Forgotten Hope Public Forum
Announcements => Developer Blogs => Topic started by: Ts4EVER on 06-02-2016, 20:02:27
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Hello and welcome back to another Forgotten Hope 2 devblog.
With the release of Forgotten Hope 2.5 imminent, I thought it would be a good idea to take a closer look at the 5 new maps that will be released with it.
Arad (Made by hitm4k3r)
On the 14th of September 1944, the 2nd Ukrainian Front under General Malinovsky launched it's own Belgrade Offensive in conjunction with the 3rd Ukrainian Front. Six days later Arad was captured by Romanian and Soviet troops after engagements with Hungarian forces. By the end of September 1944, Malinovsky and General Friessner had received new orders. Malinovsky was now ordered to attack towards Budapest from the salient to the south around Arad, meanwhile Friessner's orders included an attack from Oradea to slice through the Soviet lines and capture the Carpathian passes. With the start of the Battle of Debrecen on the 6th of October 1944, Malinovsky's southern pincer was attacking near Arad slicing through the Hungarian Third Army. The attack by the northern 2nd Ukrainian Front pincer ran into difficulty quickly though, colliding with two panzer divisions of the German III Panzer Corps - the 1st and 23rd Panzer Division.
(http://i.imgur.com/Ed9YxlW.png)
This map was inspired by the popular Red Orchestra map of the same name. Germans and Russians will clash in a rural Hungarian landscape characterised by forests, small villages and fields. A river divides the battlefield in two parts, making controlling the fords and bridges crossing it of the utmost importance.
Both sides have a varied selection of late 1944 vehicles and equipment, up to heavy tanks and tank destroyers. While the tanks duel in the fields, the infantry can stalk them from the woods or occupy some of the villages and farm buildings scattered across the map. This allows for various playing styles and tactics to be used.
Pegasus Bridge (Made by otolikos)
The first objectives of D-Day were two bridges spanning the Caen canal and Orne river, codenamed "Pegasus" and "Horsa". The plan called for a glider-borne surprise attack in order to overwhelm the ill-equipped defenders as fast as possible. After this was accomplished, the paratroopers were to dig in and wait for reinforcements coming in from Sword Beach. While this part of the plan worked well, the Germans reacted quickly and as the sun rose on the morning of the 6th of June 1944, tanks and armored infantry of the 21st Panzerdivision closed in on the beleaguered bridgehead.
(http://i.imgur.com/8QDD0ll.png)
This map is unusual, and not only because it is the only one set in France released in 2.5! The German objectives are the iconic Pegasus Bridge, as well as the nearby Horsa Bridge. How they achieve their goal is up to them: They can attack the British perimeter from one of three mainbases. The British paratroopers will have to mount a defense on all sides shifting their forces from one hotspot to the next in order to keep the Germans and their tanks at bay. Will they be able to hold out until reinforcements from the beaches arrive? This setup is made possible by the new "adaptive push" gamemode, which will also be put on several older maps.
The two bridges and the Chateau de Benouville have been faithfully recreated. New British paratrooper models and captured French tanks in service with the 21st Panzer Division round out this authentic and unusual map.
Sammatus (Made by Snoox, Kev4000, Schism -RvtL- and Fuchswiesel)
After securing the crossing of the river Syväri in East-Karelia, the Red Army advanced towards the Finnish Pisi-Saarimäki-Sammatus line. The PSS-line was adequately prepared to face the formidable adversaries, but sections of the defenses were still unfinished. On 23rd of June 1944, the Red Army conducted an amphibious landing at Tuulos on the shores of lake Ladoga just north of the PSS-line and on the 24th the fighting at the line itself commenced. The Red Army managed to puncture a hole in the Finnish defenses at Pisi. With the dire situation at Tuulos, Major General Aarne Blick gave the order to withdraw and abandon the PSS-line in order to avoid any Finnish troops getting trapped in the pocket. However, the message didn't reach the defenders of Sammatus until a day later...
(http://i.imgur.com/ECjRBCh.png)
The smallest map in the upcoming patch, this one is focussed on infantry fighting. The forested terrain, zig-zagged by Finnish trenches, favors the use of submachine guns and hand grenades, while the few Russian tanks supporting the assault will be easy pickings for Finns armed with Panzerfausts and satchel charges, not to mention the various antitank gun emplacements.
