Panther Games Command Ops 2 Limited Time Offer Bundle Pack Coming Soon

[Arjuna]

on the replay thing i thought it would be interesting to play the other side against your own plan, that would be kinda cool O0

I'd rename the file and save the replay[don't know if each replay is saved or if it just saves over it], play a bunch of scenarios maybe put how i scored in the save replay name and sometime in the future play the other side in my most stunning victories to try and stop myself ;D, by the time i played i would probably forget the plan that gave me the stunning victory.

The way it works is that it overwrites the recording file each time you play. So if you want to keep it, you have to do a copy before you start another game. We chose this way so players didn't end up losing all their disk space.

[Arjuna]

Just letting you know we have uploaded a new build 5.0.8 to LNL that addresses the game speed and message log issues plus a swag of others. Full details here:
http://forums.lnlpublishing.com/threads/build-5-0-8-beta.1321/

[Pinetree]

In this age of terabyte drives, I would have thought that size wouldn't matter too much.  Unless the files are really huge.

[Arjuna]

In this age of terabyte drives, I would have thought that size wouldn't matter too much.  Unless the files are really huge.

Well a recording grows the longer the scenario goes for and the more orders you issue. So they can get quite large.

[JudgeDredd]

I agree with Toonces - superb post Dave and thanks for clarifying.

I rebought the Commanders Pack - it's alot of game for a great price.

I have no issue with the pricing in principle. In fact, I'm a bigger fan of DLC and paid updates (not bug fixes) than most. My beef with pricing - and your game was a culprit - was the initial outlay. I cannot justify to myself or my wife £100 on a game. Hell, £60 was a stretch. So as games move towards that area, they get less likely as purchases for me.

So your plan...get CO3 for free and buy the Eastern Front modules at $30-$50 each is fine by me and keeps games within "and expected price point". I understand people have other views...but this is mine.

You have to make a living...it was the high initial purchase I could seldom justify. This way - whilst I couldn't buy your 3 Eastern Front modules at the same time for more than £100, I could buy them over 3 months or more...and that is justifiable (for me and my family budget).

Al I would say is get working on a Falklands, 6 Days War, Vietnam and Yom Kippur modules!  O0  Each one of those are guaranteed my money.

[Arjuna]

Al I would say is get working on a Falklands, 6 Days War, Vietnam and Yom Kippur modules!  O0  Each one of those are guaranteed my money.

Thanks Judge. So are you volunteering to help with the data content for those modules. What I am trying to do is focus on the engine development and have others do the data content. We offer a percentage royalty for data developers. It's not going to make anyone rich but may go someway to buying things you want. The royalty we offer is 20% plus 5% for whoever coordinates it. So for instance we had three guys working on the Westwall module due out soon and they share in the 20%. I think the final breakdown between them will be decided by a baseball bat at close quarters. ;)

[jomni]

Al I would say is get working on a Falklands, 6 Days War, Vietnam and Yom Kippur modules!  O0  Each one of those are guaranteed my money.

Thanks Judge. So are you volunteering to help with the data content for those modules. What I am trying to do is focus on the engine development and have others do the data content. We offer a percentage royalty for data developers. It's not going to make anyone rich but may go someway to buying things you want. The royalty we offer is 20% plus 5% for whoever coordinates it. So for instance we had three guys working on the Westwall module due out soon and they share in the 20%. I think the final breakdown between them will be decided by a baseball bat at close quarters. ;)

I love JudgeDredd's proposed campaigns.  :P

[MikeGER]

Command Ops (play style ;) )  2.0   ^-^
(first crude experimental setup with iDisplay app and Note 10.1)






actually, i can use my left hand index finger to press a 'switch' ... maybe i keep the Edit Task window on the main screen and enlarge the secound display for bigger knobs to touch... )   

[Nefaro]

If the paid updates are feature additions, that is fine.  The choice to upgrade is there.

I'm just concerned that some bug I consider a notable issue could be left behind if I do decide to purchase the latest version any modules I own, at that point. 

We're being asked to take that in faith.  When it comes to bugs, I'm not so sure I can do that with such a short turnaround planned between versions.  There are always bugs, and often new ones after updates.  Maybe it will be okay, maybe not.  Perhaps there are very few right now.  I don't know, not having played anything in the series since HTTR.

