RO-Berezina_Beta

[Mike Nomad]

From AHZ's IB;
After 3+ years mapping for Q3 engine games, Slyk has released the beta of his first map for Red Orchestra - RO-Berezina! Epic in scale, this combined arms map relives the early stages of the German assault on Russia - Barbarossa. Please leave your comments on the beta in this thread. Key aspects we're looking for feedback on include overall balance and gameplay, FPS/Performance, any glitches or errors.

RO-Berezina_Beta1
August 14, 2006
by: Mark 'Slyk' Dittman
email: slyk@after-hourz.com
www.after-hourz.com/forum (http://www.after-hourz.com/forum)
© 2006. NO PART OF THIS PACKAGE MAY BE ALTERED IN ANY WAY FOR ANY PURPOSE.
Beta 1 Notes:
- NO Bot support. Bots may be added in future releases.
- AHz is working on development of a BT7 light tank for the Russian forces.
This will be added in future releases. At this time there are TWO
KV1 tanks for the Russians.
- VEHICLE spawns are LIMITED. 18 per vehicle, per location for German.
6 per vehicle per location for Russian. DO NOT WASTE THEM! Play smart.
- KV1's are DEFENSIVE weapons-do not lead assaults with them. You have too few!
- Reinforcement levels:
- German = 600
- Russian = 240

Known issues:
- Cover may be sparse in areas. Use combined arms when possible. Rely on smoke and artillery support. Public feedback will dictate modifications for future releases.
- Bot support. There is none.
- Spawn protection. None. May be added in Beta2.

==============
Scenario Background
==============

Late June/early July 1941

"Operation Barbarossa" has been underway for barely 10 days. German armored forces have taken Minsk, surrounded hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers, destroyed countless thousands of vehicles and are poised to strike toward Smolensk. The first major obstacle in Army Group Center's front is the Berezina River and it's rallied defenders. To reach Smolensk, and ultimately Moscow, it is vital to cross the Berezina as soon as possible. Russian 4th and 20th Army units rallied in various locations on both banks of the Berezina, and offered stiff resistance in several areas. Outgunned and out numbered at almost every turn, the RKKA stands firm.

In this scenario, only time is on the side of the Russian forces. Outnumbered at nearly 3 to 1 in infantry and more than 3 to 1 in armor, the Russian forces should do their best to hold each defensive position until lost. Recapture is out of the question on the majority of the map. Do not waste vital strength in counter-attacks. Only the village and AT gun objectives can be re-taken. It may be worth some lives to hold these two areas if attrition of German forces can be high. As a last ditch effort, fall back to the East Bank of the Berezina and hold.

German forces should seek to advance as fast as possible to gain as much ground as possible before the Russians can solidify a defense. Flank the defensive positions whenever possible. Frontal assaults will be very costly and may waste every opportunity for victory. You have one hour to secure a bridgehead on the East Bank. Get moving.

Either side can win the day, but it will demand teamwork and coordination of armor, transport, artillery and willing infantry.

Note: This map will be running 24/7 on Server #1 (ro1.after-hourz.com). Players can auto download the map just by joining. Players who want the map permanently, or server admins who want to run it on their server, you may http://www.after-hourz.com/ro/modules.php?...nload&cid=2 (http://www.after-hourz.com/ro/modules.php?op=modload&name=Downloads&file=index&req=viewdownload&cid=2).
Your feedback is requested please.
____________________________

This fantastic map... (wait 'till you see the gorgeous graphics and meticulous detail) is also running on the 24/7 RGN RO Server with auto download, fast redirect provided. Jump in and experience the masterful map making of AHZ's Slyk. This map is a jewel. :wink1:

[TruSlaughter]

We'll give it a go. I remember Slyk's work in uo, between he and Drecks they are, imo, 2 of the best mappers I've ever seen. :wink1:

[Mike Nomad]

Where you been??? I've looked for you in the mornings and afternoons. :B

[Mike Nomad]

Please let me know how the number stack up for: framerates; map-induced lag; player comments in-game; and general Axis vs Allied victory % and just how good it 'ends'.

Generally the frame rates are quite good. I saw no map induced lag. I did see the terrain anomolies. I got stuck in one spot in my tank on a fallen tree between a tree trunk and a stump. The player comments throughout the game were pretty much they liked it. They did however, complain about the weak German Armor a coupla times.

[TruSlaughter]

This is the very first beta of any map we have run on The Wild Bunch server.

Simply because it is stunning in scope and vision even at beta1 stage and it is made to an extremely high standard.
Like Drecks with Lazur AHZ prove again why they make battlefields while others make maps.

I hope it becomes a massive hit with the public because it will provide a real challenge for combined arms on RO. Right on Butch. i find this map great to play and it'll probably pack the servers just like Barbarossa did for UO. you can play it all day and not tire of it , I did however find a few things that need fixing 1) russian bot at farm 72 spawn kills u when it comes time to spawn at that point. 2) at the village C.P. 2nd floor if playing as russian and you crawl on the stacked crates going towards the roof you clip to the outside on the roof. i had german players try it and they could not get out. once again Slyk produces a great one. Thanks
:bravo: :bravo:

[Harvey]

It was a devestating blow for COD2 and an amazing coup for RO to have AHZ make maps.

I have yet to try this but i'll make sure I do in the next few days. If it's anything like their previous work i'll love it :wink1:

[Mike Nomad]

It was a devestating blow for COD2 and an amazing coup for RO to have AHZ make maps.

I have yet to try this but i'll make sure I do in the next few days. If it's anything like their previous work i'll love it :wink1:


You are in for a treat..... the map is gorgeous and he still has more planned for the map.

