Custom 3D Models and Mods Compilation

[NPye]

14 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

there´s still lots of space in CMBN farm flavor objects so why not? CMFB cow and horse is here: \final blitzkrieg v100a\terrain\flavor objects\farm

farm4.mdr - cow

farm5.mdr - horse

Push over to BN, dead ones or them revived in Blender. Will surely be interesting seeing pixeltroopers finding their paths among them.

Edit: As could´ve been expected they´re beeing considered obstacles.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2eu5f5vqytewwxf/RHZ CMBN Horse and Cow.zip?dl=0

 

Looks like they got in the way sometimes...

[NPye]

Meanwhile back at the Normandy farm...

[JM Stuff]

2 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

"Stiffy" on the road ahead! WTF? Quick "draft" (yet lacking accessories) of the revived horse combined with (russian) cart1 named cart2 (in CMFB flavor objects - cart) So this is a CMFB test object. https://www.dropbox.com/s/jsb21psk24anepk/RHZ Horse cart flavor2.zip?dl=0

and it´s beeing considered an obstacle. Vehicles will go around it.

Hehe a word a sign and Harry do the rest, very nice man !

Happy that some human have a heart for animals.

Just a word about FOs name.

With the time and news creation of FO's for everybodys of us I think this will be interresting to keep a document words or exel with used FO's.
Imagine the fiasco when we are using the same name for another object from another author and rename it when a mod is already installed?

I am busy now to completed an exel doc with all FOs available in all CM series, that I have, with FOs that are present in folder but also not present in the editor, also the ones  personly I am used, if interrested I will

share it when is done.

JM

[Erwin]

Brilliant!    Bet that next we'll be asking that the horse's legs move when it trots... 

 

[RockinHarry]

6 hours ago, JM Stuff said:

Hehe a word a sign and Harry do the rest, very nice man !

Happy that some human have a heart for animals.

Just a word about FOs name.

With the time and news creation of FO's for everybodys of us I think this will be interresting to keep a document words or exel with used FO's.
Imagine the fiasco when we are using the same name for another object from another author and rename it when a mod is already installed?

I am busy now to completed an exel doc with all FOs available in all CM series, that I have, with FOs that are present in folder but also not present in the editor, also the ones  personly I am used, if interrested I will

share it when is done.

JM

  Yes, agree. But the stuff I release here is just "test objects" for everyone to toy around with though. No official type mods of mine. And yes would surely be nice to get sort of an overview with the many mods scattered along the various flavor type slots. Hard to keep an overview with many the stuff competing with each other re slot occupation.

6 hours ago, NPye said:

You really are Rockin old boi... what about 2 horses towing a small artillery piece...lol The wehrmacht were still heavily reliant on horses even in 45 especially with the fuel crisis....

I could well imagine these beeing flavor objects placed on or beside roads. German retreat roads and such (Falaise44...). But horse and carriages, well if there´s a taker for this. We´ve a couple guns that might work maybe. I.e german IG18 and 33, as maybe some the Pak.

[Lucky_Strike]

18 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

thanks to all our nice info exchange and sharing tips & tricks. Think it just can get better as long as we keep improving knowledge and skills this way.  Imagine BFC would release the info beeing asked for since a decade or so. Modding scene would´ve exploded already....  ... and the game series popularity likely as well.

Yes for sure. And as we've shown there's nothing particularly secret nor proprietary in the models, all we want to do is have some fun and make the games better, where's the harm.

17 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

"Stiffy" on the road ahead! WTF? Quick "draft" (yet lacking accessories) of the revived horse combined with (russian) cart1 named cart2 (in CMFB flavor objects - cart) So this is a CMFB test object. https://www.dropbox.com/s/jsb21psk24anepk/RHZ Horse cart flavor2.zip?dl=0

 
This could be the start of a whole new CM series.

18 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

and it´s beeing considered an obstacle. Vehicles will go around it.

We need some fugees to go with it. Or you could stick one of the hay stacks in the cart ... or add some milk churns in there ... or fill it with cabbages, hours of fun.

17 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

CMBS version

Are those air conditioners in the cart?

