RMM
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Posts posted by RMM
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4 hours ago, Redwolf said:
Ideally the entire "combat" panel needs to be copied for each weapon the unit has. One copy (with target, target arc, armor target arc) each for main gun, TOW, MG respectively one each for smallarms, dragon, LAW etc.
Nah, not really. It's not really all that absurd to suggest that a set of weapons be singled out given how they are/were most certainly operated accordingly in RL.
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Seems like there's a real need to be able to better restrict LATW units from using their LATW's, while still allowing them complete freedom with their regular small-arms. Currently, the armoured covered arc restricts all attacks, and while I see the ambush value in that, having the current, all-or-nothing choice doesn't seem particularly realistic. As it currently stands, it seems like we can set an armoured covered arc, in which case they'll never fire at anything else unless the enemy is, literally in the same room...and even then(!), or we don't, in which case they fire off all their limited and precious LATW ammo at the first thing, usually infantry, that pops its head up. Consequently, when actual AFV's show up, they've got nothing left
Granted, it may be hard to model for the AI, and certainly morale state should play a role in this (the more upset they are, the more likely they are to just fire off whatever is to hand!), but in general terms, could there not be a way to set a general, armoured-targets restriction while still leaving them free to normally engage with small arms? Maybe be able to set both armoured and normal target arcs?
Either that, or please loosen up the present, seemingly overly strict limits on their firing at non-AFV targets. Maybe a 10 or 15mtr range, or make that a variable, allowing the player to set their small-arms engagement range, assuming they're in good order of course?
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On 5/27/2021 at 11:32 AM, billy_sp said:
I use an old version of Gimp (2.6.7) as it seems to work fine for CM bmps and transparencies. Can be done as simply as SELECT> BY COLOUR, then COLOURS> COLOUR TO ALPHA. Then, and this is important in this version of Gimp, FILE> SAVE AS.. (name) and when prompted press SAVE, a box with Advanced Options tree should pop up and make sure 32 bits A8 R8 G8 B8 is the one checked, otherwise it may well not save as 32bit. This will automatically save as a transparent alpha channel. Just one more way of getting round inherent oddities with Gimp!
So the only thing with this is that one still has to 'export as' to make it a .bmp, and that seems to be where the hang up continues - Now I'm getting a black box in the game instead of a black-n-white mortar triangle for SS
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On 5/27/2021 at 10:57 AM, Redwolf said:
Okay, so here is the thing. The regular GIMP bmp importer does not support transparency. Your problem is on the input, not the output. The file inside gimp has no transparency / alpha channel.
However, I found a workaround:
- convert the bmp file to a png file using ffmpeg
- import that png file into gimp. It has the proper transparency. See attached xcf file
Soo, unfortunately, after I switched the colours around for SS (Black n white iso the grey and black, I now just get a black box in the game for the icon
Will keep experimenting and also check out @bill_sp 's suggestion too, but if you have any further insight...?
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On 5/27/2021 at 10:57 AM, Redwolf said:
Okay, so here is the thing. The regular GIMP bmp importer does not support transparency. Your problem is on the input, not the output. The file inside gimp has no transparency / alpha channel.
However, I found a workaround:
- convert the bmp file to a png file using ffmpeg
- import that png file into gimp. It has the proper transparency. See attached xcf file
Sweet. Nice work and thank you. Good insight. Time to start editing again!
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8 minutes ago, Artkin said:
Instead of automating these micromanagements, I think because should focus on making CM coop-friendly. We are playing a coop game (2vs2) right now and are having a total blast.
Bfc blessed us with being able to micromanage our units with ridiculous detail. Why do you guys want to remove this?
I vote for loving your pixeltruppen more, and instead of renoving the load, divide it!
More is definitely better
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4 hours ago, Redwolf said:
Thanks. Can you also post the original bmp? I'm on a Mac right now, no rezexplode.
I notice that the xcf doesn't have an alpha layer at all.
Here ya go. It's from Juju's icon mod
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20 minutes ago, Redwolf said:
I still think it would be useful to make the xcf file available so that we can have a look directly.
Done. It's a little rough, but I just opened the original icon file, filled in the mortar image and the gray background around it. At this point, any exporting creates a black square in the game rather than retaining the original triangle shape.
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1 hour ago, kohlenklau said:
Not sure if this is part of the issue...
