Geezer

The MK1 skins and loading screens are done, plus most of the LODs are finished. The RAF Euro pilot is also progressing nicely. I ran ingame tests with the Sea Gladiator, and Lloyd's skins looked great.

I can't over emphasize the excellent work that Baffmeister has put into the CR42 and Gladiator FMs. He has developed proper engine performance charts for different types of supercharging, and even different versions for different fuel octanes! Plus, he has agonized over gun and ammo performance in an effort to achieve results consistent with the historical record. Finally, he has then tweaked the end results to simulate AI dogfights that sorta/kinda match what really happened in the war torn skies of 1940. Outstanding job! Below are shots of realistic dogfight action that were taken when testing skin artwork. While the Gladiator's quartet of .303 Brownings was superior in most situations, British pilots were advised to avoid head-on attacks because the Bredas would outrange the Brownings and inflict damage before the Glad could even hit the CR42. Also, the Breda's explosive bullets would often blow wings off Gladiators if they hit a wing attachment.

Guys - thanks for the inputs. When Gterl and I were experimenting, we determined the only way to raise the bar was to use larger tile art and custom made ground objects. That's the approach I am going to try when/if I get around to making maps.

Yes! But, as you have already figured out, it would be a prohibitive amount of work. Gterl and I worked together on developing a Spanish Civil War map, and learned lots of useful stuff before we had to set it aside. Gterl proved that 1024 tile art runs on a modern computer with no performance penalty - his excellent Italian Front map uses 512 tile art. It was also possible to use 2048 art in a few special locations, such as airfields, with no impact on frame rates. We also determined that most TW game maps are too large when compared to the amount of time/labor available to make the map. Gterl's Italian map is the maximum size for one guy to construct by himself - anything larger requires a team effort, or a reduction in detail. I've considered making a 1940-41 map for Greece, but it would have to be very small. As you pointed out: "long and hard to make." Too big a map would guarantee it would never get finished. OTOH, a couple of small maps, using the same art and models but different terrain, is feasible. Perhaps one small map for 1917-18 and a second small map for 1940-41? Any ideas? Shots below give a feel for what was a very interesting time and place. Biplanes and tri-motors!

Some shots showing how some new (or modified) skins help create a new dogfight arena using existing aircraft and the WW1 Italian Front game world.

Below is a good map showing how the front lines of the Greco-Italian war moved back and forth in 1940-41. Greek_Offensive_1940_41_in_Northern_Epirus_svg.rar

I use Gterl's WW1 Italian Front mod as a stage setting because it looks so good. Someone who likes to tinker with map files might try converting it to the Greco-Italian war of late 1940. Fought on the frontier between Albania and Greece, the terrain was mostly mountainous, and employed large numbers of semi-obsolete Italian, Greek, and British aircraft - precisely the types I intend to release. Strategically, it was a repeat of the 1940 desert war. Italy invaded Greece, was soundly defeated, and a Greek counter offensive was invading Albania when Nazi Germany had to intervene to save the Italians - just like North Africa.

I'm positive that jpg and dds work for aircraft skins because I've tested them. I am certain I also tested jpg for terrain art, but I'm a little fuzzy about testing dds - not 100% certain about dds terrain tiles.

While checking Gladiator skins, I stumbled across some really interesting stuff elsewhere in the session.