WOFF GOLD? The last major release. :(

[Hellshade 110]

Polovski posted a thread asking members if they would like to see a "WOFF GOLD" edition.   Head on over to check it out and be sure to vote. 

 

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4187250/1/WOFF_GOLD

Edited October 28, 2015 by Hellshade

[Olham 164]

Yep, I have voted.

Maybe the WOFF GOLD version could be sold for much less to those, who already bought all add-ons so far;

while those upgrading from WOFF 1 would receive much more new stuff, and therefor should pay more.

Just my 2 cents...

[Hellshade 110]

Well, Winder has spoken.  If WOFF GOLD ships it will be the last major release for their venerated and much loved WWI flight sim.    Knowing those guys, they will patch like mad after release but then eventually, they will call something the last patch and it will be complete.    It will be so weird to have the finality of silence from the devs on WOFF.    I will be interested to see what their non-WWI project is going to be, but its just weird to think WOFF will have finally reached the end of it's official journey.

 

If there's a tiny, tiny silver lining to it, it's this: When the day comes that there are no more official add-ons, upgrades or patches for WOFF GOLD, there's a good chance this will become the official hang out forum for WOFFers again.    

[Olham 164]

Well, I don't know if they will build any other sim or game at all - after all they have daytime jobs

which are different from sim or game building. I guess they are just exhausted after 10 years of

building and building and building - maybe they would simply love to fly and enjoy "WOFF Gold"

now, like the rest of us?

 

So I do not expect a "deadly silence" - maybe we even hear more from them; as simmers among

simmers? Let them have fun, and give them time.

And who knows: maybe one day they make a "comeback"?

 

However - I bet they will release a final version which will deserve the name.

A finished, functioning sim for flying fun for years to come.

[Hauksbee 103]

If there's a tiny, tiny silver lining to it, it's this: When the day comes that there are no more official add-ons, upgrades or patches for WOFF GOLD, there's a good chance this will become the official hang out forum for WOFFers again.    

It's a bit ironic that the thread that jump-started this Forum back to life dealt with the sad future prospects over at "Rise of Flight". Now suddenly we too must face the "End Times" for the Great, Glacial Dev's who have guided our (alternate digital) lives.

 

Perhaps we can follow the example of Team Fusion and evolve our own modding group, which I'd suggest we call Team Frission. (frission=breathless excitement). It's worth a shot.

 

And I did vote in favor of WOFF Gold. The least we can do is send the Dev's off with some beer money in their pockets.

 I will be interested to see what their non-WWI project is going to be, but its just weird to think WOFF will have finally reached the end of it's official journey.

Will there be a follow-up project? I did not catch a hint of that in the link.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

.

 

It will be odd and sad indeed when the devs finally close the doors and turn off the lights on their years-long labor of love.  Can't imagine it even though I know full well the day will come.

 

.

[Hauksbee 103]

It will be odd and sad indeed when the devs finally close the doors and turn off the lights on their years-long labor of love.  Can't imagine it even though I know full well the day will come.

...a digital Götterdämmerung.

[Olham 164]

It will be odd and sad indeed when the devs finally close the doors and turn off the lights on their years-long labor of love.  Can't imagine it even though I know full well the day will come.

 

Why do you guys see it as dark as that? Maybe Winder, Polovski and the rest of OBD will be happily buzzing around in their favourite mounts,

sharing their own impressions, and lots of virtual beer with us? Why not simply have fun with the whole project, when it is finished?

The building can't go on forever - but the flying and fighting can go on for more years to come. At least for me.

And I hope you will all stay and be around - otherwise it would be only half the fun.

Edited October 29, 2015 by Olham

[RAF_Louvert 101]

.

 

Oh, I'll be around.

 

.

[Hauksbee 103]

Why do you guys see it as dark as that?

Agreed. It's not the end of the world; just a bit of a shock that this new reality is now on our horizon.

[Hellshade 110]

I would like to see WOFF go out on a high note as well.   It sounds like they have some really great things planned for the expansion and I genuinely hope they do decide to produce and release GOLD instead of just ending at the Motley Crew Add-on.     Certainly with 60+ flyable planes, a huge dynamic campaign and countless features and options, it will be a very long time before anyone could say they were bored with WOFF.   It will have many surprises to give us for years to come.  

