A patch question and a small bug report (Full Version)

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maine_raptor -> A patch question and a small bug report (11/12/2007 3:21:04 PM)

First the question:

What the status of the 1.03 patch? Any estimated release date yet?

Now the bug:

I was fooling around with the battle generator in WF yesterday and created a battle (reg size). On one turn I got reinforcements and one of the units consisted of a halftrack loaded with an M8 (mobile 105mm arty). I'm pretty sure this was not a standard load for a halftrack (M3) during WWII.[:D]

And while typing this I thought of another question: Is there anyway to use the battle generator to create the base files that could then be used in the 3 editors to build a HvH scenario?



Jason Petho -> RE: A patch question and a small bug report (11/12/2007 6:36:23 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: maine_raptor

What the status of the 1.03 patch? Any estimated release date yet?


Christmas. Which one though, we're still working on. In the middle of revising the Soviet order of battle to cover the years from 1930 to 1953. For anyone who does this knows it is a huge undertaking. But, oh my, the possibilities this is creating!


quote:

ORIGINAL: maine_raptor
I was fooling around with the battle generator in WF yesterday and created a battle (reg size). On one turn I got reinforcements and one of the units consisted of a halftrack loaded with an M8 (mobile 105mm arty). I'm pretty sure this was not a standard load for a halftrack (M3) during WWII.[:D]


Hopefully that can be remedied with the order of battle revisions. If that is the case, it will be remedied with 1.04.

quote:

ORIGINAL: maine_raptor
And while typing this I thought of another question: Is there anyway to use the battle generator to create the base files that could then be used in the 3 editors to build a HvH scenario?


You should be able to convert the battle generated file name to the *.scn extension, making it editable in the Scenario editor.

Jason Petho



maine_raptor -> RE: A patch question and a small bug report (11/14/2007 6:05:58 PM)

Jason,

Once thanks for the quick reply.
As a retired software designer and project manager, I know how it goes. Christmas is good, but if it slips a bit, no problem from me.

As for the battle generator, I noticed that it does creatre a map, scenario, and oob set of files appropratly named "RandomX" (where "X" is an ever increasing number starting with 0). That has led me to the "editors".

To be honest, I find the printed manual to be of little help in figuring out how to use them. Oh, you have a discription of the functions and a few "Tips", but it is lacking in any great detail (a complete example from start to finish would be nice). I've searched over at the Blitz for more info on how to use them and haven't found anything that would give me more info on what I would like to do: Simply "upgrade" the equipment a unit has. For example, replacing all "Grayhounds" with "Shermans" with in the units that are assigned at the begining

I don't know the structure of the oob file (assuming this is the correct one), but am I right in assuming that there is a number that references equipment assigned and that this key then goes back to an equipment table used by the game engine in it's calculations? If so, could not a program be devised that would allow the user to "upgun" quickly and easily?


One other minor point; when the second screen appears ("New Secenario", "Saved Scenario", "Modem Host", etc), and you have made your choices, the user must wait for the program to proceede. I'm assuming that there is some sort of timer involved. Why not place a "Continue" button there? It would help curb my urge to slap the side of the PC and say "Come'on!"[:D]



Jason Petho -> RE: A patch question and a small bug report (11/14/2007 8:10:09 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: maine_raptor
Once thanks for the quick reply.
As a retired software designer and project manager, I know how it goes. Christmas is good, but if it slips a bit, no problem from me.


Thank you for your understanding, tis appreciated!!

quote:

ORIGINAL: maine_raptor
As for the battle generator, I noticed that it does creatre a map, scenario, and oob set of files appropratly named "RandomX" (where "X" is an ever increasing number starting with 0). That has led me to the "editors".


