Kieme(ITA)

I can report something too. The new textures look really better! Although I've been experiencing some troubles due to not perfect optimization. Seems NASA computer is still needed for best performance... and this is kind frustrating. On the other hand I've to report (played meeting at high altitude for testing): -BMP problems seem all fixed: they fire more missiles and 73mm Some problems about: LOS, I got syrian inside the compound firing thru the concrete wall to US troops outside the compound. Seems also to me that a lot of dust is produced. When a Struker gets a 73mm hit it seems that a complete cover of dust is depicted 360 degrees around the stryker at some 20/30 meters distance. Could you please take a look at it?

You're right, thewood. One of my comments has been about the too weak editor options compared with the role the deisgner planning has regarding AI performance. That's why I cited Operation Flashpoint game in which you could time as you said every single aspect of a scenario. So that scenario designing has a so narrow spectrum of possible situations that we will soon have many almost identical scenarios, in which the map deisgn will be the only new (since I consider the map editor as one of the best deisgned things of the game) You made another important statement: AI seems to perform better than anything in defense. That's a direct consequence and a confirmation of what I think and expresses since now: the lack of AI makes it capable only in a defensive situation in which it doesn't need to take any initiative. I've made a scenario in which US player has to attack Red AI defender. It worked out but it has a big limit that is depicted in the first thread of mine in this discussion... In this scenario of mine like all scenarios being made the game will work only as far as the Ai plan is executed. From that moment on the player will play solo. This is because enemy units will just stay where they are. This is why the tactic used by players right now is clearly: find the enemy, suppress the enemy, kill it with overwhelming superiority of firepower. This has been described by someone in another thread called 3 F or something like that. He surely made a point, but all of this is a consequence of missing AI. The AI in a game needs personal initiative, TacAi is not enought to make a game and StratAi planned by a human is really not enought. Even if we had an editor with hundreds of options we couldn't achieve anything better than we have now. With a really complete editor we might be able to create a great variety of scenarios but in final conclusion our achievement would be only to extend this game's life. All of this wouldn't be enought to make the game itself really better. What would be needed is a real AI, with some programming in it. An AI that would react in some way to some possible situations. My report on this thread is a clear example of what I am saying: there is no AI that could perform even a basic movement after the planned orders have been executed. This is unacceptable in a game since it's a major feature missing. As the game is at this point it can express itself at its best (please note: still not "the best" but "its" best) only and only during multiplayer or "personal" hotseat. In multiplayer all problems I cited since now desappear and will only remain mechanical (bugs) and balancing problems (which are still there). But the fact is that this game has been sold to us with some more features such as: -single player This feature is missing in the extend it's not featuring any AI. This means you can play the campaign and some scenarios and even more scenarios that are being made or will be made by the community but still the AI missing problem will be there. And if you consider the limited options offered by the editor I predict we will soon see all the possible scenarios situations done and so new scenarios will be different only from the map point of view. Even force selection will be soon a standard routine since there are much fewer units types than older CMs, this means the limitations already cited will show even earlier due to this adding fact. [ August 31, 2007, 01:02 AM: Message edited by: Kieme(ITA) ]

