Quick update on release status

[Rayak47]

I know BF has been waiting for me to complete my annual evaluation. I just finished it, so feel free to roll it out! My golf game pissed me off and I've been stockpiling kitchen passes for months, so I''ve got lots of free time now!

[Broadsword56]

Hey Mark, since you're so well-versed in mapping already and you're looking to fill the prerelease void, how about considering making a little tutorial or "for dummies" step by step guide on the way you go about making a map from Google Earth? I can probably work it out by painful trial-and-error, but I know it would save a lot of people a lot of time if we knew some of the proven methods of things like:

*Marking the area on Google Earth that you want to map;

*Use of grids, placemarks, rulers or whatever to scale it up, ID landmarks, mark elevation contours, etc.

*Getting the project set up in the CM x 2 map editor so things work smoothly -- those first decisions usually have the greatest consequences for the final result! What to do first, second, third. How to get the terrain looking right. Tips and tricks, etc.

[mjkerner]

Broadsword56,

You talkin' to me? You gotta be joking! "I can probably work it out by painful trial-and-error" about sums it up for me so far. I used to make maps just on the fly from a hand drawing. I crashed Google earth when I tried to use their topo maps (which I thought was supposed to be an overlay), so now I just take a Google Earth screenshot, save it, find a topo map, screenshot/save, and those and just refer to them when I'm in the editor.

OTOH, I'm certain there are those here who do know these mysteries.

P.S. I do know how to use the ruler, and generally zooming in and out, saving places, etc., is about the extent of my GE knowledge.

[Broadsword56]

OK, my bad -- maybe someone with the map smarts will eventually share their wisdom with us over on the mapping threads...

[~Viajero]

Ok, just a quick update from me on this so to confirm that I still do not know when it will be released, nor the demo. Just in case you wondered and so you know.

[ClarkWGriswold]

Google Maps also has topo maps, and they seem to work quite well and are quicker for me than Google Earth's. There's also the "shaded polygon" method that's been discussed for use in Google Earth. If you do that, you probably don't need to worry about topo maps at all.

[mjkerner]

Clark, it was when I went from Google Earth to Google Maps that I had a crash. I uninstalled GE and reinstalled it last night. It orks fine now, so I guess I'll be practising topo maps tonight. As far as doing a topo overlay, and more importantly, to import them into the CMBN map editor...I'm all ears.

[Michael Emrys]

I mean if the game and demo come out at same time who that has the game is gonna play the demo?!

Ah, but the demo is for those who haven't bought the game yet and are sitting on the fence until they have a chance to try it out. Which after all is prudent considering the size of the price tag on this baby.

Michael

[womble]

Ah, but the demo is for those who haven't bought the game yet and are sitting on the fence until they have a chance to try it out. Which after all is prudent considering the size of the price tag on this baby.

Michael

Ohhhh. I thought the demo was to keep us quiet until the actual release date... Should have realised BFC know that it'd do anything but...

[para]

Well we have bought the game so they aint going to lose those sales if they release the demo to us now

[Michael Emrys]

...been re-reading the Division histories of the 1st, 4th, 9th, 30th, and 82nd & 101 AB, and checking out Google Earth in preparation for THE EVENT.

Good show! I finished reading this book last week, and the 1st., 4th., 9th., and 30th. as well as the 2nd. Armored, 3rd. Armored, 4th. Armored, and later on the 6th. Armored were very intimately involved in the Cobra breakout. The situation was very fluid most of the time, so lots of battalion-sized battles and smaller were critical to the whole operation. Good meat for CM.

Michael

[DaveyJJ]

Good show! I finished reading this book last week, and the 1st., 4th., 9th., and 30th. as well as the 2nd. Armored, 3rd. Armored, 4th. Armored, and later on the 6th. Armored were very intimately involved in the Cobra breakout. The situation was very fluid most of the time, so lots of battalion-sized battles and smaller were critical to the whole operation. Good meat for CM.

Michael

I've heard others mention that's a good book and I know it's in my local library. I'll go and take it out at lunch tomorrow. Thanks for the recommendation.

[mjkerner]

Well, while we're on the reading subject, I also read Stackpole's Kurt Meyer/12 SS two volume work, and re-read Phil Nordyke's All American All the Way (82nd AB) and Max Hastings Overlord.

