Clubfoot

Pierce, Believe it or not, what you suggest will soon happen. The Desert Fox-Desert Rats mod will be out soon and will even include some scenario specific graphics and sounds as you suggest. Keep an eye out! For a peak, got to Manx's: http://www.combatmissions.co.uk or Col. Klotz's ASL 4 CM at: http://w1.312.telia.com/~u31213280/index.htm Clubfoot.

My vote goes to I'82. A complete turd and the unmitigated disaster that choked the life from a franchise begun by it's incredibly kick-ass predecessor I'76. Clubfoot. [This message has been edited by Clubfoot (edited 01-23-2001).]

Leonidas, It would indeed be a shame if you ceased to post your opinions for game improvement. Player input has been a (maybe THE) major factor in all the games changes, thus far. Your posts clearly represent your opinion and you've managed to avoid acrimony. Just because some of us don't agree with you, does not mean our opinions are any more valid than yours. We're simply (you included) engaging in debate. A good thing! And most of us do so love CM (you know, like a lad loves a kissing cousin)that we do on occasion defend it's current merits quite vigorously. Please don't interpret posts of diverging opinion as counter-attacks. They're (usually) not. The fact that a number of your respondents began with messages like "you've provided a good topic for discussion" and the like should be a sign of encouragement. Your topic has produced a number of thoughtful, lengthy missives in response. And that's a good thing as well. Don't throw in the towel! Clubfoot. [This message has been edited by Clubfoot (edited 01-23-2001).]

Just to let you know about where we're at folks... Audace's Italian forces SSM nears completion. The tanks look damn good and the .wav conversions are first rate! Marco and Gordon's vehicles are really top notch but MikeT could tell you better than I the completion status of all the vehicles. On my end the assorted artwork and interface are complete. All that remains of the terrain conversion is about half the buildings and brush (and a few other tidbits). We plan to include two open terrain replacements (for different regions of Libya and Tunisia) and replacements for almost all other summer textures. A few sounds, some uniforms, a blitz of scenario and operation creation (already have a few) and hopefully we'll be about there. Until then, we'll keep the screens coming. Clubfoot.

Your definition of pithy must coincide with my definition of inane. Get back in the pool. Clubfoot.

Can it be? Was that an "uncommonly boring and slow-witted" response, Elijah. BTS, while hull down with his front armor at 68.5 degrees, Elijah's wit was penetrated with additional internal armor flaking! Do somefink! Clubfoot.

Come on. stfuaga? I tend not to get involved in these ugly, hateful threads, but 'poolers please... is it really your collective contention that players new to CM should only post threads that fall within your narrow definitions of relevancy. And even then, not to post at all if their point isn't driven home with rapier wit? By all means you should trounce the greenie who ventures into the current incarnation of the Peng thread with nothing but oafish SPR anecdotes or concerns over an incorrect lug nut pattern on a Puma's wheels. But if you really want to avoid "uncommonly boring and slow-witted" posts, then jump back in the pool, and sharpen your teeth on the other cess-poolers. Guys who know you and know that it's in fun. Guys who won't get turned off to the CM community and CM in general by the often aggressive nature of cess. Do you really want them to "go away"? Clubfoot.

I'd have to disagree. Although it may be great and annoying b.s. to you, I believe BTS has stated that continued manipulation of CM1 does indeed delay CM2. It's not just the opinion of a few idle crackpots. Clubfoot.

IMHO, this sounds more like a bug fix than a bug. I noticed this after upgrading to 1.1. Not sure if it happened before that. Clubfoot.

Alan, I don't think this is possible. It might help to do a search on this subject. Clubfoot.

Leonidas, First of all, sorry if I came off harsh. I don't mean to be grumpy. I would have agreed it was worthy to tweak and add, then tweak and add some more to CM before the release of the v1.1 patch. But with every request for a code tweak or added function, you must realize that the price you would pay would be further delay of CM2. The men who brought you CM were but two. Although their staff has doubled to a whopping four, they have stated that every bit of buggering about with CM puts off CM2, and we can't have that! Now, "Don't waste your ammo and give away your position until you get a good shot" falls under the category of an ambush. Units set to ambush an ambush marker will not waste their ammo, or give away their position until they get a good shot. Even if it isn't always near the ambush marker. If your boys in ambush get a primo oppor-tunity to hit something good, even if it's not close to the ambush marker, they'll take it. Or they won't. I've been surprised at the differences in the same turn when played over and over. Given the same opportunities and environmental circumstances, units that are not in panic, routed, or shaken, will react differently to the same stimuli. This is a result of many interacting probabili-ties arriving at a percentage chance that a unit will do this, that, or the other thing. This is a function of AI "decision making", not morale. Some decisions seem "smart" and others "brain-dead", and although morale plays into this and is often the pivotal factor, it often isn't as well. What you consider ineffectual fire at a group of hidden soldiers, even if their attrition rate is less than say, 1 man per two turns, they and their little randomized computer brains do not consider ineffectual. They are being fired upon and might soon be hit ( and 1 or two may have been). CM units do pay attention to squad attrition and react to it, regardless of whether their morale is affected. Besides, hiding while being fired upon means you're no longer hiding, but taking cover. Tanks that smoke and reverse may have decided to based on a perceived threat, not changing morale. And the desire to override their decision to do so is a plea for micro-management. MG's can hide. They can't sneak. This is because they are toting a big fat hog and in many cases, hundreds of pounds of ammo. You are correct that AI is imperfect, but I think programming in the ability to alter or override decisions made by individual soldiers or tank commanders is probably not the answer. In the end, I imagine we'll have to agree to disagree. And that's ok! Clubfoot.

