CMX1 Combined Release

[Rocket-Man]

Since there is no unified thread for all CMX1 games, I am posting this here.

I think Battlefront is missing out on a good business opportunity to make some additional money from the CMX1 engine. I believe that if they did a combined release with all the units and terrain features from CMBO, CMBB and CMAK it would generate more than enough interest to cover their costs of making it.

No marketing would have to be done because the target audience is people who already play the games, and the vast majority of them would find out about it through web reviews, message boards, Battlefront's website and word of mouth. If they wanted to sweeten the pot a little, they could even add a few units, like early war French tanks, and/or fix little bugs like the turn rate of tracked vehicles.

I am no programmer, but it seems like this would be a fairly easy project that could be completed in a reasonable amount of time. And ,if Battlefront does not have the in-house resources for it, I'm sure they could find some programmers in the CM community who would do the job for a percentage of the sales.

I know Battlefront has long maintained that they are through with the CMX1 engine, but I find it hard to believe that any sound business man would turn down an opportunity to make money if a compelling business case can be made.

Now I don't want to get into a discussion of what features/units people would like to have added to such a combined edition of Combat Mission. What I am interested in is what people think about the basic idea. Any comments?

[SKELLEN]

It was never meant to be although I'm sure many people would love the idea. In practice however I can see there would be a lot of work involved as well as expense for an old engine now superseded by CMX2/Shock Force.

Each release of the old CM BO/BB/AK were slighty different with regard to features and graphic files etc, and if my memory serves me correctly BFC once said something along the lines of the old engine being incapable of the flexibility they required due to the design/code of the old engine.

Also remember those games are antiquated now, although still very good fun to play, so a new engine was inevitable and I'm sure there will be something to interest you and others eventually - have a little faith.

[Rocket-Man]

Originally posted by SKELLEN:

It was never meant to be although I'm sure many people would love the idea. In practice however I can see there would be a lot of work involved as well as expense for an old engine now superseded by CMX2/Shock Force.

Each release of the old CM BO/BB/AK were slighty different with regard to features and graphic files etc, and if my memory serves me correctly BFC once said something along the lines of the old engine being incapable of the flexibility they required due to the design/code of the old engine.

Also remember those games are antiquated now, although still very good fun to play, so a new engine was inevitable and I'm sure there will be something to interest you and others eventually - have a little faith.

I think you missed my point. What I am suggesting is that there is a business case to be made for developing and selling a combined release of CMX1, regardless of whether or not CMX2 is a success or that you or I would necessarily buy it (although I certainly would).

Business make money by selling items that bring in more revenue than it requires to make them. I believe a combined release of CMX1 would pass this simple test.

[SKELLEN]

Maybe you are right but unfortunately I can't see it happening unless BFC care to make a comment on it?

[Rocket-Man]

With all the previous statements from Battlefront regarding the CMX1 engine, I too think their position will be that they have no intention of releasing a combined version or of ever again modifying the CMX1 code at all.

However, I think their reluctance to even consider the option is a bad business decision. I know the people who work at Battlefront are working there because they get paid (otherwise they would obviously find another job that does pay), so if they have an opportunity to make more money, why wouldn't they take advantage of it?

This of course assumes my initial supposition that the sales of a combined CMX1 would exceed the cost of making it. Has Battlefront ever looked at this business option? I don't know, but I thought I would bring the idea to their attention and get the communities feedback on it.

In the end the whole concept will probably go nowhere, which is a shame because we will probably be waiting years for the WWII version of CMX2.

[Philippe]

Without being able to calculate things like dollar of expected return per programmer's man-hour (and other, more prosaic return on investment ratios) and to compare them to the ratios of the alternative, the business argument is pretty meaningless. I'm sure BTS knows these numbers, and they'd be crazy to reveal them to anybody but their investment banker.

They've got one programmer, and they keep his brain in a glass jar. If Charles works on your combined CMx1 release (which is probably two releases: CMBB modified to be more like CMAK, and CMAK expanded to include Normandy, Belgium, Germany, and a few odd vehicles that don't show up in Italy) he doesn't fix CMx2 and expand it into the WW II modules. That could be potentially risky for the long term future of BTS.

They're pretty good at surviving, and have probably rationed their limited resources in ways that will give them their best shot. So although in my fantasies I want them to retrofit MadMinuteGames' road pathfinding routine on CMx1, I don't talk about it because they know more about keeping themselves alive than I do.

Bullfight critics ranked in rows

Crowd the enormous Plaza full.

But only one is there who knows,

And he's the one who fights the bull.

[Rocket-Man]

Just because they only have one programmer does not mean they couldn't hire another one or contract the mods out or even have somebody do the programming on a commission basis. It's not like component programmers are such a rare commodity that potentially profitable coding has to be passed up due to the shortage.

I obviously have an ulterior motive in suggesting a Combined Release of CMX1 - I would like to play it. But my other ulterior motive is to perhaps, in some small way (other than buying their programs of course) help Battlefront to be a profitable company so they will eventually be able to deliver a WWII version of CMX2.

[Melnibone]

IIRC Steve has said they are open to offers for the CMX1 source code. That's the only way I see something like this happening - by a third party. Make them an offer!

[Rocket-Man]

Originally posted by Melnibone:

IIRC Steve has said they are open to offers for the CMX1 source code. That's the only way I see something like this happening - by a third party. Make them an offer!

LOL I Actually thought of that as well. Having the CM community pitch in to buy the source code from Battlefront. But I would not be able to organize anything like that, although I would contribute financially.

[thewood]

Matrix likes taking things like that re-releasing them.

btw, I think Charles is going to be pretty busy for the next couple of months.