AK Scenario Editor

[El_Condoro]

Initial questions:

1. The two new symbols in the 'Special Hexes' - are they exit hexes and, if so, how do they work? [Edit] Just checked it out: just place them on a hex and when a unit of the side enters, it will disappear when clicked into the Force Pool (and can't be redeployed).
2. Experience in a scenario: is it used in campaigns or only stand-alone scenarios?
3. Does Side 1 necessarily have to be Axis or are they interchangeable?
4. I had transports working in an existing scenario but could not see anything in the drop-down menu when in a new scenario, although the nations and other details were set. [Edit]: It seems the scenario must be saved before the transport lists appear.
5. Custom heroes are not sticking: I enter the details, click OK and they are missing when I go back in. [Edit] It seems all fields need to have a value and then they stick.
6. The new script item for tags: how do they work?

Too late to do a full test of the Editor but for starters.

In game: the one thing that has been asked for consistently is the ability to see the heroes/leaders that a unit has at a glance. Can you confirm that that is fixed and how? None of the scenarios I opened had leaders already set. [Edit] The only way to see what leaders a unit has seems to only be to Alt-click it as before.

Cheers

[uran21]

Two new symbols in Special Hexes are exit zones. Gray for Axis, green for Allies. If unit enters that hex it disappears from the map and goes to Reserve list. It is best to combine them with tile markers.

Experience should be used in campaign.

Default sides are defined in nations file.

Tags are used to connect triggers. One event triggers a tag that other event picks up as a condition. Or you can remove tag to prevent other event from happening.

[Rudankort]

I was going to post some notes on this release, what's in there and what's now, but you were faster.

1. The two new symbols in the 'Special Hexes' - are they exit hexes and, if so, how do they work? [Edit] Just checked it out: just place them on a hex and when a unit of the side enters, it will disappear when clicked into the Force Pool (and can't be redeployed).

In addition to what Kresimir has said, one more thing to mention is that map condition can now analyze units in reserve, so it can check which units exactly escaped and whice have not, and trigger various stuff based on that.

3. Does Side 1 necessarily have to be Axis or are they interchangeable?

There is nothing "axis-related" hardcoded for side 0, or "allied-related" to side 1. Since you can assign arbitrary names to them, you can switch them. But I don't see what benefits you are going to get from that, and this would result in some additional work for you. Thus, side 0 has gray strength plates, and side 1 - green ones, so you would probably want to mod these if you switch axis and allies. Same issue with strategic map icons etc.

4. I had transports working in an existing scenario but could not see anything in the drop-down menu when in a new scenario, although the nations and other details were set. [Edit]: It seems the scenario must be saved before the transport lists appear.

Try to configure nations, close scenario params, then open it again - will the transports appear?

5. Custom heroes are not sticking: I enter the details, click OK and they are missing when I go back in. [Edit] It seems all fields need to have a value and then they stick.

Each hero must have name and image. All other fields are optional, you don't need to fill them in order to save the hero.

In game: the one thing that has been asked for consistently is the ability to see the heroes/leaders that a unit has at a glance. Can you confirm that that is fixed and how? None of the scenarios I opened had leaders already set. [Edit] The only way to see what leaders a unit has seems to only be to Alt-click it as before.

We are still looking into this. The problem is that a hero can have very complex effects associated with it. Base game did not make use of this feature, but with new Editor it is possible to create any stats combinations, and in the future the game might generate such heroes too. The question is, how to indicate all effects for all three heroes in a limited space? Showing that a unit has heroes, and how many exactly, is not a problem, but how to show their effects? Suggestions are welcome.

[Kerensky]

We are still looking into this. The problem is that a hero can have very complex effects associated with it. Base game did not make use of this feature, but with new Editor it is possible to create any stats combinations, and in the future the game might generate such heroes too. The question is, how to indicate all effects for all three heroes in a limited space? Showing that a unit has heroes, and how many exactly, is not a problem, but how to show their effects? Suggestions are welcome.

Couple ideas:

Option A:

When mousing over the area circled in red (or maybe even mousing over any part of the unit not just the hero symbols), the pop on window on the left of the unit appears.

Pro:
Works on existing implemented features, mousing over something causes a window to appear.

Con:
Not sure if long hero names and their abilities will be able to fit into this window.
Not sure how hard it would be to allow mouse detection over hero icons, not exactly a set portion of the screen like the embark button is located at.
Not helpful for viewing enemy heroes.
May not be enough room for multi-stat heroes.

Option B:

Add a new column to the quick unit information stat panel. Only purpose of this extra column is to display stat modification caused by heroes.

Pro:
Works for all units, both allied and enemy heroes will show up here.
Accommodates multi-stat heroes effortlessly.

Con:
Does not work on existing implemented features and requires UI changes (I know you luv these so much)
Requires quick information stat panel to be open at all times in order to access information.
Both sides of the panel (selected unit/moused over unit) would probably need the extra column.

[Kerensky]

Possible option to fix Option A problems:
Remove hero names, only list 'Hero bonuses'



As you can see, this is the same unit with same heroes. The +1 attack and +2 attack hero have been merged into +3.
Ignores problems of heroes with long names.
Able to fit multi-stat heroes effortlessly. All six hero attribute fit. (+0 may just be invisible, but for demonstration I made them visible)

Still not useful for determining power of enemy heroes at a glance.
Would require unit toggle list (f6) and or deploy list (f8) to be open at all times for visibility.

