Company of Heroes: Eastern Front

Eastern Front Mod (Read-Only) => Mapping => Topic started by: JoeStracke on February 05, 2012, 08:32:10 PM

Title: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: JoeStracke on February 05, 2012, 08:32:10 PM

Download Strackensberg (4) v1.2 (http://www.gamefront.com/files/21369629/4p_Strackensberg_sga)



General Information:

Map Format:  SGA.

Map Size:  Extra Large.

Max Players:  4.

Created Using:  Company of Heroes World Builder v2.602.0.199.

Map description:  A moderate urban environment, with an outlying area accessible only to infantry.

Miscellaneous:  No mortar bunkers, heavy weapon emplacements or scattered squad weapons. All bases have ample build space and lack initial perimeter defenses.   

Resources and Victory Points:  See Tactical map image (below).


From the map info file:

"German forces retreat towards Berlin, and are ordered to engage in a delaying action at a small Austrian town that has yet to be touched by the war."





In essence, I created this map because I wanted to be the cause of all war damage for a change.  At the start, there are no damaged buildings, craters, fires or debris piles.

The file package includes lobby mini-maps to show starting positions, and an action-snapshot loading screen.  To install, copy to download file to the following directory:     
C:\Users\[USER NAME]\My Documents\My Games\Company of Heroes\ww2\Scenarios

The .sga was archived using Corsix's Mod Studio v0.5.5. 



Version History:

Version 1.2/u] 
 - Opened gaps in the walls lining the railroad tracks, as well as various other outlying walls.
 - Corrected vehicle access to foot-area inadvertantly created when additional land route was made.
 - Modified ai_ markers to help motivate computer opponents.
 - Added more civilian vehicles and general street debris.
 - Expanded the lake island to include a beach area.
 - Updated lobby maps.

Version 1.1 
 - This version of the map has been tested with Eastern Front Mod v1.6.0.1(2 players, infinate pop cap)
 - Corrected passability.
 - Created an .sga map file.
 - Reduced layer count in numerous tiles.
 - Various minor cosmetic adjustments.
 - Adjusted the position of several resource points to allow better visibility in default view.
 - Tweaked height map and territory borders.
 - Added detail to several under-developed areas.
 - Created an additional land route for vehicles to cross the river (somewhat submerged).

Version 1.0 
 - Initial published release (This version is only hosted at  FileFront (http://companyofheroes.filefront.com/file/Strackensberg;120217#Download))





(http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/3724/strackensberg.jpg)
 
(http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/8084/strackensbergtacticalma.jpg)

(http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/5936/strackensberg1.jpg)

(http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/8161/strackensberg2.jpg)

(http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/1448/strackensberg3.jpg)

(http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/2458/strackensberg4.jpg)

(http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/7266/strackensberg6.jpg)

(http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/3164/strackensberg7.jpg)



Edit:
After seeing the initial responses, and noticing no download activity from the map's hosting site, I thought I might show a few more detailed images... or, at least offer links to said images, as they are ~2 mb's each (these images are not the same as the ones posted above):

 Screenshot 1 (http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/1183/relic00015.jpg)
 Screenshot 2 (http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/8139/relic00016q.jpg)
 Screenshot 3 (http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/7820/relic00019f.jpg)
 Screenshot 4 (http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/3619/relic00020.jpg)
 Screenshot 5 (http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/1192/relic00022.jpg)
 Screenshot 6 (http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/5904/relic00023.jpg)
 Screenshot 7 (http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/2126/relic00024.jpg)
 Screenshot 8 (http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/9735/relic00025s.jpg)
 Screenshot 9 (http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/3424/relic00026i.jpg)
 Screenshot 10 (http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/554/relic00027m.jpg)

This is a map I created for personal Skirmish Mode use, and many corrections/adjustments were made before initial publication (e.g., terrain oddities, passability, balance, etc.).  I noticed that it plays a tad sluggish with the Eastern Front Mod installed, but since this is the only map I've played with this mod, I cannot with any certainty determine if said effect is global, or just an effect based upon my particular map editing style.

