posted 09-06- 06:26 AM               

As you can see I've had to cancel two vehicles mostly because I want to release the pack by mid September...this year. To make up for these two absentees, I've added some more variants of the existing vehicles such as the M21 mortar carrier halftrack which is a take-off of the M3. The allies finally have a mortar carrier now, a long barrelled 81mm at that . Plus I've added a variant of the Sdkfz 251..the 251/10, with a PaK 3.7cm and also the Sd Kfz 7/1 with quad 20mm Flak/cannon...this one is a ripper. The total vehicle count now stands at a nice round 20. There were 12 vehicles in the first GP and this one will add 8 new vehicles and revamp the existing (and new) ones in areas such as poly count efficiency, LOD switchin/out uniformity, 512 schemes for most of the vehicles and more improvements. I will not be adding anymore vehicles to the pack at this point, but I'll be working on the ones I've cancelled hopefully soon so I can release them later on seperately or as part of GP...3?

Progress is going well and I am planning to package it into a PAR file for online ease-of use and overall tidiness, but I'll make sure it fits in-line with the Base Pack that's been worked on by The Crew, hopefully The Crew and I can agree to a PAR file number to use for the GP soon, then it's almost ready once I finish the three remaining vehicles that need work.

I'd say a release date of 15th Sept 2001...but no guarantees at this point. Hopefully by September at least.

See this link for more information on this pack.

This one will be cool.

Cheers

------------------
Visit FS:SDOE Online

posted 09-06- 07:43 AM               

I'm contacting people that build 1/48th scale aircraft and 1/35th scale armor so that I can get photos of their work and convert them to 3D computer models with PhotoModeler Pro. I was wondering if I get some armor models finished would you like to put the final work on them? I would like to do a WirbleWind and a PzKw V ausf G.

Wulfe190

posted 09-06- 07:58 AM               

The "PzrIII" in the list above is the Panzer PzKpfw III to be exact. The StuG III is the Ausf G version.

Regarding the 3d models, well I will be slowing down a little after GP2s release hopefully (been going flat out since GP1 and even before) but I'll definately be willing to put them in-game at a moderate pace all the same. I guess the only thing I could request is that if the models could be kept at or below 2000 polys or therabouts because SDOE is sensitive to high poly models and it affects the FR's sharply, from my experience anyway.

posted 09-06- 09:51 AM               

Werner

posted 09-07- 06:20 AM               

thijs, I admit the pack is missing two extremely vital vehicles, the Sherman and the Tiger I, but I haven't had much time to work on these at all lately and none of them are at any stage of completion at this point. As I said above though, I would be willing to continue working on new vehicles after this pack, maybe I can finish these vehicles at a later date and release them either as a new Gp or as seperate releases (seems more likely).

Oh and the Panzer III in this pack is the Aust F version...which if you know your armor, is the one with the puny 37mm and a relatively thin 30mm of armour all 'round. The books I have state that some Aust Fs and Gs were upgunned to fit the 50mm gun instead which made them deadly to all allied tanks except the Sherman...I think I will be upgunning the Aust F in the pack to 50mm too so it has a chance against the Matilda at least.

------------------
Visit FS:SDOE Online

posted 09-07- 02:08 PM               

thanks for your close update. This is a great list of Ground Objects.
Hope you can reach your time schedule.

Steffen

posted 09-08- 06:45 PM               

Wulfe190

posted 09-08- 06:47 PM               

Again the fingers do me injustice.

Wulfe190

posted 09-08- 06:54 PM               

Wulfe190

posted 09-09- 03:55 AM               

About the paint scheme. It was used mainly on the Eastern and North Africa.

Wulfe190

posted 09-09- 10:15 AM               

Regarding armor angles, this isn't modelled in SDOE, however by simply upping the hit point strength on a given part, it can be made to reflect its higher strength, and the J will need some stronger DM too, which it will get. Plus there's no unit that will get close to the Tiger II in this pack...except for the StuG...but not easily even then either.

posted 09-09- 02:51 PM               

I know that you've almost completed GP II, but might I suggest that you think about doing the more common tanks and AFVs in WWII when you do GP III (take a long rest first, you've worked very hard and you deserve it). What I mean by this is, the Tiger II was a mighty beast but it really did not contribute that much to the success of the Germans in battle. It actually caused more harm than good. If Hitler had concentrated more on the reliable rather than these monsters (Tiger II, Maus, E100, and the other esoteric designs) the war may have gone better for the Axis forces. Yes, I know that there were other factors that doomed the German combat forces but Hitler's obsession with the BIG did play into their defeat.

Here then is what I'd include in the next installment of your Ground Pack series:
For the Axis:
PzKw V (all versions if possible)
PzKw IV (an early, Ausf E and a late Ausf H)
PzKw IIIN (support for the Tiger I)
Tiger I
Tracked AA (MobelWagen, Wirblewind, and maybe an OstWind)
JgPz V (Please don't do the JgPz VI)
Armored cars; SdKfz 222 and a SdKfz 234/3 Puma
Maybe some SPA (Hummel or Wespe) and SPAT (JgPz IV or Nashorn)

For the Allies:
M8/M20 Armored Car
M10, M18, M36 Tank Destroyers
M3/M5 Stuarts (Brit Honey)
M24 Chaffee
M3 Grant (especially for the Brits)
Upgunned/armored Shermans M4A3E8 (easy 8)
Bren Carrier (Germans had a tank hunter version with PzFaust and PzScheck LAW/MAW)

Let's see, that's bout 28 new models. Maybe I can begin work on some of these early next year. I'd like to work with you and I'm sure we'd knock their socks off.

Wulfe190

posted 09-10- 03:20 AM               

That's a very ambitious list Wulfe, to add to this there are still at best, another 4 or so 3d models of static vehicles in SDOE that could be motorised also, such as the Daimler, Flak Panzer and some others I forget right now. You're right I definately need a long rest after this lol, but when I do get back into it, I'd really like to make some amphibious vehicles that actually travel in SDOE's water. This may seem almost impossible or out of the question, but if airplanes in SDOE can do it, I don't see why vehicles can't, I have a book with some pretty cool amphibious vehicles such as the LVT 4 Landing vehicle and it's (A) variant.

I appreciate your offer to help out with the models, there's no way I could model those on my own in a short period and live to release it let alone tell about it, but regarding the vehicle count, it's good to "aim high" as I say and then you can be sure you'll achieve at least half of it...that's what I always say anyway.

Cheers.

posted 09-10- 03:47 AM               

Something else I'd like to know. Now that we have these drivable vehicles it might be cool to have roadblocks, land-mines (don't know if that could be done), and other defensive type items.

What I need to do is to set my sight on a goal and stick with it. I'm biting off way more than I can possibly chew.

Wulfe190

posted 09-10- 08:02 AM               

I have semi-working landmines sitting on my HD waiting to be perfected. When I say semi working, I mean they won't explode when every vehicle runs over them, only some vehicles trigger it so far, but I have some more ideas for them that may make them 100%.

Roadblocks are a cool idea! I might even have time left over to throw some into this GP... I have made a few new static objects and included them in this Ground Pack too, but I won't say what they are 'cos that'll spoil it.

posted 09-16- 07:04 AM               

------------------