I just want to know what the holdup is with the announcement of content for TF 6.0?

[Enceladus828]

First of all, I understand that TF is not a full time team, it’s just that we’ve been waiting patiently for two years on the announcement of what we’re going to get in TF 6.0. — based on Buzzsaw’s statements they were just about ready in mid 2021.

These have been the reasons given:

- late 2021 — a legality had to be cleared with a 3rd party

- late winter 2022, War in Ukraine which led to Jason, TFS’ liaison, parting with 1C and TFS sold to Fulqrum Publishing.

- remainder of 2022 — setting relations with FP to allow TF to continue game development past the Visual Update Package.

- 2023?

 

Thank you

[BOO]

I think TFS have said several times over the last year that its not in their gift to make that announcement. 

 

You might want to read Buzzsaws post from March 2023 here 

 

[major_setback]

Also ..

Imagine a group of developers as an author/ authors.

Say that an author wanted to write a book as a continuation to an already existing book series; for example Millenium (several books in this series were written after the original author died).

The author and publisher agree that this will be a good idea and contracts are made.

Then when the author is part-finished writing the book he single-handedly tells the public about the story, content, and context, and answers any questions about it...

 

 

 

Edited July 25, 2023 by major_setback

[Buzzsaw]

Hello Enceladus

 

We are working on an announcement for TF 6.0.

 

That is all I can say at this point.

[Mysticpuma]

I have to be honest, I'm more interested in an update of news on v5, VR and the Graphics update?

I know VR is in beta as well as the graphics update....but we're nearly 8 months into 2023....and to be honest, it doesn't appear news/release wise, any progress is being made? Behind the scenes I am sure it is but on the forums and for what remains of the tiny CloD community any news on the VR release (2023?) would be gratefully appreciated.

 

Currently I think the last hint of anything was 3-months-ago:

 

Since then, again, radio silence.

 

Do the team have any idea if this will ever release, or is it a constant WiP until there is no-one left to complete WiP?

 

Just saying that a quarterly update would be great and any indication that this will ever be released would be appreciated...even if VR is delayed?

[Dagwoodyt]

An announcement of TF 6.0 without prior successful reveal of the "Visual Update" is not going to be taken seriously. There are several new hmd's coming to market, but without a working Blitz VR implementation TFS cannot benefit from videos created by YT influencers. If Blitz has yet to get recognition from Pimax that might be a reflection of Blitz' current status.
 

[343KKT_Kintaro]

An announcement of the title and content of TF6.0 is not the same as the release of TF6.0 itself. At the moment we are supposed to know the content of the future visual update features and performances. By means of an announcement for TF6.0, we'd not only be knowing the content of the visual update but, at least the title, (I guess) of TF6.0 as well. My understanding is that Buzzsaw didn't say that TFS is about to announce a date ofr the release of TF6.0. My assumption is that the chronological order of releases would most propably remain the same, so, as announced by TFS : the visual update release first and, then, after that, the release of the add-on. But I may be wrong, dunno...

 

 

[Dagwoodyt]

Release dates? We are approaching the delay announcement part of the year ;-)

[354thFG_Leifr]

Soon, next month, another beta wave, promise. ?

 

Edited July 26, 2023 by 86th_Leifr

[343KKT_Kintaro]

No gentlemen, that wasn't the point.

[Dagwoodyt]

The OP doesn't reference "release" dates.

[Mysticpuma]

21 hours ago, Buzzsaw said:

Hello Enceladus

 

We are working on an announcement for TF 6.0.

 

That is all I can say at this point.

Buzzsaw, I think that has been the case since it was even first mentioned 'years' ago. 

 

I know you mention being hamstrung by Tencent regarding v6.... but progress on v5's Visual and VR update would be appreciated. I wouldn't normally go out on a limb but it is now getting to the point where even those in the beta are wondering if VR and the Visual update will ever see the light of day (before there are no players left to release it to). 

I am wishing the team the best of luck, but the VR and VU as more and more time passes are starting to feel like vapourware ?

Edited July 26, 2023 by Mysticpuma

[Enceladus828]

25 minutes ago, Mysticpuma said:

(before there are no players left to release it to)

I and many people who like CloD will be here when the Visual Update Package is released.

