New Article: The Future of the Command & Conquer Franchise

[Sonic 295]

Believe it or not, for the first time ever I've written an article for CNCNZ.com. Its something I've never focused on in the past. I'm no professional writer but I thought I'd attempt to come up with possible directions for Command & Conquer in this article, called The Future of the Command & Conquer Franchise, I discuss restarting the Command & Conquer free to play project, returning to Command & Conquer: Generals 2, rebooting Command & Conquer or how about another Command & Conquer FPS? Here's part of it.

 

 

Returning to Command & Conquer: Generals 2 wouldn’t be a bad thing and would probably be universally accepted by the fans. We would get the long overdue sequel to C&C Generals that we should have gotten. An actual boxed product with a shiny DVD inside that has full campaigns for the EU, GLA and APA. As well as a polished and balanced multiplayer so the game has its much needed longevity. The basis of the game is there because, before the change to the free to play Command & Conquer platform, Victory Games had completed a lot of design work on what was still Command & Conquer: Generals 2. They had concept art, story boards for the plot of the game, even some short live action video was completed, featuring actors portraying Generals for the EU, GLA and APA. These were never shown publicly, but I’ve seen them. They were cool too!

 

Click here to read the full article. Share you own comments and don't forget there is a poll at the end of the article as awell, so vote on what you think is best way to go for the future of Command & Conquer.

[Berkut 0]

This is a very interesting topic. In the past few weeks I was looking for articles and analysises, to find a trace about the future of C&C. But I couldn't.

Maybe it would be worthy to carry out a full scale-poll among gamers (not just fans), advertised on many gaming sites (not just C&C fansites). What are their interests, what do the want, and what do they don't want. A market research it is.

 

I don't want to start a fight about it (I know that many of the fans will hate me for the followings), so I just write my oppinion as an example:

So, some days ago I read that some of the people like the design of CnC 3 and CnC 4, but not the gameplay (especially the 4's gameplay). All I can say, that I hated the cartoonish design (the mech technology in TS and KW, are OK, because they looked like real, but the Nod Avatar is WTF for me), and I miss the reality. Maybe that's why I liked CnC 4 because it seemed right to me, that the changing environtment required new war fighting disciplines and strategies. It was something real, like in history, when the tanks appeared on the battlefield, or when we could build ICMB-s. That's why armies gave up the trench warefare, and use today massive air force and quick strikes.

Edited April 17, 2014 by Berkut

[Chimas 7]

I would have some things to say, but more important now is that the article is good and relevant.

Parallel to the poll, we could have threads for each of the alternatives. I voted for a new universe, but I also have opinion for the reboot too, for example. Those threads could explore better what people have in mind regarding new plots, new theaters, new abilities and new units.

[Guest Stevie_K]

My only die hard opinion on this topic is that if EA is deciding not to use the C&C intellectual property in a near future, they should sell it to the highest bidder.

EA should step up and show that they don't belong in the club of publishers who sit themselves on a bunch of valuable IPs without recognizing their potential.

 

I enjoyed the read.

[Publix666 0]

Honestly, i just want them to leave C&C alone. So i voted for the completely new C&C. New universe, the whole nine yards. What we were left with in C&C 4 was completely terrible, and personally ill never accept what happened in that game. So if they are going to continue with their attempts to make a worth while C&C just start fresh, please. I also wouldnt mind if they tried their hand at another C&C FPS. I was kinda excited for Tiberium and id like to see what they would do, as long as it wasnt just a BF cut and paste job with C&C lore and whatnot. I think with Petro developing Grey Goo (imo it looks fantastic so far) we may hear some kind of news about C&C, well im hoping anyway.

 

Or like Jehal they could sell the IP, i wouldnt be against that at all. But i really dont know who i would like taking it in. Really isnt anyone out there that i think would do the series justice. No big RTS names besides Blizzard and maybe the CoH guys.

[Chimas 7]

Well, one thing that could be done would be gathering all key fans, those that has a MOD/ENGINE project, to create a game prospect and an initiative for the next CnC under a new IP. That will certainly force them to make a real move. If it works like a wide awake to develop a new game, studios that are sitting on an IP will notice the attempt. If they take too long, after a point the leaders will certainly develop it, because at that particular point, they can.

