Suursaari Island

[Edge]

In the mayhem of preparation of next CSLA update, I have restarted my old side project of a real island in the Baltic Sea. I try to bring as much of real Suursaari into the game as possible, including realistic settlements, road network and of course the terrain.

Before you download, be warned that most of the island is empty, and the places looking already done are incomplete.
Features:
- 5 surface textures (grass, forest, heath, rock&"pirunpelto", sand)
- northern part of island covered with forests, with some objects and road network placed
- no buildings yet
Download Suursaari beta (30 MB)

I would be very grateful for any comments, suggestions or wishes - there's still enough space to put lots of features.

Before somebody starts wondering:
Although the addon uses tag FDF, it has nothing to do with Finnish Defence Forces Mod, so please do not contact them because of this project.
I have used FDF tag since the beginning of the project (it was originally built for FDF Mod, but in times of WrpEdit, only few things were possible), and now I am lazy to change all the stuff, my apologies. I hope nobody of FDF will be offended. The final version will or will not contain FDF tag according to agreement with FDF Mod.
I have contacted MikkoV to ask for some technical advice and permission to use FDF's splendid objects and buildings. I also suggested that this addon could be released as FDF Mod supplement, but I have no reply yet.

[Smartti]

Ok, downloaded it and flew around a bit. Lovely hills and little lakes. Then some ideas that came to my mind:

I think you should change those paved roads near Suurkylä to normal dirt roads. Fits better in to scene and I think it's also more historically accurate. Finns surely didn't have asphalt there and I doubt Soviets bothered to build paved roads to uninhabited island. Also maybe some little footpaths around in the forests?

And I think that you're gonna surround those roads more with lower vegetation and bushes in later phases of development.

Objects are still a bit too early to discuss about I guess? You got the reference material still? If so, I think you know what you're up to about them

Quote[/b] ]I have used FDF tag since the beginning of the project (it was originally built for FDF Mod, but in times of WrpEdit, only few things were possible), and now I am lazy to change all the stuff, my apologies. I hope nobody of FDF will be offended. The final version will or will not contain FDF tag according to agreement with FDF Mod.
I have contacted MikkoV to ask for some technical advice and permission to use FDF's splendid objects and buildings. I also suggested that this addon could be released as FDF Mod supplement, but I have no reply yet.

How could we be offended? You just brought your good old project back alive ***

We have discussed about this matter, but due to our "creative mayhem of modelling", haven't had time to form good reply yet. We surely could use some new island, and as this project was earlier going to be part of FDF Mod, I don't see anything to change it's status now. Anyway, we'll continue with the detailed talks in private.

[Edge]

Thanks for reply and valuable comments. I will consider changing the roads, but I wanted some more "firm" roads to connect two villages and the lighthouse, just according to the maps I got. I used the simple asphalt road instead of the big fancy road due to the fact that island is such "end of the world".

Regarding the vegetation - there will be plenty of bushes, but placing it is too time consuming. Slow but careful work, you know.

[Ironsight]

Looks interesting, I will certainly try this one out tonight

[Ironsight]

I tried it out and it is an amazing island. The terrain textures and the hills have a very realistic feel. Also the small lakes are very nicely done. And the map overall contains a lot of detail.
I have 3 suggestions:
- If you make lighthouses make, for every point you want to place, a new one I hate it when you see a couple of the same lighthouses around on an island, it's not very realistic.
- Make a radar post on the most northern hill, if I recall it correct on 115 meters high. It would fit really good over there.
- And for the towns I think you should consider making street elements, I don't have a picture of them right now but street elements are large city streets with sidewalks next to them and drain and stuff like that. I think it would add a lot of realism to the island.
Keep up the good work man

[theavonlady]

Very nice island. I take it that you'll fill in the southern side as you continue developing it.

There's definitely a need for tall grass and bushes in the open areas between patches of forrest. Try to use grass and bush objects that block the AI's line of site (unlike BIS Resistance plant objects).

[Ares1978]

Very nice indeed. It's practically begging for a campaign.

[Edge]

Thanks for kind words and suggestions! I feel really motivated right now, I hope my girlfriend will allow me to work on it during Xmas

There will be plenty of bushes and trees to simulate the fact that almost 90% of surface is covered by dense vegetation (unfortunately not possible with use of those 50x50 squares in combination with AI-passable roads). I especially like the birch trees from FDF Mod - they enchance the atmosphere greatly.

Regarding the "human" objects - I have some pictures, old photos and maps, and guys from FDF also had some suggestions regarding their needs.
@Ironsight: There are 3 lighthouses on the island, each of them is different and for each of them, I got some pictures. One is already modelled (big thanks go to KingNothing&#33, I assume people from FDF will help in making them if they would like to have them there. They are quite remarkable details (there's nothing more than those lighthouses on the island), so I guess they appear in final version.

[The-Architect]

Avon's point about vegetation that blocks the AI's sight is definatly important. BIS droped a bollock there.

Also be careful of vegetation that you can't see from a distance. One of the Nam maps had bushes which you couldn't see until you were close to them, which ade hiding units in the completely useless.

[Placebo]

As there is a release version of this it should now be in A&M:C