Hamsters Posted April 8, 2001 Share Posted April 8, 2001 Two issues for CM2: The first being the use and benefits of camoflage and whether or not it will have any in-game benefits. Is there enough historical evidence to support this? If so, the addition of multiple different models would allow for camoflaged vehicles alongside vehicles without camo. The second issue is the availability of multiple models of the same vehicle, with models referring to the on-screen 3D model of your vehicle. If BTS allows for different models, all with the same combat statistics, we can implement multiple camo types on tanks, platoon markings, et cetera, which would improve the graphical realism of the game. Thus, in the mission editor for CM2 you would be able to select the mod for a vehicle along with its ammo and other, currently modifiable, attributes. This could also be implemented with troops, allowing for different unit badges. A variation of this would change only a few BMPs, giving the same camo schemes but allowing the player to delineate platoons, units, et cetera. Implementing this would not necessitate BTS's creation of more than one skin for each vehicle, merely leaving the code receptive to future additions. Since the change is merely cosmetic, there shouldn't be anything issues with game integrity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lcm1947 Posted April 9, 2001 Share Posted April 9, 2001 What an idea. I think this is the best idea anyone's come up with yet. Well, except for my idea about flares. No, but really, this would really be a very nice and useful tool. Good idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pvt. Ryan Posted April 9, 2001 Share Posted April 9, 2001 Not knowing the first thing about programming, I wonder how CM would know which mod to use? Assuming the four versions of the Panther (for example) were labeled Panther1, Panther2, Panther3, and Panther4, would it pick one of them at random, or would it pick Panther1 for the first Panther, then Panther2 if there were a second Panther, and so on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamsters Posted April 9, 2001 Author Share Posted April 9, 2001 Simple, well, in theory it's simple. When starting up, CM would catalog the BMP sets. It would know there's a 1011.bmp, so it would check for a 1011-1.bmp, if that exists, it checks for a 1011-2.bmp, et cetera, et cetera. For quick battles, CM can assign BMP sets randomly but for scenarios, the player can set them by selecting Skin 1 through Skin X, where X is the total number of skins in the game for that model. As to the camo idea, these would have to be completely different units using the same model because they would have different stats (They'd be more difficult to spot). Therefor, when creating a scenario, you'd add a 'Panther VG w/ Camo' and it would have the bonus regardless of the actual skin on the tank. Therefor, if you downloaded a fieldgrau Panther VG skin and assigned it to your 'Panther VG w/ Camo' model, the unit would still get it's bonus for being camoflaged, even though it wouldn't look the part. The real problem with camoflage is deciding its game bonuses realistically. Keep in mind I use the term skin rather than mod, though in the parlance of CM, the two are interchangeable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pvt. Ryan Posted April 9, 2001 Share Posted April 9, 2001 Yeah, I was going to use the term skin too, but CM'ers seem to be used to the term mod. Your explanation doesn't seem that simple to me, but maybe that's because I didn't read it too carefully. However, you raised a purpose for multiple skins I didn't consider: the various degrees of concealment based on the different camoufalge schemes of the vehicles. That would be a really cool feature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olle Petersson Posted April 9, 2001 Share Posted April 9, 2001 The idea of using different textures for the same vehicle might be great for some players. If it's implemented as an option that can be used by any player without interfering with multiplayer or so it's okay. The downside of using multiple textures are that they'll eat up graphics memory really fast. (Bye bye hi-res mods...) Cheers Olle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panzer Leader Posted April 9, 2001 Share Posted April 9, 2001 ((OT for conversation but On Topic for title)) Weren't the German vehicles in Barbarossa all painted that blue-grey color, i.e. not a lot of camo? ((Back on topic)) I love the idea of multiple "skins". It would be great to give different unit insignias to your soldiers, and different paint schemes, etc. I don't think it would be that hard to do, but IMAGINE the size of the BMP folder. No more mac and pc on the same disk, that's for sure. I don't think it would cause a hit for graphics cards either. And besides, aren't we all using 32mb cards (or at least wishing we were)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamsters Posted April 9, 2001 Author Share Posted April 9, 2001 I disagree, CM2 would ship with 1 skin per vehicle, any additional ones would need to be added by the player. And if the scenario said Panther VG skins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are in use in this scenario and the player only has 1, 2 and 3, than the game wouldn't crap out, it just would only assign skins 1, 2 and 3 because it's merely a graphical feature. The BMP folder of some players will be huge but, they'll think it's worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pvt. Ryan Posted April 9, 2001 Share Posted April 9, 2001 I gave more thought to the idea of having CM give more concealment to certain camo schemes. Even if there are different slots for various degrees or types of camo, there is no way for CM to know what camo scheme you have actually plugged into that slot. You could put a bright pink Tiger into the "highly camouglaged" slot and CM would treat it just the same as an ambush camo scheme. Also, for multiplayer, you would see the various camo schemes while your opponent will only see them if he has the same skins installed. But I still love the idea of multiple skins. We should also have left and right .bmp files for vehicles so there can be proper unit and serial numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harpooner Posted April 9, 2001 Share Posted April 9, 2001 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Pvt. Ryan: I gave more thought to the idea of having CM give more concealment to certain camo schemes. Even if there are different slots for various degrees or types of camo, there is no way for CM to know what camo scheme you have actually plugged into that slot. You could put a bright pink Tiger into the "highly camouglaged" slot and CM would treat it just the same as an ambush camo scheme. Also, for multiplayer, you would see the various camo schemes while your opponent will only see them if he has the same skins installed. But I still love the idea of multiple skins. We should also have left and right .bmp files for vehicles so there can be proper unit and serial numbers.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I don't see the problem with having the wrong skins, as long as you're simulating camoflage accurately. Just because I modify my skins so that all my Tigers are invisible and all the Shermans have beat up holes in their armor doesn't mean that my Tigers are invisible and the Shermans have worse armor (Is that even possible?), it just means I'm acting silly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olle Petersson Posted April 10, 2001 Share Posted April 10, 2001 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Pvt. Ryan: I gave more thought to the idea of having CM give more concealment to certain camo schemes. ...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>I agree this seem like a non-starter to implement. Different concealment should be by type of supplements like netting and added foliage to the vehicle. Not necessarily shown in graphics, but a feature added for units stationary at the start of a battle. Cheers Olle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamstersss Posted April 14, 2001 Share Posted April 14, 2001 Hey Steve, is this implementable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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