Kieme(ITA)

You might consider this a work in advance for the upcoming CMRT module, all those textures could be simply ported when the new game (module) comes out (if they improve over the original ones but I would bet on this already).

I just said my personal opinion. To clarify, when i say "just a few new textures" I don't forget the work necessary to add a winter whitewash version of each vehicle in game (not to mention the other new textures), I do appreciate the work of the people behind that kind of new content. But, at the same time, I also can't consider something really new this kind of addition, not as much as new vehicles or game mechanics would be. In terms of contents for a new game CMBS added a lot, and introduced several new game mechanics and I recognize this. In the same terms of contents this new CM title doesn't stand up to the previous ones. I understand that the setting doesn't give much space for new contents or mechanics to be added (if you can add a few types of vehicles due to historical reality that's it, can't do anything more indeed), and that is one of the main reasons I would consider this content more adaptable to a module rather than a game. Still, if you want to create something that I would consider new, then some more advanced game mechanics could be added, or a Whole new interface, or a strong graphical revamp etc. etc. I mean: if the contest doesn't give you much to add (weather, terrain, units, organizations) then the rest could be improved to add a lot for a brand new game. Or, given the fact I do like the CM game series (and how they are doing right now), then a whole new setting would interest me much more even if the gameplay features remain the same (CM North africa? Korea? any early war front? Arab-israely wars? anything that was suggested already and is hoped by many people).

That's an impressive and fantastic work of modding the entire game. Congratulations, great work.

Correct me if I am wrong but isn't there a usual pre-order policy/marketing tradition where BFC makes an official announcement of the game and opens up pre-orders, and then a period of 1 or more months before the effective release? If that's the case I see no release before xmas, maybe not even in january 2016.

I understand your point IanL, it sure comes down to preferences, but I would like to underline that the different way I personally refer to the fronts of a WW2 setting is dictated by a large part by the difference in terms of geographical situation and involved parties. Any easter front would be different enough from a normandy setting (soviet army and very different landscape), just like a North africa would be (italians, british, germans, americans). What I try to say is that I feel the ardennes setting as a part of a western front setting, while for example red Thunder was the first new game of a completely different and potentially vast front, the eastern one. This is the only reason why red Thunder, fortress italy and normandy were to me very interesting titles, while this ardennes one doesn't keep up at the same level. Black sea may have the very same grographical situation of red Thunder, but it has a different enough time frame to make it stand out completely... Let's use this anaolgy: I can enjoy a 14th century medieval game set in england, just to say; I will be thrilled by a same game but set in anatholia, I will be thrilled by a game with the very same setting of england but set in 17th century, I will be thrilled by a game with the same setting and time frame, but if the game will bring a lot of new mechanics from the previous one. To make a distinction, let's evaluate the upcoming module for CMRT... it will be something very similar to this one, not many new vehicles from both sides, snow setting, a Whole lot of new missions/campaigns, some new organizational tables etc. but, that's a module, not a new game of the series, and even though I am not super-excited for such a module (because it won't bring a lot of new things) at least it will be a module indeed.

Sincerely I also see very little new things, especially for a standalone new title of the series... maybe I am wrong and didn't see some of the new elements as it should be, but this is my personal impression so far... -Game mechanics: there is nothing really new, flamethrowers, tank riders, mortars on vehicles, snow and snow effects - all things already seen in previous titles. Streams? Maybe this is a new kind of terrain system, but seems to be the only one. -Graphics: I see nothing new apart few textures here and there, no new building systems, shapes or types, no new tree/vegetation types (really bad to see still two types of conifers for such a setting as the ardennes), very little to no new entries in terms of ground types. Maybe the engine will have some more "optimization" but I belive it will be the same of the last patch for the last game version using such engine. -Sounds: I am ready to bet the engine sound of vehicles will be the same as it has been in the past years, to say one sound effect... and that says all. -Contents: Four new campaigns, several scenarios, this is the biggest piece of content added and it's very interesting, given the quality of maps and scenarios/campaigns of CM titles. I am worried that the QB maps will be recycled for the most part from older titles (seen this happening in combat mission black sea). The four campaigns are interesting (let's say 3+1 one is the training campaign, but it would be better to know the number of missions each to evaluate them properly, a 12 mission campaign is not like a 4 mission campaign...) New organizational tables, they are interesting and can add to the game, but in the end we are talking about national armies all seen already in other titles, there are new organizations but the armies are the same (think of Red Thunder, and the fact it depicted the soviet army for the first time in a CM2x title, or the british module for normandy, which added the brits..). Some new vehicles, they are there, that's for sure, but their impact is as limited as it was during the war (jagdtiger, sturmmorser tiger, to say the two), besides, the additional list of really new vehicles is very limited (but this is due to the historical reality, nothing else, there isn't anything more to be added given the timeframe and seetting). There's a big list thanks to the sum-up inherited from previous normandy title and modules, and that's the big chunk of content (minus some of the stuff left in normandy), but that's mainly thanks to Normandy and its modules rather than this very title. All in all I am not very thrilled about this new game. I am of the opinion (who some Others shared in the past) that this was more of a module rather than a new game... I understand how the ardennes offensive is seen by US people, as a very iconic moment of the war and I understand why it's like that, but personally, I find it a very limited (yet interesting) setting.

