I'm around, but school started again and I've haven't had the time to track down where the crud I was in merging AI files, I was sorta almost done as well.
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If you can find the time to finish the map conversion and release something compatible with the latest DH patch as well as the AoD 1.08 patch, that would be fantastic. But if your real life (school, etc) is taking all your time, I understand completely.
I think the current map we have is compatible regardless, you can always just use their latest files in the instructions we have on page 2 I think it was post 33? And should work, the only problem is single player compatibility as the AI's will be using wierd province id's for their targets and focuses. I think I will still in the "switch" folder. I'll see what I can do today but PEOPLE ARE WRONG ON THE INTERNET which has been taking most of my time to correct their incorrect views.
It is a great shame. I just noticed that AoD is in the 'classic games' forum section and Darkest Hour is in the 'current games' section.
It is a great sadness. AoD gave lots of enjoyment.
It is a great sadness. AoD gave lots of enjoyment.
Well, but this doesn't mean that AoD is dead. 1.08 is on its way and there could be further patches, too...
I was in the middle of moving, I have revived this project from the dead and intend to continue from scratch as I've lost all progress! Yay!
And this time, screw it, if anyone wants to help out volunteer and I'll delegate the AI files task to you or part of it.
Essentially the only thing that needs to be done is to take the AoD vanilla files and plug in the Darkest Hour mapid values into them whereever it best makes sense.
That's it, just tedious, not hard.
Gringo, are you thinking about porting your mod over to the DH map for AoD? Because that would be excellent. I finally got into a few DH play-throughs but even with the latest patch the combat and logistics models are a straight HoI2 throwback... which is unfortunate but it means AoD (IMHO) is still the best out there.
You're right, Kilolima.
DH is much bells and whistles but fails miserably when you look at its combat & supply system; nothing comparable with AoD, which is clearly far superior in that regard (and not only this).
Besides, I wouldn't even say that DH's map is so much better, surely not from a gameplay point of view. I completely agree with PanzerMan7 who, in the DH forum, wrote:
(Click on the attachment to see what he means).
DH's map is an improvement from a purely "aesthetic" point of view, but is worse than the standard HoI2/AoD one which instead lets you clearly understand where your, and the enemy's, troops are stationed.
So, I wouldn't bother losing a lot of time to convert his mod to the new map when all we would get, in the end, is more confusion.
Well, it's the map in general which is overloaded and messy as a whole.
For example, it isn't even possible to read province names like "Brussels" or "Antwerp", just like the two provinces south of Brussels which I'm not even sure about their name (I guess they're "Mons" and "Namur", but I'd have to start the game to be really sure).
Jagged province borders; airports, ports and counters all so close to each other (especially in Belgium, Netherlands and NW Germany) create IMO an overall sensation of disorder.
For example, it isn't even possible to read province names like "Brussels" or "Antwerp", just like the two provinces south of Brussels which I'm not even sure about their name (I guess they're "Mons" and "Namur", but I'd have to start the game to be really sure).
Jagged province borders; airports, ports and counters all so close to each other (especially in Belgium, Netherlands and NW Germany) create IMO an overall sensation of disorder.
Judging from the SS I don't see it to be so radically bad as you claim it to be but every men has his/her own artistic preferences and dispositions so I can't say you are wrong - especially not so because you are the art authority here. 
Thanks for the compliment but, seriously, have you ever played DH? I did and, after getting some serious headache trying to tell the various provinces on the map (especially the smaller and more congested ones in W-NW Europe), I've found another field in which AoD is clearly superior.
...always keeping in mind, though, that de gustibus non est disputandum.
...always keeping in mind, though, that de gustibus non est disputandum.
Yeah, your tackling with the Latin verses is a great addition to these forums - it spices up debates.
No I haven't played DH. Will have to take on your word. Am glad that AoD has more positive points in comparison to DH then I thought.
No I haven't played DH. Will have to take on your word. Am glad that AoD has more positive points in comparison to DH then I thought.
That screen shot doesn't show DH at its finest...
However, I do like the DH map because it shows more geography of the period more accurately and with greater detail. For example, you can really see (and fight over) the Adriatic coastal provinces (which is fun for recreating the A-H Empire, hah). Also, the inclusion of more provinces in Europe and western Russia makes the game overall more different and presents a new challenge as this is where the most critical gameplay occurs (for a human Germany player).
Also, in a new game at some point I would love to conquer those UK northern islands off Orkney and turn them into major German naval and air bases, just for the heck of it.
I find the zoom-in views of islands and provinces like Gibraltar graphically disastrous. Or the fact that Iwo Jima has two provinces. Really? Just because it was the site of a pointless and pyrrhic battle in WWII doesn't mean the player is going to do the same, why give it two provinces? May as well give every island the same treatment then. And I don't recall exactly, but is Marcus Is. still way too far North?
But, now that in AoD I can actually learn my world river names... well, that is awesome. It's kind of silly when you read a book about the Eastern Front and they keep referring to the Dnepr River and you have no idea where it is even though you've fought the campaign a million times!
Another thing about the DH combat model that really breaks gameplay- uber unit stacks so you end up with hundreds of divisions in battle at once, without the AoD model of diminishing returns or 'frontage'.
However, I do like the DH map because it shows more geography of the period more accurately and with greater detail. For example, you can really see (and fight over) the Adriatic coastal provinces (which is fun for recreating the A-H Empire, hah). Also, the inclusion of more provinces in Europe and western Russia makes the game overall more different and presents a new challenge as this is where the most critical gameplay occurs (for a human Germany player).
Also, in a new game at some point I would love to conquer those UK northern islands off Orkney and turn them into major German naval and air bases, just for the heck of it.
I find the zoom-in views of islands and provinces like Gibraltar graphically disastrous. Or the fact that Iwo Jima has two provinces. Really? Just because it was the site of a pointless and pyrrhic battle in WWII doesn't mean the player is going to do the same, why give it two provinces? May as well give every island the same treatment then. And I don't recall exactly, but is Marcus Is. still way too far North?
But, now that in AoD I can actually learn my world river names... well, that is awesome. It's kind of silly when you read a book about the Eastern Front and they keep referring to the Dnepr River and you have no idea where it is even though you've fought the campaign a million times!
Another thing about the DH combat model that really breaks gameplay- uber unit stacks so you end up with hundreds of divisions in battle at once, without the AoD model of diminishing returns or 'frontage'.