Excellent news!

quote:

ORIGINAL: maine_raptor
To be honest, I find the printed manual to be of little help in figuring out how to use them. Oh, you have a discription of the functions and a few "Tips", but it is lacking in any great detail (a complete example from start to finish would be nice). I've searched over at the Blitz for more info on how to use them and haven't found anything that would give me more info on what I would like to do: Simply "upgrade" the equipment a unit has. For example, replacing all "Grayhounds" with "Shermans" with in the units that are assigned at the begining


Ah yes. Fair enough. When I have some time (ha!) I will create a video tutorial giving a basic overview from start to finish of scenario design. I will probably have to break it into three parts - map, oob and scenario. Actually, I can do this after I finish off updating the organizations - then I can show off all the new goodies!

quote:

ORIGINAL: maine_raptor
I don't know the structure of the oob file (assuming this is the correct one), but am I right in assuming that there is a number that references equipment assigned and that this key then goes back to an equipment table used by the game engine in it's calculations? If so, could not a program be devised that would allow the user to "upgun" quickly and easily?


Someone with the programming skills could do so .. or one who doesn't mind spending time in a text editor.

quote:

ORIGINAL: maine_raptor
One other minor point; when the second screen appears ("New Secenario", "Saved Scenario", "Modem Host", etc), and you have made your choices, the user must wait for the program to proceede. I'm assuming that there is some sort of timer involved. Why not place a "Continue" button there? It would help curb my urge to slap the side of the PC and say "Come'on!"[:D]


On the other hand, it might be a good time to go pour yourself a glass of scotch to further enjoy the Campaign Series? Mmmm.. scotch.

Jason Petho



maine_raptor -> RE: A patch question and a small bug report (11/16/2007 2:12:01 PM)

Scotch?!?!?!!!!

Nay..........Irish Whiskey, I'm partial to Bushmill's myself.

As for editing the oop; I've been involved with a number of PC games over the years, mostly in the flight sim area (European Air War, IL-2, etc) and during that time I have been know to fire up the ol' Virtual Basic programs and whip out a couple of mods or two that involved either tweeking data files or creating subsitute data files that are game compatable ("Frontline Mover" and a couple of other that I can't recall for EAW, and "COOPGen" for IL-2).

I guess I might be willing to give it a shot if I could get some idea of the file structure, supporting data files, etc. I realize that some of that info might be proprietary, but is there any chance of learning more about how it all works data-wise?

Oh, and as far as a video..........it would be nice, but I'm stuck out here in the deep north woods of Maine where high speed internet fears to tread. My poor old Moose and Squirrel dial up just won't handle it. Any place I can put my hands on a hard copy of info on how to use the editors?



Jason Petho -> RE: A patch question and a small bug report (11/16/2007 5:04:27 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: maine_raptor

Scotch?!?!?!!!!

Nay..........Irish Whiskey, I'm partial to Bushmill's myself.

I will have to give it a try!

quote:

ORIGINAL: maine_raptor
As for editing the oop; I've been involved with a number of PC games over the years, mostly in the flight sim area (European Air War, IL-2, etc) and during that time I have been know to fire up the ol' Virtual Basic programs and whip out a couple of mods or two that involved either tweeking data files or creating subsitute data files that are game compatable ("Frontline Mover" and a couple of other that I can't recall for EAW, and "COOPGen" for IL-2).


Most impressive.

quote:

ORIGINAL: maine_raptor
I guess I might be willing to give it a shot if I could get some idea of the file structure, supporting data files, etc. I realize that some of that info might be proprietary, but is there any chance of learning more about how it all works data-wise?


http://redarrowproductions.com/Files/HowTo%20Packet.zip

Here is a zip file that gives an overview of the nuts and bolts of the Campaign Series.

quote:

ORIGINAL: maine_raptor
Oh, and as far as a video..........it would be nice, but I'm stuck out here in the deep north woods of Maine where high speed internet fears to tread. My poor old Moose and Squirrel dial up just won't handle it. Any place I can put my hands on a hard copy of info on how to use the editors?


Not yet, the manual is the only shining light. I hope to revise that in due time.

Jason Petho



Warhorse -> RE: A patch question and a small bug report (11/17/2007 12:01:15 AM)

It's not too hard to change the equipment using wordpad, open the oob file with it, then open your platoon oob file also, to see the numbers, do a search within the oob file, the numbers usually don't have the 'P' in front of them, but you will see them. I do this sometimes with a random scenario, to getr variety!

