malden dlc Malden DLC 2035 - Official Feedback Post

[metalcraze 290]

12 hours ago, jakerod said:

The cellsize was 50m back in 2001 and this is definitely not that. This is at worst 12.5m which was the DEM resolution of the heightmap that the project was started on. Perhaps someone likes "smoother performance". I think it looks great personally. Not to mention the terrain itself is not only free but is also going to provide map makers with new content for their own stuff (bunkers, trees, buildings, etc.).

Even 12.5m is really bad in 2017 (and by the way OFP used subdivision to increase terrain detail nearby so it didn't look as bad but since ArmA1 we have terrain detail permanently locked to OFP's low setting). And even Tanoa doesn't hit a modern GPU in any way so a point about "smoother performance" is moot. ArmA3 terrain engine is so dated and low detailed - any mid-range GPU today eats it for breakfast. The point here is that the flat terrain is really really boring for the gameplay because with Malden's setting and with the way ArmA3 handles grass you may as well be playing in a flat desert.

 

ArmA3 terrain engine with its non-existent ditches and ground cover is game's weakest point by far so why remake an old terrain and leave the glaring issue intact? Especially since Stratis exists for 4 years now and works like a charm performance wise

[jakerod 254]

1 hour ago, sammael said:

change CUP Malden houses to altis stratis = MALDEN DLC

Are you trying to say that the Malden DLC is just CUP Malden with houses from Altis/Stratis? If so I don't think you have played the new Malden. It's completely different and there are a lot of buildings on Malden that aren't on Altis.

 

48 minutes ago, metalcraze said:

Even 12.5m is really bad in 2017 (and by the way OFP used subdivision to increase terrain detail nearby so it didn't look as bad but since ArmA1 we have terrain detail permanently locked to OFP's low setting). And even Tanoa doesn't hit a modern GPU in any way so a point about "smoother performance" is moot. ArmA3 terrain engine is so dated and low detailed - any mid-range GPU today eats it for breakfast. The point here is that the flat terrain is really really boring for the gameplay because with Malden's setting and with the way ArmA3 handles grass you may as well be playing in a flat desert.

 

ArmA3 terrain engine with its non-existent ditches and ground cover is game's weakest point by far so why remake an old terrain and leave the glaring issue intact? Especially since Stratis exists for 4 years now and works like a charm performance wise

I wouldn't say 12.5 is really bad and I also didn't say it was 12.5. I said it was 12.5 at worst. They added ditches into this terrain. There are far more now than there were before. Look at the Houdan-Dourdan area. Stratis also only has one or two towns on it. Malden has more and has more building types. I also feel like object density is higher on Malden than on Altis or Stratis in all but a few areas. You're second guessing people who have worked on the engine for a decade and have a better understanding of the engine than you. If they made it 12.5m, they had a reason. If they made it 6.25m, they had a reason.

[EO 11277]

Malden terrain is a real nice place to be.....good job BI.

 

However the ground clutter is still a broken mess, most of the clutter models still suffering the same rendering in problem that plagues all official and community made terrains.

I raised a ticket to highlight the problem, but as yet it still remains unassigned.   https://feedback.bistudio.com/T124606

 

In the meantime, i have updated my "Weedkiller" mod to include Malden, 

[h - 169]

Really liking this.

 

Was a bit surprised that when I selected a random place on the map and viewed it instantly recognized it. Dunno if that's cool or sad, or a weird mixture of both

I can remember places on some old game terrain but not the names of people I deal with almost daily

[mistyronin 1181]

9 hours ago, lexx said:

 

Yeah, sure. But that's why this is called "Malden 2035" and not "Malden 1985" - Same island, different time. Folks seem to forget that.

 

Uhm, I'm afraid you didn't follow the conversation. 

 

That or according to you there should be no historical / logical continuity? Meaning a 1950s installation appears from nothing between 1985 and 2035, and not only that but it has been abandoned for years.

