H&D Deluxe; the ultimate mod; Mission overhauls

[Myron]

Excellent idea.
Though, how far are the men in picture #2 going to patrol?

I ask because my Mercedes idea involves the truck getting destroyed before it can run over any friendlies. It only has to go a very short way down the road before it gets ambushed.

The Partisans would want to destroy it before it gets within hearing range of the outpost.

If the truck gets, say, stuck in the trees before it blows up, hey, when the player gets to it, it would look like a partisan shot the driver, and he veered into the trees.

[p.jakub88]

Excellent idea.
Though, how far are the men in picture #2 going to patrol?

I ask because my Mercedes idea involves the truck getting destroyed before it can run over any friendlies. It only has to go a very short way down the road before it gets ambushed.

The Partisans would want to destroy it before it gets within hearing range of the outpost.

If the truck gets, say, stuck in the trees before it blows up, hey, when the player gets to it, it would look like a partisan shot the driver, and he veered into the trees.

Hello Myron,

thank you for the feedback!

The men from patrol seen on the 2nd picture start their patrol route near the gatehouse and end it where the road ends in the direction that both soldiers are facing on the picture.

I am basically done with the changes in the Danube 1 mission. I will not add any new moving vehicle into the Danube 1 mission, because the results could be unsatisfactory and unforeseen. The German foot patrols along the forest roads are enough.

Below i uploaded the newest Danube 1 mission version. You will also need to download the models.mod.rar and maps.mod.rar archives - to be able to see the new weapon crate model in H&D Deluxe. Unpack the models.mod.rar and maps.mod.rar archives into your main H&D Deluxe directory (i.e. C:\Program Files\Take2\Hidden and Dangerous Deluxe). Merge with the existing models.mod and maps.mod folders if needed.

Please Myron download and test this newest Danube 1 mission version! I will have a really busy day today at work, so my free time for modding and testing H&D Deluxe could be very limited when i return home.

[p.jakub88]

I decided to update the Danube 1 mission again - i added a DP-28 LMG placed on top of the sandbags. This MG nest will cover the approach to one of the partisans hideouts. The DP-28 LMG could be taken by the player (it is a "resource" with 94 rounds - 2 magazines).

See pictures below taken from HDD Editor.

Please Myron give me some feedback!

[p.jakub88]

I decided to update the Danube 2 mission once again.


The list of changes in the Danube 2 mission that i recently implemented:

-> added a sentry-box with single German soldier armed with MP40 and 2 "potato masher" grenades at the stone bridge leading to the island;

-> added a fixed MG-34 placed on top of the sandbags, manned by a single German soldier at the stone bridge leading to the island;

-> removed a civilian car placed by default nearby the stone bridge leading to the island, because it obstructed the field of view of the single German soldier, that i placed near the sentry box;

-> removed few German soldiers, that were placed in various spots on the map by default - because their placement was senseless (nothing important to guard at all);

-> objects static collision optimized (buildings, vegetation, etc);

-> most German soldiers are now armed with Mauser K98 non-scoped rifles instead of MP-40 submachine-guns;

-> added a "friendly" civilian armed with TT-33 pistol (he would be hostile towards German soldiers on the map and vice versa, but not towards player and his squad). I placed the civilian on the courtyard with the hanging German uniforms.


See pictures below taken from HDD editor.

[p.jakub88]

Beside previously implemented changes i added today few new ones into the Danube 2 mission:

-> the famous milk tanker is parked now near the pub on the island (it is only a stationary vehicle model, it cannot be used, however it could be blown up);

-> added a German soldier armed with Mauser K98 non-scoped rifle - he will patrol one of the town squares all around (the square with trees and bushes located near the mission starting point and surrounded by tenements);

-> added a German soldier armed with Mauser K98 non-scoped rifle - he will patrol one of the town squares nearby the stone bridge and its sentry post.


See pictures below taken from HDD editor.