 

That said, if we had a Team Fusion like modders group that decided to flesh out even more (more French 2 seaters, Italian front, etc) I can see WOFF GOLD having a very exciting 'retirement.'    I know they are time consuming to make, but maybe a community project for Historical Airfields, etc.   I bet we could find ways to keep polishing up the already sparkling gem that will be WOFF GOLD.   Look how long Red Baron 3D was played by hard core fans after it was no longer officially supported and WOFF has so much more to offer than RB3D ever did.  The modding community can do a lot to keep a sim going for many, many years.

 

RoF is in a slightly more difficult position than WOFF because the devs are still using the Digital Nature engine in order to create new WWII flight sims.   For that reason, they won't open up the code of RoF to modders to change change things like AI, Flight Models, Damage Models, etc.   That sim is truly stuck in a sort of limbo.   Flight Model debates still rage to this day and the AI is basically non-existent.   No official support because 777 studios are done with it and virtually no significant modders support because the devs won't open it up to let anyone peek under the hood.  I don't think WOFF will have that problem.   If OBD does decide to do another project, I doubt they would keep using the CFS3 engine.  Who knows?  They might even release or sell a Developer Toolkit for WOFF.

 

One can always hope.

Edited October 29, 2015 by Hellshade

[Hellshade 110]

For those who haven't seen it, this is Winders post:

 

Just a few words from me....

Yes its WOFF3 and it will probably be our last major WW1 release - we have been at this for over 10 years.
So it will be the next phase and I figured why not call it 'GOLD' in tribute to Flying Corps Gold....

And like any phase release we have done we are not saying exactly what it will encompass at this stage.

OBD is not asking anyone to pay twice - but WOFF3 will not have a 'massive amount' of new craft because frankly it takes too long - we are looking at adding craft for the GOLD version but probably more AI craft than a lot of extra player flyables - however there will be new player flyables of course.
We already have a record breaking 60+ flyables in WOFF.

It will feature overhauled craft where needed and especially uprated DM systems, and uprated terrain and scenery.

Yep - once WOFF Gold is out there will be no more WOFF1 and 2.

In terms of ground activity I am thinking more along the lines of activity not only at the front lines but everywhere (within a WW1 context) to make the world more immersive - ditto the channel shipping.

Still :- dont read into this as 'we are' or 'we are not' but if 'we do'.... - it will be the last major release of WW1 from us.


WM

OBD

 

[JFM 18]

History has shown that their rate of production is very slow, so no need to break out the Kleenex yet. The end of WOFF is years away still.

 

I'm not interested in re-paying for all I've already purchased. Then again, damn fool I am, I threw 80 bucks at the DCS WW2 Kickstarter because of the siren song of the Me-262 and I haven't seen JACK SQUAT in return. ZILCH. Yeah, I can fly the 109 over Nevada but that is NOT what I paid 80 bucks for. I got a large dose of Lemmiwinks on that one, let me tell you...  So, in the end, of course I'll buy WOFF Gold. At least I'll actually receive what I paid for.

 

Shipping. Love that! Maybe some HMS Furious carrier ops?  And I'm all for AI planes. I've been requesting that from various sims for years and years and years. #1 on my personal AI list, the AGO C.I. Just be cool to see them flying around, either friend or foe.

[Olham 164]

This post from Winder is very reassuring IMHO - they will carry on making add-ons, I read from it!

 

One other thing - there will still be addons down the road - we are simply mulling the idea of the last 'phase' of OFF/WOFF.

Historically for those that have been around a bit:

OFF P1
OFF P2
OFF P3
WOFF
WOFF2

and finally for 2016 the possibility of

WOFF Gold.


WM
_________________________
OBD Software
 

Edited October 29, 2015 by Olham

[JFM 18]

Ah, I like that clarity. Gold will be the last "phase," but the possibility exists they do more add-ons for that last phase. Excellent. See? WOFF will be around for years and years with new stuff.  

[JimAttrill 24]

There's no reason to stop flying in WOFF even if the development stops.   Some are still flying OFF (I think) - there are often some people using that forum. 

