Open Letter to Forum from OBD software

[+Winder 32]

We worked hard on the Superpatch consolidating all the existing updates/patches into one (to make support easier for us and the user) and also adding in a lot of new content.

 

We included some of the latest P4 work as a freebie and the features that have been added in 1.32 are not trivial.

This has brought in few bugs and we are patching these.

 

Moreover we have been constantly supporting helping and updating OFF since P3 commercial release in late 2008.

Many of the features and updates and 'patches' were in direct and constant response to user requirements in terms of flexibility and accessibility for new players as well as seasoned players.

The workshop options are now mind boggling. No sim I know of has this sort of configurability.

 

OFF P3 out of the box had no real show stoppers and we have simply kept updating accessibility as well as minor game issues based on feedback and consensus garnered from e-mail support, this forum and notably polls.

 

V1.32 also has had no show stoppers.

 

There has been some ranting and abrupt e-mails and posts in this forum since we released 1.32 which, given the tone of them, has really caught us by surprise and TBH question the method that we have chosen in supporting our product - we could afterall simply be like any other game company and not even be here.

 

We hoped that by now most frequent forum users would be well aware of our commitment to this product that we have constantly shown since P1 5 years ago and frankly we are dismayed to see the attitude that has prevailed admittedly seemingly from only a handful.

 

For me to state again that we are committed to making this game even more than a success really seems a waste of time but well that still is the case.

 

Since 1.32 there have been two main issues raised with some very strange manners:

 

1) FLAK

 

Seemingly still too prolific and accurate even after 1.32b depsite a considerable range of settings in workshops.

 

We are looking into this very strange Flak issue to see if there is a reason still remaining that makes the easy flak setting so 'hard' - certainly in all my testing last night I could not see how on easy gun settings and 1.32b, a user can be expressing such concern - it is neither accurate nor proliffic - but again we are still looking.

 

It might be that coming out of warp into a flak barrage is simply dicey - we are testing.

 

Flak was dicey anyway...

 

 

2) Sounds

 

Flak sounds and battle sounds prior to 1.32 were inaudible even at very high effects settings - this was wrong and we adjusted it so hollywood users (no slight intended) can actually hear the crump of the explosions.

 

The effects volume can be simply turned down in workshops for a more realistic sound level. Again a myriad of combinations can be dialed in.

 

 

 

 

 

As usual we are open to criticism and feedback as long as its given in the correct way and also we love polls - dont be shy to start one if you feel you have an issue but PLEASE at least explore the sim a bit and especially the workshop settings as well as other regions and squads before starting.

 

 

Finally we will not be monitoring this board anymore with an intention of supporting issues directly in type - we encourage other users to help newbies.

We will be monitoring the board for issues and feedback.

 

If you have an issue that you cannot solve and are stuck then by all means contact us on:

 

support@overflandersfields.com

 

Quote:

 

1) Your Avangate order number

 

2) Your CFS3 package version.

 

3) Your current workshops version number - lower right in workshops - you can access workshops from the main menu - button extreme right.

 

 

Thanks

 

OBD Software.

[Red-Dog 3]

We don't know how lucky we are.I've been here since P1 and haven't played any other sim since thats how good it is.So thanks for all your hard work over the years, you've made one wanabe WW1 pilot happy.

Edited August 14, 2009 by Red-Dog

[Pips 5]

All I can say is that I thank you for the continued support and superb efforts to improve the sim. It's already far superior to any other around at present.

 

It's very disappointing to hear that you guys are receiving disrespectful emails. I'm all for constructive suggestions, but it looks like some simply have no idea how to behave. Please don't be disheartened by a sad few. 99% of us are most appreciative of all your teams efforts.

[BigJim 0]

We don't know how lucky we are.I've been here since P1 and haven't played any other sim since thats how good it is.So thanks for all your hard work over the years, you've made one wanabe WW1 pilot happy.

 

Where do we get the avongate number?? and this seems a fairly abrupt response to just a few posts of complaint. Just checked and of course i didn't retain the avongate stuff after I recieved the game.

Edited August 14, 2009 by BigJim

[Broadside uda Barn 0]

Thank you for the updates and attention to so many details.

 

It's too bad that so few (I counted 3, with 2 more 'irritated', individuals who posted...might have missed some tho), can throw a hizzy fit and declare they are "withholding their p4 and p5 money", or quitting this sim, etc etc, and put such a negative vibe into the community, that OBD has to take this stance.

 

I liked things the way it was, and still is: the majority appreciate the work/effort/assistance/guidance/hand-holding/commeraderie of the developers here.

Those 5 people dont. Fine.

Please dont lump the rest of us in with their rudeness/impatience/lack of insight/ etc.

