Before you dismiss this as "doh, we already asked that in the past, no dice", bear with me for a bit.

What I'm thinking is that we could ask Strategy First to release the source code to the EECH community. The key idea is that we need to convince them that they will sell MORE if they do it than if they don't. To do that, ideally we should show:

a) Data showing that EEAH and EECH sold well since they were put on the GOG.com catalogue.
b) Data showing that EE2 hasn't sold many copies recently.

and if possible

c) Data showing that EECH has sold more than EE2 lately (say, in 2010)

If we can get data proving point c), I think we could make a decent plead for them to release the source code. So the idea of this thread is to compile data to strengthen our point. If/when we have enough data, I can write the petition, we'll all sign it, and we'll send it to them!

What do you more senior EECH folks think? (I'm just a recent fella )

I think it is a great Idea I will sign the petition.. If EECH Is any example of what can be done to EE2 there should be a a bunch of folks who would at least I would hope Try to get the Source code..

EE2 Supports TripleScreens I would like to see this sim get modded more then EECH any more..

Anybody know where I can get a copy of EE2 Desert Operations??

I like the idea too. If the correct conditions are placed on the source code's use, then it only stands to enhance sales.

PROVIDED:

Arneh and other's great work is easily transferable to EECH2. You could give me a copy of the EECH source code tomorrow, but it means nothing to me as a non-programmer. I recall Arneh saying something on this earlier along the lines of the effort required to redo everything in EECH was a bit much.

That said, it is better to have the source out there than not.

Or we could all just play CH when it comes out..

It's a nice initiative!

First of all, Strategy First is just the US publisher, it's G2 Games which owns the rights to EE2, so it's them we have to contact.

Then I see some problems. Publishers are often reluctant to reveal numbers sold, so we'll probably have a hard time getting any numbers from G2 (or Strategy First).
Then I'm not so sure EECH is such a huge hit at GOG. Will probably have a hard time getting actual sales numbers also from GOG, but the number of user ratings should give some indication. Currently EECH has 194 (http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/comanche_vs_hokum) and 154 for EEAH, compared to some of the more popular games which have thousands (e.g. http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/fallout). Compared to some other simulators it's not too far behind though, IL-2 has 574, and Red Baron 338.
Or another way, which doesn't tell numbers, but gives relative sales performance is to select browse games, and sort by "bestselling" (http://www.gog.com/en/catalogue#all_genres/order/bestselling/). EECH is a little below the middle of the list.
Also there is the point that GOG sells EECH for $6, while G2/Strategy First sells EE2 for significantly more, so even if EECH sold more, it might be argued it's because it's much cheaper.


I think what we have to convince them is that EE2 isn't selling any more (hopefully true ), and is practically dead. They can resurrect it and generate more sales (for no cost!) if they release the source code. And we also need to convince them that there is no more comercial life in the EE2 engine, so they are not tempted to release another version of a sim based on it themselves. Because if they want to create more sims themselves they obviously want to keep the source code, so that a modded EE2 doesn't compete with their latest release.



Easily transferable isn't quite it, it will almost certainly be a significant amount of work to move all the work over. But possibly less work than writing a new 3D engine for EECH, which is sort of what we would get (the only thing we really want from the EE2 source code is the more modern 3D engine).

I support! We want ee2 with source code!
Maybe set up a thread on the main forum, more people entered.

I asked Strategy First on November 2009 via mail for the source code. Never got an answer. You will eventually find out that neither G2 nor SF have the rights to release the source code...
Great to see that more and more people want to improve the old EECH. If they would have access to EE2 source...

I think this is a good idea

Does anyone know exactly who to contact about the EE2 code? So far attempts have been made,,but no one will answer back,,probably because we are not contacting the right person,,we have to find a name...

Maybe send them a registered letter with our request,,when we discover who to send it to..

This EE2 3D engine would be much better for sure..

Where do I sign?

I haven't written the petition letter because it makes little sense to write it now, before we have the data we need.

Rest assured that when I do write it I'll let you guys know!

I'd support this as well. Having the updated 3D engine would be great.

I'm drafting up the petition letter, but before we get ahead of ourselves: where do we send it to?

I went to Wikipedia and the entry for "Enemy Engaged 2" says it is published by G2 Games. Both the G2 website and the EE2 website that they link to are dead.

Anyone know who we should contact? Or is perhaps EE2 abandonware?


EDIT: sent GOG.com this message:

Here you go Nephilim

Link- http://www.amazon.de/Enemy-Engaged-Deser...7241&sr=1-2

I think it was only ever released in Europe. I sourced a couple of copies for Graeme and myself years ago but I cant recall where from sorry. DO was the most stable release of EE2 and all the EE2 campaigns could be merged into a DO install without too much effort. We didnt play it much online in its day because very few people in multiplay had it. Hoxdna used to report it as EECH v2 from memory.

regards

Kurtz

Any chance to give this another try?
Maybe just ask for the 3d engine source code?

New object lighting, more polies, higher res textures and Afghanistan and Iran campaigns? Meh...

here's an old thread related to same topic:

old SimHQ thread

HerrKaputt - did you ever get a response to your email to GOG?


I think I could put together some formal emails/letters to the relevant parties. I think the previous email sent to GOG, if it hasn't received a reply, might have been too informal and easily dismissed by them. If we could get some commitment from the experienced modders on here to put their name against it, then we could add some weight to our case.

I don't see any reason at this point why the code shouldn't be released, and if we can show that by releasing it we will improve the game, then it might convince them to agree with us.

It agrees all hundred! Certainly the community improves Enemy Engaged, but game not quickly moves ahead, level of game graphics hardly holds out to level of 2006. In this case Enemy Engaged 2 considerably would help out community and would give new chance to game. I hope at us everything it will turn out!











P.S. Excuse for incorrect English as I use the translator.

I've got business contact details for GOG and Strategy First, so I'll start writing up some correspondence to send to both of them.

In the meantime, I think everyone should go to GOG.com and vote for the request I've added for Enemy Engaged 2

http://www.gog.com/en/wishlist/games/enemy_engaged_2