Guest Big Time Software Posted May 15, 1999 Share Posted May 15, 1999 Hi all, I just wanted to let you know where we stand in development and what that means for suggestions you may make... We are in good shape. The game engine itself, along with the TacAI, has been done for quite a while. Game interface is going in quickly and is looking pretty good. The editor is largely done and even campaigns have been dealt with to some degree. PBEM is nearly done too. All in all, we are looking and feeling good! However, we still have a lot of big things ahead of us. Some of them are coding intensive (AI, Internet play, etc.) others are very time consuming (3D models, data tables, etc.). There are still scenarios and campaigns to build, and LOTS of testing left. In short, we have a good deal of work left ahead of us and our schedule is tight, but we are on top of things. The door for your suggestions is not closed, but it is being nudged that way. You will now find us much more likely to say "good idea, but it isn't going to make it into CM 1.0" where we used to say, "good idea, we'll try and fit it in". HOWEVER, this does not mean that we no longer want to hear suggestions. There are still details which we can, and should, put in to address potential problems and/or shortcomings. The only difference is that we are much more conscious of what this is going to take in terms of time. So please keep the suggestions coming in, but bear in mind that you will likely see more "final" sounding answers coming back from us. This doesn't mean that we don't want to hear about your ideas, just that we have to keep one eye on the clock. When we have to keep BOTH eyes on the clock we will tell you Thanks!! Steve P.S. This is a good thing, BTW. It means we are feeling Beta is near... [This message has been edited by Big Time Software (edited 05-14-99).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted May 15, 1999 Share Posted May 15, 1999 LOL. Great. Thanks for being open with us again . I'm sure everyone understands the need to be realistic about the time left for adding features vs the almost unlimited wants and wish lists . Keep up the good work. Code like hell and ship us all beta real soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Beman Posted May 15, 1999 Share Posted May 15, 1999 Oh rats. I guess it's too late for you to grant my request for inclusion of the SuperTeknoMegaNinjaMobile huh? Seriously, when I saw the topic, I thought something was wrong--like somebody had died or your office burned down or something. Don't scare us like that! Good luck in the beta-birthing process. DjB ------------------ A lot of my schoolmates called me "warmonger." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRourke Posted May 15, 1999 Share Posted May 15, 1999 Ya, talk about a scary topic. Speaking for myself in the 1st personal plural, we understand that at this time bt must focus on getting the product out the dpor, rather than taking to heart all our reccomendations for simulating the differances in allies vs axis shoelace tying technique. In fact, I dare say, some of us are even in favor of getting cm into our hot sweaty hand as soon as possible even if it is utterly devoid of AI and full of bugs. None the less, we fear that we will keep the suggestions cominig, as we have very little else in our lives to distract us, and love the idea of having influence on what we sincerely hope will be the coolest game of all time. And we certainly appreciate the openess. ChrisRs ps, any chance you could still fit in the SuperTeknoMegaNinjaMobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest John Maragoudakis Posted May 15, 1999 Share Posted May 15, 1999 Well this is getting exciting. Signs that the big moment is approaching. The no smoking light is on and my seatbelt is fastened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lokesa Posted May 15, 1999 Share Posted May 15, 1999 direct quote "blah blah blah love the idea of having influence over blah blah the coolest game blah blah blah" No kidding, talk about making loyal customers. Even if the game isn't half as good as I expect it to be the resposiveness of BTS to our queries bodes well for our continued relationship. BTW I am really stoked about Battlefront. Not like I'm going to recieve profits directly (indirectly hopefully as an outlet for great games) but just the concept itself is the kind of thing I really get into, the little guys taking back whats theirs. Down with marketting and industry giants who tell us what we want. Down with conglomerations squeezing out the little guys and feeding us mainstream garbage. Fortunately, hopefully, wargamers are a large enough niche for Battlefront to be succesful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted May 15, 1999 Share Posted May 15, 1999 CM Team, This is much welcomed news. As I'm sure Steve will recall, I was harping on BTS regarding this very point just a month, or two ago. At some point you have to get on with getting the thing done