Generals 2 goes free to play

[Zoop]

There’s already one free-to-play Command and Conquer game – Tiberium Alliances. This isn’t that. This is Command and Conquer: Generals 2, torn down to be a whole new dedicated F2P part of the C&C universe. Not many details are currently available, save that it’s going to be powered by Frostbite and is due next year, but closed beta sign-up begins today if you want a chance to see it early.

(At the moment, that address isn’t working, but it’s the right one.)

In the words of EA:

“We are thrilled about this opportunity to transform Command & Conquer into a premier online experience. For nearly two decades, this franchise has existed as something you buy; now we are creating a destination where our fans will be able to access the entire Command & Conquer universe, starting with Generals and continuing with Red Alert, Tiberium and beyond. With Frostbite 2, we are able to keep an emphasis on the AAA quality our consumers expect while staying true to the RTS gameplay they know and love – all available online for free.”

Unlike Tiberium Alliances, this is set to be a full-on C&C game, with elements like destructive terrain, physics, and multiple factions. More as it’s announced. And just as a quick disclaimer, the pic above is from the originally announced Generals – this new version may or may not look anything like it.

http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/08/15/cc...and-price-tag/

Nice. There goes any and all excitement I had for this game.

[GeometriX]

More like they're creating a destination to my balls. Which is what this is going to be. Balls. Because balls are awkward. Which is what this is going to be.

[Squirly]

Because it's F2P? Aren't you sounding a bit world-weary and cynical old dudes?

Sheesh.


(I am officially nervous.)

[GeometriX]

Probably, but I just get the feeling that EA is trying to be too clever. C&C 4 was fun for a bit but was ultimately a ****-up. Surely they've realised by now that C&C players only really want more of the same thing?

Over the last few years, EA has thrown away so much money on games that tried something clever but failed. This just feels like money-grubbing - an attempt to make us pay infinitely for a game that'd usually just cost us once.

Also, F2P games almost always struggle to balance freebie vs premium content, and often become "play to win" (an ugly term, but it's true so often). This is an RTS - a genre whose players are so anal about balance that I honestly don't see it working with a conventional F2P model.

[Zoop]

Or all the fun lies in the premium content and you end up having to purchase content to have fun with the game. Content which often ends up costing a lot more than a simple once-off purchase would have cost.

[Squirly]

I doubt they'll be able to use a system where players have to unlock better (or different?) units either by paying for them or by gathering experience (a la League of Legends) - that would just cause a cluster**** in matchmaking where you can't go up against anyone who doesn't have a similar setup to you. Which means you'll end up with a bunch of high-level douchebags that look down on those who just started. It's a recipe for disaster.

But then, they don't have to do that. If they're smart about it they won't include things that affect balance so much as look and feel. Different skins, different interface etc. Those are all things they can charge for without affecting balance at all. How far can they take that and still have it be profitable? *shrug*

One thing though, and maybe I'm alone in this, but Generals was never a major multiplayer game for me. I enjoyed the single-player as well as skirmish. Does it being F2P mean that it's also multiplayer only? 'Coz that would make me sad.

[Zoop]

Well, look at Age of Empires Online. All the civilizations are free, but you have to buy them to get access to the best equipment and non-premium players are limited in terms of options in skirmish and multiplayer maps.

[Squirly]

Age of what online?

Also, I wish EA would stop pretending like what they're doing is somehow or other revolutionary. It's not, EA. You're doing what dozens of others have done before you and you're only doing it because you're jumping on the bandwagon. I know that the marketing blurb requires you to sound enthusiastic, but stop using terms like "bold" and "innovative" when you're just chucking one of your most famous brands to a team that screwed up the last C&C (4? I don't even know anymore) and then going "It's free!" The only thing bold about this is that there are a lot of people who will probably hate you for it and you're doing it anyway.

[blesner]

Who can we blame pirates or EA? Fcking furious me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FFS make it always online DRM but do not make it F2P

[The_Furry_Cat]

EA...



:/

[MonGooS]

What confuses me is how does EA not see all the things they do wrong? Whenever they announce something, at least 80% of the gaming community disagree with them openly. Howcome they don't sit back and go "Hey everyone thinks this idea is ****ing stupid, lets not do it!"?

Or even, how come they make the mistake in the first place when it is clearly a stupid idea? How can a multi million dollar company be run by such retards, how did they get anywhere?

[Legion]

We are talking about a company that tore apart the greatest Sci-fi IP ever.
Why everyone is shocked.. IDK.

Don't get me wrong, it's not all crap, just about 70% of it is.

[Squirly]

Who can we blame pirates or EA? Fcking furious me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FFS make it always online DRM but do not make it F2P

Whoa there, nelly. No. Just no.

[Zoop]

What confuses me is how does EA not see all the things they do wrong? Whenever they announce something, at least 80% of the gaming community disagree with them openly. Howcome they don't sit back and go "Hey everyone thinks this idea is ****ing stupid, lets not do it!"?

Because come release day, 80% of that 80% will be busy playing the game anyway.

[GeometriX]

Not that that'll matter. Since this is F2P, a continued, long-running playerbase is what pays the bills. Unless they're going casual with this (which they might, but yuck), they'll need to convince established C&C players and other core gamers to spend their money.

[Legion]

Not that that'll matter. Since this is F2P, a continued, long-running playerbase is what pays the bills. Unless they're going casual with this (which they might, but yuck), they'll need to convince established C&C players and other core gamers to spend their money.

I have no idea how they will do that.
It's already difficult just to expand on the awesome of the original generals.

[Legion]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?=kjZEInQZA0c

[Zoop]

So to put the nail in the coffin, no singleplayer campaign.

EA recently announced that Command & Conquer: Generals 2 is going to be free to play under the umbrella of an online series known simply as “Command & Conquer.” Bioware Victory general manager John Van Caneghem told me last week that Generals 2 will ship without a single player mode. Instead, “co-operative and competitive” skirmishes will serve as the core, with more modes to be added later based on community feedback. A story mode could be added later, but “it is something we haven’t announced yet how we’re going to do it.”

Van Caneghem said that the studio “really want to get back to the roots of what made Command & Conquer great.” Generals 2 will let us harvest and throw up bases in order to “build a zillion units” and “go out and kill all the bad guys.” Despite the familiar RTS trappings, Generals 2 will be a dedicated online experience at launch.

Source

Gotta lol at this.

"We want to go back to the roots of C&C"

>no singleplayer campaign
>forced online

Because that's totally the things I remember best from the C&C games.

[Squirly]

Van Caneghem said that the studio “really want to get back to the roots of what made Command & Conquer great.”

You, sir, have no ****ing clue what you are talking about.

I actually feel sorry for the development team. It's like they're saddled with this and the seething rage and animosity from around the world is already calling them out on the **** their marketing team is releasing.

[blesner]

Generals 2 will have single player WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/09/10/co...ayer-campaign/