Using Saving Private Ryan as a reference, there were basically never more than five moving people visible at any one time in that movie. We used this as the inspiration that we could actually do DDay without requiring way more guys on screen than the engine could handle. The majority of guys on the beach are generally dead guys. We don't have quite the same body count as SPR, but we put as many in there as we could afford. Regardless, the constant movement, bullets, mortars, smoke, ambient sound, and the yelling more than compensate for that, and we still get a very nice and chaotic feel to DDay.
As for the battleships, they were like a mile off coast. Well beyond where you'd actually be able to see them. Actually, when you start the higgins boat ride up to the shore, you can't actually see the bunkers till you're over half way there.
There are waves, but further out to sea. We made the water surface near the beach flat so that it wouldn't be going up and down past your view, and so that bullets hitting the water stay on the surface, hehe. There is a really nice shore wash there, but it's done with texture effects, not geometery. Don't worry, if you got a good look at it, it looks really nice. Besides, you should be a bit too busy to sit and stare at the ocean.
05-24-2001, 12:36 AM
Linear Mode