If the Russians manage to break through the PSS-Line into the Finnish hinterland, they will still have to clear the village of Sammatus itself.
Dukla Pass (Made by Ts4EVER)
On the 8th of September 1944, elements of the 1st and 4th Ukrainian Front began an offensive through the Carpathian mountains with the aim of gaining their first foothold in Slovakia and supporting a resistance uprising there. What was supposed to take a handful of days dragged out into many weeks as Soviet forces ran up against stiff resistance from the 1st Panzer Army and 1st Hungarian Army. On the 25th of October, a major tank battle broke out in the valleys west of the village of Dobroslava, as Soviet forces tried to outflank remaining German positions. The fighting was fierce enough that the area came to be known as The Valley of Death.
(http://i.imgur.com/zjO89Io.png)
This map is characterised by long line of sight and a rough and hilly terrain, with valleys cut into the mountains by clear creeks and streams. On the slopes of the so called "valley of death" German and Russian tank wrecks and craters serve as cover for more tanks and infantry men, as new forces are fed into the battle. In the nearby village of Kruzlova, the Germans have a powerful reverse slope position, allowing them to shell any Russian tank cresting the hill with long range antitank fire.
On this huge, autumn themed map, tankers can prove their skills at duelling over great distances, as T34s and Panthers face each other in the Carpathian mountains.
Seelow Heights (Made by Schism -RvtL-, Stubbfan and Ts4EVER)
After more than 5 years of fighting, the Second World War is drawing to a close. Only one major obstacle stands between the Red Army and their ultimate prize: the capital of Germany, Berlin. The remnants of the once mighty Wehrmacht are digging in on the Seelow Heights, a commanding terrain feature overlooking the flat Oder river plains, muddy and flooded in this cold, wet spring. The battle opens to the thunder of 20000 guns pounding the German positions.
(http://i.imgur.com/S0hHlaX.png)
This is not only the last map in this list, but also the latest map in FH2, set in April 1945, shortly before the end of the war. As in real life, the Red Army has a huge material advantage in tanks, artillery and planes, but they will need it: The terrain is open, the Germans are well dug in and every ditch, every bunker and every bombed out house might have a Panzerfaust lying in ambush.
In this sector push map, the Russians have to clear three areas: The Oder river valley, dominated by a manor and a trainstation, the heavily fortified Seelow Heights and the completely destroyed village of Seelow itself, where the Germans have barricaded themselves in an apartment complex and a church. It might be the last battle, but it won't be an easy one!
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Awesome descriptions and great graphic. Well done.
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Some heavy fighting awaits us....
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All of them look marvellous. Cant wait! ;D
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Amazing. As per usual, stunning detail and graphics. I am always amazed what kind of optical quality you guys could create with only the refractor engine.
Question regarding the maps:
Any confirmation wether or not there will be Bot support on 2.5 release? If only partly, which of these have a navmesh? Last info afaik is there wouldn't be Coop support, but maybe something has changed?
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There won't be coop support because we don't have a navmesher atm.
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Damn, those maps will be awesome...
I really want to play Sammatus!!! ;D
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There won't be coop support because we don't have a navmesher atm.
I really hope we get SP for them in the future thought
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This is the first modern dev blog! And this is what FH2 needs!! Just look at grafic of pictures above!!
Really really nice work developers 8)
And its time (maybe) to modernize our Main page in this stile.This is what attracts new players immideatly (and standalone of course)
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Thanks for the clarification. Such a shame, I hoped you might have found someone to do the navmesh. I'll have to work on a temporary fix for that in the meantime and see what is possible.
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GREAT!
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Do you guys want to make any aditional Africa and France maps in the future? Or were that all major battles?
Not that I wouldn't want the eastern maps, I'm just curious. ;)
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I won't promise anything, but there is a possibility that you might see some more Western European maps in the future. But this is dependend on a couple of different circumstances, especialy of how much time devs can spent on future content in their spare time. EF is the focus right now and there is still some interesting stuff for after 2.5 in the pipeline.
Anyway, 2.5 is finaly coming and that's what has most attention right now. :)
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there is still some interesting stuff for after 2.5 in the pipeline.
