Hi all!
This post is gonna have quite lots of info. I finally compiled the Kar98k and MP-44 so you can all at last preview them ingame. Both look very sexy in my opinion. But that is not all! I have been experimenting with Xanim files editing and the result are new aim-down-sight animations for almost all stock CoD2 weapons. As an addition I reworked the Thompson's animation into more tasty look.
Texturing
The Kar98k is truly one of most beautiful weapons in Back2Fronts. Even the fact that it is still on old model doesn't seem to lower the overall impression. During the cooperation with Heavymetal on the creation of the Kar98k skin I decided to take a look onto existing Back2Fronts skins and make improvements if needed. These are: MP-40, MP-44, Bren Mk2, Garand M1, PPS-42, Grease Gun M3, TT-33, Webley and Browning M1919A6 (30cal). It is mostly just details - except from the MP-40 which looks significantly better over the last version. But Heavymetal already works on even better MP-40 skin.
Check out pictures of the Kar98k and the MP-40 below.
You can watch here, or use image section.
Animating
MP-44
The MP-44 turned out to be a killer weapon to play with the new animations. I don't know how to describe but it has kickass feel :-)
It still holds sounds from the Back2Fronts Visuals. I am thinking of change here (firesound). Anyway, check out the 2 ingame videos I took for you. The first one is just preview of all animation particles and the second one is already a gameplay video - MP-44 action in Beltot ("Prisoners of War" British mission).
You can watch here, or use video section.
CoD2 B2F MP-44 ingame test (pre-alpha)
Ingame preview of the MP-44 animation.
CoD2 B2F MP-44 in action (pre-alpha)
New MP-44 in action at Beltot ("Prisoners of War" British mission).
Aim-down-sight animations
Some of you probably already played a realism mod which lowered the insane and enourmous zoom on scopeless (nonscope) weapons. It is of course nice but it had a very serious sideeffect - player's eyes were too far away from the weapon itself while aiming. It was because stock CoD2 animations were made for such a big zoom.
I was experimenting with that problem and I found a solution. I discovered a way how to edit X-axis values in Xanim files. X-axis value controls the "distance" between weapon and player. As a result new aim-down-sight animations for almost all stock CoD2 weapons were made.
As a bonus I reworked the Thompson's animation into more tasty look. See both changes in the video below.
CoD2 B2F Aim-Down-Sight Tweak (pre-alpha)
Montage of British, German and American weapons with changed aim-down-sight animations.
That is quite all for now. MCh2207Cz
I started thinking what to write and I couldn't choose which of the updates I liked the most. I LIKE EVERYTHING. You are doing an amazing job. These flashing pickup icons are nice. Everything is super cool. I can't actually describe it how awesome it all is.
P.S. I played a brand new custom mission "Red square massacre" by taintxs and I thought that You should add that map to the mod. Map was superb.
Overall, GOOD JOB!
Thx for nice words :-)
The flashing icons will be switchable option in Back2Fronts menu (flashing/nonflashing/invisible).
I also played the RSM map. Very good job done.