HintJ
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Posts posted by HintJ
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Yes, it's all very pretty. But, it's utter chaos. Maybe that make it more realistic than CM?!! But, I don;t see how one can have fun controlling anything. AP, like Company of Heroes and all similar RT games is designed for a completely different mindset than CM.
This examples probably do a disservice as to the content of AP games. They show AP as a non-stop wrist-twitch action with no time to breathe - just like the other RPS games, Red Orchestra, Arma and COD4 games I have sitting around here. If you liked watching these demos and it inspires you to get AP, then CM is almost certainly not the game for you. So, please go play AP and let's NOT keep trying to make CM more like AP.
As I play real time in CM, I play AP also often paused. There is a wealth of info in the AP games as well as CM. IF someone wants to play AP like Red Alert, that's fine by me. For me, AP is far from a "non-stop wrist-twitch action with no time to breathe." If it is true that AP saves the progress now in the tactical mode, a simply 2 hour battle can last over many sessions now!
IF I play AP like Red Alert, then I'd miss getting down close to the action, where AP shines.
In AP, I have seen some of the most visceral action: I once had a T-34 decide he had enough and start running closer to other friendly units. Later, as the Germans got closer, I swear I saw a crew member of of the T-34 jump out of the tank and start running away only to be gunned down by another FRIENDLY tank. It isn't WEGO, so no replay. I was like "Did I just see that?!" Maybe it was just my imagination, but I'm pretty sure of what I saw.
I once knocked off a track on an enemy Panzer IV, but I had a T-34 almost 2 KM away. So while the Panzer IV was repairing the track, My T-34 was racing to the area to get a good rear shot. It was a nail-biting few minutes.
I've also chased down tanks with tanks! I'd try to get within a good firing range at a fleeing tank, stop, fire, and then have to start running after him again.
With the HUGE maps it is hard to make a good defensive position. The AI often bypasses me and comes in an unanticipated direction, so I have to be very flexible. Maybe this will change if AP is patched to allow for more units in the map.
Watching infantry squads ambush half-tracks at night is truly nightmarish! I love seeing a half-track running around with dead members in the back. Wow!
I'm not really comparing CM to AP, but would I like to see these kind of things (like massive maps and strategic movements) in CM? Of course. Would I like to see some of the things in CM in AP (like WEGO and a better UI)? Of course.
Oh, and the tracers look great in AP!
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Operation Star looks very good! I watched an AAR on Youtube, and the UI looks much better. I wish I had more time to play games lately. I'll probably get it.
I have the the first Achtung Panzer. Excellent game.
It appears in Op Star that the player can now control units from the zoomed-out tactical map, and saving in-game is now possible; can anyone with Op Star verify this?
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I estimate my plays/$ are higher with BF games than any other I have played (with the possible exception of the original Wizardry for my Apple II)
Prepare yourself for the ultimate in fantasy games!
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And I think the icons are too high (perhaps to be tree-top?) at certain levels. But overall, there has been MASSIVE improvements over the CMSF Icons, both in scaling sizes by distance and resolution processing.
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I know this is thread about the functionality of the icons, and not to change the subject, but is anyone as intellectually shallow as myself to prefer *pretty* icons?
I only have the demo, but I'm having a blast (quite literally) sucking up nitrous oxide and watching Gimp and Paint.net tutorials on Youtube.
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I've only recently gotten CMA. I really like it, and I think CMA is a better fit for the CMx2 engine than CMSF itself.
I'm just starting the first campaign. I'm torn between TB and RT. I prefer to use TB if possible. As usual, there are the problems inherent w/TB--having squads run into problems in the first few seconds and relying on TacAI for the rest of the turn, especially when attacking.
Has anyone played much of the campaigns in TB mode? I found that in the NATO campaigns, the difficulty was too high for wego, and I was wondering how well TB mode fits in CMA.
BTW, I'm very excited to head about Fredrocker's campaign, and I think he prefers wego, so that's a good sign.
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Here's three mods that I have for CM:A. They're pretty basic, but I like them and would like to share w/anyone interested:
Here are some icons for those who find Russian and Nato symbols a bit esoteric (and don't like the originals).
Green Tracers. Too bad we can't have both green and orange.
Here is a different base mod, not really just for CMA, but I like them.
All three are in this zip:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/31190062/CMA%203%20Mods.zip
After playing a bit of CM:A, I'm starting to think the CMx2 engine is a very good fit for CM:A. I'd like to see some of the more talented mod designers focus in on CM:A.
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Double post.
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I have unpacked it but cannot find them. Anyone know where they are?
I went ahead and downloaded another Icon mod to get the BMP names.
Great news! CMBN handles Icons much, much better than CMSF. Although the same resolution, the new game processes the Icons much clearer, allowing for a crisper icon.
Wolfe has done an awesome set of icons, by the way, but I think mine will have much more of a Chiclet look; I bet they taste like Spearmint:
Icons are not this sharp in CMSF.
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Great so far HintJ many thanks for your good work. My feedback.
1. Will you extend it to all the mods in CMSF ? eg. the shilka unit
2. Can you adjust the contrast or something to make the difference between unlit and lit icons greater as I find them hard to distinguish in the day ( I have not tried night yet)?