and it looks like that time has arrived. Don't get me wrong. I think many of the ideas that have come out of this forum have been great and some of the discussions have been very interesting, if not outright entertaining, as well. Game looks / sounds great and Battlefront looks like it has tremendous potential to keep us groganards out here happy for a long time if these guys can pull it off. And I have every confidence from what I'm seeing and hearing that they will. Best of luck and keep up the terrific job you are all doing at BTS and BF. Mike D aka Mikester Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Rock Posted May 16, 1999 Share Posted May 16, 1999 You guys can blather on all you want about how good it is to be going to beta, but by their silence it is clear what Bigtime's real agenda with this post is: To leave out the SuperTeknoMegaNinjaMobile . As every true grognard knows, to accurately model the SuperTeknoMegaNinjaMobile would require the highest level of programming skills. The ability to simulate its enhanced post-Newtonian physics. Its beta-ray chain guns. Its passive parameter refractive armor. Its pseudo-dimensional parking abilities. It's striking lines and elegant features. Panthers and Priests and airstrikes and panzershrecks and real world physics and 3d combat engines... so much dross. Anybody can build a game that simulates those. Mere craft. But to build a SuperTeknoMegaNinjaMobile ? That, my friends, is art. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Big Time Software Posted May 16, 1999 Share Posted May 16, 1999 You know Mike, I thought about you the most as I wrote up this thread Combat Mission was pushed up a notch from all the great talks we had on this boards. Eh, maybe we are going to be a couple weeks later for it, but you know something? I woul *much* rather have a patch or set of enhancements based on user feedback *BEFORE* I buy a game That is basically what has happened because of the talks here. More talks and Beta will do the rest. Steve [This message has been edited by Big Time Software (edited 05-15-99).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted May 16, 1999 Share Posted May 16, 1999 Gadzooks, looks like my being a pain in the *ss has gained me infamy once again . But yes Steve, I pretty much tend to agree w/ you. CM will most certainly end up being a much better game when it gets released as a result of this forum. I don't mind the least bit if the game releases a couple of weeks later as a result. Probably wouldn't even mind if it were a month later. Most other games out there don't even come up w/ their first patch after their initial release much sooner than that. And as you say, CM should already be at the equivalent of ver. 1.01 or 1.02 when it initially releases in comparison to the version 0.08 that most games release at initially. I only get concerned when things start to sound like they are going to meander on forever and there are some indications of a clear direction to getting things done. That's when it seems like games just slide from one month, to the next, to the next, until it is suddenly 6-12 months after the game was supposed to release. Just look at Road to Moscow. They have been working on that thing since about 1/2 to 1 years before you guys started CM. Rumors of it possibly being released have gone on for at least a year now. The company (i-magic I believe) has even given several dates this year that the game was supposed to hit the shelves, yet it still isn't there. Looks more and more like it might just be another case of vaporware. You guys, however, seem to have your heads screwed on straight, and know what you are doing. So, I really am not that worried anymore. Moreso, just anxious and growing impatient, because I want to start playing what may very well be one of the coolest wargames that will have ever graced a computer screen. Mike D aka Mikester Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted May 16, 1999 Share Posted May 16, 1999 "and there are some indications of a clear direction to getting things done" should have read: and there are some indications of a LACK OF A clear direction IN getting things done Mike D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Big Time Software Posted May 17, 1999 Share Posted May 17, 1999 Thanks Mike! Agree with you 100%. We look at games that have slipped not by months, but YEARS, the same way you do. Actually, I think we are more critical because we have a much better understanding of the process and how to make it work for you instead of against. BTW, you can edit your messages by click on that little pencil/paper icon. This is the second correction I have read from you today, so I'm going to guess you didn't know that Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted May 17, 1999 Share Posted May 17, 1999 Steve, No, I didn't know that. Thanks for the tip. Mike D aka Mikester Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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