New Wish List for OpenGen / OpenSuite 2023-2024

[LuisGuzman]

... I need to add to the .cfg file for all this to work?

Well new $rem_leader is only needed to be able to use those 2 new options to remove leaders, but it is no needed to use 1600 units or to edit unit name using F2

[none]

Well new $rem_leader is only needed to be able to use those 2 new options to remove leaders, but it is no needed to use 1600 units or to edit unit name using F2

Thanks, I'll add it: The "useless leader" issue was bugging me too (even if people didn't manage to agree on which leaders in which conditions were considered useless...).
"$rem_leader = 1" it is.

[randowe]

I made a brief test and the leader settings work now My units get the correct leaders and i do not get asked about the enemy leaders F2 works too.
Big thanks to Luis for implementing these settings

[LuisGuzman]

Thank you for testing and reporting

[sympatyk]

Finally I've got a few free time to work on the wish list
I've already done these changes:

• fixed the issue with .xlog files and .xeml files

Hi Luis - watch the video
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1h3hd5Y ... sp=sharing

If you purchase new units, they will be invisible in xlog
While playing xlog - the gameplay will be changed
Up to 11 minutes of the film - I'm playing the first scenario H01 GUDERIAN'S GAMBIT v.4.1e on the Gustlik e-file. I then run the xlog of this scenario
I don't know - what am I doing wrong?

[LuisGuzman]

If you purchase new units, they will be invisible in xlog

I'm sorry but I only fixed the issue with xlog files done while playing PBEM

I'm sure you have reported this other bug before but I surely missed.
The bad new is that I won't look into that until next year

[LuisGuzman]

While playing xlog - the gameplay will be changed
Up to 11 minutes of the film - I'm playing the first scenario H01 GUDERIAN'S GAMBIT v.4.1e on the Gustlik e-file. I then run the xlog of this scenario
I don't know - what am I doing wrong?

Sorry but I am not sure to understand well the issue.
Could you please send me the xlog file where you have purchased units and those didn't show up when replaying ?

[sympatyk]

Thank you very much
This bug has been around for a few years now, so there's no need to rush
However, sometimes you want to show how the game went

I don't know if you know - recently in our e-file we dealt with railways
If it were possible to add track construction and road construction to the sapper function, it would provide new possibilities for building scenarios

edit
I sent the xlog to your e-mail address

[none]

If it were possible to add track construction and road construction to the sapper function

I second that! Railways were extremely important back then.

That been said, same applies for road construction. After all, "road construction" would be just a bulldozer creating a dirt road, which should be easy on "clear" terrain (and probably also in forest terrain, except it would take much longer).

[none]

• Number of units increased to 1600 total ((800x2 players, 400 x4 players)

Could we also have an Open Suite with the new limits?
(It's difficult to add more units to a scenario when Open Suite refuses...)

[LuisGuzman]

(It's difficult to add more units to a scenario when Open Suite refuses...)

I thought you would be able to do anyway, but .. pk I'll do next year, in the meanwhile enjoy and do not drink too much

[none]

I thought you would be able to do anyway

IIRC you had removed the ability to add too many units by copy/pasting them, and while theoretically I could buy me an additional 400 units one by one inside the game (yikes!), I don't know how I could coax the AI do do the same... I plan on creating a scenario with really 1600 units in it, it's the only way to know for sure.

do not drink too much

Same!

[LuisGuzman]

Wishing a happy new 2024

and

announcing OpenSuite 5.0.73.8 allowing to use up to 1600 units

Now I set myself on stand by while you test how the game behaves with so many units.

[Dimitris GR]

Happy New Year to everyone and a BIG THANKS to Luis.

[none]

Happy New Year to everyone and a BIG THANKS to Luis.

^ As he said! Happy New Year, and a happy new year.

[LuisGuzman]

I don't know if you know - recently in our e-file we dealt with railways
If it were possible to add track construction and road construction to the sapper function, it would provide new possibilities for building scenarios

The problem to build road/rails during game is because roads and rails has no unique value for a hex, but many combos depending on the branches connecting hex sides.
So building a port, airport, station is simple , the builder only need to say "I want to build an airfield" and that's all, the hex will be set as a special dirt airfield, but to build a road or railway you'd need to define each branch (hex side) must connect. You could say it is the same than building a pontoon, except that pontoons are not drawn as roads, they are marked with a different icon because they work different than "bridge" (roads).

