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Naughty or nice... here's some bones!


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Yeah. I mean, after playing CMBS, how can I play CMBN? You want me to downgrade my Abrams to Shermans? /s

The engine 4 is vastly superior to 1. This is a huge shift. If the CMSF milieu is not your thing, then don’t buy. If you do buy, you’ll enjoy another CM experience.

 

Edited to add: Merry Christmas! ;)

Edited by c3k
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On 10/12/2017 at 1:23 AM, Battlefront.com said:

... it's a good place to post Bones so everybody sees them.  Do you doubt me?  Well, I'll prove it by tossing out some Bones!

Summer is always a slower period for us than the rest of the year, but that doesn't mean we're slacking off on some tropical island somewhere sipping brightly colored drinks with little umbrellas in them.  Currently we have in the works:

  • Rome to Victory - this project got sidetracked due to a bunch of issues, but it's getting a lot of attention these days.  When completed, CMFI will have a big list of new forces and the timeframe extended to the end of the war.  It will likely be our next release
  • Untitled Eastern Front Module - active work has been going on since the Spring and it's shaping up quite nicely.  This will take CMRT up to the end of the war, including some huge Berlin maps

Now let's see, is there anything else to talk about?  Well, there is the Alpha of Combat Mission Shock Force 2 we uploaded for testers yesterday.  I suppose a few of you might be interested in it, so I'll take some time to do that.

 

I think there is just a feeling that the modules that have been in development for years could use some news over something that just entered alpha.  Going back to 2015 there was work on CMFI and CMRT!

On 12/24/2015 at 5:33 PM, ChrisND said:

Here's a quick update on what we are up to! Well, what we're willing to reveal just yet...

5. After Final Blitzkrieg is out early next year, our plan is to spend 2016+ expanding our current titles with more modules and packs. The following are closest in the pipeline:

  • Fortress Italy module: this is the next big thing coming, and work has already begun on it. See #5 below for details!
  • Red Thunder module: winter combat on the East Front...
  • Black Sea module: think Marines, Naval Infantry, and VDV, among other new forces. And new high-tech toys. I want to really flesh out American, Ukrainian, and Russian forces/equipment on all levels before moving on to new nationalities.
  • More Battle Packs.

6. The next Fortress Italy module is in the early stages of development, at this point primarily artwork by our 3D artist Cassio.

  • This new module will push the timeline for the Italian front all the way from June 1944 to the end of the war in May 1945.
  • The main operations covered will be the race north following the capture of Rome, the fighting on the Gothic Line, and the Po Valley offensives in 1945.
  • The following services will be added: British Indian Army, South Africa, French Expeditionary Corps (including Moroccan Goumiers), and Waffen-SS. Of course, existing services will be filled out with all of the new formations that have been created for other Combat Mission titles since the last Fortress Italy module released: Gebirgsjäger units, Luftwaffe Field Divisions, flamethrower units, etc. All currently existing formations will be updated to 1945 TO&E. Also: US Mountain units. :)
  • 3D work has already been done on the following equipment for the module: Sherman III Kangaroo, Churchill NA75, Sherman IC Firefly Hybrid, StuG IV, M1917 Enfield rifle, M1935 and M1982 French pistols, FN/29 French LMG, Gewehr 33/40(t) rifle, T32 37mm AT gun, and the GebG 36 75mm mountain gun. These are just the start of the work on new equipment.
  • The module will also incorporate all of the work done on the Combat Mission engine to date since since Gustav Line launched... that's a LOT of stuff to add to Italy. Off the top of my head, that includes features, units, and equipment from: Engine v3.0, Red Thunder, CMBN Vehicle Pack, CMBN Market Garden, and Final Blitzkrieg.

Fun PRE-ALPHA image of a new soldier for the Fortress Italy module:

LDtINoD.jpg

 

I can only speak for myself, but CMFI is by far my favorite title, and the two year wait was worrisome even as we got the 4.0 update.

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16 hours ago, Marwek77 aka Red Reporter said:

I have CMSF and all modules. I paid it once. Now i have to pay it again to get new engine only? Really would like to know what else do we get. Thats my question.