 

And for those 5, please take it to private emails or support....and

[FRO8769 0]

Winder,

 

The updates are great and we all appreciate the hard work that OOB has done. There are only a few that I have noticed that are complaining about it and if they can't seem to get it to work to their specifications, then they just need to ask for some help or stop flying. Its a game and we all enjoy it so keep those updates coming and don't worry about any criticism. Yes there are some bugs, but Me, Stump, Vasco, and Sitting Duck are working through these in our muliplayer games and waiting for your fixes and add-ons. All that ya'll do to make our OFF experience more enjoyable is most welcome.

[+Winder 32]

Where do we get the avongate number?? and this seems a fairly abrupt response to just a few posts of complaint. Just checked and of course i didn't retain the avongate stuff after I recieved the game.

 

 

 

Abrupt response and or change? - no we have asked for the avangate order number from day 1 as part of the support system and we have often asked folks to use the system.

 

If you have lost it then as long as you can remember the name of the person that ordered it or even the e-mail address we can trace it.

 

The point is that Pol and I are taking a break P3 is basically where we want it and we will not be answering technical issues on the forum until we are back.

 

So again we are saying technical support via e-mail will be maintained....we will monitor the boards and we will be updating flak and or sounds depending on what we see on this board over time.

 

Have fun.

 

 

WM

[themightysrc 5]

Hi Winder,

 

Well you and Pol go and have a good break. I know it must be disheartening to put so much effort into (non-chargeable) mods and improvements only to find yourself excoriated by a few people who, it must be said, should have PMed or emailed you, and who as it's been pointed out are in a vanishingly small minority. However, don't lose sight of the bigger picture - the relationship that OBD has with its customers is largely a testament to both sides: superb and responsive customer service on your hand, and much thoughtful debate and experimentation by your user base.

 

I'm personally very grateful that such a relationship exists, and it has enhanced my pleasure of this superb game, as well as encouraging me to participate on these boards, despite my lack of technical expertise.

 

So, have that break and forget CA, OFF, et al for a while. Face it - even WWI pilots went on leave occasionally (admittedly they generally had to go doolally first, but I digress...).

 

I for one will be pleased to see your return and to hear the plans for P4.

 

Cheers,

Si

[BigJim 0]

Abrupt response and or change? - no we have asked for the avangate order number from day 1 as part of the support system and we have often asked folks to use the system.

 

If you have lost it then as long as you can remember the name of the person that ordered it or even the e-mail address we can trace it.

 

The point is that Pol and I are taking a break P3 is basically where we want it and we will not be answering technical issues on the forum until we are back.

 

So again we are saying technical support via e-mail will be maintained....

 

 

WM

 

From day one means nothing to me, I didnot see or read anything instructing to me to keep that info which was in the form of an e-mail, since I personally ordered the game and know my own e-mail I guess thats not a problem.

 

I cannot see for the life of me why someone who was not a user would be searching for support?? I suppose pirated copies are possible?

 

So it is my guess that whatever the MP problems were still exist and will not be worked on?

 

The abruptness I was referring to was that after a minor negative response to what was obviously very hard work and well appreciated by most of the community this annoucement was made, especially when you stated as much in another post about support.

 

Enjoy your break and we will putter along with the product we purchased, thanks again for your time.

[+Winder 32]

From day one means nothing to me, I didnot see or read anything instructing to me to keep that info which was in the form of an e-mail, since I personally ordered the game and know my own e-mail I guess thats not a problem.

 

I cannot see for the life of me why someone who was not a user would be searching for support?? I suppose pirated copies are possible?

 

So it is my guess that whatever the MP problems were still exist and will not be worked on?

 

The abruptness I was referring to was that after a minor negative response to what was obviously very hard work and well appreciated by most of the community this annoucement was made, especially when you stated as much in another post about support.

 

Enjoy your break and we will putter along with the product we purchased, thanks again for your time.

 

Basically OFF development is ongoing - but P3 is drawing to a close and we have the decency to tell you that.

Pol and I planned all along to take a break after this release so now you all know too.

Next will be payware addons - shape or form not decided.

 

MP works - if you have issues contact us on support.

I have kept an open line to most of the MP players via e-mail but have had very little response to what I have sent out so again the lines are open.

 

Happy puttering

 

WM

[Macklroy 2]

This game....sorry, this sim is by far the most 'hands on' supported of ANY sim/game i've ever played. To be able to so closely interact via these forums with the creators of such a great gaming experience is a great bonus. Keep up the great work guys and know it IS appretiated!

 

S!

[BigJim 0]

Basically OFF development is ongoing - but P3 is drawing to a close and we have the decency to tell you that.

Pol and I planned all along to take a break after this release so now you all know too.

Next will be payware addons - shape or form not decided.

 

MP works - if you have issues contact us on support.

I have kept an open line to most of the MP players via e-mail but have had very little response to what I have sent out so again the lines are open.

