Quick check, tips, and questions about scenario editing

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Quick check, tips, and questions about scenario editing

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Quick check, tips, and questions about scenario editing - 11/21/2018 8:21:55 PM

exsonic01

Posts: 1131
Joined: 7/26/2016
From: Somewhere deep in appalachian valley in PA
Status: offline

This is so far I have learned about scenario editing. (By the way, am I only one who feels the Matrix games forum is unstable?)

1) Developer mode:
In the data\scenario\development.cfg file you can enable the 'developer mode' by changing the developerMode value from '0' to '1'.

2) Map editor mode:
In the data\scenario\development.cfg file, set the 'mapEditMode' value to '1'. This doesn't needed for scenario editing.

3) Scenario editor mode:
To start a scenario edit, first, you need to prepare a skirmish game you wish to make a scenario, and save it.
Then, engage developer mode, start game. Then from main menu, select "Single mission" and search for the scenario you saved. Then select the side you wish to edit, and hit "edit" above the "play" button.

4) About locking positions from scenario editing mode.
In the scenario editor mode, you can lock / unlock formation. Also, you can lock the player side unit's position by editing scenario .xml file. If formation something is not -1, -1 then it is locked.
Meanwhile, Player cannot lock the position of AI units, because of dynamic AI.

5) About changing VP name and position from scenario editing mode.
This is possible by editing scenario.xml file, you can delete VP and add a new VP by this method. Regarding coordinate of VP, trial and error is needed to where designer put VP. But this is not easy and a bit annoying. So, make sure to put VP at the position you really want, from the moment when you generate a battle from battle generator (Thanks Kevin)

6) Tips so far.
- When you prepare AI units from "generate mission", let them have platoon units for better mobility of AI forces. Don't give AI company units.
- When you prepare map from "generate mission", try to give some good empty space (less forest, less city) on AI deploy zone. It is OK to have some forest or town in AI deploy zone, but not too much. This might help to prevent piecemeal attack.
- AI deploy zone should have good amount of area, this will help dynamic AI to set up their battle in reasonable fashion.
- Try to maximize "dummy" option from "Objectives" screen of "generate mission", where you can set VPs. This may help AI to become a bit more unpredictable.
- You can control VP zone size by dragging from "Objectives" screen. Unfortunately, you cannot make "neutral, empty" zone from battlefield. If you really want to make "empty, neutral" zone, then you need to give no recon units for both sides, and drag deploy zone of both sides, to have enough wide area of "no mans zone" between two deploy zones.
- (From Kevin) Make sure to assign plenty of unit points from "generate mission", since you can't redo the OOBs after the fact. Maybe via the xml, but that might be messy.
- One other method to make "no man's allowed netural zone" is to make a scenario something similar to "Armored Cavalry Regiment vs Tank Regiment" mission. There, deploy zone is placed right next to each other, only few hundred meters of recon zones are allowed.
We can try something similar from scenario editor.
A. Make a Scenario using "Generate Mission".
B. During "Objectives" stage, drag deploy zone of both sides right next to each other, as much as possible, like you are not allowing recon zone for both sides.
C. While doing so, make AI deploy zone to have 1/3, 1/4, or 1/5 width of the map. This is because we cannot fix AI unit's position during scenario editing mode. (But that 1/3~1/5 width of the map should be a good enough area for AI)
D. Then, purchase units and save scenario. You can purchase recon units for both sides as much as you want. But AI recon units may be limited, because recon zone is very narrow in this condition.
E. After this, engage developer mode, and load scenario with 'edit' button, to get in scenario editor mode.
F. Now, you have 2/3, 3/4 or 4/5 width of map as your deploy zone. But you shall NOT use all of deploy zone. From here, move your units to opposite boundary from AI's deploy zone, as if you have 1/3~1/5 width of map.
G. Then, lock all of your friendly unit's position.
H. If you play game, you will see enemy will start from opposite end 1/3~1/5 width of the map, while you start from 1/3~1/5 width of the map, leaving no one in zone between two.
I. If you use zones.bmp wisely, then you can confine the deploy position of you or AI in more precise fashion. (Please someone let me know how to make and edit zones.bmp)

Now here are my questions:
1) Is the zones.bmp and movement.bmp the same or different?
Manual mentioned "movement.bmp". However, in game shows "zones.bmp". Are they the same ones?

2) How can I make zones.bmp (or movement.bmp)
Is this should be used photoshop or something? I can't find any tool to make or edit zones.bmp, even in developer/scenario editor mode.

3) Regarding zones.bmp
Manual mentioned:
No-go zones: 0
Destruction zones: 64
Water crossing points: 128
Passable terrain: 255
But I can't find where to set those numbers.

Thanks

< Message edited by exsonic01 -- 11/22/2018 3:55:52 AM >

Post #: 1

RE: Quick check, tips, and questions about scenario edi... - 11/22/2018 12:40:34 AM

kevinkins

Posts: 2257
Joined: 3/8/2006
Status: offline

Excellent. I have been learning to design the past two nights. I'm gonna cross post your observations in the Scenario and Mods Area.

Part 1 Battle Generator: Make sure to assign plenty of unit points since you can't redo the OOBs after the fact. Maybe via the xml, but that might be messy.
Make sure your objectives are where you want them for the same reason. You can adjust them in the xml, but again you'll need to play with map coordinates.
Keep an eye on the predicted scenario length and adjust it the way you want by adjusting the victory points. Again be deliberate during part one. I have had to restart many times.

Part 2 Scenario Design Mode: Other than positioning formations, I am trying to find any additional functionality. I am probably missing some gems Oh, the scenario name and briefing are edited via the xml at the very top of the file. Open a stock scenario xml for reference.

exsonic01, feel free to comment on my observations.

