Level Design Preview: Smoke rounds for Tanks

[Slyk]

The Minion-Workz development team announces the addition of tank-fired smoke rounds. The feature will be included their newest map, "Elnya". The smoke round was developed by Teufelhund and is created from a base class, allowing it to be extended for use by either tanks or anti-tank guns. This new development will add yet another option for mappers and another dimension to the battlefield to bring greater playability and realism to their maps.Mappers will be given the ability to control the duration of the smoke so it can be tailored to fit the type of weapon and/or map. The current duration is set to 20 seconds.

The video uses a stock PzIV-F tank. "Elnya" will implement a new StuG III-B by Captain Obvious which will have the smoke shell feature along with a standard HE round. We hope this further enhances the role of the infantry support tank vehicles allowing them to do more to aid their team.

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Download and watch the video here! http://www.after-hourz.com/misc/slyk/media/PzIVF_Smoke_0001.rar

 

[tankman24]

Slyk that is sweet man nice feature .

 

[Reservoir Dog]

Very nice . Is there going to be a configurable limit on the shells or how much smoke can be on the map at the same time?

 

[Captain Obvious]

Sweetness. Definately adds a new dimension on the infantry support role, can't wait to try it out in combat.

 

[V.Grossman]

You should get a full time job at tripwire man everything you have done with your team is very good so far

 

[FaTaLeKe]

usefull in many ways, shooting at ground to help the infantry getting to the objective, finaly tanks can realy support infantry now. And also to get away from other tanks, pop a smoke to a other tank and drive away

 

[ButchCassidy]

Nice touch this..I like it..

 

[Bolt]

Cool feature, but the link doesn't work.

 

[[DA]DIZ]

Nice !!!
Link works for me

 

[Slyk]

Thanks, guys. Link is good. Try it again...it is a .rar file as well.

Current setting is five shells. We'll watch feedback and see what guys think. The idea is that only one tank on the map should have this capacity, and in some ways the Tank Commander may be smart to use this tank. We can work up a skin or 'tag' for the tank so that visually it is different. Right now the short list plan is a PzIV-F and StuG IIII-B.

We have other smoke toys on the line as well.

 

[Nestor Makhno]

This is indeed a nice feature. I can foresee early stugs actually undertaking the role they were designed for. All we need now are houses that blow up without killing network connections stone dead and we have the makings of some very good CA maps indeed.

Gratz guys.

 

[SdKfz 251 Ausf.D]

Awesome!

 

[I. Kant]

This proves yet again that things earlier deemed impossible are coming to fruition... I'm really wondering what you'll come up with next!

 

[=GG= Mr Moe]

Absolutely remarkable!

 

[Nestor Makhno]

This proves yet again that things earlier deemed impossible are coming to fruition... I'm really wondering what you'll come up with next!

I think the only constraint on TW's production of smoke shells has been lack of coder time rather than any technical problems making implementation impossible.

Now, to put my Devil's Advocate hat on again (in case anyone thought I was going soft with all those congratulations earlier):

1 - The Text saying 'Smoke' in the hud sticks out further than all the other text - perhaps just 'Sm' would do? It would tidy it up a bit. Also the Shell Icon - would it not be possible to do a different one? (I know that is not too important and can't rememebr if it is even done for the HE/AP distinction).

2- It looks like lack of space in the HUD is preventing there being 3 kinds of shell available - could the list not be scrolling or something?

3 - How did you calculate the scaling of the smoke emitter and the duration? Is it based on figures of the amount of material in the shell or just a guess?

I bet Wilsonam has figures about smoke shells that would be useful if you fancy digging into that.

Having said all that, I DO like the idea and it is an idea whose time appears to have come.

 

[DevilDog (Teufelhund)]

Very nice . Is there going to be a configurable limit on the shells or how much smoke can be on the map at the same time?

It's already exists in the base game, the mapper can control the number of shells for a given tank.

This combined with the ability to set the duration will allow the mapper to find the right amount and duration of smoke for thier map.

 

[DevilDog (Teufelhund)]

I think the only constraint on TW's production of smoke shells has been lack of coder time rather than any technical problems making implementation impossible.

Probably, that coupled with the need, the priority, the desire, etc, etc, etc. In all honesty and fairness, 70% of the work was already done. I just adapted the hand thrown smoke grenades to a projectile.

Now, to put my Devil's Advocate hat on again (in case anyone thought I was going soft with all those congratulations earlier):

I guess it was only a matter of time, there's always a critic.....just joking Nestor

1 - The Text saying 'Smoke' in the hud sticks out further than all the other text - perhaps just 'Sm' would do? It would tidy it up a bit. Also the Shell Icon - would it not be possible to do a different one? (I know that is not too important and can't rememebr if it is even done for the HE/AP distinction).

It does. I guess it could be replaced with "SM". Not a bad idea.

2- It looks like lack of space in the HUD is preventing there being 3 kinds of shell available - could the list not be scrolling or something?

Actually, this is a game limitation. Each tank can carry a primary and secondary ammo type. Three would be nice, but changing the code to allow three ammo type was out of scope for this little project. I did this project because Lex was out on "injured reserve" and I was getting bored.

3 - How did you calculate the scaling of the smoke emitter and the duration? Is it based on figures of the amount of material in the shell or just a guess?

It uses the same emitter that the hand smoke grenade uses right now. The duration is customizable. I do not have any figures on the shells. Do you? See below.

I bet Wilsonam has figures about smoke shells that would be useful if you fancy digging into that.

I wasn't able to find much info on smoke shells, let alone any stats. Anything will be helpful and I will adjust accordingly as new data is found and/or presented.

 

[Nestor Makhno]

Actually, this is a game limitation. Each tank can carry a primary and secondary ammo type. Three would be nice, but changing the code to allow three ammo type was out of scope for this little project. I did this project because Lex was out on "injured reserve" and I was getting bored.

Thanks for addressing my queries so promptly - Actually, just 2 ammo types would be fine for what I have in mind anyways.

GL with this.

 

[18Bravo]

Will the smoke rounds still damage vehicles/infantry if hit by it?

 

[Slyk]

Yep. But with much less damage than explosive rounds, but yes.