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Soldiers stand out too much on some battlefields

Posted: 2007-12-19 08:22
by Ablack77
Couldn't see it suggested so please don't flame me.

Well this issue has been troubling me for sometime and I've been trying to think of a way around it.

The issue of soldiers standing out "like dogs balls" from the terrain.

On some maps/textures soldiers seem to almost be illuminated from their surroundings,
I was thinking maybe this could be helped by possibly changing some colours in the terrain but then I noticed something on another mod that could be the answer.

RUBBISH, GRIT and GRIME

Some maps seem to lack any sort of rubbish, wreckage, dirt or grime which makes spotting an enemy soldier "easy peasy japanesy".
Some battlefields appear to almost be spotless and clean there's no old tires, no old cardboard boxes blowing around in the wind, no wreckage from the Humvee that had an RPG put through the side of it in an attack 2 days ago (I'm not talking about a full wrecked vehicle as there is the odd wrecked vehicle here and there on different maps)
Just general pieces of **** lying around

Maybe if there were more "bits and pieces" lying around in the environment it wouldn't be so easy to see enemy soldiers?

After all, battlefields are dirty places full of rubbish, shrapnel, wreckages, pieces of wood, bits of metal etc. (unless the battle just started I guess)

Besides hopefully having a positive effect with regards to being able to hide more in your terrain,
This would also help with immersion and the general atmosphere of a map IMO
And like darknight said below "an important touch"

Thoughts?

Posted: 2007-12-19 13:53
by darkNight
Great idea! Agree completely! ;)

Missing those small but very important details, too. This are things that make maps awesome! More rubbish like paper, old bottles, whatever (of course inside urban area only; in rural areas more wood pieces, natural rubbish, stuff like that). So just think about it dear DEVs. You've done a lot yet (you have to agree that there are already many car wrecks and stuff like that, for exemple Al Basrah...) but this would finish your creations with the last, important 'touch'. Also more defensive structures (machinegun positions on roofs/etc., sandbags, barbed wire, trenches and stuff like that) would be cool but that's another story ;)

Posted: 2007-12-19 13:57
by gazzthompson
on all maps TBH!

Posted: 2007-12-19 16:33
by Sadist_Cain
I had a thought for "hot Zone's" on urban maps like basrah.
An area mapped out as dangerous, filled with burnt out car wrecks, rock blocks, destroyed/burnt out buildings. Meanwhile on other areas of the map it can still look very clean and tidy (as much as basrah can be)

I think thise would give great contrast to using camoflauge in different ways :P

Love the idea, It does take a lot of map work but one of the best bits of advice is with this sort of Debris "The secret to Perfection are the Imperfections" :P

Street was good for debris.... shame it all got defeated by the limitless nade artillery lol

Posted: 2007-12-19 20:13
by Outlawz7
Too much objects = uber-lag for low end PCs and possibly high/medium.

Posted: 2007-12-19 20:26
by Waaah_Wah
I completely agree with the OP

Posted: 2007-12-19 21:15
by ConscriptVirus
agree...but outlawz has a point...itd create a lot of lag.

Posted: 2007-12-20 04:22
by Ablack77
Outlawz wrote:Too much objects = uber-lag for low end PCs and possibly high/medium.
Definitely a concern and care should be used ;)

A happy medium aye?

Posted: 2007-12-20 04:36
by BloodBane611
There may be a happy medium. I can't say that soldiers stick out beyond what you would expect. The reality is that if you are moving, you're going to stick out. If someone knows the map well, you are going to stick out. If you are looking at an angle that sticks your legs our, someone is going to see you.

At this point I will say that I like the way it is. Basrah is pretty messy as is, and on a woodland/plains map there should not be a lot of junk lying about. I don't think its a big issue personally.

Posted: 2007-12-20 05:36
by [T]Terranova7
I agree with the OP. Some of the urban environments seriously lack objects, structures and other items to utilize for cover. In fact, many of the cities and such seem far too generic because of this, where it seems like you're forced to walk down the streets, with an occasional alleyway here and there. Some of the larger maps should be more like "Street" with wrecked cars and burning rubble placed throughout the level. Also, more structures with extensive interiors would help too. Right now, I love to play with PoE2's urban levels because there's practically no one way you can approach a location.

Posted: 2007-12-20 08:15
by unrealalex
I agree also, in real life, just from photos, it's a lot harder to spot someone due to the larger amount of detail. Right now, like someone said, it literally is "o look a pixel, that's a guy for sure!" followed by a spot.

Freaking Battlefield 2 engine really :( leaves so much to be desired.

Posted: 2007-12-20 11:05
by Chubben
Engineer wrote:I'm not exactly sure, but it seems like in FH2 the some of the grass is visible for longer distances than in PR.
Yes its way more than in PR but i guess since its desert there aren't use for as much undergrowth so its easier for the comp to run

Posted: 2007-12-20 14:41
by Death_dx
Is it just me or was BF2 a lot better for this type of thing? Seems the british have the worst camo to me, it looks illuminated.

Posted: 2007-12-20 16:46
by Ablack77
Dev's??? Have any thoughts??? Opinions???

Posted: 2007-12-20 22:33
by Waaah_Wah
Cant that grass on Al Basrah be seen from pretty far away??