[Axis Campaign] GTPG v1.18 FINAL (26/12/22)

[nikivdd]

For those who want to try third scenario Norway as standalone

http://www.sendspace.com/file/qkho93

Remember: standalone scenario's go to your \my games\panzer corps\scenario folder!

[El_Condoro]

In the "nasty surprise" screen shot you show the units arrive [10,15]. Is there some sort of random chance of their arrival if it's done this way? My understanding is that they will arrive on 10 unless the hex is occupied and then on the first turn after that when it's not. So my question: is there any effective difference between [10,15] and [10,10]?

[Kerensky]

A few more screenshots while doing second playtest and to finish this window a little designer screenie.

A little "how to make a nasty surprise for the player" screenshot

Giving away all the good secrets man, what are you doing!!!

[nikivdd]

In the "nasty surprise" screen shot you show the units arrive [10,15]. Is there some sort of random chance of their arrival if it's done this way? My understanding is that they will arrive on 10 unless the hex is occupied and then on the first turn after that when it's not. So my question: is there any effective difference between [10,15] and [10,10]?

If the hex is occupied, the unit will appear when the hex is available, most likely next turn. As with air-and groundunits. Is there a groundunit where an airunit will appear or vice versa, that doesn't have any influence on when the unit should appear (they are not blocking eachother).

Turn 10,10: the unit will appear on that turn
Turn 10,15: the unit will appear between turn 10 and on turn 15 at the latest
The best course of action if you want to "drop" enemy units into the game is to put them where the chance is very slim or non-existant that it will be occupied by the player.
In the case of groundunits, i try to put them where either no VH-es are, or where it is very difficult to enter that area (without heavy losses for example).
Like in my example, the allied air reinforcements will arrive at the edge of the screen on sea hexes.

In the example underneath, there is a Canadian battlegroup due to enter the map on turn 6, near the edge of the map as well, and no VH in the vicinity.

[nikivdd]

A few more screenshots while doing second playtest and to finish this window a little designer screenie.

A little "how to make a nasty surprise for the player" screenshot

Giving away all the good secrets man, what are you doing!!!

Filling my time until you make your next announcement . I'm waiting for you-know-what lol.

[El_Condoro]

OK, thanks. In the "nasty surprise" example [10,10] would work in 99.9% of cases, too, because there is next to no chance of planes occupying those hexes for more than a turn or two. For other cases, where it is likely, say a flag hex, there might be a time limit placed on the appearance of the unit. Cheers.

[nikivdd]

Added a poll on the top of the first window.
The question is simple: do you prefer a pre-set starting core for this campaign or not?
Please vote. Thank you.

[bebro]

What about 50/50, giving some preset units, but let the player pick the rest?

If I had to decide between the poll options: IMO there's nothing wrong with throwing the player into a situation where he needs to live with what he gets from the start provided there's reasonable prestige over the course of the campaign to upgrade. Limiting the player is good, punishing him not so much IMO.

[nikivdd]

What about 50/50, giving some preset units, but let the player pick the rest?

If I had to decide between the poll options: IMO there's nothing wrong with throwing the player into a situation where he needs to live with what he gets from the start provided there's reasonable prestige over the course of the campaign to upgrade. Limiting the player is good, punishing him not so much IMO.

50/50 is not a bad idea but which units to put on the map already...not everybody will be happy with those 50% preset units.
That is why the poll only has two questions... either all or none.

I invite you to give a list of 14 core units to preset on the map (startcore = 28 )
(units available on 01/09/39)

[El_Condoro]

What I am doing with the Red Dawn campaign is making a really short (1 turn) first/opening scenario - if the player takes an (empty) flag it results in a pre-set core, if they don't they get to choose. The briefings and documentation clearly explain the choices and results. That means I have created two 'next' scenarios - identical except for the fact that one has the core units already on the ground and the other has a large amount of prestige and deployment hexes. The campaign.pzdat is used to control the branching and prestige.

It's the prestige that causes the problem; if you create a choice pzbrf file and a blank slot in the campaign.pzdat for it the player always gets the same prestige. Obviously this is not going to work. I used the victory condition prestige of the two (identical) scenarios (zero for preset and 2000 for own selection).

[nikivdd]

What I am doing with the Red Dawn campaign is making a really short (1 turn) first/opening scenario - if the player takes an (empty) flag it results in a pre-set core, if they don't they get to choose. The briefings and documentation clearly explain the choices and results. That means I have created two 'next' scenarios - identical except for the fact that one has the core units already on the ground and the other has a large amount of prestige and deployment hexes. The campaign.pzdat is used to control the branching and prestige.

It's the prestige that causes the problem; if you create a choice pzbrf file and a blank slot in the campaign.pzdat for it the player always gets the same prestige. Obviously this is not going to work. I used the victory condition prestige of the two (identical) scenarios (zero for preset and 2000 for own selection).

Thanks for the input, it is really much appreciated .

I decided to take a different approach mainly for that prestige problem.
A preset campaign and a handpick campaign. Both campaigns have the extra scenario to make it easier for the continuing campaign packs (labels in campaign path). Just in the handpick campaign the player can purchase 28 core units. Already made both by now and it works. I prefer to take full use of the new campaign possibilities presented in the latest live version.
The player can choose the pack he prefers most, and the campaign pack of his/her choice will seamlessly flow into the second pack. And i will make a surprise there too .

[El_Condoro]

There is always more than one way to skin a cat! Good approach.

[bebro]

I invite you to give a list of 14 core units to preset on the map (startcore = 28 )
(units available on 01/09/39)

Ahh...decision, decisions. I'll look into this tomorrow or so

[nikivdd]

There is always more than one way to skin a cat! Good approach.

I'm not going to skin our cat, or my wife will file a divorce lmao

[nikivdd]

I invite you to give a list of 14 core units to preset on the map (startcore = 28 )
(units available on 01/09/39)

Ahh...decision, decisions. I'll look into this tomorrow or so

Ah you picked up the gauntlet...great .

[El_Condoro]

lol. I wasn't sure if that saying is particular to Australia (or weird people in Australia) or is used in other parts of the world. Glad your cat is safe - I like felines.

[nikivdd]

lol. I wasn't sure if that saying is particular to Australia (or weird people in Australia) or is used in other parts of the world. Glad your cat is safe - I like felines.

I know the expression you used...just wanted to add some fun .

[VPaulus]

lol

[Kerensky]

There are pros and cons to both methods.

With a mostly pre-set core, your campaign is much friendlier to casual gamers. People who might not have experience playing the game or people just looking to jump right into what has been created for them without having to do a lot of 'pre-play' thinking or planning.

You also can guide the player with a pre-set core. If you have an urban campaign, with lots of heavily entrenched infantry and artillery units and lots of close terrain, pre-setting forces is a clue for players and what they should expect from your campaign. If you just leave it open ended, and they pick all tanks... well there is going to be a number of problems.

Long story short, in the end neither system is perfect, but offering both options to anyone who prefers one or the other is always a good idea.

[bebro]

I invite you to give a list of 14 core units to preset on the map (startcore = 28 )
(units available on 01/09/39)

Just looked into Danzig, the cores seem quite balanced. I haven't really worked out a complete list of what to keep in a 50/50 case, but I'd definately keep some of the units that usually don't see much action since most players would buy stronger units that are already available if they can afford them (I'd assume). So for example I'd keep the core Do-17, the 75mm arty, and the PzI as preset core units.

If you plan to include custom units that weren't in the orignal campaign, maybe a nice idea would be to replace one Stuka (core or aux) with a Hs.123.