scenario editor/design (Full Version)

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Greg McCarty -> scenario editor/design (10/27/2000 5:36:00 AM)

I need to know what precisely what kind of effect the scenario weather settings 1-6 have on scenario conditions. Do the numbers simply imply a range of bad- better -best or do they select a specific condition? I'm re-working a scenario, and understanding this item more thoroughly will be beneficial. Also, during playtesting, some of the computer controlled units will not stay put even though they start in a defense stance. Must the scenario type be a "defend" rather than "delay" to get them to sit still, or must I go deeper and use react=99 settings and glue them to an assigned objective hex? And under these conditions will they break loose and fall back under pressure when they need to? Can they later be counted on to attempt to recapture lost obj hex's? I used to have a good feel for these kinds of issues under the old game, but I can tell by the test results that some things have changed. I imagine "Wild Bill" has some answers, but anyone who has dealt with these issues, feel free to add your observations. Please & thankyou. ------------------ Greg. 37 mill AA... can suddenly ruin your day. [This message has been edited by Greg McCarty (edited October 26, 2000).]




Don -> (10/27/2000 8:48:00 AM)

The only effects that I know that weather has are these: 1) To recreate a historical battle, you'd want the same weather conditions, and 2) To simply create the visibility you want. The worse the weather, the worse the visibility. "Also, during playtesting, some of the computer controlled units will not stay put even though they start in a defense stance." In V2.0 I had many problems with this, and could not solve them even with a reaction turn of 99 AND the objective flag set right on them. Some troops would stay, but the same ones would move over and over again. I finally gave up on that one! I could not use that map in V4.0 (14 bridges), so I forgot the whole thing. I don't know if any of these things were addressed in V4.0. "or must I go deeper and use react=99 settings and glue them to an assigned objective hex" You should be doing that anyway (I think). If I have troops I want to keep still I ALWAYS set a reaction turn of 99 and plant the obj. flag on them. "And under these conditions will they break loose and fall back under pressure when they need to" I'm sure that nothing will keep them from falling back (that's morale and exp.), but I don't know if they will advance again to try retake obj. hexes. They might. I'd love to hear what our other designers have to say about these things! Don




Supervisor -> (10/27/2000 10:31:00 AM)

If you are seting up to be vs the AI make sure you set all of the formations to computer control and set the rweaction turn to 99 or something more than the scenario length. There are many time the Ai starts moving after turn 6 if they have lost a number of VO's and will try to retake them. Design around this by making the VO's Strategic(cannot be recaptured or set the appearance later. Also using the VO that does not score points is a good waay to keep the AI in a particular location. In the new version of Wittmann's Gamble, this is how I kept the British units from leaving Hill 213, by using the VO type that attracts the AI w/o scoring points. ------------------ Grenadier Matrix Games Technical Writer




Arralen -> (10/28/2000 12:48:00 AM)

From what I have seen in v4.4 (and earlier versions) I would says the "get the AI going forward again" shouldn't be the problem [img]http://www.matrixgames.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] The AI units will keep their obj, even if driven back, and will again and again try to move to it. Problem I found was - how make them stop? Seemingly the AI is still unable to stop its troops and let them dig in again - either they're running in circles (keeping the old obj.) or start assaulting (new obj., sometimes even sensible chosen, a forward hill, woods etc.). Worst thing I saw in a generated campaign battle was that the AI seemingly called for reenforcements in turn 5 or so ... a dozend tanks came in from behind, and as they reached the front line, the whole mass of dug-in defenders started an vicious counter-attack ... pulverized my forces [img]http://www.matrixgames.com/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img] Ah, maybe I'm in error 'bout the reenforcements, could be that it where only reserve troops the AI rushed to the front line .. Arralen [This message has been edited by Arralen (edited October 27, 2000).]




Greg McCarty -> (10/28/2000 5:57:00 AM)

One thing I learned when I first did this Scenario for Novastar was that the old SP I engine AI will attempt to re-capture lost objective hexes when in a "delay" posture. Testing showed this held true. I am hoping this holds true in the present version because it is important to the scenario, but I haven't seen enough yet to convince myself. One thing I've got going for me is that the scenario is faily well balanced, and can be played from either side. One side behaves very well, historically, but the other side has a few units that get "antsy." They are the ones which hold the objective initially, and must defend and continue to hold it as best they can. This will emulate historic behavior. I'm fairly confident I can find work arounds. Maybe I can even figure out why a few units wont hold still. Since I now understand the weather angle, I'll adjust things accordingly. Thanks for the input folks. Any other related observations will be gratefully accepted. ------------------ Greg. 37 mill AA... can suddenly ruin your day.




Viriato -> (10/28/2000 6:32:00 AM)

hello all , I had the same problem on a little scenario I was building up , so a big thanks also . By the way , does anyone know how to "glue" planes to a runway for 2 or 3 turns and then have them "take off" and be available has support units ?? I'm trying a SAS scenario , from a book a read from their creation and first missions ...




Paul Lakowski -> (10/28/2000 8:56:00 AM)

Hi can some one tell me ...is it really true I can 'convert' all my SP-1 scenarios to SPWAW????? Help Help my BRAIN IS MELTING.....how do I find out what to do.




victorhauser -> (10/28/2000 9:08:00 AM)

There is another way to glue units in place. Simply give them a movement rating of zero.




