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Author
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Topic: Why CFS2 is selling so well
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Da Jug head
Pilot
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posted 12-12- 09:16 AM
   
Everybody said there was no money in WWII flight sims anymore, yet CFS2 is selling like hotcakes. Yes it has great graphics, but there's more to this. It's called timing.
1) there are no Pacific theater sims to give it competition
2) released prior to Christmas
3) No other major WWII releases that aren't receiving a lambasting for poor quality, high system requirements and major bugs.
SDOE got lost in the shuffle when it was released. Seems Activision and Parsoft should think about this. You make sales by building on previous successes, not starting out from scratch each time. It seems MS is the only one that has this concept down. It also cuts development costs and marketing costs.
Name recognition means a lot- look at the Red Baron series. Imagine how much easier each title would be to sell if you had:
Fighter Squadron: Carrier battles
Fighter Squadron: Eastern Front
Fighter Squadron: WWI Eagles over the Trenches
Fighter Squadron: Jungle Fighters and so on. Too bad Activision doesn't have enough sense to realize this.
Seems the Close Combat series uses this approach too.
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"Where'd he GO!?!?"
thunk-thunk-thunk-zing-OUCH
That answered my question
[This message has been edited by Da Jug head (edited 12-12-2000).]
[This message has been edited by Da Jug head (edited 12-12-2000).]
[This message has been edited by Da Jug head (edited 12-12-2000).] IP: Logged |
Sv
Pilot
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posted 12-12- 10:23 AM
I agree Da Jug head,Microsoft just knows how to sell a product, and there is nothing wrong about that. I do wonder what is up with the other guys--- I guess they put so much effort in creating better games that they run out of steam and don't bother trying to sell them. If managed properly, I think SDOE could have been the best selling prop air sim today. The open architecture and great on-line squadron based play shuld have had it in the bag. But poor marketing, bad release date, hampered flight models, on-line damage bugs, and a joy stick compatibility issue killed it on arrival. Also too much bragging from Activision before it came out, a sure set up for a let-down - JUST what the B-17 II guys did. Make the game seem SO great, you can't win when it is released!!! We all know that the flight sims of our imagination are way better that anything that could really be produced today  ------------------
-Sv =FC=
WWI in SDOE!
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wil
Pilot
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posted 12-12- 11:04 AM
Ditto that!
I'm finding it hard to get motivated-SDOE is great-open plane is fantastic! User gunner positions in a plane(does CFS2 have that-no),
bombs and rockets for all planes(does CFS2 have that-no),....
Just no following, just no ... Ah hell! Its Christmas again............and I'm getting depressed.....BANG!!IP: Logged |
wakeup tailgunner
Pilot
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posted 12-12- 11:26 AM
Which all goes to show....If someone where to release an SDOE2 now, with a built in plane editor, and a decent mission editor that was a lot more polished, they could still sell it today. Add in a career structure, even of he basic branching type, and you could shift units! Then you release terrains, and plane packs every few months to keep interest up.... You could still sell SDOE today, I am sure of it. There are very few games you can buy with the same level of expandability as this one. Yes, CFS2 looks pretty, and it runs o.k. Yes, it is selling well. Why? Nothing else released at the moment to compete with it. Microsoft haven't really had a lot to compete with. Most of the opposition has self destructed, giving rise to the 'death of flight sim' prophecies. Nah! Flight sims plus guns and bombs are fun! What isn't fun is spending good money on a poorly finished game. CFS2 sells because however the game may play, people trust it will do what it is meant to do. No crashing, no lock-ups, no patch before you play..... No Christmas morning internet search for the patch that you need to get the game to run.... Mind you, SDOE didn't run for me until I got the 1.5 patch....That can't of helped sales any... Moral of this rambling post.... Microsoft sells CFS2 because people trust it to work. They also feel confident that they will get what they paid for. BOB, B17II take note..... IP: Logged |
semmern
Pilot
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posted 12-12- 12:02 PM
I'd say we collected some money so that SDOE could be re-released, including a CD with all present files, and the important links.Fighter Squadron: Screamin' Demons Over Russia, Midway, Somme, Australia, Rhineland, Norh Sea, Africa and Dover. SDORMSARNSAD or something like that.  Seriously, though:
Let's do it!!!!! IP: Logged |
Jaguar
Pilot
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posted 12-12- 07:31 PM
HEY!!!!don't forget.... Fighter Squadron: Vietnam IP: Logged |
Brian
Cadet
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posted 12-20- 12:03 PM
I got bored of CFS2 after a month. I do not have a supercomputer to run it, so I lose the 'Eye Candy' benefit. However, I will likely play it again after the brillant user community create more add-ons for it. There are some great mods out there already. Maybe I just don't feel immersed enough.I am trying to buy FS, but I can't find it anywhere except for on-line. I have checked Best-Buy, Babbages, Electronic Beautique, and a few office supply stores. It's nowhere to be found. I did hear that it is at Media Play, and I'll check there sometime this week. I can't wait to try the add-ons for this game (specially the new GO 229). Anyhow, I hope to be flying FS soon. How is the on-line play for this game? Thanks, and have a great holiday!
Brian IP: Logged | |
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