If building a road/rail would set all 6 sides as railroads you would see a nasty map when showing them on map, and much worse if using maptiles.

[sympatyk]

The Suite has a built-in algorithm --> holding the "ctrl" key and pressing the key combination 1,2,3,7,8,9 you can determine the route of the road or tracks (ctrl + 5) --> can't this be used?

Happy New Year

[LuisGuzman]

If you purchase new units, they will be invisible in xlog

The problem was that unit purchased were not placed , regardless the command to do was stored
I've fixed and OpenGen 0.93.5.RC1.c is available fixing it.

[LuisGuzman]

The Suite has a built-in algorithm --> holding the "ctrl" key and pressing the key combination 1,2,3,7,8,9 you can determine the route of the road or tracks (ctrl + 5) --> can't this be used?

Yes I know, but the current "build" mechanic requieres a single bit to store the "build-order" from player. Each "build" action has a cost and time associated and after that time, the actions associated (draw the layer, set the owner, ...) to each build-order are processed.

I am not saying that it is impossible to do, but it requires a completely different mechanism, more complex as well as changes in files' structures, which I am reluctant to do unless I have time enough to work on that

It is a similar problem than increasing the number of units. I implemented the leaders exactly the same than it was in PG2.
There is a table of 15 leaders x 4 players whose items are filled when a new leader is raised for a player. Then the unit has a byte field pointing to that item.
The table is stored within the common structure in .xscn; .xeml; .xsav; and .xcsv

When I worked OGX branch I changed leaders implementation to allow as many leaders as wanted, so any scenario could define how many leaders could be raised - despite how many units had a leader. Solution was to store the leader's data in the unit record instead of using that leaders' table 15x4.
Thus any unit having a leader would simple register the leader's name, and attributes and a then a counter per player would track how many units have a leader or how many was created in that scenario. Much simpler indeed.

But updating old leader data to new structures was a bit complicated and I was running out free time with covid and life and I had to discard in order to release a stable 0.93.5.0.

That's life.

[sympatyk]

Thank you very much for explaining the problem with building tracks and roads
Of course, I understand that you can't have everything and it's a waste of Your time.

I tested the new OpenGen release 0.93.5.RC1.c
Now xlog works perfectly
Big thanks
​

[connor71]

Renaming after pressing F2 works.
It's great, thanks

[connor71]

Both options: rename (F2) and remove leader (ctrl+x) work on the map. Unfortunately they don't work on the HQ screen (F).

[LuisGuzman]

Both options: rename (F2) and remove leader (ctrl+x) work on the map. Unfortunately they don't work on the HQ screen (F).

You are right!

Can get updated OpenGen 0.93.5.RC1.d fixing that
Thanks for warning

[connor71]

It works, thanks

[randowe]

One of my fighters got a leader, i think it was influence, and i declined it with the new option. After i closed the game i saw a message:

- Err - U:12 is a fighter but got an improper Leader! - Check CombatTest log file

But influence is an proper leader for fighters, no? It's the first time ever i got such a message.
Combat log. Here attacker is a bomber

Campaign: 1941-46 KRIEGSMARINE CAMPAIGN (kriegs.cam)
Scenario: Operation Shetland I
Germany turn 10 * August 20, 1941
Weather is: Overcast * Ground condition: Dry * Distance:0
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Attacker : U:10 (no name) He 115C-4 - Germany <Str=10> Hex(48,9) PORT
Defender: MSU:21 (no name) Submarine Base - United Kingdom <Str=1> Hex(48,9) PORT

Firing: U:10 * Destroyed = 1 Suppressed = 0 to U:21

......... * Summary * .........
Attacker: U:10 * Destroyed 0 Suppressed 0
Defender: U:21 * Destroyed 1 Suppressed 0 * KILLED *

[Dimitris GR]

I wonder if there is a way at purchase screen, where are all the unit stats, could add the expiration date?

[LuisGuzman]

I wonder if there is a way at purchase screen, where are all the unit stats, could add the expiration date?

Added to OpenGenRC1e available at my site and open-general website
It shows up on top banner when clicking any unit in the available units' list

[Dimitris GR]

THANKS!!!!!

[randowe]

Wow, yeah, that's a great addition

[Szperacz]

Suggestion/wish: Pixel-perfect zoom.

We currently can zoom in using small steps. It would be nice to have also an option to quickly zoom using a ratio which gives a pixel-perfect result - so 2x and 4x (so by clicking once we would zoom to 200%, second time we would zoom to 400%). Currently it's hard to find those zoom levels (especially 200% is useful) - and at every other small step of zoom the pixels are distorted (text for example).

