Epic Mockumentary Video Series

[Erwin]

Thanks for the pronunciation lessons, Stoex.

I was half expecting a violent argument to erupt over whether you were correct regardless that you are a German speaker since so many seem convinced of their absolute correctness regardless of actual knowledge lol.

[stoex]

Give 'em a few days, Erwin. I'm near certain there will be some reaction yet.

[Arnoldio]

Id say "SchtooG", its how germans would say it, so yes, listen to stoex.

Word "Bocage" is also pronounced in 8635836583 ways. I personally use it with the french accent, "bocaaage".

[Sergei]

I would still recommend going with 'Stupid', then you can't go too wrong. Stupid IIIG, Stupid Howitzer...

[xian]

Thanks for the pronunciation lessons, Stoex.

I was half expecting a violent argument to erupt over whether you were correct regardless that you are a German speaker since so many seem convinced of their absolute correctness regardless of actual knowledge lol.

or is that Schtoex?

[poesel]

or is that Schtoex?

Correct - only northern germans would pronounce it as 'st'.

[stoex]

or is that Schtoex?

It is in fact. Note that the "oe" is actually one of those nasty "Umlauts" that English speakers have a lot of trouble with as well. The actual letter is "ö" and it's pronounced...well..."ö" (as in Österreich, where I'm from). There just isn't anything with corresponding phonetics in English. You can get somewhat close by imagining the sound of the "u" in "murky", but its really only similar, not the same.

[Lanzfeld]

So ummmmm..... hows the latest "Tale Of Virtual Combat" comming along? Any ETA at all? I really enjoyed the first one.

[wyoproducer]

Is this the same Patrick Ware that created the two CMBO mini-campaigns: No rest for the weary, and Any port in a storm?

Those two series of missions are where I cut my teeth on CM combined arms.

Yes! The same. That was many, many years ago. I had actually completed scenario design and testing on a third campaign in the Contiguous Campaign Series, which was never released. IIRC, all that was left to do was to write the storyline scripts for each side in the various missions. However, 911 occurred about that time, which sidetracked my focus. Needless to say, I never returned to the project -- or for that matter CM in general. Until last May (when I acquired CMBN & the CMSF collection in order to delve into the possibilities of the ToVC program concept), I hadn't really engaged CM at all during the interim period.

Thanks for remembering though!

PTW

[wyoproducer]

So ummmmm..... hows the latest "Tale Of Virtual Combat" comming along? Any ETA at all? I really enjoyed the first one.

I'm afraid the TIMETABLE mentioned in the Episode #2 Promotional Teaser was a bit optimistic. Should production of the entire story come to fruition, the release date won't be any sooner than sometime this summer now.

At this point in time, I am only about half way through the post-production process (i.e. - script correlation, editing, narration, music, format rendering, etc) = roughly 10 segments "in-the-can" [2 hours 20 minutes]. To give you an idea of the monumental size of this particular mockumentary (which was unintentional at its inception), I anticipate the final product to be somewhere in the neighborhood of having 50% more segments than the first episode. In other words, the story will far exceed the 200-minutes of its predecessor. It will, most likely, come in at well over 4 hours in duration. If you find that to be a notion that's hard to wrap your head around, you're not alone. I can't fathom it myself, but it's true.

The project is fairly involved in scope and detail and, therein, time-consuming by its very nature. However, I AM making every effort to include it into my personal activities. As I've mentioned before, when/if the project is complete, I will assess its overall presentational value and determine whether its worthy of public display at that time. Sorry. No promises.

As a side note, I'm toying with the idea of making the series "Subscription Only" access. The reason being: I'd like to know just how many actual people are finding this offering on the Internet and serious enough to attempt to watch the episodes in their entirety. I would make such a move simply to determine whether or not all the time and effort dedicated to ToVC (now and possibly again in the future) is worth the cumulative bother and expense. It's just an idea, but I'm seriously considering doing something of this nature since there is no real percentage (or tangible personal gain) in my creating these videos otherwise.

