Closed Beta Test

50 playtesters took to the Starways about 4 weeks ago. We made them do a lot of unfun stuff. They created accounts, and then they edited them and then we took them away. Then we gave them back and moved on to testing the game request system. The playtesters made game requests, and we honored those requests, but then destroyed the universes they were in so they could do it all over again. All in all, we really were mean to them. And not one of them quit! Now, finally the playtesters are in some games with motion, some already at turn 5.

They get even with us by posting their bug reports and telling us about any installation problems they have. But what they are going through is helping us bring Imperial Wars to the web in a much better state then it was when we began. We have rebuilt the Universe Creator several times and cleaned up numerous bugs, added key new features and changed some things that didn't work right. It is a lot of time and effort on everyone’s part. And there is still a whole lot to do.

It was our hope that we could open up to full beta testing before the holidays but that seems unlikely at this point. There is still too much work to do and we are physically unable to have enough technical hands around through the holidays to deal with the issues that are bound to come up. What we will probably do in the next couple of weeks is send out invitations to the general IWars community with a private website where they can join in with the understanding that we may not be able to support them fully until after the first of the year. Then, when we are back up to full strength, we'll continue our plan to let the general public into the games.

From the dev team at ILG, have a happy and safe holiday! We'll either see you in the games or when our next newsletter comes out after the first. All our best from our families to yours!

- The Galactic Effectuator

Internet Games Becoming the Hottest Entertainment Trend
by Colin Murcray

In the November 25th, 2002 edition of Newsweek, there is a story about the biggest new trend in home entertainment: multiplayer online gaming. The story predicts that the 196 million dollars earned last year in online game subscription fees is expected to grow ton 1.4 billion dollars over the next five years.

What’s behind this rush to multi-player online games? Mainly, it’s more fun to compete against or team with a human being than a computer. But those of us who grew up role-playing with dice and paper have known that for years, and now technology is allowing us to have the best of both worlds.

Just as with any industry, the eventual outcome of this is a market flooded with all sorts of games, some good, some bad. In the end, those games that shone first, shone brightest, or took the time to develop a loyal community will win out. For the gamer, this is nothing short of good news. It means competitive prices, lots of choices, and even a chance to be considered trendy. For the game developers, it means hard work, long nights, and high stress. But those of us who design games because it is what we love will be around a lot longer than those who are looking for a fast buck. For us, the game’s the thing, and seeing it enjoyed by others is our ultimate reward.

Happy Holidays!