umlaut
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Posts posted by umlaut
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I feel like I´m beginning to hijack this thread. That wasn´t my intention. So I´ll just answer these comments and keep quiet (but I´ll probably start a separate thread on this subject soon):
If you put up Scenario 1 and you got 200 downloads, then you put up Scenario 2 and got 50, then put up Scenario 3 and got 10... well, I think that's telling you something
Likewise, if you get a steady amount it tells you that you're at least doing things well enough that 200 people feel it's worth downloading.That logic only works if you´re assuming that players are keeping track of which designer has made which scenarios. I don´t think that happens very often - except when we´re talking about the "stars", like PaperTiger or GeorgeMC.
I totally sympathize, but I wouldn't hold out much hope for Human nature to suddenly change. Because that's why you aren't getting the reviews.
Again, look at Amazon's reviews. There are New York Time's Best Sellers with feedback numbering in the low thousands. Heck, Robert Gate's new book "DUTY" has a whopping 301 reviews. Over at Barns & Nobel it's a paltry 60. And yet as of a few days ago it was reported that 80,000 books had been sold. Not a lot of reviews proportional to the interest level, that's for sure.
Netflix tries to get around this problem by pushing you to make a rating as soon as you finish watching something. They also don't show you how many people voted for something (at least by default). I wish we could implement something like this for you guys, but that's out of our league.
I think you overlook one crucial difference between Amazon, Netflix and BFC on one side - and user made scenarios on the other. The difference being that the former get paid for their releases, whereas the only "payment" scenario designers get for their effort is .... the reviews/comments.
As yes, it might be unalterable human nature to take what is there to take - without leaving comment or reviews. Just as it is also human nature to loose interest in continuing an activity if it has no payoff.
And please don´t misunderstand me: I am not going to stop making scenarios - I will without doubt continue to make them, because I think it is fun to create and play my own homemade battles. But as you know the difference between making a scenario that is playable for yourself and making the same scenario ready for release is very big. My own experience is that the time invested in getting a scenario ready for release equals the time spent making the scenario. In other words doubling the work - but with very little payoff. There has to be correlation between the work put into releasing the scenario and the feedback the designer gets. And in my view that is not the case at the moment.
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+ 1 on the water levels suggestion from me too.
And I have one suggestion/question regarding maps and the editors:
Will it at some point be possible to export/import maps from one CM family to another?
I really hope so.
Why? Here´s an example:
If I were having this great idea for a Operation Barbarossa scenario it would be great if I could begin working on the map right away in CMRT. And then when the East Front 1941-1942 family eventually is released I could import the map and finish the scenario with the correct units and so on.
It would also be nice to be able to start working on a Bulge map in CMBN - and then finish it, once CM Bulge is released.
I realize that in these cases there would be a number of map features that would differ from family to family: There would be no bocage in the Ardennes, the buildings and trees would be different, etc. But I guess the game could replace bocage with ordinary hedges and Normandy buildings could simply be replaced with the corresponding Ardennes buildings.
And of course there would be a lot of "fine tuning" to do with these imported maps before they would be ready in the new editor. But in my opinion it would great to have to opportunity to begin working on "basic map" for a game that hasn´t been released yet. Instead of wating for the release - and then having to start from scratch.
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Look at it this way Umlaut, most feedback tends to be critical - fix this, make the map larger/smaller etc. no feedback MUST mean they love it and it is perfect!
Keep doing what you are, you do some really nice work. Even for official releases feedback is minimal on these boards and those giving feedback are in a relatively small group. Within them they do have types of scenarios they really enjoy so you end up with an even smaller subset. When it comes down to it folks generally prefer to play than write about playing.
I am - of course - truly happy with the review that you gave my latest scenario, Seizing Ciembienne. So thanks a lot for that.
The thing is that this scenario has been downloaded nearly 200 times - and so far your review is the only one. Two other players have commented in the release thread - and fortunately very positively. But still that is only three out of 200.
I´ve spent more than a hundred hours making and testing this scenario. If I am to find any motivation for releasing more scenarios I need to how it has been recieved. Was it good, was it bad, what did you like and what didn´t you like? I can´t assume that silence is a positive review.
(and I don´t think you can compare lack of response for user made scenarios with lack of response for official BFC scenarios: You´ve already paid for the official ones)
If I don´t know what players think of my scenarios I loose all motivation for releasing new ones. Simple as that.
And if a player can´t be bothered to write a comment or review, I accept that this is his choice. But he must on the other hand accept that this could mean that he won´t be playing any more of my scenarios.