[Lucky_Strike]

15 hours ago, NPye said:

Looks like they got in the way sometimes...

 Those Tommies look like they're hurting the cows, reckon they're after some dinner or fresh milk. 

[Lucky_Strike]

15 hours ago, JM Stuff said:

With the time and news creation of FO's for everybodys of us I think this will be interresting to keep a document words or exel with used FO's.
Imagine the fiasco when we are using the same name for another object from another author and rename it when a mod is already installed?

I am busy now to completed an exel doc with all FOs available in all CM series, that I have, with FOs that are present in folder but also not present in the editor, also the ones  personly I am used, if interrested I will

share it when is done.

JM

This is a very sensible suggestion, though not sure how it could be administered. You're right though JM we will probably suffer chaotic scenes. Definitely useful having a list of what people have done.

[JM Stuff]

3 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

This is a very sensible suggestion, though not sure how it could be administered. You're right though JM we will probably suffer chaotic scenes. Definitely useful having a list of what people have done.

My suggestion about the FO's use.

Soon I will put a copy of an exel file in my JM'Corner, available for everybodys.

You are free to use it and fill the empty slots.

 Making a COPY to created your own design and form... or whatever, but of your own of course.

I will asking you one thing is to let the original file in the way that I did, this is also the way that I am working.

I will said we have to categories of FO's.

One that will stay on the list because a mod will be created.

One that we will make only some  test.

So I recommand to fill the empty slots and writing the date, we dont need to know who use the file, only that the FO's are used now. 

This is only to avoid to  your own risk to have some mistakes in the future, in case you download a mod already on the CMMODs or on the forum, thid is not a must, this is only an information and nothing else.

I am open to yours comments suggestions...

JM

Edited November 8, 2022 by JM Stuff

[RockinHarry]

18 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

Yes for sure. And as we've shown there's nothing particularly secret nor proprietary in the models, all we want to do is have some fun and make the games better, where's the harm.

Exactly. Pity that most the past and present info is so scattered at BFC forum and different game sections as well.

18 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

We need some fugees to go with it. Or you could stick one of the hay stacks in the cart ... or add some milk churns in there ... or fill it with cabbages, hours of fun.

Yup, had same idea but then lost interest in it again, beeing just a byproduct. But good to know it´s all doable and working. Reminds me I still got to complete notes on the flavor type lists. Latest observation was sheds and haystacks have some nice LOS blocking properties. Hope to find these settings in META. I´ve also likely identified what META 0,1 and 2 likely does. Currently toying around with them on (wooden) pillbox data. I´ve a dugout type in the planning now.

18 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

Are those air conditioners in the cart?

Yup. I´ve taken these from my BS demo files since they bits of resemble washing machines (with some imagination).

[RockinHarry]

On 11/7/2022 at 12:58 PM, JM Stuff said:

Hehe a word a sign and Harry do the rest, very nice man !

Happy that some human have a heart for animals.

Just a word about FOs name.

With the time and news creation of FO's for everybodys of us I think this will be interresting to keep a document words or exel with used FO's.
Imagine the fiasco when we are using the same name for another object from another author and rename it when a mod is already installed?

I am busy now to completed an exel doc with all FOs available in all CM series, that I have, with FOs that are present in folder but also not present in the editor, also the ones  personly I am used, if interrested I will

share it when is done.

JM

Thanks, good idea. I won´t release a standalone mod set of anything I do though. Will be part of my map and mission designs and mod tagged then. Also might depend on a FO types properties for when I want some in particular. So that´ll be dynamic process more or less, also considering not all FO props are figured out yet. I´m still investigating META and in mean time made some small progresses.

[Lucky_Strike]

4 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

Yup, had same idea but then lost interest in it again,

Hehe, lots of fleeting ideas, not enough time or incentive to make them. 

4 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

Reminds me I still got to complete notes on the flavor type lists. Latest observation was sheds and haystacks have some nice LOS blocking properties. 

Yes, yes the important stuff. I really want to do something about the haystacks. I've had photos of haystacks in Normandy sitting on my desktop for two years ... maybe one day.

