Answers to all your questions (about AWD distribution)

[Joel Billings]

Well maybe not all of them, but at least some of the important ones. I spoke with David Heath of Matrix yesterday and got answers to some key questions.


When can I buy A World Divided?
It's expected that sometime within the next two weeks AWD will be available via digital download and CD Direct at the Matrix online store.

Will I be able to buy the game in a store in the US or Europe?
At this point the game will only be available via the Matrix online store. It is possible that the game may appear in stores in the future, but there is no definitive answer at this time.

Will the game be localized into other languages?
At release this month, the game will only be in English. Localization work is underway and we expect that other languages will be made available in a future patch. The original World at War was patched to include German, French, Italian, Spanish and UK English. We don't have a release date yet for the localization patch, but will try to update you as works progresses.

What will AWD cost?
The US price in the Matrix store will be $39.99. Through the end of this year, customers that have a valid registration number for World at War will be able to use that registration number to obtain a 35% discount off the AWD price (each registration number can only be used once) when they purchase the game from the Matrix online store. Full details will be announced by Matrix when the game is officially released.

[toddtreadway]

Thanks for the info.
 
Also, thanks for the WaW-owner's discount.

[Grifman]

ORIGINAL: toddtreadway

Thanks for the info.

Also, thanks for the WaW-owner's discount.

Yes, ditto for that consideration.

[Canuck_jp]

Interesting and a smart marketing move!  I bought the first one but I never would have considered buying the expansion.  However if I can get 35% off then I'll probably say what the hell!

[oi_you_nutter]

thanks Joel, the 35% discount has renewed my interest

[Les_the_Sarge_9_1]

Hmm this has really amused me to some good extent.

"What will AWD cost?
The US price in the Matrix store will be $39.99. Through the end of this year, customers that have a valid registration number for World at War will be able to use that registration number to obtain a 35% discount off the AWD price (each registration number can only be used once) when they purchase the game from the Matrix online store. Full details will be announced by Matrix when the game is officially released."

I'm in for that one hehe.

[daniel123]

AWD went gold on 10/5  and it's now 10/16  Matrix only has another 3 days before you 2 weeks run out.  release today???

[Joel Billings]

My post was on the 12th. The two weeks run out on the 26th. I hope it will be out by then or I guess I'll have to eat my words.

[daniel123]

talk about moving the first down marker after the first play. 

[Becket]

Thanks for the info, Joel.  Really looking forward to it.            

[32shaw]

Will the strategy and tactics capabilities of the AI in the new game be improved? I've found those aspects of the AI to be disappointingly weak in the original game. In particular, the way that the AI manages naval warfare for the USA in the Pacific really makes no sense. Again and again the AI offers up small portions of the Western Allies' total naval assets to be wiped out by superior Japanese naval forces; when, by waiting a turn or two, the Western Allies could amass sufficient naval forces to smash the Japanese. It's too bad, because otherwise this is a great game. 32shaw

[DROregon]

In the store, I see the digital download but not the CD direct. When will the CD direct be available? Also, how is the manual distributed? Is it a pdf in the download/CD?

[Joel Billings]

ORIGINAL: DROregon

In the store, I see the digital download but not the CD direct. When will the CD direct be available? Also, how is the manual distributed? Is it a pdf in the download/CD?

I was surprised to see the CD direct not yet available. It should be available soon. IIRC you can purchase via digital download and then later purchase the CD using your order information once the CD is available in the store. The manual is in .pdf format in the download and CD (along with a production map pdf file). I think soon there will be a way to buy the manual printed via the Matrix online store, but I'm not sure when that will be available. The manual pdf is formatted for the DVD size box and is about 180 pages.

I just found this in the store FAQs (I hope this helps):

What if I want a shipment, but have already purchased a download?
Unfortunately, we are unable to exchange a downloadable product for a physical product that you have already purchased. Please place a separate order for the physical product. If you would like to purchase a CD for the downloadable products in your order please look up your order and click on the Buy Now button for burn a CD.

[Joel Billings]

ORIGINAL: 32shaw

Will the strategy and tactics capabilities of the AI in the new game be improved? I've found those aspects of the AI to be disappointingly weak in the original game. In particular, the way that the AI manages naval warfare for the USA in the Pacific really makes no sense. Again and again the AI offers up small portions of the Western Allies' total naval assets to be wiped out by superior Japanese naval forces; when, by waiting a turn or two, the Western Allies could amass sufficient naval forces to smash the Japanese. It's too bad, because otherwise this is a great game. 32shaw

The AI is better, but it is no human opponent. We have greatly improved the combat analyzer, and by doing so improved the AI as it relies on the analyzer to determine it's moves. We have put in an additional several months of serious work on the AI (in addition to the work to make it take advantage of the new game features) and feel it is better. We also learned from Lebatron's mods to the ai.txt file in WaW and improved the AI production. It is still an AI in what is quite a complicated game (from a strategy point of view), so you can only expect so much. We have added 2 unbalanced scenarios starting in 1939 that makes for a better game against the AI. Along with the various difficulty level settings and the ability to take just one country and let the AI play the rest, we think you'll have many ways to enjoy the game versus the AI.

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: Joel Billings
I was surprised to see the CD direct not yet available. It should be available soon. IIRC you can purchase via digital download and then later purchase the CD using your order information once the CD is available in the store. The manual is in .pdf format in the download and CD (along with a production map pdf file). I think soon there will be a way to buy the manual printed via the Matrix online store, but I'm not sure when that will be available. The manual pdf is formatted for the DVD size box and is about 180 pages.

FYI, it always takes about a week after the digital download release for the physical options to appear. This is a logistical limit, so I'd expect them to show up in the store by late next week.

The normal game on demand copies do not included a printed manual, but we may indeed have a solution for that in the near future.

Regards,

- Erik

[nyarlathotep]

Sorry to bug. Has there been a change on the physical shipment release date or maybe a scrapping altogether?

If so I'll just do the download but if the shipment option will be coming available soon I think I can wait.

Thx.

edit:I see it now and just ordered...thk ya.

[augustus]

This has probably been mentioned before, but does the physical shipment of AWD include a physical manual, or is it still an online manual as in the download?

[Cannon Cocker]

I read in this string that an owner of the original GGWaW can get a 35% discount when buying AWD. Is this true? If it is where do I find the "Full details (that) will be announced by Matrix when the game is officially released?"
 
Cannon Cocker

[Joel Billings]

Sorry, the discount expired back in early January.