Kevin

_____________________________

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(in reply to exsonic01)

Post #: 2

RE: Quick check, tips, and questions about scenario edi... - 11/22/2018 1:20:21 AM

exsonic01

Posts: 1131
Joined: 7/26/2016
From: Somewhere deep in appalachian valley in PA
Status: offline

Thank you Kevin

quote:

ORIGINAL: kevinkin
Part 1 Battle Generator: Make sure to assign plenty of unit points since you can't redo the OOBs after the fact. Maybe via the xml, but that might be messy.
Make sure your objectives are where you want them for the same reason. You can adjust them in the xml, but again you'll need to play with map coordinates.
Keep an eye on the predicted scenario length and adjust it the way you want by adjusting the victory points. Again be deliberate during part one. I have had to restart many times.

I know EXACTLY what you mean here

I also restarted during scenario making so many times XD All of your points are very good and important ones.

< Message edited by exsonic01 -- 11/22/2018 1:22:16 AM >

(in reply to kevinkins)

Post #: 3

RE: Quick check, tips, and questions about scenario edi... - 11/22/2018 2:02:37 AM

blackcloud6

Posts: 489
Joined: 8/13/2002
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: exsonic01

- When you prepare AI units from "generate mission", let them have platoon units for better mobility of AI forces. Don't give AI company units.

One thing to keep in mind is that it might be proper to have Soviet AI units operate in Company sized units in order to replicate their doctrine. This doctrine was to maneuver by companies to mass firepower and have ease of C2.

(in reply to exsonic01)

Post #: 4

RE: Quick check, tips, and questions about scenario edi... - 11/22/2018 2:14:17 AM

exsonic01

Posts: 1131
Joined: 7/26/2016
From: Somewhere deep in appalachian valley in PA
Status: offline

quote:

One thing to keep in mind is that it might be proper to have Soviet AI units operate in Company sized units in order to replicate their doctrine. This doctrine was to maneuver by companies to mass firepower and have ease of C2.

Well, it is not about doctrine or their tactics, it is to help the AI to maneuver on the field.

If you give company units to AI, what might happen is that they trapped in difficult terrain, and couldn't recover from route finding or optimizing their route. Then what might happen is, AI will attack in piecemeal fashion, one by one after they recover from difficult terrain. Game will become too easy.

Company involves wider width of formation due to more number of units than platoon. In this case, if one or two units of company meets the difficult terrain, entire company's speed will be slowed down, just to match the speed of entire company with delayed unit. Imagine a situation wedge formation company charging on the field, but one left-end tank pass over swamp. Entire company being slowed due to that single tank, and assault will be slowed.

This is because AI is not perfect yet enough to find a route to bypass the difficult terrain like humans do, especially when size is big like company. Even we human players also need to rely on micro management, if one or two tanks of our tank company trapped in difficult terrain and being slowed. It is not easy for AI to perfectly optimize his route, or do micro manage like humans do, especially if the unit size is big.

Meanwhile, platoon have narrower width of formation, it is less likely meet a difficult terrain and delayed due to one or two units. That is why having platoon is better than company for AI forces.

< Message edited by exsonic01 -- 11/22/2018 2:15:41 AM >

(in reply to blackcloud6)

Post #: 5

RE: Quick check, tips, and questions about scenario edi... - 11/22/2018 2:19:08 AM

blackcloud6

Posts: 489
Joined: 8/13/2002
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: exsonic01

quote:

One thing to keep in mind is that it might be proper to have Soviet AI units operate in Company sized units in order to replicate their doctrine. This doctrine was to maneuver by companies to mass firepower and have ease of C2.

Well, it is not about doctrine or their tactics, it is to help the AI to maneuver on the field.

If you give company units to AI, what might happen is that they trapped in difficult terrain, and couldn't recover from route finding or optimizing their route. Then what might happen is, AI will attack in piecemeal fashion, one by one after they recover from difficult terrain. Game will become too easy.

Company involves wider width of formation due to more number of units than platoon. In this case, if one or two units of company meets the difficult terrain, entire company's speed will be slowed down, just to match the speed of entire company with delayed unit. Imagine a situation wedge formation company charging on the field, but one left-end tank pass over swamp. Entire company being slowed due to that single tank, and assault will be slowed.

This is because AI is not perfect yet enough to find a route to bypass the difficult terrain like humans do, especially when size is big like company. Even we human players also need to rely on micro management, if one or two tanks of our tank company trapped in difficult terrain and being slowed. It is not easy for AI to perfectly optimize his route, or do micro manage like humans do, especially if the unit size is big.

Meanwhile, platoon have narrower width of formation, it is less likely meet a difficult terrain and delayed due to one or two units. That is why having platoon is better than company for AI forces.

OK, I'll buy that. I've had the Soviets use companies and I notice that they are not massing firepower like they should. But then again, maybe their doctrine was flawed and they would have experienced the same problems the AI has when moving companies.

(in reply to exsonic01)

Post #: 6

RE: Quick check, tips, and questions about scenario edi... - 11/22/2018 9:23:32 PM

jiltedjock

Posts: 2
Joined: 7/30/2014
Status: offline

My impression seems to be that if the player purchases platoons for his force, the AI will also purchase platoons (when set to Auto). I have tested this in 10,000 point missions where the AI could easily have purchased companies. If this is correct then it is good news, as I would prefer the AI to use platoons but I want to preserve the element of surprise by not purchasing for them.

Also had a very cool moment when a Hind passed my player unit and the noise of the chopper passed from my left headphone to my right as it passed.

(in reply to blackcloud6)

Post #: 7