Battlefront’s 2023 look ahead

[JasonPratt]

So, couldn't be easier! ....under the circumstances!

Step 1: find your giant hexadecimal key(s) for CMx2 Normandy. (This also works for prior CMx2 modern titles now being distributed by Matrixlitherine.) Pete says if you don't know, but DO know your BF password (and username), you can log into BF here and find them, but I didn't have to do this: https://www.battlefront.com/index.php?p=orders

Step 2: either create a (free) Matrix/Slitherine account (joint account for both sites, long since owned by the same people of course), or login to your account. Used to be, in North America that was matrixgames.com and in Europe that was slitherine.com, but locale doesn't really matter anymore, only the site color scheme. If you want to look more Ravenclaw, go to Matrix. 

Step 3: after you've logged in (either way), find the tab near the top that says "My Page" and click that.

Step 4: on your personal page now! -- over to the right you see a column of tabs, starting with "My Menu" and "My page" (self-referentially). At the bottom of that tab column should be "Register Serial". Click that.

Step 5: usually this is used for putting in serial numbers for old downloads or box games (with the number printed on the disc(s)), which in that case is a set of four 4-digit numbers separated by hyphens -- which is still shown on the instructions. But it also works with (non-hyphened) hexadecimal codes from Battlefront now! Copy-paste a number into the second line, and from the first line choose the appropriate game or expansion from the drop-down menu. You can start typing Combat Mission and it'll go to those games eventually.

Note that if you have a key for a CMNormandy bundle (as I did), you can use that instead of putting in all the keys one at a time. (***BUT SEE BELOW, THIS MAY NOT CURRENTLY WORK!*** I mean it activated the game, but not the DLC. I suspect the "bundle" means bundled with the v3 paid upgrade.) Anyway, once you've selected the game and copy-pasted the key (make sure no space at the end), click the "register" button. This could take a few seconds to process.

Step 6: if everything works the site will say so. You can now go back to the main page of "My Page", and at the top-right of the game list you can search your registered games (whether bought through the site or back-registered like you just did) with the drop-down menu set to "latest bought". CMNorm should sort up to the top-left entry.

Step 7: you can ignore Steam if you want and just download an installer from Matrix / Slitherine directly by clicking "Download files". On the next screen mine was identified as "multi-setup installer", which might refer to the bundle. It also said I had 2 current loads from a max of 100, for both North America AND Europe, which I don't understand. Anyway you can proceed from there and then double-click on the installer once you've got it where you want (and/or can find it again).

Step 8: if you'd rather go through Steam, get the Steam key for your game + any DLCs, or for your bundle if you're like me (and I know I am!), back at "My Page" and the game's entry, by clicking the Steam key button (which should say it's available with "Get your key!") Follow its instructions from there to activate on Steam.

Remember, since Matrix/Slitherine has only been around umpteen-years so far, their site is still kind of amateur in many ways, so when you get your key, it will let you know by not telling you and instead reloading your "My Page" resorted top-down in alphanumeric title order. You'll have to find CMNorm again to actually find your key for copy-pasting to Steam.

Relatedly (perhaps), my bundle key did NOT unlock all, or even any, DLC on Steam. Don't know about at Matrix yet, that's unclear -- but seems unlikely, because Matrix treats DLC separately in the game list and the DLC did not show up sorted as the latest bought with the main game. (Update: this is definitely true! The DLC are not included in the "bundle" key, which probably only includes the paid v3 update to the main game.)

Fortunately, I do have my keys for the DLC also archived, but that means I'll have to enter each one separately on the registration screen as described above. Update: doing so gave them their own entries in my registered game list at Matrix, as I could have expected. From there, I get Steam keys for them separately.

Having activated all my DLC, except for the Commonwealth expansion -- which I hadn't bought yet -- Steam does sort of agree I have the DLC, but doesn't mark them as being owned (or even the game) on its main page for the game. Thus the Commonwealth expansion pack doesn't get the 24% off as a remaining part of the bundle. Yet. Perhaps if I install and run the game, which I'm trying now, Steam will notice and grant the full discount for a bundle remainder...?

Final update: yep, installing and playing the game on Steam told Steam I do own the game and the related DLC! -- so now it's giving me the 24% discount on the Commonwealth, instead of the 15% individual discount, which will save me...... about $3. But for what it's worth, bundle-remnant discount buying is confirmed!

[Destraex]

Q
a) Do you need to link steam to matrix games?
b) Are all the little patch upgrades included in the matrix\steam versions by default these days or are these treated like separate DLC activations?

[Redwolf]

Q
a) Do you need to link steam to matrix games?
b) Are all the little patch upgrades included in the matrix\steam versions by default these days or are these treated like separate DLC activations?