[p.jakub88]

I converted a "brown door object" from the Danube 2 mission into a usable door model using 3ds Max software, that i placed on the "Hotel Grad" facade.

I have always been surprised, that the H&D Deluxe developers forgot about placing doors on some buildings (entering via window is not considered normal...). Maybe a small detail, but important in my opinion in order to recreate a "realistic feeling" during gameplay.

In addition, now when you open fire close to the "Hotel Grad" (within the "shots hearing range" set to 120 meters by me in the data.dta archive long time ago), an officer armed with Luger pistol and his "driver" armed with MP-40 will exit the hotel after few seconds in order to investigate what is happening (they will stop next to the limousine).

Beside that i also updated the tactical map (more detailed).

See pictures below.

Please download the attached models.mod.rar archive and unpack the models.mod folder (that contains the new doors model) into your main H&D Deluxe directory (i.e. C:\Program Files\Take2\Hidden and Dangerous Deluxe). Merge with the existing models.mod folder when asked.

[Myron]

If you place a German guard in the grassy square, wouldn't that make it impossible to reach the disguises?

[p.jakub88]

If you place a German guard in the grassy square, wouldn't that make it impossible to reach the disguises?

It will be still possible to reach the hanging German uniforms without raising the alarm (mission failed).

You could wait for the right moment to bypass some of the patrolling German soldiers (including the one on the square with bushes and trees near the mission starting point).

If you are fast enough, you could even probably stab with knife the lone German soldier from that square, before he even realize what is going on and open fire on you (like in the Greece 1 mission seen on my Youtube mission walktrough video). This of course depends also on the German soldier "reaction time" attribute set in HDD editor and the "stealth skill" attribute of the SAS soldier that will try to attempt silent kill.

I recently tested this mission, but only partly. This is still work in progress (WIP).

[p.jakub88]

I relocated one of the limousines in the Danube 2 mission and i parked it closer to the tenement with wooden doors.

I also placed a waving swastika flag on that particular tenement (a sign that a high ranking German officer resides inside).

Now, when you open fire close to the tenement with waving swastika flag (within the "shots hearing range" set to 120 meters by me in the data.dta archive long time ago), 2 officer's bodyguards armed with MP-40 will exit the building after few seconds to investigate what is going on (one will stop next to the parked limousine, the second one on the street's corner).

I removed the limousine that was placed by default near the mission starting point, so the only one remained (available to steal and drive) is the one parked in front of the tenement with hanging swastika flag.

Now, when you open fire within 120 meters range from the mission starting point, or on the main street, or on the stone bridge leading to the island a group of 4 German soldiers will spawn from one of the tenements located along the main street. That group will run and set up their positions on the stone bridge behind the mission starting point (the soldiers will aim their Mauser K98 non-scoped rifles in the direction of the island, expecting to stop a stolen patrol boat from the island manned by SAS commandos or partisans that will be heading their way).

See pictures below taken from HDD editor and directly from the mission.

[p.jakub88]

I replaced the previous MG-34 version that was placed on the sandbags near the sentry-box with a tripod version. I also brought back the road barrier.

The black limousine near the tenement with waving swastika flag is now just only a stationary model (it is not drivable, but it could be blown up).

See picture below taken from HDD editor.

Below i uploaded the Danube 2 mission with all recently implemented changes.

[p.jakub88]

I decided to update the Danube 3 mission once again.


