Wondering about buildings in CM Normandy

[Mord]

Steve mentioned in the visual bone;

"The game now supports customized, purpose built buildings in order to add more flavor for lower density (especially) areas. Barns, farm houses, churches, etc. These are distinctly different from the CM:SF style "building block" type buildings, though those are also available for higher density (especially) areas. Obviously without the Middle East look..."

Will the interiors have the same level of abstraction?

Will there be better visual representations when they are destroyed or damaged? Will they look like we have now (big square jagged hole) or something along the lines of CMBB and CMAK but better? I really liked the one wall standing look in CMBB...even though it was a bit odd looking as far as the windows went.

Will there be strength differences for wood and stone buildings?

How does the customizing work?

Will Faust or Zook firing inside a building create results like in CMX1?

Will buildings have a chance to catch fire under the right conditions?

Mord.

[Thomm]

Hi Mord,

Let me pick out two that I think even I am allowed to answer:

Will the interiors have the same level of abstraction?

Yes.

How does the customizing work?

"Customizing" in this case means "not built up from blocks as you know it from CM:SF", but rather "having a unique model that has more details and a structure different from 8x8 meter blocks". A small barn, e.g., could not be represented properly with an 8x8 meter building block. Therefore, a smaller model was created that looks like a "real" barn. The church mentioned by Steve is also a good example. Since there is no way of setting up a proper looking church with the big building blocks, the game holds a special model of a church with a small steeple, tinted glass windows, etc.

The variety of these so-called "independent" buildings is quite large, at least in my opinion.

Best regards,

Thomm

[MeatEtr]

Hi Mord,

Let me pick out two that I think even I am allowed to answer:

Yes.

"Customizing" in this case means "not built up from blocks as you know it from CM:SF", but rather "having a unique model that has more details and a structure different from 8x8 meter blocks". A small barn, e.g., could not be represented properly with an 8x8 meter building block. Therefore, a smaller model was created that looks like a "real" barn. The church mentioned by Steve is also a good example. Since there is no way of setting up a proper looking church with the big building blocks, the game holds a special model of a church with a small steeple, tinted glass windows, etc.

The variety of these so-called "independent" buildings is quite large, at least in my opinion.

Best regards,

Thomm

Sounds good Thomm, thanks for posting the info. But could you post a few screenshots to go along with this. That'd be great, thanks a bunch.

[Mord]

Thanks for the two answers, Thomm.

So, seeing that these buildings are purpose built models, will we be able to cycle through different paint jobs (textures) like in CMSF? Or is it one paint scheme for each model?

Mord.

[panzermartin]

Great! Normandy is going to look amazing with those extra touches. "Independent" buildigns is a must for WW2 environment and it seems we will get the best of both worlds with a blend of CMSF's creative legoland and an environment with more character.

Improved visual damage would be welcome too. I'd like to see some hit decals or blackened walls textures. And collapsed buildings not compeltely flat, chimneys or a wall left standing but not in a way to interfere with gameplay-pure eye candy. Rubble and debris spreading to surrounding terrain in form of simple doodads would be great too.

[panzermartin]

Thanks for the two answers, Thomm.

So, seeing that these buildings are purpose built models, will we be able to cycle through different paint jobs (textures) like in CMSF? Or is it one paint scheme for each model?

Mord.

Good question. I suspect from Steve's quote that we will get some customization too. At least I hope that for the smaller buildings they will keep a texture slot or two for the modders to expand the visual variety.

[MeatEtr]

Improved visual damage would be welcome too. I'd like to see some hit decals or blackened walls textures.

+1 to this, would like to see the return of the three textures for buildings. The basic or new look, then lightly damaged, and then heavy damage. Or possibly take it a step further, textures for different damage like for bullets or shells.

[Pvt. Ryan]

I would like the see the return of asterisks to indicate the impending collapse of a building.

