JTS First World War Campaigns (End of the Belle Epoque II)

Started by Philippe, October 16, 2018, 11:31:45 AM

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Philippe

End of the Belle Epoque II
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(JTS FWWC France '14 and East Prussia '14)

Here are some screenshots from the latest incarnation of my End of the Belle Epoque mod which works with the new JTS versions. 

Fog of war off so you can see what both sides are doing.


From France '14:
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Most of the units are battalions, squadrons, or batteries.

The screenshots have been updated to reflect the current state of the mod.






































From East Prussia '14:
----------------------

Most of the units are battalions, squadrons, or batteries.

The screenshots have been updated to reflect the current state of the mod.







































This is the second incarnation of my End of the Belle Epoque mod.

It is designed to work with the JTS version of the game. (If you have the HPS version get in touch with support at JTS and they will help you upgrade to the JTS version). 

The original mod came out shortly after France '14 was first released, and has been updated several times since.

Since the initial HPS release of France '14 the graphics have undergone quite a few changes.  This version of the Belle Epoque mod works with the new JTS graphics, and has been co-ordinated and harmonized with a sister mod for East

Prussia '14.

This is a graphics mod, and only effects the 2D and 3D textures.

The mod does two things. 

First, it uses a color palette that is a bit more in keeping with traditional maps, though it preserves many of the features of the JTS graphics.

Second, it separates the hex grid from the background map textures, as in the original.  This way you have the option of viewing the map with or without the hexgrid.  That's why the original design had a 'show hexgrid' settings option.

The mod uses a few of its own conventions that you need to be aware of. 

Improved positions, trenches, and obstacles are represented by different color shadings super-imposed on the map.

Headquarters units are color-coded so that you can tell at a glance how far up the chain of command a particular HQ unit is.  Brigade HQ's have no color filling, Divisional HQ's have black filling, Corps HQ's have red filling, Army HQ's

are white outlined with red, and Army Group HQ'are white outlined with black.

The mod uses a red circular aiming reticle for fire and shock combat.  This isn't cast in stone, and might change if I ever come up with something I like better.

The mod includes distinct destop icons for France '14 and East Prussia '14. 


The mod for France '14 works with the later of the two Volcano Man graphics mods (but not the original).  Ed hasn't made a graphics mod for East Prussia '14 (yet), but if he ever does I will make whatever adjustments are needed.

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The mods can be downloaded from here:


For France '14:

https://app.box.com/s/9zw7gckkt9ha5fssicmvs9oz1s23mxc6

https://www.dropbox.com/s/gnyhh88t4uhwhlf/Belle%20Epoque%20II%20%28France%20%2714%29%203.2b.zip?dl=0


For East Prussia '14:

https://app.box.com/s/ry35ox8jtzxau2iedac23d70z8cxmfht

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lk6j4h52nke08tj/Belle%20Epoque%20II%20%28East%20Prussia%20%2714%29%203.2b.zip?dl=0

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To learn more about JTS First World War Campaigns go here:


https://john-tiller-software.myshopify.com/collections/first-world-war-campaigns



For France '14 go here:

http://www.johntillersoftware.com/WWICampaigns/France14.html



For East Prussia '14 go here:

http://www.johntillersoftware.com/WWICampaigns/EastPrussia14.html



and for both of them, go here:

https://john-tiller-software.myshopify.com/collections/first-world-war-campaigns





Every generation gets the Greeks and Romans it deserves.


History is a bad joke played by the living on the dead.


Senility is no excuse for feeblemindedness.


Gusington



слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

ArizonaTank

Great stuff!!!

I know JTS is pretty tight-lipped about upcoming projects...but I would love to see this game series ported to 1918 on the Western Front and 1915-1916 on the Eastern Front.
Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.

Philippe

France '14 and East Prussia '14 have both been upgraded to version 1.1.

The links in the first post of this thread will take you to the latest version.

What's changed is that the Belle Epoque mod is now using a different set of symbols for broken terrain and planted fields.

The broken terrain symbol is quite common near Mons and between Dunkirk and Antwerp in France '14.

