4.13 development update discussion and feedback

[ECV56_Guevara]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

Thanks for this policy. Over the years I've seen way too much "vaporware" on mod sites, where some enthusiastic young would-be modder gets a copy of GMax or Blender and tries his hand at making some sort of grandiose object like a 4-engined bomber. Usually, these projects die somewhere around the unskinned LoD0 model, once the modder realizes there's far more to making add-ons for IL2 than meets the eye.

Even experienced modders or mod teams can run into problems that result in a project being abandoned, like Oceanic Mod Team's gorgeous, but never released, Boomerang and Whirlwind projects that went off the rails when an earthquake destroyed their files.

TD is very conservative in their policies, but they are very reliable and produce first rate work, and I thank them for it.

True 100%


Ok Mr. SaQSoN! Thanks for your answer!

[SaQSoN]

One more thing to the above: both DT members and 3rd parties are, obviously, free to post their personal WIP info (unless it does not affect others work and interests).

So, the pictures, re-posted by someone recently on the M4T forum are really a WIP shots, posted by DT members for their private use. However, they should not be regarded as related to the upcoming add-on, untill and unless it is stated in the official update on this site.

[ECV56_Guevara]

Regarding 3rd parties works, theres enought info about modelling new aircraft and objects in the il.2 modelling bible, but what about maps? The game map´s specs has been published in the SAS forum IIRC, but, there are no tutorials, or tools for map making. There are a lot of talented modders, maybe if you release the tools, or the tips, a lot of new maps will be available. The "microden" way, seems to be precise but, I think that it isn´t the method used in oficial maps. Please consider it.

[SaQSoN]

All you need for map making is Photoshop (or similar program) and a modded game. May be, also some additional small tools, which also available for modders for a long time now. Anyone, who really wants, can build new maps already and can find enough info on how to do it.

[Juri_JS]

Originally Posted by SaQSoN

All you need for map making is Photoshop (or similar program) and a modded game. May be, also some additional small tools, which also available for modders for a long time now. Anyone, who really wants, can build new maps already and can find enough info on how to do it.

One question just out of curiosity, because in the past I've worked professionally with geographic data:

Were the original IL-2 maps also build using SRTM data converted in Mircrodem, or was other data or another methode used?

[SaQSoN]

Originally Posted by Juri_JS

One question just out of curiosity, because in the past I've worked professionally with geographic data:

Were the original IL-2 maps also build using SRTM data converted in Mircrodem, or was other data or another methode used?

I don't know.

I can only say about the Kiev map, in which I took part as a 3rd party dev. It didn't use SRTM data, it's elevation was created manually, using 1930s-40s topographic maps.

[Juri_JS]

Originally Posted by SaQSoN

I don't know.

I can only say about the Kiev map, in which I took part as a 3rd party dev. It didn't use SRTM data, it's elevation was created manually, using 1930s-40s topographic maps.

That's what I've always suspected for the older maps that came with the first Il-2 and Forgotten Battles.
Maybe this explains the relief height inaccuracies that can be seen on some of these maps. For example parts of the Balaton map seem to be too flat, especially the Bakony region north of lake Balaton.

[IceFire]

Originally Posted by Juri_JS

One question just out of curiosity, because in the past I've worked professionally with geographic data:

Were the original IL-2 maps also build using SRTM data converted in Mircrodem, or was other data or another methode used?

Thinking about doing a new map? I've been looking into the details myself...

[Juri_JS]

Originally Posted by IceFire

Thinking about doing a new map? I've been looking into the details myself...

My own map building attempts were very disappointing. I once had created a map of the northern Kuriles, but when I first opened it in FMB the scale was completely wrong. The islands were much too small and the hills too high. I was unable to fix the problem and that was the end of my career as a map builder.