Strategy 1st fucks up - big time

Games
1

From TK at Thirdwire -

Hi Folks,

Strike Fighters: Project 1 is still in beta testing. We still have beta testers putting in good comments and suggestions on our bug tracking system, and we believe we still have anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months left to go on this project, depending on how fast we can fix bugs and how many of these suggestions we decide to implement.

But unfortunately, we do not have much control over the release date, and we cannot prevent our publisher from putting it in the box and getting it out early. And as I understand it, we do have a version released now, based on late-June beta build, that were sent out to select retail chains. We were assured that the number of this run is very small, and that there will be a full CD-exchange program made available to anyone who bought this version.

We apologize for any confusion and inconvenience this might have caused. All of us at Third Wire were extremely saddened to have to see it go out this way, as we certainly didn’t want it to happen this way. None of us wanted to see our 2 years of hard work thrown away like this.

If you have purchased this version, we encourage you to contact customer support at Strategy First at

[[email protected]]

to ask about the exchange program.

For further inquiry and comments about this release, please contact Christina Ginger, Director of Communications at Strategy First, at

[[email protected]]

Once again, we sincerely apologize for having this released on such an early state. We’d like to assure everyone that we’re still very focused on our beta testing, and working very hard to ensure that our main release is as clean as possible.

Thank you for your continued support and understanding,

TK

ps. So all you guys who were asking to be a beta testers, here’s your chance

Here’s something else…
The readme.txt file on the cd:

Third Wire Strike Fighters: Project 1 Preview README.TXT 4/29/2002

  • This package is provided for press preview purpose only, and may not be
    distributed without permission.
2

Jeez! Poor guys. That post is seriously depressing. All that work may be destroyed because of a title being rushed to stores.

OTOH, Strategy First may have given them a generous amount of development time and Third Wire did a little too much dicking around.

What else do you know about this IX? I have built up a healthy respect for Strategy First and their many quality games of which I own a bunch. I hope there is more to this story.

3

Well, thus far it’s only been confirmed at being available at Walmart. Since I don’t know Walmart’s purchasing department (not since Westmoreland left way back-a-when) I can’t really get a straight answer from them. Strategy First isn’t talking, and Thirdwire is sending out a form-mail reply that basically says “no, this is a special release for Wal-mart and not a beta” which is bullshit CYA verbage.

This is mainly Gordon Berg’s fault. Well, Tom Chick too.

4

That’s insane. Even the July build is still obviously a beta, with many features still in need of work.

To release based on an even earlier build? What the heck was Strategy First thinking?

5

I got an “official” response from Strat First that says this isn’t a beta release, it’s a full feature playable “special” release. And that they know it’s got a lot of problems, and they’ll send you a CD with the fixed version when it’s ready. :roll:

And simultaneously TK is saying the program is still in the middle of development.

Does WWII Online come to mind?

6

Which message board did that TK post come from Azsurom?

7

“Special” as in “Special Olympics,” maybe.

The game looks really promising. But there’s NO confusing the most recent build with a complete, shipping product.

I guess Strategy First must be in deep financial Kimchee and needed a cash infusion? I can’t see any reasonable explanation for doing this.

8

Guest…

Perhaps respect me enough to declare who you are, and I’ll respect you enough to post a link :-)

simhq.com

Jeff & Denny,

Special Release? Hehe. It’s pretending to be the full-on version as far as Wallyworld customers are concerned. $39.95 doesn’t say “demo version” to me.

Worst.marketing.tactic.evar – if it’s true, which it ain’t.

9

Wow… this is an unusual move from a publisher that I respect. They usually cover their bases well and have released some really solid games.

If this is indeed a "special release for WalMart" I might suggest that the rush was not purely financially driven. WalMart has some… err, interesting? … buying practices. :?

They do a “reset” every quarter. If you can’t ship in time, you lose your slot on the reset to a competitor and you might have a hard time getting it back. Not to mention the fact that you lose an entire quarter of selling. Only exceptions (AAA titles) can get inserted into the reset mid cycle.

This might very well have been a case where Strat.First said “we’ll ship in time” and Wal*Mart said “you better.” So they did.