4 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

Hope to find these settings in META. I´ve also likely identified what META 0,1 and 2 likely does. Currently toying around with them on (wooden) pillbox data. I´ve a dugout type in the planning now.

Even more important. 

5 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

Yup. I´ve taken these from my BS demo files since they bits of resemble washing machines (with some imagination).

washing machines was my first thought until I looked more closely 

[Lucky_Strike]

19 hours ago, JM Stuff said:

My suggestion about the FO's use.

Soon I will put a copy of an exel file in my JM'Corner, available for everybodys.

You are free to use it and fill the empty slots.

 Making a COPY to created your own design and form... or whatever, but of your own of course.

I will asking you one thing is to let the original file in the way that I did, this is also the way that I am working.

I will said we have to categories of FO's.

One that will stay on the list because a mod will be created.

One that we will make only some  test.

So I recommand to fill the empty slots and writing the date, we dont need to know who use the file, only that the FO's are used now. 

This is only to avoid to  your own risk to have some mistakes in the future, in case you download a mod already on the CMMODs or on the forum, thid is not a must, this is only an information and nothing else.

I am open to yours comments suggestions...

JM

You could make this into a Google sheet so that others can collaborate in it. Would make it easy for anyone to access then. Just a thought.

[JM Stuff]

5 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

You could make this into a Google sheet so that others can collaborate in it. Would make it easy for anyone to access then. Just a thought.

This sound good Lucky, when you tell me what is a Google sheet, and how I can do it ?

First will let you a view, it is almost finish, I have to completed it, because before it was with 9 FOs now 16.

JM

Edited November 9, 2022 by JM Stuff

[Lucky_Strike]

10 hours ago, JM Stuff said:

This sound good Lucky, when you tell me what is a Google sheet, and how I can do it ?

Google sheets are Google's free to use spreadsheet app, part of its Workplace suite, its answer to MS Office. See here.

The sheet is stored in the cloud on a user's Google Drive and can be shared to others collaboratively. It's compatible with excel just doesn't have all the bells and whistles of a desktop app. There are free versions for most platforms. If you have a gmail account then you already have access to this otherwise it's a free signup. (Excepting of course that you are selling your soul to the new overlords of the world, but then again they probably already have you by the short and curlies).

[JM Stuff]

1 hour ago, Lucky_Strike said:

Google sheets are Google's free to use spreadsheet app, part of its Workplace suite, its answer to MS Office. See here.

The sheet is stored in the cloud on a user's Google Drive and can be shared to others collaboratively. It's compatible with excel just doesn't have all the bells and whistles of a desktop app. There are free versions for most platforms. If you have a gmail account then you already have access to this otherwise it's a free signup. (Excepting of course that you are selling your soul to the new overlords of the world, but then again they probably already have you by the short and curlies).

AH ok is to store it on the cloud, yes I can check in details when he is finish.

Thanks you to your explanation Lucky !

JM

 

[RockinHarry]

22 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

On 11/8/2022 at 10:30 PM, RockinHarry said:

Hope to find these settings in META. I´ve also likely identified what META 0,1 and 2 likely does. Currently toying around with them on (wooden) pillbox data. I´ve a dugout type in the planning now.

Even more important. 

That´s how it looks like ATM. Functionality is as I wanted (more or less). Now on to some object mesh and textures changing. This is CMRT and the terrain mod in use you´ll likely recognize.

22 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

On 11/8/2022 at 10:30 PM, RockinHarry said:

Yup. I´ve taken these from my BS demo files since they bits of resemble washing machines (with some imagination).

washing machines was my first thought until I looked more closely 

Yep, but looks were close enough. So no need to do some extra modding/texture changing.

[Lucky_Strike]

5 hours ago, JM Stuff said:

AH ok is to store it on the cloud, yes I can check in details when he is finish.

Thanks you to your explanation Lucky !

JM

You're welcome. I have several Google accounts and would be happy to host it for you as an interim solution if you need to set up a Google account in the meantime.

[Lucky_Strike]

1 hour ago, RockinHarry said:

That´s how it looks like ATM. Functionality is as I wanted (more or less). Now on to some object mesh and textures changing. This is CMRT and the terrain mod in use you´ll likely recognize.

