Battlefront Campaign pack

[kohlenklau]

I have only published on the repository one small CMFI scenario and have had a CMBN mini-campaign in production now for 2 months. I just helped another guy work on his new soon to be published scenario, I helped him with the strat map, op map, tac map and scenario selection screen cover bitmap images. Maybe a "scenario/campaign building team" concept can give us more scenarios and campaigns?

But like was said in the earlier post on this thread, "get crackin'!"

Don't complain, open the editor and try and make a scenario. Then maybe try a small campaign. If you need help with the usual hard spots like the AI or map or briefing/images, ask for help on the forums. Someone might lend a hand or at least give advice. many kind folks have answered my questions. I have lent a hand like I said above and enjoyed the learning experience. Dividing up the work is actually a smart move as well. Maybe this is for another thread...

[Ales Dvorak]

Some months ago, I have written an e-mail to battlefront and offered them the idea of some kind of "professional" scenario-/campaign designers (including myself ) but I didn´t even get an answer. Probably, they thought I would be crazy

For making a campaign, you need time..., very much time, dozens of hours. And most of us do not have enough time because of their real life (and because of their wifes ).

Regards

Frank

In music, for example, when company came out with a new software synth, 3rd party developers or individuals start selling their own preset packs. Maybe you should try with this approach.

[ASL Veteran]

In music, for example, when company came out with a new software synth, 3rd party developers or individuals start selling their own preset packs. Maybe you should try with this approach.

That can't work for CM scenarios and campaigns because anyone who purchased the first one could just send it to all their friends. Pretty soon everyone would have it for free anyway. In order for it to work there has to be something unique in the pack / module / whatever that's required by the game in order the game to be run. Something like a new piece of equipment or a new piece of terrain etc.

[Ales Dvorak]

That can't work for CM scenarios and campaigns because anyone who purchased the first one could just send it to all their friends. Pretty soon everyone would have it for free anyway. In order for it to work there has to be something unique in the pack / module / whatever that's required by the game in order the game to be run. Something like a new piece of equipment or a new piece of terrain etc.

Same problem with preset packs and some audio plugins ( without copy protection - serial or Ilok ). I think this depends on buyer's decision ( gentleman agreement ). Sure, he can give pack or plugin somebody else for free. This is not cool and it's against the law, but this is story of today's music business.

A new piece of equipment or a new piece of terrain is in BF hands not scenario designers.

[umlaut]

Some months ago, I have written an e-mail to battlefront and offered them the idea of some kind of "professional" scenario-/campaign designers (including myself

Well, you would have to consider the implications of that. If you begin selling your scenarios and campaigns, the users will suddenly become your customers. And it is a customer´s priviledge to complain, moan, bitch, gripe and make all kinds of demands regarding the content of his purchase.

Theoretically, at least. Noone in the CM community would of course ever dream of doing that.

[vonRocko]

So I guess the answer to my original question is: no, battlefront does not plan on making more campaigns to BUY.(not give).

[Rocky Balboa]

Not necessarily, no response could mean they are evaluating the idea and not ready to respond yet. If they were flat out opposed to the notion then I can assure you Steve has no problem saying so. Bottom line, BF is a business and if there is money to be made then they might do it.

Question, for those who be would be willing to pay for well done scenario/Campaign pack, how many scenarios/campaigns would you want to see in such a pack and how much would you be willing to pay for it?

[Rocky Balboa]

Question, for those who be would be willing to pay for well done scenario/Campaign pack, how many scenarios/campaigns would you want to see in such a pack and how much would you be willing to pay for it?

Why Rocky, I'm glad you posed such a thought provoking question, I'll start off by saying ....

I would pay $15 to $20 for a well done scenario/campaign pack that had roughly the same amount of content as a module does. That would be 15 - 20 well made scenarios and 1-2 campaigns. Throw in some additional quick battle maps and $20.00 is a no brainer.

That's less that $1 per piece of content and who could quibble with that?

[Nidan1]

As I think has been mentioned before, to my understanding anyway, scenarios and campaigns, even going back to the CMx1 days, that were created after the release of the main game were always free and available to the community on several different websites.