 

27 minutes ago, Mysticpuma said:

I am wishing the team the best of luck, but the VR and VU as more and more time passes are starting to feel like vapourware ?

Don't feel bad, IL-2 GBs is in a similar boat where it has been almost a year since the release of BoN and we know very little information on the next installment, heck, we know more about what TF 6.0 will include (1942 Channel Map, Fw-190A-1 to A-3, and a main map).

 

On 7/25/2023 at 2:52 AM, BOO said:

I think TFS have said several times over the last year that its not in their gift to make that announcement. 

 

You might want to read Buzzsaws post from March 2023 here 

 

Fair enough. If TF 6.0 is Malta, I hope TF 7.0 is Sicily. By doing that they can save time on the main map for TF 7.0 as they would just have to add Tunisia, update Sicily to 1943 and maybe add an Northern extension to the map. I just hope some aircraft in TF 7.0 are in early development, particularly ones that take a considerable amount of time at the very least.

[343KKT_Kintaro]

11 hours ago, Enceladus said:

we know more about what TF 6.0 will include (1942 Channel Map

 

(I added the bold type)

 

In my opinion, it's more like v5.0 brought us a 1941 Channel map same as v6.0 will bring us a 1942 Channel map... thus not especially because of new content for the Channel map itsel, only the 1942 planes making "it becomes" a 1942 map... 

 

 

[BOO]

18 hours ago, Enceladus said:

 

 

Fair enough. If TF 6.0 is Malta, I hope TF 7.0 is Sicily.

Any talk of TF7.0 given the (still ongoing) gestation period of the VU and blackout surrounding 6.0 is widly optimistic. If you want to hope for anything, hope the VU materialises in time to rebuild and then maintain interest in the game. 

 

19 hours ago, Enceladus said:

I and many people who like CloD will be here when the Visual Update Package is released.

 

 

I hate to bring the steam charts into it again but Clod and its derivatives are Steam based so they are a good measure of how things are. That is, you play it online or offline, you need to play through steam. No second outlet, no dev store page, no other way. So when its weekly peak is barely nudging 80 and gaining 2.5 players equals a nearly 14% increase you have to be realistic about its  future in the marketing and publicity vaccum it has lived in almost since release. If so many people still liked Clod that chart wouldnt be slanting depressingly in one direction. If so many people still liked Clod it wouldnt be reliant on an uptick in the graphics. 

 

I dont think the revival of clod is going to be down to a some army of snorkelers and 4Kers running out of the forests with greatful arms outstreched. There is precious little offline or online content over and above what was there years ago to attract players back. Less in fact. That there are no dynamic online servers other than TWC is also telling in terms of its attractivness to server owners and mission makers. SOW has gone dark again, ACG no longer looks in its direction, and, above all else, theres nothing new to fly and, even when it comes, its already largely covered elsewhere. I have absolutely no doubt it'll come with just as many bugz as it always had especially in SP.

 

As for the never ending Jam Tomorrow saga of Clod and TF post incorporation. The game seems to have basically dissappeared up its own bad tempered beta backside from where Im stood. 

 

 

 

 

[No.54_Reddog]

There are players who will return for sure. There are equally players who would have returned but will no longer as they've grown disillusioned, bored, moved onto other genres, moved onto other games, got girlfriends, families, new jobs etc and also died. It's a sad fact that in the space of time we are talking about some of us have passed.

 

A lot of us have viewed the success of CLOD by the longevity and robustness of its MP community. We are told time and again that SP is where the majority of the market lies for the genre by multiple different publishers, but whatever the truth is there I think that the future lies with new players, not tempting back the dwindling numbers of jaded and bored existing ones. 

 

The same was true of Sand CLOD though. If you look at the Steam charts for the longer history, you have every sign of a "dead cat bounce", an initial surge which tails off very quickly. i dont know how TFS plans on countering that phenomena this time round, or maybe they don't?

 

The VU needs to be a success, and to be a success IMO it needs to be flawless. Another bugged release I think will be close to the final nail for some. So I can understand TFS continuing to work on perfecting it so that there are few if any issues.

