Maximus

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by russellmz: i hate to sound ignorant, but who would fight new zealand? i mean, sure it's worrisome they are disarming, but what could their obsolete planes do if they were attacked by...whoever hates new zealand and has sufficent capacity to lauch an air/nav invasion(how many is that)...?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> You got a point there. I mean, com'on, A-4 Skyhawks? Yes they were used to simulate MiGs at Top Gun through the 80's, but now? I don't think an A-4 would be a good simulator for the Su-37. But anyway, without an AirForce now these days, what's the use of having a military anyway? I feel sorry for ol' Marco now. New Zealand gets invaded by Australia, LOL! we won't get any new mods.

Pretty much what Lorak said. German infantry has an advantage in anti-tank firepower. While Allied infantry have a greater range and generally more men per squad than German infantry. As far as tanks, yes German tanks are generally better armored, but the Allied tanks are generally faster and have fast turrets. The Allies seem to have a bit more variety in light tank vehicles as well. Stuarts, Greyhounds, Daimlers, etc. I've had a Greyhound on a last desperate attempt to take out a Panther and it succeeded as it drove parallel to the Panther and popped it in the side and the Panther didn't even see it.

Mike the bike, We are answering your question, you're just not listening. Since when did any game company just give away their game for free in some magazine just because it was old. I see you're comparing BTS to Matrix Games and their W@W release last year. That's not quite the same. It seems like you want something for nothing. Oh I'm sure the price of CM will drop by the time CM2 comes out. I'd say that they still probably charge at least $25 USD for it though. Second of all, you obviously have not read the Battlefront.com Manifesto. For all of our sakes, please do. I keep thelling my uncle that and he continues to ignore me as well. His quam is that CM is not in stores. So I tell him to read the Battlefront.com Manifesto, 'cause it will explain why it isn't.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mike the bike: If someone want's to refer to a different engine then they neeed to make that crystal clear. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Ahh, but it 'twas. CM2 and CMII are totally different animals. CM2 has always been known to be the sequal to CMBO. And now it seems to be called CM2: Barbarossa to Berlin. CMII has always be understood to be the engine rewrite after CM4: Blitzkrieg. This engine rewrite, if we all make it that far, that is, will be an engine rewrite as such like Quake II is to Quake III. BTS will attempt to incorporate some of the latest "special effects" that the current video cards will display. Such things and dynamic lighting effects, shading, etc. I'm surprised that you were not aware of the differentiation between the two 'cause your member number is not that much higher than mine. Anyway, I doubt BTS will ever just "giveaway" their games. I foresee that they will drop the price on them as time goes on. But the whole idea that BTS does business over the internet is so that they don't ever have to worry about how long their games can stay out of the bargain bin. Get it? So the more money they can make, the better the future games will be. And that's what we all want, don't we? We don't want BTS to become another Hasbro or Talonsoft, now do we?

Mods just change the graphics and/or sounds. They do not, and I repeat, do not, affect the way the game is played. The only thing that would make the game incompatible with someone elses is that the tow parties are running the same version. The current and final version is v1.12. All code work on CM is done. Just make sure that both parties are running the same version. The current CD batch is v1.11. Just download the v1.12 patch and you're all set.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Doug Williams: Maximus said: Tiger and Maximus, please don't fight. I like and use mods from both of you, and think you are both very talented artists. -Doug<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Thanks, but what's funny is is that my mods can be done very simply if you know what you're doing. For example, for the winter mods, all I do is select "white", use the "Hue & Saturation only" filter. Paint in the areas which I want white. This basically grey-tones that area. Then I do a precise selection with the "mask tool". Then I finalge the Brightness and Contrast setting for that selection which whitenes up the greys. That's all there is to it. I usually do 2-5 click-ups on the brightness which washes out the image. Then the same amount of click-ups on the Contrast which brings back the darkeness of the image but in effect whitenes the grey. Same thing with the desert versions. Except I use a light tan color first instead of white. Every now and then I do some cutting and pasting from other images.

