Steel Beasts: Content Wish List

[Mirzayev]

The ability to set units to a different base camo scheme than the default for the side.

 

As an example, setting a company to a UK camo scheme while the rest of the BN follows a US camo scheme. 

 

Not talking about changing individual models per unit as we can already do that. 

[Ssnake]

Up to this point the design philosophy of SB Pro calls for implementing a new party, allied with Blue (and hostile to Red), where you then can set the camo scheme to a new default.

[Mirzayev]

28 minutes ago, Ssnake said:

Up to this point the design philosophy of SB Pro calls for implementing a new party, allied with Blue (and hostile to Red), where you then can set the camo scheme to a new default.

 

It might be time to reevaluate that design philosophy as allies and partners are increasingly becoming integrated into lower tactical level formations. 

 

Until then, "squint harder" will be the order of the day. 

[Volcano]

Probably some sort of eventual camo override capability, on the unit level, would be the way to go. Where it is set as the overall side, but then individual sub-units can have a selection which specifies what textures to override load for that unit, as well as the infantry models/rifles. 

[Lumituisku]

Lot of times, players command lot's of units in map view.  Not being able to be there for every unit to see if all patches of terrain could be navigated and often units get stuck.   Ai does give this flashing route marker if it gets stuck, but thats already when trouble has occurred.   Reading SB maps isn't always easy either as sometimes some pieces of terrain are not passable that usually should be and visa versa, and such cannot always be identified from the map.  

 

I wonder if it would be possible to have some sort of overlay that would show how AI sees the map?   Like for example..   with "Red stripes the area that is not passable"   and terrain object "rock clutters" includes to such as well.   

[RedWardancer]

If it hasn't been brought up already, I want to see Ka-52s. 

[RedWardancer]

Here's another one: detailed supply.

 

For supply vehicles, the types of ammo and volume was unlimited.  All someone had to do was place a supply vehicle near a unit, and that unit would restock any and all ammo it can hold.  Didn't matter if it was tank rounds or ATGMs, regardless of types of munitions.  The supply vehicle (let's use the US HEMMT as the example) didn't need loading or supplying either.

 

What if SB Pro added an option to limit supply volumes per vehicles, ammo types, even fuel capacities?  This would work great for extended scenarios and campaigns.  It's realistic.

 

Or...is this just too much to deal? 

[Ssnake]

9 hours ago, Lumituisku said:

Reading SB maps isn't always easy either as sometimes some pieces of terrain are not passable that usually should be and visa versa, and such cannot always be identified from the map.

...and that's entirely intentional. No map ever shows everything there is to know about the terrain. It's one of the key messages of Steel Beasts - though, admittedly, presented in an oblique way.

[Gibsonm]

1 hour ago, RedWardancer said:

Here's another one: detailed supply.

 

For supply vehicles, the types of ammo and volume was unlimited.  All someone had to do was place a supply vehicle near a unit, and that unit would restock any and all ammo it can hold.  Didn't matter if it was tank rounds or ATGMs, regardless of types of munitions.  The supply vehicle (let's use the US HEMMT as the example) didn't need loading or supplying either.

 

What if SB Pro added an option to limit supply volumes per vehicles, ammo types, even fuel capacities?  This would work great for extended scenarios and campaigns.  It's realistic.

 

Or...is this just too much to deal? 

 

You can already do this in part by limiting the resupply quantities:

 

 

 

 

[Ssnake]

1 hour ago, RedWardancer said:

Here's another one: detailed supply.

...

Or...is this just too much to deal? 

It appears to add an overwhelming amount of detail for the Personal Edition. For military customers who can throw three dozen operators at a command post exercise - yeah, could be of interest.

[RedWardancer]

9 hours ago, Gibsonm said:

 

You can already do this in part by limiting the resupply quantities:

 

Once again, I'll be dang gummed...😲😝👍

[Parachuteprone]

I had asked earlier for a more littered terrain. "Eyes bigger than my stomach" type of thing - too much work for devs.

 

Would it be possible to just add a few more dirt road options for the map editor, without a great deal of work ?

 

I'm thinking.

A heavily rutted wet dirt road (dark).

A heavily rutted dry dirt road

A heavily rutted snow and mud mixed dirt road for winter terrain.

 

I think this would add a lot to the visuals of the maps.

 

Edited August 7 by Parachuteprone

[Ssnake]

At this point, TBH, I want to leave the V4 engine largely alone, and focus on the V5 engine development. There are many things that hold us back - DirectX 9 being an obvious part - so ... in a nutshell, we could give the whole building a lick of paint, but at some point you have to acknowledge that paint isn't the problem, but the walls.

The V4 engine is essentially a dead end. It probably looks okay-ish for another two years or so, but every day a programmer spends on embellishing V4 is a day he doesn't work on V5. Not only does that prolong the V5 development time. Almost every new feature that we develop for V4 also needs an extra effort to be converted to the new engine. Not only would we be slowing down the important work by opportunity cost, we would also increase the workload.

[Parachuteprone]

Ok, Thanks for the reply

 

[Hedgehog]

On 8/7/2024 at 3:36 AM, Ssnake said:

It appears to add an overwhelming amount of detail for the Personal Edition. For military customers who can throw three dozen operators at a command post exercise - yeah, could be of interest.

 

I seem to remember at an ITEC you mentioned this was a planned feature.
But it was like 9 yeas ago now.

[Ssnake]

Yeah, well, ideas come a dozen per dime. Implementing them is another thing. And then there's always the question, where are the customers' priorities. Logistics were not at the forefront. I now see some hints for shifting attitudes.

