The Steppenwulf

You must be referring to the ambient sounds. In which case your culprit is possibly the "background wind.wav" file. I think there is a mod for ambient sounds in the BF repository. I would suggest that having downloaded it, or alternatively having exploded the stock .brz files, you can locate the said file by playing it with directly with you default audio player. Then simply replace the file with any other of your choosing - ensuring of course that you retitle the new file with the name of the offending file. Throw it in your mod folder in the Data directory. If you are stuck for something appropriate to replace it with, you'll find lots of ambient sounds available online for free. A quick search will yield lots of gaming sites with audio material for free use. Hope that helps...

I agree with the sentiment re playability, but there was something tactile about die, a dog-eared rulebook and taking your model army to war in a carry case. Every wargamer's tabletop dream!! It reminds me of the annual wargaming conference in my home city. The sheer variety of wargaming eras on show, the superlative quality of most of the terrains and models and the scale of some of the battles that were fought out. Still I like to look forward as well as backwards: So all this talk of the wargaming future, I'm inspired, could I make a realistic suggestion to add to the CM community wish-list for CMSF2 and/or v3.0:- triple monitor support and therefore the possibility for a 180 degree FOV?!?

A tool that unpacked the reducible .btt format into their respective files was my initial want after discovering CM; it would open some interesting possibilities for map editing and campaigns. Alas, it's a no go - thus far. However a lengthy work around solution to your problem exists (I'm sure one of the community's experienced mappers will verify the method). The caveat is that you will req version 2.00 CM:BN or CMFI to perform this. A solution: Take a screen shot of each of your maps from the 2d map editor. Trim up the shots in an art/photo editor and merge them into a single image. Save the combined image as a .bmp file naming the file as “special editor overlay.bmp” (without the quotation marks). Place this image in your z_folder (for mods) in the Battlefront/CMBN/Data folder. Next go back into the editor and generate a stock map. You'll see your merged map as an overlay. Extend the dimensions of stock map to size of envisaged new merged map (the overlay will stretch to fit). Press the 'o' key to change transparency of the overlay. Build the new map from the overlay. The only problem with this is that you will still have the elevations to edit. The only suggestion I can think of is to screen shot the elevations separately and use the same method described to apply an elevation overlay, upon which you could edit the new map heights. *NB: see page 79 of the CM version 2 manual for an explanation on the map overlay Hope this helps...

Fascinating thread, it's quite refreshing to learn how many CMBN gamers are of mature years in contrast to mainstream gaming. I'm 42 and played tabletop wargaming (ancient, medieval as well as WWII) in my teens and early twenties. Also strategy games such as Avalon Hill's Blitzkrieg and others - even fantasy role playing games. I've always been a computer buff and gamer (mainly sims - such as Silent Hunter, Operation Flashpoint, Arma), and only discovered CM less than a year ago. It just never occured to me that there would be the right type of niche game fitted up for a 'washed up' ex-tabletop like myself. Rather sadly, I can't help but feel that the majority of us here are products of a golden age in minature battles - "Donald Featherstoner's" or similar - which unfortunately most people under 30 have absolutely no experience of. A future virtual wargaming world filled only with Battlefield 3 & Company of Heroes is a shallow and ghastly prospect.

How about writing a script that incorporates all of the complex provisions, randomizes a 7200 point force within the given parameters and the players then simply get whatever combined force the number cruncher spews out the other side. Sure, such a method removes the skill in selecting one's own force - the best force picker, but on the other hand the advantages are less gamey and more realistic - real commanders don't get to select an ideal army from a menu. Secondly, it would be more demanding - making the best of the hand you got dealt - with added unpredictablity. Thirdly, the selection parameters could be as deep as you like - even deeper than those written in the OP - since the players don't have to learn them or even bother with them. Finally each player could get a new randomized force for each and every battle. That means each new game is a wholly different challenge and players cannot hope to learn about an opponent's particular composition from the reports of previous combatants - you know the bitter and defeated !! I could get a basic working script in python (no frills) running in a respectably short time - the hardest work is actually wrapping one's head around the rules as envisaged in the OP - essential for the programmer before even starting to write. But it's not rocket science it's only a question of sufficient demand.

I second that. My interest in Normandy is specific to Cobra and the Mortain counter-offensive. Please give us an update!!

That'll be Fuser - poor guy!!

This is looking superb!! Please take 2 mins to post the location to the CM:BN map sharing site on google: https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=213046468374458899658.0004c2f2cbb3b4c5d62f4&msa=0 As proposed by Broadsword in a thread here: http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?p=1382062

Bob Do you have any plans to update your icons for CM:BN v2.00? I'm a keen user of your mod and would like to see the new ones added. I'm happy to design and add a set myself but I won't pre-empt the original designer's WIP or intentions!!

