True then and now

[Herr Straße Laufer]

What took me a bit with surprise was I thought it was good news there's no JTCS 2.1 anymore. All the changes to old engine and that, not happening anymore.

Data values, unit data, there's still a ton of things there, it's a huge file system there. Motorcycles with defence values of 3 have been at least since 1.01, no one's noticed them until now in Dan's Haiku Corner. Data values can be corrected. Just no more major revisions. Which I thought would have been good news.

I get the concern about JTCS ladders, but honestly I don't see an issue there. As long as there's game reports going in, why take the effort to take it down? Maybe something for the Blitz Officers to answer, but it took 15 years since last Talonsoft game came out the ladders were finally removed. After a few notices to see if there's folks still out playing them as I recall.

Huh? You were surprised that someone could think that it was not good news that you are abandoning and tearing apart JTCS?
"Changes" to the old engine is your word? Except for some of the fixes (which are truly given their props) most of what you guys did was "tinker" and make "drop ins" that were so unreal and out of scale it was jaw dropping.

Planes that did not really fly. Blocking hexes and having unlimited spotting. Bridge building engineers. Mine laying engineers. Extremely extreme assault that created unrealistic results (but justified by numerous words). All dropped in. "Here you go and have at it."
The retorts "oops we did not realize that those things would do that and there would be such push back", "we're making all optional", and "don't care that it would/did fracture the community of players", "this is what we are doing and you all will have to deal with it".

BTW, there were those who recognized some of the "inconsistencies", like the 3 strength point motorcycles, who just did not feel like reporting them. Especially after their experiences with reporting other issues.
Who would want to be seen as just a complainer for that?

And, you "get" the concern over the gaming ladders?
What concern? The old will fade and the new take over. Heck, years ago players left CS to flock to CM. All for various and different reasons. Even now players are moving to Panzer Battles.
The original East Front game was not played in years. It faded. I'm sure that ten years from now JTCS will have faded too.
But, it will last as long as some diehards are willing to support it, through play and/or "tinkering" to keep it going.

I just see it as the "team" (you guys) moving on and doing their/your thing. While others stay away from the new and keep the JTCS fire burning.
And, I will admit, I may purchase the separate game to give it a go. If it is CSME/Divided Ground 2.0 I may just be giving someone that disk too.
I won't try to predict the future but, a look at the recent past says a lot about what the future might hold?

HSL
(Another of Ed's complaint posts)