US Civil War 2012 - Scenario Idea/Discussion

[GhostOfDisco]

Third post in a row!

(If I'm breaking any rules or anything, mods, please let me know. I'll stop breaking them (if I'm breaking them at all.) It's just nobody seems to reply in this thread much...)

Anyway, I heard that Skarkozy (sp?) was elected President of France recently, and given that it seems that he's more pro-American than his predecessor, as it were, I'm not sure if the idea of a 2012 French depolyment in support of the CNA would be that feasible. But who would replace them as the CNA's biggest non-Chinese ally? (There's Venezuela, but their army ... well ... I already have plans for them. ) I'm thinking the Dutch, but they don't seem to have the same military potential as the republic of the Gauls.

Any thoughts, suggestions, etc.?

[EZRhino]

Canada?

[GhostOfDisco]

Originally posted by EZRhino
Canada?

Well, they've already in the game, and start out netural (as it were) ... one of my ideas was to have Canada and Mexico "undecided" at the beginning of the game as to whether to be neutral, support the Union, befriend the Commonwealth, or oppose both "Yankee" factions.

Given that Canada shares a border with the US, it might change the whole situation or something.

And can anyone help me with the events file?

[McMonkey]

What kind of help do you need with the events?

[GhostOfDisco]

Originally posted by Werd100
What kind of help do you need with the events?

Not sure what. When I load the scenario, I get this

There was an error encountered in the 'events.txt' file.
Please read the manual to find out how to debug this file.

I've put @DEBUG after @BEGINEVENTS, but it seems to have done nothing.

If you can download the file, could you help me see what's wrong and how I can fix it?

[McMonkey]

The method I use to check the events file for errors is a little long winded but simple and effective.

All I do is move the events file out of the folder to my desktop and open it.

In the scenario folder I create a new events file (with start and end etc) and I then copy across the first ten events, save and then open the game. If it works OK I repeat the process with the next ten events and so on until I eventually find the faulty batch of ten.

I then go look through those ten events to see if there is an obvious mistake. If not I try each one individually until I find the faulty one.

As I said it is a little long winded but it definitely works!

You will need to ask someone else how to use debug as I have not got to grips with it yet!

[Boco]

Originally posted by GhostOfDisco
I've put @DEBUG after @BEGINEVENTS, but it seems to have done nothing.

Usually the debugging log is appended to Report.txt. No sign of that file in your scenario directory?

[GhostOfDisco]

Well, the events file is fixed. I had a problem with a revamped San Francisco task force (I basically used 2194's D-Day event, and modified some of the parameters for my situation (i.e., China attempting to retake San Francisco instead of the Anglo-American Allies trying to retake France.) For some reason, what the Mac side interprets as "returns" the PC side interprets as little squares. Go figure.

Anyway, in the playtesting and all, I discovered that while units can be generated in another civ's city (provided a unit of the generating civ is in the city to provide "passage") when a city is taken, the same will apparently not happen if the "IF" of the event is a civ getting a technology. (Though, for some reason, it apparently worked in 2194...)

Also, looking at the events revealed that, contrary to what I said earlier, there is no early "2194 defense" strategy in the version available for download. Sorry.

EDIT: Managed to successfully implement the "2194 defense" system (AI units are spawn in key cities each turn) on the CNA-AI side. Problem is, though, they spawn as the turn begins - even though, in its current incarnation, the US starts off first. Any help with that?

[GhostOfDisco]

The newest alpha is out!

Included are sounds, terrain, graphics updates, and separate events files for playing against the AI Union or AI Commonwealth.

[GhostOfDisco]

And here's a .jpg version of the full-color title (before I tried to MGE-ize it.) I've been having problems with the title screen. Can anyone help me?

[GhostOfDisco]

Well, an updates of sorts of modifications including and after the most current release:

• Different event files for SP players included. Namely, if you want to play a SP game as the US, make the events_us files “events” and so forth. “Quasi-dynamic defense” included.
• Worked out the brief tech tree that help you re-industrialize the US/CNA (given that the USA currently is a service-based economy), but have yet to implement it into the game.
• Found a new, better destroyer graphic.
• Decided to keep French in, at least for the time being. Svarkozy’s term ends in May of 2012, so it might be plausible that an “anti-American” candidate could win the French presidency and send troops to support the Commonwealth. It might be a stretch, but still… Thinking of using Dutch as alternative, but then someone would have to come up with some new unit graphics (like CV90, Dutch modified M113, etc.).

