These comments do not necessarily reflect the opinions of anyone at Matrix Games
ORIGINAL: icitrom_y
Steve and the resident apologists;
All of that is fair enough if you would have mentioned that to prospective buyers who are/were expecting ADG's WiF, not some subset due to your problems because of the project's history. All this information is conspicuously missing from the advertising. Code WiF RAW 7 or don't. It's your business and your prerogative. Slitherine and Matrix could have let buyers know the real situation in advance so that we could have made an informed decision about purchase. I'm assuming this was discussed in the program management meetings in detail.
You'll pardon me if I think your coding problems, although I empathize and I've been there to some extent myself, are not to my mind the complexity you claim they are. This is a rules-based engine, and for the price asked compared to other gaming software, not that large, and the domain analysis done for you in a large part. That many rules changed, well I don't know what to say, except welcome to software development in the real world. That's why change management is so important. Imagine if you had started with no domain analysis at all.
I have 20 years of software development experience, and not COBOL ("lines of code" LOC is pretty unimportant in object-oriented programming). I was a Rational (later IBM) certified qualified practitioner and instructor for object-oriented programming, object-oriented analysis & design, the Rational Unified Process, and object-oriented requirements analysis. So, I'll reserve the right to claim an expert opinion. I recall Delphi 1.0 and Object Pascal very well, which are perfectly suited for any of this. There are a couple of process models perfect here, the RUP Agile model, for example.
Of what you described of your coding, are types. But, there is a lot more to object-oriented programming than that. For whatever problems you have/had there are many patterns to resolve and mitigate them. That is true of the coding as well as architectural and analysis & design patterns. Moreover, nobody is talking about arbitrary changes. Yeah, sure, if it takes a decade--a decade--to develop something, regardless of just about any business domain, the requirements and business rules will certainly most drastically change. Indeed, that WiF is a living wargame, makes various architectural patterns all the more critical.
That's neither here nor there. That you're alone in this is I think the real issue, not any perceived unhandleable complexity. You're pissing in my ear and trying to get me to believe it's raining. I can see what the real problems are, and they seem to be development process based. And yes, that you inherited someone else's undocumented code base is not the least of the story.
The attitude expressed here really pisses me off, as if you guys are entitled to sales and for whatever product. That I was expecting ADG's WiF is no more unreasonable than you guys were expecting $174 from me without any stories attached about why I can only afford $100 right now.
Do whatever you want and please leave the development drama to yourself. What counts is the product you honestly present and whether people will buy into it. I've been reading on BGG, Consimworld and the home of WiF on the Internet, the Yahoo "WiFDiscussion" group. People are amazingly underwhelmed. And, I notice, just about nobody is aware of just how much of RAW 7 is missing from MWiF already and you seem to be saying it's more or less going to stay that way and diverge further in the coming year.
I fully understand what a shitty position (to be in) you accepted for yourself. I'd suggest that blaming your customer base for--actually--quite reasonable expectations, is not the best business practice. But, go ahead with this apparent attitude about MWiF and WiF; I'm sure I'm probably wrong.
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icitrom_y (and others),
May I say, Sir, that I have been programming computers since the summer of 1977. Every job I have held as an adult has been 'in the field'. I have made a career out of small, niche products and have earned my living providing such. I believe I have a bit more understanding than some IBMer whose salary was likely paid by Fortune 500 companies and sucking at the government teat. I believe that gives me a little more experience in this arena than you have. I still have my copy of Delphi 1. And 2. And 3. And 5. And 7. And every release since. So as you expect this forum to bow to your knowledge, I expect you to listen to me.
Now. Having said that.
Listen up!
You, sir, are despicable
I have not seen such tomfoolery in quite some time. In fact, I am having trouble recalling ANY such time that I have witnessed same and suspect that you have the dubious honor of being the biggest social undesirable since Thomas Edison took advantage of Tesla.
If you have half the experience you claim, you should know that this has been a labor of unbelievable investment of energy and emotion. Hell, Steve almost worked himself into a grave.
Oh wait, I bet you are a manager!
If you can understand it, here is some boolean for you,
If you don't like the game OR
If you don't like the price OR
If you don't like the package OR
If you won't use it without AI
THEN
Kindly leave the premises
I will likely get banned for this post but to paraphrase Dick Cheney - I shouldn't have said it but I felt better after I did.
Others, can I get some AMENs before I leave?
Sincerely
Bridge is the best wargame going .. Where else can you find a tournament every weekend?