MALTA! 0.1 BETA availible!

[Sarsstock]

I had a similar problem to AGRICOLA's when I was playing as the Lybians. On Day 6 I received Cuban Support but there was no pop up or troop deployment or a cash influx. It all occured however in the very next turn strangly enough on Day 7.

The Cuban Infantry made little differance at that stage of the campaign, but the Cuban Mig 27's were key in bombarding the final Maltese Republican forces held up San Pawl, Xemxija and Bugibba. Thus, driving the last remants of the Republican forces into St. Paul's Bay at midday on Day 8.

[Leonidas]

I would suggest removing the "^" in front of the written texts in Events.txt:

@IF
RECEIVEDTECHNOLOGY
technology=19
receiver=Republic of Malta
@THEN
JUSTONCE
TEXT
^
^^U.S. SENDS AID TO MALTA!
^
^^President Reagan has sent immediate
^^aid and troops to Malta's aid!
^
^^These well-trained men of the USA
^^are going to crush the spirit
^^of Libya's army!
^
^^A note was also sent: "Go out there
^^"and win just one for the Gipper!"
^
ENDTEXT
CHANGEMONEY
receiver=Republic of Malta
amount=5000
CREATEUNIT
unit=U.S. Army
owner=Republic of Malta
veteran=yes
homecity=None
locations
91,63
67,69
31,27
endlocations
JUSTONCE
@ENDIF

[Cyrion]

Originally posted by Sarsstock
I had a similar problem to AGRICOLA's when I was playing as the Lybians. On Day 6 I received Cuban Support but there was no pop up or troop deployment or a cash influx. It all occured however in the very next turn strangly enough on Day 7.

Sounds logical, as the program browse your techs at the beginning of the turn (in your example, turn 6) and then applies it the event file (at that point, you haven't got the yet, so the event isn't triggered); after that, the turn itself begins, your cities produce beakers, and you get the tech (and nothing happens, as the event have already been handled for that turn). End of turn 6.

Beginning of turn 9: the program sees that you now have the tech, and so the event is triggered

[Sarsstock]

Makes sense, I wasn't sure how it was supposed to work. Though I honestly seem to remember getting the popup screen in similar situations on the same turn I received the tech in other scenarios.

In any case I can't report any other anomalies.

[rmsharpe]

Originally posted by Leonidas
I would suggest removing the "^" in front of the written texts in Events.txt:

Doesn't the ^ indicate a new line?

I know ^^ does for centering the text.

[AGRICOLA]

Originally posted by Sarsstock

I had a similar problem to AGRICOLA's when I was playing as the Lybians. On Day 6 I received Cuban Support but there was no pop up or troop deployment or a cash influx. It all occured however in the very next turn strangly enough on Day 7.

Originally posted by Cyrion

Sounds logical, as the program browse your techs at the beginning of the turn (in your example, turn 6) and then applies it the event file (at that point, you haven't got the yet, so the event isn't triggered); after that, the turn itself begins, your cities produce beakers, and you get the tech (and nothing happens, as the event have already been handled for that turn)

Beginning of turn 9: the program sees that you now have the tech, and so the event is triggered

Thanks, everybody. That's the source of my problem. The popup, cash and units appear at the beginning of the turn following Maltese acquisition of the US Support tech.

For confirmation, I checked kobayashi's DST scen where the Oil Embargo on Japan comes into force on the turn after a triggering unit is killed and Japan receives the (unwelcome) Oil Embargo tech.

Just to confuse the issue, I know that, at least for some types of events, the event action takes place as soon as the event is triggered. For example, in Red Front 1.4, if a German unit is killed, its replacement unit(s) appear immediately. That's how Capt Nemo fuels the irresistible German advance in '41.

Now it's back to running the valiant Maltese defense of their postage stamp homeland against the evil Libyans.

But I certainly could have used the cash one turn earlier than I'll get it.

[Leonidas]

Originally posted by rmsharpe


Doesn't the ^ indicate a new line?

I know ^^ does for centering the text.

From what I understand those are used in the info text box, but I rarely see them used in Events.txt.

Could they be the source for why the pop-ups aren't appearing?

[Leonidas]

Great scenario so far!

I'm on turn 11 as the Maltese. The Libyans are advancing steadily...

Suggestions:

1) I would suggest getting rid of the "police service" improvement from all cities. This is an early exploit by the player and results in getting several F-4s quite early on...

