Invasion 1944 Alpha Relased

[JdB 151]

Personally, I won't be getting it at all. It sucks that the main members of the team weren't notified of the release. I'll only download something that is endorsed by Marcel and Winters.

Abs

The e-mail (also sent by PM) as sent to alot of members that the current team has left on Sunday 12th of November (release was on Tuesday 14th November):

Quote[/b] ]Hello,

I am awfully sorry to have to resort to something like this, especially towards Marcel, but I see no other way anymore. Marcel does not want to decide, Marcel wants nothing to do with the mod, but he also doesn't want to give the "order" to release anything.

This kind of behaviour is only driving the mod deeper into the marshes, and will leave the mod without a single chance of ever becoming effective/succesfull in Armed Assault. I think we have given Marcel enough chance to decide, but he did not want to, which is only hurting the mod.

This is not a grab for power, but a team-decision on the future of the mod.

If everyone from the list below agrees with this, it is our intention to release what we have on Tuesday around 20.00GMT (8PM). This will include the "current" Alpha, CoC campaign and the Oosterbeek campaign (@ Winters: can the new version be ready by then?).

Please send your reply before Tuesday 15.00GMT (3PM).

Message sent to:

"Afro"

"Joffre"

Jon ("SFG") (Team Leader)

Josh ("Canukausiuka") (Assistant Team Leader)

Tim ("Winters") (Assistant Team Leader)

I also contacted Leon, but he did not feel part of the team enough.

This is in no way a personal attack on Marcel, but only a response to his erratical (/unavailable) behaviour of the last few months.

Kind regards,

John

I didn't receive any "DON'T RELEASE, IT'S OUTDATED!", and I did include a mention that the new campaign was needed (badly). I had asked people previously how they thought (the original for an "As Is" was by Winters himself) on a release and everyone but Marcel agreed (Marcel hadn't been active for I44 for months, saying on several occasions how he couldn't be bothered with Inv44, or that "OFP bullshit").

It's not like it was meant to have only 2 days to finish off the campaign. The 2 days were meant to give the person doing the uploading (me) a notice if anything was wrong (never received a complaint, 2 days to read/reply to a simple e-mail is quite alot).

As I said to Winters, I am sorry, but it felt wrong to release without any kind of campaign in fear that it would turn into the "5 minutes of fun in the editor" mod. I thought this was the newest version of the campaign publically available (to the team), which I could remember to be quite good.

Just because one person doesn't agree when the rest of the team does, doesn't mean that one person should be able to waste the efforts of many people over alot of time. Staring blindly at one person has killed many mods. But apperantly that is what "Abs_01" likes.

I can understand that Marcel has many things on his mind (probably more then most other people), but he could have just taken the time to listen to me or Winters once when we told he alot of people supported the "As Is" idea, instead of constantly saying to have no time, but chatting with me for over an hour after that. He got tired of OFP, which is his right. He has done some wonderfull work over the last 5 years.

I don't blame him for not wanting to release it. Anyone that knows Marcel can testify that he always wants to do the best job possible on anything he sets his mind to. If there is going to be any kind of idea for ArmA I would like it (personally) to be something smaller in scale, and more achievable, but still with that same attention to detail.

Edit: Thought it would be better and straightforward by telling the truth (of course it doesn't mean that everyone that was involved in PR the last few years was lying) instead of what the team has been doing for the last few years (ever since work started on the Sicily demo). people were flamed or ignored when they asked a question, screenshots were heavily edited, and the release of information to the general public was at times awful. Winters also told he'd like more straightforward and friendly PR, as that has often been a cause of the negative views towards the mod, so it seems like the new way forward hopefully.

On other issues:

Yes, the island is buggy, and it most likely isn't your pc (unless you use something like a laptop and/or integrated graphics). It is what we would have wanted to update, but Jojimbo hasn't been in contact with us for a few months (only sending some soldier LOD's to Marcel), so we were unable to provide an island with good performance on low-mid specification systems.

[ebud 18]

I understand the need to get it out and get it played before it becomes obsolete with ARMAS, I feel your pain as I went through 2 releases recently with VTE and Tonal, but a 2 day notice for release? C'mon, that's a bit tight, plus a mid-week release? Surely a few more days notice or a release held off til this weekend couldn't have hurt.

I did DL it on Tuesday to check it out and really like most of it. I look forward to the update of the update.

[OFPCAT 0]

Yeah, for most of us, the release should be a correct and nice decision although in the eve of coming ArmA. Personally, I like the released Mod even with something imcompleted.

By way, have you set up the new downloading site for updated files?

[canukausiuka 1]

I uploaded the new version of everything except the campaign to ofp.info (actually, i think the server was ofpr.info), and I'm just waiting for them to make the DL available. Hopefully Winters will have the campaign done shortly, too.

As far as the bugs in the mod, I can try to address some of them:

-- The foxholes were a WIP code and scriptwise, but they work well for some weapons, and very well for the AI (try to fight the enemy when they are dug in... it sucks). But it is more than a little awkward.

