Kevin2k

Here is another factoid, the other way around, example procedure: Open older CMBN QB map "Asslt Med Village QB-006" with CMBN v1.11, remove all the houses, save it, do the usual header modification, open in CMSF2: success! If you save with later CMBN it won't work (not even a blank map), if you leave or add a single modular building it won't work. I suppose independent buildings also mean trouble.

I just did quick test, and indeed CMSF1 is much easier then CMSF2. In fact, it is as easy as it can possibly be. With the usual minor edit a CMSF1 map will load in current CMBN/CMRT/CMFB. CMFI/CMBS/CMCW can be assumed to work with them as well.

My two cents on CMA+CMSF1/2 versus the other CM-game's map formats. First of: there is always header of the file, which is not all that hard to map out, then after that is large compressed block. The difference between the above game-series is seemingly in the compressed block. When you don't know the compression method there is nothing one can do. I am not saying it is now game-on to find the compression method, but rather to suggest more realistic expectations: Seems to me like a fruitless exercise unless the compression is mapped out.

At least for this mission it seemed plausible, because these AT guns are the only antidote against the many approaching German tanks and StuGs. I can imagine in real life even nearby non-crew soldiers would operate the gun, if need be. It must be quite nasty though working with a gun whilst reaching over all the dead crew. Other times, in other battles I see the Red force crawling over a choke point littered with Red force bodies, and I think in real life the red force would be so smart, or emotional to avoid that place. But I suppose that would require the AI to come up with a plan B, which is not so easy to implement.

I kinda know CM by now. The question "How would anyone know that" only applied if your answer was 'CMCW' instead of 'any CM'. Which is actually what I thought this was about, since I wrote my confusion is for this release. I have no strong opinion about the briefings really, other things more so.

I suppose. That last bit I quoted. You mean CMCW or any CM? How would anyone know that, who does not hang out regularly in the forums here.

This is confusing for this release. It is hard to decide who you are facing, a commercial company or enthusiasts who did the wargaming world a favor. Seems to be both. But I do think the commercial company side of things should have gone over things afterwards, more then they did, or price CMCW one dollar below normal full game price?

There are only these two wav files in the new archives: red thunder v210a\sound\air mg151-20 750 4000.wav red thunder v210a\sound\gun 6mm italian.wav

If you want a Tiger tank stuck on a bridge in CMRT v2.11, I will be so kind to help you out https://www.mediafire.com/file/fk3krmu3j8wbwiv/Tukums-tiger-stuck.bts/file First mission of Tukums campaign. Tiger is not bogged or immobilized. It still turns to face enemies. But it does not move. It forgets any move order when deselected/selected. It happened to me three times on that map, with that Tiger. This third time was a test I just did. Provoked it a little by pausing him in the middle. When actually playing this mission yesterday all other crossings were fine and it did not really bother me.

* minor spoilers here * Finished this mission today. But I save-scummed so much, so actually I was cheating that way (last save was no. 64). The forest on the left went reasonably well, mainly by driving 7 tanks through it. But these Russian PAKs are terrible indeed. Even when most of their crew are dead, the remaining guys keep shooting. Then came the time limit and and I had to redo the second half of the advance. But had to make it a perfect run to the mission goals to get there in time. Identifying any source of enemy fire ASAP, then suppressing it with cannon fire. Whilst doing that, the traffic had to keep going as well. I tried to get some infantry across the stream, as tank riders, but they were too late anyways to make any difference at that end of the map. Should not have bothered. When time was up there were still many Russian soldiers in the surroundings. I still got a Total Victory regardless. Man that was hard work.

I can replicate this. Seems to be like this: When you save under a name that already exists, it does not overwrite the save, but makes a save file in the 'Red Thunder' folder instead, and names it "tempfile *something*.tmp".

