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A_B -> Re: procedure for co-op campaign (4/17/2002 12:42:57 PM)
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by Warhorse
[B]Alright folks, what's the correct way to do this? I started one to run with my brother, I bouhgt my forces, then wqas prompted to save, sent the file to him to buy forces. He tells me he can't get the file to do anything?! It won't let him buy anything, or even continue as the Germans!! Please help, want to try this out!!:D [/B][/QUOTE]
Mike, it was you who introduced me to this type of game wasn't it? I've written up the instructions. They are very detailed, but should answer any question you (or more likely your brother) has...
Tazman is correct. I’ll expand a little, starting with the most basic, and formalize vocabulary to make the discussion easier…
Player; the guy playing the campaign
Gamemaster; the guy that sets up the op-for (opposing forces, or the ‘bad guys’). The gamemaster also plays the role of the Brigade/Division commander – as far as briefings, mid game and post game commentary.
The battle starts off in the editor. Either person (but usually the player) picks or makes a map, picks the countries, type of battle, type of terrain, sets day/time/turn lengths/visibility – all the normal stuff on the first screen. On the map, it is important to place the retreat hexes and reinforcement hexes in the most logical place (use the number keys 1 through 9 for this). Also in the map editor, make sure you have the player starting on the proper side (left or right) or things get screwed up. In the deployment screen, make sure you have the deployment lines for the ‘player’ set right. I usually use the enemy’s deployment lines as an indicator of where the Intel guys think the enemy is, but it may not be accurate, or account for scouts. The player may also wish to choose and deploy ‘auxiliary’ forces. Make sure they are all toggled as Auxillery in the deployment screen, or they won’t show up in the campaign. Save all of this as a Scenario (use a high number so you don’t have to overwrite an existing one) and email it to the Gamemaster.
Once all this basic stuff is done, then the Gamemaster deploys the ‘op-for.’ This can be as easy or time consuming as you like, and is really a whole different conversation. It is different than normal scenario creation in that you won’t have time to play test it. So, a good rule is ‘keep it simple’. Don’t add paratroopers or other fancy stuff unless you really know what you are doing. It is often quick enough to run the battle as Computer vs. computer. To do this quickly, save the battle with everything in place, then ‘delete’ all of the units that DO NOT need checking, which are stuff like the ‘players’ units (he will move those himself), bunkers, or units in a static defense. What you have left, that you can ‘check’, are reaction type units, reinforcemts, etc. Again, keep these to a minimum, but DO use them when necessary. Now, save the game to a different slot. Start this Scenario, and make it ‘computer’ vs. ‘computer’. Then watch what happens, making sure units arrive when they are supposed to, move where they should etc.
If everything works OK, send the ‘Player’ the first saved game (with everything in it). If it didn’t play right, open up the first saved game, rework it, retest if necessary, and send it to the ‘Player’.
Once the player has the completed Scenario, they need to plug it into the ‘Campaign’. You do this in the campaign editor. Open the editor and click an empty slot. You end up with a straightforward DOS looking screen. First, name the campaign. Then, to the left of the node number 000, click ‘no scenario’. You are immediately taken to the Scenario folder. Double click on the Scenario file you got from the Gamemaster. It is now the first battle of the campaign. There are five node paths to the right of the scenario name. Type a ‘1’ into all of these. This will insure you go to node 1 whatever the outcome of the first battle. Add the proper amount of Build, Support, and Reinforcement points. Save the campaign. Exit out until you can get to the ‘regular’ campaign screen. Open it, pick the campaign you just built, and you are taken to your first battle of the campaign. Make sure you save a lot, especially towards the end of the battle. Sometimes the end happens at an unexpected point, before the proper ‘end turn’, because morale breaks, etc. So save a lot.
Once the first battle is over, email the results, save file, etc. to the gamemaster, for his review. One or both of you then decide on the next battle. You can move on to a new map, or defend/counterattack on the map you were just on. If you want, you can even set it up so that whatever auxiliary you had you get to keep using, and all the wrecks/craters/destroyed buildings are still in place (but I’ll explain that when someone else asks).
Once you get the second, third, etc. battles from the gamemaster, plug them into the proper ‘node’ in the campaign editor. Add points, etc. Then, open up the last Save (the one than gives you the battle results), hit next, and if everything was set up properly in the editor, you’ll be taken to the next battle in the campaign.
There are a lot of little details here, but everything is pretty easy. If there is a problem, first identify if it is within the scenario (battle) itself, or within the ‘Campaign’ settings. Once you determine that, it is usually pretty straight forward to fix the problem.
Some notes on ‘co-operative’ campaigns.
Keep it simple. Complex enemy settings can do unexpected things, so stay within your abilities. If you do want to experiment, try one thing at a time (instead of six things, like I did in my first few scenarios ).
Don’t expect perfect balance; it is more like a real war – some battles are easy, some hard. Some are unwinnable. This is because it hasn’t been play tested, and I like it better that way.
Don’t get wrapped up in the victory the computer gives you, ie; draw, win, lose, etc. Your victory should be based on what the Gamemaster says. If he set it up pretty easy, but you weren’t aggressive enough, it is a loss. If your Intel says the enemy is battalion strength, and it turns out to be a regiment, then just holding your original position may be considered a victory.
You don’t need to be as wrapped up on ‘points’ in a co-operative campaign. I will stick with a more true TO&E, and instead of upgrading piecemeal when I can, I’ll upgrade whole sections of the unit at once (usually in between major operations). If you are in command of a battalion of Tiger Tanks and Engineers, your Gamemaster should be designing missions that would be given to this type of unit (hint, it wouldn’t be a static defense).
If your gamemaster is doing a good job, you may well loose on occasion. A loss in a regular campaign usually means the end of the campaign. Not in a Co-operative campaign. In this type of campaign I try to play more like a real commander. If the mission is to capture a hill, but I’ve lost a third of my force and know I won’t be able to accomplish the mission with the forces at hand, I will withdraw. I may contact the gamemaster first (in his role as Brigade Commander), to inform him of the situation.
The gamemaster.
He critiques the battles, and assigns new missions based on the results of your last battle. This is an important – and fun – role. If a Player is doing very well, you can give him really tough missions. If the player gets his *@# kicked, you can pull him out of the line for a while. If the player has questions or needs direction in the middle of a battle (ie; go from a recon-in-force to an assault, or needs to withdraw), the gamemaster takes on the role of Higher Headquarters. The gamemaster makes the campaign ‘role-playing.’
So far, everyone who has done this for me has done a tremendous job. Of course, once the co-operative campaign has been played, it can be doctored up a bit and put out as a ‘regular’ campaign.
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