Demo Release.

**Polemists** · 02-11-2009, 14:14

Apparently now the consensus is that the demo is a leaked demo video given to the press a month ago. Is it or not? I dunno

The Aus guy (who was qutoed earlier about demo) is back, and apparently people are discussing this over at steams forums.

So if you want official news, i'd suggest you go read over there.

**gollum** · 02-11-2009, 14:17

burning coal under some peoples sit - heh.

!it burnsus!

**Polemists** · 02-11-2009, 14:37

OFFICIAL DEMO NEWs

http://shoguntotalwar.yuku.com/topic/42290

Where to start? Well first of all yes we are aware a version of our incomplete demo code has been leaked via Steam. We had great fun watching it being played live on webcam, I can assure you.

The easiest way to address all this is to do a short QA style format, any subsequent questions please just ask and I'll answer.

i. If the demo was ready and on steam why didn't you just release it?

The demo was on Steam only for testing purposes, we knew there was a small chance it could become public if someone found the right way to get at it and someone did. It's since been removed. It wasn't ready for a public release and we have a bit more to do on it. We were testing to ensure that when a demo is released nobody has any problems accessing and authenticating it via Steam. It's slightly dangerous code security wise but at some point we had to test it.

ii. Why did you close all the threads and info on the demo?

The real answer is 'duplication'. Having a leak is embarrasing but it's not too bad. We just didn't want the method of 'how' to be shared. We're aware everyone wants the code and the demo but this isn't ready yet. It might look ready, but there is genuinly more to do. Hence we needed to ensure the 'how to' isn't rapidly duplicated before we can remove the code. We don't want thousands of you having incomplete code. I know it's maddening, but think of it like this: We take pride in polishing things at CA, even if its behind the code stuff that goes unseen, it's important to us that quality is our top priority (You may remember we even moved the release date for this reason) so please understand this is our love and we don't do 'just good enough', with demos or full releases.

iii. When will we get the demo we want?

I'm not toying with you when I say very soon. It really isn't too far away. Annoyingly I can't put a date on it, because development is not a quantative process. There will be a demo for general release and it will be soon, it's not a hype machine it's quality control.

iv. What about the guy that did it?

I want to say something a little controversial here. The exploit was our weakness, and as long as he didn't break any user agreements or laws in getting hold of the demo via Steam then there's no issue here, but that is for Valve to confirm not me. From CA's point of view I want to give the guy my thanks and respect that he's said he deliberately won't pirate the incomplete demo he's got out of respect for the game, I hope he stays true to that statement. He was also really rather complimentary in his commentary whilst playing live and whilst I can't condone or encourage what he did I would suggest that when demoing live one should always try grouping ships in custom formation (Organise then hit g on selected ships) and also account for the wind a little more when playing. In all seriousness, I can't speak about any potential legal issues but what I can say from the dev perspective is, we hoped you liked it (Those watching as well as him playing) despite it being unfinished and thanks for respecting our game and our community at large by ceasing broadcast and not redistributing. We'd ask that that be the end of the matter so we can leave it in the friendly spirit it's at now.

Now, let the questions and statements begin!

Kind regards,
Kieran

**Polemists** · 02-11-2009, 14:43

Bad news:

We still don't have demo

Good news:

The demo will involve ships

Also now you don't have soon, you have "Very soon" so it's closer then it used to be

**Fisherking** · 02-11-2009, 14:57

For those wishing to pass the time…most of us…

Go to youtube and search Empire Total War Demo…there are several clips…but I won’t post links because of language content and so on…

It will kill some time….LOL

**Marten** · 02-11-2009, 15:08

Reaction time on leak demos is very fast, if i may say so.

I am no software developer and i liked very much what i saw (even in a streaming vid with bad quality and taken from the left side of his monitor) - so i don't know what has to be polished on the graphics.

My thoughts: They are combining a complete demo from a land and a naval battle (because the demo in the vid was named "navalbattleonly"). And it will be out this friday, i bet!

And the demo will have 3,5 gig ...

**Marten** · 02-11-2009, 15:20

And because i cannot edit my posts - i want to add to my post above:

Fenir, i salute you for foreseeing todays unintended demo release! :bow

I will never ever complain about your misleading titles ... i promise.