Christmas Bone

[AstroCat]

Great bone thanks BF.

Someone mentioned hit decals.. thats a big one for me.

I did. I really hope this feature finally makes an appearance. Damage decals would really add a lot for my immersion in the game.

[Michael Emrys]

So you just want an Op Level game period. Doesn't have to involve CMX2?

Absolutely. A series of good to excellent operational or strategic games that don't present the player with an unbearable workload would be right up my alley.

But don't assume that I would necessarily advise BFC to undertake such a project, at least during the rest of this decade. As you pointed out, they are currently the big fish in a small pond. Were they to attempt to market operational games, they would suddenly find themselves duking it out with a host of competitors who have experience in the market and a host of dedicated customers. BFC would have to be able to offer something that the other don't and it would have to be a big enough something to draw a customer base large enough to make it all pay. Were I to be bold enough to counsel BFC on this issue, my advice would be to think long and hard before you take this on and make sure you have plenty of money in the bank and no outstanding bills.

Michael

[Wodin]

ARIS..where are you???

[Fuser]

Here. Busy lately. Do you miss me?

[Fenris]

Great to see EF, obviously really looking forward to it. For the obligatory 'more' question... Any word on fire/burning buildings? Am hoping fire can come soonish. Burning villages to deny cover is something I've read about often enough. I also reckon we need a lot more smoke on CM battlefields.

Thanks

-F

[Wodin]

Here. Busy lately. Do you miss me?

Yes...awfully!!

[leakyD]

Yeah, OK, East Front.

Thanks.

But...

FIRE, FIRE, FIRE!

Where's the FIRE?!?

:confused::confused::confused:

[Fetchez la Vache]

Should have dubbed "Jingle Bells" onto the video. ;-)

[Endymion]

By the way, is there any news on fire and flamethrower development? I vaguely remeber these were mentioned somewhere as planned for 3.0 but I'm guessing they won't be in, for now at least?

Edit: And happy holidays everyone

[Vanir Ausf B]

After watching that video a 2nd time I have to wonder if perhaps the artillery lethality was dialed way down to make that video. That or those tank riders are incredibly tough. Or just lucky.

[womble]

Sure sure, we know these are company or battalion supply points. But that doesn't make them indifferent to being hit by a 155mm shell, or their owner's to their being overrun, etc. Which was, I thought, the subject being considered.

No, but it does mean the additional explosive force of the ammo which sympathetically detonates probably isn't going to significantly add to the destructive effect of the initial impact.

How much of a box of brass-cased MG ammo would cook off if a grenade detonated in it? How many grenades in a case would go "bang" if a burst of MG fire went through it? My guess would be "not much" and the bullets would more likely be additional shrapnel distributed. Not that you'd be wanting to take cover behind such a cache... And you'd really want to pile a few sandbags over boxes with artillery shells in, or scrape them some protection in a bank or hollow.

I think calling them ammo caches or resupply points would be better than ammo dump. Slightly more obscure, but a lot more precise.

[futon river crossing]

Great news !!!

But fire is a must have....... I can't imagine the collective meltdown if it's not included in version 3.

[Fuser]

Call me pessimistic, well, call me whatever you want, but I don't think FIRE and other spectacular effects are possible with the actual engine, call it 2.1, or 3.0 or whatever,...my 2 cents,...

[Placebo]

Just because it has not been announced does not mean it is not in. It could still be too buggy and still be work in progress, or it may be a bit of clever marketing to hold back this info for now.

My fingers are still crossed anyway

[Wodin]

Fuser..we already have flames on the Tanks so I'm sure it can be done graphically..plus it's something BF have at the top of their list as they have mentioned on more than one occasion so I'm pretty certain it can be done. Just a big time consuming feature I expect.

If it couldn't be done BF would have stated awhile ago and not told us it's near the top of their to do list.

I expect when Fire arrives it will be one of the surprise features and not mentioned until the full game details are released.

[Markus86]

A flame on a tank is something totally different than a "fire-system". This flame is a graphic effect, while the second one is kind of a physical simulation.

How does it react to wind, how does it damage vehicles, fire spread, imagine a city in flames and what it means for your hardware. Lots of calculations and things which are affected by it.

It's such a complex feature, I can't imagine to see it ingame. It would need so much ressources to realize.

