CMx2 Revisited

[Stingray]

Originally posted by Stingray:

I vote for:

As I was saying,,, I vote for:

a) WEGO

WW II (1939 to 1945)ETO

c) Squad to Batallion Size

d) Seperate bmps

In short, same as the CM series; only improved.

[SturmSebber]

I think it would be hard for BFC to introduce another era than ww2 since most people of the community are WW2 freaks. WW2 sels!

I vote for 1940 , invasion of France, Belgium, Poland ea. -CM, but with adaptations to compensate for BORG vision.

[stikkypixie]

Originally posted by SturmSebber:

I think it would be hard for BFC to introduce another era than ww2 since most people of the community are WW2 freaks. WW2 sels!

I vote for 1940 , invasion of France, Belgium, Poland ea. -CM, but with adaptations to compensate for BORG vision.

I vote for integrated spelling checker

[mrpwase]

I vote for modelled and properly placed trees so my troops can shoot at an enemy they can clearly see. I vote for open-source so we can create mods focusing on other theatres (historical or fictional). I vote for co-operative games (against the computer or with humans against humans). I vote for subtitles so we can understand what they're saying.

[flamingknives]

I vote for sensible abstractions so the engine doesn't get restricted in scope.

I also vote for an engine that can be easily adapted to cover all theatres in modern warfare (1914 onwards) but I rather suspect that's the idea anyway.

[A.E.B]

Hi all

I had a discussion with a friend who works for a Australian game software company on how to allow additions to a game's database without having open-code software or allowing cheating.

The strategy they are working on is having a dedicated website where the entire statistical database was available. The actual CDs sold with the game would contain the original database as well as an automatic updater utility that would access and download the files from this dedicated database.

I asked what about people who lack internet access, but the view is any dedicated gamer will have internet access.

Translated to CMX terms, this would allow BFC to have a seperate OOB and equipment statitics saved seperately from the actual game software. Want to add a new AFV or fix a OOB problem: change the database.

The trick is to make the software utilise this database. This means making the engine capable of handling all the necessary variables likely to be encounted (a good example is multi-weaponed vehicles being able to engage seperate targets).

Get the initial data set right and you are free to add content at will. The company my friend works for even has plans to allow external user mods to be submitted and - if accepted - added to the database.

Get it right and a WWII game engine could be updated to handle non-WWII theatres if the game engine can handle the required data.

The plan is to allow access to this online database free for a period (to be determined), and then charge a fee for future access (patches would remain free).

The game software being designed doesn't need to handle multi-player, however. My policy is never bring up a problem without a solution, so....

* have scenarios come with the data of the units being used by that scenario. This would limited the size of the file package required and would restrict users to the scenario defaults.

* quickbattles use the user's software's own data set, or, if a multiplayer game is desired, the software automatically links to the online database so both players are using the same data set (no edit cheats).

This seems to be the future of games that need to allow considerable updates of units for a game (the software my friend is working on is a 3D train simulator that is state-of-the-art both graphically and in terms of realism).

Just an idea.

A.E.B

[throwdjohn]

But some gamers, like me, DO NOT have internet access on the same comp as CM. Of course my status as a "dedicated gamer" is in jeopardy since I have yet to DL a single patch to AK.

[Wodin]

I'd like a decent top own view. All the troops to be shown on the battlefield. Revisit ETO. Stay with WEGO, to drop that would finish the series for me.

[Panzer76]

Originally posted by mrpwase:

I vote for open-source so we can create mods focusing on other theatres (historical or fictional).

Wont happen.

[Kip Watson]

Here's a cool idea.

Sometimes the CM maps look a little bland (realistic maps can sometimes be quite featureless) and the thought occured that sometimes a simple map (which many good battle maps often are) would be greatly enhanced by more sophisticated backdrops.

I would like to see:

1) near-distance and fa-distance backdrops.

(NB the near distance being what right now is just a 'green void'). Near distance needn't be high res or anything, just a hint of a landcape would do.

2) Scenario designer can pick N,S,E & W near and far from a menu. For instance on a Winter 1941 battle you could pick 'Spires of Moscow'; in a Stalingrad you could pick 'burning city'; in a desert battle at night you could pick 'Artillery flashes at night', D-Day to the North you have 'sea with armada' - do you get the idea?

3) And while it wouldn't need to be anything too complex, but a little bit of background animation would really be cool.

eg. In the far distance: a plane flying past, the odd explosion, huge columns of smoke (depends on background of course), flashes of guns.

- in the near-distance; an occasional truck or vehicle, or on the flanks the hint of a larger battle (dust explosions, flames).

That'd be cool, wouldn't it? Wouldn't it just bring a map to life?!

[General Bolt]

Comprmise between WEGO and RTS.

RTS with pause the action but allow commands to be entered during the pause.

Or RTS with a rewind feature but no commands could be entered until the play back again reached real time where the rewind began to prevent cheating.