The list of changes in the Danube 3 mission that i recently implemented:

-> removed one of the coal barges (the "indestructible" one);

-> removed the halftrack parked next to the iron lock;

-> changed behavior of some German soldiers (i.e. they will now guard certain areas instead of patrolling them);

-> removed some vegetation (bushes) from the Zelezna Vrata complex area;

-> replaced the Tiger I tank with PZ IV tank;

-> added detectors to certain spots on the Danube 3 map (i.e. when the shots are fired German reinforcements from the Zelezna Vrata complex buildings will shows up);

-> replaced the "old" road barrier models with the new destructible ones (the player could blow them up using either Bazooka or PZ IV tank's cannon; the new road barriers are immune to small arms fire and hand grenades);

-> re-positioned Kubelwagen;

-> re-positioned guard house (the one located near the pier - closest to the river);

-> tactical map updated;

-> slightly edited mission's video briefing using HDD Editor and 3ds Max software;

-> decreased the visibility range from 250 to 200 meters;

-> slightly changed the mission starting point (the patrol boat with SAS commandos placed a bit backwards on the river closer to the map's edge);

-> most German soldiers use now Mauser K98 non-scoped rifles as their primary weapon;

-> replaced both default Danube 3 mission pictures with the new ones (in color + black and white);

-> small bugs fixed.


You will need to download the models.mod.rar archive that i uploaded below, in order to use the new destructible road barrier model in the Danube 3 mission (unpack the models.mod folder from the archive into your main H&D Deluxe directory i.e. C:\Program Files\Take2\Hidden and Dangerous Deluxe).

I will upload the updated Danube 3 mission (and other needed files) as soon as i finish my own tests and when i implement all appropriate changes. Please be patient.

[Myron]

You removed the indestructible barge, but didn't replace it?

Why remove the halftracks? The first one was an awesome challenge to overcome. This is a strategy game, and taking out the gunner takes strategy, and courage.
As for the second one, it must stay because the instructor says the bridge is guarded by "an armored truck", which is a halftrack. Plus, you told me they would be drivable after the update.

By "visibility range", does that mean an AI commando on the MG will fire at a shorter range?

[p.jakub88]

You removed the indestructible barge, but didn't replace it?

Why remove the halftracks? The first one was an awesome challenge to overcome. This is a strategy game, and taking out the gunner takes strategy, and courage.
As for the second one, it must stay because the instructor says the bridge is guarded by "an armored truck", which is a halftrack. Plus, you told me they would be drivable after the update.

By "visibility range", does that mean an AI commando on the MG will fire at a shorter range?

Hello,

i tried to replace the indestructible coal barge with the default destructible one but i didn't manage to achieve this goal (so i decided that it would make more sense to leave only the destroyable one on the canal near the iron lock).

I removed the halftrack near the lock, because the player is already in trouble being chased by 2 halftracks (and 2 groups of enemy troops) plus according to the instructor words the Germans at the Zelezna Vrata complex didn't hear about the shooting at Velke Gradiste so far, which give us the advantage (element of surprise) against them (the Germans are not enough prepared for the possibility that we are coming to blow up the lock). Keep in mind, that most armored vehicles were diverted elsewhere (to the Eastern Front against USSR after the outbreak of the Operation Barbarossa on June 1941).

OK. I putted back the halftrack on the bridge, but only because the instructor mentioned it in the Danube 3 video briefing. However, the only drivable vehicle on the whole map will be the Kubelwagen. You could reach the mission escape point on foot or by using stolen car. The choice is yours.

By "visibility range" i mean how far the "view" is rendered by the game's engine and where "the fog of war" starts. In practice, now all Germans (and friendly AI - SAS commandos) in the Danube 3 mission will open fire from the distance up to max 200 meters (including the patrol boat MG operator). Previously this was set to 250 meters. I just wanted to prevent the uncontrollable shooting too early on the mission - now as a result of the re-positioned mission starting point, the Germans patrolling the grounds on both sides of the lock would not detect the player and his team on the patrol boat "parked" at the mission's starting point (versus previous situation when the shooting started almost immediately after the mission's start).

[Myron]

Understood, we always raced away from the facility on the Jeep anyway. :-)

[p.jakub88]

I managed recently to replace both default Danube 3 mission's pictures (black and white + color) with my new custom ones.

Now, instead of the Tiger I tank, we can see the Panzer IV tank on the bridge above the canal.

See pictures below.