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Last update: July 23, 1998 [Unit Info Main Menu] [Clans] Auto-updated: October 08, 1998 |
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Current MAX2 Patch Version: 1.3 If you see MAX2 reviewed or even mentioned on the web, send the URL to CaptComal@hotmail.com so it can be posted here for others to see as well! MAX2 News Archive: April 98, May 98, June 98, July 98
Thur, July 23: We had a very nice report posted at "high noon" today that has since been removed (see two news items below for what is left of it). We spent over 8 hours working on that report and are sorry that you can't see it now. However, I can provide you with the sources used to create the report so you can come up with your own version: 1) The people at Interplay who "sign off" or approve a game or patch for release are called "QA". If you are interested in who "signed off" or approved MAX2 for release (on June 19) see pages 84 and 85 in the MAX2 manual, the scrolling credits in the game itself, or at the end of this file on the Interplay Download page: http://www.interplay.com/max2/downloads.html Download the MAX2 Manual from that page, or use this direct link: ftp://ftp1.interplay.com/pub/demos/max2betaman.txt Once you have the file, do a find on "QA" and look at the name on the line directly above that point plus the next screen page. 2) Interplay is a public company trading on the NASDAQ, ticker symbol IPLY. That means that the company is responsible to its shareholders. 3) Interplay has posted the names of the "principals" of the company (CEO, President, VP Sales, etc) on this webpage (page down a few times or search for "Principals" on that page): http://www.interplay.com/interplay.html or read the Biographies of all the "Principals" of Interplay at this page: http://www.interplay.com/press/bios.html 4) If you wish to call someone at Interplay, their various phone numbers are on this Interplay webpage: http://www.interplay.com/contact.html 5) If you wish to write to someone at Interplay, their address is listed on this Interplay webpage: http://www.interplay.com/contact.html 6) If you wish to send an EMail to anyone at Interplay, their EMail address is their first letter of their first name followed by their lastname @interplay.com. Example for John Doe: 7) Since Interplay is a public company, you should be able to send an EMail to them, especially if you bought one of their products and as a customer have questions, comments or complaints about it. 8) Interplay advertised that MAX2 would include "ALLIANCES". For example, see PC Gamer MAY 1998 pages 74-75, which includes this statement of a feature in MAX2: "Multiplayer Capability (LAN, Modem, Internet) with Alliance Building"
- CaptComal
Thur, July 23, 6:00pm Pacific time: The new patch is still not available. Interplay states that the patch "is in QA and should be signed off soon". As usual, I will keep watch and let you know when it is safe to try to play MAX2 again. - CaptComal
Thur, July 23, high noon Pacific time (that is 12:00pm to you): Still no new patch. But we HAD a breaking story (which has been removed/censored ... sorry). - CaptComal
Thur, July 23, 6:20am Pacific time: I woke up to check. The world is still here ... the patch is not! As usual, I will keep watch and let you know when it is safe to try to play MAX2 again. - CaptComal
Thur, July 23, 12:15am Pacific time: The new patch was not released yesterday or the day before as Interplay suggested it would be. The world as we know it is doomed! Oops, that is a movie plot. As usual, I will keep watch and let you know when it is safe to try to play MAX2 again. - CaptComal
Wed, July 22: The list of every mission in each of the 4 campaigns is being posted now. It includes the campaign and mission number, name of the mission, win and loss conditions plus a thumbnail picture of the map it is played on. Once this list is completed I will begin posting strategies for each mission, but I have one problem. Nobody has sent in any strategies yet! I don't want this to be a CaptComal Strategy page ... it is supposed to be a collection of strategies from various people showing the many ways to accomplish things. So, hurry up and submit your strategies for any mission now (be the first on your block!) Strategies submitted can be simple hints or tips or complete walk throughs. Make sure to specify which campaign/mission with your strategies (and what name I should give credit to). Send to CaptComal@hotmail.com - CaptComal
Wed, July 22: io HISS has kindly shared this information with us! To make all Campaigns and Missions playable you need to change two numbers in your MAX2.INI file. The first section in the file is titled [SETUP]. Change the number in the following two lines to be 49 (means campaign 4 mission 9):
Do not change the text in front of the = though! Only change the number at the end of these two lines! It should not be necessary, but you may need to change the skipped numbers to be 0 as well, as noted below:
With these changes you should be able to play any mission at any time in any order. Thanks io HISS! - CaptComal
