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Universal Combat - A World Apart, the race to gold


Supreme Cmdr
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UCAWA is on schedule to go Gold on 04-15-05 at which point the Gold Master (GM) will be sent to Dreamcatcher for final approval before the boxed retail version [hopefully] goes off to manufacturing for retail release during the first part of May.

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO VERSIONS

The e-commerce download add-on version which requires a previous install of the original Universal Combat, will be available for e-commerce purchase via TryGames, BMT Micro and other e-commerce partners between April 22 to 29.

To see the differences between the boxed retail version and the add-on download version, read the product info on the UCAWA product page.

COPY PROTECTION:

Both the boxed and retail versions are protected with SafeDisc 3.x for the single player and server side authentication for multiplayer.

The CD-KEY for the boxed version will be on the back of the manual. Same as was done for UC.

The CD-KEY for that download add-on will be sent via email and with an expiring secure link to the download.

The CD-KEY for the CD burn of the download add-on will be on printed slip of paper in the CD-ROM sleeve.

DOCUMENTATION

The boxed retail version comes with a CD-ROM, printed manual and keyboard commands sheet.

The download add-on version has a PDF file outlining changes in UCAWA which pertain to the original UC manual and keyboard commands. There are very few changes between the two.

The updated HTML appendix files updated for UCAWA, are also on both versions.

PURCHASE OPTIONS

The boxed retail version will be available at worldwide retail and released by Dreamcatcher.

The download add-on version is available directly from 3000AD Inc's e-commerce partners. All links will be up on the sales page when they go live.

The add-on version is available as a download or as a CD-ROM burn (for e-commerce sites that permit burning your download purchase to CD-ROM).

EDIT: Even though BMT Micro can burn the add-on download to CD, you can still download it from a secure link. But remember, its either one or the other; you can't do both or you would have to pay twice. So, if you want the game as soon as it is available and you have your own burner, then you would probably want the download version.

PRICING

The boxed retail version MSRP is $19.99

The add-on version is $19.99

NOTE: There won't be a boxed version of the add-on at retail.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

Do NOT ignore these system requirements. Seriously, don't. I have made certain that Dreamcatcher adhere's to and uses my specs for their box packaging.

If you are not sure if your video card meets the minimum requirements for running UCAWA, download the UCAWA video card tester utility from the [updated] UCAWA product page. Simply unzip the archive and run the application.

We [3000AD Inc] don't particularly want to receive emails asking us what a vertex shader is and where it can be downloaded. After a year of having to field that crap, I'm burned out. In fact, I have advised my guys to just IGNORE any/all such queries that come through the tech support list/email. If you don't know what a shader is by now, there is a very good chance that my games weren't developed for you.

DEMOS

Two demos were released and can be downloaded from mirrors listed on the UCAWA downloads page.

MULTIPLAYER SERVERS

As you all know, Dreamcatcher funded four servers for UC between April 2004 - July 2004; more than TWO months after the game shipped.

This time around, thats not going to happen because I took contractual steps to ensure that it doesn't. What this means to you is that multiplayer servers will be available for UCAWA on day one.

When Dreamcatcher's funding on UC mp servers ran out, 3000AD Inc bought out the servers and funded the further maintenance, bandwidth bills etc - for a game that was released back on Feb 2004 and for which we have thus far not made a SINGLE PENNY on due to the price drop from the original $39.99 to $19.99 and for which I sued Dreamcatcher last year. This despite the fact that the game has sold and continues to sell well.

So, now that UC has reached its End Of Life, once UCAWA goes online, we will be dropping the UC servers and hosting UCAWA on them. So there should be a total of six high-end 32 player public servers and two private fleet servers available on day one for UCAWA.

PROJECT STATUS

The dev VCF is available for viewing. It will be updated daily (if anything new is added) until the game goes Gold.

[ 04-15-2005, 03:50 PM: Message edited by: Supreme Cmdr ]

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Hopefully this isn't a stupid question.

On the pre-orders page there is a warning that this version of the game requires an internet connection in order for the CD-KEY to be validated. Is the internet connection required on the computer the game is running on so that the key can be validated the first time the game starts, or can the key be validated through the internet on a different machine?

I am asking because I don't have an internet connection at home, and I didn't want to buy it just to find out I couldn't play it.

Thanks for all your hard work SC.

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Sorry about the double-post. I re-read the original comments by SC and realized that I probably just need to get the boxed version, but by the time I realized this the time had expired for me to be able to delete the above post. Please delete this comment and the one above it of mine, and I understand if I receive a temporary ban.

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Yes, it needs to be validated via the internet. If you don't have an internet connection, you can't validate it. HOWEVER, I may change this authentication to something else instead of this method. Since I can't use SafeDisc (since it requires a CD-ROM), I have several other solutions in mind but I remain undecided.

Bear in mind that the boxed retail version won't let you run the UC scenarios because it will install as a completely separate game and the scenario file format (GBS-IV) has changed. So you had better go and read the product's page again just to be sure that you know what you're getting.

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quote:

Originally posted by Supreme Cmdr:

Bear in mind that the boxed retail version won't let you run the UC scenarios because it will install as a completely separate game and the scenario file format (GBS-IV) has changed. So you had better go and read the product's page again just to be sure that you know what you're getting.

Darn, I want the box to add to my BC/UC collection, but I also want to covert my scenarios over. Oh well $40 isnt that much to spend. Plus it helps SC make another great game.

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Since I don't have any scenario made with GBS3 to keep...I'll go for the boxed version to add to my small (for now) collection.

I'll see later for the addon version....40 bucks are not a big deal.

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quote:


Originally posted by DennyMala:

Since I don't have any scenario made with GBS3 to keep...


I hope you don't think that we're talking about user made scenarios. The download version will convert the scenarios that shipped with the original UC, to the new format.

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Oh...then sorry for the misunderstanding ; still I don't have interest in keeping the UC standard scenarios so things doesnt change for me...

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I have made significant revisions to my first post. Everyone needs to read it.

Note that the requirement for an internet connection in order to authenticate the single player version, has been removed. The SafeDisc signature on the original UC CD-ROM will be used instead.

[ 04-15-2005, 03:46 PM: Message edited by: Supreme Cmdr ]

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Guest Remo Williams

quote:

Originally posted by Grayson:

After UCAWA's release will there still be servers for the original UC without the updates from the download version of UCAWA?

He answered that question in the first post of this topic. Here is a quote from his posts above.

quote:

So, now that UC has reached its End Of Life, once UCAWA goes online, we will be dropping the UC servers and hosting UCAWA on them. So there should be a total of six high-end 32 player public servers and two private fleet servers available on day one for UCAWA

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