Pavlovo WIP

[DoubleD]

Before I continue, would be good to get some feedback on the below. I've dropped the map into the DB as well for people have a look at. It's my first, so no idea if it's any good.

I tried to take some screen shots, but none of the trees came out

 

[Rambler]

Dang man, you're like a speed mapper! I went ahead and took a look at it in the editor. One thing I noticed was that there are two houses on the western edge of the map near a haystack where the fence goes right across the house doors with no space in between. Any way to move the fence closer to the road to make it a little more natural? There are also quite a few outhouses on the map. Perhaps take a look at thinning some of them out, or were you using them to represent something on the arma map? Overall it's looking pretty good!

 

[DoubleD]

Thanks for the quick response. I'll change the fence. In the ARMA map the fences add an element of tactitcs, providing concealment but little hard cover. I couldn't find a high fence in CMBS, am I missing something?

On the out houses; Pavlovo, and a lot of the other towns, have a lot of shelters and sheds. I was trying to create the same type of atmosphere but I couldn't find decent flavour objects, only bus stops!. How do you know what the flavour objects actually look like so know which one to choose, some kind of menu?

 

[Ithikial]

Thanks for the quick response. I'll change the fence. In the ARMA map the fences add an element of tactics, providing concealment but little hard cover. I couldn't find a high fence in CMBS, am I missing something?

Mmm I have a choice about writing something about this or Gender Pay Gaps... I chose this.

There is a high wall (and a mod that makes them look identical to the standard cement block walls in ARMA), but there has never been a 'high fence' in any of the CM titles that allows LOF and LOS but not movement of infantry over them. It's a real bugbear, especially for CMBS given the prevalence of tall fencing in urban/industrial areas. There also isn't a low wall will a fence on top either. I have posted about it in the past on a 'Wishlist' topic on the BF forums but given BF's track record, they don't have a habit of adding in more terrain options with modules/patches/upgrades. Footpaths and windmills being the exception.

On the out houses; Pavlovo, and a lot of the other towns, have a lot of shelters and sheds.

For the small out houses/sheds I'd look under Independent Buildings -> Barns and you'll see tiny half tile little sheds that are one story high. Should fit in nicely for most cases quite well. They are also perhaps the most fragile building in the game and a quick burst of 40mm will probably be enough to make them collapse. Still part of the terrain though.

I was trying to create the same type of atmosphere but I couldn't find decent flavour objects, only bus stops!. How do you know what the flavour objects actually look like so know which one to choose, some kind of menu?

Welcome to hell. It's probably the second worst part about the editor in my opinion, right behind the fact there isn't an undo button. There isn't a way to know in game which object is which, other than clicking on on the map with one selected and then switching to 3D Preview Mode and moving them around in there. One BF user did create an Excel Workbook soon after CMBS which can act as a separate guide/flavour object legend. Will look it up for you when I get home.

The easiest way to work with it is set up an on map 'dumping ground' and add in about 5 of each of what you are after then just work inside the 3D Preview Mode for an extended period. There are some short cut keybindings which are also a big help. Details in the 3.0 Manual.

Don't get hung up on trying to match ARMA exactly. As Rambler said in the other thread about his map, just try to make it looked 'lived in.'
For an example, (and tooting my own horn) suggest downloading my 'Joe's Bridge' scenario for CMBN and taking a look at that map and the flavour objects. It has quite a lot of them placed around the map and as you should be able to see I've tried to make little stories here and there. Like where the Germans were having campfires, a long abandoned house etc.

 

[Ithikial]

And here we go... (PDF)
http://community.battlefront.com/topic/117881-visual-guide-to-flavor-objects/

 

[Rambler]

Thanks for that link to the flavor object pdf, Ith. I was using a different one someone else had posted at bfc, but this one is much more clear.

RE sheds - in addition to the small barns, the chicken coop and the other little shed (Farm 6 and 8) also make nice stand-ins.

 

[DoubleD]

Updated the map based upon the feedback. I went a little further north than the original scope, thought the added height terrain extends the tactical options. I've taken out some of the outhouses, not so many, and added some other sheds and shelters. I'd like to capture the rural and run down atmosphere of the village. To help I've played around with the tiles and tried to create 'stories'. I've turned the three outlying buildings into farm steads and added suitable flavour objects. It looks better to me, what do you think?

 

[Ithikial]

@DoubleD - I've added to the Dropbox an 'Ith Edits' version with some little corrections and touch ups.

First, see it's not so hard.

Flavour object hotkeys
Alt - Left Click = Place with next click
Shift - Left Click = Nudge away from camera facing
Ctrl - Left CLick = Delete
Click = Rotate

First Screenshot
- I've added in some more long grass away from the houses. 1) Noticed in ARMA there's a hell of a lot of long grass. Regular grass is very short in CMBS. 2) I like giving infantry 1/10th the chance of surviving.
- When you place cross right up against a 45 degree road it will blend in and make it look the crops are growing on the bitumen. Fixed this where pointed.

Second Screenshot
- Three tree forest tiles are very thick and can make it hard for some HMG's and ATG's to deploy. Suggest using them sparingly and mix up the density some.
- (Forgot the arrow) 'Cleaned up' that funy intersection. Take a look, maybe a little off but looks a bit better in game.
- There are special road tiles for whenever you go from 45 degrees to 90 degree angles. This creates a nice smooth turn rather than having an ugly connections. See red squares on the right hand side. Switch to the other diagonal tiles for straight lines at a 45 degree angle. The Blue arrow points out one of the fixes I did.

Third Screenshot
- On the north side I've evened out this elevation on both sides of the road (width ways). This eliminates a little graphical glitch in game where it looks like each road tile is disappearing into the earth.

Good start mate.

 

[DoubleD]

I thought I'd gone for the tall grass

I've put another map in, the 500 x 500 north of Pavlovo. Was an easyish one, not many building. I've done less hvy forest and tried to get the paths correct. Not going to be around over the weekend so I'll stop here.