Patch E.T.A.?

[Xerkis]

Nope. Once a company leaves a product shortly after it comes out, it's abandoned. Maybe someday far off into the future they'll take a look at it. This really gripes me especially since a patch has been promised "very soon." Was that promise a lie and they weren't even working on it? This is simply a shameful way of doing business imo.

Wow – you know these people at Zeal? Talk to them – on a personal level? Know what they are thinking, planning, hoping for in not just the company but in their off time as well? I do.


I have no doubts that a lot – far too many companies are as you say – but you don’t know Zeal and those that work there as I do. If you did, you would know better than to say that TA is abandoned. . . . . And plan and simple – you could not be farther from the truth in this case.
If it was any other company I would completely agree with you – but not this time.

TA is not forgotten and will not be forgotten by them – not a chance.
How long will it be? I don’t know that (yet) – but I do know it will not be forgotten.

[rich12545]

You're playing semantics.

Fine. It's not abandoned. It won't be forgotten. We just won't see any improvements. Or maps which imo is the important thing. But they'll be thinking about it. They just won't do anything. Maybe sometime in the future. Maybe not. They're too busy. They have other projects. Certainly they're too busy to bother with this game. They said so.

[Xerkis]

If I’m “playing semantics” – I’m not trying to. Just trying to keep the facts straight. Let’s not say things that aren’t being said – that’s all I’m saying there.

Maps? Now you are talking.
We definitely need more maps. I agree totally with you. If either fed to us one at a time or in a “Map Pack” wouldn’t matter to me – but yes we need to see what we can do about that one.

[rich12545]

So, where is the map editor that was supposed to be released?

The point is, computer games are so complex that there's no such thing as one being released that won't need a few things fixed and/or a few things improved. It just doesn't happen no matter how well beta testing goes. I think TA is better than most but there are several things that need to or could be done. That the company didn't plan for this is inexcusable imo.

[Xerkis]

Let me step back then – because maybe there is a definition issue between us. And I apologies for that if that is what is happening here.

To me the definition of this thread “Patch” is that there are issues that make a piece of software almost unusable. Constant CTD, erroneous data, unforgiving lag, things like that. I can play TA all day long without any issues as it is right now – so there really isn’t a major need for a “patch”.

But here you mention “thing that could be done”, “improvements”, and stuff along those lines. Absolutely, no matter what game it is or how long it has been out can do those things. In TA maybe more maps (as we said) or more weapons, pre-built forces, outfits, a campaign, etc, etc.

Now – I firmly believe that Zeal is not letting go of TA in either of these area (patch or improvements). Although I am not blind either – I would say that the improvements will come more from the player community for now long before it will from Zeal. But when a patch is needed that will come – unfortunately for right now, their resources are completely tapped out. But since TA is very much playable as is and since they need to put those resources elsewhere at the moment – the TA patch will just have to wait for now. . . . . but it will come.

As far as the Map Editor goes. . . . I am going to see if I can get my copy to work with the TA version. I say it that way because the Map Editor I have is back a few versions. There is (or was) a thread with the Map Editor in the forum. But there was some issues with it running with the released TA game – so if it is still out here, I wouldn’t mess with it just yet. I’m going to see what I can do to get it working though. I really want the Map Editor back up and running too and was waiting on the official word from Zeal on it. . . . But let’s see what we can do.

[rich12545]

Probably there is a difference in definition between us. To me, a patch is simply an update. It could have only new features. It's an update and is just called a patch. I don't believe there are any serious issues in the game but there are things to do to improve it. Devs should allocate time and resources after a release for this. Most do. Look at Panzer Corps for example. Look at Battle Academy for another example. Neither of them had any serious issues on release yet both have had patches to improve the game. That Zeal is not improving the game after release is poor planning and very disappointing. Now that they've moved on to other projects I'll be surprised if they return to it. And only so much can be done by the community unless Zeal makes it open source and that's not going to happen. Yes, it's very disappointing. A good game with no support won't go very far or stick very long.

