Caesar's Gallic War

[Gagliaudo]

ahem...

what about using "Cenabum" instead of "Orleans" ... ?

[Jerec]

Originally posted by Gagliaudo
ahem...

what about using "Cenabum" instead of "Orleans" ... ?

Pardon?

Oh, and I de-bugged the whole events file now. After dealing with RL, I snatched some spare time and used a process of elimination to snag, rewrite, and replace all buggy events. On to playtesting!

[AGRICOLA]

Originally posted by Jerec
In any case, the rat king has been deposed for now . . . . . .

Oh??

. . . . . .and I'll soon differentiate the names . . . . .

Absolutely necessary.

. . . . . just in case it was a fluke.

There are no flukes in computing, there are only explanations.


Let me see if I can explain why having 2 identical unit names worked when you tested it but will definitely not work the way you intend if you release the scen. This gets a mite complicated so please bear with me.

1. When you tested you had to have a game open in order to use the MGE events editor. Right?

2. When using the editor, one can select to create either one of two identically named units in the rules unit list. Correct?

3. The identity of the unit to be created is entered both in the events section of the game you have open and in the scen's events text file. Here's where the fun starts.

4. In the game file its ID is entered as a number, based on the position of the unit in the units list in rules.

5. This number is unique.

6. In the events text file its ID is entered as the name, and only the name, of the unit.

7. This name is not unique because there are 2 identical unit names in rules.


So what happens then?

6. When you save and reload the development game, the event behaves as you expected because the unit to be created is identified by a unique number. As you have experienced, everything is fine at this point.

7. However, the events section in the development game file is deleted when you convert your development game to a .scn file before releasing the scen.

8. The only events information that is included with the scen is the events text file where nobody, human or computer, can tell which of the two identically named units you want to be created.

9. When a player loads the scen, an algoritm converts each event in events.txt to a string of numbers. To get the ID number of the unit to be created, it probably goes through the units list in rules and picks the first unit whose name matches the one in events.txt.

10. Consequently, if you were to release the scen with the events list you posted on this thread, the result would be exactly as I said in my first post . . . . . 2 Cavs spawned for every Cav killed.

[Jerec]

Originally posted by AGRICOLA
There are no flukes in computing, there are only explanations.


Let me see if I can explain why having 2 identical unit names worked when you tested it but will definitely not work the way you intend if you release the scen. This gets a mite complicated so please bear with me.

1. When you tested you had to have a game open in order to use the MGE events editor. Right?

2. When using the editor, one can select to create either one of two identically named units in the rules unit list. Correct?

3. The identity of the unit to be created is entered both in the events section of the game you have open and in the scen's events text file. Here's where the fun starts.

4. In the game file its ID is entered as a number, based on the position of the unit in the units list in rules.

5. This number is unique.

6. In the events text file its ID is entered as the name, and only the name, of the unit.

7. This name is not unique because there are 2 identical unit names in rules.


So what happens then?

6. When you save and reload the development game, the event behaves as you expected because the unit to be created is identified by a unique number. As you have experienced, everything is fine at this point.

7. However, the events section in the development game file is deleted when you convert your development game to a .scn file before releasing the scen.

8. The only events information that is included with the scen is the events text file where nobody, human or computer, can tell which of the two identically named units you want to be created.

9. When a player loads the scen, an algoritm converts each event in events.txt to a string of numbers. To get the ID number of the unit to be created, it probably goes through the units list in rules and picks the first unit whose name matches the one in events.txt.

10. Consequently, if you were to release the scen with the events list you posted on this thread, the result would be exactly as I said in my first post . . . . . 2 Cavs spawned for every Cav killed.

I understand. It's amazing to me how you can go through that whole process...thanks for catching that 2 for 1.

[Cyrion]

Originally posted by Jerec
I understand. It's amazing to me how you can go through that whole process...thanks for catching that 2 for 1.

Told you so...

[Jerec]

Originally posted by Cyrion
Told you so...

