The Inevitable Woes of SH5

[scrapser]

This inconvenient truth keeps bringing me back to the question of why software companies keep going down the mass market/mass appeal road for everything they publish. Why can't one of them recognize the gaming industry, like any industry, has a life of its own and will mature/has matured? The games I bought 20 years ago and the circumstances under which I bought them no longer exist but the marketing approach is pretty much the same...produce a title...make lots of copies...and sell to as many people as possible.

This is really dumb. I have matured and so has the industry. Time for something new. How about announcing the intent to produce a highly detailed submarine simulation that people will have to pay big bucks for? I spent $1100 dollars for a high quality wide screen computer monitor last spring. I love it. I would spend big bucks for an incredible submarine simulation as well (or any other sim platform) and I bet there are many others out there who would do the same...enough to make the venture viable and profitable.

It's really bizarre none of the software companies have tried this approach.

Incidently, I used to have a program for my old Commodore 64 that would only work if you had a little hardware card plugged into one of the ports and served as a key. Why can't something like this be developed for modern software using a USB port...sort of like an identity card that cannot be duplicated?

[Schunken]

Its the same why toyota and Honda do not sell much hybrids compare too the gas-guzzler models....

The consumer demand 200hp for transport one man 3 miles to work

menkind is stupid and selfish, why game-publishers should be different?


Andreas

[TH0R]

Originally Posted by Schunken

Its the same why toyota and Honda do not sell much hybrids compare too the gas-guzzler models....

The consumer demand 200hp for transport one man 3 miles to work

menkind is stupid and selfish, why game-publishers should be different?


Andreas

I am sorry, but there is just no love with those cars. Give me a solid internal combustion car any day.

Besides, they are expensive and still very new.


You really can't compare the two IMHO. I would say that the answer is in money and investment / profit ratio. And since there is world crisis going on nowadays, put two and two together. Still, crisis alone isn't the reason, the money and fast development of the GPUs is dictating the rules here. In the old days, there wasn't much to see visually, so they had to focus on the story and quality.

[scrapser]

Originally Posted by TH0R

I am sorry, but there is just no love with those cars. Give me a solid internal combustion car any day.

Besides, they are expensive and still very new.


You really can't compare the two IMHO. I would say that the answer is in money and investment / profit ratio. And since there is world crisis going on nowadays, put two and two together. Still, crisis alone isn't the reason, the money and fast development of the GPUs is dictating the rules here. In the old days, there wasn't much to see visually, so they had to focus on the story and quality.

I agree about the story and quality. There's something about having to use your imagination that cannot be denied...even toys for small children have this element and it's a proven factor in their development and growth. But I still think if a company put it out there that they are looking into developing what amounts to a mega detailed game or sim that will cost big bucks...people will sign on to the idea.

This would solve an enormous amount of problems as far as development is concerned. Obviously how to fund such an endeavor is the key but if nobody is even talking about it nothing is going to happen.

[pythos]

It is the same problem that is happening every where.

Professional managers.

That's it.

Professional managers are those types that have for the most part no other learned skill other than generating as much profit cutting as many corners as possible.

They are a result of consumerism

I have been harping how the airline industry is being run into the ground by people that have absolutely no place working with aircraft, pilots, mechanics, and so on.

The same goes for games.

That's my view and I am sticking to it, unless there is a view that is better

[makman94]

edited : Off topic post

[jazman]

Originally Posted by scrapser

This inconvenient truth keeps bringing me back to the question of why software companies keep going down the mass market/mass appeal road for everything they publish. Why can't one of them recognize the gaming industry, like any industry, has a life of its own and will mature/has matured? The games I bought 20 years ago and the circumstances under which I bought them no longer exist but the marketing approach is pretty much the same...produce a title...make lots of copies...and sell to as many people as possible.

This is really dumb. I have matured and so has the industry. Time for something new. How about announcing the intent to produce a highly detailed submarine simulation that people will have to pay big bucks for? I spent $1100 dollars for a high quality wide screen computer monitor last spring. I love it. I would spend big bucks for an incredible submarine simulation as well (or any other sim platform) and I bet there are many others out there who would do the same...enough to make the venture viable and profitable.

It's really bizarre none of the software companies have tried this approach.

War in the Pacific - Admiral's Edition: $70. You should have heard the wailing and gnashing of teeth. It was utterly unconscionable for a company to do such a thing! And this is for a hard-core niche of wargaming. If you play WitP, you know exactly what I mean.