[Xerkis]

They would if they could. But Zeal simply doesn’t have the resources like Lordz to be able to do that at this point in time. It’s not that they don’t want to or that they didn’t plan to.

Do some research in to both of those companies and maybe you might give Zeal a little more of a break.

[rich12545]

Honestly, I don't care about what size Zeal is. I plunked my $20 down and expect a certain amount in return. I know of companies who only one person developing and they manage to give post release service. If a company can't service a game they shouldn't release it in the first place. In addition they will tarnish Slitherine's reputation for publishing a game with zero post release service. And Slitherine is a company with better than excellent service so that's a shame. Really, it's not up to you to see if an old map editor will work. It's up to Zeal to produce one with a manual.

[Xerkis]

Well – you and I will never see things the same in the world. But that’s fine I guess.

I see it as totally up to me to help wherever I can with Zeal. I see that they owe me nothing. And Team Assault is still an awesome game that works just fine as is and I have no doubt that there will be more to come with it. . . . Even if that means it’s me helping to make that happen. Wouldn’t have bothered me if it was $40 for the game – I got way more than my money’s worth.

Sorry you see it differently and sorry you feel like you are being left hung out to dry and all. Obviously if by now I haven’t convinced you that this isn’t the case – than nothing will. I hope you will see that this will change in time.

[rich12545]

I hope it does change but with their other commitments I'm not holding my breath.

[Xerkis]

I hope it does change but with their other commitments I'm not holding my breath.

Fair enough.

[IainMcNeil]

I was expecting the patch this week but they have postponed to next week. We'll let you know as soon as we get something.

[alex0809]

Will the new patch finally have a (if I recall well, actually promised?) map editor? That might make me come back to the game actually...

[rich12545]

We're assuming there really will be a patch.

Zeal said there won't be. Then Iain said there will be. It's very confusing. Me? I'll believe it when I see it. And, if there is one, hopefully it will include the map editor or the game will be woefully limited. This game seriously is one of the best I've ever seen for what I want. Maybe the best. If it stops here it will be a huge disappointment.

[Xerkis]

Correction – Zeal did not say that a patch was not coming. They said there would be a patch; just not for a while. Let’s please keep the facts straight.


But it is still somewhat confusing when Iain came in after that and said a patch is coming real soon. A bit of a difference in the story for sure. We need to remember that Iain is from the publishing company (Slitherine) and not from the developing company (Zeal) – so there might be a change in one company that is not known in the other. Not an accuse – just a possible reason for the two different stories.

And I think everyone would agree that if a patch does not include the Map Editor – then there is an issue with releasing the patch at all. The Map Editor is a must.

[rich12545]

I remember a while ago in the Matrix Games forum Erik said there will be a patch for Modern Tactics Close Combat by the end of the year. Two (at least, I lost track) years later there's no patch. I've lost count the number of times I've seen this kind of thing happen.

So when a dev says he's too busy to get out a patch now but it will come in the future, sorry but I don't believe it.

[Xerkis]

I remember a while ago in the Matrix Games forum Erik said there will be a patch for Modern Tactics Close Combat by the end of the year. Two (at least, I lost track) years later there's no patch. I've lost count the number of times I've seen this kind of thing happen.

So when a dev says he's too busy to get out a patch now but it will come in the future, sorry but I don't believe it.

That’s fine. You obviously can believe whatever you wish. . . . . But so can the rest of us.

[IainMcNeil]

Zeal have promised they are going to make a patch for the game, but I don't have an ETA yet. They are under a lot of pressure because of milestones on other games coming up and the team are already working round the clock and trying to fit this in spare time, which they have very little of right now.

[Xerkis]

Zeal have promised they are going to make a patch for the game, but I don't have an ETA yet. They are under a lot of pressure because of milestones on other games coming up and the team are already working round the clock and trying to fit this in spare time, which they have very little of right now.

Thanks Iain, I have never had any doubt of anything less than this coming from Zeal. They are truly a cut above all others.
Thanks for the update.

[rich12545]

So maybe we'll see a patch along with the map editor by the end of the year. Maybe it will be next year. And maybe it will be sometime off in the future.