So you did, so you did...

Anyway, I've been playtesting, tweaking, playtesting, tweaking, polishing, playtesting, polishing, playtesting...what a cycle. Got a question- in the RULES.txt there are the names for the difficulty level. I edited them to Legionary, Centurion, Praetorian, Proconsul (=Governor), and Caesar. Somehow, they don't show up, and the difficulty level names are still on default (Chieftan, Warlord, Deity, etc.).

Oh, and one more thing: I assume all available playtesters are busy building CHEKA infantry, armored trains, and mowing down the capitalist pigs?

[Exile]

Try changing the difficulty names in the Game.txt instead.

[McMonkey]

I'll gladly playtest for you. Makes sense as we are both making ancient scenarios!

[Jerec]

Originally posted by Exile
Try changing the difficulty names in the Game.txt instead.

It's in there too? OK...aha! Found and successfully changed.

Originally posted by McMonkey
I'll gladly playtest for you. Makes sense as we are both making ancient scenarios!

I'll upload it as soon as I do one last playtest to make sure it's not laughably easy. Thanks for volunteering, McMonkey.

[Jerec]

Originally posted by McMonkey
I'll gladly playtest for you. Makes sense as we are both making ancient scenarios!

I like that logic. Here's the scen, in a neat, uploaded bundle. No more 500 kb bits and pieces!

http://apolyton.net/upload/view.php?file=94070_Caesar'sGallicWar.rar

House Rule

1) Having previously dealt with the Rattus Rexicus before, I'm making this common-sense rule official: you are NOT, repeat, NOT allowed to sell the "Political Debt" improvement in the Roman Camp. (A barracks with a maint. of 60 G.)


I need at least a sentence on the topics below when my one and only playtester reports (here). Thanks again McMonkey!

1) difficulty. Are the Gauls actually putting up resistance in terms of troops? (Or at least in terms of numbers of troops.)

2) Is it taking you the 96 turns allotted to conquer the whole of Gaul, or are you finishing the scen by the 50th or so turn?

3) 'ow quickly did you go through the tech tree.

4) I've written descriptions for all the wonders, all the improvements, and half or so of the units. A spell check, perhaps? Besides, reading them will give more atmosphere to the scen.

5) Do the highly edited negotiation wording options sound right?


Advice-

1) Don't conquer cities as fast as possible. Marketplace, bank, and stock exchange are all buildable by the Romans, so develop to equalize the upside-down economy that you start with.

2) All other civs are in Despotism. This means that bribing is pathetically cheap, and that's great considering Caesar's bank account.

3) Legions are created by killing "Free Tribe" units. Only Green Legions have enough attack force to do it.

4) Slave units are for DISBANDING. No other purpose.

5) There's a consequence for every Roman unit destroyed besides Auxiliaries, Gallic light infantry, and Gallic Cavalry. So watch out!

[McMonkey]

Downloaded the files. Had a quick look. The map is a very good choice as it is big enough for tactical play without being vast.

Will play as soon as I get a chance. May be a few days as I have a busy few days ahead of me but I may get some time this weekend. Looking forward to giving it a whirl!

[Exile]

I'd have taken a look at it, but not as an rar file. If you can zip it, that'd be good.

[Jerec]

Here you are.

http://apolyton.net/upload/view.php?file=94070_Caesar'sGallicWar.zip

*edit*

I forgot (of course ) to mention one other thing that feedback is needed on: are the unit movement abilities good? Time+square size+marching ability and all that. Also, I realize that the more the movement ability, the shorter the scen takes. If it's too short, I can chop off some movement...

[McMonkey]

Had time for a quick look this morning (no playtest yet) and I like the look of this game. I have a few suggestions already but I will put them together into an organized post later on. Got to work this evening and this weekend relatives are visiting but I have Tuesday and Wednesday next week off so I can do a proper playtest then. Hope you are OK to hang on for a bit!

[Jerec]

Don't mind at all. I'm just happy I'm not the only one playtesting!