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jdkbph · 11-22-07, 11:13 AM

I realize you're asking for speculation on what a future add-on might be, but let me take a crack at the other question first.

Why stop at one? Because one - the addition of German boats to the existing SH4 world - is all the existing code and data will support. This add-on does not appear to involve any significant new modeling or development. From this distance it seems as though the devs are simply adapting what's already there, or importing what they may have left over from SH3, and packaging it up with shiny paper and a pretty ribbon.

The exception seems to be the "strategic element" being introduced. But then, OTOH, the mechanics for directing air and sea assets toward a specific target is already there and in use by the AI. We've all experienced the AI's reaction to our sub being sighted near an enemy TG or air base I'm sure. This may be a case where they've simply added a user interface for those existing functions.

I'm not saying this is necessarily a bad thing... lots of money has been made in the past by other publishers employing a similar strategem.

Now keepng the above in mind, I would think that any future add-ons would again attempt to leverage as much of the existing game elements as possible, without duplicating the work that modders can and will be doing with what we've already been given. That would rule out cold war sub scenarios and surface ships as they would both require extensive rewriting of the interfaces, systems modeling and AI, if any real thought is to be given to "doing it right". It would also rule out WWII ETO sub ops as the modders will now have the tools to do that on their own.

That narrows it down to either IJN, RN or Royal Netherlands Navy (KM is it?) WWII sub ops, or WWI in the Northern European waters, western Atlantic, and the Med perhaps. Both of these scenarios would appear to require only minor (relatively speaking) tweaking of the current game system and the addition of new models. I personally would be ecstatic if they were to do the WWI thing. Were I in charge of "what's next" at UBI, I would definitely be keeping an eye on the level of interest in Shells of Fury.

Anyway.... bottom line? I would guess no more add-ons after this one.

JD

11-22-07, 11:13 AM	#8
jdkbph Captain Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 508 Downloads: 104 Uploads: 0	I realize you're asking for speculation on what a future add-on might be, but let me take a crack at the other question first. Why stop at one? Because one - the addition of German boats to the existing SH4 world - is all the existing code and data will support. This add-on does not appear to involve any significant new modeling or development. From this distance it seems as though the devs are simply adapting what's already there, or importing what they may have left over from SH3, and packaging it up with shiny paper and a pretty ribbon. The exception seems to be the "strategic element" being introduced. But then, OTOH, the mechanics for directing air and sea assets toward a specific target is already there and in use by the AI. We've all experienced the AI's reaction to our sub being sighted near an enemy TG or air base I'm sure. This may be a case where they've simply added a user interface for those existing functions. I'm not saying this is necessarily a bad thing... lots of money has been made in the past by other publishers employing a similar strategem. Now keepng the above in mind, I would think that any future add-ons would again attempt to leverage as much of the existing game elements as possible, without duplicating the work that modders can and will be doing with what we've already been given. That would rule out cold war sub scenarios and surface ships as they would both require extensive rewriting of the interfaces, systems modeling and AI, if any real thought is to be given to "doing it right". It would also rule out WWII ETO sub ops as the modders will now have the tools to do that on their own. That narrows it down to either IJN, RN or Royal Netherlands Navy (KM is it?) WWII sub ops, or WWI in the Northern European waters, western Atlantic, and the Med perhaps. Both of these scenarios would appear to require only minor (relatively speaking) tweaking of the current game system and the addition of new models. I personally would be ecstatic if they were to do the WWI thing. Were I in charge of "what's next" at UBI, I would definitely be keeping an eye on the level of interest in Shells of Fury. Anyway.... bottom line? I would guess no more add-ons after this one. JD Last edited by jdkbph; 11-22-07 at 11:25 AM.