Sneak Peeks, Coming Attractions, Works-In-Progress

[berto]

The new-style VN Scenario Selection screen:



As with everything, a work-in-progress.

With CSME 2.0 largely finished (except for developing per-scenario Lua EE scripts; some 11th hour graphics clean-ups; updating the manual; a few bug fixes; and general testing, QA, and final polishing); aside from ME, VN development is back on track.

[Deepstuff3725]

Nice........... I'm looking forward to CSVN. This game will be awesome.

[berto]

A screenshot of the latest work-in-progress Vietnam:

[Crossroads]

ORIGINAL: berto


A screenshot of the latest work-in-progress Vietnam:

It is a jungle out there! Playtesting the Dak To linked campaign game:

[Crossroads]

ORIGINAL: Crossroads

It is a jungle out there! Playtesting the Dak To linked campaign game:

Hueys - or rather, a Huey - to the rescue!

[Crossroads]

I and we are determining the final color themes for CSME 2.0 and CSVN user dialogs. I was an enthusiastic modeler in my younger days, so sort of had an idea what a rathole the camo patterns and their re-creation can be...

So, any military vehicle owners, modelers, or other camo fetishers out there? Here's the current iteration. What do you think?

ORIGINAL: Crossroads

Leaving these here for now. Here's the deal:

[*] Military spec Federal Standard colors as interpreted by Encycolorpedia

Middle East:

[*] Brown Drab FS 30118 (background) -> #7b694e; (123, 105, 78)
[*] Sand FS 33303 (borders) -> #b0a183; (176, 161, 131)

Vietnam:

[*] Olive Drab FS 34102 (background) -> #636750; (99, 103, 80)
[*] Matching border from FS 34102 -> #939686; (147, 150, 134)

Fonts:

[*] Yellow FS 23655 -> #ffcc00; (255, 204, 0)
[*] White FS 37875 -> #f2f1ea; (242, 241, 234)

[Crossroads]

ORIGINAL: Crossroads

I and we are determining the final color themes for CSME 2.0 and CSVN user dialogs

Took a while to prepare all dialogs and sidebar etc graphics anew but here we go. Here's the first trial of the new color schemes in-game.

[Crossroads]

A good few months ago, I was able to post the first screenshot of the new Zoom-in view with 2D view. It was quite a revelation to test play a scenario with a closer look at the map. I summarised it like this at the time:

ORIGINAL: Crossroads

The new zoom-in views bring back the "tactical" to the series, don't you think? [:)]

Here's the first screenshots of the new 3D Zoom-in view. After trying out various options the best outcome was achieved with scaling the terrain to 150% while using the unit miniature models 100% size for that view. The old 100% has now units that are scaled down a bit to achieve the same scale as here.

As a result, the units are spread out more evenly, even when you have lots of units stacked to same hex.


Here's the French convoy in Algeria, from The Long Road Home. They've got some distance to cover, here.



And here's the Jordanian tankers, from Picnic at Tel al Ful. Now, securing that hamlet looks more like a proper tactical challenge, don't you think?



Graphics by Papalarazu and Mike Amos. [:)]

[Crossroads]

Again, for comparison, here's the respective Zoom-In view from 2D:

[Jafele]

Impressive!! Very well done!

[76mm]

Looks very nice. Really can't wait for you guys to get to the Eastern Front already!

[Crossroads]

Looks kindaneat zoomed out as well

[Crossroads]

ORIGINAL: Jafele

Impressive!! Very well done!

Thanks!

ORIGINAL: 76mm

Looks very nice. Really can't wait for you guys to get to the Eastern Front already!

I know, my fingers are itching as well!

[Big Ivan]

Very nice Crossroads, thanks for sharing.

I like the new look on the field, hammada and scrub tiles![:)]

[budd]

Awesome, I can almost taste the dust.

[Crossroads]

[:)]

[BigDuke66]

Yea looks damned pretty.
About time that the teasing stops and we really get going....

[berto]

Yeah, sorry about the tease.

We have just about finished with the CSME 2.0 update, but we still have a couple of months of testing, bug fixes (not many), some final graphics clean-ups, and a few loose ends to tie. Oh, and updating the documentation also (including an entirely new doc in re the new Lua Event Engine).

If we are delayed releasing CSME 2.0, and the other games in the pipeline, it is largely because we have devoted the last year and more to upping our game -- new graphics modes; new counter styles; new terrain types; graphics makeover; frontend and UI facelift; new game play features; implementation of the Event Engine; and other goodies. OOB researches and revamps (for EF III etc.). And much needed reorganization and tidying up of the data files, not to mention the code also. Put it another way: We have devoted the past year to making the game more like what we have always wanted it to be. The higher standards we set in CSME 2.0 will be more or less the same you will see in the later games.

After CSME 2.0 is out (by the end of the year, we hope), the pace of new releases will begin to pick up next year. By 2019 or so, we plan to be really cranking them out (new games, DLCs) on a regular basis.

It will all be well worth the wait, we think. In the meantime, your patience is requested.

[budd]

Any chance of an open beta for CSME 2.0 once its finalized and testing is all that's left[:D]

[berto]

Um, zero chance? [:D]