Originally Posted By Ron Dockal
5. Combat Analysis function was added.  Allows player to select defenders and attackers, and get the odds and combat detail information.  Losses are not allocated, and retreats are not made.   Basically a combat estimator.  Good suggestion, Agent Smith!

This is a very useful tool!

Quick development status on WWIIE:

1.  Continuing to fill in the terrain array in order to start design and development of supply rules.

2.  Maps east of Leningrad and as far south as Moscow have been done.

3.  Axis side of Scenario #43 Approach to Leningrad is complete, and Allied side is in work.  Most Axis units are at the Luga River and Lake Ilmen at start of scenario.

Focus is on the terain array for this weekend, with some time on #43 as a "reward".

As a side note, I am presenting to a small group of home schoolers (mainly high school age) this Wednesday.  Topic is startup and running a software business in Texas.  I plan to discuss both the business and technical side, focusing heavily on the "how to" and the lessons learned aspects.  Post here if you would be interested in me talking more about it, or we could start a seperate thread if there is enough interest.

Ron

I would really enjoy reading about it, and thanks!

Status on WWIIE going into the weekend:

1. 65 columns of terrain information are now complete.  This goes from middle of Germany to near the east boundary of AGW maps.  This continues to be my focus, since it is a precursor to other software development required (e.g. supply).  I used these columns to test the CTRL-mousemove capability to display city and terrain information.  Works great!

2. The new digitized maps now stretch from the AGW border to south and east of Moscow. Really nice work by my wife, KC.  During the holidays, her PC cratered.  We replace that setup with a new docking station and her existing laptop. We also purchased a new graphics tablet connected to the docking station.

Ron

Status on WWIIE going into the weekend:

1. 79 columns of terrain information are now complete.  This goes from middle of Germany to the east boundary of AGW maps.  I have to go back and do the other columns (zero to 199), but need additional digitized maps to fully populate them.  Also, as the maps of Russia are rolled out, I can begin populating columns 280 to 434.  Lots of work left here, but making steady progress.

2. The new digitized maps now stretch from the AGW border to east of Moscow (Murom) and south of Moscow (Tula). Really nice work by my wife, KC.  Should have some screenshots out in the near future...

3. Still working on the Russian OOB for scenario #43.

4. I have been tinkering with the code that establishes xy hex boundaries on the scenarios.  I am modifying it to allow the player to scroll anywhere on the map, but to restrict movement of any units outside the minimum xy and maximum xy coordinates.  Seems to work better that than restricting map movement...

Ron

WWIIE status is more of the same.  Terrain information is getting filled in, while progress on the maps being digitized is being made.

Ron

Ron,

Did you teach the class on starting a software business? 

Yes, I did teach that class.  It is a powerpoint file.  How do you upload that to this forum?

Ron

Originally Posted By Ron Dockal (15 FEB 2012 6:35pm)

Yes, I did teach that class.  It is a powerpoint file.  How do you upload that to this forum?

Ron

In the posting box there is a file upload icon. The file needs to be small enough and if it's a PP you'll probably need to ZIP it 1st.

Had trouble zipping and getting the file to upload, so I will just put the text here.  Most of the content was verbal, but these are the main topics I discussed.:

Slide 1:  Introduction:

Originally Posted By Ron Dockal (4 FEB 2012 7:56am)

Status on WWIIE going into the weekend:

 

1. 79 columns of terrain information are now complete.  This goes from middle of Germany to the east boundary of AGW maps.  I have to go back and do the other columns (zero to 199), but need additional digitized maps to fully populate them.  Also, as the maps of Russia are rolled out, I can begin populating columns 280 to 434.  Lots of work left here, but making steady progress.

 

2. The new digitized maps now stretch from the AGW border to east of Moscow (Murom) and south of Moscow (Tula). Really nice work by my wife, KC.  Should have some screenshots out in the near future...

 

3. Still working on the Russian OOB for scenario #43.

 

4. I have been tinkering with the code that establishes xy hex boundaries on the scenarios.  I am modifying it to allow the player to scroll anywhere on the map, but to restrict movement of any units outside the minimum xy and maximum xy coordinates.  Seems to work better that than restricting map movement...

 

Ron

Hi

Great news I'm waiting your game Ron.

I have already AGW and RGW and I like this games

Christophe

Thanks Ron for the presentation. 

I like the last part, "keep your antivirus software up to date." 

I'm sure the kids enjoyed it, and being a teacher, I appreciate you spending time with students, commendable, very commendable.

Status for WWII Europe development effort:

1. Continued to add to the terrain array.

2. Started designing a new supply checking algorithm for testing.  I am looking at marking each hex as to in/out of supply rather than each unit.  More on this design as it unfolds.  I have some prototyping to do first.

3. Added a icon on the main Command Panel called "Hot Keys".  When selected, it displays the mouse-key combinations and keyboard keys that can be used.

