agreeing with them; I guess people are less diplomatic and polite, because the others can't punch them in the face if they misbehave.

[Sol Invictus]

I am finding it hard to get excited about EIA. Usually when a game has such a tortured developement, it has quite a few problems when released. I am sure it will need several patches and the game will not really be finished until a few months after release. Also, I don't expect the AI to be able to handle the Diplomacy in a satisfactory manner, which leaves PBEM as the only real option. I really don't know why anyone would want to play the game in any other way. The problem will be in finding enough dedicated gamers to complete what will be a very long campaign. I can see problems with people dropping out of games and the submission of turns being delayed. I will wait for several months before I even consider buying the game. I doubt I will end up getting it though.

[Adlertag]

I admit I have a better expectation about WIF than EiA currently, even if we know the AI is always the real problem to solve in both cases.
Maybe EiA development was also suffering from the somewhat small size of the team developpers.

[DON]

I will buy EIA the moment it is released. With Campaigns of Napoleon and Napoleon in Italy, it is a true dream come true for this long time wargamer with a strong interest in the Napoleonic period.

[Ashbery76]

So is EIA any good? I must say the game does interest me as my favourate games have diplomacy,war,economy all included which EIA has got.

[Pocus]

There is a thread about it in the french community forum Cyberstratege. One of the beta of the game, Manfred is saying interesting things about the AI.