Are these in too?

[joethejet]

Can infantry hide behind a vehicle now? I know in CMAK they couldn't.

Also, is there going to be anyway to "view" from a particular part of the map to see what it can see? A kind of "show me what I can see from here" option? This is very useful in setting up a defense, or figuring out an avenue of attack without trying to use the LOS tool to guess.

Thanks.

[gibsonm]

Also, is there going to be anyway to "view" from a particular part of the map to see what it can see? A kind of "show me what I can see from here" option? This is very useful in setting up a defense, or figuring out an avenue of attack without trying to use the LOS tool to guess.

Thanks.

You can do that now in CM:SF (or earlier in the CMX1 “family”) but just moving the camera there and having a look.

Or am I missing something?

[joethejet]

Well, "seeing" with the camera isn't the same as 'seeing' with a unit. Sometimes you'd swear you could see something but you can't. Or, vice versa.

Here is an earlier thread that I just tracked down that might explain better: http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?t=75535

Sorry if all of this is old stuff.

[joethejet]

Oh, and I would add to my question

Can you see your whole OOB once the game has started? It would be nice to have the ability to view your entire OOB on one screen and see their various status' and abilities. (Also jump to their location).

And, wouldn't it be cool if you could watch a "movie" of your battle when you're done? No pausing every minute, just watching how everything unfolded in "real" time. Is this planned or in SF?

[gibsonm]

Well, "seeing" with the camera isn't the same as 'seeing' with a unit. Sometimes you'd swear you could see something but you can't. Or, vice versa.

Well all you said was “view”, not “view with all the capabilities of a unit to target, etc.”

[gibsonm]

Can you see your whole OOB once the game has started? It would be nice to have the ability to view your entire OOB on one screen and see their various status' and abilities. (Also jump to their location).

And, wouldn't it be cool if you could watch a "movie" of your battle when you're done? No pausing every minute, just watching how everything unfolded in "real" time. Is this planned or in SF?

1. Not all at once if that’s what you mean (apart from some “eagle eye” view level of the map).

You jump from unit to unit (using either the mouse or + / - keys).

2. It might be cool for you but its not in.

The best idea is to download the CM:SF demo and that will give you a rough idea of what CM:BN is like.

Then at least you’d have a baseline understanding.

Its hard to detail the last 5 yrs or so (and 4 modules) in one or two line responses.

[Michael Emrys]

You can do that now in CM:SF (or earlier in the CMX1 “family”) but just moving the camera there and having a look.

That, BTW, is what I always used to do. If I was attacking, I would put the camera down on ground level and advance it along prospective avenues of attack to see where I could have cover or dead zones from various locations where the enemy was likely to be defending. Also good locations from which I could bring him under fire. If defending, I would reverse the process. In addition to looking for locations from which I could dominate the map, I would also scout his likely approach avenues and arrange ambushes, mines, TPs, etc. accordingly. It helped even if it was one more time consuming practice.

Michael

[joethejet]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the replies.

One question you didn't answer. Can you hide behind a Vehicle?

What I really mean by the LOS tool is, well, I guess it is sort of an Eagle eye view. I'm comparing to the old Panthers in the Shadows/Tigers On the Prowl that HPS Sims did years ago. You could, at a high level, click on a hex, pick a direction (not just a single LOS, but 180 degrees in that direction) and it would show you what hexes you coould see into and to what level of sight. It was color coded so you could easily tell good spotting locations. Now, i realize there aren't hexes, but something like this would be useful wouldn't it?

Same thing with the OOB. In the CMAK scenario builder you get a list of your OOB. Why not have that available at run time? Jumping do them would also be useful I think.

IDK, maybe I'm the only one that likes these ideas.

yeah, I'll have to get around to downloading the demo, but that still won't tell me everything as I assume they're adding new things for CMBN right?

Thanks again!

Jet

[gibsonm]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the replies.

One question you didn't answer. Can you hide behind a Vehicle?

and there’s a good reason why I didn’t cover that.

What I really mean by the LOS tool is, well, I guess it is sort of an Eagle eye view. I'm comparing to the old Panthers in the Shadows/Tigers On the Prowl that HPS Sims did years ago. You could, at a high level, click on a hex, pick a direction (not just a single LOS, but 180 degrees in that direction) and it would show you what hexes you coould see into and to what level of sight. It was color coded so you could easily tell good spotting locations. Now, i realize there aren't hexes, but something like this would be useful wouldn't it?

Sorry no idea about “Panthers in the Shadows“ / “Tigers On the Prowl“ (never owned them or seen them) so I don’t understand a reference based on them.

No, such a LOS tool isn’t in CM:SF.

Same thing with the OOB. In the CMAK scenario builder you get a list of your OOB. Why not have that available at run time? Jumping do them would also be useful I think.

IDK, maybe I'm the only one that likes these ideas.