[Aleksandr]

Suggestion/wish: Pixel-perfect zoom.

We currently can zoom in using small steps. It would be nice to have also an option to quickly zoom using a ratio which gives a pixel-perfect result - so 2x and 4x (so by clicking once we would zoom to 200%, second time we would zoom to 400%). Currently it's hard to find those zoom levels (especially 200% is useful) - and at every other small step of zoom the pixels are distorted (text for example).

Please, please, this would be really nice!

[none]

• Number of units increased to 1600 total ((800x2 players, 400 x4 players)

Play testing the second XXL-map scenario with "more-than-usual" units, and again it works like a charm.

(Only 500 (AI) + 550 (player) units though, although the AI has a lot of prestige and immediately starts buying more.
I'll test the full 800+800 when I finish my XXL Kursk map (need to find my Wacom for that, which must be in one of the boxes...)

[none]

Wish (but I assume that's too complicated to add at this point):

It would be nice if transports' (land/air/sea) "special" perks would carry over to the unit they transport.
For instance, if your infantry unit rides a transport having the "dismount after move" special (but the infantry unit itself hasn't it), your infantry unit gains this special for as long as it uses this transport.

That would be easy to do if transports' specials would carry over to the transported unit: Change transport, gain/lose its special abilities.

Why? Take bicycles for instance: How long do you need to "dismount" from your bicycle?... But if that same infantry unit is upgraded to some heavy, closed transport later in the campaign, it should lose that bicycle perk, which is tied to the transport.

[LuisGuzman]

Wish (but I assume that's too complicated to add at this point):

It would be nice if transports' (land/air/sea) "special" perks would carry over to the unit they transport.
For instance, if your infantry unit rides a transport having the "dismount after move" special (but the infantry unit itself hasn't it), your infantry unit gains this special for as long as it uses this transport.

That would be easy to do if transports' specials would carry over to the transported unit: Change transport, gain/lose its special abilities.

Why? Take bicycles for instance: How long do you need to "dismount" from your bicycle?... But if that same infantry unit is upgraded to some heavy, closed transport later in the campaign, it should lose that bicycle perk, which is tied to the transport.

I'm sorry to say that DAM special is widely spread over the code and most part of the instances are checked directly over the unit instead of calling a function, which forces to many minor/medium changes in many source files, to eventually add this "new optional" feature

I said eventually because IIRC people asked to freeze the code to stop adding "optional" features that usually become buggy the code.

That said, I think it is a good idea and it would be nice to have (maybe also with "Jump out transport when attacked").
But after freezing the code time has being wiping out my memory from code implementation details that force me to spend a lot of time to afford changes that affect many areas of the code. I am an right now into a business that makes me busy, but once I finish I hope to have a bit more time to fulfill wishes.

[none]

Thanks for answering!



Another thing though...

Could we have a spotting continuity on same altitude terrain?
Right now when you have a stretch of "hill", which actually is supposed to be a plateau, spotting is limited everywhere to 1 hex, which isn't logical, and I don't see any way out of this.

How can we simulate a plateau? A ring of "hill" around "clear" would look silly at the border hexes... It would be better to have an algorithm saying that you can freely spot level and down, but not up: This means you are not limited in spotting when looking from "mountain" -> "hill" -> "clear" (or "mountain" -> "mountain" and "hill" -> "hill"), but you're limited to 1 hex as before when looking from "clear" -> "hill", or "hill" -> "mountain". Want to limit spotting range on your mountain? Mix "mountain" with "hill" hexes, and you get the same 1-hex limit.

[none]

Still me.

And could be have a way (in the "upgrade" screen) to buy transports for units which are currently not for sale themselves?

Right now, to buy a transport for a unit, that unit needs to be for sale too.
What if I don't want the player to be able to get another of those units, but still buy/change transports for the one he has?

IIRC it was possible in some previous version, you just clicked on the unit you had and available transports appeared on the left. Now this doesn't work anymore, if you don't select a unit in the left pane, you don't get any transports offered.

[none]

Still me.

Could we have more weather zones please?
I suppose the game just reads the contents of the selected weather zone into some array, so it doesn't really matter if the selected weather zone was #3 or #300, does it? Why are we limited to only 22 weather zones?

The point is to have the possibility to make some special weather zones ("only cloud & rain", or "almost continuous snow") for battles which are supposed to happen under specific weather conditions. One can always try using the most appropriate among the existing zones, but more often than not this is not enough.