2) I would suggest fortifying at least one infantry in all Maltese cities.

3) I am not really a big fan of the square unit shield. I think it tends to look a bit clunky and would much prefer the regular type shield (which also covers less space).

4) Only two Libyans attacked in the north - otherwise all quiet up there. It could use more Libyan attack forces coming from several directions, perhaps. As a result I have been building F-4s and sending them south. Those Libyans will pay

5) Getting rid of the triangle in front of the text in Events.txt and straightening out the dialogue will free up valuable event space to allow for more units.

6) Maybe it might be fun to add in some small ship types such as gunboats, torpedo boats, and destroyers.

I'm having fun and would like to see more scenarios like this one. Perhaps a Middle East one with an Arab invasion of Israel and/or one centered in Iran with a US invasion of that country...

Nice job

Cheers!

[Leonidas]

I should mention that I am playing on "General" level.

It's now day 18 and I have 22 F-4s active with 24 in production.

With all these F-4s I have blunted the Libyan attack, and by day 22 I have re-taken 4 cities. Who needs the USA? haha

Suggestions:

1) All those Maltese cities allows me to build lots of F-4s. I would suggest substantially increasing the cost of these planes from 60 to perhaps 100 or even 120 in shields.

2) I would also make the M-48 tank far more expensive.

3) I was only attacked by 2 Libyan planes. After day 3 there has been no enemy airforce in sight. Far more enemy planes would go long way to balancing the scenario. As it stands I can get air superiority fairly quickly and the Libyan ground forces are doomed.

Perhaps you could give the Libyans mobile SAM missile units as well.

4) As it stands (by turn 22) I pretty well have this scenario wrapped up as the Maltese. I don't need the USA. And I haven't seen any other units other than the Libyans. I'll keep playing and see what turns up.

5) I would also increase tech research time from 50/10 to perhaps 70/10. The Maltese player should really feel in a tight pinch and desperately need America's help.

Cheers!

[Leonidas]

Another suggestion:

1) I would add separate EVENTS.txt for both Malta and Libya. You already have separate RULES.txt and you know how to use the bat file.

Having separate EVENTS.txt load for the side played will allow you to toughen-up the scenario against the player very easily, especially by adding in random spawning planes and units.

Cheers!

[rmsharpe]

I wans't all that crazy about writing more events texts. I will do it tomorrow...I've fixed up a lot of the above problems.

[Leonidas]

Originally posted by rmsharpe
I wans't all that crazy about writing more events texts. I will do it tomorrow...I've fixed up a lot of the above problems.

heheh

I don't blame you.

Although I think it would just involve cutting and pasting the appropriate events (from the event.txt you have now) into a separte event.txt for the other civ.

Then just copy and paste from another scenario a random spawning event, which would require just some appropriate terrain coordinates.

Having separate events.txts for both civs will give you total control over how hard or easy you want to make things for the player.

This would all give you valuable experience when you create other scenarios. Plus, you will have a set of events already created that you will be able to use over and over again.

Cheers!

[AGRICOLA]

@rmsharpe

Well, it was short but very interesting. Thanks. The three original Libyan cities were captured on Day 10, by the combined efforts of the 4 super US Inf units and a flood of F-4's. With the Maltese scorched earth strategy, the Libyans only managed to capture one Maltese city and that one was razed much earlier by a successful F-4 attack.

Could you please check your PM.


@Leonidas

IMHO, your idea of 2 EVENTS files is the only way to make the scenario tougher and still keep it playable as both Libya and Malta.

BTW, have you tried Exodus, a relatively difficult scen of the initial war between Israel and the Arabs. It has a couple of interesting and innovative features.

[Leonidas]

AGRICOLA:

I have a seen a few Middle East scenarios available but haven't had a chance to play them yet.

So, Exodus is a good scenario to play?

I'll have to try it out. What other suggestions would you give regarding some of the other Israeli/Arab scenarios?

Cheers!

[AGRICOLA]

Originally posted by Leonidas
So, Exodus is a good scenario to play?

I'll have to try it out. What other suggestions would you give regarding some of the other Israeli/Arab scenarios?

I liked it a lot, especially the transition from desperate defense to all-out offense. Also, there was a pretty good Exodus democracy game in progress at the time. It provided a yardstick for how well I was managing to make a mess of things.

Sorry, but that's the only Israeli-Arab scen that I've tried.