Editor Questions, Part I

[Lion9]

Working on the Naval MOD (reducing ships by 50-60%) today and I have a few questions:

1) I notice that you have a line-item for "In Reserve." What does that mean?

2) There is another line-item for "Availabilty Turn." Does that mean that I can designate which turn any given unit arrives? [1... 70 -- this is also true for land and air units]

Is this feature functional? Does "In Reserve" and "Availabilty" work in tandem? Or are they separate features?

IF this feature IS functional, then I guess we DO have a kind of "reinforcement queue" for all units, and for all Nations?

3) Special Naval Units: I have deduced that 4= Pocket BBs, and 5= Battle Cruisers. I notice there is also #3= Carrier of some kind?? And so, what is the complete list, IE #s 1 and 2 and 6 and maybe 7...10?

Is there a "Special Naval Unit" for super-battleships? Reason I ask, I wish to put the Bismark in my MOD.

4) Hit Points/Max Hit Points: I have figured out that you have the following schematic -- BBs=8, BC=6, CA= 5, Pocket BB=4, Light-CV=6, CV= 10, and Subs=2.

a) First, are these hard & fast for each category? Or, can I create "individualized" naval units within each category? For instance, lesser CA's might be= 3? Or, a later arriving Sub (assuming the "availabilty" IS functional) might be Subs=3?

b) Could I get a list of how you have rated each category, from [1...10 or 10+]?

5) Fleets: MUST exist in order to contain any number of ships, or even just one. I see where you have "sea nodes" so (again, assuming "availbility" is functional) can I have later arriving ships, such as Bismark, King George, Roma -- arrive on a named turn?

6) Is there a way to edit the achieved research level for each unit type?

I do not find any csv file for research, unless -- it is contained within "AI-Data?" My idea is to -- maybe, change the research levels around a bit, and what I would wish to do then is give each ship a unique level. So, for instance, I might start one of UK's BBs at L-0 (must pay to upgrade) and another at L-1 or L-2.

My original plan was to have the ship name (this would be playing all nations -- hotseat, of course) with the date of arrival, say -- Bismark August of 1940 -- in parens right after the name. Then I would create a special fleet for each nation labeled "reserve" or "reinforcements" whatever, and NOT use them until the arrival date. Finally, I would re-name the fleet, removing the arrival date.

But, if the "availabilty" is functional, then I can simply use that wise devise. Same for land and air units.

[Lion9]

Hmmm, doomtrader? Could we have a separate SWiE forum for "Mods and Editor" stuff? That way we wouldn't be interfering with typical game and game-play threads?

And, even better you could have a "pinned" thread at top of this new forum where you might explain some Editor/Mod matters? Kind of an ongoing and open thread that you could add to as you have time? A "work in progress" so to speak?

And, also in this more perfect world, other informed and learned members could actually answer some of these questions? Which you could correct if need be. Saving you a LOT of time in the long run?

[yep, I appreciate you are also quite busy with ToF, but, you know, I am feeling it -- THIS SWiE could really truly be -- something Xtraordinary!]

[Lion9]

Should anyone be interested in the whys and wherefores of this file, now or later, I submit the following:

This naval-mod is designed primarily for one reason -- so that I can play the hot-seat game (or, PBEM) MUCH faster. I suppose it could also fit for those playing AI games.

I am using the "World in Flames" OOBs -- their "Fascist Tide, War in Europe" scenario. But, NOT using the "ships in flames" add-on. Therefore the # of ships will be reduced by ~50-70%, depending.

Note1: their sub deployments are vastly different, so I'll simply cut the SWiE default deployment in HALF. A few countries -- such as USSR and Italy, actually had VERY poor subs/commanders, so I will reduce those even further. UK subs were larger (think: Jules Verne, lol), and were mostly used to ferry supplies to outposts such as Gibraltar and Malta. May well reduce those beyond 50% also.

Note2: Since I will be reducing the OOBs by half or more, I will necessarily DOUBLE the contact or "engagement" chance. This will keep the mod within the extant SWiE schematic, IE, similar number of engagements, similar number of casualties.

I also have lived awhile, so I have done fairly X-tensive personal reserarch on naval battles and deployments, simply because I have always loved the oceans and seas and consequently -- any well-designed naval game(s). Not many around, but what can you do? Stand alone or as part of ETO or PTO. Luckily, I found some of my pertaining notes this morning.

However, this is NOT any "subjective" sort of mod adventure. Sure, I choose some ships over others, but I DO maintain the relative strengths of each nation's OOB. And, I sure hope that the "availabilty" editor feature IS functional. O/W, as mentioned above, I will place later-arriving ships in a fleet labled "reserve" for all nations. With arrival date in (parens) right after the name. If you are playing hot-seat or PBEM you will simply activate those ships on arrival date. And hope that your PBEM opponent does the same!

