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 Post subject: How to access full range of maps
PostPosted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 1:19 am 
So I've got a purchased Massive Assault copy here at home, and a Massive Assault Network trial version at work. As near as I can tell, these are fundamentally the exact same product. Except that there seem to be some maps that only work on MA-N that won't work at home. In fact, even trying to install them on myhome system corrupts the install to the point where I have to uninstall and delete all MA files and start over (couldn't just remove the maps in question).

What's the official difference between these two products, and how do I go about getting the full range of maps? Seems fairly unreasonable to charge a whole additional product price for the use of like 3 maps, so is there a useful solution.

Actually, there does seem to be one other difference for the MA-N version, which is that there's an ability to accept standing multiplayer challenges, as opposed to just challenging people semi-blindly. Once again, why the difference?


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PostPosted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 3:56 am 
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Sea Wolf

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man gives u the extra maps as well as 1 new map a month (in theory).

you get access to the live chat that's always running which lets u chat to any other player online.

you are allowed to join in the various tournaments that people run and there's often prizes for top 3 players and recently the best improver.

as you already know man is free to trial but u have to pay a monthly fee to get access to the maps and tournament.

There use to be a discount if you owned ma for man subscription but think that offer ended ages ago.

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 Post subject: What a waste
PostPosted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 11:42 am 
Although this is an enjoyable garage-level game, its no where near monthly subscription depth. Trying to get 7$/month out of what is effectively a bargain-bin game just doesn't cut it.

I applaud trying to reintroduce turn-based gaming to the market, but the cost to benefit model is all wrong. MA is effectively a play-by-mail and has no valid justification for charging monthly subscription at 2/3 the level of games that actually provide massive content, state of the art graphics, substantial monthly content updates, and real time interaction.

Count yourself minus one dissapointed player, sad that he wasted the time to pick this one out of said bargain bin. There's potential here, but it is wasted on a bad business model.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 11:54 am 
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Sea Wolf
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Location: University of Tennessee, USA
If you don't want to pay the subscription fee, then don't pay it...it's not like the game requires you to do so. You can still play Emerald, Brimstone, Bizarria, New Paradise, Noble Rust, Antarcticus, Anubis, and Wasserland without paying a single dime more than you already have.

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 Post subject: Depends what MA is trying to accomplish
PostPosted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 12:38 pm 
If all they want to sell is a standalone single-player product, then so be it. They successfully produced a minimum seller that will be off the shelves altogether shortly and past its useful lifespan. If their development costs were low enough (I would assume we're talking about a couple guys in their basement somewhere) then they'll be financially successful. If they actually spent the 1-2 million of a serious B title, then they've lost money.

Going forward, if they want to continue to draw revenue under either additional sales, or as a subscription based model, they'll need to meet the requirements of either model. Continued shelf space will require a heavy mod community (nope), active and sizeable online community (nope, i started at position #1400 before my first game), or regular significant updates to generate fresh interest (occasional map isn't enough). Failing to meet those, this departs the retail space soon. Ok then, how about as a subscription based online model? There you need enough population to generate word-of-mouth sales which you're not going to get with policies like I have just described, where after actually BUYING the product in the store (effectively paying the maximum entry cost), now I'm getting only partial access to the product capabilities. Think you're going to generate good feedback and word-of-mouth there? Think again.

I'm not giving this input out of a fear of paying money for games. Clearly, I've already purchased the game at its maximum cost (retail). I love games, and I want to see more survive. But this arrangement does not benefit MA's long term success, and as such should be rethought.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 12:45 pm 
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Sea Wolf
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But you do get the full product capabilities. MA claims to give you the scenarios, singleplayer battles, campaigns and lets you play online on the original maps plus Brimstone and Emerald...and that's what you get.

What MAN gains in multiplayer it also loses in singleplayer. The singleplayer is about as good as the free MA demo. You get Twin Islands, Crateus, Butterfly, and a chat room, but you can't play any scenarios beyond the training and a few token ones, and you can't play against the AI unless it's on Emerald.

In short, MA and MAN are two different products, not expansions of each other.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 1:32 pm 
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P.L. Marshal
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i do not understand why this "acheron" is so angry
he got boxed MA version - this means he can play all kind of singleplayers stuff plus he can also play multiplayer on old planets.this is alot of playing time and even now basic MA is a good thing and worth its cost.
when you feel like you seen everything from basic MA - you may want to see more maps and stuff and subscribe for MAN...
however if you dont want to play more - well nobody forces you to subscribe for MAN...
so i dont know why you find the "business model" bad.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 5:28 pm 
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Sea Wolf
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If you don't like it, don't support it. That simple. Don't come on here and complain. I don't like McDonald's current ad campaign, so I don't go to their restaurants anymore. Damn shame too, I love their breakfast menu.

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 Post subject: Which is unhelpful
PostPosted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 7:27 pm 
If you never inform a company when their actions displease you, they will have no ability to respond to the issues involved. If you happen to love Egg McMuffins, but hate the fact that they put onions on them by default and thus don't purchase any, all McDonald's will think is that you must not like Egg McMuffins and as such, should cease to carry them. If instead they get a bunch of feedback that says "I love Egg McMuffins without onions", they'll know to consider removing onions from the product.

You are correct that in the grand scheme of things, it really doesn't make a damn bit of difference whether MA succeeds or fails, but since I like games, and would rather see the world equipped with more than less successful turn-based games, its worth mentioning. The fact that the company basically is saying "fuck you for being foolish enough to buy the retail version instead of the online one". That hardly seems like a reasonable approach for paying the higher price rather than the lower one.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 7:43 pm 
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P.L. Marshal
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Acheron you speak noncence
nobody told you buying retail version is bad.
retail version is good,completely finished product which gives you all that typical retail product gives you (campaigns,scenarios,worldwars) and even more (considering free multiplayer on MA maps).
so you got what you paid for.
however MAN features stuff made especially for it which was never declared to be in basic MA....such as public chalenges,extra maps etc.
actually MAN is a booster pack - why should they give you for free something what they not ever promiced?
I feel like for a fan of game it's okay to pay just 7$\month to support wargaming.
however if you not a fan - many people who not want to pay for MAN do stay with basic MA and it's okay for them and nobody force them to get MAN.
so what you are yelling about?

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 7:46 pm 
My voice on this.

1) This is the most enjoyable game i have at the moment

2) the developers are doing us a disservice if they do not bring out a map every month as thats what we pay for. It is false advertising. The other things wrong with this game are;

a) the planes causing crashes when undoing.
b) Not bringing out maps when they are advertised to as mentioned above.

xcomcommander


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 8:04 pm 
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P.L. Marshal
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2 xcom - these are temporary problems and they are not connected with subject of this threat - Acheron here is yelling about why they not give him all MAN features for price he paid for retail version...I suppose he also wants Bill Gates to give him full version of WINXP for the price he paid for WIN98....

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