Isn't it about time for BFC to throw the hungry masses a bone?

[aka_tom_w]

I think this is sort of a bone

maybe just a little gristle or a fragment of a bone

bottom line is we "might" have something to look at "mid summer"

read from it what you will....

"Battlefront.com

Administrator

Member # 42

posted May 22, 2005 03:42 PM

quote:

Now, completely off topic...

When will you guys know what we're going to do next (and right after that)? I don't know. I'm thinking mid Summer. We really don't want to announce anything until we have the game a little further along visually. Pictures and small QT movies are worth thousands of words, so it would be more efficient for us to have a larger discussion with those sorts of materials available to you guys.

Steve"

[Andrew H.]

I'm not worried at all about CMx2 being vaporware - BFC doesn't get paid until CMx2 comes out, which is a pretty good incentive in my book.

While I'm sure publishing games from other developers helps buy the occasional Weasel part or finance a trip to a "conference" at Sun City, the real money will come from CMx2. Which, once again, makes me happy that BFC can afford to wait until the game is "done" before releasing it.

[Ales Dvorak]

Originally posted by Michael Emrys:

I bet you boys don't believe in the Easter Bunny too!

We want Westurn Bunny

[Andreas]

While waiting, there is always time for a game of CMBB. Or CMAK, if I really have to.

[Ales Dvorak]

Originally posted by Andreas:

While waiting, there is always time for a game of CMBB. Or CMAK, if I really have to.

You don't like CMBO Hollywood version?

[Andreas]

If its not in the east, it has trouble floating my boat.

[Ales Dvorak]

Originally posted by Andreas:

If its not in the east, it has trouble floating my boat.

There are allways problems on east side,on Balcan also..

[Elmar Bijlsma]

I don't particulairly care for screenshots, a few months back I dug up the screenies of alpha CMBO and... YUK! So I can't blame them for not doing the same now.

However, I am getting the feeling the only reason Battlefront aren't saying what the subject of CMx2 is, is because they get a kick out of teasing us lot. I'm not sure weither that's immensly funny or insulting. Pretty pointless though, unless they are going to try and up the hype by it's total mystery.

[Vanir Ausf B]

Originally posted by Kanonier Reichmann:

Judging by the lack of any sort of feedback from BFC for months it semms more and more likely that CMX2 may well be vapourware! I'm now not all that hopeful with my line of thinking being if the next generation of Combat Mission will be released rather than when.

Regards

Jim R.

Are you ever happy about anything?

[Michael Emrys]

Originally posted by Vanir Ausf B:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Kanonier Reichmann:

Judging by the lack of any sort of feedback from BFC for months it semms more and more likely that CMX2 may well be vapourware! I'm now not all that hopeful with my line of thinking being if the next generation of Combat Mission will be released rather than when.

Regards

Jim R.

Are you ever happy about anything? </font>

[Michael Emrys]

Originally posted by GJK:

Me personally, I've been awaiting the release of Leisure Suit Larry 9 for years now!!!

[smirk]Well, you would, woundn't you?[/smirk]

Michael

[Michael Emrys]

Originally posted by Dandelion:

Waiting for perfection is not a problem, a source of disappointment or the fuel of an incensed sense of rejection - its a lifestyle, it's what Grogs do. Have always done, will always do.

You got that right, brother!

Yours in anal-retentive groggy brotherhood,

Michael

[Kanonier Reichmann]

Originally posted by Vanir Ausf B:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Kanonier Reichmann:

Judging by the lack of any sort of feedback from BFC for months it semms more and more likely that CMX2 may well be vapourware! I'm now not all that hopeful with my line of thinking being if the next generation of Combat Mission will be released rather than when.

Regards

Jim R.

Are you ever happy about anything? </font>

[Kip Watson]

As a latecomer to CM (I came in at CMBB) I would be so</> interested to see screenshots of CMBO Alpha!

[patboy]

Is it that you need ?

Cheers

Pat

[ May 29, 2005, 09:42 AM: Message edited by: patboy ]

[jeffsmith]

I remember when I saw that picture thinking

"NEXT!!!"

[HawkerT]

LoL ... I must have seen that picture a dosen times and yet it is the first time I notise that the unit base is actually an arrow indicating unit heading.

Actually quite neat if you ask me ... I wonder why that idea never made it through beta testing? Who knows what will be in store for us with regards to unit bases (if they exist at all) in CMx2

All the best

Frans

[Battlefront.com]

As always we are in a no-win situation

I have posted bones here and there, including one within the last week. Seems some of you have missed them. Tom reposted part of it. There was also discussion of our new development strategy, and one subject we are not planning on covering (Cold War). They were burried in other threads, but that isn't the same as us not posting now is it?

As for the game being vaporware... hehe... that's a good one! Yup, we've been playing golf and drinking heavily since the release of CMBB, just barely managing to get out CMAK before productivity came to a complete end. Therefore, we haven't been working on a new game. Instead, we expect the games you bought 2-5 years ago to provide us with enough revenue for the next 40-50 years of our lives. So why develop anything new?

