Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: Midnight on October 30, 2003, 08:39:38 AM
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Not counting the beta and the canned "2 weeks" answers, has there been any news from HTC on when AHII might be released in the MA?
In realistic terms, we (as a community) were expecting to be playing it on October 1st at the latest. Here we are 30 days later and only on beta release 2, which appears to have a long way to go on the development road.
Not having any information from HTC, one could postulate that AHII general release to the MA won't be for at least another 2 months. If so, fine, but it would be nice to hear something from HTC on this for various reasons that have been disscussed before ad nauseum.
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I somehow feel that we're in for a pleasant surprise. But I'm a totally unrealistically positive person ;)
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"In realistic terms, we (as a community) were expecting to be playing it on October 1st at the latest. "
I really have no idea how you could have arrived at that conclusion for HTC has always said they would have AH-II as a BETA by the third quarter. Not a finished product release.
Otherwise I'm interested in their answer to your question as to "when." I'd like to also ask "what" features AH-II will have over AH-I. Beyond the different and improved terrain and airplane graphics.
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Midnight are you looking for a guess?
Because we know Hitech shouldn't answer and it cost nothing to guess, I'll guess mid February as the start in the MA. ;)
Do I get a cookie if I'm right?:)
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SO far its looks like "not in this year",
but hell, who know except HTC crews?
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Originally posted by Westy
"In realistic terms, we (as a community) were expecting to be playing it on October 1st at the latest. "
I really have no idea how you could have arrived at that conclusion for HTC has always said they would have AH-II as a BETA by the third quarter. Not a finished product release.
Otherwise I'm interested in their answer to your question as to "when." I'd like to also ask "what" features AH-II will have over AH-I. Beyond the different and improved terrain and airplane graphics.
Actually, I'm curious as to where you got your information from. From postings on this BBS and interviews with gaming sites, AH2 was to be released Q3 of 2003. It wasn't until Q3 was at an end that HTC announced the delay of AH2 and introduced us to the concept of the open beta, which incidentally didn't arrive until after Q3 had ended.
Please post something backing up your statement.
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I got it from posts from con goers, Pyro and HiTech. (and via Skuzzy online)
http://216.91.192.19/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=97087
http://216.91.192.19/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=76474
Also "beta" was mentioned in the Wargamer interview with HiTech:
"WG: Great. Let's get right to the subject that everyone's dying to hear about, Aces High II: Tour of Duty. First, how's the development going? Do you think you'll meet your original goal of a 3rd quarter of 2003 roll-out?
DA: We're just a touch behind on it, but we'll still make the 3rd quarter. Things are rolling right along; we're starting to get into the "finishing stages. We did the demo at the [Aces High 2003 Convention], and people got to see that there's a lot done there. It's really just the things the users sees [visually] to finish up on. The guts of it are complete.
WG: So the core of the game play, the mission theater venue, that has been pretty much set in stone?
DA: That's pretty much designed, yeah. I haven't actually started coding the Tour of Duty, that is, the mission theater part of [Aces High II] yet. That coding will actually start, post shipping of the beta of Aces High: Classic. The reason for that is that the new engine just needs some time on it. I mean, it's a brand new graphics engine, and it hasn't been tested on a lot of platforms. You always run into weird idiosyncrasies and issues you have to catch. So it could be that we actually release Classic before Tour of Duty actually debuts. "
Perhaps I just didn't "read into" things more as others seem to have?
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It seems that you were able to infer quite a bit from the evidence you provided. The first link was Pyro's announcement at the end of Q3 (dated 9/25). That is the thread I was referring to in my post, although I didn't link to it.
The second thread mentions an open beta, but nowhere mentions anything about Q3. Hitech describes the major changes and the graphics engine testing, but states neither a release date for the final product, nor the dates an open beta was to be produced.
The interview with Wargamers clearly states that AH2 was on schedule to be released Q3. It does not state that an open beta was to be released in lieu of AH2 in Q3.
HTC said throughout the year that AH2 was to be released Q3. It wasn't until the very end (aka Pyro's post) that the delay was announced.
I don't think it is a question of "reading more into things".
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Christmas is in two months folks.
Dont get your panties in a knot djust yet...
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Think of it in these terms
Its built but the paint job aint quite right yet it needs more polish.
If you have ever polished a car you know how long it takes to get it just right not just shiny but see your face in it polished :D
I say we are painted but not polished
Shiny comes next
Then we get "in yer face" polished and its finished ! but only for so long cos you can always do better, buff a little longer (no pun intended) and it seems to shine more.
