Normandy 3D World

[panzermartin]

I was wondering if terrain graphics will eventually get a face lift compared to CMSF. Will the 3d world feel improved or mostly different textures will be the change on an otherwise unchanged base?

Things like:

Trees 3D modelling. I'm hoping for better visuals. Mass of trees/woods dont look very convincing now due to the 3d distortion of 2d bitmaps. Combined with a lack of base "woods" texture and the problems with draw distance the result is not satisfying on "greener" maps, which i guess will be the majority in Normandy.

Elevation highlighting. I have edited most hilly maps in CMSF to clear skies and set time around early morning/late afternoon to get the best possible shadowing and help distinguish small hills which otherwise are impossible to spot. Is there any thought to put a permanent, ambient secondary lighting source to help with this?

Depth of field. Haze and desaturating of tones in the distance. (distant objects-cooler hues)

Buildings. I know they are going to be more detailed compared to the CMSF ones. Any changes though on the damage effects like rubble falling on nearby streets etc?

SFXs. Will we see a little more variety? And less flash/more flying dirt? Some better flames/smoke maybe..

Random skins on vehicles.

State of water modelling.

Some things were promised others not so but hope BFC did eventually find the energy, resources and time to fill some gaps in the visual department.

Thanks

[Elmar Bijlsma]

And less flash/more flying dirt? Some better flames/smoke maybe..

Uhm, yeah, this. Definitely this.

That and penetration/hit decals on armour.

[phil stanbridge]

I think the graphics in SF are pretty good as they are to be honest. Sure there can always be improvements, and I'm sure Normandy will feature these 'upgrades'. But this is where the modders come into their own. Just look at the enhanced flames and things already. I think if you try and add another dimension to the game via the graphics engine you would make it unscaleable and virtually unplayable!

[Thomm]

I'd like to see flames coming out of hatches or from the engine deck. Maybe a simulated pool of burning fuel under the tank.

The little flames that appear randomly now are not an optimal solution.

Oh, and shaded grass.

The rest looks fine to me.

Best regards,

Thomm

[panzermartin]

Would be nice if woods had more volume and less distortion. And fading (not disappearing) in the distance.

Here is a game that got it right without making it "unplayable" :

Maybe an extra layer of horizontialy placed bitmaps(now only a single vertical) would do the trick.

[phil stanbridge]

You of course have a point with reference to IL2, but the thing is, if you zoom down to the tree line it doesn't look so good. I realise IL2 and the likes are also quite dated by today's standards but the point is the majority of time in IL2 is spent up in the air, at distance away from those objects. When you start to move around and zoom in on built-up areas I don't think it would work so well. But that's just my opinion of course. I'm just a realist at the end of the day, and I prefer gameplay over graphics any day. Although graphics help immersion of course.

[panzermartin]

You of course have a point with reference to IL2, but the thing is, if you zoom down to the tree line it doesn't look so good. I realise IL2 and the likes are also quite dated by today's standards but the point is the majority of time in IL2 is spent up in the air, at distance away from those objects. When you start to move around and zoom in on built-up areas I don't think it would work so well. But that's just my opinion of course. I'm just a realist at the end of the day, and I prefer gameplay over graphics any day. Although graphics help immersion of course.

That's true. But I'm mainly talking about the tree LODS of CMSF, the bitmaps that pop up once you have distanced the camera pov. Once you go down trees look fine with detaild branches etc. I think CM Normandy would benefit from such an approach. Its a gameplay thing as well because the game is "what you see is what you get" and sometimes the thin looking woods make you believe your forces are exposed while in reality you are sitting in the middle of Schwarzwald

[panzermartin]

If BFC gets only distant trees and flames/smoke columns right, game will already look twice as good as CMSF. I could be worng but it doesnt sound like a ton of work.

[Thomm]

Here is a game that got it right without making it "unplayable"

Nice technology, no doubt, but it does not look like a realistic wood to me.

Re. the "billboard" trees: CMx1 had proper billboards for top-down viewing; they are one of the things that got lost during the engine upgrade.

But may be this discussion is moot, because the vegetation rendering system was totally rework, or so I recall it being described. A screenshot would be nice, of course.

Best regards,

Thomm

[Mord]

Combined with a lack of base "woods" texture and the problems with draw distance the result is not satisfying on "greener" maps, which i guess will be the majority in Normandy.

I brought this up a year or two ago and Steve said it was something they were interested in changing. Whether that'll happen for Normandy remains a mystery but it is something that would add a nice touch to forested areas.

I suggested an extra layer, something that would lay over the grass, and beneath brush so there'd be like a third texture layer...so say, grass would bleed through a bit. However they do it, if they do it, I hope a leaf layer would be placed by the scenario designer and not linked to placing trees like in CMX1, and two, I hope it would bleed into surrounding tiles (like we have with some textures now) and not have squared edges, again, like it was in CMX1.

Oh, and add my vote to the more dirt, less flame for ground explosions.

Mord.

[panzermartin]

That's a great idea too. Dense Woods should automaticaly add some kind of underbush/leaves layer underneath to make trees blend with the terrain and not look out of place. But to be honest I'm not very optimistic about the trees in CM:N. Just read what Steve wrote in another thread:

"And this from a guy who thinks cutting down and hauling a couple dozen trees out of the

forest is fun!"

[Lanzfeld]

My 2 pennies:

More dirt/less flame/even more smoke

Also...showing hit decals on armour would be just perfect. For some reason I love to check out the battlefield after it is over and there is something about a dead tank with a turned turret that I spend most of my time on. Holes in said WWII tank would be +10,000

[Nicdain]

my 2 eurocents:

more undergrowth vegetation such as bushes, scrubs, tall crops would add a lot to immersion.

I hope to see again rain and strong wind, too.

[Pvt. Ryan]

If CM:N is not as beautiful as Pandora the game will be fundamentally flawed.

[MeatEtr]

So CMN is coming with 3D glasses for the 3D effects. Kool, steal Avatars thunder!