Posted in: Mapping
Posted 2012-04-02 at 10:58 by [R-DEV]Rhino
Hey all,
As I'm sure many of you are away that today, the 2nd of April marks the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War and with it I wanted to do something to commemorate it.
As a result I've been cooking up a little something over the past few weeks while taking a bit of a break from my other tasks.
Before I go any further into this I would like to explain that this is currently only planned as a standalone mini-mod for PR:BF2, much like Project Normandy and is going to be using a lot of placeholders for its first release. One thing I hope is that after I release the first version that the community will take on the development of this mini-mod and refine it, replacing the place holders with the correct assets :D
This mini-mod is based as much as possible on the 1982 war between Britain and Argentinian over the Falkland (Malvina) Islands, taking into account historic factors and trying to replicate them in a way which gives fun and balanced gameplay while also working with the limitations of the BF2 engine and assets we have to hand.
Focusing on the map, I've been wanting to experiment with large scale maps for some time in BF2 and with this project I have finally had the excuse to able to do so, as the map is currently 16kms by 16kms (Kashan is 4kms by 4kms). This is achieved by ditching BF2's terrain, and making the terrain out of a staticmesh (aka, mesh terrain), which isn't without its problems however... The main thing however is that with this size of map, we can really portray the importance of the air campaign in the war to a degree not seen in PR before, as well as spreading out the ground combat a bit.
Since the map/mini-mod is very WIP I'm not going to give away too much at this point as a lot of this is very liable to change but here is the current mini-map + my basic plan and a few screenshots.
[CENTER][URL="http://realitymodfiles.com/rhino/promo/falklands_02-04-12/falklands_plan.jpg"][IMG]http://realitymodfiles.com/rhino/promo/falklands_02-04-12/falklands_plan_tn.jpg[/IMG][/URL][/CENTER]
The white box around North East Falklands represents a 4km (Kashan) sized map so you can get an idea on the scale and the flags/troop movement arrows match those pretty closely to what happened in 1982.
[CENTER][URL="http://realitymodfiles.com/rhino/promo/falklands_02-04-12/falklands_01.jpg"][IMG]http://realitymodfiles.com/rhino/promo/falklands_02-04-12/falklands_01_tn.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL="http://realitymodfiles.com/rhino/promo/falklands_02-04-12/falklands_02.jpg"][IMG]http://realitymodfiles.com/rhino/promo/falklands_02-04-12/falklands_02_tn.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL="http://realitymodfiles.com/rhino/promo/falklands_02-04-12/falklands_03.jpg"][IMG]http://realitymodfiles.com/rhino/promo/falklands_02-04-12/falklands_03_tn.jpg[/IMG][/URL][/CENTER]
For those of you who are not very knowledgeable about the 1982 Falklands War, I would recommend watching the following documentaries which will give you a basic insight to what you can expect from the map :D
[CENTER][YOUTUBEHD]7FNAoPtdIg0[/YOUTUBEHD]
[YOUTUBEHD]7GKFu7od5Rc[/YOUTUBEHD][/CENTER]
I do have one issue with the 16km size that is somewhat of a show stopper however, which is 3 errors that pop up, even in full screen mode telling you the map is too large. Although you can continue past these errors without any problems (although in full screen mode, you are unaware you get them and must alt+tab to see them). If I can't find a solution to solve or suppress these errors it may mean I have to opt for my backup plan, which is basically to make the map an 8km by 8km map which doesn't get the errors and then having the carrier/airbase outside the combat zone. Although this will mean that domes of death are not possible and navigation outside the combat zone will be very, very hard, with jets never finding there way back to the airbase. But I've still got my fingers cross that I might just be able to somehow solve these errors I've got, but I wont bore you guys with that stuff any more but just warning you guys that might be a factor :p
Keep your eyes peeled for any more news on this in the next few weeks ;)
Cheers!
As I'm sure many of you are away that today, the 2nd of April marks the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War and with it I wanted to do something to commemorate it.
As a result I've been cooking up a little something over the past few weeks while taking a bit of a break from my other tasks.
Before I go any further into this I would like to explain that this is currently only planned as a standalone mini-mod for PR:BF2, much like Project Normandy and is going to be using a lot of placeholders for its first release. One thing I hope is that after I release the first version that the community will take on the development of this mini-mod and refine it, replacing the place holders with the correct assets :D
This mini-mod is based as much as possible on the 1982 war between Britain and Argentinian over the Falkland (Malvina) Islands, taking into account historic factors and trying to replicate them in a way which gives fun and balanced gameplay while also working with the limitations of the BF2 engine and assets we have to hand.
