Glubokii Boy

A depressing side-effect of this patch-fix dragging out is that no final testing and balacing of the future modules can be done until BFC has found a proper fix for the V4 update. If the patch will change the AI behavior again then the scenarios/campaigns will need some additional testing/ tweaking ones the patch is done. Resulting in no new modules being released either right now...we might be in for quite a wait...

No need...If you have placed them on the map in the editor...they are there... Everybody can toggle them on or off as they please when playing the scenario/map using the keys you mentioned...The on-off state for labels are not saved for the individual scenarios...

You score high !...for a first attempt ...Very cool looking map. Please do...More people might be able to find it there...In its current state (without AI-plans and such) it could still be a good 'playground' for some nice H2H battles... I don't think that a larger number of flavoured objects on this map will be a huge problem FPS-vise...most computers will be able to handle it quite well i belive...Like you mentioned...It adds to the map...some flavour ! I don't know if you are not aware of the LABELS option within the map editor of if you have chosen to not include any labels on this map...or perhaps have toggled them of ? For a historically correct map like this one atleast i find it nice to have some lables included to name things like the villages and where the exits of the roads are leading to...It helps to Place the map in the World ...Label the map simularely to your forth screenshot perhaps... Thanks for your splendid first work !

That sounds wierd...It's been a while now since i did any work in the editor but when i tried these features they worked very well...both the facing and the reverse feature worked as intended... With regards to the reverse order...Are you placing the reverse marker in the correct location ? I might be wrong about this but IIRC the reverse marker should be placed infront of the previous waypoint location (The starting location of the AI-Group doing the reverse move)...kind of ordering the AI-Group to be facing in THAT direction while moving to the next waypoint (the one behind them). The actual painting of the waypoint location for the reversemove should be behind the 'current' location...(the Place you wan't the AI-Group to reverse to)... If you place the reverse marker behind the 'current' AI-Group location instead of infront of it (ordering the facing direction)...The reverse feature may not work as intended... I belive this is how it works...

Yepp...the face command introduced with the V4 update is a very good one ! Previously the AI-units would end their move by ROTATING towards their NEXT waypoint...Very frustrating at times...The V4 update fixed this problem...Thank you ! Another neat feature of the V4 update is the REVERSE feature...This, for the first time, alows scenario designers to program shoot-n-scoot move for the AI... I don't know if this is what the scenario designer is trying to do in your particular case mention above...having some armour move forward...wait a short while...and then withdraw back again...Pre V4 there was no REVERSE command. Before this update the vehicles would need to turn around i place (exposing their rear to the enemy) to be able to withdraw towards the same direction they came from... If the scenariodesigner in this scenario have placed the next waypoint for this particular AI Group behind them...like mentioned...this would expain the AI behavior seen here.

With regards to the germans...Have you considdered mixing in some straggler units on the defender side ? Or do you feel that the germans managed to reinforce this formation up to full strenth both headcountvise and also up to full organic TOEs with regards to equipment...? An option could perhaps be to make one company more of a straggler formation...or maybe mix in some straggler-squads with the regular platoons acroos the whole formation or something ....

Hey !!! "A Compass for eveybody...Quick, man !"

My hope is for CMFI-module combined with V4 patch during Q2...Anything else would be a possitive supprise... IIRC it was stated that Chris ND was initially pretty much the lone scenario/campaign designer for the upcomming CMFI module (he has since left the Company)... After reading Benparks most recent comments on the development it kind of seems like he is 'the main man' for the CMRT-module... If the playable contents for these modules is pretty much a one man job (apart from testing offcourse) it is not all that strange that things are progressing rather slowely... Designing a single scenario is a pretty big task...designing something like 10-15 scenarios and maybe 2 or 3 Campaigns is.... A somewhat BIGGER task I guess this 'hold-up' we have been experiencing will soon be over and we will se the release of a number of stuff...in a pretty short timeframe.. Happy times ahead, hopefully .

