Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (Full Version)

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Helpless -> Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/6/2010 3:14:50 PM)

This is short unofficial editor tutorial which shows how various data types build up in WITE editor.

The goal is to introduce new ground element (GE) type, create OB(TOE) which is using new GE , create new scenario with unit which would utilize new GE/OB(TOE).

Let’s take something big - Pz.Kpfw VIII aka Maus and make it available in the game [8D]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzer_VIII_Maus

1.Since we going to alter generic data (the data which is common across all scenarios and is loaded when new scenario is loading in the game or in editor), the good idea would be to make a backup:

[image]local://upfiles/13846/80A1CE0723BB4BF6A1A09C921F62F0C6.jpg[/image]

Edit: City data is not generic and stored in scenario file. No need to copy wrcity.dat.



Helpless -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/6/2010 3:15:36 PM)

2.Create art for the new ground element. Another way would be to utilize existing art, but probably Maus deserves its own. There are two types of the art used by ground elements and aircraft - icons and photo. Icons placed in \sat\art\units\GXXXX.tga , photos – in \dat\art\photo\GPXXXX.bmp (XXXX – Id of GE). Let’s give the “beast” its ID – 666:

G0666.tga

(Important: icon tga should have proper alpha channel set up to appear correctly)


[image]local://upfiles/13846/5EA0B543719F4250AEC3349DC57188B5.jpg[/image]



Helpless -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/6/2010 3:16:01 PM)

GP0666.bmp


[image]local://upfiles/13846/1F087614F5934B788DED0C8556D8361B.jpg[/image]



Helpless -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/6/2010 3:16:56 PM)

3.Set up weapons.

Run the game, go to editor and load generic data. Unfortunately there is no 128mm KwK 44 L/55 and 75mm KwK 44 L/36.5 guns in device database. So we have to create them. (I didn’t make a detailed research on new gun capabilities, so characteristics could be not very accurate. Usually this is something Jim Wirth does in our team. The intention is to introduce some basic editor capabilities)

[image]local://upfiles/13846/3A0DFBA0782649459F94B78D06D02DBE.jpg[/image]

Two new weapon(devices) are 583 and 584.



Helpless -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/6/2010 3:17:56 PM)

4.Make new Ground Element.

Go to the Ground Elem. tab and create new entry under id 666. Since we have proper devices we can utilize them when building our Maus GE.



[image]local://upfiles/13846/2DB29BADB1874A41B2517C5AFBE35E51.jpg[/image]



Helpless -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/6/2010 3:18:40 PM)

5.Introduce new TOE(OB).

In the TOE(OB) editor (tab) let’s make a new entry. (This is almost 1:1 copy of 44 Heavy Panzer Battalion)



[image]local://upfiles/13846/3DCE585D6FA24475A43FEEDC7F26A73D.jpg[/image]



Helpless -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/6/2010 3:19:36 PM)

6.Save Generic Data.

Now we are done modifying generic data and should save it before going into scenario. We don’t touch leaders and aircraft, so they could be deselected





[image]local://upfiles/13846/44D71679F5B4433DB76CADA0DE539783.jpg[/image]



Helpless -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/6/2010 3:20:17 PM)

7.Create new scenario.

Let’s take some exiting scenario and introduce there just created Maus Panzer Battalion. The most fitting would be 1944-45 Campaign. After loading this scenario, let’s name it a - 1944-45 Campaign ‘Maus Mod’ (Note: it is suggested to use single quotes in the game data) and save over.



[image]local://upfiles/13846/8D63358C57F6455BA1D8369FAC94E1EE.jpg[/image]



Helpless -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/6/2010 3:21:01 PM)

8.Make new unit.

Go to the unit editor and add Maus Panzer Battalion to OOB. Since slot 666 is used let’s take some other empty slot :) . Let’s assign it to some SS Panzer Division – in my case 5th SS Panzer Division. After setting all values (TOE(OB) – 666 (44 Maus Panzer Battalion, Germany, Axis, SS-Elite) don’t forget to rebuild and resupply the unit.



[image]local://upfiles/13846/82C303D835244C5E9A92A3932D679A61.jpg[/image]



Helpless -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/6/2010 3:21:50 PM)

9.Save the scenario and our Maus beasts are ready to ride :)

Don’t forget that if you want to share the mod which contains generic data changes, you should send appropriate dat files together with scenario file.



[image]local://upfiles/13846/083FAB42EE0A40C294E2D963825B3A0B.jpg[/image]



Helpless -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/6/2010 3:22:18 PM)

and down..



[image]local://upfiles/13846/A7CD1656489542BAAA72D44D799ACA7F.jpg[/image]



Helpless -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/6/2010 3:22:51 PM)

and more down..



[image]local://upfiles/13846/FAD3456BD6CA47DA9D21FF75EF37113A.jpg[/image]



Helpless -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/6/2010 3:23:50 PM)

If you patient enough you may find them damaged and making the damage :)



[image]local://upfiles/13846/731BEF2E066243F39F2A2303E67EBD77.jpg[/image]



Helpless -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/6/2010 3:24:06 PM)

Questions?



dobeln -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/6/2010 3:28:48 PM)

Nice walkthrough. The mod scene for GGWaW was great - hopefully we can see some interesting mods here for balance / alt history purposes.



Pford -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/6/2010 3:50:07 PM)

Interesting. The program is very flexible. Can't help but think, however, that a 'Maus Mod' would be more appropriate to a hypothetical, mid to late 1945 extension of the campaign.



