If CoD doesn't use the full potential of today's hardware..

[Heliocon]

I would like to note there is a few problems here:
1. Optimization, the current engine is currently rediculously inneficient not only in what it processes, but the fact that it is badly bottlenecked on even last gen hardware. So efficient use of more than one thread, SLI and Crossfire support etc. Anti-aliasing needs immediate loving too.
2. Once the above issues are addressed, they can start looking at how it will use the current gen high end hardware and software (that means 4 core CPUs efficiently and possibly 8 threads (althought the top end is 6 cores) and DX11-tesselation, direct compute etc) Also efficient use of 64bit.exe with memory over 4gb. Also needed is support for 3 way SLI and crossfire which is becoming very common (for example 3 460s).
3. Once the above is done they can start working on next gen hardware that will be released mid way-end to the end of this year, so by the time they get to it will probably be high end current gen (aka point 2) which is 8 core cpus, with 16 threads (AMD Bulldozer) and a possible 32nm 8 core and 16 thread intel cpu for 1366 socket. At the end of 2011 Nvidia is coming out with their brand new 28nm (current is 40nm I believe) GPUs, AMD is likely to do the same (AMD since ATI was bought out and they are phasing out the use of ATI brand name).
4. By this time then they can start looking at what is coming in the future

[recoilfx]

Originally Posted by David Hayward

I have no idea why they didn't test every configuration possible. Wait, yes I do. It isn't possible.

They also got hit with the epilepsy issue late in the process. I think they broke a bunch of things trying to get the game to pass the epilepsy test.

The devs got hit with the epilepsy issue because the development was mismanaged. The team simply didn't have time to sort out everything that's been on Ubisoft's QA list when the chopping time came.

I don't mean that there are no talents in the team, but from a management point of view - they didn't make good decisions as to which features to pursue/refine in a given amount of time and funds.

They've bitten more than they can manage - time and money ran out. The blame lies, unfortunately, on Oleg and Luthier. They were the ultimate decision makers. I just hope that the team has enough cash flow from loyal fans to follow through.

[David Hayward]

Originally Posted by recoilfx

The devs got hit with the epilepsy issue because the development was mismanaged. The team simply didn't have time to sort out everything that's been on Ubisoft's QA list when the chopping time came.

I don't mean that there are no talents in the team, but from a management point of view - they didn't make good decisions as to which features to pursue/refine in a given amount of time and funds.

They've bitten more than they can manage - time and money ran out. The blame lies, unfortunately, on Oleg and Luthier. They were the ultimate decision makers. I just hope that the team has enough cash flow from loyal fans to follow through.

Have you got access to internal discussions? If not then you are just guessing, just like everyone else.

[Chivas]

The sim was released atleast a year too early. The epilepsy filter also probably set them back another few months. They are apparently releasing a patch in a few weeks that spreads the workload somewhat more in multiple cores. They are also working on SLI/CF support.

Hopefully while people are working on the optimizations they have others working on the huge amount of bugs, and writing tutorials on engine management, etc.

The early release is a huge publicity debacle, but it was probably the only way to keep Maddox games from folding altogether. Now atleast they have funds to continue development, and with a little patience, the community will have a very substantial sim in time. I've already had at least 30 hours of entertainment, some of it frustrating, but the good hours were alot cheaper than any of my other forms of entertainment.

[jrg]

It's always very hard to test a program on multiple hardware config (and mutch more when it's developed by a small team), almost everytimes a new game with a new engine comes out it run poorly on any config. Let some time to the dev to optimize the game. I can see this kind of threads for almost any new simulation, just wait and see.