Wed, July 22, 8:40pm Pacific time: The new patch is not yet available! Only 3 HOURS and 20 MINUTES left for their promised release! I will keep watch and let you know when it is safe to try to play MAX2 again. - CaptComal
Wed, July 22, 11:30am Pacific time: The new patch is not yet available (Paul just informed it is still scheduled for release later today)! I will keep watch and let you know when it is safe to try to play MAX2 again. - CaptComal
Wed, July 22: When the new patch comes out (later today is the promise from Interplay) it will not fix these bugs that they are aware of and are working on for the NEXT patch (1.5 or 1.3.2 depending on whose numbering scheme is used) ... this, of course, is also on our CRASH page:
I am tracking the BUGS and CRASHES and ask that you send me EMail with your reports (make sure Interplay gets a copy of the EMail too). Please don't report bugs or crashes with 1.3 ... let's start with the 1.3.1 or 1.4 patch coming out later today! Send your EMail to: Thanks. - CaptComal
Wed, July 22, 10:15am Pacific time: The new patch is not yet available (promised for yesterday or today availability)! I will keep watch and let you know when it is safe to try to play MAX2 again. - CaptComal
Wed, July 22: I just received from Interplay, the official announcement for the MAX2 IRC CHAT tomorrow at 6pm (it is on our HEADLINE NEWS PAGE already). The announcement is for several CHATS (covering several different games). Each game is described with a couple sentences and you might like to know how Interplay is describing MAX2 now:
Did you notice the spin on MAX2? They now state that the game was extensively beta tested and largely developed on feedback from the Beta Testers. Do any Beta Testers have any comments on this? If so please post them on the Interplay Online Message Forum! As for me ... I think the game was vastly under tested. Just look at the Beta Tester status when the game went GOLD on June 18: We have an example of a mission that apparently never was even played through once in SIM or TB modes. The beta testers only got to see TWO maps (and both these maps were not the final versions ... they lacked the yellow and orange grids). The beta testers never got to see the Sheevat units at all. Beta testers never got to try Capture the Flag. Beta testers never saw a single campaign or mission. Beta Testers never even got to try a game with all the human units available all at one time! Beta testers never were allowed to play multiplayer ... and the free internet MAX2.NET server was not even up when MAX2 went gold (from what we can tell). That is just the tip of the iceberg concerning what the Beta Testers were ALLOWED to test. Now, about being developed largely on the feedback of Beta Testers? I will leave comments on that for others ... I hope to see some good messages on the Interplay Online Forum soon! - CaptComal
Wed, July 22, 8:40am Pacific time: The new patch is not yet available (promised for yesterday or today availability)! I will keep watch and let you know when it is safe to try to play MAX2 again. - CaptComal
Wed, July 22: MAX2 is included in GamePen's Strategic Therapy Discussion . - CaptComal
Wed, July 22, 1:30am Pacific time: The new patch is not yet available (promised for yesterday or today availability)! I will keep watch and let you know when it is safe to try to play MAX2 again. - CaptComal
Tue, July 21: During the months leading up to the final release of Dark Reign, I was doing the Dark Reign Heaven site, and always admired the wit and wisdom of the man known as "DOM" (What does that stand for? Well, if you must know ... he used to call himself Drunk Old Man, but he was anything but that!). I lost track of him once Dark Reign was released, but just now discovered that he is writing for Area-S ... and his latest RANT is simply fantastic (it helps that I agree with it 100%). It is not that long, so if you have an extra minute or two, you really should read it: Drunken Rant Number 3: Storm Over Blizzard (you can skip the first part if you want ... start after the first graphic break in the text, where he says, "I'm once again rather upset with Blizzard. ... Blizzard took the initiative to add a ladder system in Battle.net. Competition, no matter what type, tends to bring out the worst in people and also tends to bring out the worst people..." DOM is inspiring me to start writing editorials too! Watch this space when I explain why I think it is improper for Interplay to force me to have a ranking in order to use their Free MAX2.NET server ... and display that ranking to everyone who happens to come by! I would like to play for fun ... and not care what my ranking is, but Interplay seems bent on embarrassing me if my ranking is a bit low! (I am speaking for the many others who like to play just for fun here). TURN OFF THE RANKING! Put it in a /whois command if you must have it! Oh oh ... editorial was starting early (and for all you kibitzers out there ... it is not because I am a horrible player ... I won 9 games and lost 1 so far (that was all the games that I was able to finish without a crash) :) - CaptComal
