Jump to content

8 Player Server as Separate product for CMx2


Recommended Posts

I can't find the official reply of Battlefront about the chances of developing a real multiplayer option within the CMx2 Engine lifecycle.

Will we need to wait for a CMx3 engine to include that feature?.

I know that this kind of fetaure is a lot of work... and the problem is how "money" returns...

So... if some day that product is available, it must be sold as a separate product: Combat Mission Multiplayer Server.

Combat Mission Multiplayer Server needs to be developed as a client-server model.

For PBEM WeGO for example, the "outgoing mail" folder sends the move of each player to the server like "DropBox". Then the server mix all the players moves and returns a single file to the "incoming email" folder of each player.

Real time doesn't need to be implemented, because it's difficult to find the time for 8 players at the same time the same day, for simultaneous play. PBEM WeGo is more flexible... because 8 players can send their moves at diferent times and it isn't a problem between players of diferent time zones.

Let's say that this server price is 150$, how many players do you think that will be interested in pay for that feature?.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't find the official reply of Battlefront about the chances of developing a real multiplayer option within the CMx2 Engine lifecycle.

Will we need to wait for a CMx3 engine to include that feature?.

I know that this kind of fetaure is a lot of work... and the problem is how "money" returns...

So... if some day that product is available, it must be sold as a separate product: Combat Mission Multiplayer Server.

You're making this all up and I have no idea why. There's never going to be a CMx3 engine. Selling a multiplayer server as a separate product would not work, it would not be profitable, and it would not reduce the work required.

BFC has commented on multi-multiplayer many times before, it's just not a foremost priority for them given all the other things on the plate. There's no point in discussing it now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As much as I doubt a CM multiplayer server I would also be careful with 'never'.

CMx2 has limitations which in a few years may lead to the development of CMx3. Who knows?

Wego multiplayer would need for CM to recognize friendly units you can't control. Like: A moves, saves (no red button), B moves, red button, send file to C, C moves, saves (no red), D moves, red button, film is generated, send file to A

Problem: A & B want to watch the film and give orders afterwards. CM would need to be able to go back from orders to film watching for B.

Ok, I stop rambling around. I also doubt there is nothing to learn here for BFC...;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As much as I doubt a CM multiplayer server I would also be careful with 'never'.

CMx2 has limitations which in a few years may lead to the development of CMx3. Who knows?

BFC have said that there will never be another engine. They spent a very long time on the CMx2 engine framework just to ensure that they wouldn't have to do that again during their lifetimes.

It's the same as Valve has been doing with their Source engine. It's just much more efficient not to reinvent the whole wheel every five years when you can just replace or improve outdated parts as you go.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And why wouldn't you include RT? If anything RT would benefit more than WeGo for having more players. I hardly see them selling multiplayer as a separate product. Though I'm looking forward to seeing large multiplayer matches in CMx3.

Real Time will need for sure a more complex solution... since the bandwith of 8 players will be a must for the server simultaneously to avoid LAG.

A PBEM implementation avoids LAG... and they can release a second version of the server as soon as they test it and remove LAG issues.

In the other side, is very difficult for 8 players to be available the same day at the same hour for a battle... PBEM doesn't need to have all the 8 players online at the same time... PBEM it's way more flexible than RT.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As Sergei said, we've discussed this many times before. MMP is something we would really like to offer, but we don't think it is commercially viable. Remember, not only does x feature have to pay for itself, but it also has to be the best use of our time. Spending a year to do something only to possibly only break even is a poor use of our time when we could spend even less time doing something that would make us money.

One caveat about what Sergei said about the game engine numbering. CMx3 may, at some point, happen. At some point we're going to have to completely rewrite the graphics engine to take advantage of new hardware and software features. The rest of the game, however, will be a direct continuation of CMx2's codebase (unlike the 100% break between CMx1 and CMx2). When we get to that we'll call it CMx3 to distinguish it form CMx2's graphics engine.

Steve

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...