Dear Matrix Games: What you are doing is wrong

[osiris_slith]

Dear Matrix Games

I noticed once again that you are advertising and selling Steel Panthers World at War.

Tell me are you going to tell the customers the game does not work properly on Windows 7?

Are you going to tell the customers the only fix available is to swtich internet explorer off if they want to play the game or that they have to go in the registry and make changes there that may or may not work?

Are you going to tell customers you no longer plan to update this game?

When are you finally going to get up and fix the game properly in a Windowed version?

Your company is really turning into a sick joke that apparently has no problems selling a defective product and ripping customers off.

Give me a good reason Matrix Games why I should not report this to the better business bureau? After all this would come under false advertising and selling of a defective product.

Sincerely

Rene

[planner 3]

Rene: My win 7 pro version lappy has SPwaw working just fine with a full screen, using general version and all updates, yes, I used the registry fix and I hold the SHIFT button down,(artillery Prob), but I find this a slight inconvenience for the price (free) of this very good game. It must be good, as it's following is up in numbers. When you find a better game in this genre, at the same price, then post it here and I'll gladly give it a go. I'm sure if you purchased any of the add-ons you could possibly put them up for sale here and I'll bet you get some takers. If you didn't get enough scenarios (300+), go to The SPWAW Depot they just rounded up 900+ or so. I guess I may be prejudiced since I have all versions of SPwaw on my XP machine and have tested close to 1500 scenarios from various designers. Well that's my rant. Smile, be happy, life is short.

Repectfully: Planner 3 (aka Chief)

[Shawmut]

I thought we, who've been taken by this mess had been blocked out. I liked SP, but with Vista and then 7 it coomes out all neoned.[8D][:@]
I guess it was too much to hope for. The expansion options are endless.
Too bad. I got "Art of War", but, it's not the same feel.

Lost the codes to one of the Napoleanics, but I guess the sub-contractor in sales didn't record them.

And, MATRIX: We know, you know and your competitors know, you're better than that(Well, this.)

[Falcon1]

Chief I don't think he is complaining about the free version, because hey, it's free so you can't complain.

The problem is that the General's Edition is still listed for sale here for $70 and I agree that takes balls of steel since the game does not run without a user created fix in the last 3 versions of windows. Combine that with the fact that you will not get even one drop of support for the game.

It's about time that the whole General's Edition became free since it is clearly abandonware.

[JEB Davis]

ORIGINAL: Falcon1

Chief I don't think he is complaining about the free version, because hey, it's free so you can't complain.

The problem is that the General's Edition is still listed for sale here for $70 and I agree that takes balls of steel since the game does not run without a user created fix in the last 3 versions of windows. Combine that with the fact that you will not get even one drop of support for the game.

It's about time that the whole General's Edition became free since it is clearly abandonware.

Exactly! Free download, and $5 for a CD version.

[Josh]

Hmm agree but ... abandonware is a tricky road and the last thing Matrix would want is some laywers knocking at their doors after some time.

[Alpha77]

70$ still ? Quite heavy price [:D]

[planner 3]

Point taken JEBDAVIS. [;)]

[soldier1]

$70 for the generals edition.... [X(]

[planner 3]

I just re-read this and the way I seed it is that anyone who wants the General Edition can still download it free by downloading it from SPwaw Depot, mit all the updates. Now if he wants the 5 add oncampaigns he/she will have to dip into his wallet for shekels, euro, lira, pounds, pesos and or yankee dollars. Don't overlook the free user generated campa and scenarios (approx 300+), all free.

Not having a math degree I came up with this equation......SPwaw (updates free)+ free Scenarios + many hours of playing time=ZERO COST.

Now Dr. Einstien or Fermi, or TA Edison pls check my math.

[demyansk]

Hey guys,

I have the free version, does the version you buy have better screen resolution? What res shows?

Thanks

[junk2drive]

Both have the same screen res, 800x600 full screen only.

[Zap]

ORIGINAL: JEB Davis

ORIGINAL: Falcon1

Chief I don't think he is complaining about the free version, because hey, it's free so you can't complain.

The problem is that the General's Edition is still listed for sale here for $70 and I agree that takes balls of steel since the game does not run without a user created fix in the last 3 versions of windows. Combine that with the fact that you will not get even one drop of support for the game.

It's about time that the whole General's Edition became free since it is clearly abandonware.

Exactly! Free download, and $5 for a CD version.

Where can I get the 5 dollar disk? I was able to load the the free download one time but after a motherboard update I lost my ability to download this game from gamersgate. The game downloads but when I play it first contact gives me a mech exe error
It seems my only choice is to buy the disk

[JEB Davis]

There is no $5 disk, that was a fantasy.