BTW, you wouldn't have to have a YouTube account in order to subscribe. It's not required. You would simply receive a private email of the newly posted material. Viewing the videos would be as simple as plugging in the playlist URL address. Best of all, ToVC will still be free-of-charge entertainment. If anyone has any concerns regarding such a format, please share them with me. I'm open to suggestions.

Should there be any other notable information regarding the status of the second episode (or ToVC in general), I will endeavor to keep everyone posted. Also, bare in-mind that I don't visit the forums all that much, so responding to queries may be random, at best.

Thanks again for your interest in my personal project (ToVC).

PTW

[sburke]

Subscription idea sounds fine, but I still wouldn't mind the opportunity to make a donation.

[Agua]

Patrick,

Don't suppose you'd consider doing a reissue of those? Failing that, would you allow me to attempt a remake of those for CMBN?

[Newa]

wyoproducer , your videos convinced me to buy this game and to sign up on the forums just to thank you!

[nick3593]

i love this mockumentary!

[WinOrLose]

Just finished watching this - a really great bit of work.

If you haven't watched it, believe the hype and check it out. You wont be disappointed.

[daft]

You guys are having me on, right? I mean the link to the films are impossible to find.

[Mord]

Scroll down.

http://www.battlefront.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1926&Itemid=458

Mord.

[daft]

Scroll down.

http://www.battlefront.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1926&Itemid=458

Mord.

Oh... Thankfully I can always rely on sharper knives in the drawer. So thanks!

[John Kettler]

Patrick,

First rate! That's British grade understatement. Is there a film competition in which this could be entered? A tour de force!

Some game and tactical observations

The Germans would've benefited greatly from using shovels to dig mortar pits for their new toys. Believe such could be found on a farm? If not, E-tools, picks, what have you. Don't know experience level of the 914th, but fire discipline seemed to be a major issue.

Need a way to loophole barn walls low and dig in below ground level. Done in real life and very effective. Radius of effect for 37mm HE seems about right but considerably off for 75mm HE and 81 mm, especially treebursts (trees obviously ironwood). Need explosion mod a la CMx!.

Unbelievably cool to see individual infantry move and maneuver and such cool chrome as a proper '03 scoped Springfield as a sniper weapon, rifle bolts being worked, reloading being done (no M1 thumbs observed), rifle grenades being fired. Would've loved to see how hand grenades are handled. Fearsome shock effect and firepower of a POed tank on full display as well as limits of StuG III mit Saukopf vs. a real tank in close. Germans need to work on coordinating main gun with movement. Firing on the uproll not good! Believe when sniper attacked StuG that AP was meant, not FMJ. All rifle ammo is FMJ, per Geneva Convention.

Movie depicts fog of war nicely. Unit goes out, isn't heard from. Someone's sent out to investigate and gets shot up. Weird hearing a mortar unit called field artillery, but maybe I need to do some studying. Germans had no field telephones, which would've helped. Call, rather than send soon to be dead runner from outposts. Stuart has a high velocity gun, just not a big one. Terrain looks great! Foxholes (are there any trenches?) not so much. Too high. Remind me of the German super sandbag MG nests in SPR. May not matter at high FOW settings, though. Such pretty flowers! Will we have giant sunflowers am Ost Front? That would be cool. Wheat field is concealment, not cover. Cover stops bullets.

Apparently, Normandy split rail fences are shorter than at Gettysburg, where they were a major obstacle to Pickett's charge. Terrific bilingual VO work and CO insights, plus a real life tutorial on the Laws of War. Gamey recon jeep--which no one could hit! Had to say it! Tanks on ridge were hull down/in turret defilade. For observation purposes, full defilade would've been better, heads being smaller than turrets! Stuart would have major ROF advantage over StuG III. Germans very lucky no Allied CAS available. Full length movie would've become an instant short subject otherwise.

