SP: Civil War Teaser

David boutwell · Post by **David boutwell** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 10:25 am

Gentlemen,

As a few of you may know, I have chosen to pick up the torch that several SP gamers have offered up. That "torch" is "SP: Civil War". This mod. was in the works for a long time, and I awaited its release with anticipation. Alas, when it was posted it, it was far short of completion, and there were a lot of problems with it. So, I decided to see what I could do to rescue it.

Since then, I have been doing things such as researching weapons values, experimenting with infantry icons and working on modifying terrain icons to create a battlefield that more closely resembles 1860's North America than 1940's Europe.

To prove that i mean business, and to show you a little bit of my progress, a I wanted to pass along a screen shot of some modifications to existing infantry icons, as well as some new terrain icons that I have made.

Notice how the company fronts join to make a flawless battle line at maximum strength, and notice the new rock wall icons with split rail fences over them, a common approach to increasing the height of a low rock wall.

That is just the start, guys. My goal is to create split rail fences and adapt the building icons to portray 1860's American structures, as well. Stay tuned....

By the way, you should hear the period Civil War music in the menu screens, as well as the cool volley fire!

Regards,

David Boutwell

CatLord · Post by **CatLord** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 3:38 pm

That's pretty cool

Cat

Warhorse · Post by **Warhorse** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 7:02 pm

Nicely done, David!!

Sturmpionier · Post by **Sturmpionier** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 7:54 pm

Excellent!

Many will thank you in the end. (Me included.)

mlomax · Post by **mlomax** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 8:16 pm

Cool, It looks great:)

Sergio Castaldi · Post by **Sergio Castaldi** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 11:00 pm

This is a great job David.

J wish to have this beautiful mod of Spwaw.

Bravissimo

Sergio "Zingales" Castaldi

Orzel Bialy · Post by **Orzel Bialy** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 9:47 am

some really nice work David...I tip my Iron Brigade western style hat to you!

This could indeed take us in a new direction.

dlazov · Post by **dlazov** » Thu Feb 13, 2003 9:09 am

That Civil War Mod looks really cool.
Has anyone done a WW1 Mod?

My next question is would I have to install three separate instances of SP one for each mode so that I could play each one with out disrupting my orignal SP WaW install? That would take up a lot of space, it would be nice if you could select it some how.

Do you want to play:

SP Napoleaonics
SP Civil War
SP WW 1
SP WW 2
SP Modern

Or am I day-dreaming again?

Sergio Castaldi · Post by **Sergio Castaldi** » Thu Feb 13, 2003 11:54 pm

Dlazov,

Do you have Sp Modern ?

If yes can you send me at
tatkdg@tin.it

Thank you

Sergio "Zingales" Castaldi.

m10bob · Post by **m10bob** » Sat Feb 15, 2003 3:01 pm

Beautiful art work........This game engine has got to be more "accurate" than "Rifles",(and that was a good game too!..)

David boutwell · Post by **David boutwell** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 4:44 am

Thanks for the positive support, guys. Keep in mind that Sami and others did a good bit of work on this mod. for several years. The menu screens are definitely nice, and although I would say that I'm pretty good at modifying icons, without the good start made by the guys who started this mod, I don't think that I could have gotten this far.

With the momentum that Sami's crew provided me, I have been inspired to learn how to create icons from scratch, and have had several ideas since starting this endeavor. I decided to take the wall/split rail icons back to the drawing board, because it doesn't look natural to have this combination only with sandstone fences. I copied the "regular" fence icons (42) to (54), so the split rail/wall combo can be placed with the regular walls to look much more realistic. While working on these icons, I have developed a better mental image of what I want the split rail fences to look like.

I've also thought of what fortified artillery positions would look like (these would be fortication icons), and in the place of barbed wire, I am going to make icons for those wooden spike "thingies" with the French name that escapes me at the moment. These would be cool for scenarios on Fort Fisher (of Glory Fame), Vicksburg and the numerous Union amphibious attacks on coastal fortifications.

