New island projects - what do you want?

[icebreakr 3157]

MirindoR: I'm awaiting Arrowhead new objects for a "true" desert project ;)

[DieGrotgedrogte 10]

I would love a remade Tonal.

[CameronMcDonald 146]

A map based on Australian rural terrain would be unique and awesome. 'Nuff said.

[Fox '09 14]

Cool! So I'm guessing we might see waterfalls and rivers? rapids? A use for the CRRC :D?

oh yeah and will it be an island or an infinite ground one.. I'm not a fan of the island stuff.

[victim913 10]

I would like to see an 'island' made that isn't an island. At least like Chernarus where it has a sea border only on one or two sides. That way it justifies calling it a country instead of a country with a population of 20. Chernarus at least lets you imagine that it is bigger. Also it justifies using Army instead of Marines.

Another thing that would be cool is to make it part of the United States. Maybe a territory or even a state. Maybe make it Alaska So we can have the snow environment and use the Russians.

It can be like the Alaska mainland with all the oil properties and have an island a ways out as a russian forward base.

[Laertes 10]

An Alaskan map would be awesome.

[bushlurker 46]

I would like to see an 'island' made that isn't an island. At least like Chernarus where it has a sea border only on one or two sides. That way it justifies calling it a country instead of a country with a population of 20.

Like this maybe??

(bottom quarter of the terrain missing from this pic)...

Don't hold your breath tho... it's still a long way from completion...

Like Icebreakr said previously, the problem with most suggestions here, particularly the Urban-style maps, is a lack of suitable models...

The reason Ice's last couple of islands are so distinctive is...? think about it... custom models - particularly vegetation... you see those trees and you're in Africa... you see those cacti - you're in the Arizona desert, or wherever... That's all down to Berghoff and his custom plant packs... Ice has cunningly retextured some Sahrani buildings for Duala as well - that helps a lot, but theres only so much you can do with retexturing...

For "Urban USA" maps for example... what would you expect to see??? Shops, offices, Taco Belles, K-marts, Bank of America buildings, etc, etc, etc... the landscape, and even the vegetation is pretty unimportant in a map like that - the buildings are all that matters - if they're there and convincing - you have no trouble "believing in" the terrain... What you wouldn't expect to see in the Urban USA is a load of old, run-down Eastern European buildings and corrugated iron or wooden shacks and small houses... but, currently, thats basically all thats available...

Now, Ice has been lucky with Berghoffs tree packs, but theres simply no "Buildings Berghoff" around in the community - so far...

Marseille77 has worked steadily on his German Miscellaneous Objects pack and, though they're of no interest to me for my own personal project, I've made a point of wandering by his thread now and then and praising his stuff... gotta encourage that sort of thing - maybe he'll branch out and do a Brit objects pack (I'd looove that!;), otherwise I'm making 'em myself, but it all takes time), or maybe a USA objects pack... little familiar things are what makes you "buy" the reality of a terrain...

But its all down to models, and model availability.... most island makers aren't necessarily modelling experts as well - though you gain a certain familiarity thru sheer necessity... If someone starts making distinctively Japanese, Ancient Inca Jungle, or Somalian, or Alaskan, or urban US, etc buildings and objects - you can bet there'll be an island or two immediately in the making, just to take advantage of them... Otherwise, the island may be a different shape - different town names - maybe even different trees, but they're all really just Chernarus with a different street layout... which is a shame, since islands take so long to make...

B

Edited May 26, 2010 by Bushlurker

[Fox '09 14]

So you're saying If I made a huge pack of USA buildings and objects, the community would be more willing to make USA maps?

[bushlurker 46]

So you're saying If I made a huge pack of USA buildings and objects, the community would be more willing to make USA maps?

I think it's extremely likely, yes...

B

[Devil Dogs SF 13]

So you're saying If I made a huge pack of USA buildings and objects, the community would be more willing to make USA maps?

It's worth a try, I for one want to be defending instead of attacking for once....;)

[digitalcenturion 20]

Or better yet, how about a "U.S. suburb" style map with buildings and houses that actually look like they belong in the U.S. (not eastern Europe:rolleyes:). I think it would be awesome and lead to some great "red dawn" style missions... especially with vilas' Project '85 mod.

It would probably be extremely difficult however because of the amount of custom buildings and objects that would have to be made in order for it to work. Perhaps someday, someone will take on the challenge...:(

How about suburban small town USA? It'd be a nice change from the eastern European style of most maps plus it'd open a lot of ideas for mission makers.

I would like to see an 'island' made that isn't an island. At least like Chernarus where it has a sea border only on one or two sides. That way it justifies calling it a country instead of a country with a population of 20. Chernarus at least lets you imagine that it is bigger. Also it justifies using Army instead of Marines.

