HPS

[Copper]

Is it just me or is the HPS website in need of a bloody good update. Looks dusty round there... wonder how many customers this puts of if they have never sampled HPS games before and trundle into the website.

Matrix is much more polished and easy to navigate.

http://www.hpssims.com/

[Steel God]

In my own personal opinion, HPS Simulations is to war gaming what Volvo is to the Auto Industry. Are they flashy? Nah, but their products are solid, reliable, do what they say they will do the first time out of the box, and every time afterward, and the product is backed by customer support that is light years ahead of other gaming companies. So am I turned off that they don't have a flashy website? Heck no. If flashy web sites were what motivated me I probably wouldn't even come to the Blitz.

I prefer that companies manage their products and not perceptions. The internet is awash in game companies with flashy websites that use their customers as paying Beta Testers, but if I'm going to plunk down $50-$60 for a game I'd like it be something that isn't riddled with bugs and glitches.

[Copper]

I agree with you 100% but if a new to the scene wargamer stumbling across the website they would find it hard to navigate and maybe be put of by it. Im not doubting or questioning their customer support or quality of games. Its just they could probably maximise new customers by cleaning their website. :)

[Steel God]

I will not claim to speak for HPS, but as someone who play tested for them for a handful of years I can give you my impression, which is that they never struck me as motivated by sales volume. Their goals always seemed aimed at two things concurrently.

1) Getting the product as right as possible (given limitations).

2) Setting a sales target that was not HUGE, but just enough to make it profitable from a business sense.

Obviously if you can't do 2) number 1) don't mean squat, but I never got the impression they wanted a block buster IF producing it meant compromising getting it right. They won't sell you junk backed by a year and half of hype, only to take your $50 and offer to patch your game that doesn't work as advertised. I know some games I worked on testing in 2005 still have not come to market, and that's testing after design and development, so getting it RIGHT is important in a way that other companies can't fathom. They know they have a niche market, and a loyal following, and I think for them that's enough. Word of mouth will get them more sales than a flashy entrance page thingee ever would.

[Dog Soldier]

They know they have a niche market, and a loyal following, and I think for them that's enough. Word of mouth will get them more sales than a flashy entrance page thingee ever would.

In war gaming as a whole, a niche business model is essential to longevity assuming you have a solid product. IMHO, HPS has this concept in spades.

Can not find what your looking for at the HPS web site? Contact them. Or post on any of the HPS supported MB here at the blitz. Either way you will get a very quick response.

Dog Soldier

[Xaver]

HPS dont need a new cool web, they need more images of the games and an online store, wait 2 weeks for a game and pay the transport is

PD: Matrix games have a supercool web BUT you pay it

[Gasbag]

I don't think that their site is all that "dated" or hard to navigate around. Everything there seems pretty clear to me: product list on the left & updates, etc. at the top of the screen. Another positive is the fact that their site isn't "littered" with "Ads by Google" unlike some other publisher's sites, ie. Battlefront.

Not a criticism but I generally buy my HPS titles from NWS however as their prices are better than HPS'.

[Xaver]

I do the same, buy in NWS, game manual is the same in all serie games (except notes) and i have now problems with storage (many games, special the oldest with the big boxes) and of course money is money.

HPS web isnt attractive but is easy to navigate, and all patches are the same place for every serie.

EDIT: the only thing i dont like is they dont use the web as a reference for new releases, i need to navigate many forums (is frustrating wait to the last time)

[Mike Abberton]

Also, the website matches the graphics level of the games they sell, so if you like their games (and I generally do) then the level of sophistication of their website is similar and shouldn't offend too much. Simple, effective, and functional and with little graphical flare.

[Copper]

Damn fanboys ;)

Knew if I stuck a stick in the hornets nest it would stir you lot up.

As said before it wasnt a slight against the company or the games but their web site sucks IMO.