Adding new maps: Which one would be the most useful?

[IceFire]

Originally Posted by Laurwin

Philippines would be a nice idea for a map.

Considering that the Americans liberated the place with amphibious invasion, surely it could make for an interesting map and scenario?

Looked into it... not easy. Too large an area. I looked into doing Leyte Gulf but in some ways it'd be very limited to a short couple of battles and much of the Japanese air power would be located off map.

[Monty_Thrud]

Combining Okinawa and southern Japan maps would be great, allow land based aircraft to be used. Some of the community made modded maps are exceptional and well deserving of being added.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by Laurwin

Philippines would be a nice idea for a map.
Considering that the Americans liberated the place with amphibious invasion, surely it could make for an interesting map and scenario?

Not just that, but during the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, there was some brief but intense air combat featuring some obscure American aircraft (which, not surprisingly, were no match for the Japanese) and a lot more Japanese aerial action.

There are several modded maps of the Philippines which are quite useful. But, as Icefire said, the Philippines are just too big to reasonably include in one map. Instead, it has to be at least 5 maps, each focused on areas that saw air combat from 1941-45.

The obvious choice for "just one map" wold be the island of Luzon, since that would cover both the Japanese invasion route in 1941-42 and also a fair bit of action in 1944-45.

[Laurwin]

another suggestion for map.

Japanese naval base in Truk atoll. There was some heavy air action in that location. Mostly carrier raids, but I don't think you could claim it to be too big map in this case!

[IceFire]

Originally Posted by Laurwin

another suggestion for map.

Japanese naval base in Truk atoll. There was some heavy air action in that location. Mostly carrier raids, but I don't think you could claim it to be too big map in this case!

I don't know...

Truk would be one to do for sure. I think someone even did it in MOD land but I have no idea how far along that went.

[ElAurens]

The mod map is indeed out there, and part of the current HSFX.

Not bad looking either.

[IceFire]

I feel slightly obligated to post that I experimented with the map stuff and even worked with another map builder for a time but I've found myself severely limited and restricted in my available time and the tools are not for the faint of heart either. There's a lot of stuff you have to fight with to even consider getting a map started.

I worked on it a bit but with basically nothing to show for. Maybe I'll give it another go sometime but we'll see. I knew this going in but I like to try things and it gives me a better understanding of just how complex this stuff is.

Be extremely thankful to the folks who do have the time to get this stuff put together. These are large and complex projects. They are afforded as much appreciation as we can give them!

[dflion]

Originally Posted by IceFire

Looked into it... not easy. Too large an area. I looked into doing Leyte Gulf but in some ways it'd be very limited to a short couple of battles and much of the Japanese air power would be located off map.

How are you Icefire. I just noticed your post above. I have completed a 16 Mission semi-historical campaign 'The Battle of Leyte' flying the Ki-84-1a Hayate.
To solve the map problem (no Philippines map) I have used the Solomon's Dec 42 map, substituting Bougainville for Luzon, Choisell Is. for Leyte Is. and New Georgia for Panay/Cebu/Negros Islands. I added an airfield on the north of Choisell (Leyte).

I am in the middle of testing the campaign and all seems to be working well. The Ki-84-1a is one of the best Japanese WWII fighters and is very good to fly in the game.

I will most likely wait for V4.13 to add some new aircraft before posting.

DFLion

[=FPS=Salsero]

One thing about the maps which hopefully would not require a huge work but will add a lot for online gaming would be the provision of "invisible" airstrips on most of the maps which are already in-game.

What I mean by invisible? Just a patently FLAT patch of terrain, with no alteration in the ground texture, where no trees or bushes grow for sure, and maybe where plane "birthplaces" are pre-set, and airbase marker is pre set as well.

Leave the actual runway "drawing" to the map designers - now they have tools for that.
Put no barrels, no nets, etc.

For dogfighters - space them at 20 km. Add them in groups of 4, 2-3 such groups for Italy, Moscow, Khalkin-Gol, Manchuria, and so on.

In the best of the worlds the airstrip and parking areas will be pre-set there, and the map designer would be able to make them appear by a single click. But since this require much more work - maybe it's better not to go this way.

[dflion]

Hello Icefire,
Are you out there? Please give me a reply to my last post! I know I haven't been on the forum for a long time, the family comes first.
DFLion