SoaN Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 As I promised I have translated one of the devs blogs. You can see pictures for it and take a look at it in Russian here: http://ww2.games.1c.ru/?action=devdiary&id=174 Dev blogs part 7 – “Applied cartography” Hi, my name is Alexander Grachev and I am map designer. Today we are talking about map making. First of all I would like to tell you that map making process is the one of most labor-intensive processes, it can be compared with model making process. Almost each map in game can be matched with real existing landscapes. It is the reason why it is so hard making a new map. Firstly we had to find information about the battle we needed then accurately define the place where the battle took place, only after that we began searching information about maps we needed. It is very hard to find topographical maps even in our times when we have huge amount of books, atlases and other historical authentic sources. We had to use everything we could find – modern topographical maps, maps of 70-s, post-war air photography, electronic GPRS maps, photos of district… We began working with information when we collected all that we could. Basing on data we had dev team draw basic map with isolines, after that height was compared, than to give opportunity for engine to build (triangulate) 3d landscape map was transformed into 16 bit format texture. After having made landscape we began next step of map modifying. Landscape was detailed, were added small hills, channels, abrupt slopes, if it was necessary made rivers wider or narrower. At the same time work with future texture for map was made. But about that could better tell our artists. I can tell you only that color scale of maps was changed about 5 times. Besides we had to make as so called “grass map” and “map of terrain types”, which is not so easy. When all work was finished dev team began placing objects on map: trees, statics (houses, fences, trenches) – these kind of work closely connected to the process of making missions. Despite the fact that maps were made maximum authentic sometimes we had to do insignificant changes because of engine limits, besides we had to not forget about gameplay. Already made map had to be not only pretty and realistic but comfortable for making mission that we had in mind. Part of the maps weren’t included in published version because of that. Speaking about works that are having place right now, I would like to tell about new and comfortable tools for terrain making (don’t think that it is pick and shovel). Some of the works are much easier owing to these new tools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnN Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 Interesting stuff! Is the new terrain tool just for internal use, or is there any chance it might be bundled with the add-on? Thanks for taking the time to translate these! Have fun Finn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tartari Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 very interesting! I hope like Finn that the terrain-making tool will be in the addon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nachinus Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 The next incoming 1C game, the sim Oleg Maddox is doing based in the Battle of Britain, is said to include map tools so modders can design and create their own maps, contrary to the previous sims in the series (which use ToW graphical engine). Maybe this guy is talking about these tools, and I hope that this is a new policy in 1C games and that this tools will be also provided in the upcoming addon for ToW. ...btw SoaN: there is, by chance, some devlog about the inmediate plans with ToW? Patch, update, new missions, or something like that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rofl Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 Thanks a lot for translation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mastiff Posted August 4, 2007 Share Posted August 4, 2007 Well because some one hacked the SFS code they are now delaying the patch 4.09 for IL2 FB 1946. I wonder if the tool The doc made had any thing to do with that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slapaho Posted August 4, 2007 Share Posted August 4, 2007 Originally posted by Wolfseven: Well because some one hacked the SFS code they are now delaying the patch 4.09 for IL2 FB 1946. I wonder if the tool The doc made had any thing to do with that? lol this is like one of those stories in the news paper which are published every year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Jones Posted August 4, 2007 Share Posted August 4, 2007 Originally posted by Wolfseven: Well because some one hacked the SFS code they are now delaying the patch 4.09 for IL2 FB 1946. I wonder if the tool The doc made had any thing to do with that? I hope not, its true that the first version was not protected which was written in .Net. Where did you read that Wolfseven. br. Dr.Jones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rofl Posted August 4, 2007 Share Posted August 4, 2007 The PF SFS files was "hacked" several times in the past, have nothing to with Dr.Jones tool. Programms like Il-2-matmanger and Il-2 stab wouldnt be possible without "hacked" SFS files . But some naive people still think Il-2 was the one and only cheatfree game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mastiff Posted August 4, 2007 Share Posted August 4, 2007 Originally posted by Dr.Jones: </font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Wolfseven: Well because some one hacked the SFS code they are now delaying the patch 4.09 for IL2 FB 1946. I wonder if the tool The doc made had any thing to do with that? I hope not, its true that the first version was not protected which was written in .Net. Where did you read that Wolfseven. br. Dr.Jones </font> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slapaho Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 I still have not seen anywhere officially saying that the release slipping is due to files being hacked and I have seen this story on several boards. I also saw people saying the exact same thing for the delay for the release of ToW. Wolfseven, you stated this as if it was a categorical fact but nowhere do I see any evidence in the link you posted. I am not sure if there has ever been an official post at any time about 'hacked' code being the reason for delayed releases (I have seen the opposite in that denials of such a thing have happened from the developers themselves) As an example from October last year (check post no.4 and onwards) http://www.simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2106508&page=4#Post2106508 so please post evidence (devs posting for example) to the contrary if you have it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Jones Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 Originally posted by Wolfseven: </font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Dr.Jones: </font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Wolfseven: Well because some one hacked the SFS