Thanks for the messages over December, to say its been a difficult time is an understatement.
Looking backwards to look forwards is a popular sport at the turn of the year. I was recently asked to add my opinion to virtual round table of developers on simulations and guess the future. You can read our collective thoughts and opinions in the article SimHQ The Future of Simulations - 2010.
Some very interesting points came out. The comment from "Fighter Ops" Julian Leonard on how bottlenecks have shifted from hardware to complexity is pretty spot-on, I'll have to steal that.
Everyone agrees how small the market is and like starving Victorian children gazing through the window of a tea-room, see consoles getting big numbers. In console terms, 5000 units is considered a total disaster (and as it happens figures for a recently released console skateboarding title), for us that would be a healthy figure. Console and PC markets are high-risk high reward vs low risk low reward. I don't see that changing in the future but we can borrow ideas from successful genres and experiment in applying them to games like simulations. Which is in part what Combat-Helo is intended to be, an experiment in simple presentation of complexity.
Console games focus on user experience, sometimes they get it right and sometimes mind bogglingly wrong. But mostly they work to adopted practices, anyone playing a $60 game has certain expectations. Such elements can go a long way to bring complex simulations to a wider audience.
And I'll cite perhaps the most successful next-gen game in terms of sales and community involvement with well over one million instances of player made content to date. What's surprising is that it's a point and click game development kit, not unlike several made before but presentation is everything in Little Big Planet. Sadly presentation costs huge amounts of time not available to niche market games.
What does this all mean?
I have no idea. Roll on 2011, the year we finally 'get to da chopper' one way or another. I have a ton of papers to scan and sort out this week then to look at my project planner which is looking very sorry for itself.
Happy New Year everyone.
I really like your point of views about Security, and drm.
ReplyDeleteVery few publishers and developers have similar thoughts and views.
The message from the last days-Ubisoft resigns from his hopeless security DRM-requirement connect online non-stop.After more than a year to understand the drm is not worth anything,and only lost out on this.
With pleasure will pay every money,for your simulator,because once you're doing an excellent job, and 2 -you respect and listen other people,which is unfortunately rare in this world.I hope that you will succeed to persevere in the decision, and that you will not regret it.
It's understandable why they feel the need to protect what is a colossal investment with restrictive mechanisms. Given that designers put a lot of time into improving the gamer experience, DRM is a negative experience.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think there's a lot of myth surrounding piracy coming from informed and equally uninformed sources. I don't have any answers but I'll put my faith in human nature to do the right thing when it can.
I say this now and I'm curious as to how I'll feel this time next year. No hard decisions have been made about Combat-Helo, as the primary share-holder I get the biggest say but I have to try to keep everyone happy (which is not always possible).
Thank you for your support, at least we can count on at least one sale :)
Imo good game has always sold well.
ReplyDeleteCheck the company Stardock and their games, did not have any DRM, and sold very well.
Sins of solar empire broke even Call of duty in the amount of sales ,and sold in quantities of 600 000, and now you probably well over one million.
You're in a good position because of good simulators helicopter was only 2 (eech and lb2)and both have over 10 years.
You do not have any competition and besides that simulators play adults people, and a large majority of purchases only original programs.
Sorry for my english,I hope that you understand the proper context of my speech;)
I appreciate the thoughtful post Thomas.
ReplyDeleteAs an interesting aside, my shareware Longbow 2 mission editor can still be found warez sites. Even while it was still being sold (and I made a big loss on it) I actually ended up using the pirates own serial generator to maintain compatibly and it was smaller and faster to load than my own.
To keep getting 'block' updates you'll need to be registered via a serial number (laser code). It's no different from playing an MMO except you don't need to be online all the time. Offline gamers will have to be content with being behind the curve.
There's a difference between a static game like Goo and a dynamic one like ours. Sure someone can bundle all the files together and upload several gigabytes, even differential updates. But they will be so many over time it would result in such a pain in the ass to make it not worthwhile in the longer run.
No problem;) for me every security in the CH will be good, becose i know Flexman do with user friendly DRM,and that to me is more than enough:)
ReplyDeleteBtw please im hungry new screens.... ;)
Happy New Year Flex...
ReplyDeleteSooooo, I see you're taking my advice to get an Arcade mode in the game.... LOL
I Guess you REEALLLLLLLY DO want that Ferrari, eh?
Remember, Having Nick Cage do the Pilot's voice in-game is the only way to sell 300,000 units. LOL
Have a great year and I hope all of your current troubles turn out well for you.
Jeff