Ever Wondered About CLOD Sales?

[Chivas]

The developers/publishers probably will never get their monies back with the sales of COD. The only reason the development is still in business, is the business model calls for a series of theaters. The main reason that COD probably won't see a profit is that the game engine was being developed at the same time as the theater. Once the game engine is complete, the developers/publisher can start pumping out theaters quickly and cheaply, which will start generating profits.

With the release of the SDK, it will not only expand the IL-2 series, but some in the free flight community might prefer flying over IL-2 series terrain than Microsoft Flight terrain as both series expand. Maybe at some point drivable tanks might draw many in the Tank sim community to the FMB and maps of the IL-2 series.

The future could be bright, or die, but the community certainly doesn't need any Debbie Downers casting a pawl over the development at this critical juncture.

[Buchon]

Originally Posted by nearmiss

All the developer has to do is provide a star wars, or newbie clickon for those types of users.

There are features built in that do that, but it is easy to forget the newbs and people that are into that genre are gamer mentality.

All developers know what they are up against. I appreciate all the efforts on our behalf as dedicated air combat sim enthusiats, but if number of boxes sold is important they have to find a way to capture that business.

You can't do it with a bunch of click ons,complex configuration, setups and advance quality hardware items.

They have to think of ways to get people involved with a few simple clickons and minimum hardware requirements to get started. Then have the ability for interested users to move to more advance levels.

There are several cheap joysticks AV8R, etc., that will fill the bill for cheap entry hardware. The graphics enhancement need a progressive way to access better and better graphics, but there must be lower graphic requirements for newbs. Getting people involved with the COD is the secret to more users.

I have given away numerous copies of the IL2 sturmovik 1946, and I don't think there is a single one of those people that even have it on their HDD at this time. Why is that I ask myself?

There have been plenty of air combat games released and people do buy them, because they keep coming to market.

Facts are facts, and the COD with C.E.M. and other complexities aren't a best start for anyone. There are just too many things competing for people's free or leisure time. W.O.W - Everquest have captured huge market. Anyone planning a game of any kind should carefully strategize with those game in mind. IMO, they remind me of Pachinko. Redundant hacking or beating on enemies is boring in about 3 minutes.

There is something to say about rewards system that is sure, which is pretty low priority with IL2 and COD. Hitler believed in awards and accolades for sure, and had a zillion medals for anyone did well.

I've often though no one should enter the game except at lowest levels, and advance in rank and medals. There was quite abit of this with early release of IL2, but the way to acquire the advancement was hampered by the AI that were terrible and the stupid mission and campaign scenarios. It was better to just become a flight leaders to start with high rank, because following the AI probably meant you would never get anywhere.

So rewards system has to be carefully planned for maintaining user interest.

A reward system is not only necessary but only a piece of a fix.




First all we have to learn that there a ditance between the general public and the simulation games, then we can realize that the problem of this games is the own cornering in his complexity, may be due a fear to lose that simulation status scribed on some stone, some where ...

But not all simulation games are cornered in his self, there succesful simulation models out there, I will give a example, is not the best example but easy to understand to all

Gran Turismo :

This cars game have complex physics, tire degrading, dampers tweaking, engine tweaking, body tweaking ... we have to obtain licenses to play races, tweak the cars to win races, win events to access to more events ... and the list goes and goes ...

The complexity of this game can frustrate any player, forget it and go to play any Need For Speed version that are out now.

But it does not, there millions of players playing it, why ??

The key is :

Simulation + entertainment


Gran Turismo is not only a strict cars simulation game, it is a strict simulation game but also is pure entertainment.

It takes any inexperienced player and brings it between cottons, trough nice music and menus, to the most demanding simulation, the player progress his self without lose motivation trough the incentivation and stimulation .


Back to PC Simulation :

If we make a raw simulator it will be bearable for experienced players only, making only niches audience, because if we throw a usual player to raw simulation without the knowledge and motivation then he will burn and crash without known how and why, and without motivation to try it again.


We should not forget that after all we have a game in our hands.

This basic words are ignored for simulation titles and at same time, in his stubborn, are not able to understand why they have a niche audience.


It is not enough with make a simulation, because betwen the player and the simulation you should make a properly interface too.

A entertaining interface that through amusing brings to the player the knowledge and show the excelence of your simulation.

Some PC simulation games are aware of this problem and they started to work seriously on interface designs, you can see a example of this in PC simulation with Project C.A.R.S (Community Assisted Racing Simulation) :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SzJd6eAH5M

You can see a really worked and pretty 3D interface, easy and clean, guess that with nice music ...

But back to WWII here a example of interface, although the game is an arcade Wings of Prey have a amusing menus interface with video background and outstanding music :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdTG8gowl3U

All this showroom is pure entertainment and stimulates the player to navigate through the menus, missions, setups and briefings.

Back to CLOD :

CLOD was lauched in a rush so the user interface is not complete but even if is working is nothing but a disordered´s lack of interactive stimulation.

