Jump to content

CM: Big realism issues


Recommended Posts

After doing extensive historical research I have found that the vast majority of World War II photographs encompass only black, white, and shades of gray. This leads me to believe that the world did not become colored until sometime after 1945. I request that CM2 be changed to a grayscale palette in order to be more realistic.

:D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah accept for those bouts of technicolor in hollywood!

Seriously though, I've see quite a few photos and movies from WWII in color. I watched a show on the Discovery Channel years ago (back before digital cable, specialty channels, and when the Discovery channel was cool) about then newly discovered footage of Hitler's "home movies" (sorry about this, its the only way I can think to describe them!).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well there is some sort of a conflict with my research. I have seen color film of World War II. So, either there are some instances of color existing before 1945 or Ted Turner got a hold of this film and worked his magic on it.

If color did sporadically occur during WWII perhaps CM2 could incorporate a feature that would randomly select battles to occur in color.

[ 04-19-2001: Message edited by: Enoch ]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually, Black & White or grayscale would misrepresent the slight tinge of dirty brown that permeated the conflict. I expect that true grognards will not be satisfied with anything sort of a full sepia patch...

Martyr

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There was actually a great deal of color shot during the war, although of course the vast majority was black and white. For example, lots of gun camera footage from U.S. aircraft was in color. If you look a little you'll also find plenty of color still photos. (My parents told me that during the war they couldn't buy color film in the U.S. for family photos because all the color film went to the armed forces.)

Beware, though. Just because a photo is in color doesn't guarantee that the colors are exactly right because there are so many variables. For example, if the photo was printed from a copy of the original negative, the colors are going to be off. Another variable is that the printer (if the photo is in a publication) may not have had the colors right on the printing press. And as the negatives age, the colors are going to wash out, so even if you print directly from the original negative, you won't get true color.

Suggest that you watch for a rebroadcast of "World War II In Color" on the History Channel. It is a series of shows where all the footage was originally shot in color. After seeing WWII in black and white, it is very unsettling at first to see all that color footage!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by scoop88:

After seeing WWII in black and white, it is very unsettling at first to see all that color footage!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah, I know what you mean. Once I was watching what I thought for a brief moment was Vietnam footage, but quickly found out by the Sherman and lack of M-16 that it was WWII. Although, come to think of it, it might have been Korean War footage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have saved on my computer a great color photo of a german platoon waiting on the west side of some big industrial type buildings in Stalingrad (according to caption) around august or september. There are some StuG's (Yellow? I thought at the time of Stailingrad the grey paint was still in use)in the background. It kind of looks like they are waiting to be put into action towards the east side. For some reason that photo affects me considerably. I wish I knew how to post it here. Has anyone else seen it and have an opinion about the location. The uniforms are consistent with the 42 field dress.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dan Weaver:

After doing extensive historical research I have found that the vast majority of World War II photographs encompass only black, white, and shades of gray. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Damn!

This means I have to repaint all my models!

:mad:

Mace

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree!

The world was also slightly fuzzy and had occasional scratches.

If BTS does a WWI version of Combat Mission, they will have to speed up the replay feature because according to old WWI film footage everyone moved faster back then. :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Pak40:

I agree!

The world was also slightly fuzzy and had occasional scratches.

If BTS does a WWI version of Combat Mission, they will have to speed up the replay feature because according to old WWI film footage everyone moved faster back then. :rolleyes:<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hmmm...that would take care of the no-we-don't-run light MG issue............ ;)

Mr.Winterbottom

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used to work at a store that specialized in German militaria; one thing he sold was prints that were made during the war. A wide white bottom surrounded them, all photos in colour by German photographers, of tame military subjects (convoy passing by, men in boat, etc., never dead bodies or anything of that nature). At the bottom (you can find these on ebay occasionally too) it read

GROSSDEUTCHES IM FREIHEITSKAMPF (apologies for spelling/grammar)

which means "Greater Germany in the struggle for freedom."

There are some books out there made from the files of SIGNAL magazine, which feature colour photos - one volume is nothing but colour photos.

The Allies had colour film too; I have some colour wartime photos on my site at

http://members.home.net/canuckmain/

Go to the left hand frame and click the colour photos link. There are about 8 or so wartime colour photos from a variety of sources.

EDIT - the point about the German prints is that I am not sure what they were printed for - as private purchase by citizens back home, or perhaps they were for official government offices, etc.? I am sure everyone got tired of looking at pictures of the Führer. Perhaps Markus can tell me more about these?

[ 04-19-2001: Message edited by: Michael Dorosh ]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After my father was captured during the Bulge, he and his group were issued bright blue french capes the germans had aquired at the start of the war, because of the bitter cold.

As the marched towards Germany, a horse-drawn cart followed the column to carry those too sick or wounded to march any further.

One morning the German officer in charge of the column of PW's shot a compass azimuth cross country. Prior to this, the had followed a road. This meant that the cart could not follow. The prisoner were horrified.

As the sick and wounded began to falter, the men in the column tried to keep them going, but it was sometimes impossible. The Germans had no choice, and as the men fell out they were bayoneted to death.

My father told me that one of his lasting memories of the war was the brilliant sunlight on the day of that march, and the bright red blood on the blue capes of the figures they passed, laying in the snow.

Apparently, the war was in color for him.

[ 04-19-2001: Message edited by: BloodyBucket ]

[ 04-19-2001: Message edited by: BloodyBucket ]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by scoop88:

Suggest that you watch for a rebroadcast of "World War II In Color" on the History Channel. It is a series of shows where all the footage was originally shot in color. After seeing WWII in black and white, it is very unsettling at first to see all that color footage!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

If you can't wait for a rebroadcast, I found the DVD of this show. You can get it on Amazon (of course): Amazon's WWII in Color

Zipper

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by scoop88:

And as the negatives age, the colors are going to wash out, so even if you print directly from the original negative, you won't get true color.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Not only that, but the different colors can fade at different rates so that as time goes on you also get a color shift.

Michael

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To guy w/gun; It's saved in my pictures files one of those netscape 6 deals that won't let you open it as a bitmap. Sometimes it won't let you open it at all. I'm going to search through my links and try to find it again. Richard

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A friend of mine acquired some Kodachrome slides from a widow who was going to throw them out. The collection turned out to be colour photos shot by a Canadian Army dentist, in Korea, in 1951 (ie during the war). They can still make prints from these slides for a dollar a pop, and the colours and detail are so crisp, you would think they were taken yesterday. Buddy was very pleased about that find.

I bet there are all kinds of historical photos and artifacts that have simply been thrown in the trash over the years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've always been interested in what would happen if all the CM textures were in B&W and in really hi-res. I suppose that since B&W (greyscale) can be stored at really high resolutions without taking that much space, you could run a super high-res game without too much of a performance hit.

As a side note, maybe we could have the combat photographer unit in CM2. He'd be like a morale mascott. If he gets nailed, your team morale would suffer. Kind of like a parrot in any Pirate game.

It's one of those days...

Aloid

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...