Step-by-step scenario tutorial

[delusan]

In my humble opinion, we need someone to walk us through, step by step, the making of an entire very simple new user created scenario. This was done on the Advanced Tactics forum, and really set me on my way in the making of my own scenarios, in addition to bringing a flood of user created scenarios for Advanced Tactics. I'm not looking for anyone to make scenarios for me - just need to be pointed in the right direction to make my own scenarios and hopefully even share them here. I'm afraid that creation of such a tutorial might well be a daunting task, but perhaps a series of tutorials, building on one another might bring a lot of us up to speed in scenario creation.

[Landy]

It would be nice to have one.

[Rosseau]

Certainly, more docs would be helpful down the road, considering the editor is an integral part of the package.

We know you are probably busy with a patch, so we (at least I) will be patient.

Thanks

[pipfromslitherine]

I'm not sure what you mean. All you need to do to make a user scenario is go to the editor, create the campaign as prompted, then save the scenario (once you have placed down your units, tiles, etc). You'll then be able to see and play the scenario in your campaign list.

Or do you mean something more specific?

Thanks for the feedback

Pip

[delusan]

From the BA modding portal ...

"But suppose you want to change the stats on a unit, or even add a new ability or order it can perform. Or change the way that the game simulates armour? Or even add in new 3D unit models? All that - and more - can be done without needing any special tools or skills."

Actually, how to do these things isnt too obvious to me - but then I'm a lot slower than most modders. Just seems that it wouldnt hurt to have a few step by step tutorials for new BA modders. Nothing fancy ... just the basics.

Specifics? OK. How DO I change the way the game simulates armor? How DO I add new 3D unit models? How DO i add a new unit ability or order? How DO I change the stats of a unit?

A step by step tutorial on any one or all of these would help me/us, and the information would be very accessible here (in the modding section of the forum).

Slitherine rightfully is proud of how modable BA is ... a request for a few tutorials on the forum doesnt seem out of line to me. Hey - it was just a suggestion pip.

[pipfromslitherine]

The indepth modding documentation on the Modding Portal contains a case study on how to add a new order to a unit.

Changing the unit data just means opening up the SQUADS.CSV file (one you have copied to a local directory as per the instructions in the documentation, NEVER the main game one!) and tinkering with the values.

Adding 3D models is a lot more complex, and I'm still working on a starter kit for that, as well as trying to work out whether we can make an exporter for a 3D package other than MAX.

I guess the issue for me is that I don't know what people don't know - you can do so much that it's hard to make a 'simple' tutorial. If you want to try something specific, drop a post in the Scenario or Modding forums and you can be sure I'll be on it like a shot. But we have attempted to make the Modding Portal a good place to start.

Cheers

Pip

[delusan]

If it's so easy to mod, wouldnt it be easy to provide a step by step of a simple scenario creation, rather than trying to ask and answer one question at a time?

I really didnt think a tutorial would tax Slitherines or this forums resources to a great extent. So much for you guys being sensitive to Users needs/requests.

Forget it pip ... Ill figure out the details without your help ... but Ill think long and hard before buying another Slitherine game.

[pipfromslitherine]

I'm not sure why you think I'm not helping. I'm asking what specifically you think we could do more than the Modding Portal documents. I assume you've checked them out and have more specific questions?

Are you interested in mission scripting, or more the details of how to alter the unit stats. Do you want to build custom UI?

I'm asking for more information on the form you think it should take. I'd like to think that's the beginning of getting you the information that you want.

Cheers

Pip

[Rosseau]

I remember a day when there were no patches or help whatsoever. If you wanted an update you had to pay for 3.5 disk to be mailed to you.

Now we get immediate answers--or attempts at answers--from the developers themselves. We've all gotten spoiled, me included.

[delusan]

OK pip Ill say it one more time - I want a tutorial showing step by step how someone created an entire solitaire scenario. Map making, unit placement, victory conditions, AI, etc ... EVERYTHING done to make a playable scenario from start to finish. Show us how to make a solitaire play scenario from start to finish.

Check out the Advanced Tactics scenario creation tutorials on the Matrix forum and youll get the idea. Youre making this a lot more complicated than it is. Enough already.

