Strategy/Planning Tools for a Situation Map?

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> Advanced Tactics Series >> Strategy/Planning Tools for a Situation Map?

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Strategy/Planning Tools for a Situation Map? - 6/7/2012 10:56:25 PM

all5n

Posts: 371
Joined: 12/19/2007
From: Republic of Texas
Status: offline

Has anyone found a good way to create situation maps outside of the game that can be used for long term planning?

There are currently a couple bad options:

1. Use the screen shot generated by the game. Not really useful on really large maps, and requires a rulevar that cant be changed once the game has started in order to get non-default map sizes. The map size really should be in the options menu and not in a rulevar that you cant change once the game has started.

2. Take screenshots and use MS paint to patch them together. This is the best option i know of at the moment, but again its tedious for large maps.

Once i get the image for the world, i usually use MS paint to annotate/draw on the map for planning purposes.

Anyone else have any other ideas?

Post #: 1

RE: Strategy/Planning Tools for a Situation Map? - 6/8/2012 6:10:09 PM

Krafty

Posts: 395
Joined: 3/26/2010
Status: offline

You could use Vassal, but its mighty intensive.

I considered using it for our game against Meanfcker and his friends.

http://www.vassalengine.org/

Youd use the screenshot as the "game board", it has network options, and could function as a virtual "war room" where you could move pieces around, chat, draw lines, write on the map, place objects, etc.

Itd take some time to set up, but for games that go on for months and months, it could be a weekly "meeting", where the team gets around and formulates plans. I know people have used it for very large multiple player TOAW3 scenarios in just that way.

(in reply to all5n)

Post #: 2

RE: Strategy/Planning Tools for a Situation Map? - 6/10/2012 3:37:46 PM

82ndtrooper

Posts: 1083
Joined: 12/19/2008
From: tennessee
Status: offline

The easiest thing to do is after you play your turn and send it off, you can then go back and open the old turn and plan and test to your hearts content. The game will send a message something like player X has been messing with the logs on the next turn cycle, but it is not considered cheating to open and look at a old turn. Unless you have made a specific house rule against it.

edit: my mistake I see that you want something out of game.

< Message edited by 82ndtrooper -- 6/10/2012 3:39:11 PM >

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Post #: 3

RE: Strategy/Planning Tools for a Situation Map? - 7/16/2012 9:25:02 PM

Tac2i

Posts: 2001
Joined: 4/12/2005
From: WV USA
Status: offline

I created a couple of modified generic.at2 files that change the default zoom mode for ATG screenshots. See this post for details.

< Message edited by Webizen -- 7/16/2012 9:26:41 PM >

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Post #: 4

RE: Strategy/Planning Tools for a Situation Map? - 7/16/2012 10:40:22 PM

GunnyJarhead

Posts: 27
Joined: 7/16/2012
Status: offline

Hey Guys, Been playing around with the game now for a couple of years but finally decided to put in my two cents worth.

I use MS Power Point. It is awsome, I will import the screen shot and actually set the image as a background. This allows me to use all the tools of PP to add Lines, Arrows, Shapes, Text. etc. I use this on rather large maps up to 400x400.

I will start a random game (without shroud, as I figure that at this level of technology I will at least have some old National Geographic maps of the world and will know how to get around) and us PP to set up a warplan that I try very hard to adhere too.
Anyway..try out PP if you have it.

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Post #: 5

RE: Strategy/Planning Tools for a Situation Map? - 7/17/2012 1:52:15 AM

Mad Russian

Posts: 13256
Joined: 3/16/2008
From: Texas
Status: offline

How large a map will ATG make?

Good Hunting.

MR

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Post #: 6

RE: Strategy/Planning Tools for a Situation Map? - 7/17/2012 3:58:47 AM

Tac2i

Posts: 2001
Joined: 4/12/2005
From: WV USA
Status: offline

I'm not certain what size the editor will accommodate, but using the random game setup screen, these are the sizes supported:

Small: 41x21
Medium: 61x31
Large: 71x41
X-Large: 91x61
XX-Large: 131x91
Unplayably Large: 171x121

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mad Russian

How large a map will ATG make?

Good Hunting.

MR

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(in reply to Mad Russian)

Post #: 7

RE: Strategy/Planning Tools for a Situation Map? - 7/17/2012 6:39:32 AM

ernieschwitz

Posts: 3893
Joined: 9/15/2009
From: Denmark
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mad Russian
How large a map will ATG make?

Good Hunting.

MR

The editor can make maps that are up to 200 x 200. But you can make them even larger using a trick or two... But i am not sure Vic would recommend it, because it eats up RAM.

(in reply to Mad Russian)

Post #: 8

RE: Strategy/Planning Tools for a Situation Map? - 8/27/2012 5:59:25 PM

CSO_Talorgan

Posts: 768
Joined: 3/10/2007
Status: offline

If RAM is the only limit then that's fine. You can always buy a new computer, and they are becoming more powerful with each passing day. I'd hate to think that there was some other limiting factor

(in reply to ernieschwitz)

Post #: 9