Believe me, it feels like a completely different game.  So many things have changed that you can't even begin to go through them all - stupid little things like walls with gaps that weren't in CMSF.  Map development will be a whole lot different with all the new capabilities.  Moving flavor items with alt-click.  Moving way points after you've placed them.  Then you get into things like target briefly which didn't exist.  BF reworked almost everything so yeah you have to buy it again at a discount.  You thought it should be free?  Damn I need you to come over and work in my yard digging trenches if you think labor should be free.  Let me know when to expect you.

The big items are ToEs, models etc and ALL the CMSF content that is available.  However don't be fooled. the small things are what will catch you probably more than the big items.  Try building a map with the same level of detail as the later titles and you'll quickly find yourself frustrated by what you can't do that you take for granted now.  Ooh did someone say overlays?

I get that everybody has their favorites and we all want our favorites at the top of the list, but those that revel in CMSF have waited the longest for an update over any other title.  You've been waiting 3 years since CMBS release for a module?  4 Years since Gustav line for CMFI?  It's been over 7 years since the NATO module and NONE of the version improvements have been applied to the BEST CM game.  So get the hell back in line and wait your turn.  If CMSF isn't your fav then so be it, but don't crap on those of us who have waited all this time as the LAST title to get 4.0. 

You know what the title will have.  4.0 and all the stuff that made CMSF what it is.  Not to your liking?  No one is making you buy it.  However if like me you find CMSF as the most appealing game of the CM titles, then you really really want CMSF2.  Even at full price it would be a deal.

Edited by sburke
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5 hours ago, Battlefront.com said:

Sounds like I should put together something to talk about 2018's lineup.  And there's a perfect day for that coming up very soon ;)

Steve

 A bone within a bone, alluding to a bone. It's like Dune minus the floating fat guy...

 

Mord.

 

P.S. Did you see my PM about the pic?

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8 hours ago, sburke said:

BF reworked almost everything so yeah you have to buy it again at a discount.  You thought it should be free?  Damn I need you to come over and work in my yard digging trenches if you think labor should be free.  Let me know when to expect you.

Hee, hee. I have a few jobs I could use some help with too. 

Funny we testers did not discuss a pool to see how long it would take for someone to be a total d***. 

We did talk about a pool to see how long it would take before someone noticed a surprise in the pics / video. Hint, I might have distracted people from the suprise part.

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9 hours ago, sburke said:

Believe me, it feels like a completely different game.  So many things have changed that you can't even begin to go through them all - stupid little things like walls with gaps that weren't in CMSF.  Map development will be a whole lot different with all the new capabilities.  Moving flavor items with alt-click.  Moving way points after you've placed them.  Then you get into things like target briefly which didn't exist.  BF reworked almost everything so yeah you have to buy it again at a discount.  You thought it should be free?  Damn I need you to come over and work in my yard digging trenches if you think labor should be free.  Let me know when to expect you.

The big items are ToEs, models etc and ALL the CMSF content that is available.  However don't be fooled. the small things are what will catch you probably more than the big items.  Try building a map with the same level of detail as the later titles and you'll quickly find yourself frustrated by what you can't do that you take for granted now.  Ooh did someone say overlays?

I get that everybody has their favorites and we all want our favorites at the top of the list, but those that revel in CMSF have waited the longest for an update over any other title.  You've been waiting 3 years since CMBS release for a module?  4 Years since Gustav line for CMFI?  It's been over 7 years since the NATO module and NONE of the version improvements have been applied to the BEST CM game.  So get the hell back in line and wait your turn.  If CMSF isn't your fav then so be it, but don't crap on those of us who have waited all this time as the LAST title to get 4.0. 

You know what the title will have.  4.0 and all the stuff that made CMSF what it is.  Not to your liking?  No one is making you buy it.  However if like me you find CMSF as the most appealing game of the CM titles, then you really really want CMSF2.  Even at full price it would be a deal.

