Hope for Poland

[The Arbiter]

Well I kinda helped Sean with adding poland into game.He emailed me and said there is a chance it might be in the next big update but he's not making promises.

[Andy Brown]

Did Sean give you any indication of when this update might be or what might be in it?

Andy

[Knut]

Hmm, cavalry units could be cool. I suppose there could also be Cossacks, too.

[The Arbiter]

Did Sean give you any indication of when this update might be or what might be in it?

Andy

I didn't ask,sorry.He just said Poland might be in it.

[Sean OConnor]

Hi Andy,

I don't have any plans for a major release at the moment as I just don't have any spare time unfortunately. There is a lot more tank and vehicle data being added though by a guy who knows his stuff and has very kindly been helping out.

One thing I am planning on changing though is making fractally generated hills to make them looks more realistic. I was never happy with the current system which just basically builds them out of random ovals.

[Andy Brown]

Thanks, Sean. Look forward to it when it's done.

Andy

[JeanBoule]

I don't have any plans for a major release at the moment as I just don't have any spare time unfortunately.

I understand that you have the priorities of life to deal with but

There is a lot more tank and vehicle data being added . . . ..

Oh dear! I am not interested in that at all. To my mind there are plenty of different vehicles already. I am not interested in very minor differences of detail between model X and model Y espesh when players don't notice any difference in behavior of different types, as they have said in the debate about arty and tank rates of fire. Players can make their own vehicles if they want, I have done it myself and enjoyed the process.

. . I am planning on . . . making fractally generated hills to make them looks more realistic.

But will the new hills be any different in the way the game is played? I am more than happy with how they affect play already. If terrain is to be changed, I would like to see much thicker forest in the Pacific area to give a better feel for the process of fighting in really dense vegetation. Or throw in some actual Impassable terrain anywhere.

I really like this game. It goes much closer to what I want than anything I have ever come across. I believe there has been a huge amount of meaningful, constructive criticism but I can't remember anyone saying "I wish for better-looking hills".

Salut! et

[Andy Brown]

But will the new hills be any different in the way the game is played? ... I can't remember anyone saying "I wish for better-looking hills".

I'm certainly on record somewhere as saying this. The problem with FF hills is that they're steep-sided molehills, artificial-looking geographic pimples.

You've got to remember that the FF map is less than 850 metres by 850 metres. On a map 10 times as big, FF hills might not be out of place. On an FF-scale map however, the only place you're likely to find these geological curiosities is around quarries and mines where they might represent tailings, the piles of waste produced after ore extraction.

I'm looking forward to new hills and hoping they'll make FF maps more representative of real-world terrain.

Andy Brown

[Sean OConnor]

All the extra vehicle info is being done by someone else so it's not taking any of my own time. I always wanted to have some more realistic hills in the game and I stumbled across an article on the internet how to do it and realised how simple it was. Even so it's taking me weeks to find the time to iron everything out.

My problem is that I've got a regular job at the moment so I have to try and find time for my games in the evenings or at weekends and with two young kids that's not been easy!

[Knut]

I, too, am happy to hear that work is being done on the game. Not because I find any real fault with it, but because there is always room for improvement. The way hills are modeled has always seemed a bit odd to me as well, and I'm looking forward to an improvement. I hope the new code you are writing will also provide for some very slight undulations in the "flat" parts of the terrain, such as the low spots or slight rises one sees often in natural areas that would provide for infantry concealment, but not necessarily tank concealment, except for perhaps them going "hull down."

[Legacy]

I pretty much share Knut's sentiment above.

I'll enjoy the fractal terrain.

[JeanBoule]

I'm certainly on record somewhere as saying this. The problem with FF hills is that they're steep-sided molehills, artificial-looking geographic pimples.

Hi Andy,
That gives me an excuse to trawl thru all your posts again which is always informative. I agree with what you are saying. My reply to Sean's statement was because I understood it to mean that only the appearance of the hills would change.

There should be maps with no hills as Knut says. The Gulf War had an engagement known as "The Battle of the 73 Easting" because of the lack of features. When I choose terrain "lowlands" I really want no hills.

[Andy Brown]

When I choose terrain "lowlands" I really want no hills.

Yeah, and the desert needs to be more "desert-like" as well Desert terrain always had too many hills but Sean also did something to it a few versions back that added in a lot of trees, making it more like yellow forests or hilly maps than anything that one might find in North Africa or the Eastern Med.

I really support Knut's request for undulations and slight bumps or depressions. Streambeds and gullys would also be good but I don't know how easy they would be model.

Cheers,

Andy

No sausage for those slacker Belgians, either!

[Knut]

When I choose terrain "lowlands" I really want no hills.

Yeah, and the desert needs to be more "desert-like" as well Desert terrain always had too many hills but Sean also did something to it a few versions back that added in a lot of trees, making it more like yellow forests or hilly maps than anything that one might find in North Africa or the Eastern Med.

I really support Knut's request for undulations and slight bumps or depressions. Streambeds and gullys would also be good but I don't know how easy they would be model.

Cheers,

Andy

No sausage for those slacker Belgians, either!

I agree about wanting to see a real "flatlands" desert option. The current one with all the hills just isn't very realistic from what I've read, though it does fill in for Tunisia well. Actually, the "Dry" option is almost better for something like Tunisia, as there were lots of orchards and things there. The best and easiest way to make good true North African desert terrain would be to take the "lowlands," and eliminate the canal and hedgrows from it.

I also agree with more "thicker" forests and scrubbier areas as well.

[The Arbiter]

I have nothing against the terrain,except the desert hills,the towns being no bigger than 10-11 houses at the most,and no non-hills maps.I came close to getting a no hills map,but it had a small little hill the middle.