Thing’s I have yet to do, and/or would love some feedback on:

• The title screen. I’ve tried to trick of running my graphic through another scenario’s color set (keeping it to MicroProse scenarios like the Civil War one), but it either appears psychadelic or doesn’t appear at all (a black screen appears during the setup menus (Initial scen description, choosing civ, naming leader etc.).) Any help on this?
• The ships. Is there movement too much, or too little. I know that they can probably move a greater distance in a month than is shown in the game, but that might make the game too easy or something. I don’t know. What’s the best balance between gameplay and realism here? Same question goes for planes.
• The one last empty unit spot. I’m thinking of either doing a CNA mountain infantry (currently, the CNA player has to raised Gurkha Mercs) or an Invasion Fleet (like the unit in Curt’s Dictator 6). The latter would arrive only after researching some techs (the same basic techs you need to build new battleships), and I’d need to see the transport unit from fairline to see if it could also be used in the Invasion Fleet graphic.) I don’t know, what do you think?
• Chávez. The current system I have for his death ending the Venezuelan involvement (or, more accurately, ending further Venezuelan involvement) in the conflict, that of an unmovable Neutral unit forming over the Venezulean airbase, seems, according to some people on the board, not to work if there’s more than one unit on the base. Is the AI quick to move units off the base, or does it just keep them there? I want Chávez’s death to mean the withdrawl of Venezuelan units, and if that’s not possible, the end of further Venezuelan reinforcements to the Commonwealth. Any suggestions? (And possibly ones that don’t involve using up any more unit slots!)
• I’m thinking of changing the Red State/Union president from Santorum to Sam Brownback, or maybe someone else. I dunno. I just can’t really think of any social conservative equivalent of Barak Obama.
• My AI defense plan. What do you think of it? Does it make the game more exciting, give the AI a somewhat more intelligent defense than usual, or what? I’ve though of doing a Kobayshi-esque “mutual reinforcement” system with the foreign forces (i.e. for each French/Venezeulan unit killed in the east, an equivalent Chinese unit is spawned in the West, and vice versa), but I don’t know how an equivalent system for an AI Union would work. Any help here?

[GhostOfDisco]

Hmmm... am I the only one who's still interested in this scenario?

You know, the sooner you give me good, constructive feedback, the sooner I can finish this scenario, the sooner I can start working more seriously on my Sobieski scenario.

Anyway, here's a depiction of my idea for the tech tree. It's small, but then, it's supposed to be brief.


And here's the unit graphics for the Invasion Fleet and the CNA Mountain Infantry units that might go into that blank unit spot:


Also, I made a scenario page, albeit unfinished, for the scenario, including screenshots. (And forgive me if the description text seems too biased; I don't want to get into a debate over what is and is not "turly American" or anything like that.)

I also updated some of the other graphics (namely, the destroyer and the sub) but didn't think it merited a new alpha release. So, if you want to update those graphics, feel free to download this:

[tanelorn]

No man, keep up the good work.
When the going gets tough, the tough get scenariomaking!
Yeah!
Let the Yanks show the Yanks what Yanks are made of!

[GhostOfDisco]

Originally posted by tanelorn
Let the Yanks show the Yanks what Yanks are made of!

You know, I think I'm going to put that quote in the readme.

Anyway, yeah, I'll continue to work on the scen, but I would appreciate any feedback you could give me.

[:) Smiley]

Gave the current alpha a spin today, playing the Commonwealth. comments:

1. too many unit choices!
Though I appreciate the efforts at realism, there are way too many unit types of tanks, planes, and troops. A lot of them are similar in appearnce and performance as well.

This is especially true for the "build units" screen. Many tanks, planes, etc. are built from parts that are made in different parts of the USA - a civil war would shut down production of these conventional weapons. The player should still be able to build other informal equipment. Attrittion ought to be a big part of this scenario. Tech could be a way to reopen access to the fancy toys.

2. AI not aggressive enough in critical opening turns.
I pushed into Baltimore the first turn, and took Washington the 2nd. AI made no similar concentrated push of forces.

3. Airplanes are weak.
The AI did throw lots of planes at troops in the field, and lost almost their entire air force. At the same time, there's not enough difference in capabilities between air and ground troops.
I can fly cross country in 6 hours, yet out in the West, cities are often beyond the operational radius of planes based out of adjacent cities.
One way that would make the air-land balance work and model modern war better, is if airplanes had huge range and could take out ground troops easily, while ground troops had slower movement but are essential for taking cities.

4. The ships aren't that useful
Mostly, I used mine to sink enemy ships - there are only a handful of coastal cities.

5. Unit camouflage is a little too good
Beautiful units, but I can barely see them when they are out there. Makes it had to assess the battlefield.

6. The guerillas and mountain troops add a lot of fun
Let's see more of these! As someone mentioned before, there aren't really red and blue states, just red and blue cities and towns.