The download link is at the top of this post.  The map archive may not be modified without consent of the author.

Enjoy the map, and feedback is appreciated  ;).
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: Cranialwizard on February 05, 2012, 08:39:02 PM
Vehicles need to be able to cross water at multiple points. The more paths and less choke points is better.
Pictures look like there is not enough destruction. Maybe it's just me. Perhaps a few craters or holes in the ground? Exploded/wreck tanks vehicles?

Other than that looks like a stellar job!
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: neosdark on February 05, 2012, 08:46:36 PM
It looks quite nice I must say. Can't wait to get home and test this beauty out.

My only question to you is, what were your graphic settings? Since this is a mod, some higher graphical settings may lag the game more heavily than if you were playing vCoH and since your map has so many cosmetic features, this may create lag as you play.
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: cephalos on February 05, 2012, 08:50:03 PM
Very very nice... interesting layout.
But the map is too clean, if you know what I mean... try to use more splats and random objects.
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: neosdark on February 05, 2012, 08:51:41 PM
Very very nice... interesting layout.
But the map is too clean, if you know what I mean... try to use more splats and random objects.

If you read his note at the top (after Map Info File note), I think that is what he was striving for.
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: Max 'DonXavi' von B. on February 05, 2012, 08:53:49 PM
That's a real straight-looking, detailed map. But as cephalos said, it looks too clean. Consider using more splats to make it look more realistic.
Goob job nonetheless!  :)
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: Walentin 'Walki' L. on February 05, 2012, 08:56:10 PM
2vs2 on a extra large map? I dunno :P
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: cephalos on February 05, 2012, 09:30:17 PM
Very very nice... interesting layout.
But the map is too clean, if you know what I mean... try to use more splats and random objects.

If you read his note at the top (after Map Info File note), I think that is what he was striving for.

yes, of course. But what I mean was for example posters, some clothers, maybe few cars, tractors, Opel Blitzes - to make the feeling that city has lived. Map is very nice, but it seems so artificial, like building were build, but nobody lived in.
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: stealthattack1 on February 05, 2012, 09:43:54 PM
impressive. i noticed the last name, map name, correlation.

more cars might be nice too. it kinda looks like the twilight zone.
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: Desert_Fox on February 06, 2012, 01:10:26 AM
Very nice! Great work dude!  :)
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: JoeStracke on February 06, 2012, 07:59:25 AM
Vehicles need to be able to cross water at multiple points. The more paths and less choke points is better.
Pictures look like there is not enough destruction. Maybe it's just me. Perhaps a few craters or holes in the ground? Exploded/wreck tanks vehicles?


Vehicles can cross the primary water obstruction (i.e., the river) in three separate locations, only one of which is destructable.  As for your second observation, the map description from the .info specifies that this particular town has thus far been untouched by the war; every location begins this way... my concept was to allow the player the opportunity to cause the devastation, as opposed to just arriving at someone else's damage ;-)

#Posts merged.

more cars might be nice too. it kinda looks like the twilight zone.


There are actually a fair amount of civilian vehicles... it's just that they are not visible in the shots. The reason for there not being a full compliment for a town this size would likely be the impending battle (My first choice would be to load up the fam, and head for a relatives house in the country...  ;D )
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: Walentin 'Walki' L. on February 06, 2012, 08:17:21 AM
[...] the map description from the .info specifies that this particular town has thus far been untouched by the war; every location begins this way... my concept was to allow the player the opportunity to cause the devastation, as opposed to just arrive at someone else's damage ;-)

(http://images.cheezburger.com/completestore/2009/10/1/128989125195710699.jpg)

Splats aren't indicating destruction all the time... for example they also can be leaves under a tree... or ditches on the side of the road.
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: JoeStracke on February 06, 2012, 09:36:45 AM
That's a real straight-looking, detailed map. But as cephalos said, it looks too clean. Consider using more splats to make it look more realistic.


