Russian Marines & VDV

[Shadow NX 1]

Thanks for the comments here guys, also big thanks to Cameron, looks great so far, one thing we also have to adress is the shining of the helmet as its now canvas covered.

[FW200 0]

it all looks really good, but i think the blue tape ruins the AK74M, i presume its to mark what type of ammo is in the mag, but i think its uneccesry and detracts from the quality of it. Looking forward to this though

It's actually just to tape two mags together.. why blue?

It was what is available in every soldiers issued kit..

[Dr.Rebus 0]

Greeeeeeeat! Than it's this your side project Skaven!

Great great and great! Can't wait for the release!

FINALLY ADDONS TOP QUALITY FOR OPFOR.

[Shadow NX 1]

One thing i just noticed, the AK-74M should have a black ejection port.

[Skaven 0]

Yes I know, this are just wip pictures there's still some work to be done.

[Dr.Rebus 0]

There will be the famous and "classic" AK47S too?

[Guest Ti0n3r]

Awesome

[IronTiger 0]

WOW the reskins look awesome!!!!!!

[Q1184 0]

As far as i know, nobody uses scopes on AK with GP-25/30, because the scope's attachment is a bit too weak for the grenade launcher recoil, so the scope gets misaligned/damaged after a shot from GL.

[Skaven 0]

Quote[/b] ]There will be the famous and "classic" AK47S too?

Not in Version 1, later... maybe  

Quote[/b] ]As far as i know, nobody uses scopes on AK with GP-25/30, because the scope's attachment is a bit too weak for the grenade launcher recoil, so the scope gets misaligned/damaged after a shot from GL.

According to my Intel that's not exactely true, in fact most of the Special Forces choose their own guear so and accoding to some pictures I have they do use scopes and the GP25/30 together, specially the Team Leader.

But yes, I agree it's not usual, that's why that for the sake of realism you will have no more than 1 weapon with a Scope and GP25/30 per squad, the rest of the squad menbers use simple AK74M/AKS-74 and the AKM. Most of the scoped weapons are only available inside the ammo box as refered before, I made them to give people some cool looking/working weapons but we kept the realism by not adding those weapons to the load outs  

[Shadow NX 1]

There will be the famous and "classic" AK47S too?

I guess you mean the AKMS as there is no AK-47S afaik.

And like Skaven said, the chances are good that we add oen in the next upgrade.

[Skaven 0]

I'll explain again, Version 1 will have 15 weapons from the AK-74M, AKS-74, RPK-74 and AKM family, this variations change from normal model to GP-30 and Scopes (Cobra, Barsik and PSO-1 for now). The AKM has no scopes don't worry    But yes it does have a nice PBS-1 silencer variation  

Something to point out here since not everything is flowers and I think you guys can give us your help here.

While merging the 40 textures into 3 I made the AK74M the base texture (mother texture), so it means all weapons use the same receiver and the same GP-30. Than each of the AKS/AKM and RPK as an extra texture file with it's unique components (like wood and magazines) the AKS-74 and RPK use the same texture (god knows how, I made them all fit in one), now, ok this is where I need your help.

I made this weapons first playable (perfect for Arma) and this comes at a small cost, in reality the AKM and AKS-74 have a slight brighter bolt than the AK-74M the AKM receiver is slightly different and I can't do it without addin a 4th/5th texture since all 3 textures are tottaly full, also, the GP-30 should be very very slightly brighter in both the AKS-74 and the AKM this are very very slight changes in tones and in first view you can't even see them (it's like being super super picky) but... .

... .this is my question...

You guys prefer to have this weapons extremely playable or instead you prefer to have them with the changes mentioned above which will make this weapons increase a good 15% to 30% of memory on your graphic card? We're talking of a total remodel and remap of some of the weapons so... 30 hours of work (yes I'm a bad modeler).

My priority while making addons is to don't compromise your game so I'm extremely careful coding them, merging textures and doing lods (according to my knowledge), this changes go against my policy of working but than again we fall on the old discussion, playbility or full reality at any price? Please remenber people that can't afford good computers, and important to refer, today 75% of the addons released so far do more harm than good to your game, perssonlay I use all my knowledge to avoid it and that's why I made the structure this way still... I don't mind changing it if you guys vote that way.

So, what do you guys think? (It makes sense asking you since this is done for you all) ty for your help  

[Shadow NX 1]

If you ask it that way then you already made your decission, so go ahead

[Skaven 0]

Quote[/b] ]If you ask it that way then you already made your decission, so go ahead

ahah This is a though call, let's wait for the community's opinion, we are doing this for them so, let them decide what they want

[Panda-PL- 0]

I think you've captured the feel of this tacky red plastic magazine very well   .

As for textures: weapons often look different from one another because of wear etc. If it's not really such a great difference then keep it as it is.

I am not certain if having all textures merged is an advantage apart from forcing the video card to keep all of them ready in memory (which is a good idea if there is a lot of units using different variants). But if you went all this way to keep the performace, even trougth in a year or so it won't matter anymore - keep it aas it is. Give people time to upgrade before you kill their PCs .

I can't really comment on perfoirmance, the only moment I see a difference between a 1-texture and a 5 - texture weapon is when I pick them off the box. But I have good ammount of memory on my card.

[Skaven 0]

Quote[/b] ]I am not certain if having all textures merged is an advantage apart from forcing the video card to keep all of them ready in memory (which is a good idea if there is a lot of units using different variants).

Trust me it's very very important.

It's not really kill the pc but yes it makes a slight differece you may notice it if you use some of the weapons released by other addon makers (of course the names won't be revealed), that's why I keep on saying to all of them, please merge your textures, today we have vehicles (addons) with 25 textures, you know how many ARMA uses for each vehicle? 1 (2 in some cases).

