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The CM1 games (CMBO, CMBB and CMAK) were incredibly good value as those three enabled one to play any era and any theatre of WW2 and each included almost every type of unit an average WW2 gamer could imagine.  They should have cost several hundred $ each.  (Well, CMBB and CMAK shoulda.)  But, that pricing point wasn't realistic for consumers.

Presumably if BF tried to duplicate CM1 in CM2 it would take far longer and each game would need to cost $300-$400.  It makes $ sense to break each era and theatre into individual modules - so BF can in effect charge several hundred $ for each "family" - but since one pays in "installments" it's not so painful as forking out huge $ in one go.

The challenge is now that we have many different games on our HD's - a large % of space used for mostly duplicate content, plus a complex system of upgrades and modules, and such a slow rate of production of new content that one wonders if we'll ever see the early eras before CM3, assuming there will be a CM3, b4 many of the customer base burn out or die off. 

But since CM remains a labor of love by such a small company. and no one else is doing anything of this quality, we have to be grateful that BF is developing this amazing game system at all.

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9 minutes ago, Erwin said:

The challenge is now that we have many different games on our HD's - a large % of space used for mostly duplicate content, plus a complex system of upgrades and modules

There is no "complex system of upgrades and modules".  There is a single download per family that you apply your license (s) against.  Likely as simple as it can get.  If you buy just the base game of CMBN you DL the same thing as if you download the big bundle.  Your license decides what you get to play.  Yes it did take some time to get to that point, but that has been the reality for a little while now.

 

Edited by sburke
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9 minutes ago, Erwin said:

Presumably if BF tried to duplicate CM1 in CM2 it would take far longer and each game would need to cost $300-$400.  It makes $ sense to break each era and theatre into individual modules - so BF can in effect charge several hundred $ for each "family" - but since one pays in "installments" it's not so painful as forking out huge $ in one go.

They could theoretically do that with the license model as well, but BF has explicitly stated on several occasions that the issue is they can't build the game that way, not that they can't price it that way.  They can't be any clearer about it yet people keep making this suggestion that somehow they could, but decided for pricing or some other reason that they didn't.  It is a false assumption.

We gamers seem to not understand that the game engine is dependent on a lot of things including the ToE structure.  The ToE for even the German Army alone is all over the place throughout the war.  That factor has been a big part of BF determining how the families get built.  Folks might just want to consider some of the items BF has been pointing out that we seem to conveniently ignore if it disrupts our pet theories on why they do what they do.

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23 minutes ago, sburke said:

not sure how you can conclude it would be easy when BF explicitly states that it would not.

I appreciate your impatience, but that does not reflect BF "abandoning" CMBS.  Hell look at how long it took between the first release of CMSF and CMBN coming out.  Everyone is in your position regardless of which game family they prefer.  Eastern Front folks waited a long time for Red Thunder.  Those of us who really like Shock force have waited 6 years from the release of CMBN before we even heard BF would actually consider updating it to the current engine so if you want to start on the "abandoned" bandwagon, get in line.  We CMSF fans were here first.  :D 

CMSF was my first Combat Mission, but in relation to that one I'm not expecting anything at all. Yes, even after hints about 4.0 update for it (enough waiting as it is)

Well at least that one has a huge amount of content, since it was the only focus of Battlefront when it came out (a shining example) - and to me at least has some content left, I've completed all but two campaigns and a majority of single battles.

But eh at least WW2 CM gets some kind of a major release (be it a "full" game or a module) almost every year (and even then it's quite "fractured" between various games), while a modern one takes forever.

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"...gamers seem to not understand that the game engine is dependent on a lot of things including the ToE structure."

Of course most of us understand that.  But, CM1 managed to feature a pretty comprehensive set of ToE's for the entire war.  So, it's not that it's impossible.  BF chose to do things in a certain way for whatever good reasons they had at the time.  And that's fine.  But, one would have to be an uber-fanatic to insist that it has been ideal.

Edited by Erwin
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1 hour ago, Erwin said:

"...gamers seem to not understand that the game engine is dependent on a lot of things including the ToE structure."

Of course most of us understand that.  But, CM1 managed to feature a pretty comprehensive set of ToE's for the entire war.  So, it's not that it's impossible.  BF chose to do things in a certain way for whatever good reasons they had at the time.  And that's fine.  But, one would have to be an uber-fanatic to insist that it has been ideal.

Not sure what your point is.  Maybe not ideal, but I don't think I have heard a better option from anyone who actually knows what the limitations are that drove BF's decision.

