CMFI is a game but Market Garden is a module.
How did that come together? Why release a new game in the middle of the modules for the bigger game?
Maybe they wanted the small scope to develop the code?
It seems that the CW module has basically the same 'Features' and Development level as CMBN? The off-shoot to a 'whole new family', CMFI, and the casual forecast that it would take '2 months' to 'flip' CMFI-Tech to CMBN (turned into 5 months) is where BF is at. This probably has stalled the projected income stream, especially if the 'new game' CMFI was not that big a seller with the newly revived WWII crowd. But, to get directly to your question; I think CW
was a module (and a good subject matter for sales), but MG will be 'much more than a module'.
I would think that MG is more than a sub-set of a 'game family'. In terrain features, bridges and city fighting especially, it will probably end up being a 'super-set'. Of course, they have their eye on the future, and the Eastern Front will certainly need this terrain-coding anyway. Steve has already alluded to that CMBN 2.0 was not just a retrofit of CMFI to the CMBN 'core-code', but that the process had to take into account the new coding of MG and that seems to have been the time-issue that took so long. Basically, the grand-plan hit a snag on it's first trial run.
The early CMSF has been 'legacied' and deemed not worth updating to CMBN 'technology'. It will probably come to a point where CMBN 2.X will not have the chops to keep up with the eastern front 'features'. BF is certainly, at this point, 'twice-shy' and will take a good hard look about sales and marketing and the issue of upgrading.
As far as CMFI 'family' future modules, I would HOPE that BF is smart enough to realize that they need 'better material'. They need to pick their 'battles' better. IF there is another CMFI module, it should appeal to the CW-Mafia customers, USA market and have enough history-charisma to get the EU and others to buy in. Of course, using the developed MG technology in the CMFI module is only smart programming also.
But getting back to MG, will there be another back-lash of customers who might think they are getting jerked? Suppose that you can't use Tiger Tanks in MG unless you have CW? People will feel short-changed because the marketing picture or tin-case shows a Tiger for instance. Will this generate another 'Steve-Diatribe'?
Lessons Learned: New Families 'Intro' should have a minimum of Features. Close out the Family with a 'Module' with BIG features. Upgrades in the Future should only be applied to closed out Families from the last Module of the latest Family.
Oz has spoken.
