Grogheads Interviews - Steve from Battlefront!

Started by Jarhead0331, August 11, 2021, 04:12:42 PM

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Jarhead0331

Grogheads Uber Alles
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"No beast is more alpha than JH." Gusington, 10/23/18


Gusington



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We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

Ubercat

Is he the boss? The one who insists on that DRM scheme?
"If you have always believed that everyone should play by the same rules and be judged by the same standards, that would have gotten you labelled a radical 50 years ago, a liberal 25 years ago, and a racist today."

- Thomas Sowell

z1812

Hi Boggit, Thank you for a really good interview, Great questions asked and informative answers given.

Sir Slash

"Take a look at that". Sgt. Wilkerson-- CMBN. His last words after spotting a German tank on the other side of a hedgerow.

Michael Dorosh

Quote from: z1812 on August 11, 2021, 08:29:45 PM
Great questions asked and informative answers given.

As informative as Steve can be, I suppose.  He dodged as many questions as he answered.

GH: Do you have plans to expand more features from the original Combat Mission like the "Move to Contact", "Shoot and Scoot" orders or the Line of Sight tool.....?

Steve: It's amazing how good the game engine is after all these years!

GH: What new and original features might be seen....things like fire and its spread, or allowing heavy weapon crews to re-crew their guns.....

Steve: At present we are thinking along the lines of....better rendering shadows....

Steve has always had the pulse of the fan base, to the point of knowing better than the fans themselves what it is the fans really want. I didn't even know that I was unhappy about the way CM renders shadows until Steve told me I was.


al_infierno

Quote from: Michael Dorosh on August 12, 2021, 06:14:33 AM

Steve has always had the pulse of the fan base, to the point of knowing better than the fans themselves what it is the fans really want. I didn't even know that I was unhappy about the way CM renders shadows until Steve told me I was.

That one really is a head scratcher.  Who gives a shit about the shadows?
A War of a Madman's Making - a text-based war planning and political survival RPG

It makes no difference what men think of war, said the judge.  War endures.  As well ask men what they think of stone.  War was always here.  Before man was, war waited for him.  The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner.  That is the way it was and will be.  That way and not some other way.
- Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian


If they made nothing but WWII games, I'd be perfectly content.  Hypothetical matchups from alternate history 1980s, asymmetrical US-bashes-some-3rd world guerillas, or minor wars between Upper Bumblescum and outer Kaboomistan hold no appeal for me.
- Silent Disapproval Robot


I guess it's sort of nice that the word "tactical" seems to refer to some kind of seriousness during your moments of mental clarity.
- MengJiao

A Canadian Cat

#7
Quote from: Michael Dorosh on August 12, 2021, 06:14:33 AM
GH: Do you have plans to expand more features from the original Combat Mission like the "Move to Contact", "Shoot and Scoot" orders or the Line of Sight tool.....?

Steve: It's amazing how good the game engine is after all these years!
I don't think that snipping in the quote above was editorially fair. We can all read what he actually wrote and see for ourselves what looks like you creating a straw man version of what Steve actually said. I get it you want more commands, guess what me too probably lots of people here, It's not fair to categorize his response the way you have.

                         

A Canadian Cat

Quote from: al_infierno on August 12, 2021, 11:21:22 AM
Quote from: Michael Dorosh on August 12, 2021, 06:14:33 AM

Steve has always had the pulse of the fan base, to the point of knowing better than the fans themselves what it is the fans really want. I didn't even know that I was unhappy about the way CM renders shadows until Steve told me I was.

That one really is a head scratcher.  Who gives a shit about the shadows?
Interesting, I am not sure why you are confused. I cannot remember if I have seen you say you want a better looking game but it sure has been posted about here and plenty on BFC's own forums. People upset about the look of shadows and the resource hit from shadows is high up on the list of stuff people want improved. Just because you don't want it doesn't mean Steve is not seeing things in a clear eyed way.



         

al_infierno

#9
Quote from: A Canadian Cat on August 12, 2021, 12:04:44 PM

Interesting, I am not sure why you are confused. I cannot remember if I have seen you say you want a better looking game but it sure has been posted about here and plenty on BFC's own forums. People upset about the look of shadows and the resource hit from shadows is high up on the list of stuff people want improved. Just because you don't want it doesn't mean Steve is not seeing things in a clear eyed way.
         

I am quite aware that many people want graphical improvements to the game engine, but shadows?  I don't visit the BFC forums much so I don't know what the hardcore fanbase complains about, but I've never seen anybody here complain about the look of shadows.  Personally, I tend to disable graphical options if they cause "resource hits" that impact performance, because at the end of the day I really don't care for all those bells and whistles over gameplay.