This is the latest piece of information being shared as far as i know... A respons made by Benpark a few days ago after demands for more information in the CMRT forum... "I'd rather eat a fully cooked meal than one that is raw in the middle that "looks okay from the outside". I've got the RT module well underway- The module is being worked on nearly every day, and has been for well over a year now. But there is still more to be done in order to show people something that incorporates the cool new stuff. Otherwise you get weird, untextured bits, bugs and weird game behaviors when you weren't prepared to show something. THAT causes problems, and opens up questions that are really a waste of everyone's time, because that's not how the game will look by release. Getting everything slotted in, in the right way takes a loooooong time and is a huge amount of effort, to say nothing of- planning the module, making the maps (the maps!), making the campaigns, building the scenarios, testing, 2D artwork, 3D artwork, testing, testing, TESTING everything. And so on. PR may not seem to be the main effort (the crew is too small for that now)- but the games are. That may put some people off that like updates, and I do get it- but within reason. We all like to see the new stuff, I'm the same in that respect. Really- I would love to show off some things we have nearly done or are complete. But there are other parts that aren't slotted in or in progress, so it would screw everyone up to see them in that state- and give an inaccurate representation of a huge amount of effort. I'm sure Steve would respond "When it's ready....", which is the best, most honest answer that can be given. You can take that as frustrating, or as a truly honest answer- but it is indeed the truth, regardless. I think I've said all I can say at the moment. Hang in there. The games are coming, and the extra time isn't being wasted. There is constant work being done, to a very high standard on every aspect of the various BFC endevors." and "There can be no screenshots until art is all in place. Otherwise, it will look an awful lot like RT in too many places, and most people will not get that. There is indeed information in my post- that there can't be screenshots without a certain level of art assets slotted in. This title is 3rd on the roster, I believe- so we will see screenshots of the other two titles prior, I would expect. So, no screenshots for a while yet." There have also been some simple coments made from other people... beta testers etc.. that work are indeed progressing on several other projects...Among other things some pictures from the CMFI module have been shown... I guess that the issius with the V4 upgrade have to some degree hampered the development of the forthcomming modules...but every indications are that they are indeed comming... Hopefully fairly soon...

Most kind of you, sir ...But hopefully i will be able to be 'in time' next time... True... I (as others, i belive) have had such an idea in the back of my head for quite some time...to do the entire briefing as an attached PDF...But as of yet have not gotten around to actually do it. It will no doubt give the scenario designer greater possibilities to create some very cool briefing documents compared to the quite limited options avaliable currently within the game... One of the things on my wishlist is to be able to upload a greater variaty of files to the briefing screen (not being limited to a simple text-file)...including PDF-files...Also allowing for greater resolution in the briefing screens would be most welcome....Until this happens (if it ever will) i guess that attached PDF-files is a good option for some more detailed and complex briefings... Very much impressed with the way you got this worked out... As i am with the other ideas here... Totally COOL !!

i'm a bit late to this party...i have not been following this thread previously...but like all others... I have to say WOW !! The clever design of this scenario is VERY IMPRESSIVE indeed... One small idea (perhaps not for this scenario but something to considder for future Projects...) The last pictures with the briefing screen containing the intelligence code and stuff looks very cool but i fear it will be somewhat difficult to 'not cheat' and read more lines then the specific one at any given situation...I guess that it will not be all that big a deal if the players do read several of the lines in advance of the actual event...but to some degree it removes some of the fog of war if the player knows about the content of several of the future intelligence reports ahead of time... For example if he reads the K-line he knows he might get an report about a bomb factory...If he reads the J-line he knows he might get a report on the location of 'the jackal'... It may not look quite as good but an option for the intelligence code in the briefing picture could be to use seperate pages at the end of the briefing text or designer notes to share this information. In addition to reducing the risk/cheat of getting to know the basic event of several intelligence reports at ones it will also allow you to include more text in the intelligence reports... There is no limit in the number of pages a briefing or designer note can have as far as i know. You could put ONE report on each individual page...Put the 'page number' at the top and the intelligence report (text) at the bottom....This will allow the player to flip through the pages without risk of Reading the reports not currently ment to be read... One page could look like this perhaps...(the actual briefing text is not very good just a small example of the possibility to add more text to the report... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Intelligence report: J We have recieved information about the Butcher's Lt 'the Jackal' having scheduled a meeting at grid refrence 4413 3108. The time for the meeting is set to 15.30. According to our intelligence he will meet with several junior comanders to discuss future operations in the area. The Jackal usually travels with a security element of something like 20 men, probaly mounted in APCs...Expect additional hostiles to be in close proximity to this meeting... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The team getting killed in the video is not a recon team...As described in the UI it is a FORWARD OBSERVER TEAM...That is...a team specifically tasked with calling in artillery/mortar support. In future games i would recomend you to not use these teams in a 'recon' role...They are to valuable...Move them forward with care through secured terrain...Keep them alive ! Their greatest benefit is shorter delay time (and greater precision i belive) when it comes to Calling in indirect support...Very useful ! Use them for that purpose...

Nice test/explination of the spotting feature... When one sees it like this...the scoring actually makes perfect sence...It's working ! Like Bil mentioned...many cool things could be done using the spotting feature i belive...I guess it has been somewhat neglected previously in scenario designing... The 'reinforcement trick' mentioned some time ago is one of them...Hopefully we will see others in future scenarios...

Thanks ! Looking forward to this module...

