Slitherine

fsx wrote:I tested the new DMP-Mod.
All DMP-Mods provide the "whole" configuration without exe. And in the last 3 days - it works (after fixing freeze).

Thx for report, very useful info.

fsx wrote: But I also agree churchy opinions (in parts).
We have to change some files. I ased in an other thread, to seperate pc original files and mod files. Like strings.pzdat for original, changed by updates and strings.mod (overwrite and adding lines) for the mod. After an update, the mods should not be changed (in strings file). Same is now urgent for movement (use strings like leg.. as key not the position number), terrain, theatre.. because this objects now changeable.

I see how separating these files could help, but in case of DMP mods or Mods which use GME thiw probably would not help, because they replace existing game files instead of living side-by-side. This is tricky, because the official mechanism (Mods folder) does not give the same possibilities as GME or DMP approach.

fsx wrote: And also: now the balance is gone in some cases.. Or how can I switch to the "old" AI? My main issue is AI can now switch units. With my airplanes I have now much more problems to "hold" it in game, because AI now use all AT as AD. But for the game, this improvement ist great!

I never imagined that such an innocent change would break the balance.

The balance of my kind of playing PC.
I use many aircrafts as possible. And now, AI has the twice number of AA and AD units in a scenario.
Okay, I could change the difficulty level I use.
It is nessesary to change the strategie to capture cities in 1.10 (compared to 1.05)

I didnt tested triggers in the mod.

Well, it was promised that the new AI will be switchable..

Rudankort wrote: I never imagined that such an innocent change would break the balance.

Uhu wrote:Well, it was promised that the new AI will be switchable..

The point is, I don't consider the AI in 1.10 "new", I only made a few bug fixes. I did bug fixing in past patches too, and nobody ever complained.

Of all scenarios i played in AK, i was thrilled of the better AI behaviour in attack and defence. I even suppose it is not necessary to go for the higher (unlockable) difficulty settings anymore to have a challenge.
Personally important, a unit can now be scripted to fire but not to leave its defensive position. Before it would leave its position when it saw an opportunity and then was just ripe for the slaughter.

Rudankort wrote:

Uhu wrote:Well, it was promised that the new AI will be switchable..

The point is, I don't consider the AI in 1.10 "new", I only made a few bug fixes. I did bug fixing in past patches too, and nobody ever complained.

nikivdd wrote:Of all scenarios i played in AK, i was thrilled of the better AI behaviour in attack and defence. I even suppose it is not necessary to go for the higher (unlockable) difficulty settings anymore to have a challenge.
Personally important, a unit can now be scripted to fire but not to leave its defensive position. Before it would leave its position when it saw an opportunity and then was just ripe for the slaughter.

AK is a bit different, because it makes heavy use of new AI orders, available in the editor.

Rudankort wrote:

nikivdd wrote:Of all scenarios i played in AK, i was thrilled of the better AI behaviour in attack and defence. I even suppose it is not necessary to go for the higher (unlockable) difficulty settings anymore to have a challenge.
Personally important, a unit can now be scripted to fire but not to leave its defensive position. Before it would leave its position when it saw an opportunity and then was just ripe for the slaughter.

AK is a bit different, because it makes heavy use of new AI orders, available in the editor.

IMO, a substantial improvement for which i'm grateful.

flakfernrohr wrote:Pardon my naive and obviously elementary question, but what is an "e file". Is this the Equipment file that dictates the traits of the units in play?

Yes, it's the equipment file and your description of what is does is perfect.

Rudankort wrote: I see how separating these files could help, but in case of DMP mods or Mods which use GME thiw probably would not help, because they replace existing game files instead of living side-by-side. This is tricky, because the official mechanism (Mods folder) does not give the same possibilities as GME or DMP approach.

But it could Alex...
by simply instructing the exe that modfolder (when clicked to play mod xy) folders/files are loaded first and if equal/same name always overwrite game files .
This way complete conversion mods are possible by only throwing the modfolder into the Mods folder...
No more hassle, no more stress and additionally simple and easy testing for any custom design...
This would not only speed up modding but would make bigger mods easily accessible to a wider public and allow even some sort of official promotion as mod playing would become as easy as make a copypaste or making simple installers to install the mod into Mods folder.
Even the most PC illiterate can click > Install...I mean the regular player installs his games this way
I call this system MOD and GO and its about time this is introduced on a wider scale in the PC game market

El_Condoro wrote:

flakfernrohr wrote:Pardon my naive and obviously elementary question, but what is an "e file". Is this the Equipment file that dictates the traits of the units in play?

