Annual look at the year to come - 2023

[PEB14]

5 hours ago, Artkin said:

I would totally buy a WWI Combat Mission.

So would I.

And I would buy France 1940, Norway 1940, Poland 1939 as well!

[CarlXII]

Unless BFC have scrapped the plans for releasing a CM3 game (if they ever planned to) i don't think we will see much in the way of new theatres in CM2.

They still have some work left to do with the current projects (CMFB module, CMCW module and possibly CMBS module) it seems.

I kind of doubt that they will develop an entirely new theatre with entirely new units and timeframe unless they feel that they will be able to release a bunch of additional modules for such a theatre. That would mean sticking with CM2 for another 5 years atleast i'm guessing.

 

 

 

[kohlenklau]

Looking back at Steve's posts, I see he remarked that other software developers make 5 times more than what he makes or has made. If I ever win Powerball Steve...

Kohlenklau: Hi Steve, did you get the check?

Steve: Yes Mr. Kohlenklau, I got it. Thank you sir. Charles is here...he says we'll have Early War ready very soon. Come on up to view the beta and we'll go out for lobster.

 

Edited February 18, 2023 by kohlenklau

[Centurian52]

7 hours ago, PEB14 said:

But to be honest, playing 1915-17 wouldn't be THAT interesting. Charging blindlessly in the no man's land hoping for some troops to reach the enemy trench before being completely slaughtered by an off-map artiellery barrage wouldn't make a great game!

I think it would be more interesting than you think. They would be high density, high casualty scenarios (for both the attacker and defender). Your chances of taking the opposing trench line is actually pretty good. The issue is holding against the inevitable counterattack and taking the second and third trench lines in order to fully break through the enemy's lines (taking subsequent trenches will probably be out of scope for a given scenario anyway). You would have to think very carefully about your artillery fire plan, as you would have very little chance of changing it once the scenario starts (no man-portable wireless radios (and the field telephone back in your own trench has probably been cut by the enemy's artillery)). On the bright side, from 1916 on at least, you have plenty of artillery to build your fire plan around (of course, so does the enemy). This probably couldn't work in CM2, since it would require changes to how pre-planned artillery works. The ability to preplan for a battery to fire on one target for a set amount of time, and then lift and fire on another target, as well as some mechanic for creeping barrages would be needed.

Edited February 18, 2023 by Centurian52

[Erwin]

It sounds like one scenario... and then any others would be very similar.  A trench is a trench.  And then rest would be hard to traverse mud with huge holes.  There are quite a few strategic or operational WW1 game - at least cardboard games.  That may be a more appropriate scale.

[PEB14]

22 minutes ago, Erwin said:

It sounds like one scenario... and then any others would be very similar.  A trench is a trench.  And then rest would be hard to traverse mud with huge holes.  There are quite a few strategic or operational WW1 game - at least cardboard games.  That may be a more appropriate scale.

Agreed. Add some fort (Verdun and the like) and you've got pretty much all that there is; boring on the long run.

[PEB14]

1 hour ago, CarlXII said:

Unless BFC have scrapped the plans for releasing a CM3 game (if they ever planned to) i don't think we will see much in the way of new theatres in CM2.

They still have some work left to do with the current projects (CMFB module, CMCW module and possibly CMBS module) it seems.

I kind of doubt that they will develop an entirely new theatre with entirely new units and timeframe unless they feel that they will be able to release a bunch of additional modules for such a theatre. That would mean sticking with CM2 for another 5 years atleast i'm guessing.

Never heard of a CM3 project. Only engine upgrades, lot of work associated with.

CMFB is a dead end, once you've added the Brits and pushed the time frame from January to May 1945, there is not much to add. Even backwards as the timeframe/theater is covered by CMBN.

If they want to keep the WW2 fan club satisfied, they will have to find something else. Like CMRT modules back in time (Kursk comes to mind, next Stalingrad…).

But if the BF policy sticks with the "no US troops, no game" motto, as there probably will be no Pacific War CM ever, then …

[CarlXII]

3 minutes ago, PEB14 said:

Never heard of a CM3 project.

Rumors/ speculations of an entirely new CM gameengine have been floating around on these forums for several years....

CM2 is starting to show its age and it seems to be quite hard to upgrade in any significant way. 

BFC have never confirmed or denied actually working on a CM3 game as far as i know but an updated game engine have been asked for for several years now by several comunity members.

If you search for CM3 i belive you will get quite a few hits...

 

 

[CarlXII]

10 minutes ago, PEB14 said:

If they want to keep the WW2 fan club satisfied, they will have to find something else. Like CMRT modules back in time (Kursk comes to mind, next Stalingrad…).

Yes ! 

Or release a new game engine (CM3) 

[Sequoia]

I would bet Kohlenklau's life Battlefront will never do a game where either side didn't have significant mechanized forces, unless an outside developer took it on as what happened with CM:Afghanistan. We'll probably never know if that game was profitable enough for Snowball.

