CS: East Front III early alpha screenshots

[Crossroads]

So while everyone, me included, is busy putting CS Vietnam BETA together, we're bringing CS East Front ALPHA along. 

At this stage, there's the Finnish, German, Polish, and Soviet OOB in place. 

Time, then, to try things out (right click, then choose to open the picture in new tab to see them in real size):

[Crossroads]

What you see there is a quick mock-up of the Doug Bevard classic "First Blood":

[Crossroads]

That's the new 2D Zoom-In view in action. I won't show 3D screenshots quite yet, as we don't have the terrain files, everything's CS Middle East Mediterranean look and feel yet, no Temperate Forest tiles done. 

But there's the new game engine. No more death-by-recon, for instance. 

As the 5. Aufklärung-Bataillon moves forward, they initiate a Recon Reveal action towards the tranquil village of Waldowo. Where the brave men of the Polish 16th Uhlan regiment are ready, waiting at them. THERE WILL BE BLOOD. 

Note that the German Storch recce was there as well, but in this ALPHA its recon flag was wrong. So, to be fixed. There won't be on-map aircraft done apart recce aircraft, which are a real game changer, as those who've played Middle East know. One of the big question marks was and is: how to depict the superior German communications capability into the game. One answer is to give them Recce aircraft, so German units as a whole are always better aware of their surroundings, as those without. 

[Crossroads]

Plenty of new stuff being developed, too, since CS Middle East.

We can now use CS Event Engine for a lot of stuff. For instance, the artillery can be well stocked for early turns opening barrage, but to be toned done after.

Units can now react to events such as losing an objective in so many ways as well, too. One of the exciting new features Berto is putting in place is to have the ability to give commands to Computer player. Lose a certain objective? Send the reinforcements that way. And so on.

Anyway, I know you guys can be a tough crowd so with that in mind, any questions, comments, requests, fire away.

[Crossroads]

Plenty of new stuff being developed, too, since CS Middle East.

We can now use CS Event Engine for a lot of stuff. For instance, the artillery can be well stocked for early turns opening barrage, but to be toned done after.

Units can now react to events such as losing an objective in so many ways as well, too. One of the exciting new features Berto is putting in place is to have the ability to give commands to Computer player. Lose a certain objective? Send the reinforcements that way. And so on.

Anyway, I know you guys can be a tough crowd so with that in mind, any questions, comments, requests, fire away.

One such new feature to talk about for instance are the new Side aware Minefields Berto's put together. 

Here, Scenario Designer has opted to put these Minefields to belong to Side A (Poland in this scenario), so the Polish player always sees them despite having no units with LOS to them, even. See the "A" on them.

German player, on the other hand, hopefully only sees them as he drives into them 

[Big Ivan]

First off I think the new treatment of mines will be a game changer indeed. I've always been a proponent of not being able to see mines until its to late.

Second, as in CSME, recon will be a big feature hands down.

Third, being able to give the computer commands and execute orders is just plain awesome!! As we all know the A/I is weak. This function will change all of that I'm sure.

Forth, any 3D screen shots for us 3D lovers?!

Fifth, will 2D black silhouettes and NATO graphics be coming along for the ride with the new engine in 'Nam & EFIII?  

ItB

[Crossroads]

First off I think the new treatment of mines will be a game changer indeed. I've always been a proponent of not being able to see mines until its to late.

Second, as in CSME, recon will be a big feature hands down.

Third, being able to give the computer commands and execute orders is just plain awesome!! As we all know the A/I is weak. This function will change all of that I'm sure.

Forth, any 3D screen shots for us 3D lovers?!

Fifth, will 2D black silhouettes and NATO graphics be coming along for the ride with the new engine in 'Nam & EFIII?  

ItB

Here's a very early 3D screenshot, before Mike's got his hands on those units. They are of JTCS vintage placeholders at the moment. 

For 2D NATO symbols for sure, while with the 2D profiles need to think how to get them done. Have to simplify the task somehow, so many of them, especially with the new, redone OOBs. 

As for the screenshot, here's 3D Zoom-In view, where units are similar size to JTCS Zoom-In, but terrain tiles are 150% in size. Looks much more tactical now, as maps got way larger. I for one really like these new larger maps as a whole. 

Edit: way too sunburt on Middle East Normal Ground Conditions, much better (greener) in Soft Ground Conditions, as a sample of things to come:

[PzKw43]

The 2-D counters would look better with a solid background and eliminate the white outline around the vehicles and soldiers. Keep it simple. 

The 3-D looks great. 

Will the info box be made larger so people with 4k monitors don't have to mess around with the scaling settings every time they use the game?

[Crossroads]

The 2-D counters would look better with a solid background and eliminate the white outline around the vehicles and soldiers. Keep it simple. 

The 3-D looks great. 

Will the info box be made larger so people with 4k monitors don't have to mess around with the scaling settings every time they use the game?

Cheers,

There's two sets of counters in the Options menu, Standard, without any background, and Alternate, which are a bit larger and have this watermark style insignia or coat-of-arms thing in them. So that's already there 

White outline is required, imho, as different colored chits, especially the darker ones, the units become difficult to see. 

As for the Info Box, we found out with CS Middle East some set-ups do not magnify it in 4k scaling, while others do. Not sure what causes that, hopefully something Microsoft can resolve in future updates, as 4k becomes more and more popular. 

That said, there's a good chance Info boxes will be re-designed at some stage. Not by CS Vietnam, but perhaps by East Front.

[keif149]

The 2-D counters would look better with a solid background and eliminate the white outline around the vehicles and soldiers. Keep it simple. 

The 3-D looks great. 

Will the info box be made larger so people with 4k monitors don't have to mess around with the scaling settings every time they use the game?

Cheers,

There's two sets of counters in the Options menu, Standard, without any background, and Alternate, which are a bit larger and have this watermark style insignia or coat-of-arms thing in them. So that's already there 

White outline is required, imho, as different colored chits, especially the darker ones, the units become difficult to see. 

As for the Info Box, we found out with CS Middle East some set-ups do not magnify it in 4k scaling, while others do. Not sure what causes that, hopefully something Microsoft can resolve in future updates, as 4k becomes more and more popular. 

That said, there's a good chance Info boxes will be re-designed at some stage. Not by CS Vietnam, but perhaps by East Front.

Will there be an option for the "classic" 2d black silhouette counters from EF 1.03?