Topic: World In Conflict + Soviet Assault - Update: Patch 10 removes Securom DRM check

[MysterD]

Here's some info on the upcoming WiC: Soviet Assault -- which will be sold as a cheaper expansion pack for the PC gamers.

For PS3 and X360 owners, WiC: Soviet Assault will come in the box w/ the original WiC + WiC Soviet Assault content.

World in Conflict: Soviet Assault First Look
Don't call this an expansion pack! We get the details from Massive about the upcoming Red Army campaign.
by Jason Ocampo

April 11, 2008 - World in Conflict was one of the very best games on the PC last year, offering a thrilling real-time strategy experience that featured no base building or resource gathering. Instead, it focused on nothing but white-knuckle modern warfare as you used planes, artillery, tanks, infantry, and more to crush the enemy and crater the battlefield. Now if you make a really great RTS game, it almost goes without saying that the next thing you'll make is an expansion pack. That's what almost everybody does. But we caught up with Magnus Jansen, the lead designer of World in Conflict, and he told us that is most definitely not the case with Soviet Assault.

The most important thing to note is Soviet Assault is not an expansion pack for the PC. According to Jansen, it will be more like a downloadable mission pack that will be offered at a lower price than a standard expansion pack. After World in Conflict shipped, Massive heard a lot of feedback from gamers complaining that it had too much of a pro-US perspective, or that it lacked a Soviet campaign. So the designers went to work creating a Red Army plot, missions, and characters. But these missions aren't designed to support a stand-alone campaign. Instead, they're being interwoven with the existing World in Conflict campaign. If you buy Soviet Assault, you'll replay the World in Conflict campaign with the new Red Army missions integrated into it. Those missions will offer another point of view at different parts in the story. It's sort of like how Call of Duty 4's narrative alternated between central characters.

Cool.

Since Massive is currently working on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game, console gamers will now get this expanded campaign in the box when those versions ship. This expanded campaign is basically the new official World in Conflict campaign.

Okay.

Also, Jansen wanted to make clear that Soviet Assault will be completely unnecessary if you just want to play the game online. All multiplayer maps and features are made available for free to all World in Conflict customers, regardless of whether they buy Soviet Assault or not. Massive doesn't want to segregate its online player base into two. But if you really liked the single-player World in Conflict experience and you want more, then you should definitely buy Soviet Assault.

So that's cool -- Soviet Assault is basically for those who want another SP Campaign, namely.
Especially since all players will be getting ALL of the maps (including The Soviet Assault Maps) for the MP Portion of the game.

There is another feature worth mentioning. Soviet Assault will introduce a new, harder difficulty mode, which should please those who thought the AI in the game was a bit of a pushover. One reason for that is the designers nerfed the AI by not allowing it to use its units' special abilities. If you've played the game, you've undoubtedly used the smoke grenades on your tanks to create concealment, or the antitank missiles on your wheeled vehicles to kill armor, and so on. The AI never did that, because the designers felt like it might make the game too hard if it did. Well, after all the feedback, the gloves are coming off and the AI will use special abilities, and maybe even tactical aid, against you. Have fun with that.

That's good for those who want more of a challenge. Good deal.

Jansen also added that Massive is looking to create realistic Soviet characters. These won't be the hulking, brooding Red Army soldiers as exemplified by Ivan Drago in Rocky IV. Instead, like with the US campaign in the original game, you'll encounter a wide range of characters that you can relate to. Some will be veterans of the brutal fighting in Afghanistan, while others will be homesick. As Jansen noted, the most interesting conflict in World in Conflict wasn't the geopolitical one, but rather the personal one between the soldiers of a squad. That's one reason why we can't wait for Soviet Assault, which is due later this year. And if you need another, imagine finally being able to drop a nuke on those snooty capitalists.

[MysterD]

Massive Entertainment (makers of WiC) is up for sale from Activision Blizzard.

Yes, Massive has been working on World in Conflict: Soviet Assault.

To complicate matters, WiC Intellectual Property is actually owned by Activision.
And also, Activision refuses to publish WiC: Soviet Assault.

So, will Massive's WiC: Soviet Assault see the light of day ever...?

Massive on the Market [August 06, 2008, 09:13 am ET] - Viewing Comments

RTS developer Massive Entertainment is apparently being shopped around, as Videogaming247 reveals more potential fallout from the formation of Activision Blizzard as the newly merged giant assesses its roster of games and developers. They learned of the situation while speaking with Martin Walfisz at the Develop conference, where the Massive Entertainment president and founder told them: "Apparently they didn’t want an RTS studio in Europe, and to be honest we would have loved to have worked with Activision, but we’re pretty confident in our capabilities and there are not many studios that can match our quality." Complicating the situation is that Activision Blizzard owns the World in Conflict intellectual property as well, and while Massive is currently working on the Soviet Assault expansion for the RTS game, it is possible that the IP could be sold off in a separate transaction:

    “Activision won’t publish [Soviet Assault], no,” said Walfisz. “That’s part of the whole situation now. In theory they could sell World in Conflict separately from Massive. I think that any buyer would like to make sure it goes together, but we don’t own it. Activision owns it, so that’s their call.”

