Impulse: Phase 3 Preview
Monday, February 9, 2009 by Frogboy | Discussion: PC Gaming
Impulse Phase 2
In June, Impulse was initially launched and in the 6 months since then, it has evolved and changed dramatically for the better.
In our development schedule, we came up with 3 phases for it. Phase 2 was released last Fall and introduced a server side platform called Impulse Reactor which provides multiplayer matchmaking and an updated UI.
Impulse: Phase 1
So what’s in store for Phase 3?
The next major iteration of Impulse is due April 7th. And it will include the following new features:
Impulse Client updates:
- Player Rankings. Players will be able to see how they rank in a variety of games initially those that make use of Impulse Reactor. Demigod will be the first game to make full use of these new features.
- Achievements. Games for Windows Live integration will probably not be ready for Phase 3 but per game achievements will begin to show.
- Community Enhancements.
- My Impulse. This new default page for the community tab will let players manage friends lists, events, etc.
Impulse Anywhere:
A new web-based edition of Impulse is going to be created. PC software can be huge in size and downloading to your home PC is not always a viable option. Impulse Anywhere will allow users to download a .Impulse file from a website and take it home to install via Impulse on their home PC.
Impulse NOW:
A tiny new tray application will be able to be optionally used to keep users up to date on updates and let them quickly and easily access Impulse features. Best of all, it’ll be tiny in memory so users will be able to manage to keep up to date more easily than ever without having to have a client loaded.
Impulse Builder:
This new program will allow developers to start to easily submit their software to Impulse. You have a game? An application? And want to share it with the world? Impulse Builder will let you submit it. Our moderators will evaluate it and as long as it meets our quality threshold, it’ll be available to the public. This will open up Impulse to thousands of freeware, shareware, and commercial programs that they can manage through Impulse (hence easy updating, etc.).
Impulse Reactor Phase 3:
Impulse is a server based solution. What this means is that its functionality is provided via dozens of data centers distributed throughout the world. The features of Impulse do not come from the client. This is a big deal for developers because they can make use of features of Impulse without having to distribute the client.
One of the areas Stardock has been working on is in developing IP protection for publishers that also adheres to the Gamers Bill of Rights.
For game developers, Impulse Reactor Phase 3 provides features like multiplayer match-making that eliminates the need for players opening specific ports (if you’ve ever had to mess with your router to do port forwarding, you should insist to developers that they start using Impulse Reactor). It also supports achievements, rankings, tournaments, etc. And it’s free.
But for publishers, it also supports IP protection. A developer merely had to run the Impulse Reactor wrapper and then the game or application will make use of the IP protection that Stardock has been using for years. The reason this is a big deal is that it doesn’t require developers to alter source code or have different versions of their programs. One version, good protection, consumer friendly (no hassles), platform neutral (doesn’t force anyone to install a client, store, or even become a user of Impulse), and incredibly easy to use.
Beyond
Impulse Phase 3 launches just before Demigod. Demigod will really help show off some of the cool stuff that Impulse can do.
I think when Impulse’s first birthday comes up in June, people will be shocked at how much it’s changed and improved in such a short amount of time. And then we can start talking about Phase 4 which we have some really exciting things planned for. 
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Reply #2 Monday, February 9, 2009 8:17 PM
I'm excited. I can see in phase 2 (and saw in phase 1) that there was room for impulse reactor driven games to have interactive features, but I was sad because the games I had didn't have such features. I can't wait to see the games that will.
Reply #4 Monday, February 9, 2009 8:30 PM
You know, Impulse has been out for less than a year...
And you guys are already working on the third major version?! Steam had better watch out! (I honestly can't think of anything other than 'shopping' they do better than you... and that's mostly because they have the big games to throw up, and you don't, yet)
Reply #5 Monday, February 9, 2009 8:34 PM
Suitably epic.
Reply #6 Monday, February 9, 2009 9:04 PM
Comes out April 7th? exactly one week before Demigod comes out 4/14. coincidence? 
Reply #7 Monday, February 9, 2009 9:14 PM
It's almost hard to grasp the idea that impulse has only been around for a year. Certain other services have remained largely the same for much longer periods of time.
Leaps and bounds.
Reply #8 Monday, February 9, 2009 9:22 PM
I just wish that it was more like Stardock Central, and less like Steam. I loved how just plain functional the interface on Stardock central was - you could tell at a glance if you had the most recent version, or whether you were missing something. Impulse is a little more convoluted than that.
I can honestly say that I liked SDC better than Steam in most ways, but I actually like Steam better than Impulse in most ways. Impulse has managed to take a very functional and intuitive SDC and make it less intuitive to the point that trying to change things is frustrating (to me at least)
At least Impulse has done the store function better than SDC. One thing that would make that better would be to have the ability to cycle through the example pictures without having to close the IE window and open a new one each time.
The new features sound pretty nice. I hope this exceeds your expectations when you are finished! I did not mean to sound angry, or be mean, I just wanted to express that Impulse reminds me of GC1. A great game and concept, but a poor UI that made trying to play the game a chore. I hope that you are able to make the interface more user friendly and make accessing the features more intuitive.
Reply #9 Monday, February 9, 2009 9:50 PM
Woot - this could be the way to distribute new Sins maps I have been asking for for the last few months... Blair has said that the Sins engine cannot do it, so I have been asking for Impulse to do it.... We just need to have some map packs uploaded and put in the Sins freeware section!!!