 

But of course that takes time, and so we gripe about that. From what I can tell, it seems like much of the heavy lifting for the VU is now being done by one or two core people despite the "team" and I think they are likely doing things they've never done before. (How many volunteer members are likely to have implemented VR into an existing flight simulator for example?)

 

More transparency has always been wanted and for various reasons denied, some more legitimately than others IMO but at the end of the day, it's Buzzsaws money, it's his choice. I have railed against the lack of any sign of project management before and I strongly believe that it is this aspect which has caused the biggest disconnect with the customers. It leads to poor communication (anyone remember the "pessimistic" timescales comment from a few years back?) and scope creep. 

 

But then we can all backseat drive. 

[sevenless]

On 7/26/2023 at 12:34 AM, Buzzsaw said:

Hello Enceladus

 

We are working on an announcement for TF 6.0.

 

That is all I can say at this point.

 

Good news! Eager to learn what´s in the pipeline.

[Mysticpuma]

17 hours ago, sevenless said:

 

Good news! Eager to learn what´s in the pipeline.

I think the pipe has got blocked. They need a plumber ?

[sevenless]

On 7/29/2023 at 8:29 AM, Mysticpuma said:

I think the pipe has got blocked. They need a plumber ?

 

Yeah, usually this one does the trick quite well...

[Snowdon]

On 7/25/2023 at 11:34 PM, Buzzsaw said:

Hello Enceladus

 

We are working on an announcement for TF 6.0.

 

That is all I can say at this point.

 

[Buzzsaw]

Nothing has been blocked... work continues on TF 6.0 and the Visual Update.

 

Recently we are very happy to say we have solved a problem with the rendering of the Speedtree models which had held up our progress with the Visual Update... we had been seeing framerate loss in the area of 90% with the new 8.42 vegetation models... but after a lot of number crunching we have found the bug which was causing this... now we are seeing the new high resolution vegetation in the game with only a 2-3% penalty over the original Speedtree 5.2 models.  ?  This is the first time that Speedtree and Simul trueSKY have been integrated together into a PC Windows based game code.... so we are pioneering this particular development.

 

With this move forward, we are hoping in the next while to see Speedtree 8.42 added to the VR Beta.

 

As mentioned, we do hope to have the announcement for TF 6.0 in the next while...  this will be the announcement of the game scenario, content, etc, with the creation of a new Steam page with images and video from the module.  We will also have supplementary images, video and information on the various forums and social media sites, including here... There will be a lot more information and detail available for the community to assess once we get all our ducks lined up and all the ok's and go aheads have been given... we will be opening up the development process to public view.

 

The reasons for the delay in the announcement have been related to promotional technical and bureaucratic issues... nothing to do with the actual progress of the work on the TF 6.0 module.

[Trooper117]

Great news Buzz, thanks!

[LLv34_Flanker]

S!

 

Sounds great, can't wait! Machine is finally up and runs current Cliffs like a champ?

[simfan2015]

Buzzsaw all of that is perfect news !!!

Congratz & Thank You all.

 

Hopefully next TFS CloD VR beta version with both speedtree as well as truesky is ... around the corner !?

As far as I read here and understood(?) the 'visual update' is VR, 4K textures, speedtree and truesky ... TF 5.0 ?

TF 6.0 is something we still know ... nothing about ?

 

[kissTheSky]

Pardon my ignorance, is the TF 6.0 module the module with VR? 

[9./JG52_J-HAT]

@kissTheSky @simfan2015

 

TF6 is the next installment for Clod (Tobruk was 5, after Blitz being 4.5 iirc). 

Visual Update is "just" the visual update (speedtree, clouds, textures etc.) and VR, yes.

New content will come with TF6. Which hasn't been announced yet nor really commented on from official sources. We only know for sure it will feature early Fw 190A models. Plus all our unconfirmed guesses about what it will be about. 

Edited July 31, 2023 by 9./JG52_J-HAT

[kissTheSky]

2 minutes ago, 9./JG52_J-HAT said:

@kissTheSky @simfan2015

 

TF6 is the next installment for Clod (Tobruk was 5, after Blitz being 4.5 iirc). 

