Razani, North Waziristan Map

[chops 111]

I haven't tried Arma DAC, but in the OFP version, there's a default limit on the steepness and height of the terrain that you can have waypoints and spawnpoints on. It's probably just a matter of adjusting a few values in a script.

[manzilla 1]

I've been messing around with DAC on this map and I don't have any problems with it. Yes chops is correct, a little adjustment of the values is all it takes. If you play around with the values in "DAC_Config_Waypoints.sqf" it will work just fine. In this case I set up 2 enemy zones with units, wheeled and tracked and all worked well. These zones were 1000x1000 plus though. I haven't tried any zones smaller then this yet but the smaller they get there could potentially be problems with the vehicles. Especially if the zones are only located in higher elevations. I'll have to keep playing around with it though.

Snake Man,

My loading time seems no longer then any other large maps/islands. But my computer is a powerhouse so I'm not a good person to comment on that. As far as lag in game, it runs with out much trouble unless I pump up the VD above 5500 or so.

So far the only real problem I have is when I start ArmA. The screen goes black and until I hit esc nothing happens. Esc does the trick though and no problems after that. As I told NB, upon start up and black screen there is an error message that says " No entry 'bin\config.bin/CfgSurfaceCharacters' "

Besides this it's a wonderful map. Well done thus far NB. Respek.

[1in1class 0]

Nicely done cant wait. For the lag part its many houseings and big suburbs, like Opteryx Avgani Iraq map just way to big of an houseing district on an little map at that this is what makes it vary vary laggy. With just an few run down houses and not an big condo like houseing in the middle of the desert lol it would be nice. Just an few ran down houses not to much would be good on some of the desert islands

[mrcash2009 0]

Quote[/b] ]I've been messing around with DAC on this map and I don't have any problems with it. Yes chops is correct, a little adjustment of the values is all it takes.

Cool, will do the same, I assumed it was something along those lines, not the map but havent ventured too far into dac itself so worthy of you to test this area, glad its working fine.  

Quote[/b] ]The screen goes black and until I hit esc nothing happens. Esc does the trick though and no problems after that. As I told NB, upon start up and black screen there is an error message that says " No entry 'bin\config.bin/CfgSurfaceCharacters' "

Nick I also get the same as this.

Also Manzilla/Nick  .... I noticed with vehicles that on the dry river bed areas (the long winding ground level grey dirt tracks) it seems like it has the same values as if it were full of water, so cars slow down and lag rather than actualy drive faster. You notice this at all? I assume its still set like its water based or something? Should go as fast as dirt tracks as I always head for them when traveling. i currently travel along side them as its faster.

The only other things which I dont think are map related is mando bomb scripts. Requesting evac on the side of a relitvely steep hillside normally cause the heli to pause and then stay in the air and never sit down so that part isnt friendly with the map, but then thats kind of obvious so make sure its noted that using these things, open ground only.

I tested reinforcements using "land" and yet a heli would (even though scrape and damage) would sit half cocked on the hillside and drop the men off so it works in that example.

[Nicholas Bell 0]

Although it burned up a lot of what few brain cells I have left, I fixed the config problem which was causing the hang during program load.  The problem was my clutter type probabilities totalled 100%...go figure.

Still stuck on the initial flare/burnout problem.  Thought it might be the riverbed texture since it's the only one I made from scratch.  Replacing it did not do the trick.  Interesting, when I exit a mission and the editor, the "movie" made from the last mission starting position momentarily has the NOD graphics.

The riverbed has a roughness value of .25 - normal ground is .10, so it (the riverbed) should be slower.  But why you don't get the road/track bonus (roughness .01) when on the gravel road I don't know...

Added a few more tens of thousands more bushes and got rid of that stray hotel.  In case you see one, the reason for this is that every time you click on the map in Visitor, it does something.  Default is to place an object - the first object in list. If you have the objects turned off, you don't see what you place when you click. In order to zoom into a spot you need to click on the map, it's no wonder that you find a stray hotel now and then.  I set the hotel as the first object since it is large and easier to find. If I'm in vegetation mode, I end up with a stray bush instead of a hotel.

[mrcash2009 0]

Quote[/b] ]The riverbed has a roughness value of .25 - normal ground is .10, so it (the riverbed) should be slower.  But why you don't get the road/track bonus (roughness .01) when on the gravel road I don't know...

No I think its my explanation the riverbeds is what I am referring too, not the "roads" as such. Well it makes sense becuase yes they are slower, but I wonder why it would be so slow as it is, to me I would have thought it would be as fast or only a fraction slower than gravel roads as its solid for tires and dry. At the moment its a painful crawl as you enter near them and within them and follow them like your in water nearly. As they are more frequent and more open to travel could it be possible to have them run as gravel or slightly slower but not as slow as they are currently at all?

Instinct for travel makes me "hit the riverbeds" right away but its a painful drive

Also gravel roads, they are fine to travel but are more sparse than riverbeds so for the more intertwining dirt tracks (gameplay reasons mainly) would be good, both for AI paths and driving over landscapes, just feature them a bit more "if possible" for vehicle patrol lovers.

