Spanish Civil War

[cicciopastic]

hi guys

here i am.

i started some days ago to play with the scenario editor ... i wanted to draw the map of spain .....

then i decided to add all features required by the game to have a playble map.

Then i inserted some units, but i didn't really wanted to use vichy french troop for el Bando Republicano ... so i started to design a first unit. I finally managed to fly a Breguet 19 for the FARE (!) ... it was the first time ever ... i had so much fun that i want to go on!

so i told to myself ... maybe a Spanish Civil war scenario played at strategic level could be of interest!

here is Madrid

Madrid.jpg (77.28 KiB) Viewed 8531 times

then Barcelone with XYZ fortification

Barcelona.jpg (73.26 KiB) Viewed 8531 times

and Gibraltar

Gibraltar.jpg (70.7 KiB) Viewed 8531 times

[cicciopastic]

here is the overall map

spain.jpg (72.85 KiB) Viewed 8530 times

ops ... here is the Bre 19 first try ... i will work more over it!

Bre19.png (26.69 KiB) Viewed 8530 times

Anyway all this took me some time i had to learn a lot a new stuff

like this!

norte.jpg (55.13 KiB) Viewed 8530 times

.... still i don't understand o lot of stuff ...

1) i started using the fantastic Battlefield Europe 1.7 mod by MCGuba ... but when i wanted to try my scenario i find out that the mod didn't allow to play custom scenarios (((

so i reverted to vanilla game .... how can i take advantages from other peoples fantastic mods???? i saw i can copy much from other modders taking one piece at the time, but is it possible to start moddind from another mod base?


2) i noticed that i am starting to modify a lot of stuff from the base game: just to add a single unit required to change different files .... i want to do same change to map overlays and flags and so on ....

how can i put all togheter to do just one mod? .... should i regroup all files and direcory i changed in a single direcory? is that enough to use the JSGME?


3) is there anybody who wants to to cooperate?????

i already took a lot information about initial OOB for the two sides and equipement supply during the campaign ... i need to do a lot of unit creation ... i want to start with a scenario playble only one to one (no AI programming at the beginning) then i will see

any suggestion, answer or help will be more then welcome

[BiteNibbleChomp]

The best way to learn is to go through the files of other mods and the vanilla game and work out the difference from there. Here's some short answers to your points:

1/ Battlefield won't let you use custom maps because McGuba disabled it for his mod. I've done the same in Kaiserschlacht now, but if you find the file that lists all the scenarios in that panel (I've forgotten which, but there are versions of it labelled ...._ak and ....._ac and probably one for Soviet corps as well now), and re add the custom line (copy from the vanilla file), the option to use custom scenarios will be restored.

Else you can do what Akkula did and make a new mod that needs the older mod to be loaded first (ie. Massi tiles AND THEN Soviet storm). That is probably the easiest route and most modders would prefer that.

2/ Map overlays are pretty easy, just add another part to the end of one of the hex files. DON"T USE MS PAINT - IT STUFFS EVERYTHING! Flags need entries in a variety of places - there is a guide somewhere for How to add nations. Read that to get a better sense of how it works. GME works by simply temporarily overwriting any files you upload to it over the vanilla files (and rememberi9ng what is supposed to be there) To understand it better, look at one of the already published mods and you'll quickly see how it is structured.

3/ I don't have the time to directly assist you, but will be happy to answer any questions you have about modding (don't know enough about the SCW specifically). I haven't touched the edtor much in about 18 months, but will do my best to give you the answers.

Overall, I would suggest you download a half dozen mods (not just mine) and look through them, even if you have no intention of ever playing them (though if you can play them, that would be great).

- BNC

[Cataphract88]

Nice work. Good luck with your project.

[McGuba]

Hi,

Nice initiative!

1) i started using the fantastic Battlefield Europe 1.7 mod by MCGuba ... but when i wanted to try my scenario i find out that the mod didn't allow to play custom scenarios (((
so i reverted to vanilla game .... how can i take advantages from other peoples fantastic mods???? i saw i can copy much from other modders taking one piece at the time, but is it possible to start moddind from another mod base?