[Mike Nomad]

Yesterday, we played this map at least 5x. Each time it was a joy to play... sure, its Beta1 but for an early beta it SHINES!! Compared to some of the garbage that's being foisted upon the RO community, Berezina is comparable to a Joint Chief's strategy war-plan map.

Slyk's work has always been nothing short of superb. Berezina carries that tradition forward. As Slyk said, "If we can get working AT guns soon, YES, they will be secondary objectives that can be blown up only by satchel. I would also try to make them spawn at random locations each time the map loads."

Berezina brings mapping superiority to RO. Of this, there can be no doubt. :bravo:

[Phaser]

Would it be possible to add random Stuka flyby's to the AHZ battlefields in future releases? I believe the last patch or the previous one added the base code for planes.

[ANG3L]

:) Nice looking map, up & running on the clan server


Good map always seems to attract people to the server :) (Put it on the server & they will come) lol

[Heinz]

played nothing but this map this past weekend (except when I stopped by the RGN serfver when you guys were running BlackDayJuly for abit (oh, and Mike was in the tiger. surprise!! ;) ).

it's simply the best map in RO right now. requires team work to win, something for everyone to do, etc. simply fantastic.

[Mike Nomad]

http://www.after-hourz.com/misc/slyk/ro/berezinabeta2.jpg

********************
***** README *****
********************

RO-Berezina_Beta2
August 26, 2006
by: Mark 'Slyk' Dittman

email: slyk@after-hourz.com (slyk@after-hourz.com)
www.after-hourz.com/forum (http://www.after-hourz.com/forum)

(c) 2006. NO PART OF THIS PACKAGE MAY BE ALTERED IN ANY WAY FOR ANY PURPOSE.

Download link:http://www.after-hourz.com/misc/slyk/ro/beta/RO_Berezina_Beta2.zip (http://www.after-hourz.com/misc/slyk/ro/beta/RO_Berezina_Beta2.zip)

=============================================
CHANGE LOG: BETA 2
=============================================
++ BT7 PROTOTYPE ADDED! The T60 is being used as the base prototype for the BT7. This model has all of the characteristics of the BT7 and only LOOKS like the T60.
++ BT7 files MUST be installed to the /Common/Red Orchestra/System directory!!!
++ Server admins PLEASE be sure to configure your downloads appropriately.

=====================
Our model maker (Lex) broke his upper arm and our skin maker (Postman) was in an auto accident and had injuries to his eyes due to flying glass. If you can not hack driving the T60 eventhough it 'is' a BT7 in every way but looks, please play another map and reserve your complaints for something else. We are trying to make the best of the situation and take steps toward vehicle and map balance.
=====================


- NO BOT SUPPORT. They do not work and it's enough wasted hours.
- Repaired terrain errors/holes on east river bank rifle pits.
- Replaced most deco-layer wheat with static mesh wheat- Collective Farm fields.
- Collective Farm Capzone is now inside only, including the 'U' open ground at the well.
- Second Defesne Line Capzone is modified, smaller, encompasses all trench works.
- Village CP Capzone is now entirely inside the main house/CP.
- 'No Artillery' volumes added to cover all vehicle spawns.
- Spawn protection added over exposed positions, some minefields added to restrict enemy.
- North Road disabled KV tank: water added to better simulate 'stuck'.
- Improved optimization with zones and zone portals.
- Adjusted cull distance on eye-candy statics.
- Various terrain smoothing, painting, etc.


German Team changes:
- Additional Halftracks added to most German spawn locations.
- Tanker Crew now only carry pistol.
- Engineers now carry only Kar98, not MP40.

Russian Team changes:
- Russian reinforcements increased to 280 (beta1 = 240).
- Russian tankers: 'Crew' now only carry pistol.
- Engineers now carry M38 rifle in place of SMG.

______________________________


Here's Beta 2 and its Nice! Slyk has done it up even better... Wait 'till you try out the Russian BT7.

Its in our downloads and in our rotation along with Beach Assault b8. Check 'em out. You won't be disappointed.

[Mike Nomad]

From the RO Forums:

Slyk, do the new vehicle files need to set up for download?
If so I am not not sure that the redirect will allow multiple downloads to different folders?


Nah..... actually they xfer super fast as is and go right in the cache folder.... in fact, the only file xfer'ed is the "AHZ_ROVehicles.u" the other files are created by RO.

For Clients;
I tested with and without the files placed in the client system directory... and in either case, all worked well. That's because of the fast xfer of the 21k "AHZ_ROVehicles.u" file and its implementation by RO from the cache folder.

For Server Admins;
Only Server Admins need be concerned with ensuring the "AHZ_ROVehicles.u" is in the system directory. The little 1k files RO creates for you.


Beta2 is nothing less than I'd expect from Slyk and AHZ Crew. Its EXCELLENT!

To the two ailing guys... plz get well soon.

As usual... thnx Slyk for a great job!!

[Mike Nomad]

Finally, we get a map that seemingly caters to BOTH the infantry enthusiasts and the Tankers.... and still, there's bellyaching. Well it only goes to prove that ya can't please everyone.

Personally, I think the map is fantastic. Coupled with the plans Slyk has for the future updated version, I'd say it would be a prime candidate for a permanent slot in our server's rotation along with the BETTER stock maps and perhaps Orel and Kursk.

It seems that everytime Berezina comes up the server fills up.... much like it does when Arad is running. That, to me, sez it all. :wink1:

Having Slyk, Drecks and the AHZ Crew making custom maps for RO is our fortunate gain.

[Heinz]

who's complaining about Berezina? it's the only map I care to play. it's got it all! I can't imagine anyone having a valid complaint about it.

[TruSlaughter]

i think its great. i rate it as the best RO map out there and that includes the stock ones too:bravo: i like playing it as infantry even tho i'll sometimes tank