 

Happy puttering

 

WM

 

So it is possible to run a MP dedicated 24/7 join anytime DF server? that is if someone wished to do so.

[+Winder 32]

So it is possible to run a MP dedicated 24/7 join anytime DF server? that is if someone wished to do so.

 

24/7 I have no idea it may vary on your PC/server and how stable CFS3/OS is over long term but 1.32 was tested with a dogfight server set to 10 mins and also set to 5 kills.

I did this when we had a delay on 1.32 roll -out and so far in 1.32 MP seems good.

 

If you have MP issues in 1.32 contact support.

 

 

HTH

 

WM

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Winder, I send my thanks to you and the rest of the OFF devs. I can't imagine another sim that has ever provided the kind of support and interaction with it's creators that BHaH does. Apologies for my initial post about the new gun sounds, if it sounded like complaining it was not. Had I dug into the control panel a bit I would have found the new adjustment features myself, yet you were lightening-quick to respond with the cure, which speaks yet again to the helpfulness of you folks.

 

Have a great break Winder; get some sun, drink some ale, take in the latest floor shows, and just relax. Many thanks again for the finest WW1 combat flight sim ever.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[JimAttrill 24]

Don't let a few whingers bother you. They are the sort that only post to complain about something. I for one am happy.

 

Possibly giving the superpatch for $0 was a mistake, people only appreciate things they pay for, I have found. As a programmer myself I appreciate the effort you have put into this. And if I don't like it, I could always revert back to 1.3 except I do and I won't.

[Mr. Lucky 0]

OBD: Thanks, as always for your hard work and superb product. Just remember, that the greater percentage of users who are completely satisfied usually remain silent as they have no complaints and/or are too busy flying. Remember the silent majority...we're out here.

 

Take your rest, cook up new ways to astound us, and keep up with your secret formula... do it for your satisfaction..ours and the success will follow.

[Fliegenhund 0]

I have been gaming on the PC since around 1998 and have been active on forums for ALOT of games. The one thing that always seemed to be lacking was any input from developers on a forum. People would be screaming for a fix to a glaring problem and there would be no response. OBD has numerous devs posting on here in almost every thread that pops up. They release a huge patch and then do 3 hotfixes in under 2 weeks. You are not going to find that support with bigger companies and companies that just want the initial sale money and could care less after that.

 

That being said, game forums always have the minority who do nothing but gripe and bitch on ridiculous issues that are usually rooted in their own inability to setup their PC or game properly. Keep up the good work OBD.

[Bullethead 12]

I'm surprised as well at the tone of some of the recent outbursts. HOWEVER, I recommend looking on the bright side. Such posts only come from people who are passionate about the game. Arousing that passion means you're doing something right .

 

I myself make niche-market wargames, so I fully appreciate the size of the freebie that was 1.32. I don't see how you all put food on the table giving that much stuff away. I'm very thankful for it and think all the changes and new features are for the good.

 

Anyway, keep up the good work and make me some new stuff I can pay you for.

[JohnGresham 0]

I was also taken aback at the way some chose to express their views after the superpatch (which I thought was magnificent), clearingly failing to realize that this was a sim not an aracde game and, you know what? Flying in WWI was hard and flak was both deadly and loud! I'm very tempted to let my annoyance get the better of me, but I'll leave it at that.

 

Moving on. I'm really sorry that the tantrums of a few have resulted in this, but I just wanted to express my support. You've always provided fantastic support for your product and I just wanted to say how grateful and delighted I am with what you've done. OFF is a magnificent piece of work that you can be justifiably proud of. I'd urge you not to let the ill concieved temper tantrums of the unappreciative few dampen your passion and enthusiasm for what you've created.

[Olham 164]

Winder and Pol,

have a nice holiday! May your strained nerves recover to the best.

I wish you the desired wheather for whatever you'll do.

And come back safe and well.

Olham

[Rickitycrate 10]

The squeaky wheels get the grease. As for me I guess maybe I squeal for joy. Pol, Winder, OBD any any regular forum member knows how I feel about OFF BH&H. I am grateful to all who have made and support this labor of love. Also, I am grateful to MK2 and this forum. Especially those I have come to think of as my brother flyers which is most of ya' all.

 

Dear Sirs, OBD team, Winder and Pol. Please do take a blessed break for your good. May you have some rest and enjoyment and quality time with your loved ones. Relax and enjoy yourselves. Know that 98% of your customers cannot be wrong and will continue to fly and carry on the good fight while you get some R and R. My continued support, appreciation, thanks and best wishes to you. Churchill comes to mind: "never have so few done so much for so many" if that's not exact quote I'll claim it as mine, hehe. Jim

[Cameljockey 3]

At the risk of sounding like a cheesy testimonial on an infomercial, I'd like to tell everyone here what OBD and OFF have done for me. Prior to April of '07, I knew nothing, and I mean nothing about what actually makes a computer work, much less how to build one. My brother in law, who is a computer tech support supervisor for Embarq put one together out of spare parts and sent it to us. It was certainly nothing to brag about but it was better than what I had.