All the patches are in.

I'm not sure what you mean by "link". All you do is transport activation numbers, there is no other account linkage.

[Destraex]

Thx Redwolf. By link I mean use the link button on Matrix Games website that physically links both your steam and matrix games accounts together so that they communicate with each other.

If it is literally a steam key no strings attached then that's cool.

[JasonPratt]

I didn't use a link button, for what it's worth: I had forgotten that was a thing!

I activated the product on Matrix using my old BF hexidecimal key; and then Matrix generated a Steam code for me, which I entered at Steam. As far as I know, there was no link per se between my accounts.

[Pete Dero]

Thx Redwolf. By link I mean use the link button on Matrix Games website that physically links both your steam and matrix games accounts together so that they communicate with each other.

If it is literally a steam key no strings attached then that's cool.

No link necessary (there is not even a link available at this time).  You decide if you activate the game on Steam or not.  And when you want it you have to enter the generated key on Steam yourself.

If I recall correctly I had to enter the BF key I received for Engine 4 to register on Matrix. So in my case all major game patches were already there.


There is talk about game engine 5 being worked on and this will most likely end up as paid DLC (on Battlefront, Matrix & Steam).

[JasonPratt]

Whereas in my case, I can confirm I entered a key for the v3 engine, and got the v4.04 engine from Matrix (and thence from Steam). So the engine update was free for me.

I can't tell whether a key for an engine predating v.3 will work, of course.

[Destraex]

Note to all. You must use your latest (I assume) engine upgrade key for CMBN when registering.

[JasonPratt]

Oh, you mean if the main program key doesn't include an engine upgrade bundled with it, then that needs to be included separately?

If so, then someone who never got around to buying an upgrade will need to do so from Battlefront before activating at Matrix (and thence Steam), rather than pay full price (even if minus the release discount).

[Redwolf]

Oh, you mean if the main program key doesn't include an engine upgrade bundled with it, then that needs to be included separately?

If so, then someone who never got around to buying an upgrade will need to do so from Battlefront before activating at Matrix (and thence Steam), rather than pay full price (even if minus the release discount).

No, I think the update is free on Steam by way of keeping things simple. Steam probably doesn't have a 3.x version so what you gonna do with people who have a 3.x key? Just give them 4.x instead of excluding them from Steam .

[Elvis]

Personally, I'd prefer they focus on new content and improvements rather than porting over.

Man, I haven't been around in a while, have ?

It should make everyone that shares this opinion feel better if I mention, Charles is the coder/programmer. The amount of time he spent porting the games over is close to zero. We had a full time 2nd coder for a while who left his "dream job" at Battlefront for his "fantasy job". He was brought in as a hired gun to integrate the PBEM ++ and Tournaments features. Charles did almost none of that. Creating builds for Steam and Matrix versions is what Charles does and takes him very little time. As an example, when I asked him for Matrix and Steam builds of Normandy for me to send to Slitherine I had them in under 2 hours. And, for all I know, he may have been out to lunch with his wife for most of that time. The point being, taking a Battlefront build and adapting that for Steam and Matrix doesn't take up a significant amount of time for him to port. Once that has been sent to Slitherine they do the rest.

So, none of the porting to Steam has slowed down production.

[Destraex]

Elvis please say their are plans to make this game coop without the need for a community work around?

[Sir Slash]

To be fair to Battlefront, I just installed CMBN's Vehicle Pack and Battle Pack #1 because they are on sale right now at the site, and it was easy and painless. 

[Elvis]

To be fair to Battlefront, I just installed CMBN's Vehicle Pack and Battle Pack #1 because they are on sale right now at the site, and it was easy and painless. 

Yeah, you shouldn't have needed to install anything. If your game is up to date they are already installed and just need to be activated/unlocked.

It's out. Mostly steam releases, some module add ons, and upgrade 5.

https://community.battlefront.com/topic/142199-annual-look-at-the-year-to-come-2023/

Completely unrelated......Someone just joined the BFC forum with the name Grumpy Reaper. I chuckled out loud.

[Grim.Reaper]

To be fair to Battlefront, I just installed CMBN's Vehicle Pack and Battle Pack #1 because they are on sale right now at the site, and it was easy and painless. 

Yeah, you shouldn't have needed to install anything. If your game is up to date they are already installed and just need to be activated/unlocked.

It's out. Mostly steam releases, some module add ons, and upgrade 5.

https://community.battlefront.com/topic/142199-annual-look-at-the-year-to-come-2023/

Completely unrelated......Someone just joined the BFC forum with the name Grumpy Reaper. I chuckled out loud.

Not me:)