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Scipio

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Posts posted by Scipio

  1. Transparency in BMP files and Combat mission is a nightmare! The correct format must be 32-bit RGBA. Must programs can add an alpha channel to a BMP, but save the file in a bit field format. This isn't accepted by CM. The only program that I have found with reliable result is ImageMagic. But it's nearly a pure command line tool.

  2. Quote

    G:\CM-Studio\Mod Tools\MDR>unmdr.py 2inchmortar.mdr


    #  2inchmortar.mdr
    # number of models 2
    # Start model 0x5 ##############################################################
    # submodel name length 6
    # submodel name b'mortar'
    # Read unknown byte (always 2?): 2
    # Start unknown section 0xe
    Traceback (most recent call last):
      File "G:\CM-Studio\Mod Tools\MDR\unmdr.py", line 430, in <module>
        manifest = dump_model(base_name, num_models, f, i, args.outdir, not args.parse_only, args.verbose)
      File "G:\CM-Studio\Mod Tools\MDR\unmdr.py", line 169, in dump_model
        for i in range(0, 0xB0/4):
    TypeError: 'float' object cannot be interpreted as an integer

    The mdr ist the 2inchmortar from CMBN. All unpacked files have 0 byte. I'm using Python 3.5.2, I guess that's the problem?

     

    • Battlefront.com
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    Regarding CMSF updating... yup, we are very interested in bringing it up to current technical standards.  It is something that I predict will happen, just not a firm idea of when.  What I can say is that if we do it there will be (at least initially) no changes to the settings or the scenarios except (if needed and when possible) for rebalancing needs due to gameplay changes.

    Steve

     

    Wow, excellent news!!

  3.  

    1 hour ago, Sublime said:

    AFAIK BFC expressed interest only once again AFAIK and its never been officially mentioned again. In short I wouldnt hold your breath. Honestly i think a CM War on Terror with optional Iraq or Afgahan terrrain from oct 01 to say dec 09 could be done and would be better.

    I disagree. War on Terror is a still running real world war. CMSF was the hypothetical invasion of Syria by NATO forces. That's a different piece of cake.

    CMSF 4.0 would require a big technical update, but all research, playtesting and such is done. 

    CM War on Terror would need research, TO&E, scenarios etc etc.

  4. I would think that the biggest effort would be to reassign the oob tables, 'cause this and the QB engine were the biggest changes in CMx2v2.0. But they have all the 3D models and textures completed, and all the scenarios and campaigns are ready and playtested. Looks to me that they would have to do much less as for a new release from scratch.

  5. 20 hours ago, IICptMillerII said:

    ...

    My worry is that they go to an entirely new engine and basically have to start from scratch. Hopefully that isn't quite the case. I would rather see new titles and upgrades to the CMx2 engine than a CMx3 engine that has to redo all of WWII and beyond. 

    IIRC, Steve once wrote that the step from CMx1 to CMx2 has been the final engine rewrite. But that was already around the time when CMSF was released. Of course I have no idea if they changed their minds since, but what should do a CMx3 engine, that a CMx2v4, v5... can not do?

    Only CMx2 thing I find not a smart design is that they release each new family with it's own core engine. From an outsiders view, it would be smarter to have

    1) a core engine with all the shared content like the graphic engine, the editor and such, that can be independently updated.

    2) for a main release the theatre specific stuff/graphics and unit data, which can be expanded with modules. 

    That way BF could keep all titles updated at once, and it wouldn't be necessary to update a rising numbers of major releases one by one. Of course I don't know the reason behind this design decession, assuming that there is a good one.

  6. 15 hours ago, panzersaurkrautwerfer said:

    Philippines 1944-45

    A good place to break into the Pacific during World War Two, the Phillippines offers more conventional CM type maps (urban, light woods, open fields) and unit types (both the Japanese and Americans actually had a lot of tanks and AFVs on hand for the battle, both used paratroopers, the usual leg infantry), while opening the door to more pacific fighting stuff (dense jungle, swamps, some of the weirder quirks of Japanese units and equipment)

    That should be No. 1 on my favorite list! The Pacific theatre is much more than island hopping! Another interesting scenario would be the Burma campaign. Unfortunately, BFC don't like the Pacific theatre.

  7. ... and how likely I expect to seem them really.

    1. 1940 Invasion of France. A really interesting setting and mix of forces/vehicels, since Wehrmacht don't have superior tanks. But CM never covered French forces, and there are no US forces involved. Low chance to see this game, but not impossible. 

    2. Late World War 1 with first tanks showing up. Very unlikely. WWI titles are not very beloved, C&C is difficult cause units were much less flexible and there were few smaller scale actions. No tank vs tank battles. And WWI would require horses ;)

    3. 1950s Korean war. Few really tank actions, it's Pacific front, it's not WWII, but also not hypothetic modern theatre. On the other hand, most heavy equipment is already in CM, US forces played a major role. 

    4. Warsaw pact invasion of Western Germany. Very unlikely as far as I know.

    What we will likely see next:

    1) another Eastern Front title. My bet is Kursk 1943. But Balkan 1944, Germany 1945 or Stalingrad 1942 is possible, too. 

    2) North Africa1941-1943.

  8. On 27.9.2016 at 6:01 PM, Battlefront.com said:

    It is for sure desirable to allow you guys to move maps (i.e. the terrain based part of a scenario) back and forth between the various games.  In theory this is possible, with certain caveats (Flavor Objects are often unique to a specific game, for example), but Charles just confirmed it's impractical because each game exists on its own.  Therefore, the data for each is unique, even if a large amount of it overlaps.

    ...

    Steve

    I would really like to proof that it can be done anyway. Unfortunately I'm at a point where I can't continue without help. But well, it's your game. :)

  9. 22 hours ago, IanL said:

    Oh I totally understand the desire. I am sure you are not alone.

    And that is the rub. There are enough differences between the available terrain and objects etc. That there would be a fair amount of work. And then such a feature needs to be tested and maintained. I think the calculus is that BFC would like to spend their time on other things.

    It would be nice though I agree.

    I don't think that the problem are the differences.  Sometimes it isn't possible to transfer a fresh, empty map. As far as I can say are the scenario files encrypted or more likely compressed except a header with some basic scenario infos. Some of the special buildings like churches have different hardcoding for the floors, but a tree is a tree, a small building is a small building and so on. I think 95% or more of the map infos could be simply reassigned. Would be helpful if a scenario/map could be decrypted and/or unpacked to find and solve the problem.

  10. Not really an issue of 4.0 or CMFB, but how about a little tool to transfer maps between the CMx2 titles? It already works for simple scenarios, as I have proven, but the bigger the map/scenario, the more likely it will not work. I would do it on my own, but it's a bit tedious, since the internal structure of a map/scenario file is not really obvious.

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