Too clean from the screenshots, or too clean from in-game?  The screenshots are a bit scaled down for forum use; I've hosted a few new shots to better show detail.  There are over 2500 splats, as well as over 700 splines; many more and it starts affecting performance (the map used to have about 25% more splats, which was fine for my own personal use... but I wanted to make it a bit more publish-friendly). 

#Post merge!

[...] the map description from the .info specifies that this particular town has thus far been untouched by the war; every location begins this way... my concept was to allow the player the opportunity to cause the devastation, as opposed to just arrive at someone else's damage ;-)

#Post merge!

Splats aren't indicating destruction all the time... for example they also can be leaves under a tree... or ditches on the side of the road.

I believe you took a response of mine from one comment, and applied it to the context of another ;-)


My only question to you is, what were your graphic settings? Since this is a mod, some higher graphical settings may lag the game more heavily than if you were playing vCoH and since your map has so many cosmetic features, this may create lag as you play.

I have my settings maxed for vanilla... I will try a few other maps with this mod and get a more informed assessment  8)

Please don't make 3 posts answering 3 questions...

Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: SublimeSnugz on February 06, 2012, 01:18:30 PM
Yea the map is waaaayyy too clean. It was at the cemetery the whole *nice look* thing escalated, 100's of gravestones placed nicely together in 100% accurate angle. But it really looks like you have been using alot of time to make this. I love all the small creative and little details you have made, like the brigde with the contruction barge. The map is not very competetive minded (like 90% of the EF maps allready included), but it has potential to be a fun Easternfront map - or a campaign map atleast. I suggest you turn the map into a 3v3 since its so fucking huge. And you should really consider to put in a little destruction in it. Not only will it improve the visuals but also the gameplay. All the long undamaged fences/walls look like gameplay ruiners, a few holes and craters would fix that.

Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: HerrVoss on February 06, 2012, 06:48:40 PM
I actually really like this map like it is. Also it is his map so if he was going for the clean look, he did it well. I'm going to take this before it gets altered. I have plans for it...
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: JoeStracke on February 06, 2012, 11:01:13 PM
I actually really like this map like it is. Also it is his map so if he was going for the clean look, he did it well. I'm going to take this before it gets altered. I have plans for it...

Heh... I haven't found any reasons to alter it beyond the current incarnation.  I'm also not entirely sure why some folks seem to think that the moment a war is declared, cities suddenly fall into ruin. 

In any event, from what I've seen of the EF maps included in the mod, Strackensberg would be an excellent learning tool for mapmakers, as it would allow them to see what game battle-damage should look like applied to a wide range of objects.  The Moscow map in particular struck me as particularly atrocious in its use of damage detail.
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: Walentin 'Walki' L. on February 07, 2012, 09:47:29 AM
There is no fight in a undestructed city.... in WW2 no army (at least on the Eastern Front) entered a city without artillery fire and air raids.
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: Pac-Fish on February 07, 2012, 12:56:36 PM
Oh well :P. If he wants his map to be nice and pretty let him :3. Just out of curiosity could our mappers edit it (if they dont like the cleaness)? :P
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: Walentin 'Walki' L. on February 07, 2012, 01:24:42 PM
Oh well :P. If he wants his map to be nice and pretty let him :3. Just out of curiosity could our mappers edit it (if they dont like the cleaness)? :P

That's in the hands of our Head Mappers Maxi and Mystic.
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: Max 'DonXavi' von B. on February 07, 2012, 03:09:22 PM
Well we could, but that's always a matter of effort and pay. Plus we'd only do if JoeStracke agrees. But as it is currently, there doesn't seem to be a way nor sufficient time for neither Mystic nor me to do this.
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: Pac-Fish on February 08, 2012, 12:05:41 AM
Well we could, but that's always a matter of effort and pay

In the words of my procrastinating friend: THATS MAD WORK!

