SoW: Battle for Moscow and other Igromir news

[Richie]

Originally Posted by Splitter

While I probably knew more than the Average American about what went on in Russia during the war, I had no desire to buy a sim about a Russian ground attack plane.

I wanted air to air combat. I wanted to be able to fly American, British, and German fighters. After looking at the original way back when, I didn't pay much attention to the series after that (though I did buy and play Pacific Fighters without knowing there was any connection to IL-2).

Names are important. IL-2 had me fooled into thinking it was only about air to ground. I was ignorant of later add ons that would have made the game a must have for me.

Americans will like a great sim about the Battle of Britain but they would LOVE an add on centered around the invasion of Europe and the bombing campaign against Germany. Hopefully that somehow gets done by someone in the future.

So hopefully they get the name right. Since IL-2 was so popular, that needs to be in there somewhere but not "up front". The name also has to be generalized to cover other theaters and other types of games.

Splitter

You are a great example of what I was talking about. If you would have purchased that copy of IL-2 in 2001 you would have seen how superior it was by leaps and bounds compared to anything else that was around back then...2001 But youre wrong IL-2 isn't a popular sim because people still don't know the title or have tried it. When is the last time you've seen a copy in London Drugs Wallmart Future Shop etc. CFS3 probably out sells it 100 to 1 witch is a terrible shame.

[WTE_Galway]

Originally Posted by Splitter

While I probably knew more than the Average American about what went on in Russia during the war, I had no desire to buy a sim about a Russian ground attack plane.

I wanted air to air combat. I wanted to be able to fly American, British, and German fighters. After looking at the original way back when, I didn't pay much attention to the series after that (though I did buy and play Pacific Fighters without knowing there was any connection to IL-2).

Names are important. IL-2 had me fooled into thinking it was only about air to ground. I was ignorant of later add ons that would have made the game a must have for me.

Americans will like a great sim about the Battle of Britain but they would LOVE an add on centered around the invasion of Europe and the bombing campaign against Germany. Hopefully that somehow gets done by someone in the future.

So hopefully they get the name right. Since IL-2 was so popular, that needs to be in there somewhere but not "up front". The name also has to be generalized to cover other theaters and other types of games.

Splitter

Its worth pointing out that after the NG debacle quite a few versions of the game where not even marketed in the US at all.

Imagine how many "0.50 cal is porked" and "the mustang won the war" threads we would have had if the game was actually promoted in the US. Scary thought. I am still waiting for the 0.50 cal mod that lets you kill Tiger tanks by bouncing the shells off the ground

Also, whilst clearly a cash cow, targeting the US casual "shoot 'em up" gamer market may not necessarily be good thing long term for a game. It's quite likely the longevity of the game is partly due to the fact it was not just another "mighty 8th/Pearl/BoB " arcade game with even fancier graphics ... and the name IL2 has made that distinction pretty clear.

[Richie]

Imagine these graphics 9 years ago. These are screens from 2001 IL-2

[major_setback]

Here's your DVD cover Oleg. It's one I did earlier...a few years ago actually, at the same time as the Pe-2 add-on came out. (I don't seriously think you will accept it BTW )

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y12...101024high.jpg


..

[Richie]

Nice..simple and to the point.

[Richie]

Did you see the poster of the pilot Major?

[major_setback]

Originally Posted by Richie

Did you see the poster of the pilot Major?

Oh yes. Much better than anything I could ever do.

[Richie]

LOL I didn't mean that I just meant that I wonder if that's going to be the box art also.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Oleg Maddox

Completely agree with you. I was against such name, but it isn't my decision....
I already had a problem answering interview questions of journalists... I didn't understand them about what is speech... or the new in this area journalists simply was asking some time absolutely not in theme questions due to this mix.
So I personally say Battle of Britain... without Il-2 and other things...
In English it has a bit other name, but anyway with Il-2 as the main.....
Using already world well known Storm of War as a name of new series and just adding the line
'from the creators of award-winning Il-2 sturmovik series' would be way better really. If someone dislike short SoW sounding not so nice then simply better to make other name... Hope publisher will read it. Anyway I may disagree with the name Il-2 for the completely new series, but final decision - from publisher.