Another thing that would be cool is to make it part of the United States. Maybe a territory or even a state. Maybe make it Alaska So we can have the snow environment and use the Russians.

It can be like the Alaska mainland with all the oil properties and have an island a ways out as a russian forward base.

I might actually make you all very happy by announcing i am working on a map based on a patch of rural land in Colorado. (Use google maps to find Vallecito, Colorado). It will be 20x20km in size, completely landlocked, of which the innermost 14x14km are based on real terrain and buildings, the rest is "transitioning terrain" to blend into generic nothingness. Mostly rural landscape with a couple of smaller towns/villages (with suburbia styled places), some other complexes like marina, saw mill ETC. Also, completely fictional Airfield, evil Science-Facility (think black mesa jr) and other stuff including a bunch of rivers (which are a PITA unless someone makes snapping pond objects, hint hint) and smaller lakes. It's tentatively called Two Lakes, colorado, and will not feature real names because of the liberties i've been forced to take. It is completely 1:1 scale, no compression stuff (i know most map makers prefer it, including BIS, but I don't)

Still a long way off from completion (heightmap 80% done, satmap 35%, objects 20%). No screenies yet, but i might snap some tonight. No trees right now, i want to get buildings and roads done before i start with the trees. Thanks to excellent community tools, the trees are not such a huge hassle tho.

So you're saying If I made a huge pack of USA buildings and objects, the community would be more willing to make USA maps?

Yes, please do! My list, for anyone who cares would be:

1) Pack of maybe 2-5 american style homes in maybe some color variations, not necessarily enterable

2) Some american signs

3) Basic american "community" objects like policestation/sheriff dept, store, gas station plus ofcourse the allways present "45 degree Stars and Stripes flagpole" :)

My maps is about 1+ month in the making and i am making good progress, but the chernarus houses does not quite cut it and eats immersion. Otherwise, im pretty much set, the trees are there if not the correct sub species and all the other bits. Anyone who helps me get full access to internal betas :)

And yes, World in Conflict kicks ass.

Edited May 26, 2010 by DigitalCenturion

[Fox '09 14]

lovely!

My freind is able to make models of houses and whatnot. We can start with stuff like this

http://www.small-house-building.com/image-files/My-Small-House-5-31-06.jpg

and then move on to generic, good ol house with a garage :)

once we're done with houses like the one in the picture (above) I could send you it via PM and you can tell us what you think

[Devil Dogs SF 13]

Awesome news.....War in Chernarus is going to get a little bigger.

:pistols: :681:

[bushlurker 46]

Go guys!

Any kind of new buildings is massively good news!

@DigitalCenturion... check your PM for Instant Happiness on the rivers front...

B

[-Snafu- 78]

Like this maybe??

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b272/Bushlurker/mapclipSmall.jpg

(bottom quarter of the terrain missing from this pic)...

Don't hold your breath tho... it's still a long way from completion...

Like Icebreakr said previously, the problem with most suggestions here, particularly the Urban-style maps, is a lack of suitable models...

The reason Ice's last couple of islands are so distinctive is...? think about it... custom models - particularly vegetation... you see those trees and you're in Africa... you see those cacti - you're in the Arizona desert, or wherever... That's all down to Berghoff and his custom plant packs... Ice has cunningly retextured some Sahrani buildings for Duala as well - that helps a lot, but theres only so much you can do with retexturing...

For "Urban USA" maps for example... what would you expect to see??? Shops, offices, Taco Belles, K-marts, Bank of America buildings, etc, etc, etc... the landscape, and even the vegetation is pretty unimportant in a map like that - the buildings are all that matters - if they're there and convincing - you have no trouble "believing in" the terrain... What you wouldn't expect to see in the Urban USA is a load of old, run-down Eastern European buildings and corrugated iron or wooden shacks and small houses... but, currently, thats basically all thats available...

Now, Ice has been lucky with Berghoffs tree packs, but theres simply no "Buildings Berghoff" around in the community - so far...

Marseille77 has worked steadily on his German Miscellaneous Objects pack and, though they're of no interest to me for my own personal project, I've made a point of wandering by his thread now and then and praising his stuff... gotta encourage that sort of thing - maybe he'll branch out and do a Brit objects pack (I'd looove that!;), otherwise I'm making 'em myself, but it all takes time), or maybe a USA objects pack... little familiar things are what makes you "buy" the reality of a terrain...

But its all down to models, and model availability.... most island makers aren't necessarily modelling experts as well - though you gain a certain familiarity thru sheer necessity... If someone starts making distinctively Japanese, Ancient Inca Jungle, or Somalian, or Alaskan, or urban US, etc buildings and objects - you can bet there'll be an island or two immediately in the making, just to take advantage of them... Otherwise, the island may be a different shape - different town names - maybe even different trees, but they're all really just Chernarus with a different street layout... which is a shame, since islands take so long to make...