Ahh yes, the ol' CC to CM comparison. Let's not get me started on that. CC = 2D WWII real-time, squad-level tactical combat CM = 3D, WWII turn-based/simulataneous resolution, battallion-level combat with highly accurate data and combat resolution including highly accurate armor penetration calculations [ 05-08-2001: Message edited by: Maximus ]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by M Hofbauer: Wouldn't those wood panels in the railings be covered with the same thick olive drab paint job like the rest of the vehicle instead of showing wood texture?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Technically, yes they wood, no pun intended. However, it would negate the cool effect they have in the mod. We (I and Rick Klein) just thought that the truck needed an overhaul and the wooden slat look looked pretty cool.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Rollstoy: 1) dpi = Dots per Inch ... printer resolution, totally irrelevant to "skinning".<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> That's what I've been saying all along. A computer screen can only display 72 dpi. That's why a photo-quality printed image looks better than what it does on-screen. <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>2) Texture quality cannot be judged from jpeg picture due to loss of quality inherent in compression method.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I run CM in 1152x864 resolution. I take a screenshot. Jpeg compression set at about 80 or 85% quality (can't remember which). Shrink the screenshot by about 30 or so percent to display on Forum in a decent size. Apply the sharpen filter to the screenshot on lowest setting to clear it up a bit after shrinking it. NOTE: I am dropping this whole stupid debate as of now. But just one last comment. To help with creating hi-res mods, increase the dimensions of the image, not the dpi.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Tanks a Lot: I do have full trees on, but the amount of tree coverage doesn't seem to effect scattered trees, only woods and tall pines.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Yeah, I guess you're right. Never really noticed that, but now that you mention it...

Try the scenario "Tiger Trap". You will face a HORDE of French troops.

I like the less dirt. The first picture looks too dirty for just scattered trees. Also do you have Full Trees on? These scattered trees looks even more "scattered".

I don't know, I've come to respect Piats more lately. They seem to be more accurate than 'Zooks and seem to always knock out the vehicles. I played Cambois the other day and had several Piat kills against PzIVs and StuGs which were at least 100m or better away.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by FinnN: The term 'dpi' has no meaning in 3D texture graphics, the important part is how many pixels there are. The term for this (as you probably know) is resolution. However, providing you don't refer to specific numbers, saying something along the lines of 'it's a higher dpi texture' whilst technically incorrect isn't going to confuse anyone about what you mean. Note that final image quality isn't just based on the resolution of the texture though: it also depends on how the texture is applied to the 3D model, how the game engine handles the rendering process and also the level of detail in the texture. Oh and did I mention artistic ability... Have fun Finn<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Aha! Now put that in your pipe and smoke it. A professional has come forth and proved what I was saying all along. My point all along has been that with the way that CM's engine applies the textures to the 3D model has nothing to do with dpi, but with the dimensions of the image (number of pixels). dpi is the density of the pixels, is it not? Tiger, I honestly would not harp on you as much as I do if it wasn't true. I mean look, you are always commenting that you have changed the dpi. No other modder, except for Kwazydog as you say, has changed the dpi, yet no other modders' mods are as pixelated as yours. So I say again, coincidence? According to FinnN here, my theory is holding up. When you change the dpi, you are actually corrupting the image for CM's sake. Isn't it just nice to have a professional back-up your theory. [ 05-06-2001: Message edited by: Maximus ]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by easy-v: I really like the colors you used on the regular infantry. To me, they look pretty close to what the what a faded set of wool battle dress would look like.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Actually I didn't use any colors on these uniforms. Just cahnged the brightness and contrast levels of them to give these uniforms this look.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Tiger: No Maximus, I do think the textures look quite blurry and I do see pixelization. Just a bit of constructive criticism. Intresting that you like to nit-pick my mods but don't like the same done to you.... Increasing the dpi is not creating pixelization Max, quite the opposite. If you decrease the dpi then that would create pixelization, as the pixels become larger. Alot of pixelization is already present on the stock CMBO bmps and there's not alot can be done about it except to smooth it out but not so much it becomes blurry. Cut and pasting from pictures will also create a little pixelization if you're not careful or if you modify it too much. -John<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Well damn, I had a nice long response to this typed out but the server wouldn't take it. Oh well. Anyway, Tiger if you think that this mod is blurry and pixelated, I suggest you get a new video card or monitor. Because it looks just fine on my end. Besides, it still strike me as ironic that nobody else increases the dpi on their mods and yet your's are the only ones that tend to be severely pixelated. Coincidence? I think not. Increasing the size of the bitmap does not enlarge rhe pixels. A pixel is a pixel. What does happen is that it stretches out the existing image across *more* pixels, allowing finer detail painting. Because the CM game engine will fit the bitmap to the 3D model the same no matter what size it is, the dpi has nothing to do with what it looks like on screen. However, in your case, I think what is happening is that since you are increasing the dpi, when the program resizes the image to fit in the game, those extra pixels you are creating are actually being duplicated on the screen which makes for a double pixel for every pixel that was in the image to begin with, hence the pixelization. Just do this once for me, Tiger. Don't increase the dpi and we'll see what it does. I bet it won't be pixelated. See I think you are confused on what increasing the dimensions actually does. It takes a pixel from the orignal texture and makes a 2x2, 4x4, etc (depending what percentage you increase the original.) block of pixels of the original pixel. Computer screens can only display 72 dpi anyway. Which is why a printout is actually clearer than the image on screen. My printer can print up to 2880x720 dpi. I printed a composite picture of what the Earth Looks like at night and the printed image was clearer than the image was on screen. And that was only at 1440 dpi. So increasing the dpi on these CM bitmaps, it screws up the natural look of the file. As to taking offense to your criticism, maybe, but I can assure you that this mod is not blurry or pixelated other than what we did not mod.