This movie is possibly more addictive than crack. I well understand the sentiment someone expressed about "just one more segment and then I'll quit." Game looks to be very immersive if I can just master a radically different interface. Didn't hear characteristic Toonk! of outgoing mortar fire, but maybe I was too caught up? Great mortar crew animations, but more muzzle blast needed on 81s. Visuals should be more impressive on receiving end, too. Believe the plume is considerably taller. Noticed Americans used no screening smoke at all and seem to recall no WP available in game. Again. Is this true?

Some trackwork weirdness noted on StuG (missing segment), but loved the suspension rocking when AFVs stopped or moved. Don't understand StuG's firing on the move. Good ground for Sherman to do so, though. Impressive Panzerschreck shot against a well protected Stuart. Progressive ammo cookoff nice touch! Never thought of 60 mm mortar fire as a threat to a buttoned StuG, barring a rare engine deck hit, but then realized I was thinking about an American Sherman crew in the same mode. Those men didn't worry about anything but heavy artillery. Did M4A1 have. 50 cal in that position or behind the TC? In Band of Brothers the TC was behind the turret blazing away, which was certainly a great visual. StuG crew's exposure conforms to wartime pics I've seen, and commander could also fight head in, but unbuttoned, facilitating observation. Love component level damage!

All in all, this has me pretty excited. Immersion's gone way up, as has my interest!

Regards,

John Kettler

[Jorge MC]

By peipertj at 2012-05-23

By peipertj at 2012-05-23

[John Kettler]

Jorge,

They ARE nice looking. Love the stencil on the Panzerfaust!

Regards,

John Kettler

[GhostRider3/3]

By peipertj at 2012-05-23

By peipertj at 2012-05-23

Say what mod is this.. I already have a great Waffen SS uniform.. the Sig runes are subdued.. but I have to say that mod looks great.

Juergen.

[Jorge MC]

not mine I took this skin from a mod, I justchange to the ss oficer and put the SS

[wyoproducer]

After some nine months and over 1000 hours of effort, Tales of Virtual Combat - Episode #2 is finally available for viewing. It is comprised of 20 "bite-size" segments with a total story duration of 362-minutes (6 hrs 2 min). However, this particular program is based on the CMSF engine this time around, not CMBN.

Note: This is NOT gameplay, nor does it portend to be so. As with Episode #1, it is pure storytelling that happens to use the CMx2 simulation software to achieve its end. It is heavily detailed in backstory, cut-scenes and scenario development -- not to mention, the combat action reports typical of such a mockumentary-style format. Therefore, I don't recommend this product to those individuals whom are more interested in the "gaming" aspect of the product over the intrinsic entertaiment value for which Tales of Virtual Combat has been created and developed. For those of you who dare to venture into this collosal feature-length narrative, I hope the overall story and its numerous plot points manage to hold your interest so that you can view it in its entirety and enjoy the experience.

Here is the link to my HSI channel:

www.youtube.com\user\wyoproducer

Again, thanks for your interest in my experiment.

PTW

[sburke]

After some nine months and over 1000 hours of effort, Tales of Virtual Combat - Episode #2 is finally available for viewing. It is comprised of 20 "bite-size" segments with a total story duration of 362-minutes (6 hrs 2 min). However, this particular program is based on the CMSF engine this time around, not CMBN.

Note: This is NOT gameplay, nor does it portend to be so. As with Episode #1, it is pure storytelling that happens to use the CMx2 simulation software to achieve its end. It is heavily detailed in backstory, cut-scenes and scenario development -- not to mention, the combat action reports typical of such a mockumentary-style format. Therefore, I don't recommend this product to those individuals whom are more interested in the "gaming" aspect of the product over the intrinsic entertaiment value for which Tales of Virtual Combat has been created and developed. For those of you who dare to venture into this collosal feature-length narrative, I hope the overall story and its numerous plot points manage to hold your interest so that you can view it in its entirety and enjoy the experience.

Here is the link to my HSI channel:

www.youtube.com\user\wyoproducer

Again, thanks for your interest in my experiment.

PTW

Ha we have several posts on this already. Have watched first 3 episodes, nice work again. Thank you!