(in case anybody got up on the "stupid" side of the bed today... the above paragraph is sarcasim )

Currently we're still doing a lot of low level stuff that is not really up for debate. I mean, how best path is being handled or the way models and animations are imported is vitally important to CMx2, but rather dull and boring to discuss. It's also pointless too since these are technical things that need no outside input.

Where are we at in terms of development? Just about where we want to be (always a little behind schedule, but that's nothing new). It's just too early to show you guys anything, plain and simple. Heck, I've only seen the code do stuff a few times myself, but you don't hear me bitching about it

The question about why we're limiting information and discussion is a legit one. We aren't do it to tease or to ignore you. It just simply isn't in anybody's best interests for me to pull the cork out of the bottle yet. Once that happens there is no putting it back in... and that is something that we need to put off for as long as possible. Without anything to show, and without much to talk about, we'd find ourselves spending large amounts of time talking about things that can be better discussed in a couple of months. It is almost June you know!

Lastly, it is not too late for you guys to have input in the design. When we release the first screenshots a lot of the game subsystems will not be coded yet. However, the days of free-wheeling game design discussions (like back in CMBO days) are over. Back then we were breaking so much new ground that even we didn't really know where the design was going to go. But this time around it's different. Firstly because you guys want us to keep what worked for CMx1 intact for CMx2. That cuts down our intellectual workload by at least half. The other half is mostly designed already because of the YEARS of discussions we've had about CMx1's shortcomings.

I guess what you guys need to do is take a look at the Big Picture. CMx2 is basically the game we've been talking about since 1997. You guys have already had tremendous input into its design, even if we aren't talking about a lot of stuff right now. Instead, we're spending our energies on making the game since we've already spent tons of energy talking about its features. And once we feel ready to let you know the little bit that you don't already know (and it truly is a little bit), then you'll have a chance to help tweak the designs as always.

Steve

[Bone_Vulture]

Originally posted by Battlefront.com:

It just simply isn't in anybody's best interests for me to pull the cork out of the bottle yet. Once that happens there is no putting it back in... and that is something that we need to put off for as long as possible.

Just like I said. :cool:

[Ales Dvorak]

Originally posted by Battlefront.com:

Instead, we expect the games you bought 2-5 years ago to provide us with enough revenue for the next 40-50 years of our lives. So why develop anything new?

[Elmar Bijlsma]

Steve, I hope your not waiting for us to be reasonable and understanding (looks at Peng and Waffler threads ) about what you've been telling about CMAFAIK (*) sofar. While keeping your cards close to your chest is a sensible thing, not letting us in on which century it's supposed to be set in is overdoing it a wee bit IMO. Ohwell, I guess there is no real gain for you to let us to know. But it would've been nice.

(*)Thanks Le Tondu

[Battlefront.com]

Like many things that seem confusing or odd now will all make sense in due time. We're not stringing this out for the fun of it

Steve

[ May 29, 2005, 06:43 PM: Message edited by: Battlefront.com ]

[Elmar Bijlsma]

Originally posted by Battlefront.com:

We're not stringing this out for the fun of it

Steve

But it sure is a neat fringe benefit, eh?

[British Tommy]

I'm not too concerned when the next CM game comes out, I'm having a ball with BB and AK!

Mind you, I have put aside some cash for the new one

Now stop whinging and get back to your battles!

[Dandelion]

Originally posted by Battlefront.com:

"bitching about it "

Er... Steve, while you were away, the forum has adopted Elena Filatova as a new honourable member, our prime member in fact, and I think we would all prefer it if you did not use derogatory terms on women while the lady is present, since we are now all married to this Ukrainian solitaire and are all prone to take offense on her behalf.

Lastly, it is not too late for you guys to have input in the design.

Infantry Steve, infantry. Qualified infantrymen with a decisive say in the design, knowing the scent of flowers, the wavering of a single grass in the wind, the jamming of a rifle, the silhouette of a rifleman doing the 1000 yard stare, the feeling of hitting the grass with a 25 kg Bergen on your back and your helm tilting forward covering your eyes. The infantrymen are calling out for less abstraction, and more intimate understanding of bushlevel warfare.

When we release the first screenshots a lot of the game subsystems will not be coded yet.

Er... If it is all the same to you, would you mind settling the size of terrain tiles before the first screenshots come? I say 5 metres... whats your bid?

Back then we were breaking so much new ground that even we didn't really know where the design was going to go.

Oh yes you did. You always knew we were creating the best wargame ever. You said so, you asked us for it (I can quote the BTS on it). That was our purpouse, it was the reason for the gathering of Grogs here. We used to look at ASL back then, because ASL was the best thing that far. You wanted to create something beyond it. this was ur task at the time.

we're spending our energies on making the game since we've already spent tons of energy talking about its features.

Take your time.

As long as it becomes absolutely perfect and youknowwhat retentative historically accurate, we'll be around waiting.

Accurate modelling of automatic weapons, as well as the sepparate modelling of suppressing and accurate (killing) firepower - and terrain - is the key to infantry combat. You knew that already, I just wanted to make a statement of it.

Just give me a holler if there's anything on the Germans that you need (except translation - Andreas is more skilled on translation - I was thinking more organisation an equipment).

Dandelion

(ARHALG-Ge)