Tarkus

Amen. This is wisdom. Before actually firing the CMx2 demo, no one here can say anything of value to its worth. There are just too many things that combine in the mix to pretend having the faintest idea of how the game will feel. Go ahead and try to describe Memoirs of Hadrian to someone. Let me tell you it really, really ain't nothing like reading it. Cheers

I would suggest a search along the various threads dealing with [but not limited to] these sort of questions. Basically, the short answer (I hope I get this right ) is that this is something they (Them Who We Hope Will Tell Us More Soon) still keep on the list of *might-be-in-if-we-have-time-and-is-not-a-time-consuming-pain-in-the-arse-to-code-yet-not-exactly-essential-at-least-on-the-first-release* features. I say there is still a fair chance. Cheers [ August 30, 2005, 07:40 PM: Message edited by: Tarkus ]

Ok here's mine. I was a regular at Track Link scale modeling site & newsgroup. At one point a guy posted about CM. Went on BTS' site, looked at the screenshots, but a very cursory examination left me unmoved. I distinctly remember a screenshot showing amerincan infantry and a Sherman tank with all those colorful lines on the ground... didn't quite understand. I left the site but I did not forgot completely about the game... A few months later (I'd say six) I got a high speed connexion, and for some reason the very first idea I had to test it was to see if a CM demo was available. Got the Chance encounter and Valley of Trouble one... And boy, from the very first time the 3D map loaded I was shocked and speechless and ordered the game the very same night. I was hooked soooo bad... I distinctly remember my first run on Chance Encouter, it ended with a messy knife fight on the left flank on the wooded hill. I called a good friend of mine, litteraly *ordering* him to get the demo... I also remember vividly my first of many Valley of Trouble run. I didn't quite figure out about the mortars and bunkers and artillery and... Good God is it just me or that scenario was just perfect to discover the game and replay it to death only to learn a new thing on each run ? And people are surprised to discover I'm a fanboy. This was the one most powerful computer game wow I've ever felt. I don't think it can be bested, even though I'm pretty sure CMx2 will seriously kick a**. But I sure hope it does. Cheers [ August 30, 2005, 06:42 PM: Message edited by: Tarkus ]

If you're talking about CMx1, then I suppose you are right, but we don't know yet what will be the exact proprotion of divine knowledge in the next generation. Might as well discuss sound as part of the equation, no ? With that said, I honestly confess I don't know how this can be done technically, to say nothing of the kind of work involved. Cheers

Roight. But I wasn't thinking along these lines. Just the sheer joy of looking at *any* modders' work even though I will never ever use it. Like the scale modelling community, you know ? You, of course, are refering to the frontline comradship. But these two things go pretty well along IMO. Hence the "that's a start". I agree though. There is nothing like talking about how well or badly one handled a specific situation mixed with the peculiar feeling of walking on new ground. I went through that in Valley of Trouble all right. Of course the beauty of all this is that one does not prevent the other. Yay !

Well, with the help of COG and all that is nice in modding, us modder will remain a united lot. That's a start.

Speaking of sound, I think an interesting issue would be to try to reproduce the way sounds transform with distance. For example, if you are listening to a fire fight from a distance, gun shots do not sounds as crisp as up close on the firing range. Also, I don't know if it's possible, (but I'm pretty sure it ain't easy ...) but some sort of doppler effect would be quite impressive too. Arty shells roaring over head or bullet buzzing past your ear... I know there are limitations on this count (basically the number and position of speakers) but I'd be willing to go surround if the game uses it.... My 0,02 $ CAD. Cheers. [ August 30, 2005, 08:29 AM: Message edited by: Tarkus ]

Quality sig material, that.

Ooo. Let me take care of that part : w00t. And I mean it real bad. Seriously, all these options and new possibilities are a real treat. I was never quite fond of urban combat in CMx1but this... this is sooo promising ! Michael, I hope you are bracing yourself for a second edition of Ortona. Wait. What's the theater again ?

Thanks for the reminder Tom, There it is. Boom. Right there. That's what I specifically wanted to know. Cheers

Question : Do this intelligence feature and FoW interact in any way ? Will there be variable quality of intelligence available for the designer to set ? from, say, *poor* to *excellent* ? Suggestion : I'm just thinking that if a scenario designer flag a unit as being located but then set intelligence to "poor", it could lead to very interesting results....

Seesh. Stop being so rude to the elders . Shockwaves are cool. Irrelevant & unrealistic maybe, but cool.

Well AFAIK, IL-2 works on a single image file. One bigger bmp or application specific graphic file presents *all* textures for a specific model. Look at this image here, on the right. And you shall understand. It's like a graphic file that "wrap" all around the 3d model. It has numerous advantages, like one file per model, easier skin swapping, plus numerous littles tidbits here and there. If CMx2 really use such a system (which IMO would make sense), CM modders will have to get use to it a bit, but it's a piece of cake once you get it right, and it's a lot easier to work with. Well, maybe not *a lot* easier, but far less messy when you get them by the dozens. Also, it's easier to use alternate markings as you can simply have them wrap over this single graphic file, like layers. Say you have a specific skin for a Tiger. ---> one file. Then the game can easily take care of numbers for each vehicles (that's one additional graphic file for each vehicle) plus various contextual markings (that's one more) thus making a total that can still be far below anything we had in CMx1 (5-15 files per vehicle) I'm thinking... it could even be not so hard to set up a small model viewing application. Now THAT would be a useful gizmo for us modsluts. HTH Cheers [ August 26, 2005, 08:47 AM: Message edited by: Tarkus ]