Focusing on the map, I've been wanting to experiment with large scale maps for some time in BF2 and with this project I have finally had the excuse to able to do so, as the map is currently 16kms by 16kms (Kashan is 4kms by 4kms). This is achieved by ditching BF2's terrain, and making the terrain out of a staticmesh (aka, mesh terrain), which isn't without its problems however... The main thing however is that with this size of map, we can really portray the importance of the air campaign in the war to a degree not seen in PR before, as well as spreading out the ground combat a bit.
Since the map/mini-mod is very WIP I'm not going to give away too much at this point as a lot of this is very liable to change but here is the current mini-map + my basic plan and a few screenshots.
[CENTER][URL="http://realitymodfiles.com/rhino/promo/falklands_02-04-12/falklands_plan.jpg"][IMG]http://realitymodfiles.com/rhino/promo/falklands_02-04-12/falklands_plan_tn.jpg[/IMG][/URL][/CENTER]
The white box around North East Falklands represents a 4km (Kashan) sized map so you can get an idea on the scale and the flags/troop movement arrows match those pretty closely to what happened in 1982.
[CENTER][URL="http://realitymodfiles.com/rhino/promo/falklands_02-04-12/falklands_01.jpg"][IMG]http://realitymodfiles.com/rhino/promo/falklands_02-04-12/falklands_01_tn.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL="http://realitymodfiles.com/rhino/promo/falklands_02-04-12/falklands_02.jpg"][IMG]http://realitymodfiles.com/rhino/promo/falklands_02-04-12/falklands_02_tn.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL="http://realitymodfiles.com/rhino/promo/falklands_02-04-12/falklands_03.jpg"][IMG]http://realitymodfiles.com/rhino/promo/falklands_02-04-12/falklands_03_tn.jpg[/IMG][/URL][/CENTER]
For those of you who are not very knowledgeable about the 1982 Falklands War, I would recommend watching the following documentaries which will give you a basic insight to what you can expect from the map :D
[CENTER][YOUTUBEHD]7FNAoPtdIg0[/YOUTUBEHD]
[YOUTUBEHD]7GKFu7od5Rc[/YOUTUBEHD][/CENTER]
I do have one issue with the 16km size that is somewhat of a show stopper however, which is 3 errors that pop up, even in full screen mode telling you the map is too large. Although you can continue past these errors without any problems (although in full screen mode, you are unaware you get them and must alt+tab to see them). If I can't find a solution to solve or suppress these errors it may mean I have to opt for my backup plan, which is basically to make the map an 8km by 8km map which doesn't get the errors and then having the carrier/airbase outside the combat zone. Although this will mean that domes of death are not possible and navigation outside the combat zone will be very, very hard, with jets never finding there way back to the airbase. But I've still got my fingers cross that I might just be able to somehow solve these errors I've got, but I wont bore you guys with that stuff any more but just warning you guys that might be a factor :p
Keep your eyes peeled for any more news on this in the next few weeks ;)
Cheers!
Updated 2012-04-02 at 11:15 by [R-DEV]Rhino
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As far as I'm aware, there isn't a scoped FN FAL currently in the mod, which ye while scopes where uncommon back then, without removing scopes from the brits too will be a slight issue.Quote:Originally Posted by pedrooo14
Why G3? you can use the FN FAL from the insurgency team. Only change the brown of the wood to green.
Could possibly look into changing all the brit kits too to use the FN FAL but quite a bit of extra work I was hoping to avoid for the first release.
If someone from the community was up for doing all that work thou to make that happen that would be a massive help.
They will act the same way as they do currently in PR, sitting on top of the ground but giving projection from all sides.Quote:Originally Posted by pedrooo14
Those fox holes created by SQ Lider, will be buried on the ground?
And its a limit of fox holes for each squad?Posted 2012-04-03 at 01:15 by Rhino 
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so cool!!! great job so far man, keep it up!Posted 2012-04-03 at 02:37 by paul161616
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so...if the terrain is all object, does that mean real tunnel systems become possible?
would be awesome to use those for the PR:V maps.
