What will be able to edit in CMX2?

[pad152]

What will we be able to edit in CMX2?

In cm1 you could only edit the color(texture)!

[flamingknives]

http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=52;t=000124

[pad152]

Well after reading the post it sounds like you maybe able to pick one or two pre-configed versions of an Infantry Squad, too bad. I don't want a wargame construction set, but geez at lease give us the ability to edit infantry squads (number of man, state, type of weapons).

In the later part of the war there was very few German infantry units that matched their standard TOE.

Give us more things to edit than just the changing the color.

[BulletRat]

I want a gold plated toilet in my command car but we can't all have what we want eh...

[mav1]

What about a construction set for afv's, you get a number of chassis, guns, turrents, hulls and tracks to choice from. You could then construct your own afv (like lego). The values of penetration of guns would still be hard coded. But maybe you could choice the armour petection.

It may not be realistic or practical but it would be fun. For example you could create a jagtiger with a 128mm gun or a tank destroyer version of a crusader tank.

[MikeyD]

Well, on the Drop Team website they mention we might be able to mix & match different turrets and chassis. But Drop Team's not exactly shooting for real-world accuracy.

The closest we may get to 'mix & match' could be what they're willing to offer for Humvee variants. Humvee with SAW, Humvee with Browning, Humvee with Mk19 grenade launcher. All of the above with or without gun shield. Uparmored humvee with all the above. M1114 Humvee AC with armored weapons station with all of the above. All all of those with or without smoke grenade launchers!

Maybe they could offer more mixing & matching possibilities for Syrian side, pickup truck-mounted 'technicals' with any number of weapons bolted to the flatbed.

Much beyond that, I'd guess make-you-own vehicles would be a no-go for BFC. They're too much into the historical fidelity thing.

[mav1]

I believe in giving the gamer as much choice as possible. If you want to or don't want to use a afv construction set, should be a gamers choice.

The only question is, will there be too much work for the dvelopers, in coding in a construction set. You can take the philosophy of realism too seriously. Give a little space for those who like to create what if scenario's. At the moment you can create historic or non historic battles, expand that freedom more.

It would good to have more different kind's of trucks then just one type.

Also it would be nice to have the ability to change the colour's of afv's in the game rather than having to splash out money on a programe to be able to edit the afv's.

If BFC refuse to have a construction set, then what about including historic prototypes of afv's in the game, such as for example the Romanian Marasal tank destroyer or the Hungarian TuranIII with 75mm 43m gun. Also include afv's that just failed to enter ww11, such as the British Centurion or the various American Self propelled guns that just failed to make it into ww11.

It would just add fun for players like me who just want to play with more different types of afv.

Also adding new countries such as Czechoslovakia in the western front. Or Yugoslavian Partisans, slovakia, Turkey and Sweden on the Eastern front. Would add more divercity and add the ability to include what if scenario's.

[aka_tom_w]

"The only question is, will there be too much work for the developers, in coding in a construction set."

YES!! ...

I would like to play this game BEFORE my next birthday, OR before the end of this year AT Least! I say NO way to the construction set, buy some Lego or Meccano if thats what you want. (Or just play another game like Drop Team)

" You can take the philosophy of realism too seriously. "

Not really! (Not at BFC anyway)

-tom w

[ March 17, 2006, 08:48 AM: Message edited by: aka_tom_w ]

[MikeyD]

Its been my impression BFC's attitude has been someting like "If we give them the means to construct entirely new polygons and to edit specs what incentive will they have for purchasing more than one title from us?"

In the past we've only got vehicles from them that they've wanted us to have, to keep the game historical - but so far that's been a LOT of vehicles!

Oh, by the way, looks like a Drop Team public Beta's ready for downloading.

[mav1]

Combat Mission's realism is what makes it brilliant. What I meant by taking realism too seriously, is not giving the option of creating a what if scenario to the game.

You can still be semi realistic by adding historic afc protoypes in the game.

[mav1]

Wouldn't anyone like to use the British Centurion, the German Maus or the American M43 on the western front?

[MikeyD]

If CMx2 is going to have a smaller number of high poygon count vehicles as opposed to CMx1's endless number of low polygon count vehicles, people might prefer to not have the quantity of theater-specific historical vehicles diluted by adding 'what-if' armor.

Which brings me to the topic of wacky potential CMx2 titles. What if a 'What If' title was quickly concocted? Something along the lines of "Museum Mayhem" - we get to choose between all-out battles between Churchills, Pattons, Candian Rams, M114 recon vehicles, M60A2s... basically wage war with the random contents of the Bovington or Patton armor museums! That way you could do a 'what if' scenario with Centurions vs Pattons, or you could cobble together a reasonably historical collection to try a India-Pakistan engagement, or South Africa-Cuba fight. Admittedly, I don't kknow what you'd do for troops. Maybe pot-bellied civilian museum goers armed with historical weaponry.

It'd be a hoot but I really really doubt BFC would ever stoop to producing such an absurd title

[mav1]

What programme do you need to edit in combat mission. I have no idea about modding :confused:

[Ellros]

Originally posted by mav1:

What programme do you need to edit in combat mission. I have no idea about modding :confused:

Any program that will modify bmp files. MS Paint, Photoshop, etc.

