Maps, maps, maps - and a tournament!
Hello commander!
We are happy to have you back for our latest WARNO DevBlog. Only a couple days now, and we’ll launch WARNO into Early Access on January 20th! Exciting times, indeed. Today we will talk about an essential feature of all our games: maps!
We know maps have always been a hot topic. We wanted to show you the hard work of our expert designers in creating expansive and detailed environments. Not only that, we want to tell you how we intend to take WARNO’s map making to the next level.
Keep reading to find out more!
[h2]Setting the objectives[/h2]
Let’s go back a bit. The Wargame series set the bar with the battlefields we could offer: large playing areas with a detailed ground environment, realistic topology, and all environmental aspects affecting gameplay. We wanted to level up the experience in WARNO by offering you richer, even more intricate environments. We aimed to increase the realism factor and immerse the players effortlessly in our near-historical conventional World War III conflict.
With that in mind: how did we achieve that?
[h2]Nothing more realistic than reality[/h2]
You want realistic? You get realistic! The WARNO mapmaking team has carefully studied the landscape and environment of Western Germany, specifically the Fulda region, near what was once called the Inner German Border between West and East Germany.
At the end of the 1980s, Fulda was one of the two potential invasion routes the Warsaw Pact might follow in the event of a conflict with NATO. As such, it was very important for our creative teams to take special care in rendering this particular European environment as faithfully as possible. Fulda, for instance, is characterized by lots of cultivated areas, such as farmlands and small towns, comprising 80% of the region. However, it is also partly hilly, with interspersed plains and valleys, some forests, and mixed woodland and pastures.
[h2]Shaping the environment[/h2]
The technology we used to recreate the terrain is based on DEM (Digital Elevation Models). We use satellite imagery and feed it into our proprietary game engine. Once processed and interpreted, a map is generated that follows the contours and relief of the original terrain. As far as the in-game environment is concerned: what you see in WARNO exists in real life!
Drawing the terrain
A major part of what the player can observe in terms of land density are fields and visible scenery. Particular care is taken in the way the fields are drawn, but also the details that make them unique such as fences, ditches, greenhouses, bocage, treelines.
Through the trees, the forest
In order to make the integration of WARNO’s forests as realistic as possible, we had to implement a new transition system, specific to treelines and the forest’s edge. This allowed us to generate an organic zone at the boundary of our woodlands where the vegetation would be less dense (mimicking real life).
From towns…
One of the major advances we intended with WARNO was the integration of realistic town and urban terrain. Using new rendering techniques, created specifically for the game, we were able to recreate numerous small towns (many of which actually existed in this part of Germany). In addition to the realistic urban layouts, just putting roads and houses and other buildings in place is not enough; we wanted to emulate the atmosphere as it existed in the late 80s and early 90s. From car models to garden furniture - the final finishing touch brings it home.
...to industry and factories
Just forest and towns were not sufficient. In the built-up areas of Germany in the late 80s, you would find a whole slew of other buildings, from large farms to factories and offices. We wanted to reinforce the immersion through diversity. Each WARNO map contains dozens of unique little vignettes and dioramas.
The teams are already working on the production of new models, assets and scenery that will be used in the next maps of WARNO.
It’s all about storytelling
The best map-making is all about telling a story. And with WARNO maps, we want to press home the reality of war hitting the inhabitants of Fulda and nearby. After months of tension and escalating rhetoric, the invasion still came as a surprise. Once the Warning Order was issued, the civilians had hours, or sometimes only minutes, to flee their homes and livelihoods.
In the rush, everyone left multiple signs of their panic to leave. WARNO is filled with this evidence, and you can encounter a host of details that provide a credible pre-conflict atmosphere.
One of our biggest challenges was that whenever a player dives in deep, leaving the tactical aerial view to zoom in and placing the camera at the ground level, they can read all these little stories.
[h2]Wrapping it up[/h2]
There is still a lot more to discover about WARNO’s maps. And yes, that includes the magic words Map Editor. More info to come soon, promise!
Over the past few years, we have been hard at work at designing, modeling, building, and recreating all the places that will be part of your WARNO experience. We very much look forward to delivering these new environments to you. We can’t wait to hear your feedback once you get to play on our maps. And, if you find some time during all the combat and onslaught, take a peek at the human level, and see which stories you are able to encounter.
[h2]A message from our community[/h2]
Before we leave you, we wanted to share a community message from the Simulated Divisions League (formerly known as the Steel Division League).
It is their pleasure to announce the very first community-powered WARNO tournament on the 22nd of January, starting at 1 pm CET. How does WARNO competitively play in 1v1 environment? They are eager to find out, and we hope you are too! The tournament will be casted live, and recorded by most of your favorite content creators (and maybe some new ones too). Get ready to show off your Wargame and Steel Division skills.
This opening tournament is only the beginning. They will be expanding their offer to provide ever more tournaments and multiplayer events for all kinds of players for both WARNO and Steel Division simultaneously. In particular, we will be looking to take our successful League format to WARNO. In case you haven’t, be sure to join the Eugen Discord server to be kept up to date with the latest news and tournament details!
[h2]Bidding you au revoir[/h2]
That’s it for this week. Only a couple more days left, and then we are ready to release WARNO into the wild. Hold on just a little bit longer, commander! If you have forgotten, be sure to wishlist WARNO!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1611600/WARNO/
Join the awesome (and passionate) growing WARNO community. Check the latest news on the Steam News page or visit the Steam Forums. Join the excellent Discord server and the new Reddit page.