A good interface for CLOD could be a mix of video background for main menus and 3D where see our plane for setups and briefings, also properly mission intro and properly end mission options as replay and camera options, all with nice music


We should understand that this is very important for the succes of a simulation game, the level of complexity of a game should be supported by interface.

else = fail



Sry for the text wall, greets.

[5./JG27.Farber]

Originally Posted by ElAurens

http://www.vgchartz.com/game/53111/i...iffs-of-dover/

How does 10,000 +/- sound?

Pretty sobering number.

Now you know why moving to the sequel is so important.

We are a tiny niche market.

Giving us demanding flight simmers what we want (more of everything) is a nearly impossible economic model with the numbers of players the sim has.

What do you mean 10,000 +/-?

It says Europe 0.01million, rest of would 20%? So the biggest market is Europe? Would Russia and the east not be as big as Europe if not bigger? Then you can add, Asia, Japan, Oz, South America, North America.

I would not trust those stats as far as I could throw them. It just doesnt add up.

Yea the sim market is pretty niche but we knew that anyway.

[priller26]

Originally Posted by 5./JG27.Farber

What do you mean 10,000 +/-?

It says Europe 0.01million, rest of would 20%? So the biggest market is Europe? Would Russia and the east not be as big as Europe if not bigger? Then you can add, Asia, Japan, Oz, South America, North America.

I would not trust those stats as far as I could throw them. It just doesnt add up.

Yea the sim market is pretty niche but we knew that anyway.

Interesting, I had always wondered what sales were on this software. Russia would swallow up Europe and other countries, problem is, the number of individuals who could invest in a system their like in the West to play the title is quite low. The future of this game is directly tied to sequel sales, and obviously getting the patches right. IC has every incentive to get it right, they will with time. Time does cost money though, lets just hope its sooner than later, as I'd like to see the series continue.

[kestrel79]

This game had almost absolutely no marketing. The website was horrible, had no info about the game really either. They even had a facebook page. That's FREE. And they could barely update that with any juicy tidbits. Twitter?

When I'm on facebook and websites I look at what other sim publishers are doing and it is so much better than CloD. World of Planes website is very cool and informative. Train Simulator updates their facebook almost every day with screenshots and info from the devs. RoF Jason writes great blogs. He's a great salesmen the way to talks about needing our cash to keep their sim going. I believe it too.

I think if they release the game in a better state in Fall of '11 in time with the BoB and have a better marketing campaign it sells better. I really hope they learn from their mistakes with BoM.

I do agree with all these sims having a trickle down effect. A kid gets into World of Warplanes, or World of Planes, Microsoft Flight. He then realizes he wants more realism, or more planes. Then gets into IL2 46 for cheap, then wants even more hardcore and gets info CloD. That path led me here when I got hooked on Air Warrior on AOL in the mid 90s

[Feathered_IV]

Originally Posted by kestrel79

This game had almost absolutely no marketing. The website was horrible, had no info about the game really either.

I know what you mean. Given the condition of the game though, it is probably better that they don't draw too much attention to themselves. It would do more harm than good to vigorously promote a title that still isn't in an acceptable state.

Assuming that they get the game to a "finished state" and actually add some content, they should really advertise the crap out of Battle of Moscow. You can't move copies if you don't let the people know it's out there. People who would have never considered Fallout 3 bought it opening day because they saw a lot of cool explosions and stuff on the TV. Do the same for Cliffs of Dover, put that "Cliffs of Dover Pulse" video on TV during some popular show, just once and I will guarantee you will make back double what you spent to put it on the air.

Remember that time that Apple didn't bother to advertise the original iphone? Remember how they kept it a big secret and made sure they didn't spend a cent on letting people know it existed and they could actually buy it?

Of course not! Because that's retarded, and 1C/Ubi would be the same to not advertise BOM. When "word of mouth" or a scrolling ad in the Steam store is the only way you hear about a game, you know your publishers are doing something wrong.

[ACE-OF-ACES]

Originally Posted by kestrel79

The website was horrible, had no info about the game really either.

Really?

If what your saying is true, than what are the people who say things like "I want CoD as advertised" basing thier statments on?

[Feathered_IV]

Originally Posted by ACE-OF-ACES

Really?

If what your saying is true, than what are the people who say things like "I want CoD as advertised" basing thier statments on?

Think man. It'll come to you.

[kestrel79]

Tell me this is a good flight sim website.

http://il2sturmovik.ubi.com/cliffs-o...ome/index.aspx

All the patch info is old. Times New Roman text...facebook page that hasn't been updated since launch. I understand they don't get get a budget like a Call of Duty type fps game but still.

Now look at this, much better website with actual up to date info about the game and lots of pretty screenshots and videos.

http://worldofplanesgame.com/en/

http://riseofflight.com/en/about/features

No diss on CloD, I love it. I'm in graphics so I just am interested in the marketing side of things