YouTube videos of IL-2 help sell the game?

[IceFire]

It might be obvious but I was thinking about all of the IL-2 videos that now inhabit YouTube. We have machinema style movies/movie trailers up there, videos of silly things happening, of someones first kill, competitive 1 v 1 dogfights, and videos of virtual aerobatics teams that are very professional looking.

And if you start reading some of the comments from people they seem to always be saying "Wow! That looks like a really good game! Where can I get it?" It seems like IL-2 is a total unknown outside of the typical sim community, BUT, all of these videos seem to have people interested. I wonder how many sales of the game have happened in the last couple of years since YouTube got popular? Especially to people who are traditionally NOT flight simmers.

If anything this suggests the power of fan made videos/machinema as both an artform and as a marketing tool.

If there is anything that Storm of War needs to give us...its more power over camera controls. I'm sure the video makers would love to have visuals that are nearly impossible right now and it'll create some impressive looking shots that will market the game beyond any one advertising budget. Its good for us as they will keep making sims so long as the cost/audience works out :)

[_ITAF_UgoRipley]

I also noticed in the last few months many newbies (and I mean many!) both here and on UBI forums, asking the usual first-time questions we all went through.
1946 still keeps on being "discovered" by new people ! Good !!

And yes, images explain better than words, so even if I'm no filmmaker myself, I'd say your request should/will be highly valued at 1C.

[Bobby109]

Definitely more camera angles, the addition of a free roam mode would do alot.

[Nitro]

Very interesting thread, I am sure Youtube movies bring huge popularity to the game and I am pretty sure in that Oleg will implement advanced parameters for cameras and maybe some moviemaking tools which would make capturing job easier.

[l88bastard]

Youtube helped sell me!

I loved the hell out of Red Baron and Aces of the Pacific back in the early
90's, when I was a kid, and had always missed those sims.

I would constantly ask myself why they never made really good updated versions of those games.

I was completely oblivious to IL-2, I would see it on store shelves and just skip by it because the name sounded like some stupid russian junkbox of a game. I never even bothered to look up reviews on it and word of mouth was not that big with the game either.

I switched over my gaming to the xbox platform when that came out in 01' and have largely been away from computer gaming since. I have 6 xbox 360's hooked up on a lan and have friends over for COD4 killing.

Crysis got me back into pc gaming (actually thats not true BF1942 had sucked me in years before, but I lost interest when it died out because everybody started playing BF2, which I think sucks) so I built this super rig to play Crysis;

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=12396216#post12396216

I got bored of Crysis rather quick and have not really had an excuse to play CPU games.....until I recently saw the trailer for Birds of Prey for the xbox 360 and I said what the hell is this!!!!

Once I watched all of the trailers I had a major major itch, but the problem is BOP does not come out until sometime in 2009! I did some research, found out about the computer version...watched some youtube videos and then ran over to circuit city and picked up IL-2 1946 for $19.99!!! What a bargain!! I love this sim!!

[fireflyerz]

:arrow:I dont know about the selling of this game , but as a tool for making semi realistic movies of this eara ,there is none better , I am really looking forward to storm of war ,if it includes the same or more dynamic movie making materials , I will be very happy...:grin:

[GF_Mastiff]

The IL2 Sturmovik Plane is what got me looking up the plane and came across IL2 1946 Forgoten Battles, been hooked ever since. Every month I would buy a piece of hardware to enhance my virtual experience i.e
saitek St290 pro stick
X52 throttle controller
Saitek rudder pedals
and Trk Ir pro.

now the mods have really given me my monies worth.

[Nitro]

...Every month I would buy a piece of hardware to enhance my virtual experience i.e
saitek St290 pro stick
X52 throttle controller
Saitek rudder pedals
and Trk Ir pro.

It's called IL2 syndrome :D

ps. is it possible to buy x52 throttle only??

[GF_Mastiff]

It's called IL2 syndrome :D

ps. is it possible to buy x52 throttle only??
yes at Fry's electronics or from some one on Ebay selling one I sold my joystick X52 I didnt like it to tall for the desk.

[Nitro]

^Thanks!

[Ctrl E]

i discovered Il2 through youtube. i used to play a game called stealth fighter about ten years ago. then recenty on a lazy nght at work i thought i'd just check youtube to see how far combat sims had progressed. was like x-mas when i saw my first clips of il2.

