Suma - gimme weather or gimme sunblock!

[14th_Fly 0]

One thing I'd like to see is a bit more enhanced weather effects. I"m not talking much, either so it should be pretty easy to implement.

When it's raining, I can barely see the rain and it doesn't affect visibility much (maybe its just my monitor). But if its raining, I'd like to see a bit more pronounced effects. The thunder sound's pretty weak too.

Also, perhaps it's in there already, but I'd like some fog effects, hell it might actually speed up the framerate. The use of fog for example, could make engagements much different. Weapon choices would have to be made based on weather effects. Sniper rifles might not be the weapon of choice for those situation. Ambushes would have to be planned differently than situations where visibility is excellent.

It would be nice if these weather effects (rain, time of day, type of day, fog, etc) could be set by the server and not relegate those decisions only to the mission builder.

For those winter addon folks, it'd be nice to see some cool snow effects that create limited visibility.

One final thing, I think now, there's a potential for some unfairness. To some extent, I think the server should control some of the effects (i.e. smoke, fog, weather, etc). After I patched, my explosion smoke effects were gone and I was wondering why grenades or smoke bombs I threw didn't result in any smoke. This can be "mis"used to someone's tactical advantage. As a CTF'er, I use smoke to mask my approach to flags, or to cover my retreat. Server's should control it. There are options in the OFP preferences to "Lower" the quality of those effects without elimnating them totally and also, those plaeyers with less than stellar systems could lower their resolution too.

Anyways, these are just some thoughts...Suma, whatcha think?

14th_Fly

[GFX707 0]

one small request I would like to make is that the rain sound be made a lot louder. As it is you can barely ever hear it short of turning up your speakers, and then an explosion goes off and you just about fall off your chair

[Random 0]

There are fog effects in the game. Have you done the After Montignac mission?

I thought the thunder was pretty good too. It's had me jumping out of my seat sometimes when I was concentrating too much on lining up a shot.

[amos m 0]

Yeah. In the mission editor you can alter the fog with the slider under the sunny/rain slider.

I think that the rain and thunder sounds a pretty crap too. The thunder is loud, but it is always sudden, and it cuts out really quickly.

[shadow 6]

I don't mind the thunder-sound, but I miss the lightning. Would be awesome with first a flash that lights up your surroundings, then you hear a distant thunder.

[Bloodmixer 0]

Lets hope resistence expansion caters for your requests

[Hidden 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (GFX707 @ Mar. 12 2002,09:34)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">As it is you can barely ever hear it short of turning up your speakers, and then an explosion goes off and you just about fall off your chair<span id='postcolor'>

Welcome to the frontline son!

Hidden

[Konyak-2 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I don't mind the thunder-sound, but I miss the lightning. Would be awesome with first a flash that lights up your surroundings, then you hear a distant thunder.<span id='postcolor'>

Actually, that part is pretty well done right now. If you are in the right place at the right time, you will see a bolt of lightning arc from the sky, a large flash and then a little later (accurately modeled speed of sound), a thunder clap. This part isnt too hot, I admit. I have Satchells pack, and he didn't improve the thunder sounds. I did make new ones for the close thunder sounds, and added them. I didn't find a good distant thunder sound that didn't have a rain noise, but maybe someone else has a good one.

That's beside the point.. The really amazing thing that I found when adjusting the sound, having to go into the editor and then make it dark and thundery, is that every time I pressed preview, it wasn't always thundery, or it wasn't raining. First I thought I'd messed up the sounds, but then I realized that when you make it thundery, it just means that there is a thunderstorm over the island. Not neccessarily exactly where you put the player though, but if you wait, it may come your way, or it may not. So I had to give myself a jeep, and when I heard a distant thunderclap, I'd drive towards the sound until I found myself right in the middle of the storm. I had become a stormchaser in a infantry sim.

So while the effects can be improved, the workings of it is pretty impressive.

Konyak

[Tales_From_Topographic_Oceans 0]

I just noticed that time does not stand still. I was playing a night mission and had to hide for a long time from a bunch of roving tanks that were out to get me. To my dismay, the night came to an end with the break of day. Of course when the sun came up, I was spotted and blown to smithereens.

I have not experienced any adverse weather conditions yet but the night and day thing is neat.

[Agua 0]

Exuse me for the OT, but Tales: Nous sommes du solei?? LOL... I use to love that album. Haven't listened to it in 20 years.