I realize the answer provided in the quote is cut down.  Steve basically said "we are focusing on nice-to-have features like frame rate improvements, AI improvements, and shadows."  That's all fair, but it's also fair for me as an observer to question their priorities when a significant chunk of the fanbase has been asking for major engine overhauls over "nice to have" features like improved shadows for many years now.
A War of a Madman's Making - a text-based war planning and political survival RPG

It makes no difference what men think of war, said the judge.  War endures.  As well ask men what they think of stone.  War was always here.  Before man was, war waited for him.  The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner.  That is the way it was and will be.  That way and not some other way.
- Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian


If they made nothing but WWII games, I'd be perfectly content.  Hypothetical matchups from alternate history 1980s, asymmetrical US-bashes-some-3rd world guerillas, or minor wars between Upper Bumblescum and outer Kaboomistan hold no appeal for me.
- Silent Disapproval Robot


I guess it's sort of nice that the word "tactical" seems to refer to some kind of seriousness during your moments of mental clarity.
- MengJiao

A Canadian Cat

Quote from: al_infierno on August 12, 2021, 12:19:36 PMSteve basically said "we are focusing on nice-to-have features like frame rate improvements, AI improvements, and shadows."  That's all fair, but it's also fair for me as an observer to question their priorities when a significant chunk of the fanbase has been asking for major engine overhauls over "nice to have" features like improved shadows for many years now.
But is it really fair for you to question his priorities given you even admit that you don't' know what customers have been asking for? I think it would be fair to say that you don't care about shadows and that you do care about X and Y but if that's what you meant by your post you were a bit dramatic. I don't think that's fair. :)

             

al_infierno

#11
There are plenty of people who buy battlefront games and are "customers" but are not part of the hardcore group of superfans I referred to.

In any case, yeah my original comment was more of a fart-thought than a reasoned argument.  Thanks for answering my original question - apparently there are people who care about the shadows.

edit - tried to make my post less combative :)
A War of a Madman's Making - a text-based war planning and political survival RPG

It makes no difference what men think of war, said the judge.  War endures.  As well ask men what they think of stone.  War was always here.  Before man was, war waited for him.  The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner.  That is the way it was and will be.  That way and not some other way.
- Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian


If they made nothing but WWII games, I'd be perfectly content.  Hypothetical matchups from alternate history 1980s, asymmetrical US-bashes-some-3rd world guerillas, or minor wars between Upper Bumblescum and outer Kaboomistan hold no appeal for me.
- Silent Disapproval Robot


I guess it's sort of nice that the word "tactical" seems to refer to some kind of seriousness during your moments of mental clarity.
- MengJiao

A Canadian Cat

Quote from: al_infierno on August 12, 2021, 12:34:41 PM
There are plenty of people who buy battlefront games and are "customers" but are not part of the hardcore group of superfans I referred to.
LOL I didn't say that.

Quote from: al_infierno on August 12, 2021, 12:34:41 PMIn any case, yeah my original comment was more of a fart-thought than a reasoned argument.  Thanks for answering my original question - apparently there are people who care about the shadows.
Your welcome
             

al_infierno

#13
Quote from: A Canadian Cat on August 12, 2021, 12:28:58 PM
you even admit that you don't' know what customers have been asking for?

This comment is what I was referring to in my last post.  Though I realize you may have responded to my original phrasing before I edited it, in which case no worries :)
A War of a Madman's Making - a text-based war planning and political survival RPG

It makes no difference what men think of war, said the judge.  War endures.  As well ask men what they think of stone.  War was always here.  Before man was, war waited for him.  The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner.  That is the way it was and will be.  That way and not some other way.
- Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian


If they made nothing but WWII games, I'd be perfectly content.  Hypothetical matchups from alternate history 1980s, asymmetrical US-bashes-some-3rd world guerillas, or minor wars between Upper Bumblescum and outer Kaboomistan hold no appeal for me.
- Silent Disapproval Robot


I guess it's sort of nice that the word "tactical" seems to refer to some kind of seriousness during your moments of mental clarity.
- MengJiao

Elvis

Quote from: al_infierno on August 12, 2021, 12:19:36 PM

I realize the answer provided in the quote is cut down.  Steve basically said "we are focusing on nice-to-have features like frame rate improvements, AI improvements, and shadows."  That's all fair, but it's also fair for me as an observer to question their priorities when a significant chunk of the fanbase has been asking for major engine overhauls over "nice to have" features like improved shadows for many years now.

I wouldn't say that his comment was based on the hardcore fanbase on our forum. At least not from what I've seen. But take a look at the Steam comments and reviews. We are very happy that the games we have on Steam are rated "very positive" (both are at 84%. Shock Force 2 is 90% over the past 30 days) but if you read through the negative comments you'll see a common thread.  It's that 16% that you look at first. And that's human nature, ain't it?.... In the long run you look at them all because the positive reviews are just as important. Ya don't want to mess up what you're doing right either.