Sometimes the only requirement to obtain really good quality human designed battles and campaigns was to join a ladder club or a wargaming website.

Players designed and made available to the community, hundreds of battles free of charge. I don't see that trend changing much, unless the desire to design and produce CMx2 battles and campaigns dries up.

[Mr.X]

The problem of making really good scenarios/campaigns for CMx2 is the time, one has to invest. A CMx1 scenario, one could create in 5-6 hours - a campaign for CMx2 needs 3-4 month, if one really works hard.

And the more modules (Eastfront for example) are coming, the more it will become difficult, to create such campaigns, because until now, there are only maximum 12-15 designers who are doing this. So may be, if I should win the 25 000 000 Euro of the German Jackpot this weekend, there will be some more campaigns

Regards

Frank

[Rocky Balboa]

As I think has been mentioned before, to my understanding anyway, scenarios and campaigns, even going back to the CMx1 days, that were created after the release of the main game were always free and available to the community on several different websites.

Sometimes the only requirement to obtain really good quality human designed battles and campaigns was to join a ladder club or a wargaming website.

Players designed and made available to the community, hundreds of battles free of charge. I don't see that trend changing much, unless the desire to design and produce CMx2 battles and campaigns dries up.

Nothing has or will changed in this respect. Those designers that have the time to make free content will continue to do so. BF selling content would not prevent or hamper that effort any more than it does today when they release scenarios / campaigns with a module or base game.

[Rocky Balboa]

The problem of making really good scenarios/campaigns for CMx2 is the time, one has to invest. A CMx1 scenario, one could create in 5-6 hours - a campaign for CMx2 needs 3-4 month, if one really works hard.

And the more modules (Eastfront for example) are coming, the more it will become difficult, to create such campaigns, because until now, there are only maximum 12-15 designers who are doing this. So may be, if I should win the 25 000 000 Euro of the German Jackpot this weekend, there will be some more campaigns

Regards

Frank

To make it worth the designers and the publishers(BF) time it would need to be profitable for both parties. Lets assume a scenario/campaign pack was sold for $20.00 with 50% of proceeds going to the designers(s). I'm just throwing out numbers here because my numbers may have no basis in reality or what is economically feasible for either party.

However, if 1000 copies were sold, would that be enough to compensate the designer(s) for their time?

I personally would pay $20 for good quality content and of course if that content wasn't what I determined to be good quality then I might not buy the next pack.

[vonRocko]

I would gladly pay $20-$25 for 2 or 3 new campaigns.

[Mr.X]

I personally would pay 20$ for a good campaign pack, too. And any designer could be working as a kind of free-lancer. He would create a campaign and offer the result to Battlefront. They would take a look at it and say "Yes - it´s worth to be sold" or "No - try again, the quality isn´t good enough" (and in this case, the designer could decide, if he wants to give his work for free to the repository or if he wants to delete it). This way, I am sure, we would see much more high quality campaigns, because there would be more motivation for talented designers to spend sooooo much time for CM.

[Lt Belenko]

Has Battlefront ever considered making a campaign pack to sell? For me, the campaigns are the most fun, and I would gladly pay for extra campaigns. Just wondering.

Thanks

Read the EULA. Against policy to sell scenarios, mods or anything else.

[hoolaman]

Battlefront have planned in the past to deliver new vehicles/oob content packs WITHOUT campaigns or scenarios. So it seems the exact opposite of your wish is likely.

"Official" campaigns and independent scenarios are extremely time consuming to create, compile and playtest, and they compete against free content from the community.

[kohlenklau]

....trying to answer the main question of this thread vs getting up on a soap box like I maybe did before...

I would not pay for new scenarios and campaigns.

I would not want things to go that direction.

More detail if you care to read: The huge and time lengthy stock scenarios and campaigns are often not my cup of tea. I prefer tiny to small and on the shorter length scenarios. Somewhat due to my computer power and personal life of how much time I can spare towards sitting and playing but sincerely because I often get lost in the massive number of all those squads. I have achieved total victory in a 1hour40minute battalion-size battle but feel less connected at the end. I like to see the granular action of certain squads and soldiers. I doubt my cup of tea would be on the CD they sell.