Further modules

[theland]

Apologies if this has already been discussed to death. I've seen references to it in other threads so I guess it probably has, but I couldn't see a sticky about it, and I've only just come back to this forum after a long break.

So - what's the plan for the further development of the game? Is Battlefront's plan to release further modules to cover the rest of the Normandy campaign, the rest of NW Europe, the Eastern Front, Italy... etc?

Or is some of this work going to be left to modders?

[YankeeDog]

In brief:

Planned Modules to CMBN:

1. Brits n' Chums. (Brits, Canadians, Poles, and their vehicles & equipment. Also SS and probably Fallshirmjaeger German formations, plus some new German vehicles)

2. Operation Market Garden (updating TOEs to Sept. 1944. Presumably, some new vehicles as well.)

3. "Odd n' Sods" - a final CMBN module that supposedly will add some less common vehicle & TOEs.

Subjects for planned future Families, in approximate order of release, are Battle of the Bulge, East Front 1944 (Bagration), and A Revisit to Modern Combat (less specifics here).

Don't know what BFC has in mind after the above, but considering the general pace of release, we're looking quite a few years out, so who knows.

Families incorporate major new game features and are not cross-compatible with other Families.

Modules add additional content (units, TOEs, and scenarios/campaigns, etc.) to an existing Family, and require purchase of the "base" game of that family to work. Modules do not generally include major new game engine features, though some minor updates/improvements to the game engine may be released with a module title.

[Javaslinger]

I hope that the new families will at least have cross compatible content.... and suddenly not be able to use 1/2 the German TOE that had been previously released...

[theland]

Thanks!

Any idea how long BF tend to take between releases - is it likely to be 3mos / 6 mos / 12mos before the Commonwealth forces are out?

[YankeeDog]

I hope that the new families will at least have cross compatible content.... and suddenly not be able to use 1/2 the German TOE that had been previously released...

It's a no-brainer that BFC will include TOEs and units that have already made an appearance in previous families in new families, if they are relevant. So, for example, the 1944 German Grenadier Battalion TOE that is in CMBN will presumably show up again in the 1944 Ost Front module, since this formation appeared in both theaters. And of course, I'm sure we'll see many of the same German Vehicles in the 1944 Ost Front module as in CMBN.

But strictly speaking, my understanding is that no, content from one Family will not be able to be directly imported into another.

Thanks!

Any idea how long BF tend to take between releases - is it likely to be 3mos / 6 mos / 12mos before the Commonwealth forces are out?

I think your guess is as good as anyone's... it always seems to take longer than BFC (and everyone else) would like. My SWAG is that BFC would love to get the Commonwealth forces out before the end of this year. Whether they make that goal is another matter.

[Lets_All_Fight]

1. Brits n' Chums. (Brits, Canadians, Poles, and their vehicles & equipment. Also SS and probably Fallshirmjaeger German formations, plus some new German vehicles)

Do you know what? I think we should lobby Battlefront so that they call the module exactly that. 'Brits n' Chums' - It has a lovely ring to it.

I'm wondering about the last two modules. I know the Market Garden module is up to the operation in September so it's a bit on the early side, but I wonder whether we might get autumn textures in one of them so we can run scenarios through until the onset of winter etc or whether we'll have to wait and see whether they're lumped into a future 'Bulge' family of titles which will no doubt run through to the end of the war.

I also wonder whether we'll get any new terrain features to reflect the move into the Netherlands. Anyone for windmills?

[winkelried]

I also wonder whether we'll get any new terrain features to reflect the move into the Netherlands. Anyone for windmills?

I would love to see cows too

[Sequoia]

I also wonder whether we'll get any new terrain features to reflect the move into the Netherlands. Anyone for windmills?

I seem to remember Steve saying they will include new terrain for the Market-Garden module but I can't promise windmills and tulips though polders are a definite possibility.

[RockinHarry]

Can we play in oncoming CW module, US vs german paras and Schutzstaffel then? Or is the US TOE ruled out in CW module? Or vise versa, ..will german paras and the bad boys be available in the basic game, once the CW module is added?

Sorry for the questions...I just have the basic CMSF game and no modules, so don´t have an idea about the whole "system" yet.

[Lets_All_Fight]

The modules will add their content to the base game. They aren't stand alone and need the base game to run. The content from the Bulge game, say, probably won't work with the BN content as the bulge game will be a separate stand alone title with it's own modules.