B

I...I...wow! :omg:

Just misses out my home town. :D

[digitalcenturion 20]

AxF Fox that sounds great! I'll be looking forward to see what you can come up with, it really does not have to be complicated at all!

Bushlurker thanks a bunch, will beat my head agains V3 with these tomorrow!

Maybe upload some screenies tomorrow, they just look so bad without trees and on my horrible under-powered laptop...

[bushlurker 46]

I...I...wow! :omg:

Just misses out my home town. :D

Sorry..... ;)

Actually I just recently set myself back a few weeks work by bodily shifting the entire damned map 500m to the right, so it would include good 'ol Plancks hoose in Buckie... I'll make it a little "special feature"...

The actual terrain goes a bit further south... includes Mull on the west, and about half of Dundee (dammit!) on the East, and a whole lot of Cairngorms nothing in the middle......

B

Edited May 26, 2010 by Bushlurker

[esco7800 10]

esco7800: I'm working on my 4rd ArmA2 island codename "Lingor", its a nice jungle map with one big town and airport+FOB. Intended mostly for COOP US/Euro Forces vs Local Rebels. And there's a river with many paths leading to the remote parts/mountain area ;) It will look similiar to:

- Amazonas board game

- miniature Brasil Amazon area

- Cliffhanger movie peaks for mountain SAR missions ;)

happy to hear looking forward to it can you add some little farm towns for DEA raids

Edited May 26, 2010 by esco7800

[-Snafu- 78]

Sorry..... ;)

Actually I just recently set myself back a few weeks work by bodily shifting the entire damned map 500m to the right, so it would include good 'ol Plancks hoose in Buckie... I'll make it a little "special feature"...

The actual terrain goes a bit further south... includes Mull on the west, and about half of Dundee (dammit!) on the East, and a whole lot of Cairngorms nothing in the middle......

B

Heh, no problem. :)

Buckie is close enough to what my home town is like. I haven't been there since I was a kid when I visited the Buckie Drifter. Such a shame it's closed down. :(

http://www.buckie-town.co.uk/buckie_drifter.html

The inclusion of Buckie is a nice wee tribute to Planck.

Good luck with the island, it will be great seeing an area so familiar in ArmA 2.

[ryguy 10]

I would love a map that has a few large cities... as in much larger than the biggest one in the game so far (ignoring OA), Chernogorsk. Huge city battles would be cool.

I enjoy panthera but sometimes it feels a little too cartoony for me, as in the mountains being of unrealistic proportions.

[bushlurker 46]

it will be great seeing an area so familiar in ArmA 2.

It won't be that familiar, I'm afraid... I don't have the necessary skills or time to make all the custom buildings that would really be required... also, to cover such a big area in (only) 20x20km I've had to scale heavily, both in the X and Y directions (1km is now 100m), but also in the Z (highest point is a mere 275m), otherwise...

sometimes it feels a little too cartoony for me, as in the mountains being of unrealistic proportions.

Like Aussie said about the currently MIA "Australia" map - it's gonna be a sort of "Theme Park Australia"... well, it's gonna be a sortof Theme Park Scottish Highlands... Buckie will be about 3 houses down by the seashore - there simply isn't room to make it anything like the size it is... same goes for all the other landmarks... they'll be there, mostly - in theme park form...

Theres a bunch of mostly out-of-date WIP pics here if you're interested... I reckon I may be at the acceptable beta stage by Christmas...

B

[-Snafu- 78]

It won't be that familiar, I'm afraid... I don't have the necessary skills or time to make all the custom buildings that would really be required... also, to cover such a big area in (only) 20x20km I've had to scale heavily, both in the X and Y directions (1km is now 100m), but also in the Z (highest point is a mere 275m), otherwise...

Yeah, I figured that. In FSX it's nice to fly over but in ArmA 2 it will be nice to fight over it instead.

Like Aussie said about the currently MIA "Australia" map - it's gonna be a sort of "Theme Park Australia"... well, it's gonna be a sortof Theme Park Scottish Highlands... Buckie will be about 3 houses down by the seashore - there simply isn't room to make it anything like the size it is... same goes for all the other landmarks... they'll be there, mostly - in theme park form...

Theres a bunch of mostly out-of-date WIP pics here if you're interested... I reckon I may be at the acceptable beta stage by Christmas...

B

Nice to have the recognisable place names nonetheless!

[icebreakr 3157]

DEA raid places are already on the wishlist, yeah ;)

[Kiki 10]

I would like a map with small cities like in Ofp, but with a lot of desert.

[digitalcenturion 20]

Some early pictures taken with craptastic laptop. From about 600m AGL with 6k view distance.

You can quite clearly see some of the rivers and hills here.

A view of the larger lake based on the Vallecito reservoir, about 5km long from north to south.

The map as it looks in its entirety, as i said 20x20km