Grouchy -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/6/2010 4:13:14 PM)

OMG, OMG at last..i'm able to to conquer zee east with my Sonderverband „Windhund“.

Fear my Brandenburger parachuting dogs. W're unstoppable!

[image]http://wiki.wwiionline.com/images/4/47/2dog.jpg[/image]



paullus99 -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/6/2010 4:16:40 PM)

Well, if for whatever reason Hitler greenlighted the MAUS earlier, it could have been available (though I don't know how many would have actually made it to the front).

For your hypotheticals, I'd recommend picking up a copy of "My Tank is Fight!" by Zack Parsons.

Besides the MAUS, you get other wunder-weapons like:

Landkreuzer P.1000 Ratte (2 x 280mm & 1 128mm guns)
V3 Hochdruckpumpe
Panzerabwehrrakete X7 Rotkappchen
Landkreuzer P.1500 Monster (mobile Dora)
Weser WP 1003/1 VTOL Transport
Heliofly III/57 Personal Heliharness (mobile troops)
Horten Ho IXB Natchtjager Fighter

You could have a load of fun, I'm sure.



Helpless -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/6/2010 7:53:36 PM)

Well, it can work both ways. :) Editor is a game within the game.

Imho, the most powerful part is not the generic data (weapons, ground elements, aircraft). There is enough to be done even with existing low level equipment. There is endless amount of operations which can be used as a source for the WITE scenarios.




BletchleyGeek -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/7/2010 12:29:51 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: paullus99

Well, if for whatever reason Hitler greenlighted the MAUS earlier, it could have been available (though I don't know how many would have actually made it to the front).

For your hypotheticals, I'd recommend picking up a copy of "My Tank is Fight!" by Zack Parsons.

Besides the MAUS, you get other wunder-weapons like:

Landkreuzer P.1000 Ratte (2 x 280mm & 1 128mm guns)
V3 Hochdruckpumpe
Panzerabwehrrakete X7 Rotkappchen
Landkreuzer P.1500 Monster (mobile Dora)
Weser WP 1003/1 VTOL Transport
Heliofly III/57 Personal Heliharness (mobile troops)
Horten Ho IXB Natchtjager Fighter

You could have a load of fun, I'm sure.



Some drawings I dug out of the Internet for the "Personal Heliharness".

A load of fun, indeed [:D]





JMass -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/7/2010 1:03:25 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: paullus99
Besides the MAUS, you get other wunder-weapons like:


Interesting, other tanks to add:
Panther F
Panther II
E-100
JS-III
T-44
T-54

I don't like very much hypothetical situations but probably it could be possible to design a scenario with an Allied-German alliance vs Red Army, "Patton's Road to Moscow"!


quote:

ORIGINAL: Helpless

Unfortunately there is no 128mm KwK 44 L/55


The item 404 is the 128mm Pak44 L/55, I found it searching for the Jagtiger (available as well).



Helpless -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/7/2010 1:07:30 PM)

quote:

The item 404 is the 128mm Pak44 L/55, I found it searching for the Jagtiger (available as well).


Afaik, it were a little bit different guns. Again the purpose was to show how to add devices.

quote:

JS-III


It is in the game.

[image]local://upfiles/13846/BCE38E05E9264CED9AE4E09E0123FD10.jpg[/image]



joey -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/9/2010 4:27:11 AM)

To get used to the editor, I have been trying to reassign some units to new HQs. I can't seem to figure out how with the editor. Most HQs are not selectable. The only ones selectable are air HQs. But I am trying to reassign ground units. Anyone have any ideas?



Helpless -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/9/2010 9:12:43 AM)

On the unit editor tab click the HHQ text button and point to the hew HHQ from the list




[image]local://upfiles/13846/AE6AE1CC811A4DA787571D353771930C.jpg[/image]



joey -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/9/2010 2:32:20 PM)

When I click on HHQ, it takes to another screen in which all units are listed on the right of the screen. On this screen, all but air bases are non selectable.


[image]local://upfiles/11959/E0AED86937EC4B7E9707F0B1B05655AA.jpg[/image]



joey -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/9/2010 2:33:29 PM)

As you can see, air bases are selectable, but all other commands are not. I am at a lose.



Great_Ajax -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/9/2010 2:39:41 PM)

Joey, what exactly are you trying to assign? That might help us to figure out what you are trying to do.

Trey

quote:

ORIGINAL: joey

As you can see, air bases are selectable, but all other commands are not. I am at a lose.




joey -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/9/2010 2:47:10 PM)

I created a new ground HQ unit. I am trying to assign it to a higher HQ and second, I am trying to assign a few unassigned units to the new HQ.



Great_Ajax -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/9/2010 3:01:29 PM)

If you would indulge me here. What new unit did you create and what HQ are you trying to assign it to? It should work exactly like Pavel says above. I've been working on the scenarios for over a year and it works just like that. Screenshots would also help if you can provide them. Just to make sure it works, try opening up any of the scenarios and re-assign any already existing ground unit to a different HQ and see if that works.

If you created a new HQ, you also need to assign it an 'HQ Type' which you can figure out by taking a look at the settings for other HQ units of this type. 'HQ Type' is what makes HQ units different than combat units and determines their hierarchy within the OOB. You should be able to assign a numerical value of '1-5'.

Also, compare the new units that you created to the existing ones in game to make sure you have filled out all of the appropriate fields. Check to ensure that your combat units have the nationality set properly and if they are Axis or Soviet.

Trey




karonagames -> RE: Building the Maus. Editor AAR(Tutorial) (12/9/2010 3:04:00 PM)

Is the scrollbar not working?



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