The Crystal Ball 2

[kendo65]

Originally Posted by Ataros

If there is no patch this means there is a problem. Probably many problems that are found and fixed every day. It goes without saying, no point in repeating it every Friday. When there is no problems we get the patch.

Unfortunately it is that strategy that is now causing so many problems. Communication is usually a good idea, and imo becomes essential in a situation like this where the delays build.

Also, I sincerely hope that the patch won't require another 6-12 months. I think if that is the case COD really is dead and buried.

[Fjordmonkey]

Originally Posted by kendo65

I think if that is the case COD really is dead and buried.

There will always be fans that are patient enough to wait for it to mature properly. Hell, I know I'm one of them. So dead and buried? Nah. Having the number of fans it COULD have had? Most likely not.

Then again, the original IL2's fanbase picked up over the years. I'm fairly confident that CLoD and sequels will recover as well.

[gonk]

Me and No......

[the Dutchman]

It's just like real life,if people don't do what they promise for long enough,sooner or later you turn your back,simple...

[priller26]

Originally Posted by Fjordmonkey

There will always be fans that are patient enough to wait for it to mature properly. Hell, I know I'm one of them. So dead and buried? Nah. Having the number of fans it COULD have had? Most likely not.

Then again, the original IL2's fanbase picked up over the years. I'm fairly confident that CLoD and sequels will recover as well.

If only it were that simple. Money wise, its a not go apparently. 5-6 years in development ( I remember following snippets in the internet), broke upon release. A year after release, still major bugs. At some point, they are not going to keep throwing resources they don't have down the hole. They will move on to something that works and is profitable. To do otherwise would just be bad business. Too many tanks and MG's...no enough core fix.

[kendo65]

Originally Posted by Fjordmonkey

There will always be fans that are patient enough to wait for it to mature properly. Hell, I know I'm one of them. So dead and buried? Nah. Having the number of fans it COULD have had? Most likely not.

Then again, the original IL2's fanbase picked up over the years. I'm fairly confident that CLoD and sequels will recover as well.

Does anyone seriously think, given the state of the forums now, that a further delay of 6+ months would be accepted?

There will always be fans who are patient enough, but the vast majority will not. It's dangerous to make assumptions that COD's recovery would be inevitable no matter how long it takes to be put right. In 6 months time I dread to think what level of customer base they would have held on to. Once things reach a certain critical state it is likely to be impossible to recover.

[Fjordmonkey]

Originally Posted by kendo65

Does anyone seriously think, given the state of the forums now, that a further delay of 6+ months would be accepted?

For the patient ones, yes. If those 6+ months means that the game will reach a playable and good state for everyone, there will still be people, even among it's current detractors, that will come back. And they'll most likely look back at how it was at launch and laugh, and love that it's gotten as far as it will have.

Originally Posted by kendo65

There will always be fans who are patient enough, but the vast majority will not. It's dangerous to make assumptions that COD's recovery would be inevitable no matter how long it takes to be put right. In 6 months time I dread to think what level of customer base they would have held on to. Once things reach a certain critical state it is likely to be impossible to recover.

I disagree with that it'll be impossible to recover. To give you one example: Funcom. In the MMO-world, you'd be hard pressed to find a company so universally despised as Funcom, apart from maybe SoE (especially among the people that played and loved Star Wars Galaxies). Through two games now (Anarchy Online and Age of Conan), Funcom has time and time again screwed people majorly, especially PvP'er's. Yet people are coming back to both games despite the fact that things has been horrendous, with a distinct lack of updates/new content, there's been system revamps that nobody wanted etc. Yet people still come back, even if it's just for a little while. And if the game is something they find interesting, they'll stay. Regardless of previous experiences with it.

The same will hold true here. When word spreads that the sim has matured enough, or when the level of tech on part of the customers' computers (which HAS been an issue for CLoD, regardless on how you look at it), people will start to trickle back. Will they ever have the same amount of players as they had box-sales? Only time will tell.

[Ataros]

Originally Posted by kendo65

Unfortunately it is that strategy that is now causing so many problems. Communication is usually a good idea, and imo becomes essential in a situation like this where the delays build.

Each recent update thread shows that much more people do not like to hear updates like this example (made up by me):

"We are still working on this, that and that but small issues with that and this prevent us from issuing a patch yet. We do hope that these small issues would not cause any major disaster when pieces of code are assembled and tested together. As the tests are not 100% complete unfortunately we can not give you any ETA ATM because **** usually happens in the very last moment as anyone working in the industry knows."

Majority of users criticise these kind of updates. That is why there is no update at all till patch is ready.

[Fjordmonkey]

Originally Posted by Ataros

Majority of users criticise these kind of updates. That is why there is no update at all till patch is ready.

Exactly. When all they get is crap, no wonder they're not coming back for more. Hell, I don't blame them at all.

[Insuber]

Originally Posted by Fjordmonkey

Exactly. When all they get is crap, no wonder they're not coming back for more. Hell, I don't blame them at all.

"when all they get is crap" sounds a little bit exaggerated. There are normally about 80% of "thank you for the update".