My letter for Codemasters about development of F1 games

[Cylinder 0]

Dear Codemasters
I am active gamer and there is very much things I have to say to you. I am big fan of Codemasters , but sometimes I have to said it straight, there is much of fixing of you things. This message is for F1 gamedevelopment. I started playing Codemasters games maybe early 2000's and Colin McRae rally was cool. Then I bought Colin McRae rally 2004 and then there was big break. In year 2013 I bought F1 2012 from sale after I become inspired of Formula 1 racing. Autumn I bought F1 2013, next autumn F1 2014 and this summer F1 2015. This is little bit background of me and Codemasters games. I don't work in game industry, but I know very much about it and what happened inside there. I know why Codies make those thinks what they made but I want that things little change and that's why I made this message. I like new F1 game very much but I want that you understand what I feel about you. Codemasters is great gamedeveloper and I love their games, but there is things what had to change.

About Deadlines
Maybe biggest dissappointments are Codemasters deadlines. All these thing start happening in year 2014. I waited information of F1 2014. I think that game will be realeased for PS4. End of July we can hear that F1 2014 will be realeased to PS3, Xbox 360 and PC. You gave so much information and you was honest, but there it stay. In that blog message, you gave deadline that F1 2015 will be realeased February 2015 and more information of game comes near after 2014 realease. Winter 2014-2015 I waited information. Every evening I watched Codies Blog if there is something about new F1 game. I know that game will be delayed but I can't understand why can't say it to us! When there happened that F1 2015 leak in February, it was positive thing because it cut off that Codemasters silence and it gave for us more details of game and possible release. I waited read all information that I can get. In May there is not gameplay footage and game delayed, but you didn't say it. New release date is in the trailer. June E3 finally we can see gameplay 3 weeks before release! I don't know is this part of message little confused, but idea is don't take deadlines. Be honest to us. You make thinks worst if you are not honest to us. Make game to there when its almost ready and then start promote. Other way is that reveal game and realease example Summer 2015 or Autumn 2015. If you had to delay you can delay. For that we come other chapter.

Pricing policy
Last year I wanted support Codemasters. I bought F1 2014. Price from shop was 69,90 €. After 4 weeks I found that game from PlayStation Store and price was 20 €. I was so dissapointment. I can't understand how this is possible. I know why that happened but still. You make look like I am stupid and that what I feel now. Hope that if you release new game, release with price that you use long time.

More testing
PS2 generation there bug is part of game because you can't fix it with updates. PS3 generation there was some bugs in games, but quality of games was very good. Couple bad release L.A Noire (over heating problem) and Battlefield 3 (very much bug in release). PS4 generation every game company realease game with many issues in release here is couple titles: Battlefield 4, LittleBig Planet 3, Assassin's Creed: Unity, Project C.A.R.S, DriveClub etc. I can continue that list long time. F1 2015 was pretty good, not big bugs, but still bugs and missing things. About that deadline thing, please test you game, let community test it and tell what they think us.  Make survey what we want and test game more and more. I am dissapointed this game generation and we need role models for it. I know that Codemasters can do it. If you game is not ready there is big bug etc. just delay. Its okay.

Please, talk to us
Please Codemasters talk to us. I don't like that silence that use after F1 2014 realease. There was many questions about F1 2015 and you didn't answered it. You community managers just said "Soon" or "We can't talk about it because development is betweend. More details coming soon". I hope you can answer more for fan questions. There is other game company that answered very timid questions about track modelling and I appreaciate that because thay answered it and it was timid question. Just be honest and communicate more to us. Silence or "Soon" messages doen't make satisfaction. If game is not ready just say to us: "Game is delayed, because it isn't ready." and that's it. Answer to fan questions and be honest. If you read forum you can see how we love this company but it make things worst if you don't answer or say anything to us.

Spambots
Please fix this spambot issue of forum. Annoying that you trying read threads and get 10 threads from spambot.

If there come something to my mind, I will write it there. Sorry about writing typos or bad english, but I need to get this out from my mind.

[Cylinder 0]

Thank Codies many things has been changed, but there is one thing that I have to say.

When you advert game. Make sure that it doesn't gave wrong image. Best of that was F1 2015 Season updates: "The June release date is the earliest in the history of the franchise, meaning gamers will be able to play along as the season itself unfolds. But that's not even half the story. While the game will contain the complete 2014 season data and pre-Melbourne 2015 landscape at launch, that will be updated shortly after launch, with further updates during the season to reflect real-time performance changes. McLaren-Honda could be a particularly fascinating case, with the MP4-30 set to potentially improve within the game as the team make progress on the track."

https://www.formula1.com/content/fom-website/en/latest/features/2015/5/f1-2015---ten-reasons-for-gamers-to-get-excited.html

This gave me image that there is coming updates after 1-2 GP and many more etc. Now there is coming only one season update. I undestand that it doesn't easy to make or build it, but I hope that you remember this in sequels.

BTW F1 2015 is more better and many of these thing that I mentioned has been changed. Thanks Codies.

[KRTheIceman 0]

Dirt Rally is looking like one of Codemasters' strongest titles in years, however when you look at the Formula 1 games that are being released, there is an obvious disconnect from the fans.

[jennyannem 41]

KRTheIceman said:

Dirt Rally is looking like one of Codemasters' strongest titles in years, however when you look at the Formula 1 games that are being released, there is an obvious disconnect from the fans.

And this is exactly what we're planning on fixing :)

[Cylinder 0]

jennyannem said:

KRTheIceman said:

Dirt Rally is looking like one of Codemasters' strongest titles in years, however when you look at the Formula 1 games that are being released, there is an obvious disconnect from the fans.

And this is exactly what we're planning on fixing :)

Information between fans and Codemasters Birgmingham is now much better that July. Thanks about that.

Like I  said many things changed between July and November. July I was very annoyied and all of those things was inside my mind, so I need to say it. Feeling is now better, when I saw discussion "Codies Team Meeting Notes"

[Torquez 0]

jennyannem said:

KRTheIceman said:

Dirt Rally is looking like one of Codemasters' strongest titles in years, however when you look at the Formula 1 games that are being released, there is an obvious disconnect from the fans.

And this is exactly what we're planning on fixing :)

"Planning", "Fixing", "Soon" - The problem with Codemasters has nothing to do with what you SAY you will do, IT'S WHAT YOU DO.  You're either silent, or "planning", saying you'll fix something "soon", but you rarely come through.  Codemasters leadership needs to look up the word INTEGRITY, learn it, live it.