"Smaller, more frequent updates", they said. :P
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Nobody said anything about "small" :P
Jokes aside, we can't predict development timelines. This release is the best example of how plan can change. According to how stuff works with 2.5, there might be some adjustments or hotfixes needed, similar how stuff was handled with Omaha for example. So incase maps have serious issues we will have to adress them in a timely fashion. For the stuff in the pipeline we will handle it as always: so it is done when it's done. Ofcourse we hope to get it delivered asap, but as you know, FH2 is a hobby for us and not our daily job. Though sometimes it doesn't seem like it, when I look a Gavrants commitment. ;D
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Awesome maps....hope they will be as interesting as your description is...can't wait to play!!!
Thanks for all the good work! :)
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awesome looks verry nice ;D will bot support be added over time or not at all? :o
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Ofcourse we hope to get it delivered asap, but as you know, FH2 is a hobby for us and not our daily job. Though sometimes it doesn't seem like it, when I look a Gavrants commitment. ;D
;D
Keep on good work Gavrant!
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Setting a new High quality standard of FH2 maps
Like having sex & drugs the first time
The waiting time has been worth every second.
Optimized 102% No lag or stutter
Under heavy combat fps drops runs smoove
99% bugfree
Even my ping seems more stable :D
With Pegasus and Sammatus in this patch. Why would anyone want to play Squad or Finnwars ?
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I must say, Seelow Heights must be one of most atmospheric maps on FH2. I only played as russians and advancing to first flag was job as it is and then I see the hill with gun emplacements :o. We never managed to advance past third flag, but I can alrady see this map being rather well balanced, with quite strong russian armor that can really seize enemy movement, but on the other hand, enough cover for germans to still have a fighting chance.
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My personal favorite one is Arad. The atmosphere is very nice and almost every aspect of battle is available. Plus, there seems to be no balance issue, both Germans and USSR have a high chance of winning the map. And the detail is just incredible!
Overally the new version rocks in every way. Thank you developers!
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I was wondering what the songs are called for each map, I remember one map has a song about Yankees but I can't remember which map nor the exact lyrics. Anyone who can lend a hand here?
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my bet is that you mean Dukla Pass loading screen song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EI3u80z1qKo (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EI3u80z1qKo) ;)
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Thank you, Jan! That is indeed the one.
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lol I didn't like the song at first because it's a bit stupid but after listening to it like 10 times I start liking it. xD
Personally I would have loved to hear a song like this instead of an American song :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLi0Fxfqtdk
Or maybe the farewell of slavianka.
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Why not Katjusha or something even less original and less creative, Hauggy? Stalin Wasn't Stallin' fits the scenario and period of the war pretty well. Dukla Pass battle took place about 3 months after D-Day, and after listening to the lyrics for the first time, I had to admit it's a very good music choice :)
Btw, FH2 already used Sacred War in the 2.50 teaser.
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Why not Katjusha or something even less original and less creative, Hauggy? Stalin Wasn't Stallin' fits the scenario and period of the war pretty well. Dukla Pass battle took place about 3 months after D-Day, and after listening to the lyrics for the first time, I had to admit it's a very good music choice :)
Btw, FH2 already used Sacred War in the 2.50 teaser.
It might not be very original, i'm just a big fan of the Red army choirs. :)
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New maps, new overviews!
Like last time, I made some pictures explaining what the new maps are all about. Enjoy!
Lenino (Made by Aserafimov)
On 12 October 1943, near the village of Lenino in the Mogilev Oblast, the Polish 1st Tadeusz Kościuszko Infantry Division prepared to enter action for the first time, under the auspices of the Soviet created "Polish Army of the East." This battle was supposed to mark the beginning of Polish-Soviet fraternity and strengthen combat association between their soldiers. Yet, with Polish morale low as most soldiers had only just been released from Soviet Gulags, and the promised Soviet armoured, aerial, and artillery support never showing, the Tadeusz Kościuszko Division would face a fiery combat debut against the battle hardened 113th and 337th Infantry Divisions.
