Gustav Line module for CMFI announced, screenshots, pre-purchase

[Redwolf]

New screenshots:
http://www.battlefront.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=304&Itemid=524

Pre-purchase is available only as a module for CMFI, at $35 electronically, $45 physical and download. They seems to have gotten rid of the silly physical-only order thing. No bundle options with the base game (yet).

Note that it is pre-purchase, not pre-order. Your money is taken at order time, not ship time.


Any particular opinions?

 

[Elvis]

New screenshots:
http://www.battlefront.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=304&Itemid=524

Pre-purchase is available only as a module for CMFI, at $35 electronically, $45 physical and download. They seems to have gotten rid of the silly physical-only order thing. No bundle options with the base game (yet).

Note that it is pre-purchase, not pre-order. Your money is taken at order time, not ship time.


Any particular opinions?

Are you sure about the pre-purchase thing? I can't find that anywhere. Everything I see on the site says pre-order, as it has with other releases. The Sales Policy section hasn't been updated since August 2004 and isn't specific about being immediately charged on pre-orders (although it does mention back-ordered and out of stock items). Was the change mentioned somewhere else of their site or have pre-orders always worked as pre-purchases?

The screen shots look great.

 

[Redwolf]

Are you sure about the pre-purchase thing? I can't find that anywhere. Everything I see on the site says pre-order, as it has with other releases. The Sales Policy section hasn't been updated since August 2004 and isn't specific about being immediately charged on pre-orders (although it does mention back-ordered and out of stock items). Was the change mentioned somewhere else of their site or have pre-orders always worked as pre-purchases?

The screen shots look great.

http://www.battlefront.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage_bfc&Itemid=26&category_id=0&product_id=352

"If you pre-order now, you will:

* save $10 on this "download&mail delivery" vs. ordering it later
* have to pay immediately (your credit card or Paypal account will be charged now, not when the game ships)
* be able to download the game as soon as it is released (you will be notified of its release via email)"

 

[Redwolf]

So that is $90 + shipping + sales tax if you don't own CMFI yet and want one physical package and one download. And that's just one platform.

The problem remains what we said in December: the CMFI base game just has too limited scope (and that includes too few mods and other third-party contributions out there) to warrant full price, and now it drives up the price for what is a well scoped game.

Personally I'd like to see at least one more incremental fix to some combat engine oddity, just like the MG fix.

 

[NUTTERNAME]

So that is $90 + shipping + sales tax if you don't own CMFI yet and want one physical package and one download. And that's just one platform.

The problem remains what we said in December: the CMFI base game just has too limited scope (and that includes too few mods and other third-party contributions out there) to warrant full price, and now it drives up the price for what is a well scoped game.

Personally I'd like to see at least one more incremental fix to some combat engine oddity, just like the MG fix.

So, the pre-order is for those that have CMFI only? There is no bundle at this time?

I suppose that the 'M-Gun Patch' for CMFI will also wait till the release of Gustav? Maybe not. I really see no reason that anyone would buy the CMFI base game at this point. They should do a special on CMFI for 39.99 with the patched-machineguns as soon as possible. I read that Gustav might be 4-6 weeks. Or more.

 

[Redwolf]

Moon just confirmed that there will be a bundle but that they don't offer it before the module release. The reason being the headache created from one part being available and the other one not at order time.

http://www.battlefront.com/community/showpost.php?p=1432644&postcount=16

 

[Elvis]

http://www.battlefront.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage_bfc&Itemid=26&category_id=0&product_id=352

"If you pre-order now, you will:

* save $10 on this "download&mail delivery" vs. ordering it later
* have to pay immediately (your credit card or Paypal account will be charged now, not when the game ships)
* be able to download the game as soon as it is released (you will be notified of its release via email)"

Got it. Thanks. That is a new policy, correct?

 

[Elvis]

I read that Gustav might be 4-6 weeks. Or more.

I think they have delivered on the "4-6 weeks" once. The times after they give the "4-6 weeks" notice don't miss by much but I think it was only the last one that fell within that time. Who knows, maybe they'll get 2 in a row.

 

[NUTTERNAME]

It's a bit shady IMO. Firstly, to cop the funds up front, with no defined delivery date, and no demo either, smacks of a loan.

In business, generally other businesses qualify for 'Net 30' or some such. Basically, the order is fulfilled first, then the recipient has 30 days to pay in full or return the items. Obviously, this does not work in the software-entertainment world, but to collect funds before shipping is a bit of a game changer. Eh, if people know that going in, then it's fine. If they didn't read the stated policy (like Elvis...who gets the stuff for free anyway), then they are idiots. I surmise they need the money. And, there is nothing wrong with that.

But the 'Feature' carrot is being strung out there. MikeyD has said there is "so much more!". I think a better approach would be to itemize what is being bought. I should hope that design decisions have been finalized as far as content.

I guess the pre-order is mostly targeted at the tin-case crowd that need a filler item for their collection. I would be interested in seeing what the DL-Only CMFI+Gustav will be.

 

[Redwolf]

FWIW pre-purchase instead of pre-order is pretty common now. LOTRO also does it.