It is not because I am evil, I just did not want the original scenarios to show up as those would mess thing up. Battlefield: Europe is a total modification of PzC and as such it is not compatible with the original game for a number of reasons. However, it can be used to as a base to create new content, which follows the same principles and design. If you want to do so, probably the easiest way is to install my mod, then load your map in the editor and then save it as "1st Tutorial.pzscn" as it would overwrite the original 1st tutorial scenario and then it can be run from the main menu of the mod as the turorial campaign. You can create a new folder in the MODS named "Spain" or whatever and then the new 1st Tutorial.pzscn should go into the folder named Data within this folder. Then people can install the Spanish scenario as an optional extra over my mod. A Spainsh civil war at strategic level would serve as a nice tutorial/prequel for the main campaign, anyway. Make sure you make a backup copy of the original 1st Tutorial.pzscn file just in case.

If the above is not clear for you drop me a private message so that we can exchange e-mail adresses and then you can send me a copy of your map and I can make it to a format so that it can be installed over my mod and send it back to you.

ops ... here is the Bre 19 first try ... i will work more over it!

While the icon looks nice on its own I would suggest using unit icons of the same style. Your icon shows a profile view of the plane while icons in the game are shown from an upside down viewpoint. As a result if you intend to use your icons alongside the original ones it will not be coherent and probably will be hard to the eyes of many players. Bebro made and excellent replacement set for all the original icons in the game in a much better quality, and he also made a number of early war icons as well, which are not even in the game, but would fit your scenario nicely (e.g. Hs 123, I-15/I-153). When making additional units for my mod I always tried to follow his style so that they would fit in nicely. For example here is his Hs 123:

Ger_Hs123.png (28.52 KiB) Viewed 8469 times

And an Italian Ro.37bis recon biplane (also used in Spain) which I made for the coming v1.8 version of Battlefield: Europe in a similar style:

Italian_Ro-37.png (25.1 KiB) Viewed 8469 times

http://img.wp.scn.ru/camms/ar/399/pics/32_5.jpg

2) i noticed that i am starting to modify a lot of stuff from the base game: just to add a single unit required to change different files .... i want to do same change to map overlays and flags and so on ....

how can i put all togheter to do just one mod? .... should i regroup all files and direcory i changed in a single direcory? is that enough to use the JSGME?

Yes, if you want to edit many things you have the create the files with the same name in the same folder structure and then JSGME will use them to overwrite the original ones while making a backup copy of the original files. If you observe the structure of the Battlefield: Europe mod, you will see how it works. And yes, eventually you will need to create a lot of files. Currently my mod has some 3.000 new or modded files.

3) is there anybody who wants to to cooperate?????

As much as I am interested in this project I am still focusing on BE: v1.8 and after that I would like to have a little break from modding. But I am ready to provide technical help in any specific subject.

[Magic1111]

Nice work. Good luck with your project.

Yes, from me too!

[cicciopastic]

Thanks for your positive feedbacks and answers ... I will soon give some update about this.

Cheers, ciccio

[cicciopastic]

1/ Battlefield won't let you use custom maps because McGuba disabled it for his mod. I've done the same in Kaiserschlacht now, but if you find the file that lists all the scenarios in that panel (I've forgotten which, but there are versions of it labelled ...._ak and ....._ac and probably one for Soviet corps as well now), and re add the custom line (copy from the vanilla file), the option to use custom scenarios will be restored.

i want to try this first ... then if i cannot go this way, i will try the others

1) i started using the fantastic Battlefield Europe 1.7 mod by MCGuba ... but when i wanted to try my scenario i find out that the mod didn't allow to play custom scenarios (((
so i reverted to vanilla game .... how can i take advantages from other peoples fantastic mods???? i saw i can copy much from other modders taking one piece at the time, but is it possible to start moddind from another mod base?