What the deuce!!!!   Whatever it is I like the look of it 

[RockinHarry]

18 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

What the deuce!!!!   Whatever it is I like the look of it 

I´d discovered and toyed with one META entry that does the ground mesh displacement thing when you put pillboxes and (indi) builds into ditchlocked AS. The one that creates those huge sinkholes around them. Lowering that value allows the ground mesh to tightly encase these objects so they look level with surrounding terrain.

In screenshots above you can see both, an indi build and wooden shelter buried in the ground. The wooden shelter can be accessed from within the sunken buildings new basement.

Tweaking that META entry has consequences though. When pixeltroopers enter pillboxes (or pre mounted in editor) they are "hosted" normally. But Pixeltroopers actual map position is now map coordinate 0,0 and way below the ground mesh visually. One can also say it´s sort of a cache position, while still beeing the "crew" of the mounted pillbox officially. Another consequence is those cached pixeltroopers do calculate their LOS/LOF from this cached position and not from the pillbox. They can also engage enemies from that 0,0 cache position. If ordered to dismount the pillbox they leave it like usual. Depending where the pillbox is placed they get fatigue level just like they´d traveled the whole of the distance from map position 0,0 in quick move. Pixeltroopers also exit the pillbox once it got close aussaulted and "knocked out". Sounds confusing and weird, I know.

Practical use of this "hack" so far:

Have non combat type underground wooden shelter (dugout) that fits nicely with or into the surrounding terrain. A -3 Blue ditchlocked AS will be its proper foundation.

The odd LOS/LOF from 0,0 issue I got solved by either surround that AS with LOS/LOF blocking terrain (a high wall i.e) or make this AS -4 to -5m deeper than surrounding terrain. Visually pixeltroopers remain below ground mesh outside actual game play area. Just their LOS/LOF calculation point is now 0,0 (,0) (X-Y-Z), but blocked by above mentioned methods.

From a dozen of test plays it works out pretty nicely. Enemy pixeltroopers, once close enough (hand to hand combat range) will start close assaulting that pillbox (that throwing hand grenades type of) and once it got "knocked out", friendlies will be un-cached and engage the enemy like normal.

I´d also poured masses of artillery on it (the surrounding area actually) and it´s really hard achieving a direct hit on it. (as was like that before, but with increased above ground footprint)

So anything below 150mm shells won´t harm the wooden underground shelter. Russian 122mm can do a "spall damage" occasionally. This will cause some injured pixeltroopers like usual. But direct hit of "penetrating" 150mm+ will cause all

I´d used Mord´s hit decal mod for better effect visualisation.

https://www.thefewgoodmen.com/cm-mod-warehouse/combat-mission-battle-for-normandy/cmbn-other/cmbn-hi-vis-forensic-hit-decals-v-2-by-mord/

So far so good. Haven´t noticed any odd side effects for similarly hacked example indi building yet. But I keep testing and hunting for more META stuff either for practical use or plain understanding. (or advanced guess making )

[Lucky_Strike]

5 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

I´d discovered and toyed with one META entry that does the ground mesh displacement thing when you put pillboxes and (indi) builds into ditchlocked AS. The one that creates those huge sinkholes around them. Lowering that value allows the ground mesh to tightly encase these objects so they look level with surrounding terrain.

WWWWHHHHHAAAAATTTTTTT!!!

5 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

In screenshots above you can see both, an indi build and wooden shelter buried in the ground. The wooden shelter can be accessed from within the sunken buildings new basement.

WWWHHHAAAATTTTTTT!! You've got basements!!

5 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

Tweaking that META entry has consequences though. When pixeltroopers enter pillboxes (or pre mounted in editor) they are "hosted" normally. But Pixeltroopers actual map position is now map coordinate 0,0 and way below the ground mesh visually. One can also say it´s sort of a cache position, while still beeing the "crew" of the mounted pillbox officially. Another consequence is those cached pixeltroopers do calculate their LOS/LOF from this cached position and not from the pillbox. They can also engage enemies from that 0,0 cache position. If ordered to dismount the pillbox they leave it like usual. Depending where the pillbox is placed they get fatigue level just like they´d traveled the whole of the distance from map position 0,0 in quick move. Pixeltroopers also exit the pillbox once it got close aussaulted and "knocked out". Sounds confusing and weird, I know.

