Time to take my leave

Off Topic Comments Area

Moderators: Balthagor, Legend, Moderators

Post Reply
User avatar
Feltan
General
Posts: 1151
Joined: Aug 20 2006
Location: MIDWEST USA

Time to take my leave

Post by Feltan »

Goodday gents,

Late Friday, last check of the forums.

Just decided that I shouldn't come back. I am starting to get to that phase that is just past frustration -- and it is no longer a fun exercise. Afraid that instead of constructive criticism, I am going to start getting cynical.

Anyway, SR2020: the Goats have thier product, and I really do wish them well.

From my perspective: Despite months of suggestions and onging discussion -- I can't see a suggestion that any user has made that did anything. There were a lot of polite responses, and assurances of consideration -- always and forever polite which is a good thing. However, the final product is far short of even minimum expectations from this user. It is, in my opinion, SR2010 warmed over with a new map and some bells and whistles that apparantly pleased whomever at Battlegoat that makes these decisions. The new game has the exact same problems the old one did, and the new content is only superficially pleasing. I am not going to spend any more time trying to nudge the course of a ship skippered by someone who has a different vision of where he should be headed.

I also don't want to be two faced about things. As at least one of you know, I am the former director of engineering for the company that ran the U.S. Army National Simulation Center. For several years I was ultimately responsible for the design, coding, testing and operation of every application the army used to train and simulate command, combat, logistics and combat predictions -- i.e., the whole protfolio of wargames the military uses behind closed doors. In that role, I garnered a certain amount of influence in the larger military wargame and simulation community. Next month, I am to give the keynote address at the yearly conference. As sure as God made green apples, someone is going to ask me about this new product in front of 2000+ participants -- and I'm afraid I can't give it a positive endorsement.

I consider that a damn shame. SR2010 was so close to being great -- really, only a handful of features and it could have become "required playing" by the next several generations of officers and staff planners. It is still the only commercial product that tries to address numerous real world issues. But, the new product headed in a direction that I can't give my support to -- that being said, it might produce more sales for the Goats, and make a few kids happy -- not a bad result when you think about it.

I have been participating here several months now -- well over a year. I am also aware that I have (being charitble here) a unique sense of humor and perspective. If I have offended any along the way I offer my sincere apologies.

I wish the Goats and my fellow forum participants all the best.

Regards,
Feltan
ETA Five Minutes ......
User avatar
tkobo
Supreme Ruler
Posts: 12397
Joined: Jun 04 2002
Location: In a vast zionist plot ...RIGHT BEHIND YOU ! Oh Noes !

Post by tkobo »

I never figured you for the "give up the fight" kinda guy.Take the wrong meds and forget where the fight is type of guy ?maybe :P BUT not the former.

Devs are devs, its their product and they are more likely to follow what they think than what we think.

So we hit them as needed with the wisdom stick, til they see it our way .

Im sure your the same way on some issues with your software,whether you want to admit it or not.

Missiles, missile caps,now amphib -they can be made to see it our way if we use that stick enough.
This post approved by Tkobo:Official Rabble Rouser of the United Yahoos
Chuckle TM
User avatar
Lightbringer
General
Posts: 2973
Joined: May 23 2006
Location: Texas

Post by Lightbringer »

My friend,

I will miss seeing your wit and viewpoints on these forums. Remember the American spirit, if no one else can make it right, then make it yourself! Regardless of where your path takes you, I wish you well. Drop in and drop me a PM now and then, I'd be happy to pass along my email address if it isn't in my profile.

take care, and be well.

