#2970997 - 03/05/10 06:08 PM
Longbow, Combat-Helo
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Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 1,268
Flexman
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Member
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Posts: 1,268
Leeds, England
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Longbow Combat-Helo, a secret no more. After many stops and starts, time off for good behaviour and months of hard work we thought you'd like a sneak-peek at where we're at. The team started on a fresh project, planed and budgeted in September of last year. There have been a few problems along the way but we're picking up the pace once more. The first flight test took place early December ( YouTube video ). We have a lot of "gravy" to add, but it's all very exciting. I love it when a plan comes together. Longbow CH features the ETADS Longbow in a modern setting and assuming we can claw back the investment somehow we hope to make more aircraft and theatres available. You can follow updates on the combat-helo indie group progress at http://combathelo.blogspot.com/
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#2971434 - 03/06/10 12:24 PM
Re: Longbow, Combat-Helo
[Re: HawkI]
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Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 1,268
Flexman
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Member
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Posts: 1,268
Leeds, England
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@empeck It's a team effort and I'm really happy with everyone's efforts. The map is the north west region of Afghanistan around the city of Herat ( Wiki link ) The nature of the way we've designed and built LCH is that we can add any number of new maps (each being 40x40km). Not decided on the nature of editing just yet. What I wanted and what we can deliver in an acceptable time-frame are not compatible. We have plans beyond this title. Players will be able to edit missions, the real-time factional nature of the campaign is such that your assignments will greatly shape the progression. And I love Tachikomas too @HawkI On foot is how you start and navigate your base options. If crews have to perform an emergency landing they may exit their aircraft and await rescue. We will ensure all pilots are equipped with flares and standard issue automatics. These situations allow us to leverage the fly/walk capability and the impressive lighting system offered by the differed rendering 3D engine. We intend to play to our strengths.
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#2971518 - 03/06/10 03:31 PM
Re: Longbow, Combat-Helo
[Re: Flexman]
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,507
Ripcord
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Member
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Posts: 1,507
Houston, Texas
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Wow, is this a totally new project or is it a major re-write of Janes LB2? Either way it looks impressive, looking forward to flying it.
Ripcord
USN/USMC -- when it positively, absolutely has to be blown up overnight.
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#2971688 - 03/06/10 08:55 PM
Re: Longbow, Combat-Helo
[Re: Flexman]
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 421
_michal
poly pusher
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poly pusher
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 421
Poland
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@empeck It's a team effort and I'm really happy with everyone's efforts. The map is the north west region of Afghanistan around the city of Herat ( Wiki link ) The nature of the way we've designed and built LCH is that we can add any number of new maps (each being 40x40km). Not decided on the nature of editing just yet. What I wanted and what we can deliver in an acceptable time-frame are not compatible. We have plans beyond this title. Players will be able to edit missions, the real-time factional nature of the campaign is such that your assignments will greatly shape the progression. And I love Tachikomas too I was just curious how did your team designed everything around the game engine. In Whirlwind over Vietnam everything including missions was hardcoded, and that's biggest problem with this title. I believe everyone loves Tachikomas
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#2971691 - 03/06/10 09:02 PM
Re: Longbow, Combat-Helo
[Re: _michal]
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Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 6,269
AD
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 6,269
South East Asia
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I was just curious how did your team designed everything around the game engine. In Whirlwind over Vietnam everything including missions was hardcoded, and that's biggest problem with this title. I believe everyone loves Tachikomas It's safe to say we won't be going down that road. Cheers
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#2971715 - 03/06/10 10:00 PM
Re: Longbow, Combat-Helo
[Re: _michal]
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Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 1,268
Flexman
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Member
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Posts: 1,268
Leeds, England
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It's safe to say we won't be going down that road.
Too right (AD is the projects lean mean model machine). I was just curious how did your team designed everything around the game engine. In Whirlwind over Vietnam everything including missions was hardcoded, and that's biggest problem with this title.