Thats what I like about AH and HTC there's always someone who wants it to shine a little brighter :aok
Anyway to coin a phrase "its finished when its finished"
Adjuster
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You see what's happening again?
As far as I am concerned right now, the AHII beta release is not much more than the "bone" screenshots we got over the past couple months after considerable community out cry.
A Beta release that has no playable features looses it's luster rather quickly, and I think another rash of "where is AHII" threads will be showing up very soon. The scraps of meat on the beta dish were more than the dry bone screen shots, but damnit man the community grows hungry.
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What are they to do?
If it isn't finished and they can't give it to us, what will make us happy?
What options, except the impossible, are we giving HTC to make us happy?
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Im happy if it gets here in early january. Thats when my new pc will be ready for it :D
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Originally posted by jodgi
What are they to do?
If it isn't finished and they can't give it to us, what will make us happy?
What options, except the impossible, are we giving HTC to make us happy?
Honestly, I think it would be good to at least hear from them in some sort of informative manner. Not just short posts that say "morning wood" or "the weathman tells me it looks 50/50 for flying tomorrow" etc.
Maybe something that says how many vehicles have been completed, what some of the new gameplay features are going to be (if any), if they are still writing fresh code or in the process of final debug, and above all a new approximation of when the beta might be released to the MA.
We all know HTC is working hard to complete AHII. THe fanboys out there will reply with stuff like "I would rather they work on code than wasting time giving us news" and the nay-sayers will have a bunch of crap comments about how lame the graphics are and how stupid the new tracers look, etc.
So far, I think AHII beta looks pretty good, but at least on my system it appears there is a long way to go in artwork, special effects, sounds, vehicle conversions, terrain updates, etc.
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Unless there was a lot of completed work that was held back from the public beta, like planes, I think we've several months yet before AH2 replaces AH. They say patience is a virtue. Looks like we're all in for a little virtue.
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Originally posted by AKIron
...I think we've several months yet before AH2 replaces AH...
Ouch!
I'm trying to be naively optimistic here.
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Originally posted by jodgi
Ouch!
I'm trying to be naively optimistic here.
I'm only guessing, like all of us. Your guess may be better than mine.
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Take your time HT, get it right. We already have a very playable game. (er... sorry guys, it is a game even if its the bread of life to some of us at the end of the average week :)
HT shouldn't fall into the trap Thrustmaster did when it allowed its bbs community to drag early promises out of it about the Cougar release which it really wasn't in a position to meet. It got quite nasty.
And I wouldn't want to see an early underdeveloped release of AH2 that had half the community upgrading it's video cards unnecessarily and the other half finding AH2 couldn't even deliver AH1 standard for them on a reasonable entry level system. (I seem to remember P800/GeForce2). They'd be out the door faster than you could say "EA".
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I told you the fanboys would be here soon (klem)
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Originally posted by Midnight
I told you the fanboys would be here soon (klem)
No fanboi here. If it is not ready, it won't be released. That is GOOD. Beta testing is the key. They're working on framerate issues. Making it work with their announced minimum specs. WB3 split the comunity up with performance requirements and pretty much killed the sim.
Patience is the key. The fanboi part of me says they'll get it right, they always have. I see no reason they won't this time also.
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>>THe fanboys out there will reply with stuff like "I would rather they work on code than wasting time giving us news"
>>I told you the fanboys would be here soon (klem)
of course we want news, just don't want a rushed duff job
and yes, I am a fan
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It amazes me that some of the people on these boards believe that for their $15 a month they OWN HTC and can demand anything they want!
HTC will release info in their own good time...
HTC will release AH2 in their own good time....
HTC will run their own company the way they wish, as I'm sure that was one of the main reasons they started their own company...so NOBODY could tell them what, or how to do anything!!
If you don't like it, take your $15 and go someplace else ! Let it go will ya !!
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Originally posted by jonnyb
It seems that you were able to infer quite a bit from the evidence you provided. The first link was Pyro's announcement at the end of Q3 (dated 9/25). That is the thread I was referring to in my post, although I didn't link to it.
The second thread mentions an open beta, but nowhere mentions anything about Q3. Hitech describes the major changes and the graphics engine testing, but states neither a release date for the final product, nor the dates an open beta was to be produced.
The interview with Wargamers clearly states that AH2 was on schedule to be released Q3. It does not state that an open beta was to be released in lieu of AH2 in Q3.