Reply #11 Tuesday, February 10, 2009 9:14 AM
And what about people that want to know that an update is available but don't want to update yet, especially if it might render their savegames incompatible with the latest version?
Reply #12 Tuesday, February 10, 2009 9:35 AM
A tiny new tray application will be able to be optionally used to keep users up to date on updates and let them quickly and easily access Impulse features. Best of all, it’ll be tiny in memory so users will be able to manage to keep up to date more easily than ever without having to have a client loaded.
And what about people that want to know that an update is available but don't want to update yet, especially if it might render their savegames incompatible with the latest version?
Wouldn't you just not use this little feature then? It is optional after all. Unless you somehow want to be kept up to date without being up to date 
.
Reply #13 Tuesday, February 10, 2009 9:58 AM
I know that it will be optionnal. Maybe I have misuderstood what the OP says. I found it strange that we have no middle way bewteen:
- you launch Impulse to see if there are updates and if you want to install them
and
- you use the tray application which will do the updates automatically
BTW, I haven't checked the functionnalities of the Impulse dock.
Reply #14 Tuesday, February 10, 2009 10:26 AM
Yeah, reading it myself, Brad's statement might be a bit unclear but it certainly seems more to me that he means "up to date on updates" in a knowledge sense, not a patching sense. I'd imagine Impulse would still need to do any actual updating.
Reply #15 Tuesday, February 10, 2009 11:29 AM
I just wish that it was more like Stardock Central, and less like Steam. I loved how just plain functional the interface on Stardock central was - you could tell at a glance if you had the most recent version, or whether you were missing something. Impulse is a little more convoluted than that.
I can honestly say that I liked SDC better than Steam in most ways, but I actually like Steam better than Impulse in most ways. Impulse has managed to take a very functional and intuitive SDC and make it less intuitive to the point that trying to change things is frustrating (to me at least)
At least Impulse has done the store function better than SDC. One thing that would make that better would be to have the ability to cycle through the example pictures without having to close the IE window and open a new one each time.
The new features sound pretty nice. I hope this exceeds your expectations when you are finished! I did not mean to sound angry, or be mean, I just wanted to express that Impulse reminds me of GC1. A great game and concept, but a poor UI that made trying to play the game a chore. I hope that you are able to make the interface more user friendly and make accessing the features more intuitive.
We're definitely open to suggestions. The more specific, the better.
Reply #16 Tuesday, February 10, 2009 11:38 AM
Great stuff to hear. I look forward to seeing it all in action. I wish you guys the best of luck with this endevor.
Reply #17 Tuesday, February 10, 2009 11:40 AM
does a new version of impulse mean new games? I'm craving for Company of Heroes to come out. my german version makes my ears bleed because of the bad translations and the lack of the wit of the english edition.
Reply #18 Tuesday, February 10, 2009 11:50 AM
Company of Heroes is coming, there's going to be a new master version of the original game that we're waiting on.
Reply #19 Tuesday, February 10, 2009 11:51 AM
One bizarre suggestion, try to get Japanese dojin games on board with Impulse. It might just work. Think companies like Cave or the people behind Melty Blood.
Also wouldn't mind seeing Kohan: Ahriman's Gift on Impulse
Reply #20 Tuesday, February 10, 2009 1:46 PM
Martimuscomment 8
I just wish that it was more like Stardock Central, and less like Steam. I loved how just plain functional the interface on Stardock central was - you could tell at a glance if you had the most recent version, or whether you were missing something. Impulse is a little more convoluted than that.
I can honestly say that I liked SDC better than Steam in most ways, but I actually like Steam better than Impulse in most ways. Impulse has managed to take a very functional and intuitive SDC and make it less intuitive to the point that trying to change things is frustrating (to me at least)
At least Impulse has done the store function better than SDC. One thing that would make that better would be to have the ability to cycle through the example pictures without having to close the IE window and open a new one each time.
The new features sound pretty nice. I hope this exceeds your expectations when you are finished! I did not mean to sound angry, or be mean, I just wanted to express that Impulse reminds me of GC1. A great game and concept, but a poor UI that made trying to play the game a chore. I hope that you are able to make the interface more user friendly and make accessing the features more intuitive.
We're definitely open to suggestions. The more specific, the better.
One suggestion (Other than the picture suggestion above) is to make the download location an option when you first install the program, or even for each installation of purchased programs. It took me a while to figure out how to reroute where the programs were being installed, and I saw on your forums (when I did a search to find the solution) that it was a common problem.
I would also love to see the version number prominently displayed next to the program, along with the most current version available; like what was done with Stardock Central.
One other issue I have had is that around 2/3 of the downloads I had with Impulse have been corrupted, prompting me to re-download the entire program. This causes me to leave my computer on overnight, or during the day again to d/l the program again. It is an annoyance, but not a UI caused annoyance. If that is fixed, it would be a great help to keep people from getting frustrated at the service. (there aren't many more frustrating things than waiting for a very long time to get something, and when it is finnally done find out you have to do it again.)
I can't think of anything else off the top of my head, but if I do, I will be sure to give more suggestions.
I apologize for not suggesting improvements a while back, when the issues were still fresh in my head. I may try using the interface a little bit more to get a better feel for it to provide better feedback.
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Reply #1 Monday, February 9, 2009 8:09 PM
Sounds great.