but hopefully I am wrong and it actually draws in a lot of new players.
I agree. The pause is a fantastic idea to try and grow the RTS genre.
When people play a game, they want to do just that... play. They want fun and relaxation. Playing/learning Coh in real time would be like learning algebra in a full on high speed competition with other students. The complete opposite of fun and relaxing.
Why is World of Tanks and World of Warships so much more popular than Coh? How is controlling ONE tank as fun as controlling dozens of units?
I always talk about the feedback we get from games. Like when you shoot a rocket launcher in an FPS or shoot a tank in World of Tanks. Your body anticipates and feels satisfied by the rocket firing and exploding. I dont think people get that experience when 20 things are all taking place at the same time in an RTS. And your are new to the game and cant tell what is even happening.
This is why comp stomp bridge maps are the most popular Coh mode. You have time to see what is happening and get the feedback of throwing arty down on a bunch of units.
I think a good example of this feeling is the game of Bowling. Getting a strike is the same feedback as a werfer erasing a squad. You feel all good and gooshy inside. Golf is the same thing. The instant gratification of a good drive.
This is why 4v4 is the more popular mode of the game. Playing 1v1 is like playing chess. Playing 4v4 is like lighting firecrackers. The feedback mechanisms are completely different.
Hopefully the pause lets players get into the right frame of mind to enjoy the feedback of their actions. It is those small moments that make a game successful.