Steel Beasts Dynamic Terrain Will Come After New Terrain Engine

[Rinix]

Grenny has posted preview screenshots:
New Fennek variants and Kodiak AEV: http://www.steelbeasts.com/topic/12195-itec-2018/?tab=comments#comment-182056
Kodiak AEV can now dig a trench: http://www.steelbeasts.com/topic/12195-itec-2018/?tab=comments#comment-182057

Grenny's answers to some questions: http://www.steelbeasts.com/topic/12195-itec-2018/?tab=comments#comment-182059

[Rinix]

http://www.steelbeasts.com/topic/12195-itec-2018/?tab=comments#comment-182060

We're currently soliciting our customers for "earthworks profiles" that they want, and the amount of time that it should take to build them in medium-hard soil. Then we'll use that as a base figure, scale it with the ground hardness, and finally add a "speed-up scaling factor" that will allow the mission designer on a case-by-case basis to use non-realistic times to create these constructions.

After all, there's several roles for Steel Beasts in training - as a constructive simulation you want this to be realistic ... in pretty much any other case you don't.

[Lusik]

It's good to see something new coming in addition the new terrain, although we usually use vehicles that have been in SB for ages.

[Rinix]

http://www.steelbeasts.com/topic/10632-everything-leclerc/?page=12&tab=comments#comment-182428
Some interior images of DarkLabor's Leclerc model. I don't know if this is for a playable Leclerc, though the same person who is posting this posted that we were going to get a playable Leclerc "in the "next" update" and Ssnake never contradicted him.

[Rinix]

eSim Games has remodeled its website. It's a definite improvement, though they still have some things to fix, such as the downloads page only displaying "Forbidden", this link not leading anywhere (http://www.esimgames.com/about/#http://www.esimgames.com/order-sb-pro/), and the "Get SB Professional 4.0" button here (http://www.esimgames.com/steel-beasts-pro/) not working.

New system requirements are here: http://www.esimgames.com/steel-beasts-pro/
You can compare them with the old requirements here: https://web.archive.org/web/20171005131729/http://www.esimgames.com:80/?page_id=841
The recommended specs for Steel Beasts Pro PE have changed from "(DirectX9 compatible card (with Shader Model 3.0 or higher))" to a Geforce 10 series. The minimum specs for Steel Beasts Pro have changed the "Nvidia GeForce GTX 760+ Class" part to "NVIDIA GeForce GTX 7+". The recommended specs for Steel Beasts Pro have changed from "(DirectX 11.0 compatible card (with Shader Model 3.0 or higher))" to a Geforce GTX 1080.

The site also includes some new preview screenshots of Steel Beasts 4.1:

[Frankie]

Tried the Downloads page. Verboten.

[Rinix]

This link on the home page (http://www.esimgames.com/order-sb-pro/) just takes me back to the home page. But this ordering link in the site's menu bar does work: http://www.esimgames.com/test-order-page/

[Rinix]

The downloads page in the menu bar now works, though the link to it at the bottom of the page doesn't work. The ordering link on the home page has been fixed. The other links have not been fixed.

[Rinix]

Also, the new trees look better than the last screenshots we've seen of them. I think I'll be able to check "Spruced-up trees (pun intended)" from my Steel Beasts wish list, but I'll wait for Steel Beasts 4.1 to be released before I do that.

[Rinix]

While we're on the subject of the new website, they've got a brief post about the Spanish mech brigade video, with messed up fonts: http://www.esimgames.com/?p=2178 Oh, and this: http://www.steelbeasts.com/topic/11577-mugs-posters-mousepads-magnets/?page=3&tab=comments#comment-182737 CafePress is doing a promotion for 25% off until June 30, so if you want to get some eSim Games merchandise, now is a good time to do so. Never mind, see this: http://www.steelbeasts.com/topic/11577-mugs-posters-mousepads-magnets/?page=3&tab=comments#comment-182804

[Rinix]

http://www.steelbeasts.com/topic/11302-eta-on-terrain-patch/?page=10&tab=comments#comment-182778

The earthmover demo as such isn't very spectacular, except for the fact that it illustrates what the new engine can do. You set a vehicle emplacement just like you know it from the construction of concertina wire obstacles right now, then you "activate" it for construction, and an earthmoving-capable vehicle will move the the location, then drive back and forth while the hole gets deeper and deeper. That's basically it.
The more interesting part is now to get the timings right so that, depending on the terrain hardness, we get variable construction times that are either realistic, or not realistic at all; even in a 90 minute TGIF session you probably don't want to wait 40 minutes for a single emplacement to be dug, even if that may be realistic. So we will then also need to think about ways to cut it down in a way that you won't have to wait forever (but at the same time we don't want people to "spam" a network session with dozens or hundreds of emplacements).

Eventually I'll make a video of it, when it looks a bit more pretty.

[Rinix]

http://www.steelbeasts.com/topic/12264-winter-snow-a-topic-with-which-im-not-familiar/?tab=comments#comment-182906

Yeah, but I can see the effects in the development version. So we have the choice to reduce the effect of bumpiness and thus limit what we can do visually, or to go to the full extent of what the render engine can do and then live with scenarios that are visually inconsistent. I'm leaning towards the latter. At least there's a clearly visible cue now that something must be done (and it's obvious that it's bumpiness related).
It's similar BTW with maps that aren't properly georeferenced. SB now applies a default coordinate (R'lyeh) which is as far off from human civilization as we could find on this planet, so that hopefully the odd time zone and the southern night sky are a clear indicator that something is off (except for Kiwis, Aussies, and those in southern Africa and South America where the only cue is the -9hr time zone)

[Rinix]

https://www.steelbeasts.org/showthread.php?8457-Upgrade-oder-Neuigkeiten
The quotes are using Google Translate. Ssnake mentions APSs and improved infantry pathfinding as new features that they are working on. His statement that "There will be an upgrade (but not yet in the near future)" is concerning, if it is referring to 4.1 and the new terrain engine.

Hello everybody,

I wanted to ask if there will be an upgrade in the near future or if there will be one

And what else is there to do in the future with vehicles or off-road facilities in buildings and streets?

MKG
Christian

1. There will be an upgrade (but not yet in the near future)
2. The topics we are working on are
+ Better infantry behavior, especially in built-up terrain
+ High-resolution terrain (= you can finally see the terrain ripples)
+ Dynamic terrain (= you can create pushed positions at runtime (but that takes time of course))
+ New vehicles
+ Better model for HE ammunition, mines, artillery, fragmentation (but that could take a little longer)
+ Distance-active protection systems

[Rinix]

Update: Actually, Ssnake mentioned improved infantry pathfinding back in 2017, this is using Google Translate: https://www.steelbeasts.org/showthread.php?8338-Neue-Gel%E4nde-Engine&p=58365&viewfull=1#post58365

As soon as I have news updates, I will also announce them. Version 4.1 combines not only the new terrain engine, but also major changes (improvements, I hope) in the infantry AI, especially in urban terrain. These changes could not be tested for a long time because they were in the code branch of the new terrain engine. Since this testable, of course, the infantry is also looked at. Naturally, mistakes have crept in, which we are now gradually fumigating. Due to other circumstances, however, it has unfortunately come to collisions with deadlines for other projects, which we must treat with priority. After all, just about half of our programmers are still working on the PE version at the moment.

Also in 2017, Ssnake gave a guide on how to handle maps when 4.1 and the new terrain engine come out, this is also using Google Translate: https://www.steelbeasts.org/showthread.php?8338-Neue-Gel%E4nde-Engine&p=58380&viewfull=1#post58380

Yes. Keeping user data is one of the highest bids in Steel Beasts development.
Of course, there are a number of cases to consider:

The default case should be the conversion from a TER file (which is only useful when combined with an HGT file). There is a conversion option in the terrain editor.
If you have several TER files to a common HGT file, you should consider first to convert only the HGT card and then save the various TERs as "Delta Maps", which may save a lot of hard disk space.

If neither TER nor HGT files are available, you can still convert the terrain data embedded in a scenario. Whether this makes sense, must be decided in each individual case.


In general, the terrain data will be combined in a common folder (with subfolders). It therefore makes sense to distribute the entire folder as a ZIP / RAR file in the future. Advantages of this solution:
- Simplified data handling for the less experienced user.
- Folders can be renamed, the contained cards have a unique ID
- Geospecific textures can be stored in the subfolders. So you do not have to juggle mods for buildings / trees and so on
- Each folder contains a base map and, if applicable, associated "Delta Maps" in which the difference to the base map is stored.

On the one hand, this makes it possible to compress the map data extremely efficiently (saves hard disk space) and still keep it editable with little effort. However, once a card is "published", it can never be changed (!). However, you can save changes as Delta Maps again. Both delta maps and base maps can be either "published" or "in progress". ONLY on "published" maps (!) You can play outside the scenario editor test mode.

The idea is that all players in a multiplayer session have already installed at least the published base map. As usual, the host can then distribute the scenario to everyone at the beginning of the session and, if necessary, the (small) delta map that may be required for the scenario.



That would be about the essential changes.

[Rinix]

http://www.steelbeasts.com/sbwiki/index.php?title=Megaforce
Note the file name: Megaforce-4128b. In this naming format which is frequently used for missions in the TGIF weekly event, the number indicates the version number of Steel Beasts that the scenario was designed in. So if this is not a typo, then the next version of Steel Beasts will be some number higher than 4.128.