Understood though ;)
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: JoeStracke on February 08, 2012, 10:29:28 AM
Oh well :P. If he wants his map to be nice and pretty let him :3. Just out of curiosity could our mappers edit it (if they dont like the cleaness)? :P

That's in the hands of our Head Mappers Maxi and Mystic.

Which [EF] maps are they responsible for?
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: Walentin 'Walki' L. on February 08, 2012, 10:33:49 AM
Oh well :P. If he wants his map to be nice and pretty let him :3. Just out of curiosity could our mappers edit it (if they dont like the cleaness)? :P

That's in the hands of our Head Mappers Maxi and Mystic.

Which [EF] maps are they responsible for?

They decide if a map is going to be included or not and they are kinda overwork the design of almost every map.
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: Max 'DonXavi' von B. on February 08, 2012, 11:04:34 AM
Yep, that's what we do :)
If you want to know which maps we made; AFAIK Mystic didn't contribute an own map, I did Lemberg (4) and parts of Kalach (6).
Currently I'm working on another map for six players.
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: JoeStracke on February 08, 2012, 11:07:12 AM
There is no fight in a undestructed city.... in WW2 no army (at least on the Eastern Front) entered a city without artillery fire and air raids.

If I'm not mistaken, CoH provides a player with both of those types of attack options.  ;) 

At the risk of sounding pedantic pertaining to your claim that every Soviet city was a rugged wall of defense that needed softening via artillery and airstrikes, from what I've read of Operation Barbarossa, it seems highly unlikely that the blitzkrieg assault that captured 300,000 Soviets in the first 17 days stopped to bombard every town they came across... when would they have had the time??


Besides, you really should reference 'rear guard action' to better understand why this particular environment was not shelled in advance.

Cheers! 

Post merge! Please don't answer 2 questions with 2 posts! This is a warning

Yep, that's what we do :)
If you want to know which maps we made; AFAIK Mystic didn't contribute an own map, I did Lemberg (4) and parts of Kalach (6).
Currently I'm working on another map for six players.

Two I have yet to try, I'm afraid.  So many new maps in this mod... I've been playing a different [EF] map each time I play pretty much at random (with the exception of Rostov, which I downloaded a while back from some other site and was already familiar with).

Looking forward to the two you mentioned!   ;)

Cheers!
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: cephalos on February 08, 2012, 12:17:39 PM
Yep, that's what we do :)
If you want to know which maps we made; AFAIK Mystic didn't contribute an own map, I did Lemberg (4) and parts of Kalach (6).
Currently I'm working on another map for six players.

mmm... Maxi is making another map :D can't wait... maybe some spoilers, mate?
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: Max 'DonXavi' von B. on February 08, 2012, 01:16:19 PM
Yep, that's what we do :)
If you want to know which maps we made; AFAIK Mystic didn't contribute an own map, I did Lemberg (4) and parts of Kalach (6).
Currently I'm working on another map for six players.

mmm... Maxi is making another map :D can't wait... maybe some spoilers, mate?


Some spoiler is already planned :D
But that map took or takes me way longer than Lemberg (which I finished in about 2 weeks). Been working on it since September. But will be a unique Spoiler, I promise :D
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: Cireva on February 08, 2012, 01:34:13 PM
Yep, that's what we do :)
If you want to know which maps we made; AFAIK Mystic didn't contribute an own map, I did Lemberg (4) and parts of Kalach (6).
Currently I'm working on another map for six players.

mmm... Maxi is making another map :D can't wait... maybe some spoilers, mate?


Some spoiler is already planned :D
But that map took or takes me way longer than Lemberg (which I finished in about 2 weeks). Been working on it since September. But will be a unique Spoiler, I promise :D

how about a tgw map?  :P
Title: Re: [Finished] Strackensberg (4)
Post by: Max 'DonXavi' von B. on February 08, 2012, 01:38:07 PM
You've got a PM. Now please on topic again ;)