Indeed! Are you saying they are in the pillbox but their game position is kilometres off at the corner of the map? So it's some sort of wormhole warping the space-time continuum ...

5 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

The odd LOS/LOF from 0,0 issue I got solved by either surround that AS with LOS/LOF blocking terrain (a high wall i.e) or make this AS -4 to -5m deeper than surrounding terrain. Visually pixeltroopers remain below ground mesh outside actual game play area. Just their LOS/LOF calculation point is now 0,0 (,0) (X-Y-Z), but blocked by above mentioned methods.

Okay, this makes sense.

5 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

From a dozen of test plays it works out pretty nicely. Enemy pixeltroopers, once close enough (hand to hand combat range) will start close assaulting that pillbox (that throwing hand grenades type of) and once it got "knocked out", friendlies will be un-cached and engage the enemy like normal.

I´d also poured masses of artillery on it (the surrounding area actually) and it´s really hard achieving a direct hit on it. (as was like that before, but with increased above ground footprint)

So anything below 150mm shells won´t harm the wooden underground shelter. Russian 122mm can do a "spall damage" occasionally. This will cause some injured pixeltroopers like usual. But direct hit of "penetrating" 150mm+ will cause all

I´d used Mord´s hit decal mod for better effect visualisation.

https://www.thefewgoodmen.com/cm-mod-warehouse/combat-mission-battle-for-normandy/cmbn-other/cmbn-hi-vis-forensic-hit-decals-v-2-by-mord/

So far so good. Haven´t noticed any odd side effects for similarly hacked example indi building yet. But I keep testing and hunting for more META stuff either for practical use or plain understanding. (or advanced guess making )

This is perhaps discovery of the year!   May also explain why BF have never introduced below ground mesh stuff - can you imagine how folks would react if they didn't comprehend what was happening.

Presumably the apertures on the bunkers are useless for shooting out of? I like that bunkers can be used as proper bunkers for sheltering in. How do trenches behave? I see you have some in your pictures. Whatever - they look great! You'll need a new thread for this one when you are certain of what you've found. AMAAAZZZING!

[RockinHarry]

3 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

WWWWHHHHHAAAAATTTTTTT!!!

WWWHHHAAAATTTTTTT!! You've got basements!!

Indeed! Are you saying they are in the pillbox but their game position is kilometres off at the corner of the map? So it's some sort of wormhole warping the space-time continuum ...

Okay, this makes sense.

This is perhaps discovery of the year!   May also explain why BF have never introduced below ground mesh stuff - can you imagine how folks would react if they didn't comprehend what was happening.

Presumably the apertures on the bunkers are useless for shooting out of? I like that bunkers can be used as proper bunkers for sheltering in. How do trenches behave? I see you have some in your pictures. Whatever - they look great! You'll need a new thread for this one when you are certain of what you've found. AMAAAZZZING!

Bit early for discovery of the year lol. There still might be ill side effects I haven´t accounted for yet. Need more testing for sure. Aaaand everything mentioned happened above ground mesh. Hard to explain so below´s the wooden shelter file and the META data hack was "just" setting Meta1_0 to 1.0. Anything below default value does the mentioned effect on wooden shelter (beeing enveloped by ground mesh and crew "caching"). On my test building (Indi "building000.mdr") it does the terrain mesh thing as well but pixeltroopers behave uneffected. Thus far.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/v6r5g1eahbb1cj1/RHZ bunker-wood_hacked MDR.zip?dl=0

As for apertures I think I´d noticed changing some the META does have an effect on them. That was 2 years ago, so got to investigate these again. Memory....