I will try to speak to big guys that to find solution....

I agree

Originally Posted by Richie

I think IL-2 should be in the name somewhere.

I don't.. I think that they should move on from the IL2 franchise and start anew with Storm of War.. and like Oleg said... just add "from the creators of award-winning Il-2 sturmovik series" .... IMO that would be much better marketing, especially since UBIsoft will not be the publisher of the SoW series.. (Unless I am mistaken..)

Originally Posted by swiss

And with future add-ons you get:
Battle of Britain
- Korea -
uhh..

No.. you get

Storm of War : Battle for France
Storm of War : Battle for the Pacific
Storm of War : Battle for the Med
Storm of War : Korea

etc... with say the first or at the most the first two titles having the short phrase "from the creators of award-winning Il-2 Sturmovik series" ..
Once the Storm of War series comes out there will be no need to associate it with IL2 .. after SoW:BoB is released it will become the new standard by which all future WWII combat sims will be measured.

Guaranteed.

Unless someone comes up with a 3D sim that does everything that SoW does.. in 3D.. and is affordable..

Originally Posted by Splitter

While I probably knew more than the Average American about what went on in Russia during the war, I had no desire to buy a sim about a Russian ground attack plane.

I wanted air to air combat. I wanted to be able to fly American, British, and German fighters. After looking at the original way back when, I didn't pay much attention to the series after that (though I did buy and play Pacific Fighters without knowing there was any connection to IL-2).

Names are important. IL-2 had me fooled into thinking it was only about air to ground. I was ignorant of later add ons that would have made the game a must have for me.

Americans will like a great sim about the Battle of Britain but they would LOVE an add on centered around the invasion of Europe and the bombing campaign against Germany. Hopefully that somehow gets done by someone in the future.

So hopefully they get the name right. Since IL-2 was so popular, that needs to be in there somewhere but not "up front". The name also has to be generalized to cover other theaters and other types of games.
Splitter

Yes but. IL2 was released in November of 01. IL2 Forgotten Battles was released in March of 02 with the Aces expansion Pack a while later I think in 03.. it was about 10-14 months after FB then in 04 Pacific Fighters was released. Consider that the very thing that IL2 was lacking was actually largely addressed with Forgotten Battles and further addressed with Pacific Fighters.. The fact that so many refused to deal with it was more a matter of their own stubbornness rather than poor marketing on UBIs part. A lot of those guys were so caught up in CFS3, Warbirds, Fighter Ace or Aces High that they refused to even consider IL2. I got told off and booted from one site that formerly had the lock on the Pacific.. when I went there to just say "Hey guess what IL2 has gone to the Pacific with Zekes Tonys Cats carriers .. the whole 9.." Yes it could have been marketed better.. but a lot of the stubbornness was just folks.. Ray Charles could have seen the difference.. and he was blind.. I cannot even remember how many times I intercepted people heading the the register with a copy of CFS3 at my local Best Buy when I worked there from 03-05 and "suggested" that they try out IL2 FB instead. It was in the double digits.. but there were many who had CFS1 & 2.. and the didn't want to hear anything about this sim. Period.

Believe me... make no mistake.. it was IL2 that put the kibosh on all of the above mentioned products. As a flight sim went it was hands down head and shoulders above all of them, even stock in 2004. The name is important but not as important as one might think. Many will be turned off simply because it is the Battle of Britain.. That of course, just as in 2001 will be their loss... and eventually they all will come around. Have no doubt that 5 years from now there will still be new simmers coming to this series.. (SoW)

[TheGrunch]

I think the name's really important. I've always disliked the name Storm of War. It's a weird combination of words. It needs to be something short and snappy so it doesn't detract from the individual names. I like War-torn, but it maybe doesn't sound enough like a flight-sim. War-torn: Battle of Britain and War-torn: Korea sound nice, though. Or even War-torn: Britain, or War-torn: Britain 1940. Not sure. Anyway, I'm sure that someone else could come up with a better name in the same vein. I think maybe War-torn or Wartorn or War Torn would look a bit weird printed on a box.