[EAF602_Joe90]

Interesting thread, Icefire. Cool that youtube has worked to get more people into IL2.

Game movies are such a powerful marketing tool, and with so many sites that now show these videos I do hope 1C makes a good one for SoW.

Oleg did hint a long time ago that SoW would be good for making movies but hasn't said much more. A free roaming camera would be great, but the best tool for me would be the ability to rewind a track!

[Thunderbolt56]

Youtube helped sell me!

I loved the hell out of Red Baron and Aces of the Pacific back in the early
90's, when I was a kid, and had always missed those sims.

I would constantly ask myself why they never made really good updated versions of those games.

I was completely oblivious to IL-2, I would see it on store shelves and just skip by it because the name sounded like some stupid russian junkbox of a game. I never even bothered to look up reviews on it and word of mouth was not that big with the game either.

I switched over my gaming to the xbox platform when that came out in 01' and have largely been away from computer gaming since. I have 6 xbox 360's hooked up on a lan and have friends over for COD4 killing.

Crysis got me back into pc gaming (actually thats not true BF1942 had sucked me in years before, but I lost interest when it died out because everybody started playing BF2, which I think sucks) so I built this super rig to play Crysis;

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=12396216#post12396216

I got bored of Crysis rather quick and have not really had an excuse to play CPU games.....until I recently saw the trailer for Birds of Prey for the xbox 360 and I said what the hell is this!!!!

Once I watched all of the trailers I had a major major itch, but the problem is BOP does not come out until sometime in 2009! I did some research, found out about the computer version...watched some youtube videos and then ran over to circuit city and picked up IL-2 1946 for $19.99!!! What a bargain!! I love this sim!!


This story is almost a rubber stamp of what happens/happened to so many other folks over the last year. Obviously this sim has seen its hey day, but with nothing better out there right now and the continued support from server-operators (not to mention the excellent replayability and well-adapted online community) it still the pinnacle of WWII flight sims.

Welcome aboard, tell your friends and get some really good CH Products controllers...and a trackIR. You'll thank me later.

[_ITAF_UgoRipley]

.....but the best tool for me would be the ability to rewind a track!
Yes, kind of VCR controls ! Gimme !!

[IceFire]

Interesting thread, Icefire. Cool that youtube has worked to get more people into IL2.

Game movies are such a powerful marketing tool, and with so many sites that now show these videos I do hope 1C makes a good one for SoW.

Oleg did hint a long time ago that SoW would be good for making movies but hasn't said much more. A free roaming camera would be great, but the best tool for me would be the ability to rewind a track!

Thanks! I always try for interesting topics...some of them catch and others don't :)

If Oleg is smart (and listening) then he'll spend a bit of development time to make sure that camera controls are there that can be used in new and interesting ways. I can't see it being a huge drain on resources to put together and it'd be huge for the people putting together these various pieces.

I have only some experience in setting these sorts of things up by recording NTRK's for campaigns. Its a tricky business because you have a very limited set of options. The camera tools we have are workable...but I'm imagining things like weapons views from the viewpoint of a bomb or rocket or tracking the outside of a bomb or rocket. Or a proper guncamera view that is the correct predefined position on each aircraft. Lots of possibilities with those. A free roaming camera would be another one up on the list.

Certainly I think the more interesting the views that can be produced...the more sales there will be. Even this thread is a testament to having a few cool YouTube videos inspire people to buy the game. The low price helps too but it seems like a big motivator.

The marketing for Storm of War would be wisely done to look a bit like fan videos (setup a scenario with a minor story in Machinema fashion). That seems to appeal very nicely. But the real trick will be once the game is out and what the movie makers can do then!

Tools that take a NTRK (or a successor in the SoW engine) and process it out into AVI would be great too.

[Bobby109]

oh yes!! rewinding a track would be gold.

If you have a track that is 20 min long and you want to capture the action in the 18th minute from several different angles, you won't have to go thru the entire track again and again.

[IceFire]

oh yes!! rewinding a track would be gold.

If you have a track that is 20 min long and you want to capture the action in the 18th minute from several different angles, you won't have to go thru the entire track again and again.
Well in the near term you could at least record a NTRK of that sequence in the original NTRK. That'd help :)

But yeah...FF/RW controls would be gold. Pause too :)

Not just for movie makers but NTRK makers for campaigns.