Anyway: Great "unlock" Rhino!Posted 2012-04-03 at 02:42 by KiloJules
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Tunnels would yes be possible, but I would seriously not use mesh terrain, just for tunnels as you loose too much and very hard to work with. If you want tunnels your better off digging a hole in normal terrain, then putting a small tunnel system with a mesh terrain cover over it.Quote:Originally Posted by KiloJules
so...if the terrain is all object, does that mean real tunnel systems become possible?
would be awesome to use those for the PR:V maps.Posted 2012-04-03 at 02:59 by Rhino
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I'd love to see this as my family was out there (one didn't come back
) ... seems we have alot of kit already:
FN FAL
RMC (the brit soldiers have RMC shoulder flashes)
The argies had Hueys
The Harriers - although the Sea Harrier was there it was on CAP most the time whilst the RAF GR3's were doing the mud moving.
The Gazelle
One Chinook (towards the end)
Be nice if anyone talented could....
Pucarra's
Might be hard to make the map mega replayable but if anyone can Rhino can. Any kind of map that has one team defending and the other attacking seems to have a short life.Posted 2012-04-03 at 06:17 by PLODDITHANLEY
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Problem with this aircraft is that afaik, it only operated from small airstrips on the Falklands islands and not from Argentina. As such, due to the scale of the map even the port Stanley airport isn't large enough for this aircraft to take off from without vBF2 take-off distancesQuote:Originally Posted by PLODDITHANLEY
Would still be somewhat cool thou but very low priority
I hope to give the Argentinian team a bit of flexibility to counter attack but ye, going to be hard to get the balance and realism aspects right.Quote:Originally Posted by PLODDITHANLEY
Might be hard to make the map mega replayable but if anyone can Rhino can. Any kind of map that has one team defending and the other attacking seems to have a short life.[/SIZE]Posted 2012-04-03 at 06:33 by Rhino
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4 pages in and nobody even asked about HMS Invincible!
Will it be a new model or just a modified Essex?
Great work Rhino, I find the Falklands War incredibly interesting and especially the effects it had on Britain! Can't wait to play this!Posted 2012-04-03 at 21:20 by WelshManDan
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im quite excited about the super large map concept :P 16x16 ... hopfully this will also help with the Jet fail we run into with the smaller maps having to fly 10 seconds turn around fly 10 seconds turn around ^_^ .... it gives some distance to fly before being forced to make a series of U turnsPosted 2012-04-03 at 22:40 by Redamare
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Quote:Originally Posted by [R-DEV]Rhino
As far as I'm aware, there isn't a scoped FN FAL currently in the mod, which ye while scopes where uncommon back then, without removing scopes from the brits too will be a slight issue.
Could possibly look into changing all the brit kits too to use the FN FAL but quite a bit of extra work I was hoping to avoid for the first release.
If someone from the community was up for doing all that work thou to make that happen that would be a massive help.
They will act the same way as they do currently in PR, sitting on top of the ground but giving projection from all sides.
Argentina don?t use scoped fal in that time. And im not shure if the britts had scope.
It?s a shame the non-buried fox holes, at least some 1 big trench in some position?
And one more question: The map will be night-map? All the british attacks began at night.Posted 2012-04-03 at 22:57 by pedrooo14
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hehe, if you look on page 3 I did post a small SSQuote:Originally Posted by WelshManDan
4 pages in and nobody even asked about HMS Invincible!
Will it be a new model or just a modified Essex?
But ye, just a modified USS Essex for now, with a Ski jump, blocked up well dock and a few texture changes.Quote:Originally Posted by [R-DEV]Rhino
As for CATOBAR (carrier launchers as you put them), the only carriers that where used in the war where STOVL (Short Take Off and Vertical Landing), although one thing new you will get here is a ski-jump as per what HMS Invincible has
Worst thing is thous damn side lifts, without them it almost passes off as HMS Invincible hehe.
What would be good is if someone made a proper HMS Invincible model but that is a massive amount of skilled work so very low priority.
I will probably do a night layer, most likely for the infantry layer or something but going to keep it day for the most part just so aircraft can see where they are going etcQuote:Originally Posted by pedrooo14
And one more question: The map will be night-map? All the british attacks began at night.
As per the OP, the main thing is for me to try and strike fun and balanced gameplay, while also trying to keep it historically accurate as much as possible but its not going to be worth playing if its not fun or balanced.Quote:Originally Posted by Kevokpo
Well Rhino you may know what happened on that war, so I just have a question, are you going to make it realistic, or balanced?, because of the lack of the assets both army?s had. Just being curious.Posted 2012-04-03 at 23:29 by Rhino
Updated 2012-04-03 at 23:39 by [R-DEV]Rhino