If I buy it and feel compelled to re-purchase the modules all over again for the same price, because some annoying bug I've experienced is only fixed in the new improved version six months later, I would be very unhappy.  I don't think that situation can be predicted, so it comes down to whether I want to buy for $50 and hope all is in great shape when that point comes later this year.  If I were only purchasing the new one because I wanted the new features/content, then that's a different story, and not the primary issue. 

It's all due to post-release support for this version getting a pre-planned cutoff date in the near future.  That's the big concern.  What if a notable bug or UI issue in the current version is found in a couple months, after the dev team is knee deep into creating the new version?   Is it going to be left in the older one for good, or are they going to fix it in both versions?  I think modularity is the way to go with game series, but this one seems to be carrying the same issues as BF's - modules that aren't quite so modular in the end.  :-\ 

I want to pick up the initial release version now, but these concerns have me in the "no" category.  Especially since there are many other $50 toys on my want list.  Convince me.

Perhaps I'm expecting too high a standard when it comes to a modular architecture, after getting used to the system Paradox has implemented so well with EU4 and CK2?  Where the core system and past content are all updated and remain compatible no matter which modules you have. 

[Skoop]

How is this system going to work with user made content? 

I notice that CO OPS 1 had full editors, and the matrix site had tons of free user made content.  Guys had estabs and scenarios already made for the eastern front. 

Will this flexibility continue?

How will user made content scale with all these upgrades?


I'm starting to think that the CMNAO dev path might be better for this.  Pay one whopper hundred dollars, but you own it for ever and everything is updated free.  That thing has had 20 updates since I bought it.

[JasonPratt]

That's pretty squeeworthy, Mike!


Dave, to clarify: I said the modules are clearly paid beta (paid + beta = paid beta); the core engine and its few test scenarios isn't (beta yes, paid no).

I also said the paid beta isn't a bad thing in this case because there's a clear strong discount involved for getting in early (and without even needing a promise to send feedback).

So I'm not damning you either way. And I know, "paid beta" has such a bad reputation attached to it, I can understand avoiding that phrase in regard to the modules for marketing purposes, even though it's a good thing in this particular case. I guess I'm being idealistic about it; pragmatically it's better to try deflecting attention from that, because of the knee-jerk reaction people now have to the concept.

[JudgeDredd]

It needed 20 updates  ;)

Seriously though - as I said in my post - I can justify small outputs of cash for gaming. Large outputs are much harder to justify. But that is only my story.

I think Dave's point as well is feasability of staying in the business of making games. Where does CMANO get it's money from? Once it's saturated the "acceptable" market with the game (those who are interested and want it) - where does it get it cash? As a company I mean? Additional content has to be worked on right? And those working on it have to be paid, right? It's inevitable that that cannot continue forever...to coin a popular phrase, something's gotta give.

I've always understood gamers wanting to edit things and create their own in-game content. I always got it. But it doesn't keep with developers making a living, right? I mean...if Dave was to release an editor that allowed gamers the world over to create their Falkland's scenario, or 6 Days War or Yom Kippur...and the gamers make the content good enough, then there goes Dave's $$$

It's never made any sense to me that developers release a game that is moddable to the point where they lose the ability to provide paid for content. Sure...let users customise chits, graphics, tweak settings...but why would you give them the ability to create new scenarios when your business model is creating and selling new scenarios?

They have done - to their credit. But I never got how one would not affect the other quite drastically.

[Nefaro]

It's never made any sense to me that developers release a game that is moddable to the point where they lose the ability to provide paid for content. Sure...let users customise chits, graphics, tweak settings...but why would you give them the ability to create new scenarios when your business model is creating and selling new scenarios?

They have done - to their credit. But I never got how one would not affect the other quite drastically.

Modability definitely adds value to a purchase, and persuades some to buy in the first place.  That's one reason developers do it. 

However.. I don't recall seeing any official expansions from dev teams suffering just because there were lots of mods out for the base game.  If anything, I often see mods requiring the official expansions for them to work.  They actually push people to own the complete set.  It's win-win.

[RyanE]

Its always bugged me some small developers not letting people mod their games...and then go on to release one expansion in 12 months. 

If you aren't going to expand your game system, at least let someone else do it for free.  Or even sell a license to do it.

[Skoop]

I think modders can help a dev, they create data and scenarios.  This then frees up the dev to add big feature upgrades which radically inhance gameplay.  Just look at ARMA3.  I hated the near future setting, but I bought the game because I new the mods we're going to be fantastic.