HTC said throughout the year that AH2 was to be released Q3. It wasn't until the very end (aka Pyro's post) that the delay was announced.
I don't think it is a question of "reading more into things".
Let me guess, reading comprehension was never one of your strong points, right?
ack-ack
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Originally posted by MaddogJoe
It amazes me that some of the people on these boards believe that for their $15 a month they OWN HTC and can demand anything they want!
HTC will release info in their own good time...
HTC will release AH2 in their own good time....
HTC will run their own company the way they wish, as I'm sure that was one of the main reasons they started their own company...so NOBODY could tell them what, or how to do anything!!
If you don't like it, take your $15 and go someplace else ! Let it go will ya !!
I'm sure HTC are more than capable of defending themselves without the need of cheerleaders! ;)
Having said that, giving an estimated 'release' date is just part of good customer relations. If you think otherwise then I hope I don't deal with the companies you do!
I deal with a lot of different companies, if they can't give me a date on anything I go elsewhere. It's somewhat different with AH though since there isn't anywhere else so it's a case of waiting, waiting and waiting.
So, when someone asks for a rough date for the release, they're not asking for the holy grail, just a simple question that requires a simple answer! (e.g. we'll have more news in a week or two, or it's looking like end of the 1st Quarter 2004 or.... etc. - people can accept that, people find it difficult when there is little feed back).
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Originally posted by Ack-Ack
Let me guess, reading comprehension was never one of your strong points, right?
ack-ack
Interesting statement. It looks like a lot of thought went into that reply. If you can read what has been written and show me where, before the post on 9/25, that HTC mentioned the Q3 release was going to be an open beta and not a final product release then I do indeed stand corrected. Else you may wish to take a look at your own reading comprehension skills.
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Originally posted by Replicant
Having said that, giving an estimated 'release' date is just part of good customer relations. If you think otherwise then I hope I don't deal with the companies you do!
I deal with a lot of different companies, if they can't give me a date on anything I go elsewhere. It's somewhat different with AH though since there isn't anywhere else so it's a case of waiting, waiting and waiting.
So, when someone asks for a rough date for the release, they're not asking for the holy grail, just a simple question that requires a simple answer! (e.g. we'll have more news in a week or two, or it's looking like end of the 1st Quarter 2004 or.... etc. - people can accept that, people find it difficult when there is little feed back).
This community can't handle "estimated release dates" HTC mentioned in a number of things...interviews, posts and so on Q3 and all it got them was hundreds of posts saying how HTC is "bullchit" and is now into the "2 weeks" syndrome, how "they don't care about us" whine and so on. If I was them I wouldn't give out any info either. They have been burned once with giving out info.... why should they do it again?
...and you said it yourself... "if they can't give me a date on anything I go elsewhere"... so be it, of course like you said there isn't anything else, so have a seat, and wait with the rest of us, quitely please.... I'm trying to catch up of my sleep !
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Just like a loaf of homemade bread in the oven. Just because you can smell it doesn't mean its done.
Even then it needs to be taken from the oven, removed from the pan, & allowed to cool slightly before you can cut it.
So just cause you AH2 addicts can smell it doesn't mean its DONE!
Its here when its here.
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Originally posted by MaddogJoe
This community can't handle "estimated release dates" HTC mentioned in a number of things...interviews, posts and so on Q3 and all it got them was hundreds of posts saying how HTC is "bullchit" and is now into the "2 weeks" syndrome, how "they don't care about us" whine and so on. If I was them I wouldn't give out any info either. They have been burned once with giving out info.... why should they do it again?
...and you said it yourself... "if they can't give me a date on anything I go elsewhere"... so be it, of course like you said there isn't anything else, so have a seat, and wait with the rest of us, quitely please.... I'm trying to catch up of my sleep !
You sure are upset aren't you? Would you like a tissue? And since you cannot understand any constructive replies then why bother replying and go back to sleep. If someone cannot ask an approximate date (hence the reason of this thread, or are you planning on just hijacking it?) then all HTC have to do is reply with a simple answer whether that be they really don't know, or it's going to be 1st Q or 2nd Q next year and so on. I'd sooner they post just a target so far away that anything sooner would be a bonus.
Midnight wrote: Not having any information from HTC, one could postulate that AHII general release to the MA won't be for at least another 2 months. If so, fine, but it would be nice to hear something from HTC on this for various reasons that have been disscussed before ad nauseum. - That seems very fair to me.