    While options are opening for the developer, the company is now effectively in limbo. Walfisz was confident, though, that Massive will pull through.

    “I think that right now everyone is in ‘wait and see’ mode and just want to know what the future holds,” he said.

[MysterD]

Looks like Soviet Assault probably will see the light of day now.

UbiSoft buys Massive Entertainment AND the rights to the World In Conflict franchise (from Blizzard-Activision).

Ubisoft Purchases World In Conflict Developer
Nov 10, 2008 at 10:40 AM - Andrew Burnes - 5 Comments

Having been given the boot by Activision-Blizzard, the Swedish Ground Control and World In Conflict developer, Massive Entertainment, has been bought in full by Ubisoft:

    "We are delighted to welcome the talented team of creators at Massive into the Ubisoft family," said Christine Burgess-Quemard, executive director of worldwide production studios at Ubisoft. "Ubisoft is growing at an intense pace and our strategy is to ensure the strength of our global creative teams. Massive has put together a group of some of the most confirmed and recognized creators in the industry and I know that their talent and innovation will allow them to seamlessly integrate into our worldwide network of production studios."

    “Massive’s development team places great importance on its freedom to innovate and create games of the highest quality,” stated Martin Walfisz, president and founder of Massive Entertainment. “We are fortunate to have found in Ubisoft a publisher who shares the same values and understands our mindset. I have no doubt that our future together will offer significant mutual benefit and synergy.”

The deal includes Massive's actual studio space, all its staff, and all WiC rights.

[Pugnate]

nice

[MysterD]

Coming in March

World in Conflict: Soviet Assault in March
   
[January 21, 2009, 9:19 pm ET] - Share - Viewing Comments

Ubisoft announces they will publish World in Conflict: Soviet Assault in March, settling the fate of the RTS expansion left with an uncertain future after developer Massive Entertainment was put up for sale, though this new arrangement seemed pretty likely once Ubisoft turned out to be the buyer.

Word is: "World in Conflict: Complete Edition, the retail version of the much awaited add-on to the critically acclaimed strategy game will include the entire original World in Conflict title, as well as the Soviet Assault add-on and other exciting all-new features. Players that already own World in Conflict will have the option to download the Soviet Assault expansion pack exclusively online."

[MysterD]

No console version coming
Once planned console editions of WiC: Complete = CANCELLED.

More info on WiC + expansion on the PC
Some info on release dates; retail vs. Steam versions of WIC + expansion; etc etc

World in Conflict Complete and Soviet Assault Details

Release date:
EU – March 12
US – March 10

Soviet Assault contains:
- 6 new single player missions
- 2 new multiplayer maps called do_Berlin and do_Norway

World in Conflict Complete contains:
- World in Conflict the original game and Soviet Assault

World in Conflict Complete – 24.99 Euro
Soviet Assault Mission Pack – 14.99 Euro

Note about pricing:
The price is bound to differ from retailer to retailer. Please note that this is the price set by the publisher and the individual retailers set their final price. For a concrete example you can check Game in the UK. They have "World in Conflict Complete" listed on their website for £17.99 (roughly 20 Euros).

World in Conflict Complete will be shipped on one single DVD disc.

Both World in Conflict Complete and the Soviet Assault standalone mission pack will be available through digital download as well as on STEAM.

Note about STEAM versions:
The Steam versions are a bit different from standard boxed retail versions, so a Soviet Assault expansion downloaded from Steam won't run with a store version of WIC. Same thing the other way around, a Steam WIC version won't run with a store version of Soviet Assault. World in Conflict Complete will be available in the US, EU and other regions. The standalone Soviet Assault mission pack will only be available for North and South American users.

Cheers

[Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at Feb 27, 2009 15:34 by [MSV]Gearhead.]

[MysterD]

WiC Patch #10 released.
Besides fixing a good amount of issues and stuff...
It ALSO removes the Securom DRM check.

[MysterD]

Massive's founder has left Massive and UbiSoft

Founder of Massive Entertainment, Martin Walfiz, has left the studio and its parent company Ubisoft.

The publisher confirmed the departure to GamesIndustry.biz this morning, but would not offer any reason for the move.

"Ubisoft is saddened by the recent departure of Martin Walfiz from Massive Entertainment and we wish him all the best in his future projects," said the company.

Ubisoft swooped for Massive Entertainment in November of last year, after Activision Blizzard put the studio up for sale as part of a wider streamlining initiative. It's expected that the real-time strategy developer is concentrating on the online space and will help Ubisoft take its first steps in the MMO market.

Massive was founded in 1997 and employs around 120 staff in Malmo, Sweden. As well as the World in Conflict series, Massive created acclaimed PC franchise Ground Control.