Theater Size...can it be increased

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Author	Topic: Theater Size...can it be increased
Brian Cadet	posted 12-29- 11:23 AM I was reading the manual a few minutes ago and noticed that the theater of action is only 40 square miles. I think that is a little on the small side, and I was wondering that if there is a way to make the theater bigger. Are there any patches or add-ons out there that has sddressed this? Thanks much. IP: Logged
Gustang Pilot	posted 12-29- 11:32 AM Yep, it certainly can be increased in size. But like many things, you have to pay in system resources. Although, personally, I think it's plenty big... If you look in the upper right-hand corner of the forum interface, you'll find a handy search function. It's great for find answers for questions like this quickly! Later IP: Logged
Brian Cadet	posted 12-29- 11:35 AM cool! thank you kindly. IP: Logged
Gustang Pilot	posted 12-29- 11:56 PM Ah.. Brian, after reading my response again, I noticed it may have been too simplistic... I should have said: Yes, the terrain can be increased in size as the engine is capable of it; however, there is no way to _easily_ increase the size of the existing terrain without modifying it with tools that are not part of the game. Hope this helps IP: Logged
spin Pilot	posted 12-30- 01:01 AM Actually, I think it's 40 X 40 (1600 sq miles). Which doesn't sound so bad. 40 sq miles would be pretty small. The task of expanding the terrain is an active investigation. From what I've read however, just getting comfortable with the way the 40 X 40 layout works sounds like a significant task. I'm sure one day we'll see bigger terrains though.. IP: Logged
ArgonV Pilot	posted 12-30- 01:08 AM -Dorthy starts singing while in her cockpit- "Someday, over the rainbow..." [This message has been edited by ArgonV (edited 12-30-2000).] IP: Logged
Werner Molders Pilot	posted 12-30- 01:29 AM I hear bigger terrains are going to be in the patch. teehee. WM ------------------ Visit Abbeville Field Today! IP: Logged
semmern Pilot	posted 12-30- 04:19 AM Patch....hmmm....I've heard that word somewhere IP: Logged
Nat Pilot	posted 12-30- 07:56 AM right now guys I'm having enough stress just making a completely new terrain, let alone expanding it, I guess if I ever get the tools I need, or find out why the hell things aren't working like they should then I'll look at bigger terrains. From what I know already though a bigger terrain won't be a big FR hog if done right, but it would obviously take longer to load the mission. Really though, it's freaking me out trying to work through the problems thrown up so far and I'm getting a little stressed with it. Fingers crossed I guess, but being very honest, unless an easier way is found then I'm using right now I reckon Stalingrad will be the last terrain I work on, if I can't make a new terrain I can't be bothered to just retexture old ones. IP: Logged
Maury Markowitz Pilot	posted 12-30- 11:25 AM quote: Originally posted by Gustang: Yep, it certainly can be increased in size. But like many things, you have to pay in system resources. Although, personally, I think it's plenty big... Well whenever I hear someone say this (it's good enough) I always get the feeling I'm seeing some 3rd party appologizing going on. It's NOT big enough. Wait until you try B-17 and get to fly over the majority of western europe, including roads, railways, rivers, forests, cities, etc. In FSoE I don't think we'll be able to _really_ fix the problem, at least not without the code. Most apps swap in whole terrain maps as the game moves, and that's something that SDoE simply doesn't do (now). As to a "non-real" fix, we could likely double the size in both directions and still have it work on the majority of machines. Unlike the original design goals, everyone DOES have some sort of 3D acceleration these days. Maury IP: Logged
Gustang Pilot	posted 12-30- 03:07 PM MM said: quote: Well whenever I hear someone say this (it's good enough) I always get the feeling I'm seeing some 3rd party appologizing going on. It's NOT big enough. Wait until you try B-17 and get to fly over the majority of western europe, including roads, railways, rivers, forests, cities, etc. Not sure why you'd feel that way, MM. I can honestly say that over the last 2 years of playing the game, I've never been flying toward a target and suddenly thought to myself 'Hmmm, I wish I could somehow extend the time it takes to get there' (especially when flying wwi aircraft ). I haven't found the scenery in SDOE lacking either. I could understand why you would need more space for modern jets, otherwise larger terrain has never been a priority for me. IP: Logged