Well, yeah, but it was in 1940 if anything. [ 05-05-2001: Message edited by: Maximus ]

Well I emailed a picture of it to Marco and he replied back with some suggestions. So I'm working on those now. Rick, I'm darkening the Commonwealth version to match Marco's Commonwealth stuff. I will also add some nationality markings. Also doing a low_viz version for the US version. One major thing I am rounding up the wheels a little bit from a little method that Marco is doing with his Greyhounds. Tiger, I know you're just trying to burst the bubble, but that's OK. There is no pixelation whatsoever in this mod. We did not change the dpi. I think this is where you're getting your pixelation. Anyway.... I had already sent Manx a copy, but now it will be outdated. Now with all of these extra options, I may have to break this up into US version and Commonwealth version zips. I will see if I can get Gordon or Marco to update the batch file to incorporate this mod.

Well, I've noticed that some of my posts don't make it to the thread. I post something, go to another thread, come back, and my post is nowhere to be seen. I'm like, "Now I know I just said this and that about this, so where's my post?"

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mord: Daimler and Humbar definately need a "Jenny Makeover"! Mord<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Did you miss PawBroon's nice Hi-Res Humbar Scout Car mod? I think it is posted on CM Outpost, or at least it was. Anyway, Marco is working on some really nice Greyhounds and M20s. Rick Klein and I just finished up the Allied Truck mod and I beleive Marco might tackle the Pershing, Chaffee or Allied TDs next.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Tiger: Nice looking mod but are you sure it's hi-res? The textures look a bit blurry and there's some pixelization in places. maybe it's just the screenshot? -John<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Yes John, the mod is Hi-Res. We used Pud's wood texture from his new Bunker to do the slats. But there is one slight anonomoly with the mod. The textures don't quite line up with the 3D mesh along the bed side's green support poles. Apparently that wasn't apparent in the low-res versions, but in hi-res it is. But it's only noticable when looked at closely. Just curious John, what kind of video card are you running? Voodoo?

Guys, there is one slight ananomoly with the mod. Apparently the textures around the the bed railings don't quite match up with the 3D model. So you'll see where the transparency effect runs into the green support posts on the left side and where the green support posts run over into the transparency area on the right side. But this is not noticable from afar.

Yep, I must say though that it was a team effort between myself and Rick Klein. He provided the basic idea and "Marco-like" pallete. I graciously borrowed the wood texture from Pud's new excellent Wooden Bunker to enhance what Rick had already attempted. The final product is really a MUST HAVE. You'll actually want to protect the little buggers now.

On the way to Manx it is.... Final US Version

Manx, New Allied Truck mod headed your way.