Maybe. But I tend to remember what my OoB is I don’t need it listed for me.

To be honest its a bit late to do something else for the period 2007 - now and then suddenly ask about stuff.

If you wanted it “in” for CM:BN the time to start asking for / about it was quite some time ago.

yeah, I'll have to get around to downloading the demo, but that still won't tell me everything as I assume they're adding new things for CMBN right?

Jet

Sure but then you’d already know the answers to almost all the questions you’ve asked here because CM:SF would have told you.

And you need to look here for information about the extras but that’s part of what the excitement of waiting for a new product is all about - don’t you think?

[Elmar Bijlsma]

Can infantry hide behind a vehicle now? I know in CMAK they couldn't.

Take cover, yes. Hide? Probably not.

[joethejet]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the feedback. Well, I did ask for them a loooong time ago. And, as you can tell, I'm not on the forums all that much. I guess the impression I got was that there wasn't going to be another WWII game after SF. So, I just kind of gave up on these ideas. Wish I would have checked in more often.

As for the OOB, you are probably younger with a better memory than me. I can't keep that many units straight in a big battle. I think it makes it much easier to check up on units and see how they're doing at one look rather than having to + through each one. And, if you're looking for one specific unit, using the plus key can take awhile.

I realize that some of these questions would be answered by getting SF, but that still wouldn't answer my questions as I wouldn't know that they were added in BN. Yes, the anticipation is cool, but I guess I was hoping to have some impact on future features, but it's probably a LOT late for that.

Anyway, thanks for the info. It's much appreciated.

Elmer, thanks for the info on the taking cover. That's pretty much what I meant. Although, I would think something like a sniper could hide pretty effectively behind a big AFV depending on where the enemy was positioned. In any case, it's good to know that bullets no longer fly through tanks and hit infantry behind them!

[Gryphonne]

You could actually do this stuff in CMSF already. I had an infantry squad being banged up in the open, drove a Stryker in between them and the incoming fire and while i kept hearing the ricochets from incoming fire against the Stryker, my men quickly started giving budy aid to the fallen. Then after they were done i quickly loaded them and drove off. Just like the movies

[gibsonm]

Yes indeed.

I was hoping though that he’d take the time to download the demo and find out for himself (and probably answer a bunch of other questions too).

[Erwin]

So, we're sure that vehicles do act as cover in CMSF? I didn't know that.

[stikkypixie]

So, we're sure that vehicles do act as cover in CMSF? I didn't know that.

Why ask, just start the game and see for yourself, more fun that way .

[YankeeDog]

Yes; vehicles provide cover in CMSF. Been that way since the initial release. I've taken advantage of cover provided by AFVs (including sometimes KOed AFVs), and it works very well.

However, IIRC, for spotting purposes, vehicles in CMSF do NOT provide any kind of concealment. So while the body of a vehicle will block incoming rounds, infantry behind an AFV in open ground will be easily spotted. Something to do with the difficulty of modeling the LOS-blocking effects of a moving object er sumfink like that.

Of course, it is possible that there have been improvements to this for CMBN.

Cheers,

YD

[Chad Harrison]

and there’s a good reason why I didn’t cover that.

With comments like this, why do I keep getting the feeling that there are still a few bones for BFC to throw our way

[panzermartin]

Yes vehicles provide cover but the action spot code isnt aware of the vehicle presence. So, instead of bunching up behind a tank, the squad remains somewhat spread out and half of the men exposed. It needs some micro management to get it right.

[Erwin]

I was sure that I had been happily having vehicles fire through vehicles like in good ol CM1 days. I will look more closely now.

[dan/california]

You can fire through your OWN vehicles but not the other sides, wrecks included. I am not sure about your own wrecks.

[gunnersman]

I was sure that I had been happily having vehicles fire through vehicles like in good ol CM1 days. I will look more closely now.

It does not stop them from trying! I have had my Fenek spend many rounds trying to shoot through a knocked out BRDM to hit the crew who has taken cover behind it.

[gibsonm]

With comments like this, why do I keep getting the feeling that there are still a few bones for BFC to throw our way

You can get any feeling you wish of course, however I’m not the “voice of BFC”.

They may or may not choose to give anything new out.

Just because I didn’t comment on something doesn’t mean an that a change is likely (or are you a journalist by trade ).

The intent was to get the person to download the demo and find out the answer to that question (and no doubt several others) themselves by having a look.

[Erwin]

Ok, yes, I just tested and you can fire thru your own vehicles (as dan said). It's tricky when the system works in one way, but not another, no consistency etc.

[dan/california]

Apparently, the Tac-AI programming to have realistic own side shot blocking is a rather steep hill to climb.

[Calibration]

Presumably though once a vehicle is knocked out it must become transparent to both sides fire to offset potentially gamey exploitation of this feature?