About the release dates and the hype...

[SkateZilla]

F2P means free to play. So no upfront cost for playing the game with additional content sold separately. That is DCS.

 

 

DCS is a Modulized Networked Battlefield Simulation, That just happens to Include 2 Modules as Free Demos.

[NineLine]

Regardless of anyones interpretation, the overall point is 2.0 was to be the old map ported to the new engine, 2.5 is a upgrading of the old map to a more equal level of the new maps we are getting, any extra time it takes is 1) due to ED wanting to release something better 2) its not costing us any money what so ever.

[Fri13]

Then the category is too broad because DCS is nothing like other F2P games with optional membership, grinding XP, and purchasable addons such as engines and guns, etc.

 

F2P is nothing about grinding XP and get purchasable addons or content.

 

F2P is just that, you get to play the game for free.

 

What you do to get money, that is the unrelated to F2P model itself. You can be selling the player behavior for universities research purposes. You can be using game as a test bench for commercial customers.

Or just as a pure marketing to sell some other stuff like a T-shirts, devices etc.

 

The F2P ain't bad word, it isn't bad at all.

The problem is the word "P2W" what mens "Pay To Win".

 

And that doesn't apply to DCS, because you can not unlock DCS modules by grinding XP or do things in it. As P2W means you can either just play to get stuff, or you can pay to get them immediately.

 

 

F2P is not bad thing, it is a good thing.

Why DCS being F2P is not a bad thing, it is a good thing.

 

The problem is only that the vague words are worse than direct "No".

 

Think things like a explaining things for a children. Look how often adults do threaten, extort and give false promises to children. And think how does it really feel for the children's to be under such things?

 

Those are for many very weekly experiences:

 

"Eat your carrots or you are not going to get dessert"

"Do your homework or you are not going to pete's birthday"

"I said that we would go to watch the dolphins, but dad is now tired"

"If you take the trashes out on every time on this month, you are going to get to watch dolphins".

 

That is what adults do to even their own childrens!

 

And how does the thing work with customers? Yes, most very likely are over 16, maybe even over 40. But the same thing is with the vague time schedules like "this year" or "soon".

 

Then lets compare to VEAO Simulations progress reports (or if I now mistake it to some other, sorry for that if I do) where they simply come forward and say: "We hit to the problems with coding the system X, it requires more research" or "The problem is more serious now and we need to recode the whole AFM".

 

And what does it do to the customers? There is no problems. People understand because someone is honest and open about the progress, in good or bad.

And that is the thing, the progress reports and openness.

 

Like what if ED would do something else than "No, it isn't coming this year" or "It is postponed at least one year"? How about explaining the situations that what is the reason. Give there the reasoning and hope by being honest.

 

Otherwise it is just like how people wait to see a monthly newsletter, get hyped "We are doing this" or "We are planning to release this at end of this year". Just with vague schedules and plans. And then when ED will clearly know from the moment when things are not going to go as planned, they just are silent for the customers.

 

Like lets compare two different game types.

 

A that creates something new or something what isn't been previously. This basically includes all the games like World of Warcraft or latest Assassin Greed.

 

B that copies the real world to simulators. This basically includes all the simulators as you can't step much over the line of realism features. If a car has a 6 stick shift, then you can't bring it out with 4.

 

The difference is that A lives by the hype, like the "No Mans Sky" and once the hype is gone, things are either well or worse. And it lives by the secrecy that people doesn't know things.

The B lives by the progress. When someone knows that specific car is under development, everyone already knows its specs and capabilities and they are just waiting to get hands on it and they would like to know progress for it.

 

In DCS world the graphics capabilities (vertex rendering etc) are more like A, but the modules or anything related to simulation (weather, AI etc) are like B.

 

There is good reasons why in software development "Release Early, Release Often" works better than anything else. As even if you sometimes break things, users knows it gets fixed soon and others can avoid specific version before that. But everyone knows about progress and can plan a head what to do with the product. And that is what keeps users happy and loyal and generates more users.

[YorZor]

I never stated anything about timing whatsoever so why are you trying to shift the arguments to timing and such.

I'm just saying that ED isn't doing us a special favor by upgrading their marketing map for newcomers to fly in.