It does not have to be 'the most useful' piece of information in every update... Some pics from the upcoming modules, some listings of scenarios/Campaigns finished...that will be included in the upcomming Products... Some kind of information on what they are currently working on...etc...and when possible...some updated release estimates... As it is now...We have no idea...The patch for example might 'magically' show up before the end of this week or it might be another 6 months or something... For the comunity scenario desigers such information would be useful... Getting some Pictures and scenario listings and stuff will also give us something to discuss over here....That would be a good thing...The forum is pretty quiet right now... With regards to questions and complaining...Maybe the beta testers could be allowed to answer the simpler (not game-Engine related) questions and also be able to 'bring' the more serious question to Steves attention...It would perhaps not be all that neccesary for HIM to follow the discussion every day... And complaining...Yeah...maybe. But there is 'complaining' now to...about lack of information...

I guess that this discussion on information sharing could go on forever ...But i can't help but to feel that a simply - all work - approach might not be the best way... Take this 2 person team...I admit i don't know what kind of working hours these guys keep but if it is a pretty normal 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week... During a month these two guys would rack up something like 330+ hours. Why not 'work' 228 of those or something...and spend 2 hours a months for some simple development update... It seems pretty obvious that quite alot of people over here would find that...'customer friendly' Doing this...During a period of 8 months they would loose - ONE ! - working day each...That has to be doable...

Hopefully the guys scenario designing and testing the official stuff right now are doing so with a WIP version of the patch that have solved...or atleast almost solved the reported problems... Other then the official stuff being made there are not all that many people right now posting about stuff they are working on...A few guys...sure But not all that many as far as i know atleast...

That is a very good suggestion But i'm afraid that the lack of new scenarios might very well be a result of - the lack of the patch - Before spending to much time in the editor many designers are probably waitning to see how the new patch will impact gameplay...To avoid having to re-pogram the AI and re-test the scenario if some significant changes are made to how things will work. sure...some initial research can be made...the map maybe...but the AI ? and scenario testing ? Maybe not so much... If we could get atleast some clues as to what the status of the pacth is...Maybe some scenarios would be released with the current game Engine if the wait for the patch is likely to be quite a while yet...But if the patch is released in...two weeks ? It might be better to 'pause' the scenario designing...

Why not do a bit of everything... (if you are allowed to comment on BFCs part) We apprisiate the work you are doing and the QB-maps, scenarios and various testing...But...It's not like it's going to take forever to make some simple statements regarding the current state of the patch.... Surely you guys are discussing this quite alot internally and more people then Steve are 'up to date' on the current state of things. With his promission...maybe others could be allowed to post information on this forum. You don't have to read through the entire thread here for example...It can hardly be news for anyone connected to BFC that a number of people are kindely asking for some updated information regarding the state of this patch... A simple statement like these... "The patch is making very good progress...The latest version have been in testing now for a number of weeks and as of yet no problems have been reported...Some more testing are needed but if no new issius comes up we are pretty happy with the way the game engine works now. All things going well we are hoping for a release at the begining of maj...But no promosies !" or "Unfortunatelly we are still struggeling with a few issius with this new patch. An easy fix does not seem to be possible. We appologize for the delay but we are working as hard as we can to fix these issius. It's impossible right now to give a predicted release date because of these issius." Something like this would not take any more time to post then the quote above....And would atleast give us a 'hint' to if this patch is pretty much ready or not... I'm pretty sure that 99 percent of the people on these forums would not accuse you of neglecting your primary task if you 'sacrificed' an hour of your time every now and then to share some information.... Working on the game is GOOD ! But does it really have to be this 'black and white' (or how to best describe it...) Work or not work...share information or not share information.... It seems a bit strange honestly...

Me too... But then again the commanding officer of my regiment back in the days when i did my basic military training called me... " a triggerhappy lunatic ! " after a small incident involving said CO, me and a machinegun...

Do a quick test in hotseat-mode... Select the unit inside the building ones/prior to the area fire on the building Begins... Check the suppression-meter on the UI...

True... But it is my understanding that these buildings represent houses that have the 'top floor' at the same level as the roof...Just like IRL...Houses with sloping roofs and consequently internaly sloping ceelings on those 'top floors'... With these buildings the roof is not just the roof...it is also the top floor. Thinking of it this way makes these buildings work the same way as the others do...The top floor is unavaliable if the roof is damaged.

If i see any problems at all with the destroyed roofs... This might be it... I don't neccesarely feel that movement to the top floor of a building should be entirely prohibited because of a damaged roof. Many of the maps have buildings with just 2 or 3 floors... This 'rule' might limit the options for troop placement a bit to hard...IRL i belive that troops would in many cases be able to get into those places and find good fighting possitions...

Many thanks ... A small request though (it might just be me)...but i would prefer to see THESE screenshots non-edited (no 'photoshoping')... keep 'em coming.. Thanks...

This is a very good tips ! How does he 'design' the waypoints, the use of triggers, timings, what movement options does he use where and when, the use of other settings such as causious, active, ambush etc...