umlaut Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Hi guys This is a thread about my "Factory Project" (working title): A heavily damaged industrial town, based on a rather large set of modded buildings and other files. 17 I had actually planned to hold back revealing anything about the project until I was a bit closer to releasing. But I couldn´t help letting the cat spill the beans out of the bag in the screenshot thread some days ago when the only things being discussed on the forum seemed to be Stug turn rates and BFC on Steam. This of course means that the release of this modpack is not imminent - but perhaps a couple of months into the future. What I´m working on is this: A fictional map of (parts of) a town with a large factory complex and an small industrial river harbour. The town has previously been subject to intense fighting and so large parts of it is heavily damaged. The town should hopefully look a bit like Stalingrad - but on a much smaller scale both when it comes to size and level of damage (I don´t think the Stalingrad level of damage will be possible to make in CM at the moment). The damaged town has to look realistic - more realistic than is possible to make with the stock damaged buildings. Consequently, the core of my project is to turn some of the current stock buildings into heavily damaged buildings. I am not that happy about the damage shown on in game buildings. A bit simplified it could be described as: Either a large hole in the wall - or completely flattened (Mind you, I don´t think this is due to sloppy work from BFC, but because they have to deliver a game where all the little pieces fit perfectly together. As a modder, I have the luxury of being allowed to make texures that will work in some situations but be completely useless in others). So I have tried to improve a lot of the game´s damage files. I ´ve tried some of this before: Six or seven years ago I made a "Stalingrad-ish" mod pack with damaged buildings for CMBB. I´d been considering doing the same for CM2 ever since the release of CMBN, but I decided against it for several reasons: Firstly, because the way textures are used and displayed in CM doesn´t go very well with making damaged building mods. But more importantly: Making these mods would affect the buildings in all the player´s scenarios, not just the ones they were intended to be used in. That meant that the players using the mods would have to move the mods in and out of their z folder, depending on which scenario they were currently playing. Fortunately, that is no longer an issue since the release of CM2 3.0 and the introduction of scenario specific mod tags. The mod tags make sure that the mods will only show up in the scenario that are made for these mods. So I thought I´d give it a try. Making something like this takes a lot of modding: So far my project folder contains 201 modded BMP´s, and I guess there will be at least 100 more before I´m ready to release the map. These mods are mainly: Buildings Bridges Flavor objects Roads Terrain And a single vehicle: a Studebaker turned into a railcar. Enough words. Below I´ll post some pictures of the map - and probably a few videos too. I´ll add more pics when there is new stuff to show. Later, I will post more detailed descriptions of some of the mods and their use as a service for those scenario designers who´d like to use the mods in their own scenarios. The background info should make it easier to understand what these mods can be used for and - probably more important - what they can´t be used for. Cheers Without the mods: before With the mods: after 5 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umlaut Posted June 20, 2014 Author Share Posted June 20, 2014 13 14 15 12 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umlaut Posted June 20, 2014 Author Share Posted June 20, 2014 7 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sburke Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Damn Umlaut. Having seen the map, the screen shots still send chills up my spine. Amazing work that will be very much appreciated. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
von Schweinewitz Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Fantastic work! Enjoyed your old CMBB Stalingrad mods back in the old days - and now that! Blows my mind. (Haven't played the CM1 games for some years, bought CMRT some days ago after trying the demo a bit and and now I'm overwhelmed by detail overload, splendid 3D models, great mods and tank porn in general. (Being an Eastern Front nerd, I ignored CMBN and FI totally. )) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzz Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 "The damaged town has to look realistic .." I think you got realistic dialed in well Umlaut. 1st screenshot is the winer in terms of overall impact but they all convey your intent. Scenario specific mod tags that only show up in the scenario that are made for these mods is going to be an advantage for us all.. the mod artists, end users and Battlefront. Thank you. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broadsword56 Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Jaw-dropping. Takes the game to an entirely different level. We've been needing proper urban ruins for years now. At last!! Stalingrad here we come. (and BTW, is that a grain elevator in the distance on shot #12?) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Collingwood Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Outstanding work Umlaut. I agree with Broadsword56, urban ruins have been unconvincing - until now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Lee Irked Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Well my jaw is now all bruised from hitting the floor thanks Umlaut. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jorge MC Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Real Nice! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aragorn2002 Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Gorgeous, Umlaut, really special. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umlaut Posted June 21, 2014 Author Share Posted June 21, 2014 (and BTW, is that a grain elevator in the distance on shot #12?) Well spotted, sir: It is. The reason I haven´t posted closer screenshots is because it is not quite finished yet. The mod is based on church steeples with transparent cupolas, but I am having trouble getting rid of some strange shadows from the cupolas. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PanzerMike Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 I am making an urban scenario right now. With this it will look a WHOLE lot better. Amazing stuff. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanks a Lot Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Just amazing creativity by Umlaut on this one, I never would have thought of doing some of the things he's done. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sburke Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Well spotted, sir: It is. The reason I haven´t posted closer screenshots is because it is not quite finished yet. The mod is based on church steeples with transparent cupolas, but I am having trouble getting rid of some strange shadows from the cupolas. Yeah I think no matter how much you put in effort wise, there are some issues that will be hard to avoid that are hard coded - edges and shadows, vertices that show up etc. I saw some similar items in the CMSF euro mod where the Stryker cages still show some lines on the vehicles. At a certain point you have to accept some of those or drive yourself nuts. As it is even if you are still struggling with some items you have set a really high bar for what can be done. I may just print out some of these pics and decorate my work station. Diorama quality work that has me drooling to see more. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juju Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Great stuff, Umlaut. Can't wait to see the finished project! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vergeltungswaffe Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 That place looks so good, I want to find cover. Great immersiveness. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umlaut Posted June 21, 2014 Author Share Posted June 21, 2014 Thanks for all the nice comments guys. I´m nearly blushing. Here´s the grain elevator from a favorable angle. As you can see - not completely finished yet. 18 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzz Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Needs a sign "No Smoking" with that much grain dust But then somebody may blow it up anyway. Very nice umlaut. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broadsword56 Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Well spotted, sir: It is. The reason I haven´t posted closer screenshots is because it is not quite finished yet. The mod is based on church steeples with transparent cupolas, but I am having trouble getting rid of some strange shadows from the cupolas. That's as good a grain elevator as we could ever hope to see. Well done. And, being modded from buildings, it's one that can be fought through and fought from. Re: modded church steeples -- I've often suggested on the forums that we desperately need industrial smokestacks. I always thought perhaps the church steeples were the best modding candidates for that, until BFC gives us some -- given that they're already relatively tall and narrow. But since I'm not a modder, I have no idea. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaeger Jonzo Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 Great work umlaut, the ruins look very realistic. Bfc's damaged buildings are a bit weak looking for a 21st century PC combat sim 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fizou Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 Truly stunning work umlaut!!! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erwin Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 amazing achievement, umlaut! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saferight Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 Urban environments are going to actually look like warzones now!! Thanks umlaut! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grunt_GI Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 Wow..fantastic. Would love to see heavy urban combat. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.