[JFM 18]

I agree. We'll be flying this for a long time.

[Hellshade 110]

Either way, I would still be flying WOFF for years to come because there is simply nothing else out there that can come comes to replacing it.   That said, I'm very much looking forward to WOFF GOLD and whatever add-ons the devs send our way from time to time after that. 

 

Winder did say that it would be their last major WWI release, so I'm speculating that they will turn their primary attention to other major projects and just release add-ons for WOFF GOLD now and then.   I'm okay with that.  They've been at W/OFF exclusively for 10 years.   Heck, there are a lot of supposedly persistent world MMOs that haven't survived THAT long.   I'm looking forward to whatever else they decide to create.   I wonder if they will stick with CFS3 or procure a new engine.

[Olham 164]

I agree. We'll be flying this for a long time.

 

...until I must call my mechanics:    "Hey, Schulz and Meyer - come and lift me into my cockpit!"   

[+matt milne 5]

Don't forget the hour of completely new music for Woff: Gold (3), it alone is worth the price tag.  Woff 3 will probably be my last ww1 soundtrack for a while, I too have been at this for a long time, since P2.  Even with big anniversaries coming up, and despite my soundtracks for woff/off and 'rise of flight', game and film producers are still reluctant to ask me to do things   , so no more ww1, but it has been a blast.

[JFM 18]

Hey, Devs! You are getting sleepy. Veeeerrrrryyyyy sleeeeeepppyyyyyyyyyyyy....

 

 

 

 

 

[Olham 164]

Matt, I wish you and us, that one of the OBD devs wins the lotto jackpot - then here would be a chance,

that WOFF would be developed further, and that you would get well paid for more WW1 music -

I guess then you would think twice!

 

Jim, you never give up, eyh?

[Dutch_P47M 9]

My view on the whole subject is that the old CFS3 engine is squeezed out to the last drop of improvement. So yes Gold would be the last because nothing can be improved further, only new ad on packs will be released like the Belgians air force.  Going for another game engine like I earlier wrote down on the RoF forum [Clod/DCS] would bring an enormous amount of development work and it seems the dev are not going to another WW1 direction.  

 

RoF is dead and Woff gold will be the last, sounds not good for a WW1 combat fly sim fan future. 

[Hauksbee 103]

My view on the whole subject is that the old CFS3 engine is squeezed out to the last drop of improvement.

You may be right Dutch. The old CFS3 Engine is coughing and wheezing and it simply has no more to give. After all, every time you sit in the cockpit (in Campaign mode) the whole of WWI is going on all along the Western Front. I think that probably exceeds, by far, what Microsoft had in mind when they wrote CFS3.

 

I think it's equally possible that the Dev's themselves are played out. They've been at this for, what...fifteen years? (More or less) And they still have to have day jobs. I suspect they have come to realize that the WOFF community is as big as it's ever going to get, and that our Wish List will always be bigger than they're capable of delivering. And if I'm correct, the Dev's don't even live in the same country. OFF/WOOF has been built by e-mail. It must take exceeding dedication to hold a team together for this length of time when it's not even possible to have a beer after work.

Edited November 16, 2015 by Hauksbee

[Olham 164]

...if I'm correct, the Dev's don't even live in the same country. OFF/WOOF has been built by e-mail. It must take exceeding dedication to hold a team together for this length of time when it's not even possible to have a beer after work.

 

Correct. Winder works in Johannisburg, South Africa; Polovski in London, and Sandbagger in northeastern England.

Software programmer RexHannover lives in Toronto, Canada.

Shredward resides in Alberta, Canada. OvS is a New Yorker fireman. Paarma lives in Helsinki, and Makai in Hawaii.

Former devs: RABU is in California, and Capt.Winters in Australia.

Oh, not to forget our Scotsman: Matt Milne, who wrote all the wonderful tunes!

 

So, yes: it would be impossible for them to have a few beers together after a hard working day.

They can meet only rather rarely.

OvS came over to visit Paarma, and then also Polovski and Sandbagger - here is a photo of the three at Shuttleworth (I think).

 

Left to right: OvS, Sandbagger, Polovski

 

Edited November 16, 2015 by Olham