I will be more than glad to share this first naval MOD. IF there is a separate forum here at SWiE that permits it. I post nothing at Matrix, ever. Sorry, but I just don't "deal" with them.

Or, for those (unlike me) who are willing to DL directly from a forum thread.

Thing is there -- somebody will have to explain, step by step (Wolfe maybe? Or doomT if he has time) HOW to put that file in a thread. Step-by-step ah, yeh, I used to know, but that was in an other forum, in an other Country, and short-term memory lapses. Mostly due to lack of "focus & concentration," so the correct-method research reveals)

[Lion9]

Hmmm, doomtrader? Could we have a separate SWiE forum for "Mods and Editor" stuff? That way we wouldn't be interfering with typical game and game-play threads?

Again, great and abiding thanks for this forum. Should work out just great!

[Lion9]

Finished all 6 Major Powers; when I am done with Minors, I'll post up all OOBs at once. The naval-mod game should go somewhat quicker since don't gotta man-ipulate so very many ships. We'll see.

Would yet like to get some better X-planations WRT editor features/functions (and questions I had asked), but maybe we are to get that -- later? This month?

For instance, I would like to add:

a) Light Cruisers
b) Escort Carriers
c) Light CVs, such as UK's Eagle
d) Super Battleships, such as Bismark

And so, I would need a "special units #" in order to do that.

Also would like to have a list of the ordinary unit assignments, IE, not those "special" ones.

Please.

[Lion9]

Finished all 6 Major Powers; when I am done with Minors, I'll post up all OOBs at once. The naval-mod game should go somewhat quicker since don't gotta man-ipulate so very many ships. We'll see.

Would yet like to get some better X-planations WRT editor features/functions (and questions I had asked), but maybe we are to get that -- later? This month?

For instance, I would like to add:

a) Light Cruisers
b) Escort Carriers
c) Light CVs, such as UK's Eagle
d) Super Battleships, such as Bismark

And so, I would need a "special units #" in order to do that.

Also would like to have a list of the ordinary unit assignments, IE, not those "special" ones.

Please.

OK, all Majors and Minors are done. Whew! That took awhile -- longer than I thought it would. One issue was the meta meticulous demands of the units/fleets files! Make a mistake and you are doomed. However, LATE in the process I discovered that great file -- "ConsoleOut." Doomed no longer!

See, this is where a very simple and concise "primer" or "Help!" doc/pinned-post sure woulda helped. So, Friday, week-end, Monday and this morning, ah, 4 and 1/2 days, ~40 hours -- doing Hercules kind of stable labours. But, it's done, and includes modifications to commanders, and added 3 needed land units, and also VERY many changes to "consts" file.

BTW, what in dickens does "consts" stand for?

NOTE: Do not any longer need list for "special naval units." Missed that first time through the "consts" file! E.A. Poe-detection is not near noir-enuff, but it's not any epic shut-down, only -- how it goes, sometimes.

OK, now time to "alpha-test" this pup and see if she (he?) works as desired. Maybe I got spare time I'll even do an AAR.

Far as posting up all the Naval OOBs and the many other changes, ah nah, not unless someone requests. Time to play the game!

[Lion9]

NOTE: Do not any longer need list for "special naval units." Missed that first time through the "consts" file! E.A. Poe-detection is not near noir-enuff, but it's not any epic shut-down, only -- how it goes, sometimes.

This is wrong. Wrong wrong back to the drawing board! We DO need a list for "special naval units" after all. The above reference was to hit-points and not "special unit #." lol, ah ain't life perpleXing a'times!

Last call then boom boom! Out go the lights! Anybody out there KNOW what are ALL the numbers (you would type in on next to last entry on the line) for "special units?" Would be nice to know. Would save countless hours of trial and error and that would cool shades babe.

Edit: Figured it out; the hard way. Which is apparently the ONLY way I know -- to go. Sad but true. That's alright, I'm human. HARD way instructs you, or even me. Maybe.

[Lion9]

How do you edit Railroad tiles?

Using the old editor. I would really like to add some cities and/or ports. And if I do add them, and in most cases -- I'd like to place the RR's in connecting hexes so the cities/ports will link-up with the main-line.

BTW: Can you have stand-alone ports? Without cities attached? Would be nice to be able to do that.

The new Editor simply does not work for me when it comes to -- adding cities to the default map. I keep getting that freeze-frame -- have you figured out what has gone wrong there? Doesn't seem that it is -- me, in this instance. Bug? Not a bug? Any input on that so we can proceed using the old editor until a patch is out?