Visual Update is "just" the visual update (speedtree, clouds, textures etc.) and VR, yes.

New content will come with TF6. Which hasn't been announced yet nor really commented on from official sources. We only know for sure it will feature early Fw 190A models. Plus all our unconfirmed guesses about what it will be about. 

Thanks. 
 

I really wish they would release the VR while they work on whatever they want to for the next installment. Clod blitz and Tobruk sit in my library, uninstalled, having bought to “support” the team for VR efforts some two years ago.
 

Not a big deal, as I considered it as a kickstarter campaign that may fail, but them being “close” and not having released it is less than ideal.

[simfan2015]

It amazes me they are working on TF 6.0 while they are still fully upgrading their TF 5.0 engine !?

This would mean TF 6.0 is primarily about new theatre/map and/or airplanes and vehicles ??? 

[Dagwoodyt]

1 hour ago, simfan2015 said:

It amazes me they are working on TF 6.0 while they are still fully upgrading their TF 5.0 engine !?

This would mean TF 6.0 is primarily about new theatre/map and/or airplanes and vehicles ??? 

TFS has acknowledged inability to overhaul the UI so, yes "This would mean TF 6.0 is primarily about new theatre/map and/or airplanes and vehicles ???".

Note also introduction of the new "next while" euphemism. I suspect that it might represent beginning of a climb down to eventually acknowledging that the VU will not see release in 2023.

[simfan2015]

3 minutes ago, Dagwoodyt said:

"next while"

"In the next while" : Google translate ?

Just wait I guess, but at least there will be a "next", whenever that may be. 

That is the big take-away I loved to read into this.

[Dagwoodyt]

7 minutes ago, simfan2015 said:

"In the next while" : Google translate ?

Just wait I guess, but at least there will be a "next", whenever that may be. 

That is the big take-away I loved to read into this.

That is the very function of a euphemism ?

[PO_Baldrick]

3 hours ago, Dagwoodyt said:

Note also introduction of the new "next while" euphemism. I suspect that it might represent beginning of a climb down to eventually acknowledging that the VU will not see release in 2023.

That is a curious interpretation of the phrase. It isn't one I see regularly used but isn't that uncommon, maybe depends where you come from.

 

This is an example from Scottish politics, "in the next while" used in conjunction with "most urgent"

 

“We have got an ambitious policy programme – in the next while, I am going to be signing off a consultation on heating buildings.

“That is one of the most urgent things we can do..."

 

I think we read way too much into these statements but that seems true for every game/sim forum I have frequented.

[Trooper117]

I have lots of games, combat flight sims, and real life to keep me more than busy all day every day... I'll not be worrying every second of the day, hovering around this thread, just waiting to pounce with yet another disparaging remark as to why this or that is not done yet.

So what if VR or TF6 isn't on the horizon yet... when it turns up, I'll certainly be getting it, but if for whatever reason it never turns up, you win some you loose some, end of!

[Dagwoodyt]

9 hours ago, Trooper117 said:

Great news Buzz, thanks!

 

51 minutes ago, Trooper117 said:

I have lots of games, combat flight sims, and real life to keep me more than busy all day every day... I'll not be worrying every second of the day, hovering around this thread, just waiting to pounce with yet another disparaging remark as to why this or that is not done yet.

So what if VR or TF6 isn't on the horizon yet... when it turns up, I'll certainly be getting it, but if for whatever reason it never turns up, you win some you loose some, end of!

Care or not care? ?

[Trooper117]

Of course I care, it'll be great if it all comes to fruition, but if not I won't get my pants in a twist about it... 

If it takes them another year, I'll still be here to pick it up and give it a go.

[Dagwoodyt]

Check for knots ?

[Enceladus828]

Hey guys, at least we know the announcement will be something very big -- more than simply a post revealing the main map and any additional maps save for the 1942 Channel map, the timeframe, a plane list, ship list, list of improvements and additions to BLITZ, plus some WIP images.

