Ladies and gentlemen, I present Elite Mod for Company of Heroes!
After a long period of consideration, I felt that Company of Heroes could do with a little pick-me-up. Although 2.602 is arguably the best balanced patch since OF, there are still some inconsistencies, bugs, glitches. In addition, after three years of the same patch, the metagame has naturally slowed. This is where Elite mod steps in, with three main aims:
- To fix all fixable bugs
- To bring balance to a razor-sharp level
- To add tactical options and enhance depth by making previously unattractive options more useful, and dialing back 'overpowered' units and tactics
As with any good changelog, we start small. Version 1.0 is more or less a bug squashing exercise with little consideration given to balance or design; that comes later.
The download comes with full install instructions (it's not hard, and it won't change your vCoH installation so you can still play regular CoH) and the current changelog, also posted below. In addition, below I've posted some of the issues I plan to address with later releases. All suggestions are welcome; but remember, this isn't Blitzkrieg mod where the aim is to change everything. Think of it as vCoH Enhanced Edition.
The mod comes with cheatmod pre-installed, just launch it in -dev mode and play around with it (but you won't be able to play with others unless they are also in dev mode). See here for a list of hotkeys.
Interested to know, how did you manage to fix the M10 misfire big. As Relic said it was something that couldnt be fixed??
It can be. Just requires a new model, then you remove the wind up time and substitute it for a longer reload. Badabing. All in sync too! (quick and dirty fix is to forget the model and just change the wind up/reload, but the weapon would fire out of sync with the animation)
Good stuff. You started out on the right foot, don't change too much.
I still think Snipers need a bit of work even in 1v1, 1 Sniper situations. Maybe there's a way to address that at the same time as Sniper spam. But going after Sniper spam first makes a lot of sense.
We brought the M10 fix to Relic's attention during 2.602 development but they weren't thrilled about using an outside model.
Will this be straight up vCoH only? There are some OF bugs that don't have balance implications. PE Goliaths didn't get the 2.602 WM Goliath changes, rebuilt vehicles not benefiting from APCR, etc.
One thing for your next version:
- update King Tiger call inn symbol (currently tiger ace)
- update Stuh and Tiger call inn symbol (still has the infantry next to it, which was patched away ages ago)
- The doctrinal pictures of PE and CW are not displayed in the user bar once chosen. They are in the art files though. (eastern front mod did fix this already)
- Calliope can now be interrupted mid-barrage
Tommy if you add this, it mean that you won't be able to use stormtroopers to properly counter calliops, since the trick was essentially to wait until they started fireing before attacking, if they can interrupt they can easily escape, and we all know it is pretty hard to kill a sherman with only shrecks.
Good stuff. You started out on the right foot, don't change too much.
I still think Snipers need a bit of work even in 1v1, 1 Sniper situations. Maybe there's a way to address that at the same time as Sniper spam. But going after Sniper spam first makes a lot of sense.
We brought the M10 fix to Relic's attention during 2.602 development but they weren't thrilled about using an outside model.
Will this be straight up vCoH only? There are some OF bugs that don't have balance implications. PE Goliaths didn't get the 2.602 WM Goliath changes, rebuilt vehicles not benefiting from APCR, etc.
Agreed about snipers, it's the main issues I want to tackle (because if snipers become less of a no-brainer, then suddenly it opens up a load of other options).
This is definitely going to be straight up vCoH, at least to begin with. Maybe if it gets way more popular than I expect it will and there's a lot of demand for it I can look into it, but we're talking full faction redesigns here.
OP updated with a list of issues I'm going to be taking a look at over the next few versions.
Potential changes for next version below. Each problem will be addressed individually, one at a time.
Problem: Snipers are too dominating.
Solutions:
- Increase reload
- Change cloak mechanic (passive cloak like in CoH2)
- Buff the counters ie Jeep/bike
Problem: Flanking is too risky, more efficient to camp and wait for arty, duller
Solutions:
- Reduce rifleman reinforcement
- Reduce riflemen upkeep
- Nerf mines (risky)
- Calliope can now be interrupted mid-barrage
Tommy if you add this, it mean that you won't be able to use stormtroopers to properly counter calliops, since the trick was essentially to wait until they started fireing before attacking, if they can interrupt they can easily escape, and we all know it is pretty hard to kill a sherman with only shrecks.
