Updates: Retrospective Look (!!!SUPER META!!!) news - C&C Generals Zero Hour: Enhanced mod for C&C: Generals Zero Hour

Ello again friends, looks like we're back at, well, looking back at things (that didn't quite age well) and updating the updates! Even more meta than meta facebook!

And no, I don't mean the earlier versions of the mod or the cringe models I attempted to make when I was 15 (plz don't look it up.) What I meant is the PLA vehicles stuff particularly the earlier stuff like the Battle-master, the Troop Crawler, the Overlord, etc.

So, what exactly went wrong and right and why is there a need for a renovation of said stuff? Or, to freshen up so to speak.

So, back when I was creating the the first batch of vehicles, I couldn't really decided whether to make the vehicles all the way "realistic" or to make them in accordance to vZH designs.

The problem arose when deciding which elements to keep, which to ditch or which to add without going all the way down either end of the said spectrum which I couldn't really get it right, well, right away. So I just stuck with the old design principle same as how I did it before.

What I came up with quite later was the idea of realistic vehicles with the charm of vZH (colour scheme, wacky armaments, etc.) designs still attached as you could kinda see morbing throughout the PLA vehicle updates (no consistency lol)

With that said, let's start with the first vehicle I've done ever since these past few years: the Battle-master.

Ah yes, one of the vehicles that suffered greatly from the old design principle of vZH design first, realism later.

Despite claiming to the ZTZ-88A, the apparent turret shape is just wacky, comedically large and more adherent to vZH style. Sure, at the first it looked fine when comparing to the vZH Crusader but it looked worse and worse the more I added new vehicles.

What's also closer to the vZH design is the lack of exhaust which when I look back at now, I could only utter "HUH?" I guess I could have pass the exhaust as the rear vents but it just look wrong when even the Scorpion has exhaust pipes.

Another feature of vZH Battle-master that was kept was the front grills. I guess it looked cool but when you do extensive research into contemporary combat vehicles, it's just out of place and just doesn't any sense at all so I had to ditch it.

The barrel was also just plainly textured when in reality, barrel of different designs does indeed have lines running across it.

And lastly, the wide and THICC treads. Don't really know I was thinking really. It doesn't make any sense for any treads to be that THICC. I guess I just use the same mesh as vZH and called it a day or something? (lol)

So with the new design I had to salvage from whatever is left. And now, All of those problems are fixed and more consistently aligned with all the other stuff I made.

Another vehicle that suffered greatly was the Troop Crawler.

Like, the whole damn thing didn't look like the actual ZSL-10 APC at all. It just looked like vZH Troop Crawler but a bit taller and more modern.

This is because I couldn't find the damn blueprints so I just make it out of thin air by looking at pixelated photos and trying my best to make another vZH Troop Crawler lol.

And this aged very poorly and became very cringey to look at.

As you know, cringe can be a very powerful tool for a person to improve their craft. So powerful in fact, that I just deleted it entirely, search for the blueprints and remade the whole damn thing. And now we don't have to speak about it anymore and you can just wipe it from your memories.

Damn, I can't believe I nailed the Troop Crawler design first try. I'm so good.

And lastly, the Overlord.

Although, didn't quite suffer that much from the same faults as the two mentioned above, the lack of deep details and in its place, flat details still made it quite dated.

What do I mean by this? Well, in the earlier designs, I deployed what I call the "black lines and bolts" a lot and perhaps too much. This is what I call "flat details" and no, this has no basis on reality whatsoever; it just looked cool imo.

I never got rid of it completely because when deployed in moderation in addition to what I call the "bevels and hinges" or "deep details," it looked great imo. And no, this mostly has no basis on reality either except for hatches.

So with that in mind, when you inspect the first version of the Overlord, you can see an abundance of these flat details that are not as present in my later works. The solution is simple really, just add the deep details everywhere while keeping some flat details then get rid of the other issues the Battle-master also had (grills, lack of exhaust, plain barrels, etc.)

And just like that, the Overlord looks new again!

"But what of the other vehicles?" you may ask. Well, I also updated plenty of them as well although not to the same extent as these three. In particular, most had the same THICC treads issue and the lack of exhaust that was quite easy to fix.

Nevertheless, I will update their renders as well so you could have a look at what has been changed which can be found here: Facebook.com (don't wanna flood moddb media section)

On a last note and most importantly, when speaking of "Retrospective Look", I think it is VERY CRUCIAL especially at times such as this to look at the history of modern conflicts and how they came to be through a critical lens.

And so, C&C Generals can be somewhat paralleled to what's happening irl, etc. whether you wanna admit it or not, it's a very political game and a very biased one at that. And no, they didn't predict anything. History is repeating itself once again. It's just the history most people probably don't know about because they weren't taught for a reason.

It's so easy just to take the news and headlines at face value while your favourite cute news anchor calls for the annihilation of a group of people because they're deviants, barbaric, savages, etc. that they're gonna replace your race, coming for your freedom or eat your children or something completely unhinged with a few "evidences" that paints the entire group of people based on inherent characteristics as such.

After all, they surely must be correct right? Every news channels in existence whether in your TV, your PC or your phone keeps telling you the same damn thing. They're the "professionals" after all, surely they must know the information they're telling you is 100% the reality. Wrong.

So what of the "critical lens" exactly? Well, it's a way of looking at things in which would inform you that although the antagonists may seem to change faces every now or so, whether its the GLA, the GIN, the Arabs, the Jews, the Africans, the Latin Americans, the Soviets, the Vietnamese, the Chinese, the Koreans, the Gays or whatever being labeled as the so-called "Terrorists" or "Vermins", there are things that remain constant: colonisation, exploitation, imperialism, fascism, you named it are part of same the ruling ideology: capitalism

Well, if you ask me "Why bother changing things? Things are comfortable for me already, I don't mind seeing my fellow human beings being erased out of existence, treated like second class citizens or marginalised to the edge of the society just because they're born where they are or born that way" and I would tell you, this: Things might be fine for you now but when there's no one left, they're going to come for you and they would be no one else there to speak for you or your future generations. You'll be completely isolated and be easy pickings.

So yes, better start rethinking how the rich stays rich and how they actively gaslighting you to hate each other based on what, like how they eat, how they live, how they dress, colour of their hair, colour of their skin, which way they love, how they were born, how annoying they are or how a bit weird they might seem at first glance?

All trivial stuff to hyperfocus on and rage about especially every damn time a new piece of media features a black gay character or something or new tabloid article is released claiming the SJWs are ruining muh media. Save your anger and frustration. It's rather childish to direct it those who don't deserve it. Live and let live as a wise person once say? Maybe learn a few new things from them like reading a new lore from a fantasy faction.

Also, how does that affects anyone in meaningful way exactly when our collective rice pots and the planet itself are on the line, hmm? Maybe we should be responsible adults for once, stop fighting, get together and do something meaningful about it, perhaps??? Just a food for thought, of course. Just speaking my mind so don't get any funny ideas, hahaha :)

Sorry for the rant, had to get it our of my system. Anyway, I completely forgot what I was talking about. And that's exactly what's in the next update so stay tune! Bye!