weapon2010 Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Steve & Moon, I have a question about your production timeline in the "Road Ahead" update of 06/22/2012.Please don't take this as an attack.I have been a loyal supporter since 1999 and I'm not going anywhere.Till this day, the most exciting thing in my gaming life was the training scenario in CMBO.My dad and I messed around with that scenario for days, playing it over and over again.Ok back to the point.Based on the following "Road Ahead" statement I have a few questions. "Combat Mission fans have a lot to look forward to in the next year as the CMx2 game engine continues to produce games at an every faster pace. At the moment we have three games in active development and more planned. While we aren't in a position to make detailed announcements right now, we can tell you what the three are about (in no particular order): 1. CM: Battle for Normandy Module 2. This Module picks up where CM:BN and Commonwealth left off... with the September push out of France to the German border. The content centers around Operation Market Garden, though it covers more ground than just that. The game includes a number of new vehicles, formations, and new terrain models/textures. Adding new terrain, a first for any Module so far, ensures that you feel like you're fighting near Germany and not still back at the beacheads. 2. CM: Eastern Front 1. The first of four Eastern Front "families" starts with Operation Bagration (June 1944) and eventually covers through to the end of the war (May 1945). For many tactical warfare enthusiasts, this period is considered the most tactically interesting since both sides were at their peak of their military technology, organization, and experience. The scope and scale of the combat offers plenty of subject matter to explore. 3. CM: Shock Force 2. Our return to modern warfare is long overdue! Given how close Shock Force 1 was at predicting a conventional conflict in Syria, we're a little nervous about choosing a topic this time around. Especially because we've chosen to simulate a full spectrum conventional conflict between NATO and Russia in the Ukraine. This gives players a rich tactical environment to explore with the most advanced militaries the world has ever seen. Having said that, we hope the politicians aren't insane enough to try it for real. Even thought this is great stuff for a game, it's the last thing this world needs in real life. We have more games planned for 2013, however we are making no formal announcements at this time. These three mini-announcements should be enough to keep you busy for a while" Why do you seem to be so far behind schedule?unforseen production /coding issues? Or are you happy with your production output and you don't consider it to be behind schedule? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davek555 Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 I know Steve is always a bit optimistic with his predictions, but I did think we would get something new by now. Either a new game or a pack of some sort for the existing games. Been kind of a slow year for BFC. Hope there are no major problems behind the scenes. Who knows, maybe they will surprise us with a couple of releases at the end of the year. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oddball_E8 Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Well, apparantly the whole "won't move into houses" bug is slowing everything down to a grind... We were supposed to have the first CMRT patch long ago, and they were supposed to move on to other things. But since this isn't a huge corporation with many coders, they will be immensely slowed down by a persistant bug like this. So basically, it's all down to that one bug it would seem. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanir Ausf B Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Well, apparantly the whole "won't move into houses" bug is slowing everything down to a grind... Fixed weeks ago. It really hasn't been any one thing. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poesel Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 My guess is - and I don't fault them for that! - that their main emphasis is getting BS out before xmas. It may sound a bit cruel but with the current political events there is no better marketing opportunity available. Maybe in half a year when everybody has come to their senses the show is over (in the news). But now having a wargame out with all the current stuff playing in the Ukraine? Pure gold. Given other recent events I wouldn't be surprised if they hired another programmer for SF2! I just hope, for purely personal reasons, they have no time to make a current 'Fulda Gap'. With their track record of predicting crisis... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davek555 Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 My guess is - and I don't fault them for that! - that their main emphasis is getting BS out before xmas. It may sound a bit cruel but with the current political events there is no better marketing opportunity available. Maybe in half a year when everybody has come to their senses the show is over (in the news). But now having a wargame out with all the current stuff playing in the Ukraine? Pure gold. Well they are quickly running out of time for a Christmas release considering it is already late October and the usual 6-8 weeks pre-order period. Plus we usually get more information and an AAR before pre-orders are announced. It is looking more and more like a 2015 release for CMBS. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkerner Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 I always add 6 months to BFC's projections; they get over-optimistic at times. But are they really that far off the June 2012 predictions? Since then we've had Fortress Italy, Gustav Line, Market Garden, Red Thunder, and the 3.0 upgrade for BN/CW/MG. And, the RT patch and Black Sea are both imminent (maybe before Christmas...hard to say). All in all, looks like #1 and #2 targets were hit, and #3 sort of if you consider Black Sea in place of SF2. Still, I keep hoping within the next year, they will crank out several packs for BN and FI/GL, and a new family ('43-'44) for the Eastern Front, and CMSF2! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davek555 Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 I'm beginning to wonder if the upgrading of previous games is such a great idea. I mean it's nice to have the older games updated but it could be slowing down the release schedule quite a bit when BFC has to deal with the upgrades and any problems that might pop up. As more and more games are released, that means more games to be upgraded in the future whenever 4.0 comes out. I guess only BFC could answer whether it is worth their time and effort to keep the older games upgraded continually. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 True, but I hope they do keep up with the upgrading - I really like having the older games get updated with support for the new features and improvements that are added. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sequoia Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 I think making upgrades for the older games is a great long term strategy. It tells buyers their purchases will be supported down the road. Also I think releasing new games/modules too close together can cannibalize sales. I think in general the folks who post here are the most ardent fans and tend to buy everything. I don't think that's true for the customer base as a whole. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 I always add 6 months to BFC's projections; they get over-optimistic at times. Predicting software dev schedules is hard - really hard. It is not like a house where after you have the plans and the foundation is in you can no longer add rooms. With software "rooms" can be added later - it takes great discipline to *not* add features and even more to decide that actually we really need to make that big change to make this release work. My other theory of schedule predictions is if you put the conservative numbers out there people just pack a few more things and chew up the extra time and then when challenges happen you end up missing those predicted dates too. As a customer I would put more emphasis on the list of what they are working on and any implied order to it that they give us just so we have something to look forward to and then just enjoy things as they come. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davek555 Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 I think making upgrades for the older games is a great long term strategy. It tells buyers their purchases will be supported down the road. Also I think releasing new games/modules too close together can cannibalize sales. I think in general the folks who post here are the most ardent fans and tend to buy everything. I don't think that's true for the customer base as a whole. I agree that the people who post here, the hard-core fans, are probably going to buy just about everything BFC puts out, upgrades and all. But that is only a small percentage of the people that buy BFC products. I'm just wondering whether the more casual fans that don't frequent the forums or website that often will buy the upgrades. A new game is more exciting than an upgrade to an older one. Again, BFC is the only one who can answer whether it is profitable and worth their time to keep upgrading their older games. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rake Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Fixed weeks ago. It really hasn't been any one thing. I can only assume that you're talking about this fix being released in the patch??? I've had to quit playing RT because I've tired of wasting HE to open up walls. Units still don't go in; those in, won't come out:mad: 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzz Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 ian is correct. With SW development…”rooms" can be added later - it takes great discipline to *not* add features…” On a substantial non commercial construction, 6 months + (discounting weather, emergencies and Life in general) is easily within a ‘normal’ … standard delay. The home owners (us end users / customers) always want more ‘rooms’ features and we can get them but that adds to the standard delay and expected frustration. I always ask customers, Do you want it fast … or do you want it correct, proper? I can build it either way. Sequoia gets a bullseye “…making upgrades for the older games is a great long term strategy.” I suspect most have not touched all the CMBN/CMFI 3.0 Upgrade features. I have 2 improved games and have not even come close to playing all the stock CMRT content. CMBS is a ’new game’ and I suspect (based on the BFC history) will take all the CM goodness we have seen to date in CMx2 ...wrap it in a kick a** modern setting with new units, features and probably some surprises .... but all this will not stop us from playing CMBN/FI/RT... because they are so much fun:D * I might be as bold to suggest Open the Editor in the game and discover the vast creative possibilities that too infrequently are set aside in the new game lust we all entertain. There are many, many hours of entertainment in the creative process of the Editor in all the CM games * “BFC is the only one who can answer whether it is profitable and worth their time to keep upgrading their older games.” 15+ years into thriving in a niche market … with new project(s) modules, packs, upgrades, etc. in development … = your answer as to how it is working for them … and US… the game consumers. The Road Ahead is vibrant 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Migo441 Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 So... is the sense that we're close enough with Black Sea that we should stop adding the 6 month "reality buffer" to the estimates? In other words, if the working estimate is now release within 3 months, is it really truly 3 months? Or should we still think 6-9 months? I know, I know, hard to say... And sometimes when there's little to no activity on the forums from BF, it's a really good thing. Is there a conventional wisdom regarding the next WWII releases? I know we've heard about the family concept (which may mean three additional base games for the Eastern Front, etc..) and packs. What's likely to happen next? A pack of some sort? Bulge Family Base game? What are we thinking? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weapon2010 Posted October 25, 2014 Author Share Posted October 25, 2014 I wish they would address weapon2010's initial question. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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