The starting position (tiles made out of different materials) seems already to be an obstacle.

Maybe fire will get featured one day, but very restricted. Like flame-weapons, burning houses, burning tiles; but no fire spread or physical simulation.

Just my two cents.

[Wodin]

I understand that..Fuser knows the inns and outs of the texturing etc..so thought he may have been thinking along those lines.

They did it in CMx1..so I'm sure we will see it. Not expecting some kind of grog like fire simulation or anything, but I sure BF can do something. As I said they'd have come right out with it if it wasn't possible.

[para]

I want to burn cities/towns and villages down

[AstroCat]

I'd actually take the decals over fire, but fire would be very close behind, as well as an abstracted hand to hand system, although I'd take decals and fire over that any day.

[Vanir Ausf B]

I'll take properly functioning fog over fire or decals.

[futon river crossing]

For me - decals don't add any functionality, so would be way down my list, fire first, please! Actually fire is above tank riders too.

Surely fire would have to added, before the "packs" come out.......... otherwise the packs won't include any of the flame vehicles/units in them. In order for upgrading version 3 backwards to CMFI/BN, surely fire, would already be in the game.......... well that's the way I see it anyway. Fire is such a big bone, i'm sure they're saving it up for later, in order to "fan the flames" a little more........... either that, Or Steve, put us out of our misery now, and confirm it's not in the game........

[Canada Guy]

Some of my fondest memories are of CMBB. I am looking forward to some of the larger scenarios being converted to CM:Bag. A few questions:

How soon before a family release is a dedicated forum page created? I have forgotten how soon the CMFI page was created but since it was a surprise announcement, I had thought BF had held off as much as possible. Since we know about CM:Bag, I would expect in the next month (if Steve's comment about "real Soon" actually does mean real soon).

I was also wondering if v3.0 is what we are striving for or after 3.0 is released, there will be plans for a 4.0 about a year or two later? Is this an iterative process?

I am hoping for something that mimics the command delay in CMBB. Yes, a bit gamey but it really did make you feel you had much less control over your conscript/green troops/tanks and that they were a different breed to command. I would like to see something like that for units out of contact with their leaders. Something to make the differentiation amongst quality really felt. Perhaps no assault, no ambush, no covered arcs for conscripts – they just shoot, move and fast move. Green would have more options. In leader contact, the more options. I really want to see something that prohibits green/conscript Russian tanks without Radios and without leader contact to feel like they should. You should not be able to command them as you would a veteran in the same situation. If they both respond as quickly and with all options, then we are missing something. I am sure Steve/Charles/Phil et al. will think of something. If not, please bring back an option for command delay.

[A Canadian Cat]

Call me pessimistic, well, call me whatever you want, but I don't think FIRE and other spectacular effects are possible

For me - decals don't add any functionality, so would be way down my list, fire first, please! Actually fire is above tank riders too.

Surely fire would have to added, before the "packs" come out.......... otherwise the packs won't include any of the flame vehicles/units in them. In order for upgrading version 3 backwards to CMFI/BN, surely fire, would already be in the game.......... well that's the way I see it anyway. Fire is such a big bone, i'm sure they're saving it up for later, in order to "fan the flames" a little more........... either that, Or Steve, put us out of our misery now, and confirm it's not in the game........

I think Steve is having a good time watching us speculate. His Xmas gift to him self:D

Just because it has not been announced does not mean it is not in.

^^^^^My personal guess based on:

3. Yup, the bones described so far are very good ones. But not necessarily all the best ones. Always depends on personal preference

[Wodin]

Fire, loose line formation aswell as current column\follow the leader, then decals please;)

[Vark]

Interesting to play CMBB classic scenarios such as Jagermeister in the new game and see how they play out differently. Variable spotting will have a big impact, especially as T-34's have no rear facing periscopes, a paucity of RT equipment and must be buttoned to open fire. Then again a Soviet Pak front will not be eliminated by a barrage of shots within seconds and non-penetrating shots from ATR's can slowly wound even the big cats.

The problem I see is the ability of the Soviets to be far too flexible, tactically. Gone are the crude but workable command delays, so what to stop a Soviet rifle company/ tank platoon reacting with unhistoric rapidity to a flanking attack?