They will have to spin this quickly or lose a lot of credibility. Sounds like they’ve already pissed off the developer.

10

No kidding, this whole thing stinks. But as a sim fan, I have to hope it gets worked out somehow. The sim genre doesn’t need many more fiascoes.

11

Well, remember that Strategy First also released WWII online in beta stage. It’s hard to figure out why they would do this, and in particular why do it for just one retail chain? The explanation that someone proposed wrt to Wal-Mart buying practices actually makes some sense - it doesn’t excuse the release in unfinished form, but it at least provides a rationale for doing it this way (unfinished to one retailer.)

I just turned in a news piece to a magazine on this, and now the question is whether you do a review on the version that is released in limited form or wait for the finished and presumably wide release form.

12

You run a news story in the next issue on what happened. Then you wait for the real release, while noting the Wal-Mart alpha fiasco in a short sidebar.

At least, that’s what I’d do if I was still running a game mag. :-)

(Lovin’ the handheld gig, and appreciating having more time to play the games I want to play, but I have to admit missing being in the thick of things at times.)

13

I would guess the contract with the retailer is what forced their hands (even though that doesn’t take SFI off the hook). It can be a vicous cycle if you miss milestones and the publisher and retail alrady have set dates for PR to move out for a product launch. WWIIOnline is a perfect example of that in action.

Yet again why US retail is evil :).

Yeah I know I’m beating the same drum lately…

14

Denny - you sound like someone who’s done this kinda stuff before. :wink:

Actually, that appears to be the way it’s gonna go at CGW - I turned in the news story to Ken this morning, and it appears that the review will be the “real” release.

15

It’s fairly obvious that Strategy First didn’t consult with the developer. What a fiasco. How to destroy a sims rep in one easy step.

16

You review the release to Wal-Mart on the merits. If the point of a review is to influence a buying decision, you should discourage purchases.

In a larger scope, raising living hell about this sort of thing ensures it doesn’t happen. Can you imagine the outrage if Sierra, or any other less-loved company than Strategy First, pulled this?

17

The message from TK was over at SimHQ: http://www.simhq.com/simhq3/sims/boards/bbs/Forum55/HTML/000482.html

There are reports that it’s at Best Buy too?

Here are a couple of follow-on messages posted to the thead (where a PR rep indirectly calls TK a liar):

AlphaWhiskey
Member
From:
Registered: Mar 2002
posted 07-23-2002 01:10 PM

Here’s an email exchange from just this morning…
Mine:

"Christina Ginger -

I got your email from Tsuyoshi Kawahito at a SimHQ forum.

I understand your company has released Project1/Strike Fighters - but that it is not entirely
finished to the developer’s satisfaction and that a the company knew about this beforehand, work
continues on the sim and that there will be a CD exchange program in the future.

?!?!?!?!?!?

I don’t know who made that decision but hopefully you do and you can forward my comments on to
them.

You really don’t understand what you’re doing by releasing this sim so early. The flight sim
community prizes well-programmed simulations. There are frequent charges/accusations of
prematurely released software directed towards simulations that are released when the devs say
its ready. How much more maligned will the reputation of P1/SF be when it is released knowing
full well that such is the case!?!

I am writing because I so longed for this sim. And I only hope for the best. But I am now very
worried that this sim’s reputation will be so maligned that you won’t sell as many copies as you
need to continue additional products after this one’s run is through. That’s what we’re always
hoping for - a good sim followed by a sequel that elevates the standard set by the previous (and
on it continues).

But that legacy is in jeopardy when something like this happens.

Sincerely,

[my name]"

And her response:

"Hello [my name],

Thank you for your email. I have forwarded your comments to the
appropriate decision makers and I am sure they will take the time to
read them. However, please let me take this time to assure you that the
game is a commercial release, special for WalMart, and not a beta copy.

We do realize that there are some gameplay issues, and we are working
with the developers to address these issues in a patch which should be
ready for release in the coming weeks. If people do not want to download
the patch, we will be more than willing to send them a CD when it is
ready. Future patches and updates will be released through the regular
distribution channel and we are confident that the game will meet the
expectations you and your fellow gamers have for this game.