[MikeyD]

"Any program that will modify bmp files. MS Paint, Photoshop, etc."

...we hope, since nobody's actually touched the game yet. Maybe I should download the Drop Team demo (my old OS won't run the game) just to see how the art for that game was done! What file format used, etc. See if it gives us any hints on what's in store for us with CMSF.

[KNac]

While I think that modding extenses the life of a product a lot, we can see soem differences between each type of game and developing house. I dont see BFC giving away an SDK like any FPS developing company, is not their style and probably would be against their marketing strategy.

SO I don't think there is a need for custom vehicles, implementing new models, changing lines of code, etc. but some flexibility would be nice, like being able to change the TOE for a squad, their moreale status, etc. Enhance options to make campaing games more possible. In definitive, make the game more flexible while not totally modable, something more than making new high res textures

I think they are doing this to some extense.

[KNac]

Oh, modifing saved games would be nice, but we know this WON'T happen. So some kind of option to export/import unit info after/before the battle in the map editor would help big time developing campaings etc.

[mav1]

Thanks for the info, Ellros and MickeyD.

By the way, which is cheaper, ms paint or Photoshop

and which one is easier ti use.

[ April 06, 2006, 06:18 AM: Message edited by: mav1 ]

[Dogface]

well seeing as MSPaint comes standard with yer Windoze OS then that would be the cheaper of the 2.

Photoshop is expensive (US$649.00 for the new version) but it can do so much more than mspaint.

MSPaint is just a art/drawing program where Photoshop is a professional photo/image editing program.

[rai kitsune]

Originally posted by MikeyD:

If CMx2 is going to have a smaller number of high poygon count vehicles as opposed to CMx1's endless number of low polygon count vehicles, people might prefer to not have the quantity of theater-specific historical vehicles diluted by adding 'what-if' armor.

Which brings me to the topic of wacky potential CMx2 titles. What if a 'What If' title was quickly concocted? Something along the lines of "Museum Mayhem" - we get to choose between all-out battles between Churchills, Pattons, Candian Rams, M114 recon vehicles, M60A2s... basically wage war with the random contents of the Bovington or Patton armor museums! That way you could do a 'what if' scenario with Centurions vs Pattons, or you could cobble together a reasonably historical collection to try a India-Pakistan engagement, or South Africa-Cuba fight. Admittedly, I don't kknow what you'd do for troops. Maybe pot-bellied civilian museum goers armed with historical weaponry.

It'd be a hoot but I really really doubt BFC would ever stoop to producing such an absurd title

no i need that title NOW the bovington tank museum CMx2 addon (with bovinton tank museum map included) would be the best thing ever!!!..... maybe..... well i'd buy it!

[wunwinglow]

PaintShop Pro will do 98% of what Photoshop will do, and 100% of what you will need to do to mod these sorts of bitmap files, for 20% of the cost.

http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=Corel3/Products/Display&pfid=1047024307383&pid=1047025487586

Usual disclaimer, no commercial connection with Corel, just a happy customer.

wun

[wunwinglow]

I don't mind not being able to add new vehicles, provided all the appropriate vehicles are in the software! Otherwise, the MS Flight Sim approach where you only get 12 or so aircraft, but a copy of GMax to make your own (Like the lady who wanted to get to Carnagy Hall, you gotta practice!!) is a great way. Look at the huge variety, and amazing quality, of enthusiast-developed aircraft for FS2004. I doubt if MS have sold less copies of the software as a result!

Same goes for scenery items.

Being a Brit, I wish CMAK had a lot more Brit types than it does. The German 'library' of vehicles is massive, in comparison. Bit like looking on the tank shelves in a model shop, I suppose!

wun

[flamingknives]

There's not much in the way of British tanks missing from CMAK, just a few Armoured cars and vehicles that weren't in theatre. The most glaring omission is Crusader AA tanks. IMHO.

[wunwinglow]

True, given the limitation of the Africa/Italy theatre, but it wouldn't have taken much more effort to add all the European vehicles too; well, maybe the Brit and US stuff, I appreciate all the extra Wermacht stuff that would have been demanded might have taken longer!

My point is, the FS2004 approach taps into the vast skill base of the customers, the end users. You only have to look at what HAS been done with CMAK, within the editing limitations of the system. With an editable system, no doubt we would have had Cambrais, Ethiopia, Spain, Every theatre of WWII, Korea, and all the middle east, as well as dozens and dozens of others I can't think of just now.

Of course I understand the required limits imposed by a 'game', and the need to stop the inevitable cheating that would happen (CFS2 for example) but for the majority of sensible, serious users of such software, these attractions are very compelling.

What I REALLY want though are AVREs with SBGs, Bobbins, Bullshorn, Crabs, LCTs, Buffalos, Comets, and yes, Crusader AA tanks!

Don't worry, I'll crawl back under my stone now.

wun

[J Ruddy]

For top quality free image editing - get the gimp.

http://www.gimp.org/

It isn't the most intuitive but it is free and very powerful...

(Usual disclaimer - I am in no way affiliated with the entire opensource movement.. )