No sweat, Harv. (come on you goons, do as the man says!) Clubfoot.

Leonidas, The AI does determine the things you just mentioned. If a group of men are ordered across an open field to assault an MG bunker, they set to the task. Until they're either mowed into frothy, pink bits, or become aware of the bunkers' preoccupation with that engineer squad 200m away, or what have you. At this point, your troops will typically know whether they should, as you say, attack aggressively, hunker down, hide or save ammo. The game is designed to avoid the micro-management of troops. I believe that the occasional "oh ****, WTF are my guys doing?" only serves to enhance the game's fun factor. No offense to anyone, but I've noticed a lot of people on this board seem to have forgotten that glaring acts of individual stupidity happen in real life, too. So the next time your Tiger doesn't take that shot (you know the one, it makes you pull your hair while shouting "SHOOT, SHOOT you idiot" at the monitor) or your company HQ meanders about in a meadow while being chewed by an MG42 instead of taking cover in those dense woods a gnat's ass away, chalk it up to the "dumb-ass factor" present in ALL aspects of life. Sorry for the rant. Clubfoot.

I agree as well. Destruction of barbed wire and roadblocks would indeed be handy and helpful (and entirely realistic). Clubfoot.

Looks damn good! Clubfoot.

It won't be up to snuff with official BTS alternate theaters releases, but the Afrikacorps conversion is coming soon (and at an outside guess, I'd say CM3 is probably at least a year and a half away). Take a peak at: http://www.combatmissions.co.uk or: http://w1.312.telia.com/~u31213280/index.htm and look for information pertaining to Desert Fox-Desert Rats. Clubfoot.

psst.. lock me.

Thanx alot, Michael. I'm not involved too deeply in the Italian and Vichy French swap-outs (I'm just a scenario and art huckleberry), but I believe the changes will be purely cosmetic (as well as auditory!). This is not a cause for grief, but relief. In an era where off-the-shelfers now live and die by their product's mutabilty, the offering up of source code and software developer's kits is a foregone conclusion if most twitch's are to survive. (read: a few people's former intellectual property now swallowed whole or in parts by game publishers and squandered. Frittered away.) It's a good thing that we cannot change source code. For as sure as I type this, you wouldn't only have perfectly tweaked Grant tanks rolling over the dunes of Libya... You'd also have some of the most hacked, ridiculous, super-sonic, particle projection cannon totin', Trinity site waste-layyin', big, fat hunks of uber-crap you could imagine. (read: what happened to the Interstate '76 community.) Ok. Rant mode off. What I can say is: We'll try to make it look and play good! We'll try to be as accurate as possible, within reason. Clubfoot(and a grumpy one too. maybe my blood sugar is up). mumbling Milk & Cheese's "I'm sorry."

Michael, The mod will be available for download for free. Although we strive to reproduce the "feel" of combat in the African theater, we are unable to include any units not already coded in CM. Where possible, already existing AFV's will be changed cosmetically to produce a passable likeness of a different AFV with similar characteristics. But only if the change isn't a "dealbreaker" i.e. difference in size of main gun, passenger complement, or drastically different armor. We realize and have acknowledged this shortcoming and it is quite apparent that the level of realism and authenticity will not come close to what Combat Mission has achieved for the late war ETO. More than a few vehicles and other units present in Africa will not be included. To put it bluntly, this bucket won't hold much grog-water. Looking past it's obvious foibles, however, we hope the mod will provide much fun for some, and some fun for many. Thanks for showing interest, fellas. Any mod-maker will tell you it makes it all worthwhile! Clubfoot.

Sold?! For fun and for free, Hiram. The mantra of the mod-maker. Clubfoot.

It's almost upon us! A few more bits and bytes to go, Andy, and the Desert Fox-Desert Rats conversion will be ready. It'll provide you not only with sand textures, but a complete summer texture conversion. As well as desert camo vehicles, .wav replacements, an interface conversion, appropriately outfitted soldiers, and a number of scenarios and operations. To see some screens, go to Manx's site: http://www.combatmissions.co.uk or the ASL 4 CM site: http://w1.312.telia.com/~u31213280/index.htm Clubfoot.

-bump- Clubfoot.

My take on this was as follows, to provide several options for download: 1st option would be one large (probably 20-25 meg) core Desert Fox-Desert Rats .zip file containing the terrain tiles, the vehicle and uniform textures (for standard forces; Brits., Canadians, American, French, and German), the .wav replacements for some sounds (can't have crickets at night now can we?), the interface conversion and original artwork, and several battles and operations. This would allow those using the mod manager to effect all core mod changes with one click (not sure if the manager handles .wav's though). It would also allow those who intend on an additional install to replace the appropriate items wholesale. Then supplement this with force packs that effect new force specific changes (the alteration of German units to Italian or Vichy French) and add several force specific battles and an op. or two. Then additionally, offer up all the files piecemeal. A separate zip containing each of the parts. The sound files. The interface. The terrain tiles. and so on. Speak! Let MikeT and I know what you want! Clubfoot.

Clubfoot.

Fen, See: http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/Forum1/HTML/014895.html For our explanatory attempts. Clubfoot.