Big maps that favor close quarters combat.

[pureevil]

I am loving this mod, but I have some suggestions for little improvement:

The maps are great and very detailed but they feel like they favor fast action close quarter combat (Like the COD series). This is great but also represents a departure from battlefield 2 were long range combat was also posible.

So my suggestion is make long range combat maps available too. Maps like the ones found in the Forgotten Hope 2 mod for BF2. Maps with:

-Advantage higher positions: Players who hold the high grounds have a tactical advange.
-Strategic defensive positions: Open up builings and structures with many windows so snipers and support clases can make their defensive nests.

Thanks

[dolphineye]

Alright. Do you have some screenies of what you'd want to see.
It may help a little bit to figure out what you're picturing "in your head".

Cheers

[pureevil]

Here is a link to a video that basically shows what I am talking about:

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There is just something about those BF2 maps that feel less claustrofobic and more real.

You guys should really try the "Forgotten Hope 2" mod for Battefield 2, it is awesome. (I unistalled it in order to play casus belli thou, but after watching the video I am having an urge to install it again 

[pureevil]

Ok here is a picture:


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It shows a german spoter, he is on high ground and so he is able to see a big part of the battlefield. Such sights are almost never posible in Casus Belli. Of course Casus Belli's maps are much better than the COD4/5/6 laberinths but still do not allow the use of spotters/recon/snipers like Forgoten Hope does, specially since in forgoten hope every building you see can be entered and used for a better view/advantage position, for example if you see a Church, you can go to the top floor and snipe from there

I hope you guys get my point, but I also understand that this is not trying to be Battlefield 2/3.

[Fabiolo]

Hum i don't know if you tried the big maps (ghost town, dam) but you have many situations for that.

In ghost town you can go inside the buildings and on roof, you have a big statium at top of a hill. On dam you have many point of view on all the map. On island too, there is many spot for that.

[pureevil]

You are right Fabiolo, specially Ghost Town... Sadly island is too laggy for me, even with my powerfull PC.

Actually please don't get me wrong, the maps currently in the mod are great and as you say some offer Battlefield like gameplay, I am just saying that for future maps please don't forget the long range players out there

EDIT: I just played Battlefield 3 and the maps are awesome, a great mix of open places and indoors, also a good source for Casus Belli map inspirations =)

[5hitm4k3r]

I have to say that I am a die hard fan of FH2. A very good point about this mod is the top notch map design besides alot of other details. FH2 isn't the Mod of the year winner 2010 without any reason.
But I also have to say, that the map design in Casus Belli is also top notch. The dam map is porpably on of the best maps I've ever seen. Simply perfect design. And very important, the maps are not too chokepointish. That's a point why I don't like the newer games of DICE like BC2 and BF3. They force the player throughout a certain area at points where you can't do anything to flank the enemy or to succeed with teamplay, because there is only one way - and that's a no-go. In Casus Belli and especialy FH2 I never feel forced to do anything and there is always room for moving. And I think Casus Belli is on a very good way if the quality of the maps stays as good as it is now. I especialy like the mixture of maps and gamemodes. The halfway of CoD and BF is perfectly done IMO.

When you give some examples for a mod, you maybe should give the most recent information. 2.3 is an older version of the Mod FH2. Now we have version 2.4 and alot of stuff is coming. So here you can check it out:
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[pureevil]

When you give some examples for a mod, you maybe should give the most recent information. 2.3 is an older version of the Mod FH2. Now we have version 2.4 and alot of stuff is coming. So here you can check it out:
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I agree with you 99%, about the part where you say I should give the most recent information, I just posted a video from version 2.3 because it showed the map/idea I was talking about, besides that map doesn't change in version 2.4 so showing it in version 2.3 is exactly the same

But you and the mod makers understand my point... when the map allows you to see more of the battlefield you feel more involved in a massive battle rather than when the map hides most of the map with walls and stuff, and make you feel more like a "one man army".

Totally loving the mod it is almost perfect

[dolphineye]

I like your idea of having vast lands with a couple of villages/camps here and there.

Our only map-maker (Fabiolo) is really busy with his own maps and personal stuff at the moment.
SO what about helping us to find new level designers, guys?

Casus Belli *really* needs new talented people to help us in our "noble" quest ;p

[pureevil]

Casus Belli *really* needs new talented people to help us in our "noble" quest ;p

This guy here is one of the most talented Crysis Wars map makers I know:

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His name is Dj Copniker (You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login)

If you guys can convince him on joining up the crew I guess some of the stress work could be relieved from Fabiolo

[pureevil]

Guys I just wanted to let you know, I was playing arround with the level Dam, and I reduced all vegetation and objects by ~50% and there was an instant change in gameplay. The map felt bigger (more battlefield like) and performance was increased by 5-10 FPS.

My point is that I just realized that the current maps are not the problem regarding the issue pointed in my first post, it is the huge amount of vegetation and objects that currently make the maps feel small and COD like in some areas.

My suggestion: Just for experimentation try reducing the vegetations/objects by ~20-30% and see how it feels... perhaps it is not needed to remove much vegetation/objects but change the long grass/bushes into short grass and the big objects to medium sized objects... I asure you it automatically becomes much more tactical, like everyone is fighting for cover/estructures, long range fightings happen alot more often, players need to go prone and use vehicles to survive. =) Lots less gunning and running going on.

Please note, that not all the maps need a reduction in vegetation/objects, ghost town feels just perfect for example...

Let me know what you think..

Cheers

[Fabiolo]

Yep, we can also make only desert map

[pureevil]

I am just reporting my findings 

Of course it is a matter of preference... I think you shouldn't change any of the current maps, just the future ones with a little more open fields 

By the way, the map "The Village" is just freaking perfect 

[Fabiolo]

I'm not against open field. Big lands with some little village, like Normandie bocage or Afghanistan valley can be very good.

When i said desert map, i were talking about your remark about vegetation. Ok vegetation is very bad for fps, btw it's something which make a graphic difference. If we just use empty terrain, why do we use cryengine and not bf2 engine?

Do you understand what i mean?

[pureevil]

Yes Fabiolo I understand, in fact after playing Casus Belli I go back to battlefield 2 and the maps feel empty and lifeless... 

I was only suggestiong reducing the vegetation a little bit, may be size of the grass... =)

Also after the last patch my game started crashing when loading the map "Island"... maybe it is my hardware but it wasn't happening before...

Cheers and thanks for the repply, a saw a new map's screenshots on moddb! Amazing work as always.