Don -> (10/28/2000 12:41:00 PM)

But, if you give a movement rating of zero to vehicles it will immobilize them. I haven't worked with planes much, but I would first try setting the "reaction turn" to the turn you want them to move. Don




Warhorse -> (10/28/2000 6:17:00 PM)

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Lakowski: Hi can some one tell me ...is it really true I can 'convert' all my SP-1 scenarios to SPWAW????? Help Help my BRAIN IS MELTING.....how do I find out what to do.
Paul, in theory, using successive versions of Fred Chlanda's editors, you can, although when I tried to do one(quickly, mind you), I had no such luck:-( Ask Fred at his message board, I'm sure he'll help you out, great guy!!His web page; http://freds.webprovider.com ------------------ Mike Amos Meine Ehre Heisst Treue




halstein -> (10/28/2000 6:33:00 PM)

Is this just me, or is it a bug. When pressing the F1 in the editor, nothing happens, but the manual(v4.0) says under "Weather" p.31, that F1 will bring up a weather "helpscreen" in the generated battle setup, and the editor. It does so in the generated battle setup, but not in the editor. I use SPWaWv4.4. ------------------ Halstein




Wild Bill -> (10/29/2000 4:44:00 AM)

Hey Greg! I've got some and I hope they will help. There are three steps to making these units do what you want them to do. Remember, in a meeting engagement, it is next to impossible to get units to stay put. They have computer orders to advance. But consider these things. 1. Computer Control: If you want a unit to "do" or "not do" certain things it must be under computer control. Now I know a force played by the AI is under computer control, of course. What I mean is that you are to set it to do something different from what the computer would make it do. To put a unit under this control, you do the following: Click on the top right hand corner button from the Unit deployment screen in the editor. Now you see on the right a listing of all the units and formations for one side. In the center you'll see a list of the leaders for each formation. To the left of the name of each leader are three buttons. One shows arrows. The other shows the head of the leader. The last one has arrows pointing upward and outward. click on the head of the leader. It changes to a computer. Now it will (or should) do what you tell it too. 2. Formation Stance: On this same screen, the first button (the one on the right as you look at the screen) is the advance-defend button. When you click it, it changes a unit's status to one or the other. If you only want it to defend, set it that way. If you want it to move, even in a delay or defend scenario, set it that way. 3. Reaction Turn: In the lower left hand corner of this same screen (I call it the HQ screen) is a button titled "reaction." Click on it. Now the screen turns blue at the top. Type in the turn number you want to activate the unit. If you type in a 5, the unit will start to move on turn five. That is its reaction turn. If you don't want it to move at all, set the reaction turn to 99. Now in a delay or defend scenario it should already say 99, IF you have changed the human head in the center to a computer. Remember that? In addition, if you want the units to advance to a specific area or objective, you must set a "formation" objective. You do that in the deploy screen by clicking on the blue flag, then clicking on the hex where you want that formation to go. Finally, if you want it to follow a different path from the most direct path, you must set waypoints. That is the third button (the one on the left) in the HQ screen. You click that, then plot it's course. You can set 10 waypoints. Just make sure the last one jibes with the objective you have set for the formation. Here is an example to help you. I have formation B, an American rifle platoon. The scenario is a German Advance, US Delay battle. Okay, I want formation B to sit tight for about five turns, then move to hex 36, 40. Here are the steps. I click on the HQ button (top right hand corner) while in the deploy screen. I find the B formation listed by its leader in the center of the screen. I click on the human head for B formation. It changes to a computer. Next, I click on the circular arrows and change its mode from defend to advance. Then I go down to the left and set its reaction turn to 5. Now I go back to deploy screen and click on blue flag, then hex 36,40. Now, what did I just do? I put the B formation under direct computer control, set it to advance, but told it to stay in place for five turns, then proceed to hex 36,40. After all of this, I can then set waypoints should I choose to do so. If I don't want formation B to move at all, I set it to direct computer control, I leave it on defend, and then (very important)set the reaction turn to 99. It should stay in place when this is done properly Following this procedure works well for me. Wild Bill ------------------ In Arduis Fidelis Wild Bill Wilder Coordinator, Scenario Design Matrix Games




Greg McCarty -> (10/29/2000 8:14:00 AM)

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Wild Bill: [B]Hey Greg! I've got some and I hope they will help... Thanks to all. I think I just about got this thing nailed. I had a platoon of trucks which probably were converted from another unit type. Couldnt get them to sit still to save my life. So I built a motor pool within a stone wall. Course, there's a driveway leading out, but its not in the direction the AI wants to go. He wont crash thru the wall. With trucks he knows better. (chuckle) Nice thing about it is when a real person plays this side he can still utilize the trucks if he sees fit. Problem solved. I've run thru 3 test games using the old Novastar scenario guidlines. This one is going to be a beauty. It is now behaving along historical guidlines; the map is beautiful; and with a few more tweaks it will be suitable for play from either side. Unfortunately, I must fly to Orlando on business for awhile, so my conribution to the available list of scenarios will have to wait a week or two. But its lookin' good. ------------------ Greg. 37 mill AA... can suddenly ruin your day.




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