December Normandy Bones

[Gromit]

Kudos to the whole crew Steve- you guys deserve it! I am looking forward to the pre-order page mit demo download... ja?

The terrain looks like it will be awesome with a higher-quality videocard and not too shabby even without one.

As far as the German uniform colors; if anything they should be a mishmash of shades by June 1944 anyway, not that it will happen in-game mind you. In short, as long as it's not too far off basic feldgrau, I imagine it will do. As others said already, the modders will make short work of any perceived "holes" in the wardrobe department.

Thanks for the effort to post and follow up with the Q&A Steve! I know we're a demanding lot of pathetic refresh monkeys, but hey, you still love us right?

[Battlefront.com]

Bocage already has its raised base. The graphical representation is slated for an overhaul, but the behavior won't change.

You can't literally dig into the Bocage as that would break with FOW (i.e. everybody would be able to see the deformed hedgerow base). However, you can certainly create fighting positions that use the base of the Bocage for protection/concealment. One of the screenshots I didn't wind up using has a very nice shot of a US 57mm AT Gun poking through overlooking a big field.

Yes, Soldiers riding in vehicles can fight from them if that is allowed for the particular vehicle in real life. This is actually a behavior that was introduced with CM: Afghanistan.

Steve

[Pvt. Ryan]

Yes, Soldiers riding in vehicles can fight from them if that is allowed for the particular vehicle in real life. This is actually a behavior that was introduced with CM: Afghanistan.

Steve

Cool. I was half joking as that was a huge debate in the past.

[BFCElvis]

Bocage already has its raised base. The graphical representation is slated for an overhaul, but the behavior won't change.

You can't literally dig into the Bocage as that would break with FOW (i.e. everybody would be able to see the deformed hedgerow base). However, you can certainly create fighting positions that use the base of the Bocage for protection/concealment. One of the screenshots I didn't wind up using has a very nice shot of a US 57mm AT Gun poking through overlooking a big field.

Steve

I don't think I'm speaking out of school here when I say that was the first "wow" thing when I played the game. The way you can set units up using the raised base to give a reverse slope position. It is graphically and functionally satisfying.

[Destraex1]

nice, looking good.. am pumped

[MikeyD]

as long as it's not too far off basic feldgrau

Only problem there, German uniforms weren't grey in 1944. I understand the Dutch (or was it the Belgians?) nicknamed their occupiers 'cucumbers' due to their cucumber-green wool uniforms.

[Mord]

How about the water casualties...will dudes shot in the water stay there or will they disappear? I have a dream of watching my slaughtered enemy floating in their dead defeated-ness!

One of the screenshots I didn't wind up using has a very nice shot of a US 57mm AT Gun poking through overlooking a big field.

Steve

I don't believe you...you should prove me wrong!

Mord.

[Gromit]

Only problem there, German uniforms weren't grey in 1944. I understand the Dutch (or was it the Belgians?) nicknamed their occupiers 'cucumbers' due to their cucumber-green wool uniforms.

Right Mike, but there were plenty of all the other types of uniforms, grades of fabric, etc. still in existance, albeit in lower numbers as the war went on. It's hard to be "wrong" in any case, as there is enough evidence of early war uniforms surviving in the later years. That's all I mean. But you are right in that a greater percentage would tend towards the more greenish shade.

[Gromit]

I don't think I'm speaking out of school here when I say that was the first "wow" thing when I played the game. The way you can set units up using the raised base to give a reverse slope position. It is graphically and functionally satisfying.

That's awesome Elvis! I was hoping that the bocage would be more than just a poor-man's wall. I guess now we know why all this took so long, huh?

[Battlefront.com]

No, dead soldiers don't float. Water effects are a black hole from a development and computing resource standpoint, so we're taking it in chunks. Splashes and other things will be added as we go along.

Steve

[Gromit]

Any chance of seeing some flames and/or smoke in the coming days? I'd like to see how the battlefield looks after the action has been underway for awhile.

[Mord]

No, dead soldiers don't float. Water effects are a black hole from a development and computing resource standpoint, so we're taking it in chunks. Splashes and other things will be added as we go along.

Steve

Ok, I readjusted...I now have a dream of my dead enemies sinking in their dead defeated-ness...as long as I can kill punks while they are crossing water I'll let my imagination fill in the carnage aftermath.

Mord.

P.S. I still don't believe you about that 57mm AT pic.

[Lt Belenko]

All the doodads, carts, haystacks I am impressed.. Even a Geminid metorite on the 1st screen shot.

When a F.O. calls in arty does he talk into the SCR-300 radio? I can still hear Sarge talking to Lt Hanley: Check mate king 2 this is white rook - over

All the worry about the color of the German uniforms - forgetaboutit - just release the game, the modders can adjust the color.

[noxnoctum]

Will CM:N be more demanding than NATO? (computerwise that is)

[MikeyD]

Speaking as someone who runs both, so far so good. The screenshots were mostly taken from older machines used to run CMSF. Of course it all depends on the compexity and size of a particualr map, number of forces and all that - the same stuff that would tax your system in CMSF too.

[Mord]

Will the rewritten LOD help with speed or will it just look better? Or will it look better and be more taxing on the CPU?

Mord.

[Chad Harrison]

Thanks for the reply Steve. I tried creating some quasi bocage in CMSF, but it much too wide with the terrain feature. This is a much better way.

If your in an answering mood, I have two ammo questions:

1. I assume that halftracks, carriers and vehicles at large will have ammo supplies similar to what we see now in CMSF. However, what about scenarios *without* any vehicles? Will there be any other way to get additional ammo to our troops? OP? CP? An idea was thrown around quite sometime ago about an OP/CP that could be placed and would have ammo. Great idea, but I have no idea how hard this would be to implement (a vehicle in the ground that never moves? )

2. The most important question of them all: do we get to hear the Garrand *PING* after 8 shots?

Thanks in advance

Chad

[SlowMotion]

However, what about scenarios *without* any vehicles? Will there be any other way to get additional ammo to our troops? OP? CP? An idea was thrown around quite sometime ago about an OP/CP that could be placed and would have ammo. G

Yes, it would be great if you could have ammo stored also in buildings, bunkers, ammo trucks etc.

[MeatEtr]

Will there be a German campaign?

Oh and +1 to the ammo depot idea.

[Apache]

Great to see these. Really can't wait for this to be released. CM:BO was the best PC game ever for me, I bought CM:BB and CM:AK but never played them quite so much, especially the latter. Sadly, much as I like to support BF the modern war setting is of no interest to me whatsoever so, despite trying with the demo etc, couldn't bring myself to buy CM:SF etc. This will be a most welcome return to PC based wargaming for me :-)

[Rayak47]

I'm with Mord, I really have to see to beleive that you have a screenshot of a 57mm on overwatch poking through the bocage!

[Lanzfeld]

Great pics Steve.

May we get a list of some of the new features of the game maybe? I remember you said FOW trenches were in there. Anything else you care to let us know?

[Phantom Captain]

Awesome awesome awesome!!

I'm soo excited! Now only a few more years til the Eastern Front!!!

[Barkhorn1x]

Very nice - can't wait.

[Boris Balaban]

Yes very nice.

Soon I hope