[Thunderbolt56]

I record a good many ntrks, but only go through them every so often when something happens I'm particularly interested in seeing again or if I am looking for some screenshot material. There's no doubt that I don't go through them as much because of the lack of FF/RW radio buttons and having to watch a track 3-4 times to get that one particular 3 frame sequence is almost enough to make me not do it.

[choctaw111]

This is a good thread.
For those that are just finding out about Il2 through YouTube, it may be hard for them to imagine that this sim has been flyable by us for 7 years...and even harder for them to imagine that this sim has been supported by the development team for nearly that long. This sim and its' successor are two of a kind. Nothing like it can be found anywhere else that can match the quality or support.
Back to the YouTube stuff.
I have seen an increasing amount of Il2 movies on YouTube. Lately they are too numerous to mention. This is very good for our community here and has brought many new people to this great sim.

[Richie]

I think they do help sell the game on people. Time and time again I've seen "What game is this? Where can I get it?" et. In the comments under a good video.

[broseybrose]

1up's review score of 10 sold me.

i do enjoy the youtube videos and the vids at the beginning of custom campaigns, though.

[Lodestone]

If Oleg is smart (and listening) then he'll spend a bit of development time to make sure that camera controls are there that can be used in new and interesting ways. I can't see it being a huge drain on resources to put together and it'd be huge for the people putting together these various pieces.

From the Oleg's Room thread:

06-10-2008, 12:27 PM
Originally Posted by fireflyerz View Post
Hello Oleg , as one Of my main interests in il2 is making movies I am wondering what kind of , if any , recording (placeable cameras) and play back facillities have you got planned for BOB , sorry if this question has already bin asked and answered

Oleg's Answer:
I can't tell you finally how many types of cameras, but will be more features than in Il-2 and more useful.
Recording will be possible in two formats one of them is similar to NTRK, another - ready video, but still under question in which format finally.
But only NTRK will be possible to use for full HD video conversion.

I am also pretty sure I remember Oleg saying something a while back about them wanting to license the SoW engine to motion-picture special effects companies for animating the physics of air-combat sequences in films. If they are designing the game with that kind of work in mind, then I think we can be pretty sure that IL-2 movie-makers will have a lot of very fun/powerful tools at their disposal with the new game. :)

[IceFire]

From the Oleg's Room thread:

06-10-2008, 12:27 PM
Originally Posted by fireflyerz View Post
Hello Oleg , as one Of my main interests in il2 is making movies I am wondering what kind of , if any , recording (placeable cameras) and play back facillities have you got planned for BOB , sorry if this question has already bin asked and answered

Oleg's Answer:
I can't tell you finally how many types of cameras, but will be more features than in Il-2 and more useful.
Recording will be possible in two formats one of them is similar to NTRK, another - ready video, but still under question in which format finally.
But only NTRK will be possible to use for full HD video conversion.

I am also pretty sure I remember Oleg saying something a while back about them wanting to license the SoW engine to motion-picture special effects companies for animating the physics of air-combat sequences in films. If they are designing the game with that kind of work in mind, then I think we can be pretty sure that IL-2 movie-makers will have a lot of very fun/powerful tools at their disposal with the new game. :)

I was wondering if he'd be doing something like that. Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!

[Kaptein_Damli]

Just give me a free cam like in Lock On, F2 and F3 view of trucks, tanks etc and I will be satisfied! Oh! and more from behind views, more padlocking.

[Stingray]

Howdy,

I just thought I'd chime in: I got IL-2 in January 2008, and became interested soley through youtube videos, particularly the Flying Woodpecker aerobatic movies.

Stingray

[IceFire]

Howdy,

I just thought I'd chime in: I got IL-2 in January 2008, and became interested soley through youtube videos, particularly the Flying Woodpecker aerobatic movies.

Stingray

Excellent! And welcome...some of us have been here for a while and perhaps become a bit jaded but its good to see new fans. IL-2 has always been an impressive product but its appeal is much wider now...in part because of the content but I think the YouTube videos are huge and I think you and many others underscore that point.

[choctaw111]

Youtube has been good for Il2.
The other day I found simtube.com
Many different things there, but all sims. Check it out.