Missions and maps are data driven, simple as that. LUA scripting lets us do interesting things without having to hit a compiler. You *will* be able to edit your own missions. I want to include a seamless edit system in-game but will *probably* be externalised due to time constraints. I was a proud owner of a "Reset the World" button coffee mug till it broke. It was handmade by my wife. *sniff* Always brought a smile to my face.
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#2971746 - 03/06/10 11:13 PM
Re: Longbow, Combat-Helo
[Re: Ripcord]
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 532
jaegermeister
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Walking point
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Just great. I'm looking forward to this. Jaeger
Last edited by jaegermeister; 03/06/10 11:15 PM.
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#2971995 - 03/07/10 11:18 AM
Re: Longbow, Combat-Helo
[Re: tahoman]
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 7,365
Stratos
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Posts: 7,365
Amposta, Spain
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WOW!!
Please add the Mi-24 Hind next please please please!!! Imagine a better graphics rendition of the old DI Hind, man you guys rock, hope you can get a full forum here, such a great new deserves it!!
-Sir in case of retreat, were we have to retreat?? -To the Graveyard!!
sandbagger.uk.com/stratos.html
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#2972125 - 03/07/10 04:39 PM
Re: Longbow, Combat-Helo
[Re: ricnunes]
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Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 6,269
AD
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South East Asia
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1- Will this sim also model a "counter-insurgency" campaign (fighting against non-conventional forces) similar to the current Afghan or Iraq war? IMO, it would be great to see "counter-insurgency" campaigns and not only the usual conventional-war ones that we see in other combat helo sims.
Currently the aim is to include 5 'factions'. The US army, the Iranian army, The Taliban, Tajik forces/ANA, and civilians. The initial combat missions you fly will be against Taliban forces. They will be moving between settlements on the map forcing the civilians over to their 'side'. You will be tasked with providing CAS to your ground forces and pushing Taliban forces out of civilian areas. 2- Will we see lots of infantry foot soldiers in this sim? IMO, the biggest flaw in most combat helicopter sims (like Jane's Longbow 2 or EECH) is that infantry foot soldiers are almost unexistant (where it should be exactly the opposite). IMO the only helicopter sim that modeled infantry foot soldiers properly was DI's Hind. This is a key aspect we are aiming for. 3- Like Vegas already asked, is there a general timeline to project completion? It's near impossible to make any realistic estimates at this time. Cheers
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#2972158 - 03/07/10 05:50 PM
Re: Longbow, Combat-Helo
[Re: AD]
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 9,522
Wklink
Permanent Latrine Orderly
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Permanent Latrine Orderly
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Posts: 9,522
Olympia, Washington
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Interesting stuff Flexman, keep us in the loop.
The artist formerly known as SimHq Tom Cofield
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#2972261 - 03/07/10 09:24 PM
Re: Longbow, Combat-Helo
[Re: _michal]
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Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 1,268
Flexman
Member
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Member
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 1,268
Leeds, England
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I have one more question - 40x40km is quite small map for a helicopter. Is the map size limited because of time/manpower or engine constrains? Longbow 2 has 50x50km (or 40x40km if you just count the flyable area). You recognise it takes considerable effort to dress and optimize a map and we're a small team. 40x40 is a big area when you have to plant vegetation and make it look natural. For the purposes of our combat environment it's a good fit. I've flown around the LB2 terrain in our engine and it feels right. If we do the job right you won't notice. The campaign is near real-time, there's no "between" screens. No "end mission" screen. Once your in the game, you're in it till you leave or transferred to another map (camp). You land, exit the chopper, perform other duties. Fly another sortie. We're re-creating the style and excitment of the great sims made in the 90s made popular by Origin and Microprose. Using new technology we can turn the traditional 2D screens into 3D interactive environments. That's actually less work than having to make a whole set of between mission art, code, user interfaces and jumping between them. Making this project work has all been about doing more with less, that's been my mantra from the start and the only way I think we'll see a resurgence of combat sims that don't take years to make. It's big enough is my final answer
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