Snow

[STXAce8]

Just wondering don't you have to have detailed terrain on to see the snow on those maps? My computer is NOT the newest thing and i never fly with detailed terrain on.



 Ace

[Easyscor]

Just wondering don't you have to have detailed terrain on to see the snow on those maps? My computer is NOT the newest thing and i never fly with detailed terrain on.



 Ace

That's True.

[SmokinLoon]

It'd be nice to hear directly from HTC on this issue.  It comes up a lot not only in the forums but on MA vox as well.

If it is really that difficult to get desert or snow terrain into the MA map rotations, lets hear it from the guys who can or can not make it happen.

Hitech???  Pyro???  Skuzzy???

[dkff49]

I have asked HTC via email while I was working on a terrain if snow was allowed to be used for terrains intended for MA use.

The response from Skuzzy was:

Snow is now done using the terrain blending options.  Some of the main arena terrains do have snow capped mountains.  However, we cannot put a snow covered terrain in the main arena.  It would be too harsh on players eyes and we do not have a full compliment of winter skins for all the planes and vehicles.

[Dichotomy]

From what I understand in order to get a map accepted into the MA it has to meet a ton of requirements.  Ranger has made some simply outstanding ones for the AVA with wind, clouds, desert, and so on, and I know he puts an effton of work doing those.  Watching Midis tutorial at the con convinced me that making a basic map is relatively simple but doing one for a special events or AVA arena is a very long process.  Making one for the MA could literally take months to get ready for submission. 

I'm not trying to sound snarky by any means but all of the people that want new maps should find out the requirements and give it a shot.  I simply don't have the patience to do one and have tons of respect for the folks that do. 

If you want to give it a shot I'm sure Midi, Ranger, and others, would be willing to advise you what the requirements are and how to attempt to meet them.

[Easyscor]

It'd be nice to hear directly from HTC on this issue.  It comes up a lot not only in the forums but on MA vox as well.

If it is really that difficult to get desert or snow terrain into the MA map rotations, lets hear it from the guys who can or can not make it happen.

Hitech???  Pyro???  Skuzzy???

Anyone willing to build the terrain can do this now but snow is much more difficult then you'd expect. Not only must you do the ground, but the trees and roofs and many small items you wouldn't notice until you are half way into it. Since MA terrains can't change the shape of things, you end up with trees that must have snow everywhere there are leaves. An example will be available soon. rhinewin is updated and in the que to post on the SEA server, and I didn't feel like rebuilding all the trees. asw did the original terrain and I was able to re-use his ground textures for it, but that's about all iirc.

As dkff49 has stated, file size, and frame rates must always take priority. rhinewin is 5.4 MB compared to ozkansas at 4.4 MB. ymmv.

[The Fugitive]

rhinewin is 5.4 MB compared to ozkansas

Are they both 512 maps?

[Easyscor]

Are they both 512 maps?

No, but that has less impact then you might think, and if your goal is for a winter terrain at the smallest download size, then a mostly land terrain is the way to go.

The current italy_1 for example, is a 512 terrain at 2.4 MB because those coastlines are painted with a very large, round, hard edged brush (a newer one by 68Falcon is in the pipeline at this date). Contrast it to Ghostdancer's 512 greece with all those beautiful coastlines at 6.7 MB. It's all about tradeoffs, in time, and the kinds of detail work chosen, ie custom objects, textures, and especially degrees of coastline detail, water depth changes, water colors changes, water texture changes...

So when are you going to break down and build one Fugitive?

[SWkiljoy]

+1 lets put those desert and snow camo skins to use.

+1  i'd like to see snow and desert maps...we used to have them (at least desert maps, i remember playing on pizza map back in AH1) Wish we could bring them back and like Dragunov stated...lets use these camos/skins to use   

[The Fugitive]

No, but that has less impact then you might think, and if your goal is for a winter terrain at the smallest download size, then a mostly land terrain is the way to go.

The current italy_1 for example, is a 512 terrain at 2.4 MB because those coastlines are painted with a very large, round, hard edged brush (a newer one by 68Falcon is in the pipeline at this date). Contrast it to Ghostdancer's 512 greece with all those beautiful coastlines at 6.7 MB. It's all about tradeoffs, in time, and the kinds of detail work chosen, ie custom objects, textures, and especially degrees of coastline detail, water depth changes, water colors changes, water texture changes...

So when are you going to break down and build one Fugitive?

That was the point I was trying to make tho, OZkansas is a "larger" map yet it is the smaller file. People asking for the "extras" don't realize the increase in file size that they take. Some details also make the computer work harder. HTC must try and keep the game playable for the widest range of computers from laptops to monster desk tops.

As far as making my own maps, I'd love to! Unfortunately I just don't have the time to spend doing it. I have read the terrain "tutorial" that was writen recently a number of times and have played with the editors a bit. I know just enough to know that I could really get in trouble with this stuff! Maybe some day.... there is always a lottery win to look forward too! 

[SmokinLoon]

I have asked HTC via email while I was working on a terrain if snow was allowed to be used for terrains intended for MA use.

The response from Skuzzy was:

So at this point, all we have is from HTC "it is too harsh on player's eyes"? 

[Easyscor]

To be clear, a winter terrain can be built and submitted by anyone willing to put in the work. It doesn't have to be dead of winter, and apparently some compromises along those lines might be needed to make it acceptable to htc but I have no first hand knowledge about that.

[THRASH99]

I was just thinking that if it was possible, HTC could make some of the arenas, on occasion, a map terrain with some snow on the ground. I understand it would be difficult to create a maps with adverse weather such as rain, etc. But if it was possible, a map with snow on the ground would be a great addition because it can't always be summer with sunny weather, right?...OK, it was just a thought.




Tazz69, CO
69th FG ~Rampant Lions~

Sic Vic Pacem, Para Bellum~~~~If you want Peace, Prepare for War

Snow would be fun to have, we have the plane camo on some planes. Some of the tanks have snow camo such as M4 76 and T-34/76, why not put them to good use while they are on the game. Desert skin would work good for Tiger and panzar default skin. Rain would be quite a challenge though...

[stealth]

+1 I live in Alaska not seeing snow just seems weird to me.