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I have been dreaming of seeing the shadows return too, but I can see the realism problems in having them:
If a plane flies over the western part of the map late in late afternoon then it´s shadow should realistically be cast on the ground in eastern part of the map. And wouldn´t the shadow then be more misleading to the player than an actual help?
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I literally cannot get enough of them and unfortunately I have gone through most user scenarios
Well, one way of securing the flow of user made scenarios is by giving the designer some kind of feedback - either in the form of a review in the repository or by some kind of written comment.
Currently, the lack of feedback means that I am very doubtful wheter I can be bothered to upload any more scenarios myself.
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The Canadian government recently announced that it would be ending home delivery and going the Superbox route. It would also increase postage rates in the process. Hmmm...less service for more money. Makes sense to me.
Sounds exactly like the danish mail.
A satire webpage recently released the story about their latest scheme:
Pay only half postage if you go to the sender to pick up your mail yourself.
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Indeed. I predict you won´t be running out of stuff to mod for many years, my friend
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As i am a bit dumb anyone of you marvellous map makers able to give me a simple example of you would use a trigger?
Well, the first thing that comes to my mind is:
Ambushes!
For instance: Place some troops hiding in the woods surrounding a road. When enemy troops enter a certain sector of the road, the trigger is "released" and the hidden troops rush forward to attack.
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So much more goodness, than I expected:
Hit decals
AI Triggers!
Customized "Mod Tags"
More options for camera controls
This is looking great
Edit:
Ninja´ed by Wodin´s edit
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Hi James
My quick advice would be:
Vehicles:
Everything by Aris (aka Fuser)
Buildings:
Tanksalot
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In CM1 you could deny the enemy passage of a highly flammable area - like a wheat field in the summer - by setting it ablaze. Luckily, it wasn´t a very effective tool as the flames spread rather slowly - and not in a totally predictable manner.
That is my recollection of it - and because of that I´m looking forward to having fire in CM2 and not too nervous about the gamey aspects. But apparently other people have other experiences.
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The big flag patch on the uniform always bugged me - was it really sawn on the uniforms and of that size?
I´ve been puzzled by that too. I´ve tried to reduce it in my mod set - but it is hard to do without distorting the proportions.
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Not sure if this has been posted before but here is really good news clip of a German guy making his own Tiger I by himself. Had to name it after his pissed off wife lol.
Wow. Great clip.
Gonna show that to my spouse to make her realise how lucky she is
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I have been working on a dirty airborne uniform mod, but I let it rest because of the mess with the file names before the latest upgrades.
I then sort of forgot about it, but I´ll have a look at it again.
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Plenty of good original and replica Afvs in the UK...Just shared some files using @Dropbox https://db.tt/6OuT6S0P
Hope that link works
Yes, it works. Great pics.
Was that Bovington?
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Well, I was talking about replica tigers, Childress.
But I guess a real one will do too.
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Well, that is kinda my point Sgt Joch: All the replica has to do is look good on film. It doesn´t have to be nearly as exact as the ones you´re talking about, Saferight.
When I said "exact replicas" I should probably have said "visually exact replicas"
As long as the outer parts look convincing the rest doesn´t really matter. You won´t need an original engine, transmission or turret motor. And noone will be able to tell if the armor is actually only 15 mm´s thick, instead of 100.
I´m not saying it is going to be cheap, but considering the amount of money Hollywood normally spend on props, special effects and whathaveyou I can´t see why it would topple the budget.
And why use it only once? Considering the amount of WWII movies that is being made, a Tiger could probably star in a movie every other year.
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One thing that has always puzzled me about tanks in movies is this:
Why don´t Hollywood build their own exact replicas of for instance Tigers - instead of dressing T-34´s or whatever up? They spend millions and millions of dollars on making movies - and on several occasions they´ve built replicas of 200 year old sailing ships from scratch. Building a Tiger replica should be relatively cheap compared to that.
Anyone know why?
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Hi Erwin
This should answer your question - at least partially (can´t say if they always did it like that):
These pics are also in my Force Specific Backgrounds (http://cmmods.greenasjade.net/mods/4866/details) for CMBN, by the way
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Are you sure Aris missed it?
No, I'm not. But I'm sure that he hasn't uploaded it to someplace where I am able to find it.
Likewise, if you get a steady amount it tells you that you're at least doing things well enough that 200 people feel it's worth downloading.
To Devs - street fighting
in Combat Mission Battle for Normandy
Posted
Here´s another example of door-pathfinding going horribly awry:
I simply ordred this squad to enter the building right next to them - through the door right next them. Instead they chose heroic death.
http://youtu.be/tpTjoACNErI
Can anyone tell me why?