[shadow 6]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Konyak-2 @ Mar. 12 2002,14:06)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I don't mind the thunder-sound, but I miss the lightning. Would be awesome with first a flash that lights up your surroundings, then you hear a distant thunder.<span id='postcolor'>

Actually, that part is pretty well done right now.  If  you are in the right place at the right time, you will see a bolt of lightning arc from the sky, a large flash and then a little later (accurately modeled speed of sound), a thunder clap.  This part isnt too hot, I admit.  I have Satchells pack, and he didn't improve the thunder sounds.  I did make new ones for the close thunder sounds, and added them.  I didn't find a good distant thunder sound that didn't have a rain noise, but maybe someone else has a good one.  

That's beside the point..  The really amazing thing that I found when adjusting the sound, having to go into the editor and then make it dark and thundery, is that every time I pressed preview, it wasn't always thundery, or it wasn't raining.  First I thought I'd messed up the sounds, but then I realized that when you make it thundery, it just means that there is a thunderstorm over the island.  Not neccessarily exactly where you put the player though, but if you wait, it may come your way, or it may not.   So I had to give myself a jeep, and when I heard a distant thunderclap, I'd drive towards the sound until I found myself right in the middle of the storm.  I had become a stormchaser in a infantry sim.  

So while the effects can be improved, the workings of it is pretty impressive.

Konyak<span id='postcolor'>

I for one still have'nt experienced any lightning in OFP. But the lightning-effect I'm looking for is more like the flash you see when you launch a rocket or missile at night, only the flash should cover a much bigger area of the landscape.

[IGFs TopGun 1]

I believe there is a mission called Hard Rain, where there are 3 snipers on a hill and 2 soldiers in a broken down city. I've played this as a sniper and as the soldiers in the city and the visiblity is low. Kinda adds to the game but sucks when your in the city looking for snipers w/ no scope

[colt 0]

Perhaps one of the most atmospheric things you can do is to select Kolgujev, find a large forest ( Kulguevs forests are best ) then place one group of  soldiers in the forest at the South and an oppositon group at the North. Set waypoints so that they intercept one another  .

If you take this example, you can create an unbelivable experience that's so easy to set up.

Always let the A.I.command and assign youself to one of the groups.

Try the following:

1. set the weather to stormy / play around with level of "fog"

2. Set the time to around 10 : 00pm and place flare triggers (or carry flares) - This is great. When the fighting starts it's quite eerie to launch a flare into the night and watch people darting through the forest with tracers flying. whilst the the light from the flare slowly ebbs away...

3. Play as a medic

One of the things that really appeals to me in the editor is that you can manipulate the weather. It allows people with less powerful computers to make some quite large-scale battles because you can set the "fog" severity.

[Wright 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I did make new ones for the close thunder sounds, and added them. I didn't find a good distant thunder sound that didn't have a rain noise, but maybe someone else has a good one.

<span id='postcolor'>

Konyak,

Would it be possible to send me those sound files? I am in the process of making a new soundpack and this is one of the things I would like to improve. Thanks.

[Damage Inc 0]

Is this so important anyway?

[Tales_From_Topographic_Oceans 0]

Agua:

*Yes* Tales is my favorite album with Relayer coming in 2nd. I saw Yes play 2 years ago on the Masterworks Tour and heard "Nous sommes du solei," "Gates of Delirium," and "Close to the Edge" all in one nice show. They are scheduling a tour this summer. The new album, Magnification, is very good and is a return to the old days--no Trevor Rabin garbage.

Rush, another favorite, is also releasing an album in May with a subsequent tour.

[Skulleye 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Shadow @ Mar. 12 2002,11:23)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I don't mind the thunder-sound, but I miss the lightning. Would be awesome with first a flash that lights up your surroundings, then you hear a distant thunder.<span id='postcolor'>

I was playing a night mission once with thunder and rain. I'm not sure, but i think I saw the ground lighten up sometimes and then a few seconds later I heard a distant thunder. Maybe just my imagination

[ale2999 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Shadow @ Mar. 12 2002,16:53)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Konyak-2 @ Mar. 12 2002,14)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I don't mind the thunder-sound, but I miss the lightning. Would be awesome with first a flash that lights up your surroundings, then you hear a distant thunder.<span id='postcolor'>

Actually, that part is pretty well done right now.  If  you are in the right place at the right time, you will see a bolt of lightning arc from the sky, a large flash and then a little later (accurately modeled speed of sound), a thunder clap.  This part isnt too hot, I admit.  I have Satchells pack, and he didn't improve the thunder sounds.  I did make new ones for the close thunder sounds, and added them.  I didn't find a good distant thunder sound that didn't have a rain noise, but maybe someone else has a good one.  

