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Last Minute CMBB Idea: Maps in Briefing!


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I think it would be great to allow the inclusion of bitmap files in the briefing. Those bitmaps could display maps on a larger scale than the in-game map and, therefore, provide an overview over the strategical situation. Furthermore, scenario makers, who did a lot of research, can really show off the quality of their work by providing additionally reference material and showing how their CM map blends in the surrounding area. It would be nice to see why you have to defend a particular bridge or town. Even though most of the time the background story is told in the briefings it would be nice to have a graphical representation as well.

Regards,

Thomm

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That could go a long ways in bringing more 'atmosphere' into the scenarios. You could show in game maps, as well as actuall pictures\maps\ from a historic battle, or even a fictional battle. This would be a great help those brilliant scenarios like 'Blowfish' and 'Fertile Fields'. Great Idea.

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<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by John Kettler:

...PE had maps with the briefings from the beginning. Though visually crude, they provided both tactical context and immersion...<hr></blockquote>

That was the one I was thinking of, too. One of the best briefings in a sim/wargame so far.

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<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by 109 Gustav:

[QB]Or use a black and white filter and some scratches on a screenshot taken from view 1 to look like a real photo...

QB]<hr></blockquote>

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>a nice shot from view 8, with a black&white filter could look like real air recce photos <hr></blockquote>

hehe, looks like we're thinking about the same things... ;)

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I've tried to do this a bit with my website, ie historical photos and background on scenarios, but it would be so much more elegant if one could include this stuff directly in the scenario file - especially maps that one could refer back to during the game, with suspected enemy positions, etc. if the designer wanted to include such a thing.

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Of course file size would be an issue. Therefore, those additional files should be downloadable as separate files. The scenario file "as is" should not depend on them (otherwise each save game file would have bitmaps included). It should only include the name of the bitmap file and an alternative text like "I did not find the file XYZ.jpg in the folder XYZ. You can get it at website XYZ" So if you PBEM, the opponent gets a self-sufficient save game file but also a message that (s)he could download additional media for the briefing.

I think it could work this way.

Thomm

[ 12-04-2001: Message edited by: Rollstoy ]</p>

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Alas, I don't think that we can do this for CMBB in the time remaining since I know absolutely nothing about Mac programming and have no idea if there are reusable bits of browser code out there but....

Why not have the briefings be written up as HTML? A minimal subset of HTML v4, no CSS support, no meta tags, no nested tables, no ECMAScript, none of that stuff; just straight markup and positioning.

That makes the setup of the briefings that much easier, since HTML is only _marginally_ harder to learn than text (take the multiple websites out there by that sad portion of AOLers... please)

This will let you handle briefings and positioning and add a bit of eye candy that the community can definitely use; but at the price of being a bit more excluding than the current system.

Thoughts/comments?

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A great idea. BUmPBuMP

I would dearly love a basic black & white map to print out for plotting in the game. It could be very basic ..... and that with a print out of the forces involved at game end + score could form the basis of a nice archive and the after battle post-mortem ...... you know .. I would have won but smile.gif

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Clubfoot - for immersion sake, this is the phonetic alphabet used by the British and American armies from about 1942 on

Able

Baker

Charlie

Dog

Easy

Fox

George

How

Item

Jig

Kate

Love

Mike

Nan

Oboe

Peter

Queen

Roger

Sugar

Tare

Uncle

Victor

William

X-Ray

Yoke

Zebra

I like the baseball related code names; very imaganitive and true to life.

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