The advantage of this structure is that you may use 1 or 100 weapons at the the same that you will always be using only 3 textures, I don't think this as ever been done, so far in all my tests in terms of fps/playability it works very well and you can see an imediate difference between this structure and the old structure = 1 weapon several textures.

Also because of this, I'm not releasing the AK74 straight away, in Version 2 I will make one texture for the AK74 + AKMS and AKS-74U.

[Shadow NX 1]

Hehe after Skavens PM i think i may also post a oposite variant of his question, "Real or Playable"

Id say both please, also id say if you make a gun then make it as it is in reality or just dont make it.

If we make a T55 and add a t-80 turret cause the textures are merged so well then what would people say?

Also i cant see where one additional texture file would interfere and cause 30% or more demand on the Graphics card

Alsoa s we discuss texture amounts, the BIS weapons all have their own texture with everythign on it, but they dont share parts afaik, so would a extra texture hurt at all?

So well thats my standpoint, DISCUSS ^^

[Q1184 0]

Quote[/b] ]As far as i know, nobody uses scopes on AK with GP-25/30, because the scope's attachment is a bit too weak for the grenade launcher recoil, so the scope gets misaligned/damaged after a shot from GL.

According to my Intel that's not exactely true, in fact most of the Special Forces choose their own guear so and accoding to some pictures I have they do use scopes and the GP25/30 together, specially the Team Leader.

As a matter of fact, the use of PSO-1 with a GL is prohibited in the field manual, so the guys you saw on pictures are either posing, or reajust their scope after each shot from GL

About textures:

It's a really tough choice, so I understand your hesitation  But if those changes are really that slight and unnoticeable I dont think they're worth the time and effort (and performance decrease).

[plasman 0]

Skaven wrote:

Quote[/b] ]

You guys prefer to have this weapons extremely playable or instead you prefer to have them with the changes mentioned above which will make this weapons increase a good 15% to 30% of memory on your graphic card?

Pls keep that stuff playable and graphic card friendly. Thanks

[LordNeuro*Serbia* 0]

Agen too say great work and funtastic weapons. And 1 thing too ask. About the taped magazin, the thing is the magazin should bee roteded down. At list thet way I soit on M70 or too sey Serb version of AK74. And i will tray too find same pic for showing what I m geting too.

And here u can see a pic of the thing I was tolking about.

http://www.trepca.net/foto/personalitete/kostunica.jpg

Thise way changing the mag is isier. Or maybe is the individual way of taping the mag.

[Skaven 0]

Quote[/b] ]Pls keep that stuff playable and graphic card friendly. Thanks  

Both structures are playable and graphic card friendly, however one is perfect and the other is at the same level of some of the addons released so far.

Quote[/b] ]And 1 thing too ask. About the taped magazin, the thing is the magazin should bee roteded down. At list thet way I soit on M70 or too sey Serb version of AK74. And i will tray too find same pic for showing what I m geting too.

I have a picture close to that one with the second mag rotated exactely on the opposite side... but I can easily do it as you showed me since you probably know more than me on this issue, can anyone confirm this too?

[thepiespy 2]

it all looks really good, but i think the blue tape ruins the AK74M, i presume its to mark what type of ammo is in the mag, but i think its uneccesry and detracts from the quality of it. Looking forward to this though

It's actually just to tape two mags together.. why blue?

It was what is available in every soldiers issued kit..

ah ok, i guess i just though it would look kind of wierd if you saw about 20 guys all with the same color tape, but if it was standard issue then thats seems sensible. Any chance you guys could maybe work with CSL to do a replacement pack for the default SLA once this is released?

[Skaven 0]

Quote[/b] ]Any chance you guys could maybe work with CSL to do a replacement pack for the default SLA once this is released?

In Version 2 yes, for now no since the AK74 + AK74GP30 will only be relased in the next version.

[Shadow NX 1]

Well as we all heard things i may add my pearl of wisdom about taped mags:

From what i read the mag opening was upwards most of the time to prevent dirt and mud from getting in when you have to lay down and aim, as often the weapon is rested on the mag when prone this might make sense.

Offcourse dirt can also get in if the mag points up but i doubt it would be as much as when it would point downwards.

Think i also discussed that with some russians long ago when the first weaposn RHS made had it downwards.

[Skaven 0]

Quote[/b] ]Id say both please, also id say if you make a gun then make it as it is in reality or just dont make it.

If we make a T55 and add a t-80 turret cause the textures are merged so well then what would people say?

I wouldn't like it, but that's a bad example, let's say you release a T-55 and and you add a "slightly" different side let's say it misses a small hole but, instead you grant us that it will be important for playablity than I would say yes please do it.

Quote[/b] ]Also i cant see where one additional texture file would interfere and cause 30% or more demand on the Graphics card

Well that's pure mathmatics, if you use one weapon for the entire mission that it'sa lot less, however if you intend to use 10 or more (usual misisons) than yes it's at least 25% worse, and please note that I said 1 or 2 more and also don't forget that with normal maps it's actually 4 or 6 textures the gc must load.

Quote[/b] ]Alsoa s we discuss texture amounts, the BIS weapons all have their own texture with everythign on it, but they dont share parts afaik, so would a extra texture hurt at all?

That's the best thing on this pack, instead of one texture for weapon which would make 15 textures + 30 for normal maps we are using only 9 total (with normal maps included)

Also, don't forget one thing, I don't have one model with one texture here, if I had than it would be easy, one texture with the normal model plus all scopes and GP30 and than it would be all a question of taking the parts out.

The problem is that to use the textures you asked me to I have 40 textures to merge and with like 10 different sizes which if you ask me was a hell of a great job merging them

more opinionns please?