Quote[/b] ]got rid of that stray hotel

Man i'm a slacker I haven't even seen it yet, mind you it proves the vastness of the map

[Nicholas Bell 0]

A crappy 9 min. video of flying over the area.  I don't know jack about making movies as you will see...  but at least it gives you more of a feel for the terrain than just more still shots.

http://www.vimeo.com/2516617

Not sure what the heck I am doing wrong.  Video looks fine after converting/encoding it, but once I upload it to YouTube it looks like crap.  Vimeo looks only slightly better - don't go full screen though...

BTW, it may appear choppy in a few spots but that was the effect of turning on Fraps to make the video.   Without video recording is maxing out at 60 FPS with 7100 meter view distance.  Other reports from testers are positive regarding the lack of lag and being able to jack up the view distance.

Making progress.  Over 1.3 million plants and rocks so far.  Fixed some nagging config problems too.  Working for an initial alpha release somewhere after the first of the year.  This initial release may or may not have buildings on it.  But follow on releases will.

[TankCommander 3]

Looking very good Nicholas Bell When you add some roads and a few settlements, this has potential to be the greatest map for Arma. You already have the scale which is very impressive so now we just need the content. Will be fantastic for long drawn out operations

[W0lle 1052]

Damn, each time I see you posting here I rush in, hoping to find the map released.

A crappy 9 min. video of flying over the area.  I don't know jack about making movies as you will see...  but at least it gives you more of a feel for the terrain than just more still shots.

Who cares? The only thing that matters is that you have the knowledge to finish that fine piece of map

Keep it up, looking forward to the final release.

[ck-claw 1]

Excellent Nicholas! Looks very hostile enviroment

[Uziyahu--IDF 0]

Yeah, it is making me wonder why we would want to save it from the bad guys.

Are there any villages?

[ProPilot 0]

Any updates? This map cant die!!!!! Its too beautiful

[icebreakr 3159]

AFAIK Nicholas is still working hard on the map and hopefully we'll see it soon. One of the most anticipated, especially now when Taliban Pack 1.3 is out

[manzilla 1]

Yeah it ain't dead. He mentioned some where a few days ago that he was getting close to wrapping it up. I think it was the Taliban! thread.

EDIT:

Yup here you go:

Thanks much!  Just what I needed.  Very nice units - they look terrific in the mountains of my Razani map   (getting close to an initial release)

[Nicholas Bell 0]

I'm about to the point of an initial release - thanks to Opteryx who is being very gracious in allowing me to use his excellent models.  In fact, I'd say he's used some of his valuable time to make structures which fit this map.  Don't know how to thank him enough.

Anyway, this is and still will be very much a work-in-progress.  There will be:

NO airfield

NO Caves

NO FOBs

So when the time comes, there's no need to waste time or bandwidth if these are important to you.

There some Pashtun Kots (usually translated to "compounds") - and there will be MANY more of them all over the map. Some clustered in groups.  Others scattered around on hilltops and secluded valleys.  All based on my best analysis of Google Earth to reproduce what is actually there.  But for now you'll have to settle for what is done.  Doing my best to have something out by early next month.  In the meantime, here are some views of recent work:

[Nicholas Bell 0]

I really like the look of the Lost Brothers Mod Taliban.  My thanks to Miles Teg.

As I previously stated, they really believe in "every man's home is his fortress".  No wonder attack by Predator is preferred by the US and one reason why the Pakistani Army has had difficulties here.

Got to laugh, it's pretty apparent that one's wealth is displayed by the wall height of your Kot (up to 7 meters) and the number and height of your towers.  The old "keeping up with the Jones' comes to mind, too  The poor guys in the back country only have low walls and no towers.

[m@ster 0]

Nice Nice Nice

Wait’ For Release

[sparks50 0]

Looks amazing. And respect to Opteryx for sharing hes models to this project!

[ProPilot 0]

Wow. That looks excellent. Cant wait! :]

[stevevcb 3]

Looks totally mega, I can hardly wait for the release.

[NoRailgunner 0]

Cant wait to explore your new map!

Razani without FOBs is ok for me. Think there are enough places left for creative mission design.

Razani with little airfield which AI can use too would be very nice.

Razani with caves - sounds good but I'm bit afraid that ArmA AI cant handle this very well.

[sparks50 0]

Player pilots can take off and land in the long deserts outside of the map. And both player and AI can be spawned from air.

[NoRailgunner 0]

sparks50 its 100% better if AI is able to use airfield(s) on map or island

[Bosniarat 0]

North Waziristan is pretty far from Kabul and Bagram Airbase so spawning them in the sky at the far west of the map would make more scene than a fictional airbase on the map. FOB and some bases can be made using the Editor and not having them made on the actual Map. Thank you Nicholas for what looks a good map that will entail mostly mountain fighting.

[TankCommander 3]

Looks amazing. Well done on all the hard work put in. It will surely pay off for those of us waiting for a large detailed middle eastern environment.