Mike



maine_raptor -> RE: A patch question and a small bug report (11/20/2007 5:17:11 PM)

Jason,

Got the zip and have made a start in the materal, thanks.

I guess what I'd like to try, as a mod, is something that would allow a player to use the Battle Generator to create a basic scenario and then easily modify the result on a basic level (ie, just change the weapons used) with a couple of mouse clicks, then save it off and re-play.

One thing: I noticed that when I ran the Battle Generator that the ORG file created a complete Corps for each side even though I had requested a Batt-sized battle (damn file was 56 pages printed!). I also printed out the scenario file. What I'm now wondering is how the scenario file "knows" which Batt out of the fictional Corps to use. Is there any info available about that file?


Warhorse;

I hear what you are saying (I think, haven't go down into that detail yet), but my "way of thinking" has been to automate a task such as that. After all, these beasts are computers, aren't they?

[:D]



Jason Petho -> RE: A patch question and a small bug report (11/20/2007 5:29:03 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: maine_raptor
I guess what I'd like to try, as a mod, is something that would allow a player to use the Battle Generator to create a basic scenario and then easily modify the result on a basic level (ie, just change the weapons used) with a couple of mouse clicks, then save it off and re-play.


A good idea.


quote:

ORIGINAL: maine_raptor
One thing: I noticed that when I ran the Battle Generator that the ORG file created a complete Corps for each side even though I had requested a Batt-sized battle (damn file was 56 pages printed!). I also printed out the scenario file. What I'm now wondering is how the scenario file "knows" which Batt out of the fictional Corps to use. Is there any info available about that file?



Each unit has a unique ID in a created organization, odds are the software randomly selects one of the battalions to use.

Jason Petho



maine_raptor -> RE: A patch question and a small bug report (11/20/2007 5:40:47 PM)

Hmmm,

Ok, this was a "Armoured Breakthrough" type battle, so then wouldn't the software have to eliminate the infantry (non-armour) ones some how? What was funny was that the scenario file (SCN?) did not have anything that looked like a key to tell it to make that selection.

If I could figure out which battalion would be picked...........[X(]

Also, do you know if, in a BG-created scenario, leaders are "used" (ie morale, supply, etc.), or are they just there for show (like in real life, 'cause we all know that the NCO's do all the real work)?[:)]



Jason Petho -> RE: A patch question and a small bug report (11/20/2007 5:59:43 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: maine_raptor

Hmmm,

Ok, this was a "Armoured Breakthrough" type battle, so then wouldn't the software have to eliminate the infantry (non-armour) ones some how? What was funny was that the scenario file (SCN?) did not have anything that looked like a key to tell it to make that selection.


The unique IDs are further broken down into uniquely coded groups: armour, infantry, engineers, etc.. and the software does a die roll to see what kind of units will be supporting the armoured breakthrough. While it might be an armoured breakthrough, there will always be some form of support.




quote:

ORIGINAL: maine_raptor
Also, do you know if, in a BG-created scenario, leaders are "used" (ie morale, supply, etc.), or are they just there for show (like in real life, 'cause we all know that the NCO's do all the real work)?[:)]


They would be in command of a particular unit, just like a normal scenario. The quality is left to a dieroll, as is their task. The scenario editor would tell you what they are for.

Jason Petho



Warhorse -> RE: A patch question and a small bug report (11/20/2007 11:37:05 PM)

When I did my Bulgarian mod, I was tinkering with, in the campaignxx.oob, altering different campaignxx.oob's to custom tailor what I wanted it to pick, never did much with it though, wish the dang generator would let you pick all the countries though!

Mike



Jason Petho -> RE: A patch question and a small bug report (11/21/2007 12:18:22 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Warhorse

wish the dang generator would let you pick all the countries though!


That will come in one of the updates. Whether it is 1.04, 1.05, 1.06 ... has yet to be determined!

Jason Petho



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