(https://i.imgur.com/XbVNHyU.png)
Our first new map introduces the Poles to Forgotten Hope 2. In the first stage of their assault, they have to break the German outpost line by taking the two villages on the eastern side of the Mereya river. Once they have achieved this, these flags are locked and the Polish forces have to cross the river to take out the main German positions, including a dominating hill covered in trenches and barbed wire, as well as the town of Lenino that gives the map its name. Both sides have infantry, planes, artillery and tanks at their disposal, including several new assets:
The Poles use the T70 light tank, the T34/76 M41, the PO2 bomber and the Maxim AA truck. The Germans have some new toys as well, namely the Faustpatrone (an early version of the Panzerfaust), the Stuka Kanonenvogel and of course the Ferdinand tank destroyer.
Studienka (Made by Ts4EVER)
Operation Bagration, the big Soviet summer offensive of 1944, is only 7 days old and Army Group Center is gripped by utter chaos. The remnants of defeated German divisions are streaming west, hoping to find a safe crossing over the Berezina river. Brushing aside stragglers and bypassing strongpoints, the 3rd Guards Tank Corps closes in on the village of Studienka, where Napoleon's Grande Armee made their desperate crossing more than 100 years ago. On the other side of the river, the first elements of the 5th Panzer division approach the same bridge, hoping to hold open a route of retreat for their comrades.
(https://i.imgur.com/xfDVXdS.png)
A meandering, natural river curves through the center of this map, dividing it into two banks. Both banks feature Belorussian villages, characterized by small wood huts, straight roads and big private gardens. There are also wooded areas, which can be used by the infantry to ambush tanks and move around the map covertly. With the swampy area around the stream impossible to cross by tanks and even infantry, controlling the three crossing sites becomes of the utmost importance, especially the bridge in the middle.
With its huge flagzone and no buildings or other cover it might seem easy to attack, but holding it can be really tricky, since there are no spawn points attached to this control point.
Both sides receive large numbers of medium tanks and mobile artillery, leading to exciting tank duels in the foggy morning atmosphere.
Ihantala (Made by Flippy Warbear and hitmaker)
June 1944, Karelian Isthmus. On the 28th, as the gruelling battle of Tali rages on, Finnish reinforcements from East Karelia arrive at the village of Ihantala and are immediately thrown into the combat. After fending off the Red Army in southern Ihantala, Major General Vihma’s 6th Division begin preparing their defenses. The bitter fighting at Tali had become a lost cause. Therefore on the 30th, under the orders of Lt.General Oesch, the Finns reorganise into a new defensive line. The Red Army attacks Ihantala on the same day. With support from their powerful artillery, along with the German Luftwaffe detachment Kuhlmey and the 303rd Sturmgeschutz Brigade, the Finns brace themselves for the relentless Red Army assaults ...
(https://i.imgur.com/31hFSEs.png)
Overwhelming Russian armor and artillery meet Finnish defenders with anti-tank guns and Panzerfausts. If the Red Army manages to cross the river and advance in this adaptive push map, the Finns will receive support from German assault guns as well. Air Power also plays a role in deciding who comes out on top in this blasted and destroyed battlefield, with Stukas hunting Russian tanks and IL2s trying to blast the Finns out of their trench systems.
This map features all the new Finnish content, as well as new skins for German and Russian vehicles.
Ogledow (Made by Ts4EVER)
After rupturing the German front and destroying army group center during the great summer offensive of 1944, Russian forces are pouring into eastern Poland. They seized several bridgeheads over the river Vistula, thus crushing German hopes of using it as a new defensive line. In an attempt to throw the enemy spearheads back across the Vistula, the Germans are massing their forces near the town of Staszow, including some of the new super-heavy Tiger II tanks.
(https://i.imgur.com/BX9pQ5y.png)
In this sector push map, the Germans are on the attack and have to clear three successive sectors. They are supported by two kingtiger tanks, but they will need them: The terrain is very open and as the attackers advance further, they face heavier and heavier Soviet armor. The Russians need to use mines, delaying tactics, cleverly placed antitank guns and their more maneuverable tanks to survive the enemy onslaught.
Featuring duels between the heaviest armor in this game, this map caters to the tankers especially. In the hands of artillery enthusiasts, the new 120mm PM43 mortar will bring death and destruction to the attacking Germans.
