Chain link fences. Are they a graphics card or programming nightmare?

[Sequoia]

Just wondering if anyone can enlighten me. Thanks

[nik mond]

Graphically I wouldn't think so. Its just a texture with an alpha layer allowing only the wire to be visible. It could just as easily be a flat wooden fence. Neither of which would be graphic processor taxing.

[Chops]

Ordinance interacting with the fence, and possibly Line of Sight (LOS) has to be calculated however, which is probably where the CPU has to do some serious number crunching.  Just a guess.

[Dynaman216]

For ordnance firing through some fugding will have to be done.  most likely a % chance of being affected.  A higher chance for heat rounds and a lower chance for KE rounds.  

[Vergeltungswaffe]

We have mesh schurzen in game, but using it as terrain might be something that wouldn't be worth Charles' time to code.

[MikeyD]

You got me curious. Here's a quick-and-dirty test to see what would happen if chain link fence is attempted.

Standard practice would be to make the wall a solid sheet and employ a knockout alpha channel for the holes. But that technique has its limitations. As you pull the camera back the KO becomes less and less effective until eventually the holes disappear and you're left with a solid sheet for a wall. To get chain link fence to work special-case computer programmer magic would have to be involved, all for a single-use feature of limited tactical value. Chain link fence is one of those 'it'd be nice if only they could figure a way to do it properly' items.

 

[Sequoia]

Thanks for taking the time to do that. Now we know.

[Dynaman216]

At a larger range they can play with the solidity(*) of the fence, so it is perhaps 50% see through at longer ranges.

 

(*) - Can never remember the terms when I need them.  

[Erwin]

1 hour ago, Dynaman216 said:

At a larger range they can play with the solidity(*) of the fence, so it is perhaps 50% see through at longer ranges.

That has been done with trees, so that would be cool.   Also, if one makes the coloring lighter or more like the BG terrain, maybe the fence would blend in more at longer ranges and not look so obvious as a solid wall.  At a distance, in RL, chain link fences can appear to blur the BG terrain. 

[Ithikial_AU]

Yeah I've mentioned this one before as it's on my (always growing :D) wishlist. It's the one type of fence/wall that is missing from the game; blocks infantry movement without bloocking LOS and LOF. It's also a biggy more for the modern era titles to help map out built up areas accurately. Not everyone has solid cement walls between properties.

[Broadsword56]

And in at least one WWII campaign -- Operation Market Garden -- a chain-link fence played an important role. It was a high one that lined part of the British main route from their drop zone to Arnhem. It channeled movement and trapped some British paras when the Germans counterattacked.

[JonS]

I think that chainlink fences would also be prone to a really distracting moiré pattern effect.

[Ithikial_AU]

35 minutes ago, JonS said:

I think that chainlink fences would also be prone to a really distracting moiré pattern effect.

Probably, but would that be enough to prevent it being looked into on it's own?

Not suggesting the existing "Wire Fence" is replaced - Even if the existing assets for the wire fence are used but the height and it's properties are changed to prevent infantry from crossing the action square it would probably be enough and increase the tactical challenges map makers/scenario designers can add to maps. I'm sure there will be a modder or two our there who will try to get the graphics right down the line (like what happened with the existing graphics issue with default NS and EW ploughed fields).

[Erwin]

Since one can see through the fence, is it also possible to make parts, like the top, appear more ragged?  Everything is so straight and "perfect" right now.