And fyi. ever heard of any game that came without a map to fly/play on? Would be silly if you'd have to buy a airplane then a map, what's next? Pay separate for the dedicated server?

 

F2p/ modulized networked battlefield simulator... whatever. It is what it is. Give it whatever name you want but the 'demo' is in there to give people a taste... And you're telling me that upgrading the map so that you can display your new tech has nothing to do with it? Ok then, charity does exist it seems.

 

Personally, I'd rather they fix the freaking a-a missiles than make the new map. But that's just me.

[Fri13]

DCS is a Modulized Networked Battlefield Simulation, That just happens to Include 2 Modules as Free Demos.

 

I wouldn't call Su-25T or TF-51 as "Demos".

 

A demo is something that is either time limited or feature limited by artificial limits.

Like a demo that has only second and third map of the game. Or that you can only play 15 minutes per session.

 

A Su-25T is full module, totally working and most ways better than even A-10C module.

A TF-51 is just like it should be, a trainer for WW2 era aircraft just like it use to be.

It is actually crazy that Su-25A isn't the free one and Su-25T the payware.

 

I once raised a question that should L-39C to be semi-free in a such a way that owner of the L-39 module could open a student seat for anyone. Only module owner could sit at the rear seat or seat L-39AZ at all. So only L-39C front seat was possible to be opened.

This so that community could offer free rides as "demos" for others.

 

To show them how it looks to fly.

To give them some hands-on time to fly L-39C as student

To teach others to perform maneuvers in virtual flying flight school.

 

But it was like 52% for favor, 48% for no. Majority against idea about ED not getting money for so special model, and majority as well seemed not to understand that no one could fly free L-39C alone, nor get at all free access to L-39AZ.

 

It would even have been a open door for many beginners by buying L-39 module and then asking more experienced people to jump to the front seat, give them the controls and get the lesson, without the experienced pilot to be required to pay the license just for few hours things. But now it only ended that more likely neither one will buy it, than both buys it. Because it is just better to take Su-25T out and fly it alone, as after all it is a simulation where you can crash and burn as many times you want.

 

And that L-39C front seat offering from a L-39 module owner, would have been "Demo".

[NineLine]

Never claimed F2P was a bad word, I used to play a lot of World of Tanks as well as War Thunder. But be honest, you can enjoy those games without paying a dime, to get real deep into them, you need to put down some coin. See any guilds/clans in those games that isnt throwing around money for addons, armor, ammo or whatever I would be very surprised.

 

The money you put into DCS beyond the F2P component is much different. F2P works well in DCS because it gives new users a small look at the complexity of DCS before jumping in with both feet.

 

Regardless, its not really what the topic was meant to be, the second part of your post is simple to answer. ED needs not give out too much info, in fact no info on estimates should be given out at all, DCS is too complex to guess where it might be in 6 months. News needs to be handled by official correspondence only.

[cichlidfan]

News needs to be handled by official correspondence only.

 

 

Wonderful idea, now if you could just get ED to stick to it.

[NineLine]

Personally, I'd rather they fix the freaking a-a missiles than make the new map. But that's just me.

 

You defeat your own message right there, because every other person wants something different for ED's priority. They also assume its easy to fix or change something like A-A missiles... because 9 out of 10 people have no clue how real missiles perform, and go on to doubt ED's abilities to do so, there is the daily battle.

 

And fyi. ever heard of any game that came without a map to fly/play on? Would be silly if you'd have to buy a airplane then a map, what's next? Pay separate for the dedicated server?

 

 

SO fine, you dont get the new updated map unless you pay 60 bucks, I am ok with that.

 

And what are you talking about paying for dedicated server?? You have pretty much lost me at this point. All those other simulators that give you their "marketing map" (whatever that is), maybe you should stick with them until ED gets their updates out, at the end of the day, this is just a sim, a hobby, if it doesnt make you happy, why be here?

[NineLine]

Wonderful idea, now if you could just get ED to stick to it.

 

I want them to stick to all of it, not just what your cherry picked... no more estimates on release dates period. When pre-release starts, then you know its coming. Then we can all be happy, and no one has fodder for anger.

[NineLine]

AT this point, go enjoy the sim, there are soooo many modules available to enjoy. We will get new stuff when its ready, and it will be awesome. These topics do nothing but aggravate everyone.