Indeed. In flights sims it is even more relevant. In games in general there are two kinds of Lower Detail Model issues: 1- The one where the transition to a lower detail of the 3D model, the switching, is too visible, or shows artifacts. 2- The one where 3D models are supplied without sufficient, or any, lower detail model variants: The model itself looks perfect all the time, but it drags the frame-rate of the engine down. Then people may complain about the engine, but it is actually such models giving the engine too many polygons to render, when unnecessary.

I am aware what I just wrote was negative feedback. But it is factual. And I made sure to add constructive advise. Maybe such advise was out place to a game developer. But honestly, from what I saw in CMCW v1.00 it seemed like someone should say it. So I am wrong you say, because of "techno-wizardry you don't understand" Fine. (do understand that answer leaves some doubts.) I really want CM games, and especially CMCW, to be in the best state they possibly can. And I see the quality in the engine and in the missions and TO&E. And I appreciate that people put in personal effort to make CMCW happen, as you said you did, despite Battlefront working on other things as well.

Let me add this: I don't have to tell you which distance-lods are present or missing in any CM game. Just extract all mdr files in the brz archives and make a list of them. About them malfunctioning, or their effect on frame-rate, it is very hard to check as an end user. There are no functions available in the game to check this, so it is all just anecdotal observations from people with less powerful Graphics cards. There needs to be something to debug this on the dev-side, maybe there already is, but the CMCW team hasn't used it for sure

What is the question exactly? M60 tank series - malfunctioning LODs, seemingly untested properly. US infantry - malfunctioning LODs, seemingly untested properly. M16A1 rifle - no LODs, just a single main one. Rather odd since this one is everywhere. Did not look any further yet, but this is indicative of, lets say 'structural negligence' of LODs. Like I said in the bugs thread, someone on the DEV-side should check all the newly introduced 3D models LODs. I switched to messing with Fire & Rubble instead, for now, until there is a patch.

Or malfunctioning/absent lower detail models, which decreases the framerate, which makes the game engine compensate it by decreasing draw distance. The situation with the lower detail models of this CMCW game is not that good. Not as good as the other CM games.

Panzer IIIG - When aiming its cannon vertically, like lower, its rotation hinge point is wrong, and the gun+shield look like they are detaching. Edit: The older model from Battle for Normandy - Market Garden, (771.973 bytes) works OK in this regard, but won't support tank riders.

Panzer III Flame - Game allows tank riders here, but the model does not support it, so those guys become invisible.

T-34-85 (1944 Latest) - The front fenders are gone when looking at the tank from the front, but they appear when looking more from the back.

I don't know why that gear shows up. But I did come up with an idea of what I see, it is a lower detail model flashing through. Together with the helmet issue, it makes me think the lower detail models of the 1980 US soldiers here, are basically files from WW2 GI's or something. So then next up is the BTR-70. it is way too big. I am probably not making myself popular here. But the 3D model work of the newly introduced items is below the quality that I came to expect. Though luck. I don't think me nagging is really gonna change that situation. Someone skilled at the DEV-side with access to the 3DSmax files should go over it thoroughly.

When zooming in on US infantry, and rapidly mouse-clicking on them, I see extra pockets and gear flashing in and out again? The soviets don't show such, CMRT does not show such either.

Regarding the MG gunner of either an M113A1 or M113A2, with a squad inside. When the MG gunner dies, none of the squad take over the MG gunner position, unless you unload the squad and then load them back in.

It is not a block or DRM, at least nothing more then it used to be, just a minor change to a format. You are misstating the intent. If they wanted to block/DRM you really, and put effort in that, it would be different.

I am not talking about me or you. I am just stating what it obviously going on. I tested the block you suggested, as stated in my previous message. It does not exist.

Yeah, basically I don't disagree with request for keeping things open, and to empower the end user. But the trend with modern software is to centralize things, lock things, decrease choices. For example: I would be nagging Microsoft a lot, if I think it helped. It does not. And they set the trend of what is business as usual. As a test: I managed to convert FR_Batzlow-1040x1040-Forest-Meeting-01.btt to show up in CM Cold War, just now. It needed a little more then the usual hex-edit, but not much.