 

It's like if you say it's ok to add Roman Classical ruins in a base in the moon, when obviously there have never been Roman soldiers in the Moon (as far as historians can tell).

 

So you seem to forget that is the same island different space-time reality, Lost TV series style. Which is ofc a design decision that deserves to be commented IMHO

[jakerod 254]

44 minutes ago, mistyronin said:

 

Uhm, I'm afraid you didn't follow the conversation. 

 

Meaning a 1950s installation appears from nothing between 1985 and 2035

It's not supposed to be the same terrain from 1985. It wouldn't make sense. The town layouts are completely different and the terrain has completely changed. It's just supposed to be heavily inspired by the original as far as I can tell which is why towns and roads are in the same locations but they have different layouts.

[mistyronin 1181]

15 minutes ago, jakerod said:

It's not supposed to be the same terrain from 1985. It wouldn't make sense. The town layouts are completely different and the terrain has completely changed. It's just supposed to be heavily inspired by the original as far as I can tell which is why towns and roads are in the same locations but they have different layouts.

Indeed. Maybe I was not clear enough, but that's why I said the designers decided to create a different space-time reality of Malden (Lost style) instead of the same island later in history.

 

A respectful design decision I just thought it was worth commenting about.

[CaptainAzimuth 714]

Epic for a free addition. Thanks BI.

[dragon01 902]

I'm getting some z-fighting near the diesel power plant in Le Port. It's near the place where the quay "clips" into terrain. It doesn't always appear (seems to be LOD-related), but when it does, it's very ugly.

 

Also, why does the abandoned complex have both CSAT and NATO vehicle wrecks? That's conspiracy-grade material, you know? :) I've also noticed something that looks like an oversized Praetorian CIWS mount near that area... any chance we get an intact version of whatever it was?

 

EDIT: One more thing, the "small" road (between the city and power plant) in Le Port is disconnected from other roads. It can't be good for AIs trying to drive on it.

[slowrider8 41]

20 hours ago, Evil Organ said:

However the ground clutter is still a broken mess, most of the clutter models still suffering the same rendering in problem that plagues all official and community made terrains.

I raised a ticket to highlight the problem, but as yet it still remains unassigned.   https://feedback.bistudio.com/T124606

2

To add to this here is a video of some bad flickering LOD blending I spotted while moving:

 

 

If it matters I'm at grid 045019 but I'm guessing this is an object problem.

[das attorney 858]

mapSize config parameter is >30720 but useful map size is about 13000m across and up (poss related to previous posters comments about map positioning).

[Bitesrad 481]

On 2017-5-27 at 2:13 AM, jakerod said:

There's definitely more than their used to be. Maybe not quite as many as Altis or Stratis but quite a few. The Houdan-Dourdan area has several bridges going over ditches. I still haven't really noticed any bad looking areas due to cell size or anything else. Granted I'm also the guy who was playing OFP yesterday so maybe it's just an improvement from that :D

 

It's mostly just very sharp looking hills and a lack of ditches, but I don't think it can be altered at this stage of the development (but someone correct me if Im wrong). The masterfully crafted towns and object placement make up for it though. I love the colors and the billboards and the fact that everything isnt shot to shit :D Definitely one of my favorite arma III maps. Just make it bigger (as in bigger playable sea) and place the Moray island way further off shore.

[jakerod 254]

5 hours ago, dragon01 said:

Also, why does the abandoned complex have both CSAT and NATO vehicle wrecks? That's conspiracy-grade material, you know? :) 

 

Both sides probably lost vehicles in the battle.

[Flax 397]

On 2017-5-27 at 0:28 PM, Imperator[TFD] said:

 

 

Agreed, this would be wonderful if it could be extended.

 

Would be great if all maps had an extra 10km or more extra sea around them. Especially with the carrier and jets DLC.

[Neviothr 102]

How's performance compared to other BIS maps (Stratis, Altis and Tanoa)?

