MCAGCC 29 Palms (Public Beta)

[phaeden 0]

UPDATE 21DEC12:

Hello all,

I have completed the next round of corrections. The map is technically still in BETA as there are some things that are not yet complete but it is nearly done.

It is available for download HERE (recommend this one) or here (other downloads temporarily disabled). I greatly appreciate any mirrors or hosting as that site is a bit of a pain in the neck to get the download. If anyone knows how to contact Six so that the addon could be added to the Six Updater, I'd appreciate you letting me know.

As for changes, there are many but the highlights are:

* Updated models (improvements and enhancements) - I've compromised the low poly count of the first models with a call for higher poly buildings

* mountain terrain is more rugged in the central mountain region (as a test) and makes it much harder to drive a vehicle through the actual mountains - it also makes fighting against infantry all that much harder and more rewarding

* additional settlements and significant changes to former built up areas

* reworked the satmap and heightmap for better alignment and more realistic looking terrain

* all addon files now have BI signatures

I've been working on some missions but they are not quite yet ready for a release as well (I could use some testers if anyone is interested). If you are willing to help with making missions, please let me know and I will include them in a mission pack to be released soon. Also, if you're a mission maker that would grant me permission to modify your mission for this terrain, please just let me know.

If you're part of a large squad based group (e.g. ShackTac, 15th MEU, 1st MSOB) and have missions you'd like me to convert, please just let me know where I can download the missions and I will work on converting them.

As always, your feedback is encouraged and greatly appreciated. Hopefully, you'll see how former input from you has resulted in changes to this version.

Semper Fi,

Phaeden

For Non-Commercial Use only (if you're interested in commercial application, please send me a PM)

Sample Mission: Airport Template 1: http://www.gamefront.com/files/22181097/29Palms_Air (download this file only if you plan on needing airfields with lighting for your missions – by default there are no lights on any of the airfields).

Pictures are from first release (I will get new screens as soon as I am able):

Thanks to everyone that has helped me with the private Beta and with mirroring/hosting the files for this general release. Creating something of this scope and scale requires knowledge and skill that has been amassed from countless experts here on the forums (and on other websites like armaholic.com and armedassault.info). I am grateful for this amazing community.

Edited December 22, 2012 by phaeden
Updated BETA release (20DEC12)

[noubernou 77]

Ahh here it is!

Very nice work! Lovely, lovely, LOVELY island!

[b00ce 160]

Is it just me or are Mirror 1 and 3 broken and Mirror 2 corrupted?

wgl_palms.pbo is corrupted on mirror 2 and 4 for me.

Edited August 29, 2012 by b00ce

[phaeden 0]

Can anyone else confirm? They were checked but you know how the internet thingy is - very temperamental and all.

Other mirrors are still needed as well.

[exikutioner 10]

I can confirm Mirror 2 has the corrupt pbo. Checking Mirror 4 now.

---------- Post added at 04:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:12 PM ----------

Mirror 4 worked for me. No pbo error.

[phaeden 0]

Thanks b00ce and Exikutioner!

I've updated links 1 and 3 - they should work now.

Edited August 29, 2012 by phaeden

[wolf5 13]

Congrats, will try it ASAP :jump_clap:

[astast 12]

This map is just great <3

[oldbear 390]

New on front page at Armed Assault.info

Link to mirror :

MCAGCC 29 Palms (v Beta) : http://www.armedassault.info/index.php?game=1&cat=islands&id=195

[phaeden 0]

Awesome, thanks Old Bear!

Thanks astast!

[Guest]

Release frontpaged on the Armaholic homepage.

MCAGCC 29 Palm public beta

[b00ce 160]

Wow, just flew around in it for a while. Great work! Thanks for the release.

At Grid 047-081 there appear to be retention ponds on the satmap, do you plan on making it a hole in the ground and filling it with a pond object eventually? :)

[phaeden 0]

Thanks Foxhound (and thanks for closing the other thread as well)!

b00ce, there are a few locations that I've experimented with as far as ponds go but I haven't been happy with the results yet. What is your opinion, should I depress the ground a bit or remove the pond object?

Have you tried cranking up the view distance to over 10km? If so, what do you think? Have you done anything at night yet (especially with a large view distance)? For some reason, I sometimes need to start and then restart a mission in order to get all the lights working - not sure why. Thanks for checking it out!

[noubernou 77]

Haven't tried setting view distances on the release, but on the pre-release was running well over 10k, up to 15-20k and it runs very well for distances that large (also was running a object draw distance tweak too for vehicles).

Can't wait to do FO/JTAC stuff on this (actually this island is what made me motivated to do the CCRP/CCIP stuff in ACE!)

[minimalaco 30]

Finally!

congrats, love this map :p

[phaeden 0]

One of my favorite things on the terrain is to do CAS stuff. I absolutely love doing a "real" CAS mission (9 line and all that) with people that actually know how to do it correctly (as either the FAC or the pilot). Seeing an aircraft flying in above the deck as a speck and then popping up and rolling over is stunning. Artillery/mortars are another favorite when you can see for miles.

Another aspect of the larger draw distance that can be used is with advanced or recon elements. This is one area where I've always felt most missions lack in ArmA - locating the bad guys is something that is usually really hard to do in real life (thus UAVs, etc). This greater visibility can also create some more dynamic/high stress moments when you spot and enemy patrol that is well beyond weapons range. Do you move into an ambush position - how? where? how do you stay concealed from the enemy all that time? Also, when inserting with helos, do the helo pilots actually set down in "false" landing zones? You know the enemy can see really far and if the helos only land in one spot, its pretty easy to figure out where the insertion point is located.