 

Quote

this will be the announcement of the game scenario, content, etc, with the creation of a new Steam page with images and video from the module.  We will also have supplementary images, video and information on the various forums and social media sites, including here... There will be a lot more information and detail available for the community to assess... we will be opening up the development process to public view.

 

[Snowdon]

On 7/30/2023 at 10:21 PM, Buzzsaw said:

Nothing has been blocked... work continues on TF 6.0 and the Visual Update.

 

Recently we are very happy to say we have solved a problem with the rendering of the Speedtree models which had held up our progress with the Visual Update... we had been seeing framerate loss in the area of 90% with the new 8.42 vegetation models... but after a lot of number crunching we have found the bug which was causing this... now we are seeing the new high resolution vegetation in the game with only a 2-3% penalty over the original Speedtree 5.2 models.  ?  This is the first time that Speedtree and Simul trueSKY have been integrated together into a PC Windows based game code.... so we are pioneering this particular development.

 

With this move forward, we are hoping in the next while to see Speedtree 8.42 added to the VR Beta.

 

As mentioned, we do hope to have the announcement for TF 6.0 in the next while...  this will be the announcement of the game scenario, content, etc, with the creation of a new Steam page with images and video from the module.  We will also have supplementary images, video and information on the various forums and social media sites, including here... There will be a lot more information and detail available for the community to assess once we get all our ducks lined up and all the ok's and go aheads have been given... we will be opening up the development process to public view.

 

The reasons for the delay in the announcement have been related to promotional technical and bureaucratic issues... nothing to do with the actual progress of the work on the TF 6.0 module.

 

[343KKT_Kintaro]

On 7/31/2023 at 1:06 PM, kissTheSky said:

Pardon my ignorance, is the TF 6.0 module the module with VR? 

 

 

If everything happens as announced by TFS, we'll get the VR in this game before the release of the sixth version, thus while TF5.0 still is operational as such. Again, if everything goes well, the sixth version (TF6.0), will be released as an already VR-compatible game and will include the base game (TF4.5), compatibility with the add-on "Desert Wings - Tobruk"  (TF5.0, available since 2020) and the upcoming add-on (TF6.0). I may be wrong but this is what I understood from TFS's announcements.

 

 

On 7/31/2023 at 1:31 PM, simfan2015 said:

TF 6.0 is primarily about new theatre/map and/or airplanes and vehicles ??? 

 

 

Well... yes... but we all already know that, don't we?

 

 

On 8/1/2023 at 2:53 AM, Enceladus said:

save for the 1942 Channel map

 

 

As I said above on a previous post of mine, I don't think there's a 1942 Channel map that TFS would be working on. Before the arrival of TF5.0 the Channel map simply depicted the Channel area in the Summer of 1940. Since the add-on's release (TF5.0 in 2020) the map depicts both 1940 and 1941. So, in my opinion, there won't be in the future a Channel map for 1940/1941 and another map (as a separated item in the mission builder for example) that would be the Channel map in 1942. The add-on "Desert Wings - Tobruk" didn't add a separated 1941 Channel map in the mission builder. Thus, most likely, TF6.0 wo'nt add any 1942 Channel map. TFS is correcting, improving and upgrading the Channel map, I know, but my understanding is that there won't be a Channel map that would be separated and especially conceived for the Channel geographical area in 1942.

 

 

Edited August 3, 2023 by 343KKT_Kintaro
didn't we? --> don't we?

[Mysticpuma]

I think overall there is just an overall apathy at this stage. 

V5's graphic, Speedtree and VR update are all still a long way off and there is so very little to drive discussion. 

Hell even one thread like this gets interest going again, but realistically it will fade away and apathy will ensue. 

 

Just based on previous WiP, this must be similar to the work still to be done? 

Closed beta.
New Speedtree
Bug test in closed beta.
Fixes.
Further bug testing.
Stable version.
Now add VR.
Closed beta testing.
Bug fixes
Closed beta testing.
Full update VR, graphics, final shader versions.
Beta test closed beta.
Fix bugs.
Closed beta test.
Release candidate 1
Bug fixes
Release candidate 2
Bug fixes
Final release candidate.

Gold version released.

We are August now.

I reckon December 2024...???