Yeepie ! *rushes to the drawing board, start thinking about a design*

Nice feature Steve. But just to make sure I get it right, will it be dependant on player FoW setting ? or better yet, an option ? I mean, wouldn't it be best to either allow for FoW to be active on these before-the-battle spotting occurences, or at least be set by the player when he starts a battle ? so as to keep a measure of uncertainty ? That way a spotted Tiger or bunker could or could not be exactly *there* or *that*. (Edit: ...so as to simulate varying quality in intellignence... that way the player/designer could simply set an "intelligence factor" from say, "poor" to "excellent") I'm pretty sure this is what you have in mind, but just to clarify... Cheers [ August 25, 2005, 07:14 PM: Message edited by: Tarkus ]

I must say I read every bit of this particular thread with immense joy. I really sounds promising. Flexibility, functionnality, more powerful tools. This sounds good. Can't wait to see glimpse of actual capabilities of this engine. Cheers

Lemme join in the useless comment thread. ---> w00t. Me happy.

Change 1.- Traffic management. To this date the only really horrible side of CM. I don't mind delays, shortcuts and the like, but please get rid of those silly and maddening out-of-the-blue traffic jams. 2.- Terrain rendering/modelling I think the game deserve a deep overhaul on this count, both on look and substance. A better looking battlefield, as long as it is in line with a more accurate representation of cover, concealment and other factors intimately related to the terrain, will go a long way in making this game so much better. I know you guys are working on it, but this is a vital part of my expectations. That also include fortifications. 3.- Offgame interface overhaul May sounds simple or irrelevant, but since my "don't change list" include a powerful scenario editor, and I expect battles to be downloaded and played by the dozens (even with a narrower scope), more order and clarity would be called for. Ergonomy could also be improved a lot so to allow usermade content to be more elaborate. 4.- More flexibility in the command structure Maybe related to play balance and overall implementation, but.... I think being able to reorganize the command structure according to the situation - and within certain realism parameters- would be an important step toward realism AND immersion. For example, to take CMx1 lingo, say I play an operation set in the Battle of the Bulges, I might want to reorganize command of a badly mauled company to better balance overall manpower for following battles. 5.- Slightly widen the game scope I know this is a tricky one. But by that I mean to allow second line/rear units and some additional aspects of small unit actions to be represented, be it ammo supply, field telephones, command post., combat engineering, wrecks, etc. Or at least provide the tools for scenario designers to implement them. Don't change 1.- Scenario/map editor I like you guys a lot, but there is a ton of guys in the community I still want to hear from scenario wise. Some deeply knowledgable grogs or excellente storytellers that come up with pure jewels. Keep the tools for them to create. 2.- We Go 3.- Level of infos given for each unit I think we know just the right ammount of info on each particular units. It could be devided/presented differently , but generally speaking, I'm happy with what the UI and detail screen tells me about my guys. 4.- TO&E I know the "big scope" will be narrower. I'm OK with this. But always try to be as thorough as possible within each theater. Making a Bulge module ? I want all units present on that battle available. (Note: this some will include in "change" as they feel previous iterations were not complete, where I choose to assume historical accuracy on TO&E is a goal Battlefront always tended to. You get the point.) 5.- multiplayer flexibility I know there might be issues with this. But I must only hope you'll do everything you can to keep PBEM in. Oh... and, emm, 6.- Let me mod the interface please... Cheers.

YEAH Bogdan ! Toutes mes félicitations ! Je vous souhaite avant tout la santé et tout le bonheur que vous méritez ! Et un très joli nom avec ça... Bravo ! As someone already put it rather adequately: w00t. Cheers.

Agreed. Although these vehicles look extremely good indeed, only slight improvments on current CM 3D vehicles models would be quite enough IMO (like, say, dynamic running gears ). But more flexibility on terrain modelling and editing ? Now that would (should I say will ? ) rock. Sorry. It's been a while since I posted something useless and redundant on CMx2. I feel better now. Cheers

Agreed. Although these vehicles look extremely good indeed, only slight improvments on current CM 3D vehicles models would be quite enough IMO (like, say, dynamic running gears ). But more flexibility on terrain modelling and editing ? Now that would (should I say will ? ) rock. Sorry. It's been a while since I posted something useless and redundant on CMx2. I feel better now. Cheers

Count me in for that deal as well. :cool: Sorry. Had to.

My money is on 'When it's ready' . //Salkin </font>

Another option is to fire a QB and import troops from last autosave of the previous game, so you'll still be able to play on this map. But I think it can only works from last autosave of either a TCP or PBEM game. HTH

Hmm. That's a good idea actually. The fanboy in me fully share this need of keeping at least one mint version of each game. But I'm not a rich fanboy just yet. Seriously though, it is true that CM has the feel of a classic that goes way beyond the usual computer game hard drive life span. IIRC that was what Steve meant when he spoke of "spoiled rotten". I won't be surprise at all to get back to it every now and then after CMx2, Cmx3 and then some are released.. That being said, it only add to the thrill of laying my hands on the next iteration Cheers