That's beside the point..  The really amazing thing that I found when adjusting the sound, having to go into the editor and then make it dark and thundery, is that every time I pressed preview, it wasn't always thundery, or it wasn't raining.  First I thought I'd messed up the sounds, but then I realized that when you make it thundery, it just means that there is a thunderstorm over the island.  Not neccessarily exactly where you put the player though, but if you wait, it may come your way, or it may not.   So I had to give myself a jeep, and when I heard a distant thunderclap, I'd drive towards the sound until I found myself right in the middle of the storm.  I had become a stormchaser in a infantry sim.  <!--emo&

So while the effects can be improved, the workings of it is pretty impressive.

Konyak<span id='postcolor'>

I for one still have'nt experienced any lightning in OFP. But the lightning-effect I'm looking for is more like the flash you see when you launch a rocket or missile at night, only the flash should cover a much bigger area of the landscape.<span id='postcolor'>

Well I never noticed such effect untill when in an mp mission at night I saw the bolt first (was kind of blue colored) lightned the surroundings and heard the sound. REALLY COOL. To see it make a mission with the editor at night with very bad weather and u should see it

[Mohamz 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Random @ Mar. 12 2002,09:50)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">There are fog effects in the game. Have you done the After Montignac mission?

I thought the thunder was pretty good too. It's had me jumping out of my seat sometimes when I was concentrating too much on lining up a shot.<span id='postcolor'>

Ohh yeah! It was the first mission where I encountered it!

That was great, I was running fearing to be detected then came the thunder and I immediatly threw myself prone

[WKK Gimbal 0]

OFP has meny great weather/time effects.

The stars move during the night circle.

The tide shifts according to daytime/month (1+ meter!

Crickets turn on at night and off when day breaks.

Just the opposite happens with birds.

Even custom placed animal sounds respect daytime.

Hills have that windy howling sound.

When it's overcasted, object shadows dim out.

Wind affects flags, smoke, flying vehicles.

It pretty much beats any other game I've tried, even in this area.

[Tex -USMC- 0]

youre right Gimbal, but the Thunder and Rain effects definitely lack balls. I can tell where BIS was heading with the rain they have in right now, but it just is so weak that sometimes I dont even notice if its raining. Maybe its just me. maybe you could amp rain effects (sonically as well as visually) up.

[Sandman 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Konyak-2 @ Mar. 12 2002,14:06)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">...it just means that there is a thunderstorm over the island.  Not neccessarily exactly where you put the player though, but if you wait, it may come your way, or it may not.   So I had to give myself a jeep, and when I heard a distant thunderclap, I'd drive towards the sound until I found myself right in the middle of the storm.  I had become a stormchaser in a infantry sim.  <span id='postcolor'>

LOL!!!

The usage of this game seems to be infinite...

I read a post a while back about a guy who had mapped some of the seabed, measuring the depth in certain areas and such...

Ahhh, thats why this is such a great game...all the possibilities...

[Sandman 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (WKK Gimbal @ Mar. 13 2002,03:52)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">...The stars move during the night circle....<span id='postcolor'>

Err, I always thought it was the planet Earth that moved, not the stars...

sorry Gimbal, I couldnt resist...

[shadow 6]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (WKK Gimbal @ Mar. 13 2002,03:52)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">OFP has meny great weather/time effects.

The stars move during the night circle.

The tide shifts according to daytime/month (1+ meter!

Crickets turn on at night and off when day breaks.

Just the opposite happens with birds.

Even custom placed animal sounds respect daytime.

Hills have that windy howling sound.

When it's overcasted, object shadows dim out.

Wind affects flags, smoke, flying vehicles.

It pretty much beats any other game I've tried, even in this area. <span id='postcolor'>

And the best of it all: It's all done autumatically and in a reallistic way. I did'nt know about the birds and the time on day tho

Thanks for the tip, Kim

[amos m 0]

Here where I live in australia I hear gallahs (a type of cockatoo) pretty much all night, flying past. Don't know where they'd be heading though, and it only seems to happen at this time of year. Does anyone know of any other non-nocturnal birds that act similarly to this?