Japan

[rich12545]

There really should be an easier way to do all this stuff.

[Merr]

Thanks for your help.

If we can get this VP and flag thing figured out...

Quite welcome!

Now .... I spent over an hour trying to get the darn VP's to work and I'm currently at a loss.
You have a lot of files in your campaign folder and it might not be the problem but I'll have to go through everything to sort out the problem.
The tricky part (for me) is that you have different nations and a new flag ... To me, these are monkey wrenches being thrown into the works.

I suggest that you press on and wait until tech support get backs into their office this week ... by the time I figure it out we could all be 6 feet under

I got Build5 .... I need to verify that I've got the team aggression set for the reinforcements and to ensure that they move to the correct destination.
I have to go back to the tutorial and decide whether to use the Editor or code to get the results. There are two ways to do this.
I'm applying the KISS principle first

[junk2drive]

I started with a copy of the desert campaign. I hesitated to remove anything until I understood the inner workings.

I tend to rename files with an x in front to save them from overwriting while things progress and delete those once things are stable.

If you can get US and German flags/victory points to work maybe we can add Japan (and all the other countries) later. Amaz_Ed flags are mods of US and German. We don't have country attributes in this game anyway. Not yet.

[Merr]

I started with a copy of the desert campaign. I hesitated to remove anything until I understood the inner workings.

I tend to rename files with an x in front to save them from overwriting while things progress and delete those once things are stable.

If you can get US and German flags/victory points to work maybe we can add Japan (and all the other countries) later. Amaz_Ed flags are mods of US and German. We don't have country attributes in this game anyway. Not yet.

Ok .... I'm going to streamline the other folders ... Do this on your end too ;

REMOVE all the folders name "scripts" ... should be two of them (data/battle/scripts and data/scripts) ... I tested this an it's fine.... these aren't needed at the moment.

We'll work on removing other stuff later.

Ok ..... My first test on the reinforcements tells me I need to fix this .... working on this now.

[junk2drive]

I removed those and all the other 1 and x copies of files.

I assume now (after all this struggling) that the campaign will use the scripts in the main game folders with exceptions being in the scenname.bsf

[Merr]

I assume now (after all this struggling) that the campaign will use the scripts in the main game folders with exceptions being in the scenname.bsf

Correct ..... You only need to add scripts and other junk if you plan on modifying the original file.
The only cavet to the whole thing is the "battle/scripts" .... It's mandatory to have the $DEFAULT.BSF (this tells which files to "include") if you change (or add) new scripts.
In our case, we don't have any changes (yet)... my snipers and leaders have new code and files.
Think of the $DEFAULT file as being our friend ... we can test things by simply commenting out what it shouldn't include. It beats adding and removing files over and over again while testing.
I spend most of my "modding" time with simple cut'n'paste ... cut code from other camp (that looks promising) and pasting it into my camp.

Example ;
- We are now able to modify the TERRAIN.TXT file from the main folder ...
- If we wanted to have our men walk on water we can change the [water] code to read 4 instead of 100 for INFANTRY.
- So, to do this, we copy the TERRAIN.TXT file over from the main folder to our camp folder.
- Open the file with notepad and make the change, then save it.
-Viola!! Your men have superpowers for only your campaign (I assume this because they said it was fixed ... I haven't tried it yet)

Same goes with the SQUADS.CSV .... if we want new attributes or whatever, same process ... etc etc.

Hope that helps .... And be sure to save your build before doing this!

If you get an error ... redo the delete ... I've spent many a day going back to my Recycle Bin.

[junk2drive]

I didn't delete, I made new folders elsewhere and moved them.

I've also sent a copy of the campaign folder to multiplayer to test in hotseat. That copy has saved me once already.

Looking forward to seeing what you can do.

[Merr]

Looking forward to seeing what you can do.

Me too !! I'm sailing into a new part of modding (scenario design via scratch and sniff) so we're in the same NOOB BOAT .... and we've both fallen out several times!

Hey ... Post your new "slim" version when you are confident it won't blow up.
The changes I'm doing now can be added without any fuss so no rush on your end.

I commend you on your patience this past month.

[junk2drive]

Interesting, the new zip is larger than the old ones even with the stuff taken out.

I played through 4 turns of the second battle and it seems ok.

The reinf animation takes you to the correct corner now. Although I don't think the US player should know about the reinf and where they are. Leave it in for now.

[junk2drive]

In the last month I have found out that my office is closing and I am looking for a job in a small town with a bad economy, working on another game due to be released soon, etc.

[Merr]

In the last month I have found out that my office is closing and I am looking for a job in a small town with a bad economy, working on another game due to be released soon, etc.

Ouch .... I forgot about that ...

The reinf animation takes you to the correct corner now. Although I don't think the US player should know about the reinf and where they are. Leave it in for now.