Keeping in mind of course that when BFC ported CMSF1 over to the Mac, they offered the total bundle to all us Mac guys for about $55 which was a bargain I happily paid after spending almost $100 for the PC game and modules.  So, yea, I am very excited about this.  If you like CMBS, trust me, you will like this game as well...I mean, now it's almost a historical game with all the Iraq and Afghanistan based content...and mods.  :D

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Looking forward to this major overhaul of Shock Force. The variation in nations and vehicles in CMSF with British+NATO is really interesting, as it also shows quite a few units used in the final years of the 'cold war' in Europe. And Syria has (had?) quite a complete collection of Soviet cold war weaponry as well. Will be great to play around with those.

The CV90 is newer but also very welcome IMO. Some years ago I was doing some work in a factory that made CV90 parts and they also did maintenance of complete vehicles there, using 35 Tonne cranes. Very cool.

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There was a lot of upgrading of the CM games over the years to get us to where we are now.  The below list is some of the improvements that the up to date titles have.  There is actually more but below is what I could remember or looked up.  This must be a massive undertaking to add even some of the below to CMSF.  So in theory the below is some of the stuff that BFC might add.  I say in theory because it is so much stuff that it is kind of hard to believe they would do all this work and think about offering it to preexisting CMSF1 customers at a discount.  

 

* HULLDOWN COMMAND: This command allows a vehicle to move forward until only the turret is exposed to a specified target, and then the vehicle stops moving.

* IMPROVED INFANTRY SPACING: While moving, squad and team members will maintain a few meters of distance between each other. Soldiers will spread out laterally on the move when possible.

* PEEKING AROUND BUILDING CORNERS: Infantry units positioned adjacent to building and tall wall corners will now automatically post some soldiers at the corners to observe and fire around the obstacle. Machine guns and anti-tank weapons have priority for positioning at the corner. 

* COMBINE SQUAD COMMAND: When a squad is given the Combine Squad command, the squad will reorganize itself into two teams (if it originally had three teams). The Combine Squad command can only be given to Squads that are un-split.

* EXPANDED WAYPOINT DESCRIPTIVE TEXT: More special unit commands (such as Hide and Deploy Weapon) will now be marked with white floating text above the waypoint they are assigned to.

* CAMPAIGN BRIEFING: The overall campaign briefing is now viewable during any campaign mission by going to the Menu Options Panel and selecting "Campaign".

* FORWARD OBSERVER KILL CREDITS: F/O’s now get credit on the AAR for any casualties caused by off-map fire missions called in by them.

* SCREEN EDGE PAN TOGGLE: Using the hotkey ALT-E you can disable camera panning by touching the screen edge with the mouse cursor.

* AI AREA FIRE ORDERS: The AI can now be scripted to use Area Fire! Each AI Order can have a target zone designated. The AI will attack the target zone with suppressive area fire if it doesn't have any spotted enemy units to engage or other important tasks to do.

* AI FACING ORDERS: Each AI Order can be given a location for it to Face towards. When the AI Group reaches its destination, it will pivot or rotate towards the designated point.

* AI WITHDRAW ORDERS: AI Groups can be ordered to Withdraw. Vehicles will move in Reverse to the destination, while infantry will leapfrog back while turning around to face behind them.

* CAMPAIGN RESUPPLY: Personnel replacements and ammunition levels are now more uniformly resupplied across all core units between campaign missions.

* 3D FLAVOR OBJECT CLONE TOOL: While in the 3D Editor, a flavor object can be cloned. A duplicate of the flavor object will appear a short distance away.

* 32 ORDER AI PLANS: Each AI Group can now have up to 32 Orders, increased from 16.

* Stream terrain: Small streams can now be placed on battle maps.

* New tracer and muzzle flash effects.

  Quick Battle TO&E options have been improved

- Mouse text for targeting: too close or out of range

- Improved TacAI logic for placing teams along walls

- Very heavily-laden soldiers cannot use Fast or sometimes even Quick moves

- Ground units are now able to fire at attacking aircraft

- Ammo Dumps allow platoons to have reserve ammo stored separately on map (automatically distributed for certain Skill Levels)

- Three different sets of camera controls; Standard (traditional), First Person Shooter, and Real Time Strategy

- Optional graphical Command and Control link tracing

- KIAs are shown in the Soldier/Crew Panels to track soldiers lost during the game

- Ability to create AI Triggers that execute actions based on other units or interaction with Objectives

- Maximum map size increased

- Customized "Mod Tags" for most graphics.

