Thinking about a Community Patch

[Feathered_IV]

Originally Posted by major_setback

What exactly is it that you miss?
As I understand it CoD will be updated when the sequel comes out, and from then on improvements will continue that affect that merged version of the game.

No need to take that tone.

The Sequel is years away. In the meantime creative members of the community might like to explore ways of adding a few small fixes, optimisations or improvements.

FM changes and new 3D may not be a realistic goal at this time, but smaller fixes are well within our reach. Trees can be tweaked for colour and performance (2048x textures seems a bit much). Spelling errors in German cockpits can be corrected. Landscape textures can be easily worked on. Sounds can be altered. GUI could be reskinned. Clouds can be tweaked etc. the list goes on.

When the Sequel comes out (2014 if they remain on schedule, 2015 or beyond if they do not) then we can drop the mods and enjoy a brand new merged or standalone game.

[major_setback]

Originally Posted by Feathered_IV

No need to take that tone.

The Sequel is years away. In the meantime creative members of the community might like to explore ways of adding a few small fixes, optimisations or improvements.

FM changes and new 3D may not be a realistic goal at this time, but smaller fixes are well within our reach. Trees can be tweaked for colour and performance (2048x textures seems a bit much). Spelling errors in German cockpits can be corrected. Landscape textures can be easily worked on. Sounds can be altered. GUI could be reskinned. Clouds can be tweaked etc. the list goes on.

When the Sequel comes out (2014 if they remain on schedule, 2015 or beyond if they do not) then we can drop the mods and enjoy a brand new merged or standalone game.

I honestly did not intend to imply anything. No 'tone' was intended. I was genuinely curious as to how you were thinking.

Hopefully, with this latest Beta patch being ok, (as it seems a the moment) development will move a lot quicker than it has until now, with everything being held up by bug searching.

I would like to state for the record that I don't think BoM will be a magic fix. I remember that couldn't even run Pacific Fighters when that first came out as the next part in the Forgotten battles series. On the whole everything turned out well in the long run. And I will stay around this time too, hoping it will be kept alive long enough for that to happen.

Sorry for any misunderstanding.

[Feathered_IV]

Originally Posted by major_setback

I honestly did not intend to imply anything. No 'tone' was intended. I was genuinely curious as to how you were thinking...
Sorry for any misunderstanding.

Ah, no worries mate. My mistake then. I think after swimming with sharks here for so long, one expects to get bitten at every turn.

[the Dutchman]

I really don't think that the investors, 1c, or luthier want people playing with the code...you mention AAA and the early days, I think 1c never admired the behavior of a few who took it upon themselves.

The investors?
That's us!

[Chivas]

Originally Posted by the Dutchman

The investors?
That's us!

We are a minor investor at the moment. The real investors have spent millions so far funding the development. COD sales didn't even come close to covering those costs and providing a profit. It appears the investors are willing to keep the development in business atleast until the Sequel is released. Hopefully the Sequel will be good enough to give the investors some return, but I think the development has taken so long that there will have to be a number of Sequels sold before the investors start seeing any substantial return on their dollar. The announcement, whenever that happens should give us a better idea of their future plans. I'm sure they've had endless meetings trying to figure ways to make a profit as soon as possible, and know the only way its going to happen is fixing the new game engine for use in a number of different venues, like maybe MMO's, along with Sequels, etc. Time will tell. Hopefully there is a future.

[banned]

Originally Posted by Chivas

We are a minor investor at the moment. The real investors have spent millions so far funding the development. COD sales didn't even come close to covering those costs and providing a profit. It appears the investors are willing to keep the development in business atleast until the Sequel is released. Hopefully the Sequel will be good enough to give the investors some return, but I think the development has taken so long that there will have to be a number of Sequels sold before the investors start seeing any substantial return on their dollar. The announcement, whenever that happens should give us a better idea of their future plans. I'm sure they've had endless meetings trying to figure ways to make a profit as soon as possible, and know the only way its going to happen is fixing the new game engine for use in a number of different venues, like maybe MMO's, along with Sequels, etc. Time will tell. Hopefully there is a future.

Chivas, do you have the exact numbers, or know where they are written, that stipulates the total cost of the Clod project compared to the returns made? I can't find anything precise on either figure.
Kind Regards

[Chivas]

Originally Posted by banned

Chivas, do you have the exact numbers, or know where they are written, that stipulates the total cost of the Clod project compared to the returns made? I can't find anything precise on either figure.
Kind Regards

I don't have any exact figures or facts. We did hear the rumour a couple of years ago that the development costs at that time came to around 7 or 8 million dollars. There is no way COD recovered those costs. Luthier did say in the recent quesion/answer thread, that COD didn't come close to covering costs. Personally I think there is only one reason the investors are still willing to continue financing atleast until the sequel, a successful Sequel is the only way toward a successful series and decent return on their investment. Things better start looking good for the development soon, as its anyone guess when the investors will stop throwing good money after bad. I'm not sure but I think a post I made awhile ago similiar to this one got deleted. Anyway the developer has made some improvements to the sound and graphic engine, and are currently rewriting the GUI, AI amongst other things so there is a chance things could get sorted in the Sequel. Everything depends on that happening.