It is not because I am evil,

... evil McGuba lol

A Spainsh civil war at strategic level would serve as a nice tutorial/prequel for the main campaign, anyway. Make sure you make a backup copy of the original 1st Tutorial.pzscn file just in case.

that would be a real honor for me ... but there will be a lot of work before my project will be over ... and, as i said, i will start with a plain one to one scenario ... that's my primary taget, then i will see.

More than that it will be a looooong scenario ... i would like to make 1 turn = 1 month, but maybe i will end up with more turn per month ... it may become as long as battlefiels ... (u know how this things metter to some kind of machoes )

While the icon looks nice on its own I would suggest using unit icons of the same style.

i'll do my best .. anyway that was just my first try (actually i only took a google image, give it the right dimension and cut it the right shape ) .... i also asked for some help for unit design in the right place

Yes, if you want to edit many things you have the create the files with the same name in the same folder structure and then JSGME will use them to overwrite the original ones while making a backup copy of the original files. If you observe the structure of the Battlefield: Europe mod, you will see how it works.

... ok i will try that ... if i understand well: in the mod directory i must add only those file i want to add or change ... and i have to place them in the right subdirectory. correct?

will be happy to answer any questions you have about modding

But I am ready to provide technical help in any specific subject.

i was sure that the two of u would have come to help ... i knwon the mods u made and i find that the both of u made a great job!

(don't know enough about the SCW specifically).

don't worry about that ... i do, and google is a good source

[bcnkor5]

hi guys

here i am.

i started some days ago to play with the scenario editor ... i wanted to draw the map of spain .....

then i decided to add all features required by the game to have a playble map.

Then i inserted some units, but i didn't really wanted to use vichy french troop for el Bando Republicano ... so i started to design a first unit. I finally managed to fly a Breguet 19 for the FARE (!) ... it was the first time ever ... i had so much fun that i want to go on!

so i told to myself ... maybe a Spanish Civil war scenario played at strategic level could be of interest!

here is Madrid

Madrid.jpg

then Barcelone with XYZ fortification

Barcelona.jpg

and Gibraltar

Gibraltar.jpg

Good Work

[cicciopastic]

hi guys,

i tried all evening to create the MOD, but the best i could manage was to have it done in 3 steps ....

1) load the espana mod
2) copy the espana scenario into the scenario direcory C:\Users\ciccio\Documents\My Games\Panzer Corps\scenario
3) lunch it as a custom scenraio

.... this coul be done, but i just want an easy way to load it so i will follow your suggestion

you can do what Akkula did and make a new mod that needs the older mod to be loaded first (ie. Massi tiles AND THEN Soviet storm). That is probably the easiest route and most modders would prefer that.

so i will

install my mod, then load your map in the editor and then save it as "1st Tutorial.pzscn" as it would overwrite the original 1st tutorial scenario and then it can be run from the main menu of the mod as the turorial campaign. You can create a new folder in the MODS named "Spain" or whatever and then the new 1st Tutorial.pzscn should go into the folder named Data within this folder. Then people can install the Spanish scenario as an optional extra over my mod.

[BiteNibbleChomp]

3) lunch it as a custom scenraio

Sounds delicious. I will be sure to choose C rations again the next time that drill sergeant comes around to the trenches

don't worry about that ... i do, and google is a good source

My mods were designed with a similar basis (though I use bing instead). Seems to work well enough

- BNC

[cicciopastic]

Hi guys,

i am starting to populate the scenario ..... i am not really good at unit design so i borrowed some images from this fantastic site

http://www.juniorgeneral.org/

the resul is a new skin for panzer corps units in a more india stile see below

this is a regular nationalist unit belonging to the eserjito de africa

africa.png (59.66 KiB) Viewed 8272 times

here is sevilla and huelva with some units

units.jpg (76.01 KiB) Viewed 8272 times

do u like this style?

ciao, ciccio

[BiteNibbleChomp]

If I was making this mod, I would just be going for a slight recolouring of the infantry units the game already has. It makes it a lot easier to program the animations that way.

