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Translating Umlaut' s Factory mods to CMBN - plus murals


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Hi y' all
I've begun translating my Factory Mod set from Red Thunder to CMBN. Or at least parts of it, most of it will probably be more work than I´d care to put into it. So I´ll probably leave the factory parts out of it.

 

Anyway, during the process some questions has arisen that I hope to get a bit of help on.

Firstly, I of course couldn´t resist adding a bit to the mods: In my view, one of the main deficiencies of the stock CMBN building texures is the lack of murals. When looking at photos from Normandy, I find them one of the most iconic parts of normandy architechture. So I´ve decided to add some of those.  But I´d really appreciate some input and/or suggestions, as I'm not that knowledgeable about which murals would be the most likely to see in Normandy 1944. So far, I´ve come up with four that I have seen in period photos: Dubonnet, St. Raphaêl, Chocolat Menier and Michelin. But I´d like to add one to three more, for extra variation.

 

So: Can anyone here suggest typical murals of the era - preferably with links to photos? Or do you have comments on the first four?

 

Secondly, I was planning to make a damaged version of my city map, Ciembienne. Unfortunately, it seems that the "heavy rocks" terrain tile that is used for rubble in CMRT isn´t present in BN. Luckily, I can still use RockinHarry´s woderful rubble mod - but I really like to have more options. So could anyone tell me if this is an oversight in the CMBN 3.00 upgrade - or a delibarate omission? In other words: Is it reasonable to expect that it might be added in a later upgrade/patch.

 

Suggestions will, as I said, be much appreciated.

 

Cheers

 

 

 

murals2.jpg

 

 

murals.jpg

 

 

All four together:

 

murals3.jpg

Edited by umlaut
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Beautiful work, McLaut! Did you make them separate buildings or do they overwrite the stock textures? Incredible what something so seemingly simple can do to capture the atmosphere. And I don't mean simple that it didn't take any work or expertise, but simple in a picture on the side of a building. I think it was M1A1 or LongLeftFlank that did stuff for CMSF like that, way back. But the game wasn't as advanced then. Anyway, great job, man!

 

Found this...not exactly the same thing but a mural nonetheless.

 

http://toofatlardies.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/5.jpg

 

 

Mord.

Edited by Mord
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Thanks.

 

I have added extra layouts for these building types. I´m far from finished yet, but the one building type that is finished (commercial 101) originally had 2 layouts you could choose between in the editor. Now there are 10. These are:

 

 

The 2 original layouts

1 slightly modified version of an original layout

2 undamaged versions of RT commercial buildings with Dubonnet mural

1 undamaged version of RT commercial building with St Raphael mural

2 damaged versions of RT commercial buildings with Dubonnet mural

2 damaged versions of RT commercial building with St Raphael mural

 

The reason for double Dubonnet/St. Raphael layouts is that the game reuses the game textures from the gable walls on both sides of the buildings. This means that every building will have a correct mural on one gable wall - and a mirrored mural on the other. So in order to give the scenario designer the possibility to have an unmirrored mural on the gable he wants to display, I had to make two versions of each.

 

This of course have the unfortunate side effect that you should not place these buildings isolated (with both gable walls visible). But if you place them in pairs you´ll always be able to select one that is unmirrored.

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Thanks a lot, Frechtouch. That was just what I was looking for but couldn´t find - because of my very limited french skills.

 

Could you please help a bit more? When I look at the pictures of Total murals it is very hard to tell if they have been made before or after the war. Could you find some links that could show me what Total´s logo looked like before (or during) the war?

 

Cheers

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The reason for double Dubonnet/St. Raphael layouts is that the game reuses the game textures from the gable walls on both sides of the buildings. This means that every building will have a correct mural on one gable wall - and a mirrored mural on the other. So in order to give the scenario designer the possibility to have an unmirrored mural on the gable he wants to display, I had to make two versions of each.

 

This of course have the unfortunate side effect that you should not place these buildings isolated (with both gable walls visible). But if you place them in pairs you´ll always be able to select one that is unmirrored.

 

I was wondering how you handled the mirroring of buildings issue.  But I have to admit I do not quite get what you are saying.  Are you saying that to solve it you place the building so that the mirrored side is against another building? - if so got that makes sense.  But why does that mean you need two murals for each building?  Couldn't I just use the one and put the mirrored side against another building to hide it.

 

Clearly I am not getting something - can you help clarify?  Perhaps with a map editor screen shot with arrows - you the Umlaut's mural for dummies instruction pamphlet :)

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Hi Ian

Hopefully this will explain it: With one version of the building, the mural on the left side of the building will be unmirrored, while the one on the right side will be mirrored. On the the other version of the building it will be the other way around: Mirrored mural on the left, unmirrored on the right. If you place one building alone, both sides will be visible, and thus one of the sides displayed will always be mirrored. If you place the two different versions next to each other you will be able to display only the unmirrored sides, while the mirrored sides are hidden where the buildings meet (or vice versa, if you should prefer that :) )

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Incredible! Really looks amazing. The atmosphere is going to go through the roof. Every time I think you can't top yourself you do it. I think that RT ruins mod really honed your skills. I think it was your breakthrough and you just keep improving. It's really cool watching your talent evolve. Great ****** job my man.

 

 

Mord.

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Hey, Dennis, we need some with a Belgian or Luxembourg flavor! Muy rapido!

 

Well, I´m pretty sure that was spanish :)

 

And why the haste - do you know something we don´t? If so, I have a request: Could you please get the Bulge thread back on topic? :D

 

Regarding your request:

If someone here could help me with pictures of Ardennes buildings, store fronts, murals and other such stuff from the period, then I would be much more ready to make some mods, once Bulge is released. But I am not going to make any mods before the release. Because if I did, and it turned out that BFC had changed their building models - then all my work would be wasted.

 

But again: If anyone here has knowledge of Bulge buildings and such - please let me know.

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