Matrix Games Forums

As you may or may not know, I'm working on a mod to bring Advanced Tactics to the modern (1975-2010) period. Basically, a .ptmaster file people could use for random games or to create scenarios with. As I'm alone in this, it's quite a laborious and time-consuming task (especially making it look 'pretty'). I'm doing this in three phases (highlighted in green is the current phase)

PHASE I - Obtaining pictures for each level of each unit of each faction and adapting them to the necessary size (260x194) without stretching them more than 10-15 pixels in the process. The hardest phase, due to the sheer amount of images needed and the difficulty of finding certain pictures.

PHASE II - Getting pictures of plan/schematics, one per sub-formation type per faction, and making counter graphics out of them. I don't like NATO unit graphics, but I'm sure you could get them elsewhere if you wanted to. Not an easy phase, but lighter than the rest.

PHASE III - Finding sounds for the necessary units, like rocket artillery, helicopters, fighters and bombers. Easiest phase, though perhaps not a piece of cake.

PHASE IV - Working on the .ptmaster itself! Second-hardest phase, due to the balancing and testing of brand-new sub-formation types and modified ones.

Here I've outlined the current progress of Phase I, and will eventually add Phase II and III stuff as it becomes necessary.

REFERENCES:
CHI: People's Republic of China
EUR: European Union
SOV: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
USA: United States of America
Red: Lacking
Orange: Incomplete
Green: SFTs completed, counters lacking
Blue: SFTs and counters completed!


INFANTRY:
Airborne Infantry [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
Anti-Tank Infantry [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
Assault Infantry [same as Light Infantry]
Engineers [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
Light Infantry [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
Mortar Team [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
Recon Infantry [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
Staff [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
Support Infantry [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]

LAND VEHICLES:
IFV [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
Main Battle Tank [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
Mobile AAA [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
Mobile SAM [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
Rocket Artillery [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
SP Artillery [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
Truck [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]

TOWED:
Field Artillery [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
Light Artillery [same as Field Artillery]

AIRCRAFT:
Anti-Sub Helicopter [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
Attack Helicopter [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
CAS [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
Fighter [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
Strategic Bomber [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
Strike Fighter [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
Transport Aircraft [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
Transport Helicopter [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
UAV [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]

SHIPS:
Aircraft Carrier [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
Attack Submarine [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
Cruiser [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
Destroyer [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]
Frigate [CHI-EUR-SOV-USA]


I'll try to update this often and, since you can see the status, I'd certainly appreciate getting pointed to places where I could get the necessary images. Bear in mind that I haven't reached some parts at all (like ships in their entirety), so only suggest sites you think are difficult to find. So far, I'm getting my pictures from:

http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/
http://www.army-technology.com/projects/
http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/
http://www.fas.org/man/index.html
http://www.defencetalk.com/pictures/index.php
http://www.sinodefence.com/
http://www.google.com/

Right now, I'm specially in need of pictures of Russian/Soviet infantry (the whole infantry part's the most difficult) from the period this mod's about, 1975-2010. Besides that, if you know of any useful site not on that list, please let me know.

For counters, did you see This Thread?

For pictures, have you seen http://www.defenselink.mil/multimedia/ (click on search by topic) Being a DoD source, the pictures are public domain. There are alos links to individual branch's pictures. Mostly US, of course, but some OpFor.

--Philistine

I did notice that thread. I might be using some of those graphics for the counters. As for the US DoD site, good find. Even though American military pictures aren't difficult to find, some stuff in particular isn't that easy. [:'(]

Wouldn't it be more consitent  with the scope of the game to abtract UAV into some kind of recon aircraft ?
How do you represent helo ? As planes ? I'm wondering if AT engine allow land carrier unit. In this case you can make mobile Helo base and represent Helo as short-range bomber...
Tactical rockets still missing. Are one-shot bomber allowed by AT engine ?
Another suggestion - rename trucks into transporters and allow them to carry tanks.
Tank destroyers - they are present extensively  in modern armies as ATGM on the IFV chassis.

How I represent helos depends on how Vic implements them in 1.1 (which I'm sure will come out before my mod does). He also said he'd implement a couple of rules that'd make disposable units (cruise missiles, for instance) possible.

Heavy-duty trucks carry tanks only when they're out of the battlefield, when great distances need to be traversed without touching the tank's fuel supply. Such trucks wouldn't be faster than the tanks themselves, so I don't see how they'd be useful in the game.

As for modern tank destroyers... Well, I can think of a few examples, but not enough to say they're used extensively. ATGMs are usually man-portable, or an AFV's secondary weapon.


PS: Added a phase I forgot about to the main post. [:'(]

Progress update! Phase I is coming along nicely. I've edited the main post to reflect the changes.

Hi ShadowB,
I have couple of questions for ya!
1) Is this Modern Mod going to be a stand alone mod or a scenario mod?
2) I;m going to be pushy but... any more updates? This MOD is going to be a blast!
Playing WWII and Modern Battle with the same game engine... AT rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!

where can one find pictures of Argentina, Venezuela and other South American nations military?

Try online... Google and other search engine... [;)]

I have been looking but have not found anything worth using, that is why I have posted this question in the hopes that some would know where to look.

ORIGINAL: Tattico

Hi ShadowB,
I have couple of questions for ya!
1) Is this Modern Mod going to be a stand alone mod or a scenario mod?
2) I;m going to be pushy but... any more updates? This MOD is going to be a blast!
Playing WWII and Modern Battle with the same game engine... AT rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry about the lack of updates, I took a break during the holidays and am trying to resume my work on the mod. Finding infantry (regular and specialized) pictures for all four periods and all four sides is quite difficult, and I really don't want to start repeating images.

As I said in the original post, the mod consists of a modified .ptmaster file, which players will be able to use when generating random maps or in the creation of scenarios.

I've edited the original post to reflect a small update.