I just remembered, GiMP has some stupid issue with not being able to export BMP files with the proper bits.
My SOP is to do my art work in GiMP and then export as a bmp file. THEN I open that bmp file in free Paint.NET and immediately save again and it always works. Ridiculous but it is what it is.
Ahh yes. Ok, I did check, and the exterior of the icon was, indeed completely black. Not really surprising, since all I'd done was open the original icon file and change the colours. So yeh, I think it's GIMP issue.
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2 hours ago, kohlenklau said:
Let me first say...I am NOT an expert, just an amateur struggling along maybe not far from your level of proficiency!
I am at work and don't have my notes but I think the thing to check is the RGB settings of the "BLACK" you are bucket filling into your areas to make transparent. It can look black but that is not good enough, it must be 0,0,0 I think. I can post later from home to clarify.
Interesting, I will definitely check that. When I selected 'transparent' in GIMP for that area, it showed in GIMP as transparent, but that may not be true once it's converted into bmp for the game. As you, it has to be true black. Tks
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2 hours ago, kohlenklau said:
@RMM I use GiMP a lot and have never had that happen.
No offense, but I would say that if you are an inexperienced GiMP user, it most likely was something YOU did accidentally and not GiMP behaving oddly. There are keystroke short cuts and settings and lots of ways to step on a landmine as an inexperienced user. I salute you for trying. Perhaps try again.
No offense taken; I appreciate your taking the time to reply. I did quite a bit of Photoshop in the day, but that was a long time ago. I did figure out the off-centre issue which was in the export settings. Under 'Compatibility Options', I had to select 'Do not write color space info', and that got the image centred. I wasn't able however, to recreate the transparent masks, such as Juju did for his triangle mortar icons. Thoughts? I tried creating an Alpha channel for transparency on the outside, black area, but that just turned the entire icon black in the game. Gave up at that point.
Since you use GIMP, how would you go about editing say, just the colours and border transparency for these icons then? I thought it would be a simply enough issue of using the bucket to fill the imported image and/or the background and then, just export the result as a bmp; however, that turned out to not be the case.
Must say the nice thing about GIMP is that it is pretty easy to start learning and very easy to do internet searched for any questions or issues, plus a really good, community-forum support.
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Since this is a 'wishlist' after all...
Changes to 3D models for destroyed pillboxes and bunkers in particular as well as vehicles. Someone did a mod a while back to mod certain, wrecked PzIV's and Sherman II's, but that's been it to date, as far as I know. From a practical standpoint, would help to see what's destroyed v's abandoned, but would also, greatly add to the visual effects.
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On 5/22/2021 at 4:02 PM, Holman said:
Buddy aid has a random element, and rightly so.
Maybe you want the FT, but the buddy just has no idea how to use it correctly. Maybe that BAR is better than your carbine, but the stock got shattered by the blast that killed the BAR man. Maybe you'd love to pick up that M240, but the former gunner's entrails are currently slathered all over it.
I could see that, if it just a random thing, but I'm not so sure. Am finding other limits on buddy-aid that make me wonder. Like I wrote to Erwin, when it come to specialist teams like that, any surviving members should absolutely be expected to pick up the reason for the team's existance and carry on the mission, particularly given that would have all trained together.
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On 5/22/2021 at 3:39 PM, Erwin said:
I wouldn't either. Shows the fidelity of the CM2's individual trooper's AI.
Back then though, that would have been a court-martial offense, at the very a 'least lack of moral fibre' charge that would have plagued you for the rest of your life. Not only that, but it doesn't jive with some others actions by the AI, such as if a halftrack gunner gets cut down, another takes his place and so n so forth until, potentially the entire vehicle's occupants are all lying in a pool of each other's remains. No, specialist-team buddy aid absolutely should involve acquiring the reason for the team's existance.
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On 5/22/2021 at 2:07 PM, mjkerner said:
Yup, I have a functioning mortar team without ammo from one platoon, in a building near the Moltke Bridge in Berlin, and a mortar ammo bearer team from a different platoon but same company holding 24 mortar shells their dead mortar team will never use, in the same building. In there with them are the Company and Battalion CO’s. I frankly couldn’t remember if they would share being in the same company and with higher HQ in the same Action Square. They don’t.