[EO 11277]

10 minutes ago, Neviothr said:

How's performance compared to other BIS maps (Stratis, Altis and Tanoa)?

 

For me Malden has comparable performance with Altis and Stratis......in general very good fps with slight dips in the towns.

The more i explore, the more i like what i see....not sure if any work was done to mid-range textures, but the whole island, from near to far, just looks great.   

 

    

[dragon01 902]

6 hours ago, jakerod said:

Both sides probably lost vehicles in the battle.

Except that CSAT helo is in what seems to have been the helipad, so it was likely abandoned while on the ground. On the other hand, this would imply it being a CSAT base, which raises a whole lot of interesting questions...

[jakerod 254]

30 minutes ago, dragon01 said:

Except that CSAT helo is in what seems to have been the helipad, so it was likely abandoned while on the ground. On the other hand, this would imply it being a CSAT base, which raises a whole lot of interesting questions...

Where as that is the most likely possibility, there are others. It could have been a NATO base with a captured CSAT helo or the CSAT helo could have landed during or after the battle and been destroyed by any number of things including airstrike or artillery. 

 

[Bitesrad 481]

The football field in La Trinite is in a rather sorry state. Given the fact Malden is a populated island, not decimated by war, I think the local groundskeeper would still be around ;) A nicely cut pitch would probably fit the setting a lot better.

[zedderzulu 7]

I've been very much looking forward to seeing this released so was pretty bloody delighted to see it on dev branch!

 

And it was everything I could have wished for and more. It's truly beautiful to see as an OFP veteran, and a great island in itself. Strange, getting more nostalgia from the updated version than having the near-literal recreation from CUP... I think it was the sense of wonder, that was in abundance back in 2001. I think Chernarus and Altis spoilt me. Now Malden's been updated, that wonder is back :)

 

Couple of things I've noticed on the bugs/errors front however - really, really minor...

 

The powerlines that extend west out of Larche end in the tree. They're not really serving anyone and maybe the tree grew up around the lines, but having first-hand experience of what relationships between tree branches and power lines often lead to, this is won't end well.

 

 

Getting technical, but a north/south runway should be numbered 18/36; also, 18 would be pointing south and 36 pointing north.

 

Then there's this place... Not a bug exactly, but I was dicking around with the editor camera to see if there were any secrets around the Vigny ravine and came across this. 

 

 

It's not actually accessible, much as I looked for a way in, as it's technically underneath the terrain (the terrain's so steep you can peer through it - I guess that's a bug...) but the thought of it being a cave behind the rockface atop a vast underwater cavern... I wish it was accessible!

[tpw 2315]

I never played the original Malden but I have to say this version is pretty spectacular. The coloured houses add a bit of visual variety, the landscape is very impressive and detailed, and it's a nice change of general vibe from Stratis and Altis. And it runs very very well. Well done BIS, I'm going to be spending a lot of time on this wonderful map. 

[Sniperwolf572 758]

23 minutes ago, tpw said:

I never played the original Malden but I have to say this version is pretty spectacular. The coloured houses add a bit of visual variety, the landscape is very impressive and detailed, and it's a nice change of general vibe from Stratis and Altis. And it runs very very well. Well done BIS, I'm going to be spending a lot of time on this wonderful map. 

 

I love it as well, and I've spent countless hours on the original Malden. I never thought I'd compose a sentence like this, but the usage of rocks on Malden 2035 gives it so much detail, it's amazing.

[sasha013 225]

I've noticed this thread is now being used as a Feedback centre for the Island in Dev Branch. 

 

Are the Devs cool with that or would they prefer an official Feedback Thread instead? 

[venthorror 117]

@sasha013

Devs pointed us to your thread.

 

 

[odie0351 67]

https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/764896571141316766/8C0C20E4184B9B00B6A6445F72BE93974B914406/

I know it's likely never gonna be anything more than a wrecked prop, but I seriously hope this is a teaser for a future static AA emplacement.