I'm hoping to play some of these missions where the players have to think beyond their normal style of play. :)

Thanks Minimalaco!

[lao fei mao 21]

Beautiful terrain, congrats.

[chrisb 196]

Well first off, thank you for an outstanding map, the new buildings and feeling of a vast open space is a delight.

I have tried to get ai into the building but so far had no success, I use a mix of pbo’s from a few ai mods inc gl4, usually they occupy buildings and set up in pretty good positions within buildings, but they did not act that way, they knew the buildings were there, but treated them as a shut building, using the standard positions around the outside. When I tried giving a direct order of ‘move there’ to a position inside a building, there is a short delay before the message ‘no can do’, not sure if anyone else is having the problem.

It would be fantastic if the ai were to use the buildings as they usually do with gl4, as it adds soo much to the game, and your buildings would be great for urban type combat, building to building, some really good positions would probably be used by the ai (gl4).

Still no complaints as the map is a massive success as it stands, I real credit to your map making skills. Another very high performing map (fps), plus has a nice balance of clutter, not too much, which is great.

Great work and thank you very much indeed for sharing...

PS: ai and building thing maybe a mod problem of mine, so I will test to see...;)

[phaeden 0]

Thanks Lao Fei Mao and ChrisB!

ChrisB, I have had mixed results with the AI. I had them working great for a while and then they stopped - the interesting this was I don't recall changing anything. It is more likely that there is something wrong with my models/configs. It is probably a combination of roadway and path lods that aren't working together correctly. Have you tried placing the AI in the MOUT builings (they look like truck trailers and can be found to the east/northeast of mainside as well as in two areas in the east and southeast border of the map)? I had them working in there most recently.

Thanks for the positive feedback - I'm glad you think it is a success as it stands but I do want to improve it so that it is truly stellar.

[chrisb 196]

Great to see that the ai are using one type of building so far (still testing others). They seem to recognise where windows and doorways are to position themselves, plus using rooftops.

They are moving from building to building as well, albeit the same type of building. Not sure regards the double decker version of these buildings as they seem to prefer the single floor type, maybe with further testing, you never know..

So its looking pretty promising, to maybe get them to use all types on the map.

Now that would be, well, fantastic..

Not the greatest pics but give an idea of how they did..

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/801/arma2oa2012083003532240.png/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/521/arma2oa2012083003492127.png/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/269/arma2oa2012083003552168.png/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/96/arma2oa2012083003554816.png/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/594/arma2oa2012083003593503.png/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/193/arma2oa2012083003572115.png/

Edit:

Another location and just to confirm they (ai) are using this type of building, but no others as yet..

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/837/arma2oa2012083011201228.png/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/809/arma2oa2012083011233403.png/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/171/arma2oa2012083011195671.png/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/833/arma2oa2012083011234674.png/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/688/arma2oa2012083011240915.png/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/204/arma2oa2012083011274845.png/

Edited August 30, 2012 by ChrisB

[astast 12]

Sorry if this is a bit off topic but i understand that you phaeden are a real marine right? so what if there was a MP (Maybe a RPG) server where people could come and get proper training in tatcis, radio communication, air combat and insertions, extractions?

where they are trained by former soldiers like you? this map would be great for that :D

and maybe set a much more proffesionel skill level in mulitplaye.

Regards

Edited August 30, 2012 by astast

[sabre 244]

Nice work mate, attention to detail is great. Lots of fun to be had :)

[Toothbrush 1]

Hi

i love the fact this map is so big with low poly count, and i downloaded it but i have arma2 not oa , i figured it will be ok since you said you were working on it pre oa, but it doesn't appear on the mission editor, so could you please make it work with arma2 (non-oa).

i v beeng playing arma2 for years and on these forums and armaholic for years aswll, but never made an account, i litteraly made this account now just to ask you.

keep up the good work and all the best.

---------- Post added at 12:57 ---------- Previous post was at 12:55 ----------

Sorry if this is a bit off topic but i understand that you phaeden are a real marine right? so what if there was a MP (Maybe a RPG) server where people could come and get propper training in tatcis, radio communication, air combat and insertions, extractions?

where they are trained by former soldiers like you? this map would be great for that :D

and maybe set a much more proffesionel skill level in mulitplaye.

Regards

i second that, i love arma for just that proper people playing realistically, not some cod run n gunners

[noubernou 77]

Hi

i love the fact this map is so big with low poly count, and i downloaded it but i have arma2 not oa , i figured it will be ok since you said you were working on it pre oa, but it doesn't appear on the mission editor, so could you please make it work with arma2 (non-oa).

i v beeng playing arma2 for years and on these forums and armaholic for years aswll, but never made an account, i litteraly made this account now just to ask you.

keep up the good work and all the best.

---------- Post added at 12:57 ---------- Previous post was at 12:55 ----------

i second that, i love arma for just that proper people playing realistically, not some cod run n gunners

That is a huge request... Just buy OA, its not like it costs an arm and a leg.

---------- Post added at 08:24 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:24 AM ----------

Sorry if this is a bit off topic but i understand that you phaeden are a real marine right? so what if there was a MP (Maybe a RPG) server where people could come and get proper training in tatcis, radio communication, air combat and insertions, extractions?

where they are trained by former soldiers like you? this map would be great for that :D

and maybe set a much more proffesionel skill level in mulitplaye.

Regards

There are a number of communities already like that. ;)

[kklownboy 43]

Nice!

Now we need a mini island of Joshua Tree for some crazy CQB.