Programmers at BFC

RyanE · March 25, 2017, 08:40:24 PM

Funny but I just re-bought CMSF. I got it on release and played the hell out of it. Lost my activations on my last laptop buy and was tired of asking for activations. If BFC does anything that makes me happy it would be updating CMSF.

Boggit · March 25, 2017, 11:04:08 PM

To clarify the situation regarding Phil and his departure from BFC, Steve told me...

"Phil was with us for 5 years and did more than a little bit of kick arse work. Sadly for us he landed a total dream job doing major geeky AI stuff for big wigs in the field. Since AI design and programming is his passion and programming background, he'd have been a total idiot not to take the offer. Phil's no idiot, so after a 6 month transitional period he moved on. Fortunately for us, he helped put us in a really good place code wise and therefore we decided for the time being a second programmer wasn't the best use of our resources.

Oh, and Phil's posts are all still on our Forum, though his account was accidentally deleted by me when we moved over to a hosted solution vs. our self served one. I was getting familiar with the new UI for admin responsibilities and I thought I was deleting a Forum "role" when in fact I deleted his account. Doh! The posts have ever since then been under some generic non-editable name like "Forum User" or something because there is no way to undo it. Not one of my better moments as Forum Admin, to say the least."

I hope that explains some previously unanswered concerns.

Boggit · March 25, 2017, 11:05:55 PM

Quote from: RyanE on March 25, 2017, 08:40:24 PM
Funny but I just re-bought CMSF. I got it on release and played the hell out of it. Lost my activations on my last laptop buy and was tired of asking for activations. If BFC does anything that makes me happy it would be updating CMSF.

I love CMSF too, and am happy it's being updated.

BTW, you should speak to Elvis about activations, he rarely ever keeps me waiting long if I have any issues.

RyanE · March 26, 2017, 08:56:58 AM

BFC always responds with activations, but just got tired of doing the dance with the helpdesk. The DRM finally wore me down. Did the same thing with the CMFI 3.0 update.

I really wished BFC would have stuck with the promise to add an activation every year of ownership. Would have me and BFC some headache.

Boggit · March 26, 2017, 04:14:42 PM

Quote from: RyanE on March 26, 2017, 08:56:58 AM
I really wished BFC would have stuck with the promise to add an activation every year of ownership. Would have me and BFC some headache.

I thought that was still the deal. Are you saying it hasn't happened? If that is the case no wonder you're fed up. I hate the DRM too, but understand why they want it. I thought they had committed to this to save everyone from problems such as machine upgrades, disk failure etc.

RyanE · March 26, 2017, 04:42:51 PM

I was told by the help desk quite a few years ago they wouldn't be able to honor that. I think it was mentioned on the forum around the same time. As far as I remember, it was never put in place.

Boggit · March 26, 2017, 06:41:40 PM

Quote from: RyanE on March 26, 2017, 04:42:51 PM
I was told by the help desk quite a few years ago they wouldn't be able to honor that. I think it was mentioned on the forum around the same time. As far as I remember, it was never put in place.

I've just had a conversation with Steve about it. He says,

"The promise about activations he (RyanE) remembers is that we would do that only once a year if requested (there is no proactive system for doing it). We abandoned that promise and simply add activations whenever requested. Bought this year or 10 years ago, no difference. Our current DRM is far more forgiving so people tend not to need activations added. CMSF and CMA use the old system. CMSF2 will use the current DRM."

So the bottom line is ask and ye shall be given... I know the promise was broken, but that alternative seems to me as just as good, if not better.

Jarhead0331 · March 26, 2017, 07:36:45 PM

Ummmmm...CMSF2?????

jomni · March 26, 2017, 08:02:40 PM

Quote from: Boggit on March 26, 2017, 06:41:40 PM
Quote from: RyanE on March 26, 2017, 04:42:51 PM
I was told by the help desk quite a few years ago they wouldn't be able to honor that. I think it was mentioned on the forum around the same time. As far as I remember, it was never put in place.

I've just had a conversation with Steve about it. He says,

"The promise about activations he (RyanE) remembers is that we would do that only once a year if requested (there is no proactive system for doing it). We abandoned that promise and simply add activations whenever requested. Bought this year or 10 years ago, no difference. Our current DRM is far more forgiving so people tend not to need activations added. CMSF and CMA use the old system. CMSF2 will use the current DRM."

So the bottom line is ask and ye shall be given... I know the promise was broken, but that alternative seems to me as just as good, if not better.

That is done in some Flight Sumulator add ons. Once activations (or also store downloads) are used up, just contact support to add a new one.

Zulu1966 · March 27, 2017, 02:54:19 AM

Quote from: Jarhead0331 on March 26, 2017, 07:36:45 PM
Ummmmm...CMSF2?????

Yes. Bombshell or what ?. It was rumoured but that's the first official thing I have heard. Awesome if true. Though I still play the shit out of CMSF it's that good still.

Must say the Phil issue just goes to show how the BF rumour mill goes into overdrive at the slightest provocation.

Yskonyn · March 27, 2017, 03:08:11 AM

CMSF2 is just a way of designating the CMSF upgrade to engine 4.0 standards. Its not a bombshell at all. They said CMSF would get the upgrade treatment some day, but the quote slightly more above is indeed interesting: I thought CMBS was first on the list to get a module, but it seems like CMSF has priority.

Zulu1966 · March 27, 2017, 04:15:41 PM

Quote from: Yskonyn on March 27, 2017, 03:08:11 AM
CMSF2 is just a way of designating the CMSF upgrade to engine 4.0 standards. Its not a bombshell at all. They said CMSF would get the upgrade treatment some day, but the quote slightly more above is indeed interesting: I thought CMBS was first on the list to get a module, but it seems like CMSF has priority.

Well - as far as I know - it was only ever suggested that they would move CMSF to the current engine - that seems like an official confirmation they will be, and it is first in line, and I think you will find its a little more than an "upgrade" in the same way battle for Normandy to 4.0 was. So you can call it what you like - I will stick with bombshell. That's if you don't mind of course.

Yskonyn · March 27, 2017, 04:38:57 PM

Heh, I didnt mean to come across snarling, sir. :)

RyanE · March 27, 2017, 04:53:27 PM

Steve did say at some point that it isn't a simple move or upgrade. So much has changed it basically a complete rebuild.

Boggit · March 27, 2017, 06:35:18 PM

Quote from: Zulu1966 on March 27, 2017, 02:54:19 AM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on March 26, 2017, 07:36:45 PM
Ummmmm...CMSF2?????

Yes. Bombshell or what ?. It was rumoured but that's the first official thing I have heard. Awesome if true. Though I still play the shit out of CMSF it's that good still.

Must say the Phil issue just goes to show how the BF rumour mill goes into overdrive at the slightest provocation.

Well, to clarify - this is what Steve actually told me on WIP...

"For 2017 the big effort is a full revitalization of the entire CM Shock Force Family to current game engine standards.

For the smaller releases you’ll soon see a Battle Pack for CMBS and not long after that a second Module for CMFI.

The first module for CMRT might make it into 2017, but might be just over the line in 2018.

Those of you who have followed us over the years know that there’s always more going on than meets the eye, therefore it is safe to assume there’s more for 2018 that we’re not talking about yet.”

Looks like we CM aficionado's will have some good times ahead. :bd: