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RickC Sniper · 08-06-11, 02:42 PM

I'll give it a try.
Subsim created a sister site called SubClub in anticipation of the release of SHII. SHII promised interop play with Destroyer Command. (Subs attacking convoys....Destroyers protecting convoys.

SHII however, was released in a bad state and the highly anticipated multiplay vs Destroyers was faulty and unacceptable.

Neal, D. Doutel, myself and a few others were beta testers for the multiplayer aspect of the game just before SHII was released. Testing required coordination so we all hooked up via Yahoo voice chat before launching the games. Some of us in Subs, some in Destroyers. That is where I got to know Duane.

Eventually, once it was realized the multiplay aspect was terribly flawed and it was apparant no patch to fix it was ever going to come, Neal convinced the company to release the code to him. Doutel was an out of work programmer and really believed he could fix the code, but he wanted some compensation. Neal arranged to have the code sent to him, and Subclub started a huge fundraiser, with what we raised going to Duane.

The fundraiser and repair was named " Projekt Messerwetzer".

Eventually, Duane did have a few successes regarding connectivity so he improved things slightly but never to the point of calling things "fixed".
Eventually I think at some point he stopped working on it. Our fundraiser had run it's course so there was no more $$ being sent.

Around that point, other members who were skilled programmers wanted to have a go at the code in an attempt to repair it. That is where things got a bit ugly.

Duane was asked to release the code and he refused, believing the devs had released it to him and no one else. He broke off contact, and SubClub and Neal petitioned him to release the code, or at lease communicate further.
Frustration is the best word I can think of to describe the whole thing.

Neal stated above that it did not end well. A heck of an understatement.

.......This is from memory (and a pretty old, worn out one) so Neal, if I stated something incorrectly please feel free to correct me.

08-06-11, 02:42 PM	#3
RickC Sniper Undetectable Join Date: Sep 1999 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,221 Downloads: 132 Uploads: 0	I'll give it a try. Subsim created a sister site called SubClub in anticipation of the release of SHII. SHII promised interop play with Destroyer Command. (Subs attacking convoys....Destroyers protecting convoys. SHII however, was released in a bad state and the highly anticipated multiplay vs Destroyers was faulty and unacceptable. Neal, D. Doutel, myself and a few others were beta testers for the multiplayer aspect of the game just before SHII was released. Testing required coordination so we all hooked up via Yahoo voice chat before launching the games. Some of us in Subs, some in Destroyers. That is where I got to know Duane. Eventually, once it was realized the multiplay aspect was terribly flawed and it was apparant no patch to fix it was ever going to come, Neal convinced the company to release the code to him. Doutel was an out of work programmer and really believed he could fix the code, but he wanted some compensation. Neal arranged to have the code sent to him, and Subclub started a huge fundraiser, with what we raised going to Duane. The fundraiser and repair was named " Projekt Messerwetzer". Eventually, Duane did have a few successes regarding connectivity so he improved things slightly but never to the point of calling things "fixed". Eventually I think at some point he stopped working on it. Our fundraiser had run it's course so there was no more $$ being sent. Around that point, other members who were skilled programmers wanted to have a go at the code in an attempt to repair it. That is where things got a bit ugly. Duane was asked to release the code and he refused, believing the devs had released it to him and no one else. He broke off contact, and SubClub and Neal petitioned him to release the code, or at lease communicate further. Frustration is the best word I can think of to describe the whole thing. Neal stated above that it did not end well. A heck of an understatement. .......This is from memory (and a pretty old, worn out one) so Neal, if I stated something incorrectly please feel free to correct me. __________________ Support Subsim http://www.subsim.com/store.html Last edited by RickC Sniper; 08-07-11 at 01:29 PM.