Battlefront Combat Mission Normandy and Italy - 3.0 Upgrade now available

Grim.Reaper · August 10, 2014, 02:10:24 PM

Here is the announcement.....looks like $10 per each version......

http://www.battlefront.com/

Gentlemen, upgrade your war! The 3.0 Upgrades for Combat Mission Battle for Normandy and Combat Mission Fortress Italy are finally here! The Upgrades convert and upgrade your existing games (and any installed modules) automagically to include most of the advanced new CMx2 v3.00 game features! (This includes features you may already know and enjoy in Combat Mission: Red Thunder and makes them available for Normandy and Italy!)

* Upgrades must be purchased separately for each title. Currently, the Upgrade is available for PC platforms only. The Mac Upgrade is in the works and undergoing some additional compatibility testing for the latest version of OS X)

Graphics •Hit impacts to vehicles and bunkers now shown graphically ("hit decals")
•Water animates for fording units
•Improved shaders

Gameplay•Ground units are now able to fire at attacking aircraft
•Ammo Dumps allow platoons to have reserve ammo stored separately on map (automatically distributed for certain Skill Levels)
•WeGo TCP/IP with the ability to save but not the ability to replay combat action
•Spotters restricted to directing only one Mission at a time. Assets can now be group fired.
•More realistic/varied RoF of automatic weapons.
•Improved load time for scenarios, especially larger ones with complex terrain

User Interface •Three different sets of camera controls; Standard (traditional), First Person Shooter, and Real Time Strategy
•Optional graphical Command and Control link tracing
•KIAs are shown in the Soldier/Crew Panels to track soldiers lost during the game
•Option to disable music separate from other game sounds

Editor •Ability to create AI Triggers that execute actions based on other units or interaction with Objectives (existing battles do not have this, but it can be added by authors if they wish)
•Maximum map size increased
•Improved responsiveness of 2D editing, especially for large maps
•Improved load time for 3D Preview, especially large maps
•Customized "Mod Tags" for most graphics. This allows for multiple mods for the same item without the need to move items in/out of Data folder
•Ability to specify specific mods be used for a specific Scenario. If CM fails to find the specified mod it will use the default

sandman2575 · August 10, 2014, 02:23:05 PM

Thanks for posting -- was wondering how this was coming along. ... there goes $20...

Zulu1966 · August 10, 2014, 03:05:21 PM

Excellent.

Well worth the money.

Now wait for all the "shouldn't have to pay for an upgrade ... yada yada yada ... posts"v

panzerde · August 10, 2014, 03:49:52 PM

Thanks for posting, might not have seen that for a bit. Downloading both now!

RyanE · August 10, 2014, 04:28:17 PM

Noticed they aren't doing flame weapons or tank riders in 3.0. I thought that was one of the main points of 3.0. Is there any word if that is being added later?

Skoop · August 10, 2014, 05:05:07 PM

My question as well, I was hoping for those.

SgtRock · August 10, 2014, 05:19:50 PM

I understand what Battlefront is trying to do with the $10.00 upgrades, keep each CM2 game updated with the latest features
The question is how long can it go on? When there are 5 or 6 CM 2 games (next year?), who is willing to spend $50-60 just to upgrade them all? It may also take so much time & resources than even Battlefront can't upgrade more than 1 or 2 CM games a year. Battlefront said they can't even create an installer to install and upgrade the current CM2 games & expansions.
See:
http://www.battlefront.com/community/showpost.php?s=2ab2c915c668a81bd18fcf3c5500d5b6&p=1543653&postcount=17

Does their pricing make sense, if you bought the This complete edition of CM Normandy package at $95.00 today, you would still need to spend another $10.00 for the 3.0 upgrade.

Does anyone else sell 3 year old games with a higher price even if it's been updated? Just look at every other game, the base game is released, then the add-ons/DLC's etc. When the complete edition is released it's a lot cheaper. Battlefront's marketing and pricing sure is different. It's interesting that a small software company can buck the current marketing and pricing trends. I just wonder for how long?

How does one convince new buyers that the 3 year old game is worth the higher price than their newest game, let alone another $10 upgrade after you buy the complete edition package?

Image a Steam Sale where Sykrim Complete Edition is only $125 or if Matrix games ever followed this price scheme, WITP - AE would cost about $1,200.00 about now! ;D

RyanE · August 10, 2014, 05:40:44 PM

The versioning is also getting a little out of control. Different installers with the same version number, a 3.0 upgrade that gives you game version 1.20, an immediate re-release of CMFI 3.0 upgrade to 3.0b that gives you 1.20? I am not sure.

SgtRock · August 10, 2014, 05:57:33 PM

Quote from: RyanE on August 10, 2014, 05:40:44 PM
The versioning is also getting a little out of control. Different installers with the same version number, a 3.0 upgrade that gives you game version 1.20, an immediate re-release of CMFI 3.0 upgrade to 3.0b that gives you 1.20? I am not sure.