As an example- you complained that having multiple families means wasted space on the hard drive for repeat files.  Compare the size of the data folder to the over all game folder. I'll give you a hint - most of the game size is the data folder.  Going back to your complaint.  If everything was in one single Combat Mission game as individual modules and I did not want CMFI, I now have 10 gb of data unnecessarily.  That is more than the rest of the files combined for every single family including modern. The data folder generally represents about 90% of the file size of the game. All told if you add up all the data files for the CMx2 families it is something like 47 gb.  The alternative is to do what you complained about previously and keep the modules as separately downloadable.  So which is it? How is breaking up the modules from what is now a single download for all of CMBN better?

Another example - tank riders.  Having CMRT as a separate family allowed BF to introduce them without impacting existing games.  The single family model would have meant a discrepancy of behavior within the single game depending on which theater you selected and the time frame of that theater.  The alternative is that BF would have to redesign ALL the models in the game and we would have even less content now.

Rather than criticize BF's decision I'd like to hear someone explain how they would do it differently that would have worked better and not do it by making assumptions like "they could do it in CMx1 so obviously they should be able to do it with CMx2".  BF explicitly said that wasn't an option so unless you think you know better than Steve how the game works, that is pretty much a non starter.  For someone who says of course we understand about the ToEs, you seem to forget the ToE structure in CMx2 is very different from CMx1.  Hell just look how much trouble the ToE difference in CMFI gave Steve in getting that game up to 4.0.  You can't compare apples and oranges when you are baking lasagna.... or something like that...

I don't consider myself an uber fanatic, but in looking at the constraints I would have to say I think BF made the right call.  Would I like something simpler with everything in one place that allowed me to select Russians versus Americans in the editor?  Oh man you bet your ass I would.  I just take a step back though and look at what would have to work for that to happen.  And what would have to happen is that Steve would have to be wrong.  That isn't something I am likely to bet on.  Besides is it really so difficult to have 4 shortcuts versus one?  

 

 

 

 

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Somehow isn't an issue for DCS or Graviteam Tactics (which at first was purely WW2 setting, but expanded into mid-Cold War era). Like adding aforementioned riders wouldn't affect other games at all - it isn't like you'd have to mandatory redo all existing content (although that would've been nice just from a 'doing good thing' perspective)

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3 hours ago, kraze said:

Somehow isn't an issue for DCS or Graviteam Tactics (which at first was purely WW2 setting, but expanded into mid-Cold War era). Like adding aforementioned riders wouldn't affect other games at all - it isn't like you'd have to mandatory redo all existing content (although that would've been nice just from a 'doing good thing' perspective)

How is comparing a completely different game relevant to this?  I could just as well ask why are war in the east, war in the west and war in the pacific 3 different games?  Pointless, they are not CM they don’t have the same issues and it does nothing to further this conversation. 

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One time I was playing a CMRT scenario and was playing German side and drove my Pzkw Mk IV into a little villa with some woods, where it was ambushed by some

Russian SMG squads. A  lucky grenade or molotov hit caused the crew to bail out . I remember chuckling as they stood in aggressive poses, popping away at the Russians with their pistols, seconds later they were slaughtered by the Soviets ppsh - smg  fire. I was amazed that the German crew was so brave and defiant. Normally, as you all know armor crews become  shaken/broken right after they bail out and they almost never rally. What is going on? I am not off topic because it has to do with the title of this thread. 

Edited by J Bennett
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Regardless about comparing game X, Y, or Z, CM2 has been struggling delivering content across its games for a bit now...for whatever reasons  Looking at the discussions about new modules for CMFB, CMFI, and CMBS, we may be talking years before we see the modules that were discussed in the past.  My concern is the slow grinding away of the fan base.  Outside this forum and a couple others, no one is talking about CM any more.  Without a steady stream of content across a fragmented game portfolio, people move on to other games.  Just look at this site and the one or two other sites.  There are few new players.  Older players slowly drop off.  The math isn't difficult.  The site that should most be all over CM, grogheads, goes months without it being mentioned.

On top of that, until recently, it was not easy to upgrade and download modules.  CM has the reputation of being as difficult as Graviteam used to be.  It took Graviteam moving to Stream to get over that perception issue.

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Perceptions can be very misleading. I have two neighbors on my street who have suddenly expressed interest and one is actively trying it. You’d never know that from a forum post so I pretty much distrust anyone telling me what they think is going on that does not have access to actual sales and download data. No offense but you and I don’t have anything but circumstantial data to work on.

i do however agree that some new content could not possibly hurt.  BF however is far more acutely aware of that than we are and has a lot more skin in the game. I have a lot of faith in their business acumen and track record. Their history speaks for itself. 