It's not easy, but worth the exercise. People might laugh, because they don't feel "authorized", but that's how real politics should be done - dialogue in the middle of the execution, no awaitings.

[neojames82 6]

I think I agree with the sentiment here that a fresh start is in desperate order. I believe EA has done enough in ruining what's left of the canon from both the Tiberium and Red Alert series. Maybe something like Command & Conquer New Horizons where instead of just taking over pieces of territories you take over planets or something. I know that sounds a bit like Planetary Annihilation but I would think that if they made an interesting and dynamic campaign like in the older games it could be interesting.

 

Hell maybe have it in the old west after the Civil War or an alternative take on it, something ANYTHING. Though I would also go with Sonic's view on also having them just try and get Generals 2 off the ground again and just release it as a full retail/digital project, like it was SUPPOSE to be in the first damn place..

[Nmenth 290]

Other than restarting the F2P project, I'm not really against any of the possible directions. Although if they did a FPS, they couldn't also do it in a new universe, as it would almost certainly deviate too far from the franchise and appear like an unoriginal clone.

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again though, I was very glad that the Tiberium FPS was canned. The only thing about that game that appealed to me was the graphics. Renegade stepped out of the standard FPS model and got nearly everything right from a fun point of view. The engine was clunky, a few coding issues were bad, and of course the single-player was severely lacking, but the gameplay was excellent.

 

One thing I don't think Renegade X did right was not keeping the ability carry an entire arsenal of weapons like the original. I think that unrealistic aspect of being able to carry every single weapon in the game was completely Command & Conquer. Ultimately, this is what matters regardless the direction they take, the game has to be Command & Conquer, not just (ab)use its name.

[Gben 20]

Really - I think *any* new C&C is a good idea. Gen 2 seems easiest in terms of sales. I would like to see C&C in space - taking the fight to the Scrin. I would like to see a FPS in a new sexy engine. But a reboot is at the bottom of my list... although einstein *could* make a trip to a different time period perhaps this time.

 

I really don't even mind a redone F2P.

 

Why don't they just release the C&C 2013 engine as a mod platform and recoup some losses?

[Chimas 7]

Why don't they just release the C&C 2013 engine as a mod platform and recoup some losses?

IDK how they would make money on this, but I thought about this ENGINE alternative too.

[Chimas 7]

Sonic,

If I would create a thread to discuss possibilities to a new branch in the C&C franchise, with a specific format, can it be in the NEWS section, or should it be somewhere else? It's a thread to extend your article, just focusing the new game alternative. I'll propose a format of ideas display.

[Nyerguds 100]

Why don't they just release the C&C 2013 engine as a mod platform and recoup some losses?

From everything we heard, the Frostbite engine belongs to Dice, and the conversion to RTS engine by the Victory Games team was a constant mess over what they were and were not allowed to modify. Heck, from the way it was described, it almost seemed like it was closed source to Victory Games, with Dice modifying the actual internals so the Victory Games team could use some kind of SDK to build their RTS features onto it.

 

So yeah, if that really were the case, I don't see them releasing that any time soon.

[neojames82 6]

From everything we heard, the Frostbite engine belongs to Dice, and the conversion to RTS engine by the Victory Games team was a constant mess over what they were and were not allowed to modify.on.

But...EA owns DICE so couldn't they pretty much force them to open up the engine? Seems like a bit of an internal struggle going on there, not surprising of course.

[Banshee 28]

Surprisingly, it is not interesting for them to do that, neojames82, due to reasons related to organization and costs.

[Sonic 295]

My only die hard opinion on this topic is that if EA is deciding not to use the C&C intellectual property in a near future, they should sell it to the highest bidder.

EA should step up and show that they don't belong in the club of publishers who sit themselves on a bunch of valuable IPs without recognizing their potential.

 

I was going to write about this subject in my article but I later removed what I began to discuss on the grounds that its unrealistic to think that would happen. My intention of the article was to spark debate about what we could realistically look forward to. Seriously, has a publisher who is not in financial trouble ever sold off a valuable franchise to another publisher before?

 

Sonic,

If I would create a thread to discuss possibilities to a new branch in the C&C franchise, with a specific format, can it be in the NEWS section, or should it be somewhere else? It's a thread to extend your article, just focusing the new game alternative. I'll propose a format of ideas display.