Diego Lozano Pilot	posted 12-30- 09:21 PM Larger maps would be ok but, ALL the large maps I've seen have that same old repeating tile, simplistic ground textures or is just plain ugly. I think I'd rather have some rich texture and get into the fight sooner. Other people want to have rich textures and fly 4 hours to the target then fight. IP: Logged
Maury Markowitz Pilot	posted 12-31- 11:23 AM quote: Originally posted by Gustang: Not sure why you'd feel that way, MM. I can honestly say that over the last 2 years of playing the game, I've never been flying toward a target and suddenly thought to myself 'Hmmm, I wish I could somehow extend the time it takes to get there' Try this, get a Ju 88, take off, and attempt to climb in a straight line to reasonable altitude, say 22k. It's fine if you want a "quickstart" type mission layout forever, but I want more. Maury IP: Logged
Maury Markowitz Pilot	posted 12-31- 11:27 AM quote: Originally posted by Diego Lozano: I think I'd rather have some rich texture and get into the fight sooner. Other people want to have rich textures and fly 4 hours to the target then fight. Once again we are presented with the false dichotomy that always seems to pop up in these threads. Lets make this clear: large terrain does not imply it takes a long time to get from A to B. Period. Of course if you're a moron and don't add in any time step features then indeed it might take some time, but in general the people who write flight sims aren't morons. In fact I challenge anyone here to name a modern flight sim in which it _does_ take any length of time to get to combat. A-10 simulated a good chunk of Germany, Denmark and Cuba, yet it took only a few minutes to fly missions. B-17 simulates most of Europe, and again it takes maybe five minutes to get into action. Sorry, you're point is bogus, and I think you know that. Maury IP: Logged
Diego Lozano Pilot	posted 12-31- 11:59 AM We're always looking for people that "want more". Give us a hand on these terrains! We could use someone that knows every single thing about flight sims. Right now Nat needs someone who has some tedious work to do without the proper tools. IP: Logged
goth Pilot	posted 12-31- 12:38 PM Aren't longer missions the reason we have CD players built into the planes via the system? ;-) IP: Logged
Nat Pilot	posted 12-31- 01:50 PM I don't see the point in having some kind of time step, you might aswell just use smaller terrain IP: Logged
Razer Pilot	posted 12-31- 03:53 PM one thing we are going to have to come to terms with is this game engine wasn't designed to push this many polys. CPUs can only be used for some much, you have to find a balance of graphics, physics, and gameplay. Remember Openplane is just a file format. Technicly it can be added to any engine to give up better terrains and better planes. hell, IL-2 could be openplane. Michael did say larger terrains can be done since it only draws whats in view. I think once TM (Terrain Master Nat gets some of the bugs worked out on his new terrain, that better and larger terrains can be done. ------------------ Tony "Razer" Martin "Making SDOE a dangerous Place, One plane at a time!" FS Hangar IP: Logged
Nat Pilot	posted 12-31- 04:11 PM to be honest, from what I've seen the only thing stopping me from making a bigger terrain (other than patience) is that I'm not very good with SM files, specificaly Groups, if I knew how to add models to groups then I should be able to make the terrian any size you want it, although I could do with some kind of macro or script for Max to chop the damn thing up for me. Oh.. LOL, thanks for the compliment Tony I amaze myself that I have the patience and comitment to work this crap out with terrains, the fact that I've just finished cutting up the terrain for the 8th time, and I need to redo it again, must mean somthing.. just don't know if it's good or bad.. LOL probably means I'm dumb as hell for putting myself through this LOL So... you want bigger terrains, show me how to add models to groups and we'll see what I can do in the next year.. btw, I'm looking for an apprentice LMAO (think I aint happy unless I'm doing something tedious and damned annoying lol) ------------------ 7./JG3 "Naturlich" "SDOE... What and where would you like to fly today?" http://members.nbci.com/naturlich/index.htm </B> IP: Logged

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