With the impending release of the new DLC campaigns, we'd like to introduce you to the CHAIN system.
CHAIN stands for Campaigns Having Additional Integrated Nodes.
So what is CHAIN?
CHAIN is how Panzer Corps will handle not only custom made user campaigns (no more troublesome overwriting stock campaigns for your content) but also bring the revolutionary ability to link campaigns together!
How does CHAIN work?
To utilize the CHAIN system, Panzer Corps needs to be patched to version XXXXX. The details of setting up campaigns under CHAIN are...
First step, create a folder in the Panzer Corps directory. We'll use a new DLC campaign as an example:
Folder name "Panzer Corps DLC1"
Inside of the "Panzer Corps DLC1" Folder, create another Folder named "Data" and a Text Document file named GUID (More on this later)
Inside of the "Data" Folder, create another Folder named "Briefings"
Recognize the format? You should, it's the same system as the default configuration, but now it is created in an independent folder. In other words, if 3 years from now you have 50 campaigns installed, you don't stuff all of them together in the same Data folder, each campaign will have its own independent folder.
This Data Folder works identically to the primary Data folder, with the bonus of being independent. In other words, each campaign can have its own unique "awards.pzdat", "campaign.pzdat", and "gamerules.pzdat" files, and possibly even more files too. (//equipment file? untested)
The format of "campaign.pzdat" has changed slightly:
Take special note of the Bold section.# This file contains Panzer Corps campaign structure
FormatVersion 1
# Entry points
# Name Label in campaign path Description Side Nation Starting prestige Display name
Eben-Emael 15 German attention turns to the West with a daring campaign to topple its old enemy: France. 0 0 2100 Grand Campaign 1940 Grand Campaign {C6FE45B9-F408-45af-9709-1064FDC83694} END_SAVE_CORE
After display name, there is a new entries for "Grand Campaign {Giant Jumble of letters and numbers that actually is the GUID} and END_SAVE_CORE
Now that I've mentioned the GUID twice, I better explain it.
GUID stands for Globally Unique IDentifiction. I think.
Every campaign is going to have a GUID, and a GUID reference in the "Campaign.pzdat" file. Do you sort of see what we're getting at? The GUI is the "Linking" mechanism that mates the end of one campaign to the beginning of another.
Let's do an example.
DLC 1939's GUID file says:
{C6FE45B9-F408-45af-9709-1064FDC83694}
DLC 1940's GUID file says:
{7837A98B-FF97-4185-A9C6-B1EEB2CC9903}
DLC 1940's GUID line in "Campaign.pzdat" says:
Eben-Emael 15 German attention turns to the West with a daring campaign to topple its old enemy: France. 0 0 2100 Grand Campaign 1940 Grand Campaign {C6FE45B9-F408-45af-9709-1064FDC83694} END_SAVE_CORE
As you can see, DLC 1940 references DLC 1939's GUID, which is how the game understands to mate the end of DLC 1939 to the beginning of DLC 1940.
Not all campaigns have to use the CHAIN system, but to set a campaign to utilize it, change the final scenario of your campaign. Example from DLC 1939 appears as:
Notice it says END_SAVE_CORE instead of just END.Narvik NarvikA.pzbrf Narvik.pzscn END_SAVE_CORE 600 NarvikB_decisive.pzbrf END_SAVE_CORE 350 NarvikC_marginal.pzbrf END_SAVE_CORE 500 NarvikD_loss.pzbrf
And that's it, now the game recognizes that DLC 1940 can be considered as a continuation of DLC 1939, or it can be started independently.
Benefits of CHAIN:
Campaigns that use CHAIN are easy to organize.
Campaigns do not need to overwrite other campaigns.
Multiple campaigns can be installed simultaneous that would otherwise be incompatible (different gamerules.pzdat for example)
Distributing campaigns configured with CHAIN is simple. Drop the Folder into the Panzer Corps Directory. DONE.
You can create massive campaigns one piece at a time.
What does that mean?
Let's say Bob creates a small campaign of 5 scenarios. He wants feedback on his work, so he distributes his campaign for people to play. People absolutely luv his work, give him feedback on how to improve his ideas and methods, but they want more. Bob can create a new follow up campaign, 5 more scenarios, and attach it to the end of his first campaign. Suddenly, Bob turned his 5 scenario campaign into a 10 scenario campaign. Now Bob released Part 2 of his campaign, gets more feedback and input, and uses that knowledge to plan Part 3 of his campaign. Months later, Bob's full campaign has a dedicated following of players, instead of months later Bob has only JUST first released his gigantic 200 scenario campaign.
Campaign with CHAIN can branch. If configured properly, DLC 1944, when started, will allow the player to import their DLC 1943 core into DLC 1944 West Front, DLC 1944 East Front, or possibly even some user created custom DLC 1944 Alternate History.
So forget about the old system of branching scenarios, now we can have branching scenarios inside of branching campaigns!
Blah blah blah, maybe more text, lots of pretty pictures.