It's a bug related to the game not the mod.

By all means go for it, thanks for your words. That's the reason I also uploaded the vanilla empty map.

Hello, thanks for the new repository. I will make some dust off and try to slowly upload all the mods I did for CMBS to the site.

I had a specific scenario in mind but never managed to make it. The idea is simple: get a company sized force, maybe something like a 2nd line unit moving forward after a rapid advance to catch up with the front, and have such unit being ambushed while performing a forward march in a terrain considered secured. A straight road, a few points of interest around, a forced placement for the units (a column on the road) and multiple contacts of enemies all around it. Then, you might add a reinforcement catching up as well as heavies enemy units joining the fight.

I already have troubles from time to time with my phone touch screen... wouldn't really use it instead of a few good old buttons, at least for the most effective and essential tasks... Thanks for the new pictures by the way, I find the new information releasing very interesting to keep up with.

We live in an age where there are lots of digital cameras, cellphones,internet etc. but I still find quite hard to accept that so many pictures and videos are coming out for a very new tank that maybe few decades ago would have been covered by more secrecy, am I just a son of the cold war?

Hi, modding the shape of the buildings is not possible, because even if the 3D model could be worked on there would be a lot of programming necessary for the Windows, doors, floors, and how the units interact with them. You can mod the surface of what we have now, in the end, the buildings in the CM2x games are created as such in order to represent the building through a concept more than making realistic structures of all types; the variety of what could be seen on any landscape is what makes a huge task to represent reality within the boundaries of a videogame (considering game type and available budget).

I was right!!! The large hatch on the left side of the turret is the spent case ejector for the main gun!

Thanks. Wish I could, but the files would be too big for my internet speed, the upload would be very difficult and slow for me so I never managed to make compilations.

It is indeed possible to mod the sky colors. There are a couple of files that can do that, look for this one: worldbox sky The horizons will be the same, it's not an easy task, you'll need to do a proper climax in the color intensity, but I belive that can be done.

Hello, content wise, the old Combat Mission Shock Force will give you a lot to play with, considering all its additional expansions/modules. If you like the desert/arid setting you can play with that game using soviet equipment (syria), US equipment (Army, Marines), and NATO (Germany, Britain, Canada etc.), not to mention the amount of additional missions and campaigns made by the players. If you want something different Combat Mission Black Sea is the most recent game, it has several features that are not present in CMSF above, but has a total less content, for now.

Thanks a lot. You know what surprised me most of anything else in the video? The fact that the two guys managed to swap place inside the vehicle. Also, looks like they received a new camo pattern.

No it couldn't, unless BFC releases all its coding for CM2x games, and this won't obviously happen. Yes, some people already opened a Pandora's vase with some 3d objects, but considering the implications of AI programming, force tables construction and coding of each and every weapon etc. it is impossible to foresee a positive mod such as that of the dymensions of a new game.

It would require a development team and, in conclusion, for the modders it would be like making a complete video game.

I tried a few times. The Water texture is there, but in truth it represents just the underneath ground. The water itself is unmoddable as far as I know.

A direct link to download Vinnart's gridded terrain (ground forest floor): https://app.box.com/s/vs5klf26zjcrxadybd6gceprnrgduaf2

A direct link to download Vinnart's gridded terrain (ground grass yellow): https://app.box.com/s/iumrw51olvu1wp7ec2xd3qno0i68q3oi

Thanks for the heads up, Seems really strange since the BRDM-2 UA mod has no file that gos near to the RPG-7 silhouette or the dead mark, anyway I have no mac so I can't dig this up more than this sorry.

Do you know what kind of business model is involved with amazon? Do they offer their services for free?