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It's just a game, and the game devs are working at it rather hard, if not as hard as they can.
Could hardly be a better 'waiting' situation.
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I don't mind waiting at all, but I don't like seeing AH veterans flamed for simply asking a legitimate question regarding the pending release date.
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I just figure that asking the same question a hundred times isn't going to get you an answer any quicker, nor does it make it any more "legitimate" a question. I'm not flaming anyone, nor am I trying to hijack the tread. I think pointing out that a large percentage of the people asking the same question over and over again is childish. I'm just tired of the "are we there yet?"
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Originally posted by Ghosth
Just like a loaf of homemade bread in the oven. Just because you can smell it doesn't mean its done.
Even then it needs to be taken from the oven, removed from the pan, & allowed to cool slightly before you can cut it.
So just cause you AH2 addicts can smell it doesn't mean its DONE!
Its here when its here.
Great analogy, Ghosth! One I can definitely identify with. :D (http://www.flos.clara.net/storage/cheerleader.gif) :aok
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Originally posted by MaddogJoe
I just figure that asking the same question a hundred times isn't going to get you an answer any quicker, nor does it make it any more "legitimate" a question. I'm not flaming anyone, nor am I trying to hijack the tread. I think pointing out that a large percentage of the people asking the same question over and over again is childish. I'm just tired of the "are we there yet?"
If you don't like the questions, don't read the posts. Furthermore, don't reply at all so that the whole thread falls off to the bottom of the BBS and can be forgotten.
Further than all of the "when" questions, what really would interest me is what is being planned/implemented in the gameplay department which again, has been deiscussed and theorized countless times by the community. Because one thing is absolutely certain... If there are no changes to the gameplay aspect in the MA, this extended wait for AHII is going to be extremely disapointing.
Granted, the trees and terrain features will make a big change to the GV part of the game, and the new flight model will make somewhat of a change in the air, but other than that, what will be new in regards to how air combat will be?
BTW, to all you "it'll be here when it's here" types, can I borrow $15.00? I will pay you back, but it will have to be on a "I'll pay you when I pay you basis" :D
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I would be real dissapointed if they released AH2 without the ground troops modelled!
:D
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If you're like me, you are paying your monthly fee to pay Aces High (not AcesHigh 2). When AH2 is released, it will have some problems and issues just like any new game release - even though it will have been through an open beta. Ignore the fact (for a minute) that we are eventually going to be playing the AH2 product and consider the alternatives to what we are playing now... WWII Online ? Warbirds ? that Microsoft Zone product ? I will still be here playing AH a year, two years, three years from now - because this is where the community is and this is where my squad is.
In short, missing the "production perfect" date for AH2 is irrelevant to me, I would rather it be good than "on time" (and have 23 updates and patches to download like Microsoft seems to always plan for). Basically, I'll be playing AH even if AH2 were to never come out - what's the alternative ?
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Midnight.
Further than all of the "when" questions, what really would interest me is what is being planned/implemented in the gameplay department which again, has been deiscussed and theorized countless times by the community. Because one thing is absolutely certain... If there are no changes to the gameplay aspect in the MA, this extended wait for AHII is going to be extremely disapointing.
You will be very disapointed, because as we stated from Day one of anouncing AHII ,basic game play in the main is not changing in AHII.
HiTech
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Speaking for myself Id rather wait till its 'ready' to come out, itll take me a little bit saving up for upgrades lol besides,wont it be worth the wait to be able to get our paws on new aircraft etc,which I read will be easier to make for AH2 than AH1? at least the betas are being released so we can actually SEE how its doing instead of having to be made to wait,
fanboys? yeah I guess Im one,I love the game,Im happy with AH1 and happy enough to wait till AH2 is ready for us all.
(runs,grabs sheep and dives into foxhole):D
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Originally posted by Joc
Speaking for myself Id rather wait till its 'ready' to come out, itll take me a little bit saving up for upgrades lol besides,wont it be worth the wait to be able to get our paws on new aircraft etc,which I read will be easier to make for AH2 than AH1? at least the betas are being released so we can actually SEE how its doing instead of having to be made to wait,
fanboys? yeah I guess Im one,I love the game,Im happy with AH1 and happy enough to wait till AH2 is ready for us all.
(runs,grabs sheep and dives into foxhole):D
Come on JOC, you can't wait until the AH2: Sheep on Duty to come out! :) :lol