-Light
"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.” -Winston Churchill
killerflood
Brigadier Gen.
Posts: 674
Joined: Jun 30 2007

Post by killerflood »

ditto :P

you always seemed like a nice guy feltan. i like your sense of humor and though the usual badgering (*cough* CHEATS RULE *cough*) gets annoying you are a good guy. see ya

regards-

KF :P

be missing you... :cry:
Economically people **** on me

"How come I have this mental image of tkobo's tanks running over these fleeing soldiers, saying 'what was that? oh, just a speed bump'... :)"
BigStone
General
Posts: 1390
Joined: Dec 22 2004
Location: Holland

Post by BigStone »

Bye Feltan .... it was nice to see you on these boards
And at some points i agree with you

Best of luck
NO MORE NOISY FISH [unless they are green & furiously]
I HAVE STILL A FISH IN MY EAR
User avatar
ainsworth74
Colonel
Posts: 484
Joined: Apr 17 2004
Location: Middlesborough, UK

Post by ainsworth74 »

See you round Feltan, it was always good having you around on these boards, you made good, valid and sometimes humours points. And I also share your opinion on many of them.

Good luck in all that you do.

Ains
All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.

Sir Edmund Burke
orwell
Lieutenant
Posts: 51
Joined: Apr 08 2008

Post by orwell »

Any particular summary of Feltan's disagreements with the direction of SR2020?
User avatar
Lightbringer
General
Posts: 2973
Joined: May 23 2006
Location: Texas

Post by Lightbringer »

Orwell,

I'd have to actually think on Sunday morning (:P) to summarize all of them. His main unfulfilled wish was Unit hierarchy. He wanted the ability to organize units into brigades, divisions, and corps. He also wanted headquarters units and a supply chain run through such headquarters. From the sounds of it, the Goats might have missed out on a juicy U.S. government purchase order.

-Light
"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.” -Winston Churchill
rhjyyz
Major
Posts: 173
Joined: May 30 2006

Post by rhjyyz »

GL Feltan. I agree with you that the devs didn't really do much with this game in the time between releases. You and many other veterens tried to nudge them, but in the end it wasn't in their vision. And although I think there are 2 glaring omissions in the game more pressing (AI builidng facilites, and AI transports) I can see where the heirarchy issue would greatly benefit the game. Maybe tkobo can get a bigger wisdom stick to keep the good fight going.
Protra3211
Warrant Officer
Posts: 35
Joined: Apr 29 2005

Post by Protra3211 »

Feltan has many good points.
I can see the mood has soured a bit as we expected some things like cross water invasion by AI and a better sense geopolitics as the game is played out on a world map this time.
Most bugs have been miner so they can fix them without a problem.How ever some things like AI,s thinking long trem before declaring war.For example its ablity to wage war(If AI declars war) with stronger enemy -reason for declaring war and how far away the threat is.All the world declaring war at once should only happen if WMD were used by the superpowers.
orwell
Lieutenant
Posts: 51
Joined: Apr 08 2008

Post by orwell »

Lightbringer wrote:Orwell,

I'd have to actually think on Sunday morning (:P) to summarize all of them. His main unfulfilled wish was Unit hierarchy. He wanted the ability to organize units into brigades, divisions, and corps. He also wanted headquarters units and a supply chain run through such headquarters. From the sounds of it, the Goats might have missed out on a juicy U.S. government purchase order.

-Light
Sounds quite nice, I would definitely support seeing that. That and a stronger role from government, and ministers. It IS Supreme Ruler, but I've always wondered if these types of games might not benefit more from a player as within the state, not THE state.

If you don't mind, I'd be curious as to a summary of the rest at some point.
dust off
General
Posts: 1182
Joined: Sep 23 2003
Location: UK

Post by dust off »

Good luck Feltan. I appreciated your posts here, and it'd be good to see you back at some point in the future.

Regarding your main point, I'd disagree. I think BG are one of the more listening dev teams. Having said that some issues like hierarchy are obviously frustrtaing in the same old issues sense.
User avatar
sirveri
Colonel
Posts: 390
Joined: Jun 12 2008
Location: CA, USA

Post by sirveri »

I think the problem is that it's only like three or four guys in a studio somewhere and they can only do so much. If they had more people who were knowledgable in programming I could see them easily putting in more features and correcting some of the myriad deficiencies that the AI currently has.
- Dave
---------------------
Will mod for food!
Post Reply

Return to “Off Topic Comments”