I´d just tested on the single straight trench section thus far. But just making them somewhat smaller, geometry wise. No serious META hacks on them yet. There´s some limits on how pixeltoopers behave or interact with trench objects. Making them too narrow makes ptroopers either place themselves outside or in unwanted ways. The straight section as seen in my screens above is sort of a compromise here. They´re bits narrower but not too much. For trench shapes I´d intend "remodelling" the existing geometry to look more "natural". Same time sticking very close to original geometry size & shapes so META data and its effects remain preserved. (..until we figure out what all META does)

[RockinHarry]

Here´s some test map examples re wooden shelter resilience vs some selected RU Arty and ground attack AC. (82, 122 and 152mm + 1000kg(?) bomb of Pe-2). What artillery couldn´t do (hit and kill), a heavy bomb did with a near miss.

The blue hit decals on sandbag cover indicate 82mm mortar non damaging hits (3x).

though we got survivers from the initially 9 strength german squad. (see their "Tiring" status from space warp running from map location 0,0 which is about 200-250m away south-west) "Shaken" status seems appropriate considering their little home bits of got moved its foundation.

wooden shelter/dugout #2 didn´t receive any hit and squad no 2 still has a good time in there. (seen in pic #2). If russian spotter FO would´ve had direct LOS to the dugouts, hitting chances would be somewhat increased. (target enemy unit instead of target area + TRP). But it´s hard (to almost impossible) if wooden shelters are level to or slightly below ground. I´d tested with RU spotter FO beeing placed in 8 story high mod building as well. Then dugouts can be spotted directly, if no other LOS obstruction is in the way (trees...).

 

[Lucky_Strike]

10 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

Bit early for discovery of the year lol. There still might be ill side effects I haven´t accounted for yet. Need more testing for sure. Aaaand everything mentioned happened above ground mesh. Hard to explain so below´s the wooden shelter file and the META data hack was "just" setting Meta1_0 to 1.0. Anything below default value does the mentioned effect on wooden shelter (beeing enveloped by ground mesh and crew "caching"). On my test building (Indi "building000.mdr") it does the terrain mesh thing as well but pixeltroopers behave uneffected. Thus far.

I'll take a looksee at this when I'm back at my desk for sure. But one big question I thought of last night - what happens if one player has a modded structure whist an opponent does not? Most of our mods are purely superficial even something as complex-looking as that PzIV bunker is still essentially just a PzIV in a ditch, acting and behaving as such. But what this appears to do is change how, for example, a bunker is actually functioning, better protection against HE, better concealment. So if I have the modded bunker but my opponent doesn't do they see a normal bunker on the map, but the AI can't see it and react to it nor shoot at it? Defensive works can be dynamically purchased and placed at the start of a game, or placed by the scenario designer but still be moveable, so they are not necessarily carried in the scenario/map unlike buildings, does this mod give a real advantage to a player? Argh! Of course the ditches have to be in the map for the bunker to be placed in, but with a normal bunker in a ditch the bunker is more exposed because of how the ditch deforms the landscape  I need to go see it in action ...

10 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

There´s some limits on how pixeltoopers behave or interact with trench objects. Making them too narrow makes ptroopers either place themselves outside or in unwanted ways.

Yes the pixeltruppen behave very oddly when the geometry is altered beyond a certain degree. I noticed them burying themselves in the walls and floor in my own experiments, and then there's the issue where they will only tolerate a certain depth before they want to get out to see what's going on around them. Plus HMGs ain't too pretty looking firing at a mud wall!

8 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

1000kg(?) bomb

... more like atom bomb ... look at the size of that thing! Amazed there's even a bunker left. Guess there no rubble model for them.

8 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

see their "Tiring" status from space warp running from map location 0,0 which is about 200-250m away south-west

... another question - can the pixeltruppen who are at 0, 0 attack from there, so a surprise rear attack? Or do they run back to the bunker then run to 0, 0 to launch their attack? This could lead to some very underhanded sneakiness ... 

[RockinHarry]

5 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

I'll take a looksee at this when I'm back at my desk for sure. But one big question I thought of last night - what happens if one player has a modded structure whist an opponent does not? Most of our mods are purely superficial even something as complex-looking as that PzIV bunker is still essentially just a PzIV in a ditch, acting and behaving as such. But what this appears to do is change how, for example, a bunker is actually functioning, better protection against HE, better concealment. So if I have the modded bunker but my opponent doesn't do they see a normal bunker on the map, but the AI can't see it and react to it nor shoot at it? Defensive works can be dynamically purchased and placed at the start of a game, or placed by the scenario designer but still be moveable, so they are not necessarily carried in the scenario/map unlike buildings, does this mod give a real advantage to a player?