[Gromit]

Yeah, now I am kind of wondering if these smaller blocks will allow for impact tracing of larger rounds followed by decals or "damaged" replacement blocks. Once a certain threshold is reached there is an increased chance of partial or full collapse. Hit points more or less?

Really looking forward to an ever-expanding "hey guys, in module 2 we are releasing 10 new building textures for your enjoyment" :eek:

Suhwheeet!

[LongLeftFlank]

"Customizing" in this case means "not built up from blocks as you know it from CM:SF", but rather "having a unique model that has more details and a structure different from 8x8 meter blocks". A small barn, e.g., could not be represented properly with an 8x8 meter building block. Therefore, a smaller model was created that looks like a "real" barn. The church mentioned by Steve is also a good example. Since there is no way of setting up a proper looking church with the big building blocks, the game holds a special model of a church with a small steeple, tinted glass windows, etc.

The variety of these so-called "independent" buildings is quite large, at least in my opinion.

Best regards,

Thomm

Sounds terrific, but you'd best have at least 2 different churches: one with the conventional pointed steeple (14th century onward) and the iconic thick fieldstone "Norman church" with 1 or 2 square towers. Although I suppose the latter could be approximated using the square building blocks.

... And I do hope the church steeple belfry can fit at most 3 guys (i.e. a MG crew or spotter + radioman). Not like CMSF, where you can game-ily crowd an entire platoon into an oversized square "minaret."

[LongLeftFlank]

Keep in mind too that timber-framed Norman buildings, with their thick load-bearing walls have very different structural characteristics than cement pillar/slab Middle Eastern structures. You can blow away individual walls in the latter and the rest will remain, along with the structural skeleton. But if you blow away a load bearing wall, that will cause the collapse of all walls and roof above it, as well as a lot of the adjacent floor, which will spill out the mess into the adjacent yard/street. Creating the characteristic "doll house" look from period photos.

[Mord]

I hope Steve will come along and give us more info...been a while since we had any significant bones on CM:N.

Mord.

[Mord]

Ba-Ba-Bump...Bump...Bump.

[Mord]

Bump again...twice.

[Pvt. Ryan]

I hope your collision insurance is up to date.

[Mord]

Bumpy McBump Butt.

[Paper Tiger]

Guys. I think you should know that something is being prepared for you and that your questions about the WW2 title are not being ignored. Give them a few more days and I'm sure that all your questions will be answered.

[Mord]

AWESOME!!!

THANKS!

Mord.

[Chops]

You will see more bones when the powers that be, are damn well and ready to toss out some gruel to the masses, and not a minute before.

CM:Normandy - website and forum Sept. 2010

CM:Normandy - Dec. 2010

[~Viajero]

Guys. I think you should know that something is being prepared for you and that your questions about the WW2 title are not being ignored. Give them a few more days and I'm sure that all your questions will be answered.

Coolio, thanks... now, ahem, could you please define "a few more days"? or at least have a menaingful range?

[umlaut]

Well, while we´re waiting, I might as well ask one of the building questions that´s been on my own mind for a while:

Will CM:N allow for buildings being placed on slopes?

It is one of the things that has been really annoying me when creating scenarios in CM1, that whenever you place a building on a sloping street, the building never shows up on the map.

So will it be possible now...?

...please?

:-)

[Thomm]

I think buildings automatically create a "terrace" for their foundation.

Best regards,

Thomm

[Pvt. Ryan]

A few more days in BFC speak means absolutely no more than six months.

[MarkEzra]

Well, while we´re waiting, I might as well ask one of the building questions that´s been on my own mind for a while:

Will CM:N allow for buildings being placed on slopes?

:-)

CMx2 already allows for placement of bldgs on a slope

[MeatEtr]

You will see more bones when the powers that be, are damn well and ready to toss out some gruel to the masses, and not a minute before.

CM:Normandy - website and forum Sept. 2010

CM:Normandy - Dec. 2010

I have three words:

It's About Time!