ECS K7VZA mainboard

AMD Athlon 1.2Ghz CPU

256Mb PC133 SDRAM

Nvidia GeForce 4 MX440 64Mb

 

60Gb IDE 133 HD

 

Saitek Cyborg Evo

Like I said, nothing to brag about.

Anyway, I was online looking for some add ons for RB3D and found an awesome one called "Hells Angels", BTW thanks for that OvS, it's still on the HD. In my search for more info I ran across OFF. I asked myself, "What in the hell is OFF?" As I investigated further I was thinking, "Man, I've got to get this, but how much is it?" Then I found out that it was free for downloading (Phase 2), so I looked at the size of the files and damn near fell out of my chair. Having only a dialup connection at the time it seemed like an insurmountable task, but a task I was more than willing to perform. Well, a little over a month later (and boocoo pissing and moaning from the Missus about the telephone being tied up constantly) I finally finished the download.

 

I was crestfallen when I discovered that my machine wouldn’t run it, even on the lowest settings, so I embarked on a “journey” which has led me to where I am now. It hasn’t been a lone wolf mission by any stretch of the imagination and special thanks to Uncleal and Typhoon, without whose assistance I would not be enjoying this sim at the level that I presently am. The biggest thanks go to Roxanne, the Missus, who has supported me in this and put up with all of the hassles that have come with it.

 

Now, just a smidgeon over two years later, I have OFF BH&H, many, many, new friends, and a computer that I thought I’d never have. Also, I have learned not only how to diagnose and fix most common problems in my PC, but I have also learned how to build my own. I have actually made some $$$ repairing PCs for people. All of this on top of the hundreds and hundreds of hours of enjoyment that I’ve gotten from OFF and it’s incarnations.

 

All in all, my experience with OFF and the OFF community has been a constant win/win situation which I hope continues well into the future. BTW, my specs now….

 

 

Abit IN9 32X MAX 680i WiFi Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core 4x 4Gb (4x1Gb) OCZ2P800R22GK DDR2800 EVGA 768-P2-N831-AR GeForce 8800 GTX 768MB 384-bit GDDR3 Western Digital Caviar Green WD5000AADS 500GB SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive Creative Soundblaster Audigy SE sound card TrackIR 3 Pro with Vector Expansion Microsoft Sidewinder Pro FFB joystick CH Pro Pedals

 

A very heartfelt Thank You to the OFF team and Community

 

Mike Carender aka Cameljockey

and the journey continues.................................................................

[Fortiesboy 3]

It was my intention to let this matter of difference of opinion about this

superpatch die a natural.

but I must say that some of the latter posts have gone too far.

 

Not because they criticize those who have been somewhat ranty in their minority opinion,

or even rude in e mails, ( as I understand has happened ),

but because none of these posts has acknowledged that there have been ANY posts, ( criticizing the patch ), which haven't been of that nature.

 

That is totally unfair and IMHO smacks of "fanboyism" of the worst sort.

 

If you are going to use inflammatory phrases like that about folks, then kindly acknowledge

that not all dissenters are the same.

 

And maybe google Voltaire.

[Fliegenhund 0]

It was my intention to let this matter of difference of opinion about this

superpatch die a natural.

but I must say that some of the latter posts have gone too far.

 

Not because they criticize those who have been somewhat ranty in their minority opinion,

or even rude in e mails, ( as I understand has happened ),

but because none of these posts has acknowledged that there have been ANY posts, ( criticizing the patch ), which haven't been of that nature.

 

That is totally unfair and IMHO smacks of "fanboyism" of the worst sort.

 

If you are going to use inflammatory phrases like that about folks, then kindly acknowledge

that not all dissenters are the same.

 

And maybe google Voltaire.

 

I think there have been quite a few posts lately where people have hardware conflicts, and dont attempt trying to change settings to fix their issues. In addition to posts that say "Fix this!" when they are the only ones who find issue with it. There has also been posts with positive input for tweaking the patch and the game. I dont think addressing the useless posts for what they are is a "fanboy" thing.

[77Scout 3]

Thanks for the update Winder. Yep, it makes good sense to move on now to Phase 4 and leave us all to play with Phase 3. To me Phase 3 is more than complete and is a well polishing piece of work that the developers should be very proud of. I will be patiently standing in line for Phase 4 if and when it should come along.

 

I really hope the team members get to enjoy some free time prior to diving into any new stuff...well deserved. I have never understood how the team can do all they do and still maintain a real life and family.