[Redwolf]

4 hours ago, CarlXII said:

Unless BFC have scrapped the plans for releasing a CM3 game (if they ever planned to) i don't think we will see much in the way of new theatres in CM2.

Well, BFC has to do something after the modules are done. So it is either doing a CMx3 and going round again (starting with Normandy) - or new theaters for the "shut up and take my money" crowd.

 

[Cid250]

On 2/18/2023 at 1:45 PM, PEB14 said:

So would I.

And I would buy France 1940, Norway 1940, Poland 1939 as well!

 

Early war stuff is more interesting, since all WWII Games put the Focus on late war.

Poland 1939 is interesting.

France, and Norway 1940 are a must.

Finland - Rusia, 1940 winter war...  Too

Add also Balkans, Greece, and Crete 1941, and all the Africa stuff, and the Spanish Civil War 1936 to 1939, for early Russian, German, and Italian weapons.

Minor countries like Romania and Hungrary are also interesting.

There is the work for another 23 years of development.

Edited February 20, 2023 by Cid250

[Erwin]

I see you joined in 2006, so you'll recall that BF said the plan was to start with late war and work back to early war.  It's a shame, but I hope the mil contracts haven't distracted from CM3.

[wadepm]

Just curious, how much would it cost me to move Barbarossa to the front of the line?  

[Vacillator]

On 2/18/2023 at 2:20 PM, kohlenklau said:

If I ever win Powerball Steve

52 minutes ago, wadepm said:

Just curious, how much would it cost me to move Barbarossa to the front of the line?

Unless you actually have won Powerball, I don't think you'll ever get an answer to that.

[wadepm]

5 minutes ago, Vacillator said:

Unless you actually have won Powerball, I don't think you'll ever get an answer to that.

Maybe I have!  Just want to know what the number is...

[Erwin]

Based on my experience some decades ago of developing wargames the answer could vary from many tens of thousands (if there were enthusiastic volunteers to work on the project) to several hundreds of thousands - for a small niche within a niche game like CM.  A game designed for a large market could easily be in the millions.  

Eg: https://www.ign.com/articles/star-citizen-crowdfunds-half-billion-dollars

 

 

[Freyberg]

I would buy early War, I would buy mid-War, I would buy WWI back to the last Ice Age - I will buy anything you release, because I love the way the game works.

I sometimes wonder if the frequent critics, who focus on what isn't there, have ever played the game, and noticed how much it does include - I've been so engaged with the units and maps added in the recent updates to CMFI and CMRT that I've barely looked at CMCW, despite it being such an interesting period.

[wadepm]

I guess what I am really asking is, how much did they get to do CMFI.

[CarlXII]

2 hours ago, Freyberg said:

I sometimes wonder if the frequent critics, who focus on what isn't there, have ever played the game

To put your mind at ease....YES ! they have.

If they did not like the game why then would they ask for more.

[kohlenklau]

2 hours ago, Freyberg said:

I sometimes wonder if the frequent critics, who focus on what isn't there, have ever played the game, and noticed how much it does include

 I was married to a blonde for like 24 years. Now married to a brunette for almost 5. I dated a red head way back. 

I don't consider myself a frequent critic of the game but I really love WW2 and just wish we had it all. 

 

[wadepm]

There is definitely a large (maybe?) group of us who really like the early war stuff.  Something that Battlefront seem to have no interest in.  That makes me sad.  But I still love the game and pretty much buy everything they offer... 

[danfrodo]

19 minutes ago, wadepm said:

There is definitely a large (maybe?) group of us who really like the early war stuff.  Something that Battlefront seem to have no interest in.  That makes me sad.  But I still love the game and pretty much buy everything they offer... 

Yeah, I would pay a lot to have ost front 41-43 added.  And of course N Africa 40-42.  But sounds like the more modern stuff is what sells best.  I was shocked when I heard this, I thought "who doesn't love ww2 best?".  Turns out lots of people.

[Vacillator]

12 minutes ago, danfrodo said:

I would pay a lot to have ost front 41-43 added

+100 to this.

50 minutes ago, kohlenklau said:

I was married to a blonde for like 24 years. Now married to a brunette for almost 5. I dated a red head way back. 

And all (AFAIK) members of the fairer sex.  Not sure of the rules in TX these days .

[Codreanu]

3 hours ago, Freyberg said:

I would buy early War, I would buy mid-War, I would buy WWI back to the last Ice Age - I will buy anything you release, because I love the way the game works.

I sometimes wonder if the frequent critics, who focus on what isn't there, have ever played the game, and noticed how much it does include - I've been so engaged with the units and maps added in the recent updates to CMFI and CMRT that I've barely looked at CMCW, despite it being such an interesting period.

Familiarity breeds contempt and it's just naturally easier for humans to notice flaws instead of positive things. Some of the critics are a little silly but I think most people critique because they're passionate about the games and just want them to become better, but it's good to show some positivity sometimes too.