3. Shall interested parties extend a modest contribution to the cost of CMBN so you can work your magic on it ? ;-)
Thanks again
(1) Wow! I totally missed the Shilka! The original download link now has a Shilka Icon for Syria. Thanks for catching that.
(2) I'm considering re-doing all the colors for icons, trying to find a balance between day and night. By all means, feel free to make any changes yourself.
(3) Send me the RezElploded icons for CMBN and I'll see what I can do. I can at least use/test them in the demo before I buy.
BTW, I found an little program called PixelFormer that can handle 32 bit bmps for CMx2.
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What color base mod are you using?
I think I use Vein's which are a sort of curvy version without a discrete arrow.
Vein has some great mods, and the one I use is basically a near copy of his idea, but I put in the pointy arrow myself.
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Weird for a game system that talks about "realism" so much that they had to use a totally unrealistic compass method that made it confusing as to which direction you are looking at esp since the milpro market must be used to looking at RL compasses.
Yeah, really. Anyone who has used a real compass for any significant length of time will have his/her mind scrambled when first learning the CMSF compass.
Interestingly, I actually have a *semi-realistic* compass for CMSF, but it is somewhat gaudy:
It appears that the East and West are on the wrong side, but no they aren't! CMSF's compass rotates the wrong way! Anyway, it works.
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These look great. I will download them after work. HintJ, are you a CMBN player? If so would you consider doing mini icons for it?
I only have the demo, but I don't see why that couldn't stop me from making them. Someone might have to send me a copy of the original bmp files first, though.
I don't own CMA either, but I still made a green tracer mod for the demo, and I assume it will work in the full version--I plan to buy CMA next.
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Thanks for the feedback!
Black as a central character doesn't work well because the icons are too small, I think, but they can't be certainly subdued somewhat.
I toned down the infantry icon, but left the others untouched to see a contrasting image:
I suppose they can be further darkened, but I sort of like the way they stand out as such.
I also have a question: Does anybody know of a good, free bmp editor that can handle 32 bit images? Paint.net only does 24-bit (the 32-bit addon for Paint.net is confusing), and the GIMP is confusing in general.
P.S. It isn't really all that special, but if anybody wants my compass, let me know.
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U.S. unit pic
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Unzip it, and put the folder "Mini Icons" into your Data->Z folder. You don't have to do anything else, the game looks into the "Mini Icons" folder, and chooses the Icon depending on the nationality of the blue and red teams in-game automatically.
edit* If you have another icon mod in the "Z" folder, you should remove it first.
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I've redone all the unit icons for CMSF to be much smaller. I simply can't stand the big baby-blue balloons anymore! I think my new icons are cute and remind me of those tiny Chiclets . . . yummy!
The mini icons are probably better for WEGO, because in the frantic pace of real-time, those big fat bubbles are much quicker for clicking.
I just barely tested it, but it seems to work pretty well, especially the contact (?) icons: A player can really tell now how old the contact info is by how faded much easier now, I think.
Anyway, if you want to try it out and give me some feedback, here it is:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/31190062/Small%20Icons.zip
Of course, it goes in the "Z" folder.
*edit-ReadMe added
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I'm willing to donate $20,000 for someone to make a decent Close Combat game. Seriously.
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Why as I am just stating why I find this game less fun.Who else's opinion would it be?
:confused:
Ettiquette (or however you spell it.) Also keeps the fanboys away.
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The funny thing is, after four years of playing the CMx2 game engine I find CMx1 downright unplayable. Worst camera controls imaginable, every last detail abstracted beyond all recognition. I say good riddance CMBO. I'm not nostalgic for CMBO at all. I'm not the only one either. I can't think of anyone who plays CMx2 who has been able to go back again. You try playing the game for five minutes and you roll your eyes.
Actually, I like both CMx1 and CMx2. But they are so totally different that I don't think they should both share the "Combat Mission" name.
The issues stated by the OP are because of some expectation derived from CMx1, I think. It isn't, IMO, an 'either or' problem--it is a naming problem. I think that BF should have renamed the CMx2 games in the first place.
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Yes indeed, and if I'm not mistaken, if you click on a particular msg, you select that unit. Also, messages are sent when a unit finishes movement, along w/a radio cue "in position," for example.
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You are absolutly right, you would get stomped as RTS games are not designed to be played so much at ground level. From what I get you are looking more for a FPS or RPG type of experience wanting to stay at ground level. "Theatre of War" has more of what you are describing, and has excactly that feature of a messge box. You should check it out if you are not familiar with it. It is a good game, but must have lots of PC juice to run it.
I've got TOW2, and yes, it has a msg box similar to what I think CM needs.
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I'd like a pony.
Isn't there a peng thread to absorb this sort of response?
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Well, they did take Goebbels, so I think they will make an exception for you.
Well, that's nice to know Erik!
Let me ask you this: Do you have an opinion about PCO?
CMBN vs. APOS, and the future of CMx2(?).
in Combat Mission Battle for Normandy
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I don't think that's a smart-ass comment. I think it is the truth, but I'm not in the any army, and I'm playing it as a game.
Pause, zoom out, think, plan, issue orders, get down low in a critical spot for a good perspective, start the action, watch for a few moments, pause and start over.
I love it that way.
Because AP has both a message system and a mini-map, it actually works better than CM for this style of playing real time. I guess CM would also do well with these features.