All the more heartbreaking for the single, surviving ammo bearer who started out under fire with the rest of the 5 man team which had panicked when the mortar team in the next foxhole was blown to smithereens. They crossed more than 100 yards under fire the whole way from north of the bridge, across it, then finding safety (for the survivor) in a building on the south side. Sole survivor Private Bergmann actually carried those 24 rounds most of the way himself—excruciatingly slowly—cuz his brethren all got wasted while running through the rubble on the north side. When reporting to both CO’s and being told that his mortar rounds would not be shared with the team with the empty mortar crouching over against the wall, I could just catch a glimpse of the grenade he had surreptitiously pulled from under his tunic; the look in his eyes was chilling....
Lol!
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Hi all,
Problems with GIMP:
Spent much of this afternoon trying to edit some floating icons in BfN the way I'd like them, and thought I was making great progress doing the edits in GIMP (free Photoshop(ish) program) until I opened the game. While GIMP had made the edits, when it exported back to a bmp file, it somehow shifted the image slightly to the left, so that the very left side of the icon image was on the right of the square (like how a TV picture can appear if you've got it off centre). Insight anyone? What have other mod editors used, since it's obviously doable given how many floating icon mods are out there. Rather not think about spending a sum on Photoshop.
Mod Tags:
Also finished up sorting through DKC's enormous and comprehensive BfN/MG/CM... mod and gleefully jumped into Lonsdale's Block to see the changes to the Airborne Jeep graphics only to just see the stock US jeep
. DKC's UK vehicles mod contained two tagged, jeep mods for 1 para and 3 para, both tags of which are on the .btt file. Is that the problem - the game doesn't know which one to pick, since both are applicable?
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A quick aside to the previous post about buddy aiding, I also just had an FT team where the actual flamethower operator was cut down, but when his team-mate buddy-aided him, he did not pick the FT!
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38 minutes ago, akd said:
BLAST should actually be labeled BREACH. It is not a targeting order, but a way to alter pathing obstacles.
Agreed, and how does one 'breach' a pillbox/bunker or otherwise use the charges against said fortifications?
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So I've now confirmed that ammo sharing does not happen between different, non-affiliated units; ie. not from the same section or squad. While one can make the arguement that people might want to hang on to the ammo they have, particularly if everyone is getting low, I have a howitzer ammo-bearer from a different section next to another section's howitzer, and they're NOT allowing the howitzer's crew access to their ammo. This is surely dumb, particularly when the bearer's original gun has been lost.
I also have a spotter unit that picked up some mortar ammo during a previous buddy aid, but will not allow a mortar section that's adjacent to it access to that ammo, even though, obviously, it has absolutely no use for the ammo itself!
On a more general unit, I've seem units with a pile of 9mm ammo (for example) stacked with a unit that's run out, and yet not allow that other unit to share said pile.
This really should be fixed please.
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I saw in a previous thread, someone mentioned that one can trace a blast command horizontally to the surface you wish to blast, but Pillboxes and bunkers usually aren't lareg enough to trace a path like that; ie. they're usually only one 'hex' wide.
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2 minutes ago, ASL Veteran said:
They should eventually toss the demo charge themselves if you just leave them to do their own thing. Targeting might actually confuse the pixeltruppen in some cases.
Interesting, and how close do they have to be to toss it? Adjacent?
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So, since one's truppen can't enter such fortifications as long as they're occupied by enemy, suggestions on how to use the blast command in this situation? I'm experimenting with just using the target command from adjacent 'hex', but I hope my troops won't just blow themselves up too!
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8 hours ago, StieliAlpha said:
TWC means the scenario has been made by „The Blitz Wargame Club“, if I recall correctly.
VP means „Vehicle Pack“ and indicates, that you need to have the vehicle pack to play this scenario. Such scenarios use some of the equipment, which was included in the VP only, like the Crocodiles or minesweepers.
Ahhhh, ok. That explains why I couldn't figure it out; although I have the P, so not so much excuse there! Thanks @StieliAlpha
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As much as I hate to, I'm just have to admit to being utterly dumb here! What do 'TWC' and 'VP' stand for in some of these scenario titles?
Engine 5 Wishlist
in Combat Mission - General Discussion
Posted
I would think some specific AI has been worked in for such units given the specific nature of the mission, and at least their weapon loadout is not at odds with itself which LATW units tend to be, being both anti-personnel and AT