These are some things on my wish list that would make this mod. very, very cool. "Need" in this paragraph, obviously means "I dream of having it". First, I "need" more infantry icons in order to create the diversity in uniforms such as green sharpshooter regiment and Zouave uniforms. Second, I would like to be able to change formations (column to line, break companies into skirmish formations and recall them, etc.). I would like to have combat multipliers/bonuses for firing at a unit from it flank.

Now, here's something you guys can help me with. Although most confrontations were settled before anyone had the opportunity to use a bayonet or a rifle butt on somebody, there were, no doubt, many instances of hand-to-hand combat. Therefore, I need to develop a weapon/weapons for these instances. Does anyone have any ideas?

Also, keeping in mind that in the editor the range of a weapon is multiplied by 4 (50 yards/meters =4), if I want to use 25 yard hexes, what would a range of 1 hex be in the editor? (2????)

According to Sami, Matrix encouraged him to develop a mod. for age of musket. I'm not sure what they were encouraging, based on the fact that, in order to do this thing right, a programming Wizard with the ability to make some major chamges would need to be involved. So, Matrix guys, if the needed changes were made, it would open up a whole new world of opportunities for Steel Panthers fans. Let's see...you've got your Revolutionary War, British Empire "Little Wars", English Civil War.....the list goes on...

Regards,

David Boutwell

tracer · Post by **tracer** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 5:08 am

Originally posted by David boutwell

Now, here's something you guys can help me with. Although most confrontations were settled before anyone had the opportunity to use a bayonet or a rifle butt on somebody, there were, no doubt, many instances of hand-to-hand combat. Therefore, I need to develop a weapon/weapons for these instances. Does anyone have any ideas?

I think the 'melee' function would work very well here, assuming the attacking unit could reach the defender's hex...otherwise you could add something like 'pistol x3' to simulate hand to hand weapons. If you're looking for values of weapons from this era you could check out the guerilla squads in the Phillipines OOB...they're armed with bows & arrows and a bolo.

Originally posted by David boutwell
These would be cool for scenarios on Fort Fisher (of Glory Fame),

That was Battery Wagner

David boutwell · Post by **David boutwell** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 9:43 am

"That was Battery Wagner"

I stand corrected...Fort Fisher is the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame, about an hour from where I grew up!...That's what happens when you try to think clearly after shoveling two feet of snow off of a 100 foot drive!

Regards,

David Boutwell

David boutwell · Post by **David boutwell** » Tue Feb 18, 2003 5:51 am

I just thought of a new idea....

Unless one was playing a Civil War scenario in California (just kidding), vineyard icons are pretty much useless, although I have no idea when the first wineries in America were established. In their place, I want to create icons for cornfields. I think this would be a better use of the space in the map editing menu. The green fields don't really look like corn crops. They look more like beans or something. Compared to the wheatfield icons, they are too small and close together to be corn. I intend to replace the vineyard icons with copies of the plowed fields icons, then modify the plowed field icons to create cornfield icons.

By the way. Does anyone have any idea how to replace the names of the terrain icons that I am replacing??? It would be nice for the hex info. to say "cornfield" as opposed to "vineyard". After all, Hood's Texas Brigade was engaged in Farmer Miller's Cornfield, not at Terrara winery.

Hey Guys....It sure is sad to think that everyone will get all excited about Gods and Generals, and not have an outlet for that desire to pick up an Enfield or Springfield and blast away at someone at 40 paces!

Regards,

David Boutwell

Warrior · Post by **Warrior** » Tue Feb 18, 2003 5:14 pm

Originally posted by David boutwell
I just thought of a new idea....

Unless one was playing a Civil War scenario in California (just kidding), vineyard icons are pretty much useless, although I have no idea when the first wineries in America were established. In their place, I want to create icons for cornfields. I think this would be a better use of the space in the map editing menu. The green fields don't really look like corn crops. They look more like beans or something. Compared to the wheatfield icons, they are too small and close together to be corn. I intend to replace the vineyard icons with copies of the plowed fields icons, then modify the plowed field icons to create cornfield icons.

Some cotton fields would be good, too.