-- There is a script for the MG tripods, but its bad buggy, b/c I was trying to get the AI to do it on their own... as such it is not reliable, and you'll probably have better luck placing a static MG.

-- Some of the weapons are not at 100% either... someone mentioned the FlaK38... some things just got bumped to low priority a while back... you can see if you look into the code that I have coded a lot of weapons/ammo in various states of disrepair (the FlaK36 was a lot of fun, too... he'd shoot at planes and the FlaK would burst in the vicinity of the plane by detonating the shell at a fixed distance... but that model was nowhere near ready). The mortars are pretty much the same... they were carryovers from the demo days.

-- That said, I've never had any problems w/ AI infantry fighting.

-- All of the US units, FJ units, tank crews, and WH Officer are from the demo models. They have different face models and had to have a script to setFace them w/ those textures... their faces will be messed up after a load.

-- The explosion effects are all script based, and may not show where the true explosion was when at low FPS.

-- The CoC campaign was also a WIP... I had planned something like 12 missions, and there is no "ending" right now... it just stops. And it still requires the CoC markers addon (USMC_Markers.pbo, I think). I was trying to remove that requirement, but never finished.

And to anyone who is interested in the code/scripts, please feel free to look at them, ask questions, etc. I know w/ ArmA coming out, a lot of that stuff will be outdated soon.

[CanadianTerror 0]

@JdB

Quote[/b] ]Staring blindly at one person has killed many mods. But apperantly that is what "Abs_01" likes.

Quote[/b] ]Winters also told he'd like more straightforward and friendly PR, as that has often been a cause of the negative views towards the mod, so it seems like the new way forward hopefully.

Im going to point this out because you never seem to understand why you get flamed so much in these threads. It's how you respond to most posts...personal attacks.

It's not always everyone else who is to blame for I44's bad press.

EDIT: Im not flaming anyone but you still dont seem to have a clue about presenting a mod in a civilized way even now.

[Winters 1]

I believe Abs was just worried that both marcel and myself were against a release and some sort of back stabbing "screw you guys we are releasing anyway" took place which is so far from the truth its not funny. But, it is what it is, lets not focus on who said what or past troubles, instead lets discuss what we have. We really wanted to get this out because lets face it, it was never going to be done the way we would have liked. So, we swallow our collective prides and present what we have made for everyone to enjoy and maybe peek the interest of some talented people.

[JdB 151]

To continue with more positive things:

Winters, Iuka and me are working on an update to bring in some fixes that we (I) failed to include in the first release. The campaign will be better, an addon or two will be added (ones that are crucial to the campaign), such as this one:

[Pic 1]

[Pic 2]

[battle hampster 0]

Regardless of it being an Alpha version I think this Mod is awesome! Everyone's talking about ArmA but it will probably be some time before I can upgrade my computer to run it. Point being I have the feeling me and others will be playing OFP for quite awhile longer even after ArmA has been released. Sorry to hear about the lack of support I44 received, although you guys released some high quality addons nonetheless. Thank you for your contribution to OFP!

[stlkd 0]

Anyone else missing sound? I'm running it as a modfolder on it's own (i.e. without other mods/addons)

I am having the same problem, Id like to know how to fix this problem

[tankieboy 0]

To continue with more positive things:

Winters, Iuka and me are working on an update to bring in some fixes that we (I) failed to include in the first release. The campaign will be better, an addon or two will be added (ones that are crucial to the campaign), such as this one:

[Pic 1]

[Pic 2]

WoW

[OFPCAT 0]

I think the most important thing is to fix the model and anim bugs. Whether have campaign released or no is not important. I don't think the stuff will be outdated soon after the coming of ArmA. Maybe they could be used for ArmA after some modification. In addition, there will be some time for new coming ArmA without the WWII scenario. So we could still play them in OFP for some time.

[Mina_Cz 0]

Invasion 1944 is great! The island is great! The Units are great! And the wehicles are great! But where does the other Mary's tanks ? There are only two tanks from Marfy. And where are the animations which were in the last videos? And what does with further projects?

For example I44 East Front, I44 Normandy, I44 Batle of the Bulge, I44 Italian Front - The Road to Cassino and Phase Two!

I'm your big fun . And I feel bad ,that you were stop the project .

Thanks boys !

[Deathstruck 375]

Well,good job I44!

This is a great week

[zwobot 22]

Anyone else noticed that the voices are far too slow? I mean it takes ages to issue orders to the squad since the speaker seems to almost fall asleep (speedwise).

[punishment 1]

i was rather disapointed to see some of the models from the old demo in there. I mean comon!

[Deathstruck 375]

Animations are good,but they dont fit with lot of your new I44 models....for example german soldiers are standing and holding weaps. in a in rly weird postitions

ok Nevermind,its an alpha

[JdB 151]

Animations are good,but they dont fit with lot of your new I44 models....