1.20 is what you get after the 3.0 version upgrade, go figure?

It's been said once you lose version control, you can't get it back, like losing your virginity. :))

I just saw this posted

http://www.battlefront.com/community/showpost.php?s=0b121bdafe62257e4d0e0bb6e5da620c&p=1545372&postcount=2

QuoteWe had fixed the problem for CMRT and CMFI. It is not known to occur in CMBN. However, somehow the fix slipped out of the newest builds in the last week after it was verified. Maddening, but sometimes it happens.

Anyways, we're making a new version of the CMFI Upgrade right now that has the fix properly included. It should be live on the server today. All you'll have to do is redownload the Upgrade and reinstall it to fix the bug (if you have it).

We'll let you know when the fixed installer is live!

Looks like there be a new 3.0 upgrade and/or a new 1.20 version of the just released 3.0 - 1.20 version, clear now ???

panzerde · August 10, 2014, 06:18:17 PM

You have to wonder why certain people even bother with CM threads. They loudly proclaim how they don't play the game, don't understand the pricing model, dislike the publisher, and now are morally opposed to the version control scheme. You'd think they'd have games they do like that they'd prefer to play and discuss.

And yet every time, here they are. It has to be some sort of hobby for them.

It'd be great to have a thread where those that play this series of games could discuss something like an upgrade without half the damn posts being a reaffirmation of how much other people dislike the game. Fine, got that. Got that the last two dozen times. I got it so much that I absolutely knew it was going to happen again. I guess I'll have to be the one to stop reading and commenting on CM threads here, since they are always 100% of the time going to turn into this.

RyanE · August 10, 2014, 06:20:59 PM

There seems to be growing confusion on the BFC boards about patch order. Some conflicting information. I am not sure, with their current DRM system, there is any simple solution here. There are just too many moving parts. I still think it would have been better and easier to have one consolidated engine and then modules only.

With all that said, my install seems to have gone smoother than normal. I think I got all my possible kinks ironed out in the last reinstall disaster.

My wife is already making rumblings about upgrading both of our laptops. It is weird that one of the things holding me back from jumping at a new laptop is losing CM activations and the work needed to reinstall/reactivate.

RyanE · August 10, 2014, 06:28:09 PM

Quote from: panzerde on August 10, 2014, 06:18:17 PM
You have to wonder why certain people even bother with CM threads. They loudly proclaim how they don't play the game, don't understand the pricing model, dislike the publisher, and now are morally opposed to the version control scheme. You'd think they'd have games they do like that they'd prefer to play and discuss.

And yet every time, here they are. It has to be some sort of hobby for them.

It'd be great to have a thread where those that play this series of games could discuss something like an upgrade without half the damn posts being a reaffirmation of how much other people dislike the game. Fine, got that. Got that the last two dozen times. I got it so much that I absolutely knew it was going to happen again. I guess I'll have to be the one to stop reading and commenting on CM threads here, since they are always 100% of the time going to turn into this.

I think the main issue is that there aren't many boards with balanced discussion. The BFC boards are just chock full of people that brook no complaint about CM games. This is a board where you can calmly speak your mind and give honest feedback. Its good to hear the bad and not have it drowned out by a bunch of sycophants.

SgtRock · August 10, 2014, 06:43:31 PM

Quote from: RyanE on August 10, 2014, 04:28:17 PM
Noticed they aren't doing flame weapons or tank riders in 3.0. I thought that was one of the main points of 3.0. Is there any word if that is being added later?

Maybe you don't understand, upgrades don't include new weapons or maybe the History channel convinced them flame weapons or tank riders weren't used in Normandy!

Don't worry I'm sure they'll be happy to sell you these features in the future, just keep your credit card on standby!

RyanE · August 10, 2014, 06:48:07 PM

I don't mind paying for it...really. I just want to know when. For my own curiosity.

SgtRock · August 10, 2014, 07:22:18 PM

Quote from: panzerde on August 10, 2014, 06:18:17 PM
You have to wonder why certain people even bother with CM threads. They loudly proclaim how they don't play the game, don't understand the pricing model, dislike the publisher, and now are morally opposed to the version control scheme. You'd think they'd have games they do like that they'd prefer to play and discuss.

And yet every time, here they are. It has to be some sort of hobby for them.

It'd be great to have a thread where those that play this series of games could discuss something like an upgrade without half the damn posts being a reaffirmation of how much other people dislike the game. Fine, got that. Got that the last two dozen times. I got it so much that I absolutely knew it was going to happen again. I guess I'll have to be the one to stop reading and commenting on CM threads here, since they are always 100% of the time going to turn into this.

Just like the fanboys who see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil!!! It's funny, no one yet on the Battlefront forums asked why flame weapons or tank riders aren't in the 3.0 release or why their CM 2 games don't upgrade 3.0. It's funny some one buys the 3.0 upgrades but, it only upgrades to 1.20 for one product and 2.20 for another. I don't own any of the new CM games but, was helping some one who does, because they thought something was wrong on their end!