[MesaDon]

Okay I need a step by step. first while I can set up the map and features and place units everything goes to heck after that. First the Axis units do nothing (realized that I had to rotate all of the Axis units). this don't move. Second I tried to add bonus features (air attacks etc.) and they don't show up. Are these scenarios able to be played as you against the computer? It needs to be remembered that many people have not done much scenario creation beyond the FoG type create the map drop in the units and play the game. took my first computer classes in 1969 (using 0 and 1) and am suffering from decades of computer burnout, so how about a nice simple do-it-yourself step by step guide. Pretty pretty please.

[pipfromslitherine]

Hmmm - you might need to set the AI aggression to however you want them to act, for example seek and destroy would be a common initial thing. I'll look up the specific values (they are currently set as flags in the AI) when I get into the office.

Bonuses won't show up on screen in the editor. If you add them (left clicking adds a bonus, right clicking removes) and they don't show up, they might have been added to the enemy side? The bonus button toggles the side you are working on (shown just under the top button group IIRC).

I'll put together some more details when I get into the office.

Cheers

Pip

[pomakli]

YES!

We need one and Tutorial for "DUMMIES"



I mean myself (in case modding!)!

[delusan]

Forget it guys ... there is NO intention of providing a STEP BY STEP SCENARIO GUIDE for us. Pip continues to pretend he doesn't know what we re asking for - preferring to reply with individual bits of information like "you might need to set the AI aggression to ...." etc. I'm wondering why there is so much resistance from a publisher that brags about a games modability ....

[pipfromslitherine]

There is no resistance, and nobody is pretending anything. Writing good documentation is not easy, and the more information I have about what people are finding tricky, the better the documentation can be. Some of input here is useful in doing that, and once I have a plan then I can put together a package of the kind you seem to want.

I'm not sure of the need for all the negativity.

Cheers

Pip

[pomakli]

Forget it guys ... there is NO intention of providing a STEP BY STEP SCENARIO GUIDE for us.

I don't think so!

If you noticed how helpful and open-minded "Slitherine" is, then I am sure, they are preparing some additional documentation!

What they all need is, a little time, because there is a "loooong to do list"!

I'm wondering why there is so much resistance from a publisher that brags about a games modability ....

And there is no resistance! They try to understand what we need and how they could explain it easily!

It's a "fun" game and we all have fun!

[childress]

Something I noticed when playing around with the editor: when I resized the map the colours became desaturated, all greys, whites and blacks.

[pipfromslitherine]

It's a bug where it forgets to unveil all the tiles again - placing units will show it up. A simple fix is to save and reload. It's on the todo list!

Cheers

Pip

[delusan]

While pip is putting "some details together when he gets back to the office", and pip is waiting to "write good documentation", and pip is collecting "more information about what people are finding tricky", and pip is "developing a plan", can anybody post their step by step attempt to construct a solitaire scenario? Doesnt even have to be a successful attempt ... just something to get the scenario creation ball rolling. Then maybe others (including me) will chime in and follow in your footsteps - moving the whole scenario construction learning process along.

That will give pip time to get back to the office, collect information on what people want, and develop good documentation before posting a demonstration of how a simple play against the AI scenario might be created.

I have some modding friends over at the Matrix forum who are on the fence regarding purchase of BA, and this whole teeth-pulling attempt to get a step by step posted here is not sitting well with them. I bought BA because I enjoy modding, and so far I feel my money was wasted in that regard.

[insidius]

While pip is putting "some details together when he gets back to the office", and pip is waiting to "write good documentation", and pip is collecting "more information about what people are finding tricky", and pip is "developing a plan", can anybody post their step by step attempt to construct a solitaire scenario? Doesnt even have to be a successful attempt ... just something to get the scenario creation ball rolling. Then maybe others (including me) will chime in and follow in your footsteps - moving the whole scenario construction learning process along.

That will give pip time to get back to the office, collect information on what people want, and develop good documentation before posting a demonstration of how a simple play against the AI scenario might be created.

I have some modding friends over at the Matrix forum who are on the fence regarding purchase of BA, and this whole teeth-pulling attempt to get a step by step posted here is not sitting well with them. I bought BA because I enjoy modding, and so far I feel my money was wasted in that regard.

Honestly, just get in there and start screwing around with stuff. That's what I've been doing, learning by trial and error. Sure beats waiting around for others to teach me.