Yes, it's the equipment file and your description of what is does is perfect.

Thanks old buddy down under by the sea, all this techie talk makes my head hurt sometimes. LOL

I rely on guys like you and the others in this thread to guide me and lead me like a kid through this maze.

I don't have a problem with the patch and my AT and AA mod. Even the RSM worked fine.

First thing one should do when modding is record what you modded.

I wouldn't be surprised if they don't teach that in college yet.

I've worked in configuration management and know what a nightmare is.

1) it is more work to adapt your mod to the 1.1 patch
2) you will not get all the benefits from the patch unless you use the same format
3) I disagree with the posts above as vanilla mods to equipment file are effected. Example AT & AA mod
4) Using your record of changes: go into 1.1 and re-update the values in equipment file
5) any custom units should have been coded correctly ie; high id numbers, so they do not conflict with other mods and future patches
6) add custom units at the end of the equipment file
7) add customs sounds to efx and animations at end of file
same with tiles if applicable
9) for other auxiliaries like big units, hero photos, head base, flags.... just copy and paste the mod back into the appropriate file.

10) if you made the mod to be used with GME there should be no problem to copy and paste back into correct location
11) only problem I see is adding the new trait features to any custom units IF applicable
12) for campaigns.. I don't think that function has changed. This area takes allot more of my time so I do not pursue that course.
13) Good Luck and I hope this helps

Rudankort wrote:
AK is a bit different, because it makes heavy use of new AI orders, available in the editor.

Any plans to patch the Grand Campaign with new AI orders?

Also, has anyone else had problems with the equipment editor? When I load the v1.10 Eqp file and try to add unit, it replicates a totally different unit than the one I selected.

4kEY wrote:Any plans to patch the Grand Campaign with new AI orders?

GC is balanced without using them, so adding them now would require us to rebalance everything. Such a change would probably require a lot of time and a new round of beta testing. So, there are no immediate plans to do this - we better invest this time into creating new content.

Perhaps I could work on a GC Rebalancing mod and update the scenarios to address some of the concerns (ahistorical starting positions on GC39's Poznan, for instance). I could also add some new AI triggers. For instance, the French general in the GC40 scenario could be set on a patrol, to make capturing him more interesting.

4kEY wrote:Also, has anyone else had problems with the equipment editor? When I load the v1.10 Eqp file and try to add unit, it replicates a totally different unit than the one I selected.

The editor is not compatible with 1.10.
Mark is working in a new version.

I started with GTPG v2.0 some time ago, before the v1.10 patch. At a certain point the campaign branches, one branch leads to north afrika. I loaded a v1.05 savegame and then moved to the first scenario of the north africa path and all vehicles placed there on desert tiles cannot move. Appearingly terrain is only read at the beginning of the campaign (?) because then i quickly restarted from the beginning (the infamous Endscn0 trick) and when i reached that scenario again, all vehicles can move.
Just for everyone to know.

It works if I "delete" the Added unit. Doing this deletes the foreign unit from on top and leaves the one I intended to replicate intact underneath.

The eqp file has duplicate entries for certain units. For example, "Sdkfz _something" - with a space after Z. Then there is the original without the extra space. This is identical to an oversight in another mod, only that this is the Eqp file that booted with v1.10

When it overwrote the SS units with the stock SE camo, it created a duplicate of the Sdkfz transport and also kept the one I had.

VPaulus wrote:

4kEY wrote:Also, has anyone else had problems with the equipment editor? When I load the v1.10 Eqp file and try to add unit, it replicates a totally different unit than the one I selected.

The editor is not compatible with 1.10.
Mark is working in a new version.

When you say it isn't compatible, do you mean that if I try to open the new eqp file in the old editor, it will re-format everything? Cuz I think this is what has happened..