Expect nothing and you'll always be surprised

Hello Dark, thanks for your kind words. First the test was made with 1.01. But I'm pretty sure 1.02 doesn't change the problem, since I still think this kind of problem is a core one, not easy to fix with patches. I find this problem to be the biggest one of this game and the main reason CMSF can't express it best on single player game experience. I wasn't clear enought about that T-72. Actually it followed my plan and he reached the last obj zone I painted on the map. It was quite a small zone, the T-72 decided itself where to go exactly, anyway it was just near that building, so the main move was completed OK. Sitting there it cotinued to fire upon enemies coming into its visual range. So the so called TacAI seems to work (another thing it to understand what kind of ammunitions it used against what kind of unit but this is another story). The problem I've tryed to explain and express is the complete absence of a medium AI which could do some work within its own initiative. My Strat AI plan told the T-72 to go there, the TacAi told it to fire upon enemies insight. BUT the problem is that AFTER some action, after some many minutes during which the battle EVOLVED on its own, the new condition in which the T-72 found itself was completely different. And that condition is well displayed on that image. The T-72 cannot engage the enemy from that position. It cannot fire directly to them. The problem is that at least a sort of move would be necessary in order to engage the enemy. AI won't do ANY KIND of movement apart what told by the StratAI. The whole idea of the StratAI was nice, this give a lot of options for the scenaro designers although it's just it. If the battle evolves in any way there won't be any addition to what was told in StratAI plan. That screen describes a casual situation in which the T-72 could achieve a major result, it might kill 2 more enemy vehicles, clear the Obj area and in conclusion it could reverse the sorts of the battle. Final word: the AI does not exist. It's not enought to have the StratAI (with all it limitations) and the basic TacAI (which actually is the only way computer Ai expresses itself). Maybe someone won't agree with comprisons with other games. [Maybe CM is really another way of thinking about gaming but it really remains a game. The jump to the Real Time is the definitive consacration of CM as a real member of the "wargame" or "strategic game" section of games' world. So the comparison is now much likely to happen] I've 2 main comparisons: First of all the "medium" AI which doesn't exist in CMSF (ok, it doesn't exist in all CM series, BUT in older CMs it did, maybe it was so simple but it was there, that's why older CMs could handle the quick battle game type which was completely broken and it still is in CMSF, now even the Quick Battles need to be scripted with StratAi by game designers!), as I said the medium AI exists in ANY OTHER wargame videogame. It works in such titles as Total War series, Supreme Commander, Dawn of War series, just to say some examples. Units in those games won't just follow a pre-plan and fire upon enemies, they will move, try combinations of different units, they will even try differen way of attacking and will make different decisions during the battle. This kind of AI needs a lot of work, it's OK. CMSF was developed with a fraction of budget thatwas used for those games... I understand this, but the fact remains: AI IS MISSING. And this game still costs as much as those ones. And I'm really sad saying such things because I think that this game and kind of game as CM series could achieve outstanding results if only it could be granted more founds. The second comparison is with the editor publicated for the game called "Operation Flashpoint". Even if the game is a completely different kind the Editor and scripting idea are practucally the same that CMSF would like to present us. The idea is really great, since with the right instruments some really great scenarios could be made. The problem here is that the StratAI options CMSF gives us are too few, too restricted and so scenaros won't evolve much more than some simple attack/defend situations. In Operation Flashpoint there was a trmendous editor, even too complicated as I remember, but it was the perfect summon of instruments to make almost any kind of possile situations happen and so great scenarios were made. FACTS: -medium or independent AI is missing -90% of AI performance during a battle relies on StratAI planning by the designer -the instruments for StratAi planning are too few, too simple and in general ridiculus (and even those few are bugged!) CONCLUSION: -Quick Battles are no more -Scenarios have a so narrow and thight scope due to restricted AI capabilities that the game cannot express itself. [ August 30, 2007, 07:15 AM: Message edited by: Kieme(ITA) ]

I'd like to have that map. Surely looks very nice, even though a bit too european Just kidding, looks great. vperednazapad@yahoo.it Thanks in advance,

Monkey VS Monkey!

It doesn't just shake wildly, the frame-rate goes all to pot as well, so you end up with a freeze-frame effect, one of the ground, one of the horizon at a funny angle, one of a huge fireball etc. It does not look at all pretty and needs to be changed IMHO. Maybe you're not seeing the same as me. Did you consider that? </font>

I've just noticed it, not sure it was mentioned before: seems that with the Bradley's turret pointed at 180 degrees some of the items placed in the rear turret basket (crates and ammo boxes) will remain fixed in their basic position (just behind the turret)...

LOL people see Bug everywhere!!!

1) I belive it is taken from what you gave it. 2) seems to me there's no such an option at all 3) It's a basic error from unit organization Finally, forget to make AI use any kind of arty

I'd like to see a direct button to go from the 2D MAP to the 3D preview.

There is no artillery-delivered smoke, am I right?

HOORAY for the BMP-3, at least IF there will be some option to choose which gun to use (30mm or 100mm)... NO GOOD the option to go with the T-90 since it would be just another T-72 variant. Instead the T-80 would really be completely different vehicle and would be much more upgradeable (T-80B/T-80BV/T-80U/T-80UD).. Please, consider T-80 much more than T-90...!

I AM FREAKING OUT!!!!!

2) question already seen around, I would really like to see some official answer... .... ... ...

Bump, good question!

There's no sync wanted or needed... I just wanted to make fun of this bug report At least one that's no a bug.

There's no sync wanted or needed... I just wanted to make fun of this bug report At least one that's no a bug.

There's no sync wanted or needed... I just wanted to make fun of this bug report At least one that's no a bug.

We all know about such problems, since none of us scenario makers OWN his personal web provider I hope someone will SUGGEST something instead of whining.

If it moves just a little it's OK! If it moves till the low edge of the screen there's something wrong. man, people see bugs everywhere these days

If it moves just a little it's OK! If it moves till the low edge of the screen there's something wrong. man, people see bugs everywhere these days

If it moves just a little it's OK! If it moves till the low edge of the screen there's something wrong. man, people see bugs everywhere these days

I'm pretty sure it cannot happen.. I've blown ito pieces many buildings since now, not a single fire. Are you sure it wasn't from a neaerby and not spotted vehicle? Do you have more ref/screens?

Hello! I've tried it, might come as a nice scenario, just some suggestions: ****************SPOILER ALERT******************* -those IEDs are too powerful and too close for my opinion... try to scale them down since the scenario is a small one with few forces. -some more infantry for the us would be helpful, cosindiering how is difficult actually to clear buildings. -try to make more variable the scenario terrain, it will look even better. -check the position of some flavor objects (i.e. street lights first)