SWBF Series Compatibility

[Exclamation]

This question has been on my mind for a while, so I though I would spill my brains for general discussion.

How much of the assets for SWBF 1 will be compatible with SWBF 2, and visa-versa?

Will all of these maps people have made work in SWBF 2? Will people be able to use some SWBF 2 assest (.odf's, .msh's) work within SWBF 1 mods?

My guess is that at least texture files will work with both, so SWBF 1 modders will be able to use SWBF 2 textures in their maps, and the other way around. As far as everything else... I am not the programmer type, but I know many of you out there are.

"Tell me what you know!"

[Nimlot]

We still do not have very many details of what will and will not work yet, as much of the game is still unreleased (stuff not released in beta). But what I personally have seen, it does look textures and models should be able to be extracted, some odf data (some is the same, but there are commands added that were not in SWBF1, and are encoded in a way we will probably never know their function), and some others. One of the non-compatible areas are terrains and worlds. This could be because all the beta maps are not tradition land maps, or could be because the structure was changed around a bunch.

All that said, it doesn't really matter anyways. It's not like you are going to be able to just copy files over from SWBF2 into your SWBF1 directory. What will be possible is to use tools to extract the SWBF2 files themselves, and extract that to any desired format. Touching on your questions, I strongly doubt SWBF1 maps will work with SWBF2. They are hugely different games, but in time converters may appear, as it isn't such a big difference in the files themselves; the big changes are in the logic used.

[Riley75]

Nimlot, you have the beta files right? Wouldn't mind getting my hands on one of the world LVL files from it...

After reading some of the information on what was including in that timed demo (I think for the X-Box only?), I suspect they've included some kind of scripting capability. I read somewhere that one of the demo missions had objectives; and as each was completed, different things would happen (choice to use Obi-Wan, etc.). That right there tells me there are some additions that could have an impact on file structure. The various game modes would also have an impact (capture the flag, assault, etc.)

I'm definitely curious to find out how the space maps are constructed. Even the BF1 worlds like Bespin Platforms had a terrain in the data files -- it just wasn't used/visible, in the sense that you couldn't walk on it. It would be pointless to include any terrain data whatsoever in the space maps.

[Rends]

The Bespin terrain was dissabled in the sky lua but even if you don´t need it in game you need it in zeroeditor to make your object placements AI pathing ect...

[dipstick555]

so dose that mean with nimlots new tools we can make jango fett a hero in a mod map?

[EraOfDesann]

Or add ATRT's to a SWBF I mod map?

[dipstick555]

or can nimlots tools make maps yet?

[Inv8r]

Fred, as far as you know, is there anything preventing the use of fighters in land-based maps (as for example, platforms from BF1)? One thing I'd like to see ASAP from the community is a BF2 release of Platforms, probably the best of the BF1 maps, with the larger fly area, improved AI and graphics that BF2 offers, but there seems to have been a move on the devs parts to eliminate all flyers from maps, and all maps with flyers (except for Hoth). Was this a level design choice, or something in the code for the new flyers?

[Drawde]

I'd be interested to know the answer to this too.

Whilst I was never much of a fan of the Bespin Platforms map, I'd like to see some air support on at least
some of the planet-based BF2 maps! Especially the Gunship on Ep2 and 3 maps; as I mentioned before, not having
this vehicle on Geonosis is almost like not having the AT-AT on Hoth, it's such an iconic vehicle for this battle.

Based on BF1's patch record, I doubt we'll see any improvements or modifications to the existing
BF2 maps in an official patch, but it'd be nice to know if it's possible to add flying units (other
than the Snowspeeder) to land maps when (if?) the map/mod tools are released.

[Drawde]

Thanks for the info psych0fred. I was really thinking of gunships and troop transports rather than fighters, though.

Fighters and bombers felt fairly awkward on BF1's maps (other than Bespin Platforms), even on larger fan-made maps, and I don't miss them too much now that there are proper space battles.
However gunships, with their slower speed, turreted weapons, and troop transport capability, are much more suited to air support on planet-based maps, and I hope we'll see Republic Gunships and Seperatist MAFs (or HMPs as I think they're now called? - http://www.starwars.com/databank/vehicl ... index.html) in fan-made maps, if any are created.

(Maybe modders will be able to create "tweaked" versions of the fighter and bomber spacecraft, using the Snowspeeder as a template, which are more suited to land maps.)

I've another question to psych0fred or anyone else who knows: why does the ARC-170 not have a rear gunner crew position?
There are several other ships in BF2 which have multiple crew positions, and the ARC-170 (which is larger and somewhat less manoueverable than the other fighter-class spacecraft, particularly the Vulture Droids and Tri-Fighters which are its opponents) is rather vulnerable without a tailgunner.

[Teancum]

I'd be the ARC-170 went without a rear gunner position for gameplay balance purposes. It's probably to strong with a 3rd man.

[Orix]

The Arc 170 has three positions technically, two gunners and the pilot. Playing in those positions was not fun because you couldn't hit anything.

I play StarWars Galaxies, and the same is true for the ARC-170 in that too, which has an upper and lower turret at the back, plus the main guns for the pilot. The pilot has to be told to fly in straight lines at his target (so if he doesn't destroy it before he passes it, the gunners can pound the hell out of it) and not turn too quickly, which leaves the ship a little vulnerable (hence the need for good equipment), although if you have good gunners, it can be a very useful asset.