Consolidating an unofficial equipment file

El_Condoro · Post by **El_Condoro** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 11:41 pm

Now that so much great work has been done on units of all sorts is it worth trying to consolidate the efforts? I was reminded of this issue when I decided to add a few units for my Red Dawn campaign, which means an e-file and efx file are needed specific to it.

It will be a huge task, I think, because all these things need to be created and agreed on:

- the icon image to use for each unit (not too hard)
- assign number in equipment.pzeqp (simply add to end of official file?)
- assign stats in equipment.pzeqp (potentially endless discussion!)
- assign effects in efx.pzdat
- create big unit images

Or is it better/easier to just go with creating equipment specific for individual projects as is being done now? It seems to me that this will create a lot of duplicated effort and make the GME an essential part of the game (it almost is now), even though the 1.04+ campaign Mods folder works well too.

All this does not take into account what the official e-file will be doing.

What happened in PG2 when this issue became important was a number of e-files were created and scenario designers specified which one their scenario or campaign was designed for.

Any ideas, suggestions etc?

VPaulus · Post by **VPaulus** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 12:18 am

You want to organize a universal database for units?
Assign ID numbers?
How will things work outside this forum?

El_Condoro · Post by **El_Condoro** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 12:44 am

VPaulus wrote:You want to organize a universal database for units?
Assign ID numbers?
How will things work outside this forum?

I'm not volunteering for anything yet!

Just trying to get some thoughts on whether a venture like this is even viable/worth the effort.
A database of ID numbers would probably be what is needed - centrally co-ordinated somehow.
I'm not sure I understand the last question. Guys would always be free to operate outside an unofficial efile, if that's what you mean.

VPaulus · Post by **VPaulus** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 12:58 am

Yes, that's what I meant. This could only work in this forum and Matrix. And all in a voluntary way.

I think some campaigner creators would benefit.

The efx file, however, doesn't need any ID number. But it would be really nice if there was an agreement to create a standard the filenames system. Maybe including a call sign of the modder in the filename.

BriteLite · Post by **BriteLite** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 5:59 am

I mentioned establishing an "official" file or at least standard a while back. I would hate to see what happened to PG PG2 and PGF occur with PZCorps. Eventually each iteration had several e-files that were not compatible with each other, some being incomplete. I don't have the solution but I am willing to volunteer to assist in an effort to standardize. I can't help generating graphics but I am proficient in Excel and can manipulate the data files.

nikivdd · Post by **nikivdd** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 8:29 am

BriteLite wrote:I mentioned establishing an "official" file or at least standard a while back. I would hate to see what happened to PG PG2 and PGF occur with PZCorps. Eventually each iteration had several e-files that were not compatible with each other, some being incomplete. I don't have the solution but I am willing to volunteer to assist in an effort to standardize. I can't help generating graphics but I am proficient in Excel and can manipulate the data files.

We could name it Grand Army of the Republic !

Uhm on second thoughts.... Grand EQP file of Panzer Corps.

I'm already in the process of building a larger eqp file that will be the basis for future projects.
Those who received GTPG2.0 verybeta2 know what i am talking about.

Kerloc · Post by **Kerloc** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 12:38 pm

i could write a little java program that can read 2 equipment files. After reading it could check for conflics and it could merge the 2 files into one. the program can change the id of the conflicting units to make them compatible

but i have no time for such a program at the moment.

El_Condoro · Post by **El_Condoro** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 12:46 pm

Sounds like a very good start - when you're able.

Kerloc · Post by **Kerloc** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 7:24 pm

good news - i have time in two weeks ...
guess what i will do next

rezaf · Post by **rezaf** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 12:15 am

Maybe it'd be a good idea to start a unit ICON repository, too.
Does someone have a webserver and is willing to donate some space on it?
I think a forum thread and imageshack or something isn't the best option..
_____
rezaf

Razz1 · Post by **Razz1** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 4:22 am

Unit id's can be posted on line in the forum.

For every new icon a player can update it himself.

To make it easy, to the right of the ID in place of putting in units stats you could type in stock. Otherwise you can fill in the equipment data applied to that unit.

If it is icon only, the can state "none" to the right of the unit id.

However, I really don't see a problem with doing nothing, as in multi-player you use the hosts data.

The only problem in MP is that you need the correct icon name and sound name. With the sound name you will need the correct sound and animation files. Two players can have a different icon with the same name. There isn't a problem with this in MP. In fact you can players can have two different sounds as long as the sound name is the same.

For single player we have the GME. So, basically it is a waste of time, is it not?

If you like something.. you add it yourself to your files.

VPaulus · Post by **VPaulus** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 10:56 am

GME has nothing to do with it.
I'm afraid you're not seeing the scope of El_Condoro's proposal.
Any mod community usually do this after a while. Things need to be organized.
You need conventions for filenames, for example. Tags for modders, etc.
It's a community effort and not an individual effort.

dragos · Post by **dragos** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 11:46 am

Indeed, the problem is replacing the equipment file every time you play a different custom campaign, as it happened in PG2. The goal is to have a unified equipment file that is compatible with whatever new campaign is made. For example, it should be known that unit ID from 5000 to 5100 are reserved, so any new units for a new campaign should not use those ID.

nikivdd · Post by **nikivdd** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 4:32 pm

I already had a post in this thread but there is something rather important IMO that needs to be issued first.

I'm in favor of El_Condoro's proposal for a big e-file and creating that database is not the first concearn.

First should be dealt with "the new nations" for that e-file.

For example there is already Denmark from Rezaf and soon there will be Japan from Bebro.

Could someone, and i must admit i grandiously failed in this effort, add extra slots to the flags.png preferably with the new nations present? and eventually the necessary other files associated with that?
I did manage to replace existing flags (for my GTPG custom e-file project for example) but in the long run this is not the solution.
Once done those new nations received their nation code (like Germany=0) and then we can start working on the "fat" e-file.

What do you think?

VPaulus · Post by **VPaulus** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 4:39 pm

It's hardcoded, I think. You can replace but can't add new.

rezaf · Post by **rezaf** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 5:21 pm

What, nations? You can add nations, you just have to make flags and icons and re-touch a bunch of HTML files for them to appear in the editor and all. But it works.

Has anyone tried how many unit IDs are viable? I.e., 65000 or even more?
I'd think, leave everything up to 10000 for "official" use, and then assign a generous number block to all major nations (5000 IDs?), a considerably smaller block to minor participants (somewhere in the 100-500 range?) and then possibly an even smaller block to "auxilary nations" - think Afghanistan or Costa Rica.
Would it be wise to divide those blocks into smaller chunks for unit types?
It would make it easier to find/place stuff in those files, but at the risk of a number block running out.
Not sure - thoughts?
_____
rezaf

flakfernrohr · Post by **flakfernrohr** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 11:59 pm

This would be a much needed application for certain. The person or people who manage to pull this off should get medal or something in return for creating a Panzer Corps Unit Depot. You just go there and pick your units off the shelves (out of the files).

VPaulus · Post by **VPaulus** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 6:46 pm

Kerloc · Post by **Kerloc** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 7:07 am

working on it ... but top secret ^^

VPaulus · Post by **VPaulus** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 12:09 pm

Great!