I got the divisional histories from Battery Press. http://www.batterypress.com/

I'll be getting 2nd and 3rd AD next, I suppose. I also just got from them last week the two volume Victory in the West. Looks great.

[sburke]

This is the one I am waiting for. Was hoping it was going to be out soon, but just got another delay notice on my preorder.

http://www.amazon.com/LIONS-CARENTAN-Fallschirmjager-Regiment-1943-1945/dp/1612000061/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1304629339&sr=1-1

[Lt Belenko]

Just to let you know things are rolling along nicely (if all the activity from us wasn't a hint ) and we are nearly there. We don't want to jinx ourselves with an exact date, but roughly speaking here's where we are at:

1. Manuals are at the printers and should be back at the end of next week.

Its just about the end of next week. Hear the Staples truck in the driveway and I smell fresh ink!!

2. We have everything we need for the Demo, but we're still in the process of making/testing the special Demo EXE/App for the PC/Mac Demos.

Im thinking demo testing should be done by now!!

3. With the next build for the testers will be officially be in the Final Candidate stage of testing. This is after Beta but before Gold Master. Final Candidate is to catch any glaring rough edges, like a missing graphic or what not. We're "done" making significant code changes so we won't risk introducing new issues into the gameplay. We're actually NEVER really "done", but if we don't think that way then you'll never get to play the darned thing

But we are ready to just play the darned thing.

So... that's where we stand. For those of you trying to project a ship date... here's a hint. It won't be this coming Friday, that's for sure. How soon could it be? Depends on how Final Candidate and Gold Master testing go, as well as the manuals being ready and other standard variables.

The "this coming Friday" Steve hinted at, is 7 days ago. If only we knew how the Final Candidate and Gold Master testing went. Beta testers want to provide any clues?

Steve

P.S. Bone -> there are three scenarios for the Demo. One attack as Germans, one attack as Americans, one Tutorial as Americans. The latter is designed to give newbies a "cake walk" scenario to learn how to play the game before diving into the other two battles. It's an adaptation from the longer Tutorial included in the game itself.

Ok, so when??

[mjkerner]

sburke, good recommendation! I have a number of titles about German airborne units and operations, but most center on Eban Emael (sp?) Crete, and Market-Garden. Not much that covers the 6th Regt. Thanks.

[sburke]

sburke, good recommendation! I have a number of titles about German airborne units and operations, but most center on Eban Emael (sp?) Crete, and Market-Garden. Not much that covers the 6th Regt. Thanks.

Don't thank me yet, the release date is now "4/1 to 9/8". Makes our wait for CMBN look like a cake walk. (not to be confused with a training scenario).

[STopal]

I hate to say it, but is the ship date June 6th????

[gunnergoz]

It will get here when it gets here. Sheesh, its like this on every forum before a new game comes out...the 5 year old in everyone comes out to play. Which isn't to say I'm not one of them.

[Narsus]

Its like hanging a big slab of juicy stake in front of a mob a half starved men.

[finalcut]

It will get here when it gets here. Sheesh, its like this on every forum before a new game comes out...the 5 year old in everyone comes out to play. Which isn't to say I'm not one of them.

You think this is bad.The Star Wars The Old Republic forum will be nuts.I don't care much for MMO's,but I was looking at the screenshots for that game,and seeing as the Star Wars crowd is pretty immature to begin with,one can only imagine the complete meltdown they are going to have on thier forum when it nears release.

It is the biggest,most ambitious,and most expensive MMO in history from what I gather.The internet will probably implode if there is a delay in that game.:eek:

[Dadekster88]

Hey now, I enjoy my Star Wars for what it is. That said, I'd love to see a Star Wars mod for BF as crazy as that sounds. Basically something that gets the same attention to detail. I mean come on Boba Fett versus a Tiger

[~Viajero]

Hey now, I enjoy my Star Wars for what it is. That said, I'd love to see a Star Wars mod for BF as crazy as that sounds. Basically something that gets the same attention to detail. I mean come on Boba Fett versus a Tiger

+1

Of course it does not need to be a Tiger, that´s impossible! But a decent AT AT would do.

[LemoN]

+1

Of course it does not need to be a Tiger, that´s impossible! But a decent AT AT would do.

[~Viajero]

Indeed: