Early View of Game Map

[choppinlt]

Hey all, here is an all too early view of a game map. For scale, this is about 8kmx5km. Keep in mind this is an early prototype, and will definitely evolve with the project. The primary detail you don't see yet are contours. Work continues and things are rolling forward! Stay tuned for more updates in the coming weeks and let me know if you have questions.

[A Canadian Cat]

Nice! I love how it looks - like a map. Regardless of what the computer uses on the back end I hope to not see hexes. I have never navigated on a map in real life that included hexes.

[choppinlt]

 , I recall our discussion a few years ago regarding this! This has been my plan the entire time...a curated map that looks similar to a real map. And yes there is a grid behind it. In short there has to be something that gives the computer the terrain data in this sort of game. I have had continual discussion with my developer about giving it a smooth "feel", despite the need for the grid. I still like the idea of using real topos, however there are issues with terrain definitions. Due to a variety of reasons this has fallen way down the priority list, BUT having the option to use real topos is currently still on the table.

Again this map is missing contours. There are a number of details we are working through on this aspect, BUT you can see roads, streams, rivers, and urban/built up areas in this sample. Roads will have 3 classifications: Major, standard and secondary. The sample below didn't differentiate the roads yet.

Let me know if you have any further thoughts or questions!

[A Canadian Cat]

LOL now that you mention it I do remember that. It's one of my favourite things about this project - its not trying to look like a board game.

[choppinlt]

I wanted to mention that I greatly underestimated the map making part of this project. I knew that it was going to be significant, but it is really sinking in how massive of an undertaking it will be. We will get MUCH more efficient at it as we develop and finalize processes, but sheesh...it's much more labor intensive than I had hoped.

[choppinlt]

Work continues, progress is being made, things are progressing at a satisfactory pace. So far things are going a little better than expected, but that could change of course.

As the programming continues, here is a zoomed out look of more fruits of my labor. I have been focusing on map creations, and this is what I can show right now. This is about 30km by 16km for scale reference. This picture doesn't show the roads very well, but you can really start to see all the parts coming together.

Keep your fingers crossed as we keep working away! Questions and comments are welcome.

[Asid]

Thanks for the update Matt 

I am looking forward to this 

[choppinlt]

Hi all, here is yet another view. To be honest I havn't done much with the map since I last posted, until this last week. I think what I have accomplished has added real depth to it though. Development continues and things are still going well. I hope to have something more exciting to post in a month, but don't hold your breath. In the mean time ask questions, provide comments, and let me know what you think of the map.

[Asid]

Looking good.

Thank you for the updates 

[General Sandman]

Interesting progress 

There´s a 2D display of the battlefield.
The special feature of this project is supposed to have an opportunity to transfer engagements on a tactical level simulation in 3Dview of a different warsim, isnt it?!
But still there is distant combat, approachings to the frontline or just minor engagements and those situtations probably are not wanted to be executed in a detailed sub-level-process.
So most engagements and maneuvres would be realized in ToOPs itself, I guess. Particulary the topographic characteristics of the Ardennes were a challange in all matters for military operations. On a 2D displayed map it is really hard to keep up in mind with important aspects like Line of Fire or Line of Sight in a dynamic battle situation due complex elevation profiles and terrain.

What user friendly instruments will be provided to display the concrete and dynamic impact of the topographic circumstances and other criteria like weather, daytime or smoke regarding visual abilities and movement-conditions for every individual unit in 2Dview?

If there was a transfer of an engagement to a tactical 3D-Sim, what about the needed variety of maps, in particular to make it correspond with the certain area on the basis of the 2D-map-section?
Is there any sufficient automatic map-creator-tool yet?

Will there be considered and displayed different kind of roads?

[choppinlt]

Hello General Sandman, I apologize for a lack of a timely response. I will address your various questions below:

The special feature of this project is supposed to have an opportunity to transfer engagements on a tactical level simulation in 3Dview of a different warsim, isnt it?!

I want to make sure I am very clear about all of this to manage expectations. Theater of Operations (TOO) will be a complete standalone war game on the operational/grand tactical level of combat. The game map will be a 2D map based off of real topographical maps that the leaders actually used. During play units will become engaged against each other (i.e. fight or battle), and TOO will resolve the battles using it's battle resolution system. However...

A special feature of TOO will be to give players a detailed order of battle to allow players the *option* to fight out the tactical battles on their own. This means that players then have the ability to input battle results back into TOO (distance advanced, time taken, casualties, etc). TOO will incorporate the results and continue on.

What this means is that TOO can be used as a campaign layer for people who like playing tactical level games. Furthermore battle results can be derived by players with any game and/or media they like: board game, miniature game, or computer game.

This does NOT mean there is any automated link between TOO and any other game. So if players wish to use the Combat Mission games to play out a battle they must set it all up using Combat Mission with the order of battle obtained from TOO. We do hope to co-develop an automated link (with BFC) between games to assist in selecting forces, but I will just say that we aren't there yet. Regardless, any Combat Mission battle maps would have to be chosen/determined by the players no matter what.

What user friendly instruments will be provided to display the concrete and dynamic impact of the topographic circumstances and other criteria like weather, daytime or smoke regarding visual abilities and movement-conditions for every individual unit in 2Dview?

We plan to have a filter that can be selected to show what is visible to a selected unit. There will be other visual aids to show other aspects of weather like mud, snow, etc.

Will there be considered and displayed different kind of roads?[/size]

Yes, roads are crucial at the operational level. Currently I have 3 road categories: highway, primary roads, and secondary roads.