Level Design [Preview] RO-Klin

[Slyk]

Early November 1941, the first snows are falling as the Wehrmacht lunges forward like a staggering boxer. Attempting to encircle Moscow to the northwest and cut off the cities of Klin and Kalinin (Tver) from the capital, the Panzers reach for the Volga canal. Russian reinforcements have flooded into the sector and hammer at the depleted German forces. Here, southeast of Klin, the final days of "Typhoon" play out as the Germans batter their way forward against Russian strong point defenses and the 'Outer Ring' of Moscow's fortifications.

This scenario is the third in the "Barbarossa" series: "Berezina", "Elnya", and now "Klin". Covering an area of one kilometer by 800 meters in size, combined arms forces of both armies will contest ridge tops, log bunkers, trench defenses, and the scattered houses in the early snows of 1941. Time of course, is on the side of the Russian forces and they have ample ground to trade for time...and lives. The German armor and infantry must push forward with coordinated thrusts to eventually crack the heavily defended "Outer Ring" of trench and concrete bunkers to the east.

"Klin" will feature several new vehicles from the MinionWorkz team including the KV-1B, StuG-B, Zis-3 76mm gun, Zis-5v truck and the BT7 with the M1937 AT gun. Winter skins will accompany most models.

More information to come. Anticipated beta release: October 2007.

*Images 1-9 with bloom on, 10 off. View distance is approximately 350 meters.

 

[Slyk]

...and the overhead from the editor. Long blue lines are bsp occlusion wall, the close network of blue is trench works. Static mesh are turned off. The blackish blotches are tree shadows. There are a lot of snow covered pines. The large brown spots are burned out houses/buildings.

 

[|9.SS|Kriechbaum]

Wow, looks good as always!

I like the new early war stuff especially the Stug-B and Zis truck!

 

[bloodypotato]

What's the view distance like on this map?

 

[Athena]

Looking awesome!

 

[Britney Federline]

I'm really happy to hear that you are creating new maps Slyk.

Those outdoor shots in color? They look very monotone, but I guess when you add in the clown-poodles and the rainbow explosions, not to mention the random your-avatar-is-taking-LSD mutator, we'll have all the colors of the rainbow.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm afraid that a lot of players will think brown+white monotone=boring map, even if the gameplay is the most awesomest. I respect your artistic vision, and I hope that all the little details that you see from ground level (and can't see in these pictures) add to the interest and possibilities.

 

[Quietus]

Looks excellent, we need more winter maps and with so many new vehicles to be included that's awesome. A new KV is so long overdo, thanks.

 

[TT33]

ah holy crap so this is the map! Nice stuff as always!
You guys are very talented Map makers! I'm still in awe of Berenzina-

 

[PUTZ]

damn Slyk. dats' slick.

 

[2fisted]

What's the view distance like on this map?

View distance is approximately 350 meters.

The stug-B's are going to have thier hands full clearing those trenches, can't wait! Looks sweet Slyk!

 

[EvilHobo]

I can't say I find the screenshots to be particularly stunning, but I know that it will be the content that makes the map.

 

[smokeythebear]

Yeah cant wait for the new Zis truck

 

[SchutzeSepp]

that looks like an awasome fight between stugb and kv1 and pak guns. plus infantry can ride the B.

i have to say it looks more "real" and less radioactive on the last screenshot without the bloom.

 

[Slyk]

Thanks for the comments so far. A couple replies:

Britney: Yeah, with bloom 'on', the shots look a bit fugly. With bloom off, they landscape comes into much better focus. Being a snow-based map, the skins will blend pretty well as with any. View distance is 350 meters now and I may try to push that back to 400 or 450. The terrain helps with the view distance as at most areas you have a low ridge line blocking your view beyond 500 or 600 meters so you 'feel' the terrain changing. Hard to explain until you are in the map at ground level.

Hobo: As with any large outdoor vehicle-inclusive map, you sacrifice eye candy and fine details for playability. I doubt many large maps will every be 'stunning' but may have a few features that are nice. I have a few houses that actually feel warm and comfortable when you enter them from the snow and wintery wind blowing outside. I think there are two tree variants and two bush variants. Four versions of burned houses and a decent number of duplicated stock statics and bsp structures, but the engine likes it. My FPS are anywhere from 70-120s throughout with my standard settings so that is the best performing map I have worked on yet.

As a follow-up comment, this is the first winter map I've attempted. I started with this three map series idea back in CoD-UO but never got to part three (Barbarossa & Smolensk being released). This one does look much better from ground level and I still need to figure out some better terrain texture mixing and layering stuff so that the ground is more varied. Troop transport will count big here. Several open areas with slight dips and rolls.

I think the StuG-B will be the key vehicle here by providing long-range smoke cover for the German infantry and transports to assault the defensive positions. Flanking, as usual, will be a prime tactic. The map is as wide a Elnya or Berezina but will feel more like Elnya with much longer view distances north-south with less segmenting as in Berezina.

Might ax the snow as well. I like the feel but could pick up a bit more FPS without it. Time will tell. What I want to do is steer away from the thick winter fog/snow on the ground combo to give guys more room to move with good sight lines and actually let the tanks set up and fight at a decent range. Still a long way to go.

And bloom... I need to continue to tweak it. I recently altered it to match the recent Baraska settings but they are not quite right for this sky box so I will continue to tone down the radioactive haze.

Oh..forgot to mention MINEFIELDS... several are located in front of the main defense line. I hope to have triggers set up to remove them if the Germans drop arty etc to clear them. If that doesn't work, I'll go with destructible wire and dragon teeth.

Seven objectives, also. Just to get that out there.

 

[SdKfz 251 Ausf.D]

WOW! The map looks great slyk ! Cant wait to try out the new KV1.

 

[Divinehammer]

Lots of new content excellent as always.

 

[2fisted]

I think the bloom effect looks best in winter maps, awsome in Kryukovo (?)-my 2c

Any hints to the #s of tanks involved?

 

[D3terioNation]

Looks friggin SWEET! Cant wait for this cos all my favourite maps are snowy ones!

 

[Slyk]

Tank load out will be similar to Elnya. Something like:
Germans:
2-3 PzIII
1 StuG-B
1 PzIV ?? maybe
3-4 HTs per spawn region
X number of pak38s or 40s that will move with the spawns (maybe)

Russians:
2-3 BT7s
1 KV-1B
3-4 Zis trucks per spawn
M1937 AT guns
Zis-3 guns

I still want to keep the pressure on the teams to be infantry centric with smart use of their vehicles. The StuG with three or four smoke rounds will be a vital element at several objectives. For the Russians it is another win by time scenario like Berezina. The vehicle spawn counts will vary by location as well, still working on that balance.

 

[Shurek]

Slyk,

As always, I can't wait to see what you have in store for us with this map and the new content. Speaking as someone who's been laboring on a relatively large outdoor map for almost close to a year, I can completely sympathize and agree with your assessment of the difficulties in creating this type of map. I've had to "trash" a few custom created art assets due to them causing performance issues on Voronezh. In an urban map, it is much easier to get away with stuffing an anti-portal (or ten) amongst the building...not so in outdoor environments without creating the Krivoi Rog paradigm.

Good luck on the completion!