New soldiermodels, old/unfinished animations...

Quote[/b] ]i was rather disapointed to see some of the models from the old demo in there. I mean comon!

The Fallschirmjaegers did not fight at Arnhem, and neither did the 82ABN. As said before in this topic, they were included for compatibility reasons with the OFPEC tag system.The old missions will not be usable with the new Alpha unless you change the classnames in the missions .sqm file.

Quote[/b] ]I think the most important thing is to fix the model and anim bugs.

From OFP.info newspost:

Quote[/b] ]We do not have the manpower to fix these bugs, sorry.

I have heard several people report that they have no sound when playing (only with the Alpha, other mods are fine). No one from the team who has ever tested it, or the people I asked to test before release ever reported that issue...Perhaps it is due to those people not deleting the old I44 demo, but that is just a guess.

[OFPCAT 0]

It's regretful now I44 team seems to be the end of their strength. They are lack of some talent people for support and where is those ACE of team? Where is Jimbo, Marfy and others... ? Do they really like to see the current status of the Mod after so many years efforts and in such a sad end??

Thanks for JDB & Winter for their keeping for last.

[JdB 151]

They are lack of some talent people for support and where is those ACE of team? Where is Jimbo, Marfy and others... ? Do they really like to see the current status of the Mod after so many years efforts and in such a sad end??

Thanks for JDB & Winter for their keeping for last.

As has been said before:

Marfy was never really part of the team, he did do alot of tanks, but they are all unfinished, have no resolution lods or interiours and are pretty much static objects (not freely available to the team). He never cooperated on Phase 1, he just allowed us to use his work if it suited our needs. We haven't heard from him in ages.

Jojimbo (posted this 1 or 2 page ago) got tired of the constant sh*t he had to put up with, both from inside the team and out, and quit the mod. He came back for a little while, but we haven't heard from him since.

Marcel has quit for about the same reasons as Jojimbo, he couldn't combine real life with working on the mod, and got tired of the community(/game) and the lack of progress. Also he was not pleased with that we released it without informing him before we did (didn't seem smart to us).

Hag Celine/Haggy quit because he couldn't combine real life with working on the mod.

Not wanting the mod to go to waste and having the intent to do something about it is something else then actually having time and dedication to work on it.

[canukausiuka 1]

We included the old demo units, with updates codewise, just as a treat... we could have left them out, of course... but why? We already had them after all.

[archsceptic 21]

I apluad the decision to release the mod, even if it is'nt quite to the standard you wanted to achieve with it, it would have been insanity not to release it just because you were'nt 100% happy with it.

The reality of the situation is, is that soon, to most people ofp will be just a memory because when people play AA they wont want to go back to ofp, no matter how nostalgic it is for them. It would have been a shame for this mod to have been released after the mainstream release of AA.

I want to say thanks to everybody involved... especially the ones determined to get it released, I hope you're proud of it, even if it has'nt quite ended up being 100% perfect.

Nice work guys!!!

[gunterlund 0]

I apluad the decision to release the mod, even if it is'nt quite to the standard you wanted to achieve with it, it would have been insanity not to release it just because you were'nt 100% happy with it.

The reality of the situation is, is that soon, to most people ofp will be just a memory because when people play AA they wont want to go back to ofp, no matter how nostalgic it is for them. It would have been a shame for this mod to have been released after the mainstream release of AA.

I want to say thanks to everybody involved... especially the ones determined to get it released, I hope you're proud of it, even if it has'nt quite ended up being 100% perfect.

Nice work guys!!!

   

I think this mod's end was a product of their own hype. There were some pretty hefty and lofty goals that were unrealistic based on their staffing. I think a lesson to learn here is if you keep quiet about your work until release the expectation is much less and the reward is much greater. Look at what RHS did recently and BAS did in the past. You basically did not know they were coming out with these upgrades until they actually announced their release. Everyone went crazy about them.  INV44 has been talked about for years with screenshots of non existent work which led everyone to an expectation that did not manifest.

Lessons learned for future mods.  And my own opinion.

[demonclaw 0]

Marfy was never really part of the team, he did do alot of tanks, but they are all unfinished, have no resolution lods or interiours and are pretty much static objects (not freely available to the team). He never cooperated on Phase 1, he just allowed us to use his work if it suited our needs. We haven't heard from him in ages.

So the team only got to work on the Panther not the other tanks ?

[stlkd 0]

Quote[/b] ]I have heard several people report that they have no sound when playing (only with the Alpha, other mods are fine). No one from the team who has ever tested it, or the people I asked to test before release ever reported that issue...Perhaps it is due to those people not deleting the old I44 demo, but that is just a guess.

I tried this and it makes the game crash now

[jarvo9 0]

Ok what the heck, at the risk of sounding like a total noob, i can't even get the Dl to work.

I dl'd from 2 sites and when i try to extract it, using winace, there's only a AEF_Train pbo in there ....

Someone please help, been waiting sooooo long for this release and can't wait to get it working...