Keep up the good work, David, Sami, and all involved. When it's all finialized I look forward to giving it a run.

tracer · Post by **tracer** » Tue Feb 18, 2003 7:57 pm

David,
I don't know of a way to change the names displayed for terrain types on maps; the technique I've always seen used is to 'add type' describing the specialized terrain.

Vineyards vs fields: remember that vineyards have different LOS characteristics than other agricultural terrain types...you can only see adjacent hexes in a vineyard.

David boutwell · Post by **David boutwell** » Wed Feb 19, 2003 5:25 am

At this point, it's just me. Sami's group no longer exists, according to him, and I was never part of it. I stepped in after downloading their mod. and seeing how much potential it had, although it was in pretty bad shape. But, except for the need for a good programmer, I'd almost rather work alone. Sami's group did a nice job on the menu screens, but in light of the fact that they were working on SPCW for several years, they made relatively little progress. Apparently, there were too many chiefs with too many different visions of what the final product should look like.

What I'm gonna do is do as much as I can, and hopefully the final product will encourage someone to step in and fix the things that I can't. I keep coming up with good ideas for the "eye candy" part of this mod., but the part that requires programming will not be what it could be...

Regards,

David Boutwell

David boutwell · Post by **David boutwell** » Wed Feb 19, 2003 6:00 am

Originally posted by tracer
David,
I don't know of a way to change the names displayed for terrain types on maps; the technique I've always seen used is to 'add type' describing the specialized terrain.

Vineyards vs fields: remember that vineyards have different LOS characteristics than other agricultural terrain types...you can only see adjacent hexes in a vineyard.

Exactly. Anyone who has picked corn or driven by 6-8 ft. corn, or seen "Signs" or "Field of Dreams" knows that you can't see more than a few rows in mature corn. Accounts of the fight for the Miller Cornfield at Antietam describe men only being able to see the flags of their opponents throught the corn. So this aspect of the LOS for vineyards is perfect. This should guarantee some blistering firefights at point-blank range. The regular field icons can be used for corn that is newly planted or less than head high.

Regards,

David Boutwell

dlazov · Post by **dlazov** » Wed Feb 19, 2003 6:06 am

David wrote

At this point, it's just me. Sami's group no longer exists, according to him, and I was never part of it. I stepped in after downloading their mod. and seeing how much potential it had, although it was in pretty bad shape. But, except for the need for a good programmer, I'd almost rather work alone.

David, so far have you just made modifications to the images?

How would a "programmer" help you? Do you have source code?

I was wondering how Leo did the H2H mod?

David boutwell · Post by **David boutwell** » Wed Feb 19, 2003 7:27 am

Originally posted by dlazov
David wrote

David, so far have you just made modifications to the images?

How would a "programmer" help you? Do you have source code?

I was wondering how Leo did the H2H mod?

dlazov,

At this point, yes. I have made changes to the infantry and cavalry icons, and plan to work on the artillery icons , limbers and caissons. I want to create artillery icons that are unique to each gun, like in SPWAW. I have been working on creating terrain icons for a rock wall/split rail fence combination and split rail fences. I want to tweak the bridge icons so that they look more like bridges from 19th century America, and I am working on fixing the building icons for the same purpose. I've also found and added several hundred LBM files for the OoB's that I have been working on. Lately, I've been coming up with new ideas daily, so this list is by no means final.

I am really not sure what someone who knew how to get "inside" the game could do. But, like I've stated in earlier posts, there are things that I'm sure someone could do that would improve the mod. First, I'd love to be able to increase the number of infantry icons, so that there can be a greater variety of uniforms represented. Second, I'd love for someone to figure out a way to give fire bonuses when a unit fires at another unit from the flank or rear, similar (but not quite like) to the system in place with armor in SPWAW. Third, I'd like to be able to change formations (column to line of battle, etc.), and fourth, I'd like to have the descriptions of the new terrain icons be correct (wooden fence, not hedge).

I've not played the H2H mod., but if I was forced to guess, I'd guess that he changed a lot of the values that can be easily changed with the editor, as well as added new units.

Regards,

David Boutwell

SP: Civil War Teaser

SP: Civil War Teaser

Wow !

Bravissimo !

That is truly...

for Dlazov