If you think the DRM wailing has been bad, just imagine if UBI said, "SH6 will be $100." It doesn't matter if they ship it with three Swedish super-models.

[Iron Budokan]

Same thing happens in books, music, film, etc. Not just the gaming industry.

People have been spoon fed to believe that mediocrity is the new normal.

[jwilliams]

Originally Posted by makman94

the only reason that we don't drive electric cars (imo...the best solution ...better than hybrids too ) is becuase some nations (and all know very good which nations these are...no need to mention them) are 'pushing' the whole world to use gas as a fuel.
you are right that the answer is on how much money are spent for investment...etc but we are not far away from the electric cars ...in fact we are really 'close' !
as for if electric cars are fast or not....look at this:


ps: sorry for been off-topic and if my reply is not in theme with your comments (my english didn't allowed me to understand exactly your points here)

I dont see why electic cars are better than your normal petrol cars..... where does the electric to charge the cars come from???? carbon fuel power stations??

so how extra pollution does the power station have produce to charge up your electric car compared to the pollution created by petrol cars???

what was this thread abour again???

[gutted]

Why can't something like this be developed for modern software using a USB port...sort of like an identity card that cannot be duplicated?

It's called a dongle, and those are crackable as well. Usually in the form of a tray application that emulates the dongle.

[scrapser]

Back to my main point about the concept of developing a high end simulation. I think Steel Beasts is the closest to what I'm talking about. It seems to be working.

I'll ask this question. Does anyone here know or have the connections to pose this idea to the most likely company/developers who could give some feedback and maybe explain why or why not it would work? I'm not suggesting Ubisoft Romania but obviously they would be one of the groups of people to ask.

As far as I know, nobody has put this question directly to anyone during an interview. It's usually to talk about the title about to be released or the next E3 convention and what to expect.

[Tarnsman]

I agree with the OP, I would pay more for a high qulity simulation. Thats all I buy anyway gamewise, so instead of 4 or more a year in the old days its like maybe one. I dont really even look in the game section anymore because I know what is there already, and new stuff comes out so infrequently.

There are lots of days when Im stuck in the mall wishing I could find something to buy for myself for 50 bucks or so. The lady will drop a fifty in the time it takes me to get a sip of water and Im walking around empty handed.

As for electric cars... get a HEMI

[Tarnsman]

Also! How much money did the M$ Flight Simulator gang spend on their little addiction? Man M$ really dropped the ball on that one, I wonder what they were smoking. Or maybe they had stopped smoking. MMMM?

[JU_88]

Originally Posted by scrapser

Back to my main point about the concept of developing a high end simulation. I think Steel Beasts is the closest to what I'm talking about. It seems to be working.

I'll ask this question. Does anyone here know or have the connections to pose this idea to the most likely company/developers who could give some feedback and maybe explain why or why not it would work? I'm not suggesting Ubisoft Romania but obviously they would be one of the groups of people to ask.

As far as I know, nobody has put this question directly to anyone during an interview. It's usually to talk about the title about to be released or the next E3 convention and what to expect.

My guess is that it wont work for the simple reason that its not as profitable (if at all)

1) Ubi want a silent hunter title to compete with other action/war games on offer from other publishers. (Silent hunter does have a bit of 'ive-never-tried-a-sub-game-before' novelty to its credit)

But the higher price tag could easily scare off potential new and casual gamers, I doubt that beefing up the price tag and selling to the hardcore minority would any where near compensate for those losses of sales to the broader market.

2) Also, to devlelop a sim to the detailed standards and quality expected by most simmers - the devs would would probably require near enough the development time and budget for all three of the last silent hunter games combined.

Not gonna happen.

[Hanomag]

Originally Posted by scrapser

How about announcing the intent to produce a highly detailed submarine simulation that people will have to pay big bucks for? I spent $1100 dollars for a high quality wide screen computer monitor last spring. I love it. I would spend big bucks for an incredible submarine simulation as well (or any other sim platform) and I bet there are many others out there who would do the same...enough to make the venture viable and profitable.

I dont know ..there are alot of tight wads out there.. just ask Neal how hard it is to get a 10 buck donation for his site.

I mean from what I have read in the forums most wouldnt spend a nickle to watch the Statue of Liberty scratch its ass.