There have been alot of brecourt maps out from Medal of Honor, Call of duty and dod source. None of them capture the real feel of the "bocage"; huge open farm lands seperated by dangerous tall hedge rows that allowed the germans to dig trenches within them and wait for the allies to approach.

I've been able to get the size nailed down I just need to know how to best make it so that the axis will stay and defend there artillery pieces instead of finding some unrealistic place to camp in the hedge rows.

I want the allies to have 1 flag that is impossible to take (i'll place it outside a capturable point) and then 4 flags that are each at one of the german artillery.

I'm not sure how to make the game winnable though..

Should I make it so that, while playing axis, you can capture the last flag as long as all 4 other flags are under axis control... so all the allies have to do is make sure they keep one artillery flag theres and they cant lose their spawn point flag..is that even possible?

Heres a screenshot of the map, if you don't know what brecourt is google it, its a great little battle.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Fugicolor3/bre.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Fugicolor3/bre.jpg

You can't tell from the screenshot but you can run through those hedges and onto the next farm side. Its a HUGE map this is just one little corner.

I think it would be better if it was a detonation map, instead of a flag cap. That was my only disappointment with that other Brecourt map (flak, I think?).

Would give it more of a Band of Brothers feel which a lot of players would like.

Looking forward to seeing this progress - it's always good to see multiple interpretations of scenes or battles.

oh man ive been playing dod_donner for so long i completely forgot about detonation maps!

that would be perfect!

What I'm aiming for here is realism. So that maybe you'll actually feel like you're on a farm in france and not a floating block of grass out in space.

Instead of leaving the distance up to the 3d skybox, I've physically put it into the map so that you can run 500ft off into the distance before getting stopped by a solid barrier.

Its going to be a very woodsy map. The hedge rows that I have now work very well so that you don't have good visibility until you pass through it.

I just wish there was a way to restrict machine guns and only allow german players to use preplaced ones.

Originally posted by Mentos
so that you can run 500ft off into the distance before getting stopped by a solid barrier.
that does sound real but is it going to be fun?

Looks way too flat IMO. I've yet to see a succesful "farm" land type map, because usually they feel oversized and you seem to run forever.

I'd also restrict snipers because this is just a snipefest waiting to happen :p

Well the german artillery positions were right along the hedge rows connected by trenches.

So when the allies break through its going to be a close quarter battle. The distance is only there for effect. Running off into the distance would just be a waste as it wouldn't allow you to gain an advantage because you can't see through the hedge rows close up, never mind far away...

My one fear is that its easy to see when you're in a hedge row so you could get into a position inside one and snipe easily.

But these are all little concerns I can tweak later by putting invisible walls if necessary and forcing the battle to be close in.

The idea isnt to actually run 500ft off into the distance.. although you can. Its just there for looks not function.

I've been watching the band of brothers episode over and over trying to get a good feel for the layout.

I realized that my biggest forseable problem is that I am working with a very limited collection of folliage. I need to find a model pack of folliage with atleast 25 original trees/bushes of the same type.

Looking in my screenshot above those are only trees available and they're just not going to cut it.

Anyone know where I can download decent tree models?

Thanks

Also, I can't seem to find a model of an artillery piece. Does anyone know if its in the models or do i have to get a custom one. If so, where would I find a decent one, like a 105mm howitzer?

I could have sworn i saw one in a map but i cant find it

Models: http://www.dayofdefeat.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=58640

The bocage or hedgerow country is not actually just hedges... it is an earthen mound or wall 8 to 10 feet in width and 4 to 6 feet in height, covered with a scrub undergrowth ... as they say at lonesentry.
http://www.lonesentry.com/normandy_lessons/index.html

Here are some of my first attempts to create a more believable hedgerow.
http://files.langal.dk/extern/dod_hedgerow/screenshots/008/

You also need to take into account how they actually fought in the bocage.
http://www-cgsc.army.mil/carl/resources/csi/doubler/doubler.asp

Hintzman, your bocage pics look great... i could see a map like that...the open areas could be scattered with burning tanks here and there for cover...
nice job!

Huge thanks to Ranson for his flak 88 cannon, while its not a 105mm howitzer, its stunning and will work perfectly for this map.

I've got the game mechanics worked out now, just need to change around some icons so that it shows the artillery pieces and then its off to brush and terrain work.

Here are the pics of me igniting the artillery twice, the second time the barrel comes flying off.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Fugicolor3/brecourt1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Fugicolor3/brecourt2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Fugicolor3/brecourt3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Fugicolor3/brecourt4.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Fugicolor3/brecourt5.jpg


I plan on making it so that you have to actually put one of the TnTs on the barrel so that it makes more sense when it blows off.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Fugicolor3/brecourt6.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Fugicolor3/brecourt7.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Fugicolor3/brecourt8.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Fugicolor3/brecourt9.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Fugicolor3/brecourt10.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Fugicolor3/brecourt11.jpg

I already made such a map. Maybe not that large but still this battle
Currently i am working on a more balanced version.

http://www.dayofdefeat.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=70721

I've got a genius idea for this map.

I'm going to make a little lever (that takes a substantial amount of time to pull) on each of the artillery that the germans can activate.

This will fire the artillery and take about 15-30 seconds off the global clock. Because the axis win if the clock runs out this will give them incentive to stay near the artillery instead of running off into the distance and finding some lame spot to camp.

What do you guys think?

I feel like this is a step in the right direction.

Suggestions

I think it sounds great! It'll make the map more realistic.

Way too flat and bland, even if it were historically accurate (if it is it shouldn't be made for dod) gamers want flow and visual candy, to me it looks like a single brush for the ground a few fences and some models tossed around

Way too flat and bland, even if it were historically accurate (if it is it shouldn't be made for dod) gamers want flow and visual candy, to me it looks like a single brush for the ground a few fences and some models tossed around

Yea all I did was lay that basic stuff out so that I could work on the detonation logic without having to wait 4-5 minutes to compile. I can make a quick change to the map, compile it in 20 seconds and alt+tab into dod source and run the map quickly.

I haven't even begun the actual brush and terrain work yet because I'm afraid that if I was to do all of that work and then wanted it to be slightly bigger or smaller I'd have to redue alot.

Its my fault though, the next time I post screenshots they'll have something worth seeing.

But I finally was able to get it so that the axis can fire the artillery and take some time off the clock. So now its like an attack/(defend/attack) map. The axis have incentive to stay by and fire the artillery and it makes it more realistic.

only challenge will be making the average pub players aware that you have to do that to add time -- hud hints, etc.