[RedWardancer]

Concerning the shift in attitudes about logistics: it just a select few that wants this?  Or is there a larger push for it?  Either way is fine by me. 

 

I bring this up only because in a game called Arma 3, they literally do have detailed logistics and ammo supply.  Some pay attention to it, others don't.  Every vehicle, heli, and aircraft has a cargo area (usually for tires, etc), and a storage capacity depending on the vehicle type and model.  Each and every item has a volume capacity.  As you would expect, an M2A2 can only carry so much small arms ammo, Javelins, grenades, etc.  For SB, that's too much, especially on small arms because well, this is Steel Beasts Pro.

 

But main gun ammo and fuel?  That's probably only in need for campaigns or specific scenarios where the players must rearm and refuel stranded units before the enemy arrives.  But even ARMA 3 has that down.

 

EXAMPLE: The M978A4-B Fuel HEMMT has a capacity in ARMA 3 at 10000 units (gallons I assume).  If that runs out, the vehicle must return to a fuel depot.  I don't know where they may refuel outside of a "Liberation" mod which I won't get into.  The same applies to the M977A4: it has a cargo volume of 1200 units.  What you put in that is up to you, unless you choose the default loadout out which is usually something ridiculous (4x M4A1s, 2x frag grenades, etc.). 

 

Perhaps Ssnake is correct in that it's too much and has a very small request.  It would be a great OPTION for players to implement in a huge scenario, as only a select few of those scenarios exists (my last created scenario is one of them).  

 

Just putting out ideas. 

[Gibsonm]

5 hours ago, RedWardancer said:

It would be a great OPTION for players to implement in a huge scenario, as only a select few of those scenarios exists (my last created scenario is one of them).  

 

Just putting out ideas. 

 

Well again its already available.

 

Every time you run a scenario you get a report file:

 

 

look for them here:

 

C:\Users\Username\Documents\eSim Games\Steel Beasts\reports

 

 

 

[RedWardancer]

I now have a newfound respect for logistics personnel...😵

[Gibsonm]

Request for Ver 5.x

 

Can inserting a waypoint not change the characteristics of the route?

 

Simple route:

 

 

Add a waypoint.

 

Bottom half forgets to follow the road:

 

 

Top half remembers:

 

 

The time saved by adding the waypoint is offset by having to go back and check everything.

[BlackDeath]

On 8/9/2024 at 2:11 PM, RedWardancer said:

Concerning the shift in attitudes about logistics: it just a select few that wants this?  Or is there a larger push for it?  Either way is fine by me. 

 

I bring this up only because in a game called Arma 3, they literally do have detailed logistics and ammo supply.  Some pay attention to it, others don't.  Every vehicle, heli, and aircraft has a cargo area (usually for tires, etc), and a storage capacity depending on the vehicle type and model.  Each and every item has a volume capacity.  As you would expect, an M2A2 can only carry so much small arms ammo, Javelins, grenades, etc.  For SB, that's too much, especially on small arms because well, this is Steel Beasts Pro.

 

But main gun ammo and fuel?  That's probably only in need for campaigns or specific scenarios where the players must rearm and refuel stranded units before the enemy arrives.  But even ARMA 3 has that down.

 

EXAMPLE: The M978A4-B Fuel HEMMT has a capacity in ARMA 3 at 10000 units (gallons I assume).  If that runs out, the vehicle must return to a fuel depot.  I don't know where they may refuel outside of a "Liberation" mod which I won't get into.  The same applies to the M977A4: it has a cargo volume of 1200 units.  What you put in that is up to you, unless you choose the default loadout out which is usually something ridiculous (4x M4A1s, 2x frag grenades, etc.). 

 

Perhaps Ssnake is correct in that it's too much and has a very small request.  It would be a great OPTION for players to implement in a huge scenario, as only a select few of those scenarios exists (my last created scenario is one of them).  

 

Just putting out ideas. 

 

- Staying into resupply, being able to share shells between similar tanks when not engaged (I don't think there is a standard procedure IRL, is it?). For exemple if one tank of the platoon has 2 shell left and the other is full, the latter can transfer a few round to the first.

 

- Also and specific for Leo 2s, when ready rack ammo supply is out and the tank is engaged, turret does not go 180° to resupply; AFAIK crew can still resupply with turret at 12 albeit very slowly? That is an issue when the tank is immobilized and engaged, i lost quite a few of them because of that.

[Major duck]

Its a wish that's been posted more then once as its not only ammo but also personnel aka a dead driver when you have a immobilized tank with a full crew so why not let them walk over to the other tank inside a certain distance and i know @Kingtiger has asked for it aka dismounted TC doing foot recon, and most TANK PLTs have some kind of light transport like MERC 240 GD as plt leaders vehicle etc.... to exchange personnel over greater distances and it shouldn't be a problem as a Tank PLT or Troop that dossent have spare people issent worth the money they receive but that's IRL this is SB with a shorter span of time.
But it is a low priority wish for V5 or later unless its there from the start because its part of the package with new thinking as we shouldn't let the old system define what the new system can or there are no progress that's a well known dogma in IT development.

MD

[mpow66m]

On 8/9/2024 at 3:28 PM, RedWardancer said:

I now have a newfound respect for logistics personnel...😵

Nobody is doin anything without Logistics.No bullets,bean or beer makes for a bad day.

[Kilo60]

Are we able to place fixed/mobile AAA guns on building rooftops yet?

 

Haven't tried this in awhile...

 

 

[Gibsonm]

1 hour ago, Kilo60 said:

Are we able to place fixed/mobile AAA guns on building rooftops yet?

 

Haven't tried this in awhile...

 

Well there's nothing stopping you from opening the editor and trying it.