Tue, July 21: The Brady book "MAX2 Official Strategy Guide" by Mark Walker has been delayed. It was to be published on July 6 ... now it is due out on July 20. The book is to be 216 pages with a retail price of $19.99 ... ISBN 1566867894 - CaptComal
Tue, July 21, 9:15pm Pacific time: The new patch is not yet available! I will keep watch and let you know when it is safe to try to play MAX2 again. - CaptComal
Tue, July 21: Campaign 2, Mission 3 is impossible to win in Turn Based or Simultaneous Turn modes! I have posted a complete page detailing how easy it is to determine that it is impossible to win. If this is true, then it means that this mission, as released, was not tested in TB or SIM modes! - CaptComal
Tue, July 21: There is now a special section devoted to reporting MAX2 Crashes, Bugs and Patch information! The main page for that section is fondly titled CRASH! The page listing bugs is called BUGS. This will be a handy way to track MAX2 bugs, crashes and patches. - CaptComal
Tue, July 21, 12:06 Pacific time: Interplay has said that patch 1.3.1 will be released tonight or tomorrow. This announcement corresponds with HEAVEN's starting a brand new page ... fondly called CRASH! You may wish to check this page frequently to see what some MAX2 bugs are. To submit a report of a MAX2 bug send an EMAIL to max2@interplay.com with a cc: to CaptComal@hotmail.com with a summary of the bug. Currently, CRASH lists the bugs that Interplay claims will be fixed with Patch 1.3.1 - CaptComal
Tue, July 21, noon Pacific time: Interplay has said that fixes for many of the GAME CRASHES are in the 1.4 patch. Only problem is that they are not releasing the 1.4 patch. I will keep watch and let you know when it is safe to try to play MAX2 again. - CaptComal
Tue, July 21: The header at the top of every MAX2 Heaven page now has a link to the FULL NEWS as well as HEADLINE NEWS in the top left corner. The top right corner now has links to the LINKS page (a good place to start your MAX2 day) and the DOWNLOAD FILES page. - CaptComal
Tue, July 21: I am not playing MAX2 any further until the 1.4 patch is out. 14 out of 17 games I tried to play CRASHED. This is typical for most MAX2 customers from the feedback I have received. People actually brag about a game they managed to finish. This is NOT a sign of a game that is ready for release to stores. - CaptComal
Tue, July 21: The MAX2 Links page was rearranged and makes a good page to start on when checking out the latest MAX2 going ons. At the top are links to the three Message Forums, then links to various MAX2 sites including specific links to MAX2 Watch and MAX2 News. At the end of the LINKS page is a link to all the Previews and Reviews of MAX2 (so you can check out what others are saying officially). You can always get to this LINKS page from any Heaven page ... just click on LINKS in the top right corner of any page! - CaptComal
Tue, July 21: There is a well written review of MAX2 in Games Domain. Fri, July 17: Interplay has finally announced who the winner of the "Name The Robot" contest is. Congratulations go to Thomas Locke. He submitted the name "EbO Unit". Interplay is sending Thomas a MAX2 T-Shirt, a box copy of MAX2 and a box copy of MAX1. Hey Thomas ... send us an EMail with comments on how you came up with that name and we will publish them here ... the curious need to know! Send to CaptComal@hotmail.com
Thur, July 16: The next official IRC CHAT with the MAX2 Development team is now scheduled for Thursday, July 23 at 6pm Pacific time on the IRC server CHAT.ANNEX.COM in channel #INTERPLAY. - Interplay
Wed, July 15: The MAX2.NET free internet server is completely down at this time (8pm Pacific time). - CaptComal
Wed, July 15: Our KALI INFO page has been updated with info on how to use AUDIBLE ALERTS in KALI. - CaptComal
Wed, July 15: The IgLou server has for some reason been dropped from the server list (sad, sorry to see it go). We found a better server to use as a meeting place for people waiting to play MAX2 however: 620 Katan's Lair (205.218.22.26) Here is part of the welcome message to Katan's Lair: "Welcome to Katan's family inn, where countless kali'ers have come to sleep and be /away. We offer free overnight stays for all the ladder players who seek a haven to hide from the lamers that haunt Kali Stl#1, and Other Servers." It seems there will always be people in the CHAT room on this server ... however, there may be less babbling about nonsense. If you join the CHAT room just a simple "ANYONE FOR MAX2?" will do. Then wait awhile since most of the people are not watching their KALI window all the time. See our KALI information for tips on using KALI for MAX2 Gaming! - CaptComal
Wed, July 15: Find MAX2 games! We now have a page of tips on how to find other MAX2 players for multiplayer games. If you have other advice you would like to share with others via this page, please send your suggestions to CaptComal@hotmail.com ... Thanks. - CaptComal Visitors to this page since May 19, 1998
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