The field terrain is one of the most common textures in East Prussia '14.

I don't have any screenshots that show this yet because I'm busy working on a solution to the 3D terrain problem. 

If things pan out there will be another release in about a week.
Every generation gets the Greeks and Romans it deserves.


History is a bad joke played by the living on the dead.


Senility is no excuse for feeblemindedness.

Old TImer

Couldn't find version 1.1 on the products page in the JTS website......is it out already?

Philippe

Quote from: Philippe on October 21, 2018, 02:21:46 PM

The links in the first post of this thread will take you to the latest version.


Both France '14 and East Prussia '14 are way beyond version 1.1.

Last time I looked the JTS website does not post links to mods.
Every generation gets the Greeks and Romans it deserves.


History is a bad joke played by the living on the dead.


Senility is no excuse for feeblemindedness.

Philippe

Screenshots from the latest version of the mod:




Antwerp





The Channel





Mons





Paris




Ypres





Koenigsberg





Gumbinnen





Masurian Lakes
Every generation gets the Greeks and Romans it deserves.


History is a bad joke played by the living on the dead.


Senility is no excuse for feeblemindedness.

Philippe

I've uploaded version 2.0 of the Belle Epoque mod (France '14 and East Prussia '14). 

You can download it from the appropriate links in the first post of this thread.

I don't have screenshots yet, but I've taken a stab at improving the 3D textures.

It isn't the solution of my dreams, but it's an improvement.

I don't think anyone would want to play in 3D instead of 2D, but the 3D view can be useful ffom time to time when the terrain in the 2D view doesn't click.

A real solution would be dependant on rewriting part of the program, and unless John Tiller quits his day job, that ain't gonna happen.
Every generation gets the Greeks and Romans it deserves.


History is a bad joke played by the living on the dead.


Senility is no excuse for feeblemindedness.

Philippe

I've uploaded version 3.0 of the End of the Belle Epoque II (France '14 and East Prussia '14).

You can download it from the appropriate links in the first post of this thread.

After much gnashing of teeth I've launched a major overhaul of the 3D textures.  I'm not finished yet, but the 3D screens are in good enough shape that my eyes don't bleed when I look at them.

My current idea is to live with the mod in its present state for a couple of months and try to get a handle on how to integrate it into my gameplay.

I'm hoping that that will suggest the next round of improvements. 

Here are a few screenshots of the 3D textures:












Every generation gets the Greeks and Romans it deserves.


History is a bad joke played by the living on the dead.


Senility is no excuse for feeblemindedness.

Philippe

I've updated the mod to version 3.2 and it can be downloaded from the links in the first post of this thread.

The unit colors of the British, French, and Russians have been adjusted, along with a few minor corrections.
Every generation gets the Greeks and Romans it deserves.


History is a bad joke played by the living on the dead.


Senility is no excuse for feeblemindedness.

IICptMillerII

Wow, very impressive!

Just wondering, did you make any new maps for these projects?

Philippe

Not sure I follow what you mean by making new maps.

These are graphic mods only, and they use whatever a particular scenario happens to summon up.

Among other things, that means that a player using one of my mods can play against someone who doesn't, and there will be no difference that the game engine can recognize.

(The only real difference is that someone using my mod will have an easier time distinguishing between brigade, division, corps, and army hq's because in my mod these are color coded).

I wish the France '14 game map would get extended to the Swiss border, but every comment I've ever heard from Ed suggests it ain't gonna happen.
Every generation gets the Greeks and Romans it deserves.


History is a bad joke played by the living on the dead.


Senility is no excuse for feeblemindedness.

Old TImer

I'm unable to find any updates or patches for France 1914.  Does anybody have a link or is there nothing to find?

Philippe

Look at the end of of the first post in this thread, after the screenshots.  There are separate links for the latest versions of the France '14 mod and the East Prussia '14 mod.
Every generation gets the Greeks and Romans it deserves.


History is a bad joke played by the living on the dead.


Senility is no excuse for feeblemindedness.