So yes, you will be able to play US versus SS or Brit versus Heer etc.

[RockinHarry]

The modules will add their content to the base game. They aren't stand alone and need the base game to run. The content from the Bulge game, say, probably won't work with the BN content as the bulge game will be a separate stand alone title with it's own modules.

So yes, you will be able to play US versus SS or Brit versus Heer etc.

Ok, thanks. Wouldn´t have made any sense otherwise.

[imij0607]

I'm just geeked this game still is one of my favs of all time next to steel panthers. Kudos to the BF team ~ you guys rock =).

[Statisoris]

I wish so much that the East Front game covered everything after Barbarossa instead of just after Bagration. I would gladly pay $100 USD for such a game. Maybe since its a family it will get fleshed out later.

[Michael Emrys]

I'm pretty sure that Steve has mentioned their intention to do Barbarossa in a later family of games. The reason given for starting with Bagration is that it will be simpler and quicker to code due to using already existing German TO&Es and equipment taken from the West Front games. Also some of the Lend-Lease equipment for the Soviets.

Michael

[Hessian deserter]

I would say the Sky is the limit for this new series. I will dream about a new CMAK/Mediterrainianx2 using this engine. and of course Russia 41-45. Obviously all divided into a mutitude of magnificent modules!........Ohh Dream Weaver

[normannobrot]

The modules will add their content to the base game. They aren't stand alone and need the base game to run. The content from the Bulge game, say, probably won't work with the BN content as the bulge game will be a separate stand alone title with it's own modules.

So yes, you will be able to play US versus SS or Brit versus Heer etc.

what would be nice is to see them have the same vehicles that are in normandy now, put into future modules and families, only thing to bear in mind is the "front" specific vehicles, not every vehicle was on every front, take examples like the elephant/ferdinand as for one example.

[GI Adelscott]

Anyone knows if maps from diferents families will be complatibles among them, or it will be a way to made them compatibles?

[YankeeDog]

Anyone knows if maps from diferents families will be complatibles among them, or it will be a way to made them compatibles?

Unlikely. Keep in mind that the release dates for major families are release dates are several years apart. As such, new families will be built to take advantage of advances in computing power.

Chances are, BFC will make significant enough updates to the 3D rendering and graphics of the game that it would not be practical to make map files from one family usable in another family.

[MikeyD]

maps from diferents families will be complatibles among them

Remember CM:BN doesn't have snow or steppe terrain tiles so would not be complete enough to produce either a Bulge map or Eastern Front map. Besides that, the 'little stuff' would likely make cross-title maps unworkable too. 1940s French gas pump flavor objects on a CM:BN map, for example, would not find a happy home on a modern war map.

[Statisoris]

...and A Revisit to Modern Combat (less specifics here).

I bet you this one will be a hypothetical, Coventional or Limited Nuclear exchange, Cold War,mid-late 1980s, Soviet Invasion of Europe scenario. Almost all content they need to create will have already been created by then. BF would only have to model/remodel a couple units like the M60 Patton, M1 Abrams (105mm), M113 variants and the newer Soviet AT guns.

[mjkerner]

It's also possible (since Steve mentioned it sometime back) that they will farm out some work to 3rd parties, like they did for CM:Afghanistan. Maybe Itlay or North Africa, or even bits and pieces of the PTO?

[Canada Guy]

As long as CM keeps a firm hand on production values, I think farming out some of the work is a great idea. I enjoyed CMA and thought it just as good (or perhaps even better with the updates included) than CMSF.

In CMBN, you can almost get away with a sort of CM-North Africa at least with terrain in a limited way. After 1-2 Ostfront modules are out, it may be easy to create a Italy/Africa from Torch family as lots of stuff will have already been coded. Little effort (or moderate effort) with a big win for us.

As for the name of the next module, lets call it "Brits n Chumps" as Monty could be a real D*#@ when dealing with us colonials. He would tell us one thing and deride us in the next letter when we were just following orders. I am just waiting to see if we get a Canadian campaign for Operation Totalize in the next module (Brian Reid, No Holding Back. Operation Totalize, Normandy, August 1944 (2009) )

[mjkerner]

@Canada Guy from Saskatoon, who wants a Canadian Campaign, you seem...oh, I don't know....Canadian? Am I right?

[Canada Guy]

What gave it away? Was it my accent again?

[mjkerner]

What are you talking aboot, eh?