- BNC

[cicciopastic]

some more information,


as i have a great variety of militia units with a great range of effectiveness i decide to buils militia series in 3 step: green, organized, full strenght. Each militia may start the game in any step according to histolical readyness and then be upgraded to better steps .... more than this the unit strenght may be set at different levels to show even more variety of unit situation at the beginning of the war.



so for instance the plain republican militia will be

green

Rep_militia_green.png (67.28 KiB) Viewed 8271 times

organized

Rep_militia_orga.png (68.62 KiB) Viewed 8271 times

full strenght

Rep_militia.png (66.92 KiB) Viewed 8271 times

each unit step has different stats to reflect proper effectiveness .... in this way i may concentrate on the different kind of militias and not on their different situation at the start of the war.


what do u think about this solution?

[cicciopastic]

If I was making this mod, I would just be going for a slight recolouring of the infantry units the game already has. It makes it a lot easier to program the animations that way.

- BNC

i think u are perfectly right, but i am VERY bad at graphics ....

[BiteNibbleChomp]

If I was making this mod, I would just be going for a slight recolouring of the infantry units the game already has. It makes it a lot easier to program the animations that way.

- BNC

i think u are perfectly right, but i am VERY bad at graphics ....

So am I. Don't let it worry you - there are plenty of images on the forum. Do a search for something like 'infantry graphics' and go through the first dozen pages that pop up. Hopefully you'll find something suitable.

- BNC

[cicciopastic]

If I was making this mod, I would just be going for a slight recolouring of the infantry units the game already has. It makes it a lot easier to program the animations that way.

- BNC

i think u are perfectly right, but i am VERY bad at graphics ....

So am I. Don't let it worry you - there are plenty of images on the forum. Do a search for something like 'infantry graphics' and go through the first dozen pages that pop up. Hopefully you'll find something suitable.

- BNC

I really suck at graphics so i am learning how to modify animations .... u just need to find the right file to copy and modify ... it is easy, but long
i realized that my 3 militia steps are not in the very same position ... so i had to realign them to the original!!!

do u think i am crazy???? ... the problem is that i tried to modify the color to units, but i didn't come up with it ... is there any tutorial?????

[BiteNibbleChomp]

In efx.pzdat, there is an entry for where the animations are centred. Change that value, don't change the animations themselves.

For the African unit, http://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewtop ... ry#p588555 the one with the yellow colouring would do fine. The other units can come from the default British/allied graphic and then use the Bridge engineer for the reduced size one, photoshopping out that caravan thing they carry.

- BNC

[cicciopastic]

Hi BNC

thanks for your suggestions ... actually i am messing around with the scenario editor, having much fun .... tonight i produced truks for both Republicanos and Nacionales ... i think i am not very good at taking suggestion as i am going straight on my way , but please, go on with me and be patient .... u never know sooner or later i may come up with something good

here is the nationalist trucks

nat_truck.png (43.36 KiB) Viewed 8154 times

here is the republican trucks

rep_truck.png (48.63 KiB) Viewed 8154 times

just a question ... how do i set the starting strenght of a unit ... say i want some unit to start at 7 rather than 10 ... i do i do that?

thanks again ciccio

[BiteNibbleChomp]

Hi BNC

thanks for your suggestions ... actually i am messing around with the scenario editor, having much fun .... tonight i produced truks for both Republicanos and Nacionales ... i think i am not very good at taking suggestion as i am going straight on my way , but please, go on with me and be patient .... u never know sooner or later i may come up with something good

here is the nationalist trucks
...
here is the republican trucks
...

just a question ... how do i set the starting strenght of a unit ... say i want some unit to start at 7 rather than 10 ... i do i do that?

thanks again ciccio

Starting strength is done by shift-clicking the unit in the editor and then changing the strength value on the menu that pops up.

- BNC