Earliest Scenario Start Date?

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> Scenario Design and Modding >> Earliest Scenario Start Date?

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Earliest Scenario Start Date? - 6/12/2015 6:47:51 PM

Lasarian

Posts: 26
Joined: 8/29/2013
Status: offline

Quick question for the more seasoned modders here, what is the earliest possible campaign start date and for that matter latest end date that a scenario can have? And indeed the maximum turns (days?) as a result. I ask because I was under the impression that 7 dec 1941 was hardcoded in as was 1634 days (turns?), taking it to 28th May 1946. Yet I just modded a 'grand campaign' mod scenario start date and then started a game that kicks off months earlier and it doesnt seem to be a problem (other than most ships / units not being present due to their deployment dates in the editor still being december). So what gives? Has something changed or will the game just roll straight to dec 8th next turn? Thanks for clearing up the confusion. Cheers.

< Message edited by Lasarian -- 6/12/2015 7:48:35 PM >

Post #: 1

RE: Earliest Scenario Start Date? - 6/12/2015 7:31:58 PM

Alfred

Posts: 6685
Joined: 9/28/2006
Status: offline

Nothing changed. You just haven't given enough thought to all the problems which result.

You can type in any date into the editor as the start date. Want to type in 1571, go ahead the editor won't stop you. Try running the game though and you will come up against the hard coded issues. The code interacts with the database. So whilst you can alter the database values, if they are not "suitable" for the code, you hit a dead end.

Read this thread to get an idea of what you are up against.

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3090246&mpage=1&key=start%2Cdate&#3090246

Other threads provide additional details on the problems you will encounter. Just do a search on "start date".

Bottom line if you want to make a playable mod which is based on what happened in the Pacific between 1941 and 1945, is the earliest start date is 7 December 1941.

Alfred

(in reply to Lasarian)

Post #: 2

RE: Earliest Scenario Start Date? - 6/12/2015 8:24:32 PM

Lasarian

Posts: 26
Joined: 8/29/2013
Status: offline

Thanks, Alfred, understood. Wish I could get my hands on the source code and really 'mod' the game! Perhaps someday we'll get a more advanced codebase that's suitable for modding. Amazing how much has been accomplished regardless.

(in reply to Alfred)

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RE: Earliest Scenario Start Date? - 6/12/2015 11:05:50 PM

wdolson

Posts: 10398
Joined: 6/28/2006
From: Near Portland, OR
Status: offline

This game already lends itself to more modding than most games. The only game of this genre I can think of that might have more user mods is Steel Panthers.

As one of the people with the code base, it would take a fairly experienced programmer to grok what's there now. I have over 25 years and some things with the code still stump me. It's pretty complex.

Bill

_____________________________

WitP AE - Test team lead, programmer

(in reply to Lasarian)

Post #: 4

RE: Earliest Scenario Start Date? - 6/13/2015 3:03:27 AM

Lasarian

Posts: 26
Joined: 8/29/2013
Status: offline

Controlling complexity is the essence of programming, as Kernighan would say. Sounds like it could have done with more design to achieve simplicity. C++ presumably? Not my fave.

(in reply to wdolson)

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RE: Earliest Scenario Start Date? - 6/13/2015 3:30:47 AM

wdolson

Posts: 10398
Joined: 6/28/2006
From: Near Portland, OR
Status: offline

Almost all serious game programming is done in C and C++. Most other languages are way too slow.

The deep history of this game dates back almost 15 years. 2X3 started this game with Beyond Valor, and it evolved through War Plan Orange, the original War in the Pacific and then finally the Admirals Edition. The code has been through a lot of evolution.

Bill

_____________________________

WitP AE - Test team lead, programmer

(in reply to Lasarian)

Post #: 6

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> Scenario Design and Modding >> Earliest Scenario Start Date?

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