[El_Condoro]

IMO all that is needed is a version of Kerensky's second option: have the (i) Information bar show the affected stats in green. e.g. a unit with a MV of 4 and a +2 MV leader would show a MV of 6 in green. The names of leaders are not relevant IMO.

[Tarrak]

I personally think implementing both at same time would be great. The little pop-up window when hovering the mouse over the heroes display in the second version without the hero names as well as the modified stats on the comparison panel. While the second is giving better overview imho not everyone is using it so the other option is a nice alternative.

[El_Condoro]

Just a minor point that doesn't affect game play at all: I would prefer they be called "Leaders". "Heroes" is a value judgment. As discussed elsewhere, calling some less-than-savoury historical leaders "heroes" grates!

[El_Condoro]

There is nothing "axis-related" hardcoded for side 0, or "allied-related" to side 1. Since you can assign arbitrary names to them, you can switch them. But I don't see what benefits you are going to get from that, and this would result in some additional work for you. Thus, side 0 has gray strength plates, and side 1 - green ones, so you would probably want to mod these if you switch axis and allies. Same issue with strategic map icons etc.

It was only possible to get leaders (heroes) if the player was Player/Side 1. That was fine for an Axis campaign but not an Allied one, which is what I've been working on.
Can Side 2 get leaders/heroes?

[El_Condoro]

The 'Add AI Action' button only allows the option of affecting All, Ground, Air or Naval units when trigger fires. It would be VERY helpful to be able to affect units by their name, location, type etc. as in the trigger settings.

[El_Condoro]

How do you select the desert unit variants? When I create a scenario (Africa theatre) I can still only see the European icons. There is a 'desert' folder under the Unit graphics folder but it doesn't seem accessible from within the editor.

[uran21]

How do you select the desert unit variants? When I create a scenario (Africa theatre) I can still only see the European icons. There is a 'desert' folder under the Unit graphics folder but it doesn't seem accessible from within the editor.

You do not. Game will pick correct camouflage by the theatre when you set it in scenario.

[El_Condoro]

Thanks - that makes sense.

Two outstanding issues for testing existing campaigns:

1. Are heroes/leaders given for Side 2?
2. How should we set up existing mod campaigns to test within the AK environment?

[Rudankort]

1. Are heroes/leaders given for Side 2?

I did not test this, but they should be, as long as side 2 is set as campaign side in campaign.pzdat file.

2. How should we set up existing mod campaigns to test within the AK environment?

I forgot to include "More campaigns" button in the temporary campaign selection screen , probably it is the only issue which prevents custom campaigns from being played in AK. So for now, your options are:
- Copy UI/gamesetup.htm from PzC 1.05 to AK. Then run the game and use "More campaigns" option as usual. Backup AK version of this file, because without it you cannot access AK campaign.
- Use GME

Of course, custom scenarios can be played via "Custom" option in scenario selection, as usual.

[El_Condoro]

I am about to do some testing of the AI stances to see exactly what they do. Some notes on these would be very helpful.

The main deficiency I can see so far is the 'pathing' of AI units cannot be done by name. e.g. If I want the 16th Division (look for 16XX in the unit name) to attack a city on a specific turn, and then move on to attack a zone on another turn. Can the path AI stances be made to act on a unit name string?

[Rudankort]

I am about to do some testing of the AI stances to see exactly what they do. Some notes on these would be very helpful.

- "Hold position (fire)" - unit remains in one place, but can attack adjacent enemy units
- "Move To" - unit moves to a hex specified by AI Zone. If there are several hexes in the zone, the unit will move to the nearest one, then to the next nearest one etc. until all hexes are visited. At this point unit's behavior is reset to "default".
- "Patrol" - unit moves to the nearest hex in the AI Zone, then to the next nearest hex etc. until the last hex is reached. Then the unit goes back to the first hex and the loop starts again. So, if the zone contains just 2 hexes, the unit will go back and forth between them.
- "Random Patrol" - on every turn the unit selects a random hex from AI Zone as its target.
- "Random move to" selects a single random hex from specified zone and moves there. Can be used to send reinforcements to one of several predefined defense positions, or attack one of several predefined targets randomly.
- "Disembark" is similar to "random move to", but also it disembarks the unit when reaching target hex.

The main deficiency I can see so far is the 'pathing' of AI units cannot be done by name. e.g. If I want the 16th Division (look for 16XX in the unit name) to attack a city on a specific turn, and then move on to attack a zone on another turn. Can the path AI stances be made to act on a unit name string?

I'm thinking about adding one more field to unit params - "tags". And then allow AI action (and also map condition) to act on these tags. It is similar to using names, but easier and completely unaffected by potential renaming. Also, by using tags a unit can be part of several different groups.

[El_Condoro]

I'm thinking about adding one more field to unit params - "tags". And then allow AI action (and also map condition) to act on these tags. It is similar to using names, but easier and completely unaffected by potential renaming. Also, by using tags a unit can be part of several different groups

Yes, that sounds like a better solution, although I thought the modder name for units could not be affected by the player changing it.

[Rudankort]

Yes, that sounds like a better solution, although I thought the modder name for units could not be affected by the player changing it.

Yes, map condition ignores renaming. It is not a technical issue, just counter-intuitive.

[El_Condoro]

Do 'Random Move To' and 'Disembark' change to 'Default' when they reach their destination hex?

[Rudankort]

Do 'Random Move To' and 'Disembark' change to 'Default' when they reach their destination hex?

Yes they do.