Steel Division - Normandy 1944 (Paradox & Eugen Systems)

[Wilhelm]

This is a nice surprise! A WW2 tactical RTS from the makers of RUSE/Wargame Series and published by Paradox Interactive (EU4/Hearts of Iron/etc.)

http://www.steeldivisiongame.com/

I can't wait to see more about this game. 

[Sander93]

Hope it will be like Wargame, but set in WWII. I really liked their semi-realistic approach to RTS.

[ajappat]

Yup, I have high hopes for this.

Edit: Couldn't help but notice how they claim their maps are based on aeriel photos, yet FH2 has more accurate pegasus bridge 

[Born2Kill 007]

The release I look most forward to. Wargame Red Dragon is my favorite RTS and I had been hoping for long to see a WW II version of it, it seems that that is exactly what we're getting.

The only main concern I have lies with Paradox. I feel DLC milking incoming.

[Sander93]

The only main concern I have lies with Paradox. I feel DLC milking incoming.

After games like Battlefield 1 and Warhammer Total War I actually don't really mind DLC as long as prices are fair. DLC for these games adds (will add) loads of content and they keep the game alive, for reasonable prices. DLC for Wargame Red Dragon was great as well.

[Born2Kill 007]

I stopped the BF series the moment they demanded you to install spyware (BF3) and stopped bothering the Total War series when their DLC madness started (didn't wanna buy Rome II on release because they were gonna spam DLCs and I didn't wanna pay infinite money, and after that, I basically stopped caring about it, haven't even bought it today, I just switched to other game series by now)
That being said, I agree in willingness to pay for sufficient new content and the revival they can bring. For the Wargame DLCs, I'm a bit divided. I bought them because the devs gave the first DLCs for free and because I didn't mind supporting the devs for the great game they made, and which I felt I underpaid. That being said, from a point of view of just what they add, I think they were overpriced. And what bothered me even more with the paid DLCs is how they were made extremely OP when they were released, each time to get nerfed a few times a month later. Every player knew the OP sides of the new factions when they were just announced and not even tested yet. I can't imagine that the gamedevs didn't notice this when making them and didn't notice it while testing it. It made lobbies very one-sided for a few weeks, and players that didn't have the DLCs had a lot harder time to compete, which resulted in some people just not playing until it got patched. If you need to make multiplayer DLCs OP just to sell them, then you're doing it wrong in my opinion.

[ajappat]

I stopped the BF series the moment they demanded you to install spyware (BF3)

Remember how Wargame EE allegedly had StarForce DRM at first? Atleast they apparently got rid of it.

[Sander93]

And what bothered me even more with the paid DLCs is how they were made extremely OP when they were released, each time to get nerfed a few times a month later. Every player knew the OP sides of the new factions when they were just announced and not even tested yet. I can't imagine that the gamedevs didn't notice this when making them and didn't notice it while testing it. It made lobbies very one-sided for a few weeks, and players that didn't have the DLCs had a lot harder time to compete, which resulted in some people just not playing until it got patched. If you need to make multiplayer DLCs OP just to sell them, then you're doing it wrong in my opinion.

Larger companies tend to do this (like Wargaming) a lot, but I kinda doubt Eugen did it on purpose. The team behind Wargame is really small (they even outsourced their modeling) and I think they simply didn't have the resources to have the DLC factions tested or to run some kind of closed beta.

[Born2Kill 007]

Well, Wargaming is Free to play, I mind it less there.
I have considered them actually not being able to test it enough, especially considering how badly the game was played when they demonstrated the new units, but the community already indicated what would be OP and why even before the launch. If people can see it just from stats and they say on forums why, then I think they should be able to identify the problem. Especially as they usually displayed the units already 2 weeks before release. Also, they should have been able to run it on a beta, as some youtubers had access to the factions and could play them way earlier than everyone else. They also once did an open beta of a patch (maybe you remember, when they have the VDV 20 HE on their AKs)

[VonMudra]

Ugh, I keep trying to use the "Sign Up" button on their website, but all it does is reload the home page.  What gives? :S

[Zoologic]

Cities: Skylines is published by Paradox, and I think they are okay. If CSL is an indication, they should release many free new textures / uniforms / vehicles along with paid DLCs. Colossal Order is a small Finnish studio, they bled too much tax money to support failing EU already. Therefore, their DLCs are reasonable according to my third-world middle class income.

For Steel Division: As long as they keep expansions per theatre / operations basis, I'm fine paying $10 (EUR 7) for each of that. And Eugen Systems, like Colossal Order, sometimes listens more to their players compared to other developers. That is a huge plus IMO.

[Born2Kill 007]

Sorry for going off-topic, but

Colossal Order is a small Finnish studio, they bled too much tax money to support failing EU already.

Uhm... You are aware right that EU has support funds for the video game industry, right? And that their strong intellectual property support is another indirect boost? Not to mention that only a tiny amount of our taxes actually go to the EU, compared to our share that goes to the city, province, region and federal govt.

Better known examples:
https://telltale.com/community/discussion/97803/the-witcher-3-subsidy-and-ethical-policy-thoughts
http://wbj.pl/the-witcher-3-extension-with-eu-grant/

[Born2Kill 007]

I got an e-mail today that you can pre-order it on Steam now to access open beta. Realse will be 23rd of May. I hate the timing, I'm drowning in work for university and the game I looked most forward to is now released. I guess I'll wait a bit to buy it to prevent myself from making mistakes. The game looks so awesome though.

[Sander93]

I preordered and played the beta. It plays a lot like Wargame, but it will take some getting used to. There are a few hiccups that I don't like (planes dropping huge cartoon-like bombs etc) but otherwise looks like a lot of fun.

[Captain Pyjama Shark]

Is infantry combat better than in Wargame?