code they are now delaying the patch 4.09 for IL2 FB 1946. I wonder if the tool The doc made had any thing to do with that? I hope not, its true that the first version was not protected which was written in .Net. Where did you read that Wolfseven. br. Dr.Jones </font> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mastiff Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 Originally posted by Slapaho: I still have not seen anywhere officially saying that the release slipping is due to files being hacked and I have seen this story on several boards. I also saw people saying the exact same thing for the delay for the release of ToW. Wolfseven, you stated this as if it was a categorical fact but nowhere do I see any evidence in the link you posted. I am not sure if there has ever been an official post at any time about 'hacked' code being the reason for delayed releases (I have seen the opposite in that denials of such a thing have happened from the developers themselves) As an example from October last year (check post no.4 and onwards) http://www.simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2106508&page=4#Post2106508 so please post evidence (devs posting for example) to the contrary if you have it. Oleg is a DEV?! no?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mastiff Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 " Posted Thu August 02 2007 23:20 Hide Post quote: Originally posted by Oleg_Maddox: quote: Originally posted by JG53Harti: So Ivan, why didn't anybody stop the discussion on the Sukhoi.ru Forums? The discussion there got to 59 pages! I posted there my personal opinion about the guy who did it and that we need to delay 4.09, becasue of possible in future hack of online and neccessary to put there new method of check.. Currently they modded just sound, GUI, etc... Thanks for stopping by Oleg. Glad that there will be a fix eventually. V! Regards, VFC*Crazyivan aka VFC*HOST Kozhedub: In combat potential, the Yak-3, La-7 and La-9 fighters were indisputably superior to the Bf-109s and Fw-190s. But, as they say, no matter how good the violin may be, much depends on the violinist. I always felt respect for an enemy pilot whose plane I failed to down. Magnum PC " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnasher Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 As far as I can see its about some bloke called QTim who has released a potential IL2 FM hack tool. DrJ you are of course right in that different encription/whatever of SFS files is not going to help, and they know it, and I know it. But you aint the culprit this time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnasher Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 Try harder next time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnasher Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 "quote:Originally posted by Slapaho: I still have not seen anywhere officially saying that the release slipping is due to files being hacked and I have seen this story on several boards. I also saw people saying the exact same thing for the delay for the release of ToW. Wolfseven, you stated this as if it was a categorical fact but nowhere do I see any evidence in the link you posted. I am not sure if there has ever been an official post at any time about 'hacked' code being the reason for delayed releases (I have seen the opposite in that denials of such a thing have happened from the developers themselves) As an example from October last year (check post no.4 and onwards) http://www.simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2106508&page=4#Post2106508 so please post evidence (devs posting for example) to the contrary if you have it. Oleg is a DEV?! no?!" Yep Oleg is a dev extraordinaire! Whilst Sepp is a nasty little troll! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slapaho Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 Aha - I see - sorry I am (easily) confused, sorry Wolf and thanks Gnasher still tho, who thinks that any popular game is cheat proof lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoaN Posted August 11, 2007 Author Share Posted August 11, 2007 Another dev blog, hope it'll be interesting for you Hi, my name is Basarnov Oleg and I am lead designer of TOW. Let’s talk about future. When we were programming visibility we decided to make it standard like for other games of that sort – we constructed circular visibility for all game objects. Many players, not only, had a lot of questions about such system. So for TOW addon (we have not made official announcement yet) we are working on system non-standard for strategic games. We hope that player will be more used too such realization of visibility because they see it in real life. In new system will be counted: angular sizes of object, camouflage, weather conditions, smoke, terrain type on which object and observer are placed, movement, trees and etc. We are already checking new modeled technics. We changed armor system: we divided hull into different parts, added “armor structure”. We are giving special attention to infantry, which includes not only humans but technics in there hands. Infantry will try acting more in squads, but each human will stay individuality and will still remain force. Answering on your future questions – yes, there will be enterable buildings. That’s all by now, see you later! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShiftZ Posted August 11, 2007 Share Posted August 11, 2007 Answering on your future questions – yes, there will be enterable buildings. Wow. Major. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glennovich Posted August 11, 2007 Share Posted August 11, 2007 Hoera! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lmgroth Posted August 11, 2007 Share Posted August 11, 2007 Soan, Thank you for posting Oleg's blog. We are all very interested in the continued development of TOW. I, for one, am very happy to hear you are addressing infantry. I still have difficulties keeping my infantry in cover and alive long enough for them to be as effective in battle as they probably should be. Overall... very positive outlook for the future of TOW. Please continue to translate and post the dev blogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nachinus Posted August 11, 2007 Share Posted August 11, 2007 Good to hear about improved infantry behaviour. Currently the game focuses too much in AFV combat, while infantry is there just to man AT guns or die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markus86 Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 I hope the addon will be available soon, as it's actually no fun for me to play ToW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnN Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Originally posted by SoaN: angular sizes of object, camouflage, weather conditions, smoke, terrain type on which object and observer are placed, movement, trees and etc. Whoo-hoo! Where do I put my pre-order in! All looks good! Have fun Finn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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