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All I can tell you is what I see around the internet.  I have no way to correlate that except through my opinion and my experience in business.  There was a ton of activity on this forum from official BFC people and then Chris and Phil just a couple years ago.  Now, its rare.  It might all be for valid reasons.  But it is very noticeable.

Real world anecdotal info...I used to play with a group of six friends all the way through CM1.  When CMSF came out, we last a couple.  Now, not a single one is left playing except me.  The youngest is in his mid thirties and the oldest is sixty-one.  That should be the sweet spot for all of them.  They still play games.  I play Steel Beasts with two of them and several of them play Command.  Every now and then, I will PBEM CM1 with one that moved away.  Four of us get together a couple times a year to play ASL.  I am the only one left who plays CM, and even that is casual.  I continue to hold out hope that a ton of content will get dropped on us soon, but that hope is dwindling.

I can only judge a game's state by a few things...patch frequency, DLC frequency, new products, home forum activity, web activity, and my own personal world activity.  I also consider the comings and goings of the company.  BFC is down on all of those in my book.  Again, hoping its some kind of two year lull before the storm.

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I think there is much more going on behind the scenes, than it seems.

1. Battlefront management is not interested in spreading info about CM on the net. Zero modern internet advertisement. Which is strange, because for something that is unknown to probably 90% of potential customers, making it well known, can have a huge impact on sales.

2. They use their forum as NATO-propaganda outlet. Politics is poison for business. Ask thge NFL. :D

In Europe, South America, China, Japan, North Africa people are very sceptical. Why is a software company actively disrespecting the political views of so many of its potential customers and pushing a certain view? From a business point of view it makes no sense, too.

3. The scenarios for the modern Russian or Axis player lack atmosphere and are not authentic. Since 50% of the players are playing that side this is anti-business, too.

4. The shop is not up to date, not user friendly, has no info for new customers to quickly understand what product is needed. Some info is severely outdated.

5. Searching in the repository: by default all available products are ticked. Customers usually want one product to search for. After years, still no option to untick all games? Not customer friendly, too.

6. The development of the game engine is not aimed to expand the customer base or keep the base.

 

By taking these aspects into consideration, I come to the conclusion: they do not really need retail customers...

Maybe there was a buyout some time ago, or they have a contract with a NATO-country.

Edited by CarlWAW
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1 hour ago, CarlWAW said:

By taking these aspects into consideration, I come to the conclusion: they do not really need retail customers...

Maybe there was a buyout some time ago, or they have a contract with a NATO-country.

I dont know about all that but for some reason, I just thought of a new "modern" Cm game that could be pretty neat. Why not an India vs Pakistan based CMx2 title.

 Those people hate each other.

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"I have two neighbors on my street who have suddenly expressed interest and one is actively trying it." 

Well that decides the debate then.  CM2 is completely 100% successful, the $ is pouring in, and whomever dares to question that is a wanker.   B)

BTW:  I bet their mothers also became instant fans.  

(Sorry in advance - couldn't resist...)

Edited by Erwin
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1 minute ago, Ivan Zaitzev said:

Is there a reason the games are not on Steam? The modules could be adapted sold as DLC, Steam has all sorted out.

Please don't start that again.  That has been debated so often here and every thread eventually gets locked because of it.  BF has explicitly stated they are not interested.  They have given reasons, but they frankly don't matter here as they aren't going to debate it and will simply close this thread when they get tired of us debating it.  It isn't gonna happen.

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2 minutes ago, Erwin said:

"I have two neighbors on my street who have suddenly expressed interest and one is actively trying it."  Well that decides the debate it then.  CM2 is completely 100% successful, the $ is pouring in, and whomever dares to question that is a wanker.

BTW:  I bet their mothers also become fans.

you are a real class act Erwin.  Having a tough day trying to figure out what to complain about? 

Maybe you can join CarlWAW and decide the latest conspiracy theory about BF.

Edited by sburke
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Making observations to accompany other peoples' posts is not complaining - unless one is of a totalitarian mindset that anything that isn't fully positive/supportive of one's personal prejudice/POV must be suppressed.  I'd hoped that we'd gotten over that nonsense a few years ago.  ;)

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1 minute ago, Erwin said:

Making observations to accompany other peoples' posts is not complaining - unless one is of a totalitarian mindset that anything that isn't fully positive/supportive of one's personal prejudice/POV must be suppressed.  I'd hoped that we'd gotten over that nonsense a few years ago.  ;)

you are so freakin passive aggressive.  That wasn't an observation. it was a snot nose response worthy of a 5 year old.  You want to play at that level do it with someone else. 

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