 

[Fleischer]

New videos @ youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Battlefrontcom

FLAKs wiping out infantry running mindlessly into the fire... And a simple color filter called "war movie shaders". Is this really what CM has become? :nervous:

 

[NUTTERNAME]

New videos @ youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Battlefrontcom

FLAKs wiping out infantry running mindlessly into the fire... And a simple color filter called "war movie shaders". Is this really what CM has become? :nervous:

Well, maybe they were heavily influenced by war movie scenes...

[video=youtube;Xl7U54PlpSs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl7U54PlpSs[/video]

 

[NUTTERNAME]

Moon just confirmed that there will be a bundle but that they don't offer it before the module release. The reason being the headache created from one part being available and the other one not at order time.

http://www.battlefront.com/community/showpost.php?p=1432644&postcount=16

Headache? C'mon, just make a SKU that is released when the module is ready. What an excuse factory BF is. And it sounds like blowing smoke too. They just want to corral all the drooling die-hard money so they can decide what disk volumes they need pressed. After they have wrung out the suckers and have had them finance the solid product, they will probably drop a down-load only bargain. After that, they can focus on Market Garden...or will they change the party-line again?

Actually, if you read the "How it works" instructions for the pre-order of Gustav module, they do not make sense. 'Download Immediately'? You can't. I really don't know what Moon brings to the whole BF circus. Does he do a dry run of the order process? Or maybe he expects 'vollies' to do that also? Or does BF lean on Steve's extensive software-quality-management experience?

 

[Bil H]

The war movie shader is a step in the direction of making the game more appealing visually... I personally think that this mode gives a grittier more realistic appearance to the stock mode. Will it be for everyone? I doubt it.. and in that case don't use it.. that's why its an option.

Why did they add it? Because they could. Not sure what the comment "Is this really what CM has become?" is supposed to mean. The appearance can be worked on in tandem with the in game improvements.

Bil

 

[Redwolf]

I always though that very simple tricks for more immersion are lost in ww2 games. The filter is just one example. Another would be an example of focus, and that means blur on things not in focus, for "screenshot mode".

 

[Fleischer]

More likely this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qZJ85MdS-g#t=4m16s

 

[NUTTERNAME]

The war movie shader is a step in the direction of making the game more appealing visually... I personally think that this mode gives a grittier more realistic appearance to the stock mode. Will it be for everyone? I doubt it.. and in that case don't use it.. that's why its an option.

Why did they add it? Because they could. Not sure what the comment "Is this really what CM has become?" is supposed to mean. The appearance can be worked on in tandem with the in game improvements.

Bil

Hopefully, more people use it than the featured 'command-menu' improvement.

They added it because they could? I guess they are well ahead of schedule then.

 

[Geordie]

Hi
Hits the first week of May draws to a close are we any nearer seeing any of the games promised us before the end of June 2013.

its been so long that I've moved on now, haven't played CM for a while, was expecting the Arnhem module way before now, maybe something ostfront around about now and here we are, still waiting the arrival of a minor Module for a game that very few people seem to be playing.

have BF totally lost track with the games? By this stage I will be lucky to see the Arnhem module by Christmas, and I can't see any Ostfront any time soon.

Ive now switched to ARMA and have spent my CM money on ARMA 3 alpha as I'm fed up waiting for CM games.

ARMA has something that CM will never have, that's a game designed for the community to Mod and skin as they please. It's a pity BF couldn't approach their game the same as Bohemia Interactive approached theirs.

Italy is the first CM game I never bought but I'm not really sure I will be buying another one.

 

[Redwolf]

I never blame software developers for late software

The underlying problem is that the CMx2 is too complex and complicated for what IMHO would get the job done, and if that is what delays releases then I look at it unfavorably.

 

[Bletchley_Geek]

Hi
Hits the first week of May draws to a close are we any nearer seeing any of the games promised us before the end of June 2013.

its been so long that I've moved on now, haven't played CM for a while, was expecting the Arnhem module way before now, maybe something ostfront around about now and here we are, still waiting the arrival of a minor Module for a game that very few people seem to be playing.

have BF totally lost track with the games? By this stage I will be lucky to see the Arnhem module by Christmas, and I can't see any Ostfront any time soon.

Ive now switched to ARMA and have spent my CM money on ARMA 3 alpha as I'm fed up waiting for CM games.

ARMA has something that CM will never have, that's a game designed for the community to Mod and skin as they please. It's a pity BF couldn't approach their game the same as Bohemia Interactive approached theirs.

Italy is the first CM game I never bought but I'm not really sure I will be buying another one.

What I understood from reading BFC statements regarding release was that we'll have May - August - December releases. May has just started.

They chose the Gustav Line thing to be released first, probably because that's the way to make the Italy line of games more appealing than they're at the moment (which is, content-wise, a bit threadbare). Note that they're featuring in Gustav Line most of the stuff which would be sorely needed for Market Garden (that is the September - November 1944 period): German Paras, Flak units, winter terrain and uniforms, quite a few new AFV's, etc. I'd be honestly surprised if it's not the case that the GL release happens at the end of this week or next week.

Seeing Market Garden by the beginning of August seems to me very likely as well, having in mind the above.

What I'm wondering about is the December release. Will they go Bagration or will they go Bulge for CM 3.0? Seeing the content they've already developed, I'd say chances of BFC deciding to go the Bulge way first are higher than going the Bagration way.