Was Oleg Maddox too far ahead of his time?

[Feathered_IV]

Oleg was certainly ahead of his time with the original Il-2 series. He fell flat after that though, trying to make the last ever flight sim, rather than the next one.

[Feathered_IV]

Btw: Good post Uther. It certainly is a significant moment for the flight sim genre. I hate to say it, but I'd already seen it coming and resigned myself to it much longer ago than I care to recall. I've mourned all those lost tomorrows already.

[Frequent_Flyer]

For seven years we heard about the " next generation flight simm". roughly one year after release the entire code had to be rewritten. Eight years and what happened. Next go around, hire a marketing firm to research what theater of operations will bring in the most paying customers. Starting with BOB was the first and largest mistake, releasing it DOA wasted the time and money of all concerned . Pandering to the Russian market with BOM would have been the end if it had made it that far. The world is full of people with vision, 'unrewarded genius is almost a proverb'. Havinga good idea and making a sucesful business venture require marketing strategy's and and a management with business acumen.

[SlipBall]

A lot of us grew up hearing about the BOB...I like the concept wish it was a smother presentation

[Frequent_Flyer]

Originally Posted by SlipBall

A lot of us grew up hearing about the BOB...I like the concept wish it was a smother presentation

Where I grew up up we heard about Pearil Harbor. If 1c starts with this battle, it suffers the same fate as BOB. Not much much global market share captured with either title. The battle of Stalingrad will suffer the same lack of interest.

[fruitbat]

Originally Posted by Frequent_Flyer

Where I grew up up we heard about Pearil Harbor. If 1c starts with this battle, it suffers the same fate as BOB. Not much much global market share captured with either title. The battle of Stalingrad will suffer the same lack of interest.

Odd analogy.

One is a one morning battle, the other two are campaigns over many months, but I digress.

While you might not be interested in the Battle of Stalingrad, but there's plenty of people who are regardless, including myself.

[Frequent_Flyer]

Originally Posted by fruitbat

Odd analogy.

One is a one morning battle, the other two are campaigns over many months, but I digress.

While you might not be interested in the Battle of Stalingrad, but there's plenty of people who are regardless, including myself.

The same comments were said about the choice of BOB, plenty of interest. The results tell a different story. It is a flwed business plan to take a miscule market segment , flight sims ,and narrow the scope of interest to a theater with a very limited market appeal- BOS.

There is a relatively small group who will purchase any title. Attracting the new blood and keeping them interested enough to be repeat customers is how the business will flourish.

BOB and BOS are the same Sim. Fly 15 miles to the front to attack a small group of twin engine bombers attacking a ground target or escort them . A map with a large city essentially useless except to drain computer resources surrounded by mundane scenery.

[furbs]

Originally Posted by Frequent_Flyer

Where I grew up up we heard about Pearil Harbor. If 1c starts with this battle, it suffers the same fate as BOB. Not much much global market share captured with either title. The battle of Stalingrad will suffer the same lack of interest.

Hmmmm...im sure the people of mother Russia might disagree, and there are lots and lots of them, more than enough to make up the numbers.

[ElAurens]

If CloD had been successful out of the gate, and quickly followed with follow on patches making more of the AIs flyable, we would not be having this discussion of which theater was the ONE to start with.

Personally I am looking forward to going back to the Russian Front. It's where I really got totally involved in flight simulation, and I have fond memories of it. And I'm from the US.

[Frequent_Flyer]

Originally Posted by furbs

Hmmmm...im sure the people of mother Russia might disagree, and there are lots and lots of them, more than enough to make up the numbers.

Take a look at the unit count for the IL-2 series, the most sucessfull "add on " was Pacific fighters. Much more of a global appeal to more affluent market. You cannot not argue the final results of COD, there was next to no interest in BOB. Weather it was flawless out of the box or not. To make this niche sucessful you need a greater number of first time buyers. Who will turn into repeat customers to supplement the small number who will buy any title.