We appreciate your comments. We are working hard to ensure that the
game meets the standards that it was intended to meet.

Best regards,

Christina Ginger
Director of Communications
Strategy First Inc.
147 St. Paul West, Suite 300
Montreal, Quebec (Canada)
H2Y 1Z5
(514) 844-3040 ext. 240
(514) 844-4337 fax
[email protected]
www.strategyfirst.com

Just so you know - this is intended to be a full release.

I just don’t think flight sim fans will see it that way.

We’ll see.

DoubleUgly
Member
From: Panama City
Registered: Nov 2001
posted 07-23-2002 02:19 PM

All,
I also had an e-mail exchange with SF this morning and it was very similar to the one that AlphaWhiskey posted … though there is one large difference as you will see below … and I hesitate to post it because of the difference. I am ESPECIALLY troubled that they did not address my concerns regarding how an unsuspecting customer will know that they can patch or trade the CD before making a coaster out of it. That alone makes me think their entire reply is BS.

Lots of good ideas are being thrown around here. I especially like the one about us buying the early copies before someone who is uninformed can get them. I think the solution should be more about helping (and thanking) TK rather than trying to make a point to the publisher. Two wrongs don’t make a right.

It may be impossible now … but we should also try to make sure that nothing happens that would cause SF to just pull the plug on the whole thing.

Anyway, here is the reply from SF:

Thank you for your email. I have forwarded your comments to the
appropriate decision makers and I am sure they will take the time to
read them. However, please let me take this time to assure you that the
game is a commercial release, special only to WalMart, and not a beta
copy.

We do realize that there are some gameplay issues, and we are working
with TK to address these issues in a patch which should be ready for
release in the coming weeks. Despite what TK and his colleagues have
said, the WalMart release was a joint decision made by both developer
and publisher.

Future patches and updates will be released through the regular
distribution channel and we are confident that the game will meet the
expectations you and your fellow gamers have for this game.

We appreciate your comments. We are working hard to ensure that the
game meets the standards that it was intended to meet.

Best regards,

Marketing
Strategy First Inc.

Cage28
Junior Member
From: Houston, TX, USA
Registered: Jul 2002
posted 07-24-2002 01:06 AM

I picked up the press release version from my local walmart this evening. I asked the electronics cashier how many copies of this game they had originally, and he said he believed 4. I bought the last one on the shelf. I wanted to go ahead and pick up this copy for my collection, but have no reserve about buying another/final release version. Even though I have broadband, I still hope there is a final boxed version, and no truth in having to download everything like WWII Online. Who knows exactly the Strategy behind this release, but hopefully buying it helps ThirdWire in some way.
This version seems to do alright for me, just a couple of key commands that dont seem to work that i have noticed ATM (haven’t done anything but fly yet). And I am new to SFP1, and not aware of its capabilities for final product (haven’t followed the game to much). I say this in meaning, I don’t have the trouble that others are having. I am able to fly and kill enemy aircraft. I always start in flight (no runway trouble as stated by someone else). I have flown in the single missions as the F100, A4, F104, and different variants of the F4.
Anyways, I just wanted to post a few things that the readme states as info for those who might be interested:

  • This package is provided for press preview purpose only, and may not be
    distributed without permission.

  • The preview build is based on a pre-release code, and as such, it is not at the
    level of performance and compatibility of the final product. The pre-release
    code may not operate correctly and may be substantially modified prior to first
    commercial shipment.

  • The preview contain three missions - one Instant Action and two Single
    Saved Missions. Instant Action has F-4E Phantom II as the player aircraft,
    while the saved missions have F-100D Super Sabre and F-104G Starfighter
    as the player aircraft.
    KNOWN ISSUES

  • All sound effects and music are temporary place holders, and are due to be
    replaced with new audio files created by Meatwater Studios for this project.

  • On some machines, fonts in UI screens may not display correctly.

later,
Cage

18

Hol-ey crap.

19

Ditto.

20

Will they be manhandled like Derek Smart was with BC3k? Sounds like a similar situation…

Anyway, I’d actually buy this game now if the beta was playable!

etc