Better start expanding into different methods of killing callis then!
One thing for your next version:
- update King Tiger call inn symbol (currently tiger ace)
- update Stuh and Tiger call inn symbol (still has the infantry next to it, which was patched away ages ago)
- The doctrinal pictures of PE and CW are not displayed in the user bar once chosen. They are in the art files though. (eastern front mod did fix this already)
Is there art already existing for this? If so it should be fixable but I don't really have the capabilities to make the art myself.
Potential changes for next version below. Each problem will be addressed individually, one at a time.
Problem: Snipers are too dominating.
Solutions:
- Increase reload
- Change cloak mechanic (passive cloak like in CoH2)
- Buff the counters ie Jeep/bike Don't think passive cloak would be that great since coh 2 doesn't have a jeep or bike so their snipers are more safe than in coh 1 Problem: Flanking is too risky, more efficient to camp and wait for arty, duller
Solutions:
- Reduce rifleman reinforcement
- Reduce riflemen upkeep
- Nerf mines (risky) I think that flanking is fine as it is, never have any issues, unless I run 4 full squads of rifles into an mg, and that is pretty much my fault and not the game.
(I would recommend maybe a hold your fire button, if you really want to change flanking since that might be what tends to tell the wehr player Hey im flanking you.)
Problem: Armour doctrine sucks
Solutions:
- Buff pershing (easy one) Depends on what the pershing would get a buff on, I have noticed it sometimes goes on a murderous streak killing volks or even grens at times, also armour doctrine calliopes fuck everything O . O
Problem: Units still jump out of cover
Solutions:
- Disable squad AI (feasibility issues potentially) Might make arty dodging much harder, perhaps just adding a hold your ground button, since most mods have that.
Problem: XP kickers don't show after the last doctrinal unlock
Solutions:
- Looking into this.
Problem: Nebels can be fired instantly after being recrewed
Solutions:
- Tie cooldown to the weapon instead of the crew
1) Is it possible to remove OF faction from the mod?
2) Could you add some new maps like argentan crossroads in the next patch?
3)Problem: Snipers are too dominating. - just increase the recloack time. Right now its almost imposible to cs without a jeep/recon run.
4) Nebels can't fire on uneven ground. Is it fixible?
5) We should really give it a try to Disabling squad AI
- Volksgrenadier reinforcement cost modifier back to 0.5x from 0.4x (24mp)
Why did you change the volks cost?
- Flammenwerfer minimum and maximum damage equalized at 30 (previously minimum = 35 maxium = 30, illogical)
Does this mean the pio and halftrack flamethrower do 30 points of damage ?
3)Problem: Snipers are too dominating. - just increase the recloack time. Right now its almost imposible to cs without a jeep/recon run.
3)Problem: Snipers are too dominating. - just increase the recloack time. Right now its almost imposible to cs without a jeep/recon run.
I think maybe making the first shot recloak take the same time as the second one would work, and removing squad ai means that your squads won't avoid shermans or m10s, stugs, panthers, and it might also effect bikes and jeeps.
1) Is it possible to remove OF faction from the mod?
2) Could you add some new maps like argentan crossroads in the next patch?
3)Problem: Snipers are too dominating. - just increase the recloack time. Right now its almost imposible to cs without a jeep/recon run.
4) Nebels can't fire on uneven ground. Is it fixible?
5) We should really give it a try to Disabling squad AI
1. Yes, but why bother?
2. I can include the map installer and the custom maps in the download, yes.
3. I'd like to explore other options, as even the one you propose relies on you actually having a sniper yourself. I don't want people to stop building snipers, I just want them to not be a necessity.
4. Unlikely, but I will take a look.
- Volksgrenadier reinforcement cost modifier back to 0.5x from 0.4x (24mp)
Why did you change the volks cost?
- Flammenwerfer minimum and maximum damage equalized at 30 (previously minimum = 35 maxium = 30, illogical)
Does this mean the pio and halftrack flamethrower do 30 points of damage ?
Volks cost was upped back to how it was in 2.601 as a small nerf to Wher T1. I play to later combine this with small buffs to the US T1 to reflect Wher's slight early game dominance.
Flammen change was just to the halftrack flamethrower, it just fixed an irregularity in the rgd's, you won't notice the difference.