Beating a dead horse

[JoeA]

I agree 100% Skoshi.

[Golf Pro]

Originally Posted by Skoshi Tiger

I guess the lack of information on development could be relate to the way UBI soft has been shafted by its "Fans".

I was astounded by the level of piracy in other titles. I read an article about Assassins Creed. (http://www.atomicmpc.com.au/article.asp?CIID=119232). Apparently the PC version only sold 40,000 copies but a buggy 'leaked' was downloaded 700,000 times!!!!!!

I bought a copy of that game and am still playing my way through. Compared with the XBox version, the PC has a huge improvement in graphics.

Basically with statistics like that it's a miracle that PC versions of software can still be created. I know If I was UBISoft i'ld tell the lot of us PC gamers to get shafted and go for the big $$$ on the console games, or make us pay for hardware 'keys' and online verifcation every time we play! How about charging us a monthly fee like world of warcraft????

Yeah, but on the other hand, I would have been perfectly happy to pay for a lot more IL-2 add-ons, especially if they featured new theatres (med, BOB etc.), and I'm sure I'm not alone in this. I think there was a lot more money-making potential in IL-2 than was ever exploited. Really, I think 1c probably only did a quarter of what Il-2 was capable of. And now it's all going to be done over at AAA without Ubi getting a penny.

[ElAurens]

One little problem with your theory Golf Pro. The IL2 game engine is outdated. No matter how good (or sometimes how bad) the stuff from the modders is, it will pale when compared to the new engine.

These was no reason on earth for Maddox Games to continue development of any updates using the old game engine.

Once SOW is revealed in it's entirety IL2 will look pretty darn dated, because it is.

[Chivas]

Piracy is the biggest threat to our hobby. It will kill the golden goose. Even Modding is a form of Piracy that can effect the bottom line and make developers think twice before staying in the market. For the first time yesterday I'd seen some modded terrain screenshots that peeked my interest. Before those particular screenshots, I wasn't concerned that there was any competition what-so-ever.

So it does mildly concern me reading statements from the community like "And now it's all going to be done over at AAA without Ubi getting a penny." It could be a factor with the huge lose in revenue from CD piracy that the developer may also have compete in any small way with his own product.

The modders wouldn't have been able to come close to improving combat flight sims without using Oleg's software. The mods of EAW, CFS, and BOB are proof of that. The mods of IL-2 are starting to look great for the community in the short term, but I have concerns that it could stagnate combat flight sims in the long term.

The community should be OK for the next few years as I can't see the SOW series being cancelled at this point. BUT if CD piracy is rampant, even a small loss of revenue competing with their own game could tip the balance. Future addons to the SOW series could be seriously affected, except for some mods. Oleg was a member of our community who thought he could make a better product. This community may have to wait along time before another member comes along with total skill set to develop another benchmark combat flight sim.

Hopefully the developers will be able to control the loss of revenue due to CD piracy so that any small lose of revenue due to modders won't be a factor.

[ChosenOne]

Originally Posted by Golf Pro

And now it's all going to be done over at AAA without Ubi getting a penny.

Sorry.
What the "AAA" you are all talking about?!!