If you want the megacampaigns, get the $70 game from Matrix.

If you want everything else except the megacampaigns, it's all FREE.
Get it all at the Depot and Enhanced forums.

[Zap]

Hi JEB
I have the Generals edition, paid 70 dollars for it. I was referring to the free download that i can download from the depot but I can't get it to start. The error message says I'm missing a 32jack file . This happened after i did an update on the the motherboard driver. The free download used to work before that. That is why i asked about the free game disk.

[Reg]

There are links to three download sites hosting the full game on the Steel Panthers download page: http://www.matrixgames.com/products/297/downloads/

[Reg]

ORIGINAL: Zap

Hi JEB
I have the Generals edition, paid 70 dollars for it. I was referring to the free download that i can download from the depot but I can't get it to start. The error message says I'm missing a 32jack file . This happened after i did an update on the the motherboard driver. The free download used to work before that. That is why i asked about the free game disk.

Speaking as somebody who still has a CD with SPWaW V1.0, I might be able to help.

I believe part of the SPWaW free distribution licence from SSI included the condition that the introductory video with credits had to be played - it could be terminated early with the escape key but had to be started. At one point people started bypassing the video completely so Matrix had to embed some code in the mech.exe to ensure the license was complied with (about version 4 if my memory serves). Fine in theory for a free game but the problem arose that the video used an exotic video player (the name escapes me now - Smacker??) and if you had problems with this player then the game wouldn't load.

The problem you describe above sound suspiciously like this issue. I would suggest if you can get Smacker to run on your new configuration then Steel Panthers should then be OK. All part of the fun of legacy software and the latest drivers....

[Zap]

ORIGINAL: Reg

ORIGINAL: Zap

Hi JEB
I have the Generals edition, paid 70 dollars for it. I was referring to the free download that i can download from the depot but I can't get it to start. The error message says I'm missing a 32jack file . This happened after i did an update on the the motherboard driver. The free download used to work before that. That is why i asked about the free game disk.

Speaking as somebody who still has a CD with SPWaW V1.0, I might be able to help.

I believe part of the SPWaW free distribution licence from SSI included the condition that the introductory video with credits had to be played - it could be terminated early with the escape key but had to be started. At one point people started bypassing the video completely so Matrix had to embed some code in the mech.exe to ensure the license was complied with (about version 4 if my memory serves). Fine in theory for a free game but the problem arose that the video used an exotic video player (the name escapes me now - Smacker??) and if you had problems with this player then the game wouldn't load.

The problem you describe above sound suspiciously like this issue. I would suggest if you can get Smacker to run on your new configuration then Steel Panthers should then be OK. All part of the fun of legacy software and the latest drivers....

Looked into smaker. It has a download of a file for 10 dollars but it only covers up to Win Vista. So I don't think that will work with windows 8. Anyhow not interested in sending them 10.00 dollars to find out if it works.
Your second option would be a kindness that I would be interested in. If we could work something out.

[Reg]

ORIGINAL: Zap

Looked into smaker. It has a download of a file for 10 dollars but it only covers up to Win Vista. So I don't think that will work with windows 8. Anyhow not interested in sending them 10.00 dollars to find out if it works.
Your second option would be a kindness that I would be interested in. If we could work something out.

Smacker uses SMACKW32.DLL in the SPWaW folder.

Are you sure the message says 32jack file as I can find no reference to it. However there there are heaps of internet references to Jack32.dll errors which appear to be similar to the problem you reported. Have you got the Jack32 application installed as I am running XP and do not have this file anywhere on my system.

What is the "jack32.dll" Variant 12162104 ?
Our database contains single file for filename jack32.dll. This file belongs to product Jack32 and was developed by company Kim Personal. This file has description Jack32.dll for File Ripper and Combine. This file is Dynamic-link Library. This library can be loaded and executed in any running process.

Product: Jack32
Company: Kim Personal
Description: Jack32.dll for File Ripper and Combine
Version: 0.2.0.5
MD5: 0ce907d0926e747eaab8f853fbf617ce
SHA1: 0b6114d7001ebde55d26c14e6a3834e3ab29c4f0
SHA256: f3be00586fe671f507b9d49a99b008f1f4f488775d0bfa7085f4515cd0ef7923
Size: 75264
Directory: C:\Windows\System32
Operating System: Windows Vista
Discovered: August 1, 2012
Occurence: Low

I can only suggest you do an internet search on "Jack32.dll" and see what you can come up with.

[Zap]

Hi Reg

Thanks for trying. I'm not sure that my filename was correct. But for sure it was not what you described as the filename. I redownloaded from GH. I have it loaded. I can get a game up now but at first contact with the enemy the game is stopped with mech exe error.