 

It can't go in the News forum, as that's for news topics. But your more than welcome to start it in the new Command & Conquer: Untitled Future (formally the C&C 2013 forum) http://forums.cncnz.com/forum/100-command-conquer-untitled-future/

[neojames82 6]

I was going to write about this subject in my article but I later removed what I began to discuss on the grounds that its unrealistic to think that would happen. My intention of the article was to spark debate about what we could realistically look forward to. Seriously, has a publisher who is not in financial trouble ever sold off a valuable franchise to another publisher before?

I thought EA was in financial trouble.

[Plok 323]

With Battlefield, FIFA, The Sims/SimCity, mobile games and tonnes of DLCs? Not likely.

[neojames82 6]

With Battlefield, FIFA, The Sims/SimCity, mobile games and tonnes of DLCs? Not likely.

Well Battlefield 4 didn't go so well with even the fans so I'm feeling they are going to be hard press when Battlefield 5. FIFA...yeah even though I hear it is kinda ****ty footy is just too popular everywhere except in the US. The Sim/Simcity....that I'm not fully buying since SimCity was a major blow up for them and I think The Sims is kinda losing steam. Mobile games and DLC, well jury is still out on mobile, it is hot now but the whole notion of F2P games is also waning DLC, well they can always get money from that sadly even if it is crap.

 

Honestly though, if EA just focused on just a few core franchises and sell off their unused/underutilized ones like C&C they'd be probably making a lot more profit.

[Cypher 4]

From everything we heard, the Frostbite engine belongs to Dice, and the conversion to RTS engine by the Victory Games team was a constant mess over what they were and were not allowed to modify. Heck, from the way it was described, it almost seemed like it was closed source to Victory Games, with Dice modifying the actual internals so the Victory Games team could use some kind of SDK to build their RTS features onto it.

 

So yeah, if that really were the case, I don't see them releasing that any time soon.

 

DICE, just like VG, is wholly owned by EA.

There's a team at DICE responsible for the tech. They did most of the big internals work on the engine - it was a dedicated effort. Not closed sourced.

[Nmenth 290]

I thought EA was in financial trouble.

I had a look at EA's stock value, and they seem to be doing well when compared to the last 5 years. However, I noticed going back 10 years, their stock plummeted massively in 2008, from which they've never come close to recovering.

 

(Probably RA3's fault )

[neojames82 6]

I had a look at EA's stock value, and they seem to be doing well when compared to the last 5 years, however, I noticed going back 10 years, their stock plummeted massively in 2008, from which they've never come close to recovering.

 

(Probably RA3's fault )

Past 10 years have been a roller coaster for them for sure. I believe though the last two quarters they have be getting some not so good profit loss. Its kinda sad that they make A LOT of money yet have little profit to show for it. Shows you how "well" they budget their company.

 

And it is probably a mix of both RA3 and C&C4 fault really

Edited April 19, 2014 by neojames82

[Nmenth 290]

And it is probably a mix of both RA3 and C&C4 fault really

More likely the reverse. C&C4 may have been caused by the losses in 2008. Perhaps the biggest loss in EA's history; it'd have all the bosses nervous and desperate to do something - anything - in an attempt to pull EA out of its financial divebomb toward hard-packed earth.

 

For those interested, but too lazy to look it up, EA's stock for 10 years:

 

 

I should write an article about this... and should start paying attention to EA's stock prices...

[neojames82 6]

More likely the reverse. C&C4 may have been caused by the losses in 2008. Perhaps the biggest loss in EA's history; it'd have all the bosses nervous and desperate to do something - anything - in an attempt to pull EA out of its financial divebomb toward hard-packed earth.

 

For those interested, but too lazy to look it up, EA's stock for 10 years:

 

 

I should write an article about this... and should start paying attention to EA's stock prices...

Dammmmmn, that's a hell of a drop, kinda a telling sign really.

[Plok 323]

Not exactly. Every gaming company had that because of the financial crisis that arose that year. Even Microsoft had a "pulse" of a loss, but they dealt with that... 'cause they're Microsoft.

[Chimas 7]

2008 is the so called systematic risk when it affects many if not all markets.

 

2008 crisis also created this.