I would recommend taking a look at "Crazybump". In my experience this normal mapping tool produces the most professional and best results, at little or even no cost, is very easy to use and is thus ideal for the non professional/modder. As you'll see the quality is very comparable with BF stock v2.0 maps. Yes there is a small fee for a permanent licence but you can get it on trial for a month for free. Here's a very good tutorial on its application (should also provide an impression also on the quality of the maps produced). There should be a link in there for the software itself. If not you can try googling it: http://iamsparky.wordpress.com/crazybump/

Just thought I'd add my thoughts on such a hot topic: 1. My guess is that the OP wasn't really a gripe at the whiners, it was bait for customer feedback on the business model - either conscious or subconsciously on BF's part. 2. Whilst, I'm not in the side of the whingers, I can understand why people do complain - albeit unjustly. See, so many developers/producers in the games industry exploit their customers for overpriced, unfinished and/or unsupported games that the gaming masses have become very cynical about marketing & pricing & the industry at large. The one thing I've learned, after taking an interest in CM only fairly recently, is that this company are an exception to that general rule. Yet, and in light of my point, one can understand why the cynical view prevails - it's a case of a whole barrel of bad apples spoils it for the good one. Many hard -up and run down gamers have games developers marked down for City of London bankers and the level of cynicism they've notched up trumps all usual product discernment. I think in this respect, and for whatever my advice is worth, BF should, wherever possible, seek to exploit this fact to their advantage. I mean I never once heard from BF's marketing that this was a developer who were especially dedicated to supporting their products, in the way they intend, over the long term. I simply worked that out over time from reading the forums, accessing the main website and allowing my discerning faculties to overide my cynicism. Indeed, I sincerely believe that there are a hell of a lot more people interested in war games out there who haven't yet even heard of CM yet alone discovered the 'difference' in sustainability and continuity being offered HERE. If they could learn about this 'difference', particularly in contrast to the short shelf life dross they are currently STILL being served, they would be more easily sold on CM and the superiority of the product being developed. However, the building blocks of trust that this requires is your responsibilty BF!! And appreciating where your newer (perhaps damaged) customers might be coming from is an element of that objective. Anyway, thanks for the update, I think you are worth every penny and I look forward to the MG module. Oh, I'd esp love to hear some up-to-date news on the CMSF2 front for christmas- a preview perhaps!! ( *wishful winking )

More...

Thanks for the swift reply Broadsword and I found it most interesting to read your responses to my queries. "The master map is supportable by the editor..." I don't see a 4km size map being possible - 2160m x 2160m appears to be the max size. How did you circumvent this? Apologies if I've missed something obvious - my flirtations with the editor are merely that at the moment. "The idea with all of these is that you play a campaign using another wargame..." Well yes, and this is somewhat in line with my own thought process- hence the interest in your work due to the like-mindedness. However, such an idea is merely the tip of a much greater possibility I have in mind: This would involve writing a program that takes care of the wider campaign (campaign master map) outside of the battle map. Such a program would invoke a large theatre map (perhaps around 20 km frontage and anywhere nearly as deep). The program would merely keep track of formation positions and their changes at company level and upwards, as well as logisitics and supply information etc.. Once units came within contact range (2km = battle map size) a scenario battle map could then be generated from the master map. As a programming buff I'm able to envisage how to develop such a stand-alone program, or indeed poss even a 3rd party application. Naturally, before actually drafting anything I'm eager to grasp what other modders know and can do with CM mapping and their knowledge of the .btt format: 1) Ideally, I would like more information about the .btt format. Is this just a compressed set of .bmp files? I suspect that it is - since the file signature is similar to .mbm format which are just .bmp files stiched together. Without giving too much away re my thought direction, if I understood the format better and I acquired a tool or script that could extract and archive the files, a prospective program could take on an altogether more sophisticated function. 2) This mapping of yours. I understand that you have used accurate topographical information to generate your map. I know well how this is done in theory (as its application has been adopted in many contemporary games), but I'm interested to know if this is the method that you have adopted to achieve the accuracy in your map, and if not, then how did you manage to produce it? (I know some of your work is done by hand - this is inevitable in game mapping - but I'm interested in the main topographical features, terrain heights, roads, rivers etc..) I get the impression that you can't help me with 1), but I thought it useful to mention anyway as one of my burning queries- should anyone stumble on this post/thread and be in a better position to offer some insight. Again Broadsword, much appreciation in anticipation of a reply.

Broadsword, this is intriguing work; As a newbie to CM but an experienced games modder I see some potential with where you would like to go with this. In fact I took an interest in CM for its potential to support a dynamic multiplayer campaign. Indeed a similar type of idea to the St Lo wargame which has apparently inspired this effort. At the moment I'm searching for a tack with which to develop my ideas and this looks like a strong starting point. I would be interested to know two things: 1) How did you manage to create a map that is bigger than the editor supports? This isn't immediately obvious to me so I apologise if it is common knowledge. Did you do this externally of CM and then convert the files to .BTT format? If so how -.MPM format tools par chance? 2) You suggested, at least somewhere that I've read, that you may have a larger map under development. What is the current status with this? And how large is the map proposed? Naturally I see the apparent limitations with large scale mapping within the editor BUT I'm thinking outside the editor (box) !!! That's where it might just get interesting!!! Thanks in advance for any response/s to this post!!