[WIP] Channel map

[Verdun1916]

Looks like this will be one of the best additions ever from TD!

Imagine having Wellingtons, Blenheims or Beauforts for the R.A.F. fans to fly bombing missions over the French coast. And lots of anti-shipping raids for both sides!

Anyway...the potential for this map is huge!

From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, Team Daidalos for this map and all the rest of your hard work! I, and I'm sure many others with me, really appreciate it!

[_1SMV_Gitano]

Guys, thanks for the kind words!

I would like to share your optimism, but remember such a project is huge and there is alot to be done.

For what is worth, map is 1:1 scale, and the plan is to to have several periods, like Solomons and NGNB maps, starting from late August 1944 first and "go back in time".

[swede94]

Originally Posted by _1SMV_Gitano

...first and "go back in time".

DeLorean confirmed for 4.14m!

Ahem, on a more serious note... I too am very much looking forward to this! Never expected a TD map of this, so regardless of how much time it will take, I am very much excited for this

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by _1SMV_Gitano

For what is worth, map is 1:1 scale, and the plan is to to have several periods, like Solomons and NGNB maps, starting from late August 1944 first and "go back in time".

Wow! That's ambitious. Best of luck!

FWIW, there has been a lot of research done on the WW2 airfields in that part of the world, much of it for other games.

It should be possible to get period aerial photographs of most of the Luftwaffe airbases along the English Channel ca. 1940.

If you're not already aware of it, this resource might be helpful:

http://www.ww2.dk/Airfields%20-%20France.pdf

http://www.ww2.dk/lwairfields.html

For examples of work done for other games (which might include period maps in the read-me):

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...ench-airfields

http://simviation.com/1/browse-Scenery-79-0

If you're going to be starting from 1944 and working back, also consider adding "Mulberry Harbor" objects, since these would be crucial targets for any hypothetical Luftwaffe counterattack.

http://www.combinedops.com/Mulberry%20Harbours.htm

[_1SMV_Gitano]

Thanks Pursuivant!

I'm aware of both websites about LW airfields in France, and other material from those websites. My main reference for UK is the excellent series "Military Airfields of Britain" by Ken Delve, plus anything found on the web.

Another appetizer: RAF Biggin Hill 1944+ WIP

[Nil]

Good Job Gitano, please keep it up!
I am in love with what you guys are doing... incredible!

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by arnoritter

Would it be possible to expand the map to the east? It would be great to have the ruhr area on the map, for example.

That would make the map too big for IL2's map size limits.

Ignoring that, any map of Western Europe is going to be limited by the fact that it's one of the more densely settled places on the planet. That can reduce frame rates to a crawl, even on the best computer.

Gitano's Channel Map is already a tremendously ambitious project in that it will need to incorporate not one, but TWO, major world cities and their suburbs, each with their associated landmarks. Plus harbors, coastal defenses, and all the towns, roads, canals, and railroads in between.

It would more practical to have a map of England to the Ruhr be its own project. It could be done, since the distance from the SW coast of England to the Ruhr is less than 300 miles, but to limit the scope and size of the project, it would make sense to have the map be a long, narrow rectangle.

The north edge of the map could stretch from Ipswich to Munster, and the southern edge could stretch from Canterbury to Dortmund.

[stovak]

Originally Posted by arnoritter

There is a map spreading from england to dresden. If a modder can do it, a daidalos developer should be able to do it better.

If I'm not mistaken, the map you are thinking of is very limited in that it only has buildings in the target areas of Hamburg and Dresden. Other towns/cities like London, Berlin etc. are empty because the game can't handle a populated map of that size, so the map is very mission-specific.

I think the DT channel map is intended to be useful for any operations in the area covered, not just one particular target.

[Verdun1916]

Originally Posted by arnoritter

I think you are wasting an oppurtunity.

The map you are planning wouldn't bring anything new to the game.

WHAT???? Seriously? In what world "wouldn't" a channel map like this "bring anyhing new to the game"?

IT BRINGS THE ENGLISH CHANNEL AREA!!!! Both sides of it! Not just Normany without a proper British coastline. That is good enough for most of us! It brings the opportunity for all of us who DO NOT run modded versions of IL-2 to play and recreate arial combat ranging from 1940 until 1944 over an area that has not yet been represented properly in this game!

It brings a map that most of us have been wishing for for years and years! Basically since the first version of IL-2 came out!

So how could you even dare use words like "wasting an opportunity" or "wouldn't bring anything new" when we finally will get a geographical area represented that has been lacking for so long????

An English Channel map IS a GREAT addition to the stock game!!It will be loved and appreciated by the majority of the IL-2 Community all over the world, both players using mods and especially all of us who don't run mods!

I really can't thank TD enough for finally bringing a map like this to the stock game!!!

[TitusFlavius]

Originally Posted by Verdun1916

WHAT???? Seriously? In what world "wouldn't" a channel map like this "bring anyhing new to the game"?

IT BRINGS THE ENGLISH CHANNEL AREA!!!! Both sides of it! Not just Normany without a proper British coastline. That is good enough for most of us! It brings the opportunity for all of us who DO NOT run modded versions of IL-2 to play and recreate arial combat ranging from 1940 until 1944 over an area that has not yet been represented properly in this game!

It brings a map that most of us have been wishing for for years and years! Basically since the first version of IL-2 came out!

So how could you even dare use words like "wasting an opportunity" or "wouldn't bring anything new" when we finally will get a geographical area represented that has been lacking for so long????

An English Channel map IS a GREAT addition to the stock game!!It will be loved and appreciated by the majority of the IL-2 Community all over the world, both players using mods and especially all of us who don't run mods!

I really can't thank TD enough for finally bringing a map like this to the stock game!!!

+1