To remove it (on your end for testing) ... just comment out (//) the part that reads ;

Code: Select all

AddVizCamCenter(44, 38);

I will leave it in as instructed.

And one final question ... Build5 had two scenario files ..... 1spwaw and spwaw ... remind me, which one should I be correcting before I blow your camp up?

[junk2drive]

The one without the 1

I added the 1 to the old file to keep it safe. I have now deleted it.

[Merr]

Although I don't think the US player should know about the reinf and where they are.

While I'm inside the spwaw ..... I can randomize the board edge that the reinforcements arrive ?

Example ...
TEAM 1 (on turn 3) can arrive on the opposite board edge (still behind US) ... 50/50 chance maybe?
Or, perhaps on same edge but several tiles up or down?

You know ... add some replay value but not go overboard.... unless you want to go swimming again.

And ... We forgot the turn and kill counter ... doh! I'll add this in.

[junk2drive]

My original intent was to stay true to the SPWAW scenario that this replicates. So that people familiar with SP can see how it plays out in BA. I'd like to do several of these eventually.

That said, you could make another version with the random for one side or both, but random makes playtesting and balancing a bit tough.

EDIT the original was 12 turns

[Merr]

Ok .... sorry it took so long ... The spwaw had old reinforcement location, ie at 16.44 or something like that. So I had to go back to the right ones.

Troubleshoting this scenario takes a long time .... huge game ... hard to tell if AI going to the points or not.

Anyway, I chased my tail in circles ....

Changes ...
- Added code for the turn and kill counter .... you need to add this code to your text1 file (which, BTW is too big and full of extraneous IDS's ... you only need your new stuff)
I recommend using the text1 from the TEMPLATE and then going back and pasting in your stuff .... anyway add this code if you don't want to use a new text1;

Code: Select all

IDS_TURNS, "Turns remaining",
IDS_TURN_COUNTER, "Turn",
IDS_KILL_COUNTER, "Kills",

- I tweaked the AI points, now 0 and 1, messed around and added some teamagression code ... I'm unsure if it's working right, try it.

I need a break now .... The best way to approach (and understand) the AI teams and Points is to run the template and work out the functionailty of the whole thing before messing around with big maps and stuff .... I need to heed my baby steps philosophy .... Hopefully Pip can chime up soon.


Download this new BAM and BSF

http://www.filefront.com/17323530/Merr_build5-1.zip

EDIT ... At least it works without locking up

[junk2drive]

Actually I wanted the reinf at 16,39-43 and 17,38-42 or whatever I had but that's ok. You must have missed that post.

I knew I had too much in that text file but was afraid to take anything out except the training and desert battle stuff.

Thanks for giving me your Sunday time. At least you have something to shoot for in your learning process.

NASCAR is over, back to work, lol

[junk2drive]

I've played a few turns. I like that we left in the reinf at the top right and the message. It gives the US player the idea that he needs to vacate the high ground or face what is coming.

If it turns out not to be a challenge, I can add more reinf at the bottom.

[junk2drive]

17 turns and the reinf still haven't left their starting point except for one squad.

[junk2drive]

I made a new text1 with only my additions and it still starts but I still have GB flags.

We can forget country 8 because my script went bye bye that listed the nations.

I don't get text in the reinf banner either.

[Merr]

Ok .... Yeah, sorry about moving the reinforcements back, I figured you wanted them "behind" the US and when you moved them to the other side it confused me.

I see you now prefer the reinforcements behind them so we'll see how it goes.

Now, one issue about TEAMS ..... I know that the default is TEAM 0 for your fixed starting units. I remember reading somewhere that TEAM 0 defaults as an aggressive team. You can see this in the tutorial they wrote where TEAM 0 (panther tank) was used to move whilst the other TEAM stayed put. I can try to swap teams but you said the "fixed" units are aggressive enough and I'm wondering if your fixed units were intended to "stay put" and not move.

Anyway ... When you're ready to upload another build I can work on it some more. If you made changes again in the scenario BSF let me know, and let me know any specifics you want for the AI moves.
I'm a little confused on setting the team aggression ... There are several examples of code in all the campaign folders. For example, the Allied Slith mission had german untis generate each turn and it sets there destination towards the town. That's a good example to follow but they are all being generated as TEAM 0 .... I think the best we can do for now is swap teams and have both reinforcements as TEAM 0 with one destination (for now).

Thanks for giving me your Sunday time. At least you have something to shoot for in your learning process.

NASCAR is over, back to work, lol

Quite welcome! I got off the midshift on Sunday morning so I was running on the smell and started to fall asleep.
Funny you should mention NASCAR ... we worked a couple of flights to Concord sunday morning in the wee dark hours.