4. KC continued to make excellent progress on the maps in Russia.  She digitized the area from the Dnepr to Kursk this weekend.  Really is motivational, as these maps are great for wargaming.  You are gonna like these!

Hope everyone had a great weekend,

Ron

This game looks fantastic! I am really interested in RGW and AGW but if this game is coming out in less then a year I think I will just wait it out.

Hope I am not waiting too long, I can't wait to take on the world!

Status as of April 2nd:

1. Continuing to work on the terrain array.

2. KC is continuing to make progress on digitizing the maps.  She is now south of Kiev on the Russian front.

3. I took a break to do something more fun by building Scenario #54 Saving Moscow.  Fascinating battle.  Plan to show some screenshots of this when I finish.

4. I have been entertaining several concepts on supply, displaying weather, and the scenario boundary lines.  I have solved the scenario boundary lines only.

Any suggestions on how to display weather?  The bmp files are not easy to show white on the clear hexes, and I don't want to include multiple sets of the bmps, since this would make the game larger than it already is.

Ron

Originally Posted By Ron Dockal (2 APR 2012 6:54pm)

Any suggestions on how to display weather?  The bmp files are not easy to show white on the clear hexes, and I don't want to include multiple sets of the bmps, since this would make the game larger than it already is.

Thanks for the update Ron, will be interesting to see those screenshots when they are ready.

I think devs too often try to depict weather too realistically, and ultimately they just obscure whats there. In an operational game, I'd say weather is a factor, but really all the player needs is an indication of weather effects, so I would go for some iconic indicator over trying to douse the area with a particular type of weather graphically.

Hi Ron,    I agree with spelk....just an indicator that denotes what the weather in a particular "zone" would suffice.  

Bootlegger267

@ spelk and bootlegger,

I have been racking my brains on how to show weather on the maps.  The bitmaps are Adobe Photoshop graphics with lots of RGB values, each of which would have to be turned white in order to show snow weather conditions.  Very difficult and time consuming.  The alternative is to double the amount of maps, which is also time consuming and will make the game go to two CDROMs.

Thanks for your comments.  I'll look at a good well placed icon.  Currently just the text in the Command Panel.  It changes based on the condition of the weather of the last hex selected.

Ron

Originally Posted By Ron Dockal (2 APR 2012 6:54pm)

Any suggestions on how to display weather?

Hi Ron, it could be possible to use a png tiles with alpha layer to fill the needed hexes?

How about a box which will show which weather in each zone!

For example:

Temperate:  Fair

Desert:   Clear

Artic:  Snow

It could be that simple and have easy enough acsess where a player can look at it frequently.

Ron

JMass solution the simplest, cloud/snow/mud toggled on/off.

Simple transparent background .png overlayed and positioned by kex grid reference.

A couple of questions Ron. Sorry if they have been asked already.

1. Will there be a reduction/increase in Replacement points for the loss/gain of certain cities or conquests?

2. Will there be seperate replacment's for Air Units?

3. Will the RP's vary with time or stay at a standard rate? e.g the Russian manpower pool available in 1941 was far more than say in 1945.

I see you now have a Reinforcement schedule that is viewable. Very good.

I know you don't intend any kind of strategic warfare, which is fair enough. But I think that if for example Germany captures some key Soviet cities that were not captured historically then the Soviet Replacement points should be reduced.  

Really looking forward to this Ron.

Feature request.

Ron, could you set out the hex coordinates like the picture below?

Image 1 is proposed colour and location.

Image 2 existing.

Proposed more board like and less intrusive when left on. (Leaving on coords helps with combat reports).

While on the topic of hex coordinate displays.

After reading a combat report, when I click cancel to close it, the hex coordinates are also switched off, over riding the view menu, (which still shows hex coords as on). Glitch?

[edit] If I close the report with the 'esc' key, the coords remain as they are.

@Michael T:  Replacement points are identfied by turn, country, mech and non mech in the text file used to build each scenario.  For the 100+ scenarios that come with the game, we will put historical data in the file. I'm going to analyze your suggestion on having the number of replacement points be dependent on city points, and maybe make a change.  The mech points can be spent on armor, mech, air and naval replacemnts.  The non mech works for infantry/rifle, cavalry parachute, etc.

@Agent Smith:  I like the boardgame look to the xy coordinates you suggested.  However, we will need to use a white font on mountain hexes for contrast, and maybe black font for the rest.  I'll try that, and see how the feedback from the playtesters goes....

Thanks for the suggestions.  Please keep them coming.

I went back to all scenarios, and used the German method of specifying armee, armeekorps, panzerkorps for one of the 25 characters set that gets displayed in the Command Panel for each German unit.  For example, I display "16. Armee", "XXIV Panzerkorps", etc.  Adds something tot he game by having it look like an origianl German map set (like the ones Victor Madeja marketed).

I am having trouble finding a good source for the Russian commanders.  Got them for fronts and armies, but not at the division level.  Any ideas???

Thanks,

Ron