See you on the battlefield!
We are happy to have you back for our latest WARNO DevBlog. Only a couple days now, and we’ll launch WARNO into Early Access on January 20th! Exciting times, indeed. Today we will talk about an essential feature of all our games: maps!
We know maps have always been a hot topic. We wanted to show you the hard work of our expert designers in creating expansive and detailed environments. Not only that, we want to tell you how we intend to take WARNO’s map making to the next level.
Keep reading to find out more!
[h2]Setting the objectives[/h2]
Let’s go back a bit. The Wargame series set the bar with the battlefields we could offer: large playing areas with a detailed ground environment, realistic topology, and all environmental aspects affecting gameplay. We wanted to level up the experience in WARNO by offering you richer, even more intricate environments. We aimed to increase the realism factor and immerse the players effortlessly in our near-historical conventional World War III conflict.
With that in mind: how did we achieve that?
[h2]Nothing more realistic than reality[/h2]
You want realistic? You get realistic! The WARNO mapmaking team has carefully studied the landscape and environment of Western Germany, specifically the Fulda region, near what was once called the Inner German Border between West and East Germany.
At the end of the 1980s, Fulda was one of the two potential invasion routes the Warsaw Pact might follow in the event of a conflict with NATO. As such, it was very important for our creative teams to take special care in rendering this particular European environment as faithfully as possible. Fulda, for instance, is characterized by lots of cultivated areas, such as farmlands and small towns, comprising 80% of the region. However, it is also partly hilly, with interspersed plains and valleys, some forests, and mixed woodland and pastures.
[h2]Shaping the environment[/h2]
The technology we used to recreate the terrain is based on DEM (Digital Elevation Models). We use satellite imagery and feed it into our proprietary game engine. Once processed and interpreted, a map is generated that follows the contours and relief of the original terrain. As far as the in-game environment is concerned: what you see in WARNO exists in real life!
Drawing the terrain
A major part of what the player can observe in terms of land density are fields and visible scenery. Particular care is taken in the way the fields are drawn, but also the details that make them unique such as fences, ditches, greenhouses, bocage, treelines.
Through the trees, the forest
In order to make the integration of WARNO’s forests as realistic as possible, we had to implement a new transition system, specific to treelines and the forest’s edge. This allowed us to generate an organic zone at the boundary of our woodlands where the vegetation would be less dense (mimicking real life).
From towns…
One of the major advances we intended with WARNO was the integration of realistic town and urban terrain. Using new rendering techniques, created specifically for the game, we were able to recreate numerous small towns (many of which actually existed in this part of Germany). In addition to the realistic urban layouts, just putting roads and houses and other buildings in place is not enough; we wanted to emulate the atmosphere as it existed in the late 80s and early 90s. From car models to garden furniture - the final finishing touch brings it home.
...to industry and factories
Just forest and towns were not sufficient. In the built-up areas of Germany in the late 80s, you would find a whole slew of other buildings, from large farms to factories and offices. We wanted to reinforce the immersion through diversity. Each WARNO map contains dozens of unique little vignettes and dioramas.
The teams are already working on the production of new models, assets and scenery that will be used in the next maps of WARNO.
It’s all about storytelling
The best map-making is all about telling a story. And with WARNO maps, we want to press home the reality of war hitting the inhabitants of Fulda and nearby. After months of tension and escalating rhetoric, the invasion still came as a surprise. Once the Warning Order was issued, the civilians had hours, or sometimes only minutes, to flee their homes and livelihoods.
In the rush, everyone left multiple signs of their panic to leave. WARNO is filled with this evidence, and you can encounter a host of details that provide a credible pre-conflict atmosphere.
One of our biggest challenges was that whenever a player dives in deep, leaving the tactical aerial view to zoom in and placing the camera at the ground level, they can read all these little stories.
[h2]Wrapping it up[/h2]
There is still a lot more to discover about WARNO’s maps. And yes, that includes the magic words Map Editor. More info to come soon, promise!
Over the past few years, we have been hard at work at designing, modeling, building, and recreating all the places that will be part of your WARNO experience. We very much look forward to delivering these new environments to you. We can’t wait to hear your feedback once you get to play on our maps. And, if you find some time during all the combat and onslaught, take a peek at the human level, and see which stories you are able to encounter.
[h2]A message from our community[/h2]
Before we leave you, we wanted to share a community message from the Simulated Divisions League (formerly known as the Steel Division League).
It is their pleasure to announce the very first community-powered WARNO tournament on the 22nd of January, starting at 1 pm CET. How does WARNO competitively play in 1v1 environment? They are eager to find out, and we hope you are too! The tournament will be casted live, and recorded by most of your favorite content creators (and maybe some new ones too). Get ready to show off your Wargame and Steel Division skills.
This opening tournament is only the beginning. They will be expanding their offer to provide ever more tournaments and multiplayer events for all kinds of players for both WARNO and Steel Division simultaneously. In particular, we will be looking to take our successful League format to WARNO. In case you haven’t, be sure to join the Eugen Discord server to be kept up to date with the latest news and tournament details!
[h2]Bidding you au revoir[/h2]
That’s it for this week. Only a couple more days left, and then we are ready to release WARNO into the wild. Hold on just a little bit longer, commander! If you have forgotten, be sure to wishlist WARNO!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1611600/WARNO/
Join the awesome (and passionate) growing WARNO community. Check the latest news on the Steam News page or visit the Steam Forums. Join the excellent Discord server and the new Reddit page.
See you on the battlefield!