- Ability to specify specific mods be used for a specific Scenario.

- Hit impacts to vehicles and bunkers now shown graphically ("hit decals")

- Water animates for fording units

* Map editor elevation changes can be "sharp" by holding the control key when clicking tile elevations.  This allows the creation of realistic ditch contours.

* Computer player may use "Ambush Armor" plans.

- Waypoint dragging. A waypoint can be clicked on and moved by dragging it to a new location.

- Hotkey Unit Groups. Select units and assign them to number keys for quick navigation during gameplay. To change the camera's location press Alt and the number of the group you want to navigate to. The camera relocates and the highest level unit of that group is automatically selected. In Iron Mode, only HQs can be assigned to hotkey unit groups.

- Grouped Spacebar Command system. Instead of getting all of the commands in a big list when the Spacebar is used, instead you get four groups of commands: Movement, Combat, Special, and Administrative.

- New Load New Game dialog screen. The list of scenarios can now be sorted by size, length, or alphabetically. Details are presented in text form instead of icons.

- New Saved Game dialog screen. The list of scenarios can now be sorted by newest file, oldest file, or alphabetically. You can also filter between single player saves and PBEM saves. Save games can be deleted from this screen instead of having to flip back and forth between the game and your desktop.

- Visual Hotkey binding. A new dialog allows you to specify and view key assignments. Players can still manually edit and exchange Hotkey.txt files as before.

- Special Equipment icons enlarged for better readability. The enlargement reduces the number of icons from 12 to 6. Multiple items of a single type of equipment are now represented by a single icon with a number specifying how many of that item the unit has.

- Auto-Assemble linear terrain tool. Roads, walls, fences, and hedges can now be automagically drawn across the map instead of placing them one tile at a time. The old manual selection interface still exists to allow tweaking specific Action Spots.

- BMP map overlay. Instead of having to create game maps by freehand you can now trace over a real world map within the Editor. Four different levels of transparency make the process easier by adjusting for different needs as work progresses.

- More AI Groups. The number of AI Groups available has been increased from 8 to 16. This allows for greater fidelity of AI Plans and their assigned units.

- Copy and paste AI Plans. Create a solid AI Plan, copy it, and paste it into an unused AI Plan slot. Once done the copied Plan can be modified to make a unique variant without having to build the Plan up from scratch.

- Improved terrain elevation/contours, smoother and more intuitive.

- Target Armor Arc Command. Instructs units to engage only armored units within the specified arc. As with nearly every Command, outcome varies greatly depending on unit quality and battlefield conditions.

- Target Briefly Command. Tells a unit to fire all it's guns on a designated spot for 15 seconds, then cease fire. Conserves ammo and reduces the need for player management when short suppressive fire is the desired outcome.

  

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16 hours ago, Battlefront.com said:

There's been updates on the status of other stuff, but yeah... kinda buried in some threads. Sounds like I should put together something to talk about 2018's lineup.  And there's a perfect day for that coming up very soon ;)

Steve

You enjoy speaking in riddles, don't you Steve? :)

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6 hours ago, IanL said:

We did talk about a pool to see how long it would take before someone noticed a surprise in the pics / video. Hint, I might have distracted people from the suprise part.

IED blowing up bridges?

 

Mord.

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"- BMP map overlay. Instead of having to create game maps by freehand you can now trace over a real world map within the Editor. Four different levels of transparency make the process easier by adjusting for different needs as work progresses."
 

Wait... what? I've been doing stuff the hard way? your telling me i can stick my hand drawn plans in the editor some how? i need to find this feature.

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8 hours ago, IanL said:

 We did talk about a pool to see how long it would take before someone noticed a surprise in the pics / video. Hint, I might have distracted people from the suprise part.

These yellow civilian cars? One is seen in the video, and in the pictures there are a few near the Challenger II tank.

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