No hurry. Still got to do my more in depth testing with your tree LOD mod as well.

Thus far only changed data on the wooden shelter is the terrain mesh and enforced infantry caching thing. As for actual "protection" I don´t intend changing it, in case I find related META. I´d just change geometry to better reflect its ingame protection value more graphically. This simple blockhouse thing to me doesn´t look like it could withstand even a 82mm mortar hit.

Otherwise and also related to past animation file discussions, data will be pulled from what a player has saved on his HD. But save game data takes preference. So any replay computations come from the last player that created it, hitting GO button. Anyway, for modded stuff like this it´s always advised that BOTH players have the same mod on HD. Just in case. For AIP play it´s just of concern if it doesn´t share same MDR which is the case for (most) shelter/bunker types.

5 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

Argh! Of course the ditches have to be in the map for the bunker to be placed in, but with a normal bunker in a ditch the bunker is more exposed because of how the ditch deforms the landscape  I need to go see it in action ...

Yup, exactly. Smaller footprint generally and Minus ditchlock is required for both, modded and unmodded. Smaller footprint also makes a difference vs. certain artillery types. I.e the RU 122mm gun type howitzer has more of a flat trajectory and depending on enemy map edge (determining where offmapp artillery is shooting from) wooden shelter footprint can be slightly larger when it´s placed like in my example above. (front/door facing toward enemy map edge). So for smallest possible footprint it´s better to face away from enemy map edge during ditch locked placement. For howitzer/mortar/high angle artillery types it´s less of a concern.

ADDED: Here´s 2D editor layout for used testmap. Blue 19ers are where trenches go and blue 17ers reserved for wooden shelters. Placement direction (G key) in 3D editor is N to S. RU map edge is SW.

5 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

Yes the pixeltruppen behave very oddly when the geometry is altered beyond a certain degree. I noticed them burying themselves in the walls and floor in my own experiments, and then there's the issue where they will only tolerate a certain depth before they want to get out to see what's going on around them. Plus HMGs ain't too pretty looking firing at a mud wall!

Yup, thus making trenches really narrow won´t work and likely waste of time trying. Think my tweaked trench is ~40-50cm smaller and still works sufficiently well. That "burying with geometry" thing is almost always bad since the pixeltroopers hitbox is likely exposed beyond an objects protection bounding box. But if one can identify any such protection bounding box in META data one can possibly adapt. I´ve yet another untried idea, but need finding some particular META data first. Think of similar to CMSF1 "trenches".

5 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

... more like atom bomb ... look at the size of that thing! Amazed there's even a bunker left. Guess there no rubble model for them.

Yup. I muttered about that repeatedly but.... ya know. Around my home town (major german city) there´s many local forests that still show big bomb craters from WW2 strategic bombings. Almost all is 500lbs ones and none of these is even 1/4 the size of what CM engine stamps into the ground. Though I´ve seen craters like these when I once travelled the WW1 battlefields of Vauquois and Les Eparges near Verdun. But oh well.

Yep, no pillbox damage or rubble model in there. No idea if CM game engine would support them and if yes, BFC maybe was just too lazy creating some or found them beeing non essential. Who knows... 

5 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

... another question - can the pixeltruppen who are at 0, 0 attack from there, so a surprise rear attack? Or do they run back to the bunker then run to 0, 0 to launch their attack? This could lead to some very underhanded sneakiness ... 

From what I´ve seen from my many test plays.... definite No. Pixeltroopers always enter and exit the pillbox directly. Tiring and odd off map spotting capability is just a glitch caused by the single META data hack. That also means the hacked wooden shelter can´t serve as combat position in any case. Means pixeltroopers can´t shoot out of it and AIP pixeltroopers will "attack/close assault" the shelter object, not engage pixeltroopers directly. "Passive shelter" only and this is what I wanted since long time.

Edited November 11, 2022 by RockinHarry