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nice! love the graphics on these
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This patch is full of new designs of maps! Very interesting concepts and placing of main bases! Good job :D
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I've only just got back into playing Battlefield 2 after almost a decade long hiatus and am astounded how much has been accomplished over that time. I loved the game so much i played it virtually every day (apart for a few months following a road traffic accident)from its release until 2009. I used to beta test for several mappers (Hayabusa, Homegrown, The Dark, Foachman, Shane John, BierPizzaChips, Ray Clovis and Big Foot) as well as three mods (Mercenaries, The Marines and MCC mods), but eased off as those mappers went on to other things and when family, life and other games such as ArmA, The Elder Scrolls drew me away from the game.
I'd been hankering to play the game for a while, but only recently reinstalled the game (via Steam) and have slowly been downloading some of my favorite mods from back them. Forgotten Hope has changed so much since i last played it. I'm so impressed. I noticed this thread hadn't been replied to for quite some time. i just wanted to introduce myself and say a massive thank you to all those involved in keeping this amazing mod alive and kicking.
THANKYOU.
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Always nice to see some oldies back!! FH2 keeps improving!
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It is that time again...
Like every release, here are some previews of the new maps.
Motovskiy Bay (Made by Ts4EVER)
The arctic front was one of the most inhospitable theaters of the Second World War: a rugged moonscape of mountains, boulders and boggy lakes. Despite these obstacles and the freezing temperatures, the Soviet 12th Naval Infantry Brigade launched an amphibious assault across Motovskiy Bay with the aim of cutting off the retreat of the 6th Gebirgsjaeger Division. The Red Army was able to seize a bridgehead, but the German mountaineers launched a counter attack on the 4th of May 1942.
The German commander issued orders to advance towards Hoehe 172.3, in the hopes of pushing the Russians back into the bay. Soon the German mountaineers and the Russian marines would be locked in deadly combat for the roof of the world.
(https://i.imgur.com/35l5wmJ.png)
Snipers, machine gunners and sneaky players will enjoy this infantry map, which is characterised by long lines of sight and a harsh, rocky landscape. Set in the first half of 1942, it is the earliest map on the Eastern Front and it features weapon loadouts not previously seen in FH2 (or almost any game, for that matter), including large numbers of Tokarev rifles, exploding bullets for German snipers, silenced Russian rifles and the rare PPD series of submachineguns, ancestors to the famous PPsh41.
To hold back the German tide, the Soviets can load canister rounds into their 45mm guns, effectively turning them into giant shotguns. Whether you play as a hardy German mountaineer or a member of Viktor Leonov's crack special reconnaisance detachment: A slow and tactical approach is most certain to bring success on this new and unique entry into FH2's map pool.
Tali (Made by Flippy Warbear and hitmaker)
June 1944, Karelian Isthmus. The ill-prepared Viipuri-Kuparsaari-Taipale line faces a disaster as the Red Army captures the city of Viipuri on the 20th. Meanwhile the first skirmishes near the village of Tali had begun. On the foggy morning of the 25th, after a massive artillery barrage, the Red Army crushes the Finnish lines around lake Leitimo. The Soviet forces then target the crucial Portinhoikka crossroad, expecting to advance further to Juustila and Ihantala. In response, Major General Lagus sends his Armoured Division to face the Red Army onslaught, with German Luftwaffe detachment Kuhlmey arriving to assist the Finns just in time. The largest battle in the history of the Nordic countries is about to unfold...
(https://i.imgur.com/GIVNvAG.png)
The Finns have been part of FH2 for some years now, but this is the first time they bring their own tanks and aircraft! Assembled from various sources, their armor is an eclectic mix of styles and capabilities:
There is the well-known StuG III, or "Sturmi", an effective tank hunter with a low profile, sent over by their German allies. For fans of light tanks, the T-26 and the rare T-50 provide good opportunities for infantry support. The main offensive punch comes from captured Russian T-34/76 "Sotka" tanks, combining good protection and firepower with excellent speed. This lets the Finns outmaneuver the heavier Russian armor.
If push comes to shove, they also have two aces up their sleeves: A captured T-34/85 and ISU-152. But be mindful not to lose these newer models, since they are in very short supply. In the air, the Finns are supported not only by German Stukas, but also their own BF109 fighters, rounding out the Finnish arsenal on this fast-paced tank map.
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Nice news !!