Examples: I'm trying to make a "Battle of the Bulge" scenario, and I want it to be as cloudy as possible, to prevent the allied aviation from being too decisive. I've used what I've supposed to be the most appropriate weather zone, and indeed it started with 3 days of snow, then switched to clear sunny skies for the rest of the scenario!
Pretty much exactly what I had tried to avoid...
It would be so much easier if I could have a "Nasty Winter" weather zone, of 10% clear and 90% clouds, of which 50% is snowfall.

I had the same issue repeatedly with the "Rasputitsa" season: It's supposed to be muddy, and while I can set and fix the ground condition to "mud", it looks very silly after some 20 turns of continuous sunshine and blue skies... A special "Rasputitsa" weather zone of 50% clear and 50% clouds, of which 80% is rain, would be appropriate.
And so on.

[LuisGuzman]

Still me.

And could be have a way (in the "upgrade" screen) to buy transports for units which are currently not for sale themselves?

Right now, to buy a transport for a unit, that unit needs to be for sale too.
What if I don't want the player to be able to get another of those units, but still buy/change transports for the one he has?

IIRC it was possible in some previous version, you just clicked on the unit you had and available transports appeared on the left. Now this doesn't work anymore, if you don't select a unit in the left pane, you don't get any transports offered.

I'll check this one!

[LuisGuzman]

Still me.

Could we have more weather zones please?
I suppose the game just reads the contents of the selected weather zone into some array, so it doesn't really matter if the selected weather zone was #3 or #300, does it? Why are we limited to only 22 weather zones?

The point is to have the possibility to make some special weather zones ("only cloud & rain", or "almost continuous snow") for battles which are supposed to happen under specific weather conditions. One can always try using the most appropriate among the existing zones, but more often than not this is not enough.


Examples: I'm trying to make a "Battle of the Bulge" scenario, and I want it to be as cloudy as possible, to prevent the allied aviation from being too decisive. I've used what I've supposed to be the most appropriate weather zone, and indeed it started with 3 days of snow, then switched to clear sunny skies for the rest of the scenario!
Pretty much exactly what I had tried to avoid...
It would be so much easier if I could have a "Nasty Winter" weather zone, of 10% clear and 90% clouds, of which 50% is snowfall.

I had the same issue repeatedly with the "Rasputitsa" season: It's supposed to be muddy, and while I can set and fix the ground condition to "mud", it looks very silly after some 20 turns of continuous sunshine and blue skies... A special "Rasputitsa" weather zone of 50% clear and 50% clouds, of which 80% is rain, would be appropriate.
And so on.

Well, I understand what you want, now I have to check how to allow it.
Probably the best solution for you is customizing any of the existing weather zones as you prefer.
Can review how weather works reading: http://www.luis-guzman.com/OpenGen_Features.html

Code: Select all

Weather is set according the climate-zone set in the scenario. There are 22 climate zones that can be configured by using external file: Weather.txt

Each climate zone defines 4 parameters which drive the weather in Open General:

Average clear period (AvgClearPeriod), in turns
Average overcast period (AvgOvercastPeriod), in turns
Probability of snow (ProbOfSnow), in percent
Probability of precipitation (ProbOfPrecip), in percent
Parameters work together to determine the weather for each particular turn.

1.
Clear and overcast periods occur one after another: [Clear][Overcast][Clear][Overcast] etc. Initial period (clear or overcast) is specified in scenario file.
Duration of each period (in turns) is determined using this formula:  Period = ((r1+r2+r3+r4)+2)/2, but always between AvgPeriod/2 and 3*AvgPeriod/2
Here AvgPeriod means AvgClearPeriod for clear period or AvgOvercastPeriod for overcast period. r1, r2, r3 and r4 are random numbers between 0 and AvgPeriod-1.
In other words, game rolls dice 4 times and sum the results.
2.
Each overcast period is assigned a certain precipitation type (PrecipType) - rain or snow. Probability of snow is ProbOfSnow and  hence probability of rain is 100%-ProbOfSnow.
Once assigned, precipitation type never changes. This means that it is not possible to have both rain and snow during the same overcast period.
3.
On each turn during an overcast period the game determines if rain or snow actually falls. Probability of rain or snow is specified by the last weather parameter - ProbOfPrecip.
4.
When scenario option "Weather can change ground condition" is set, the game uses a internal - WaterLevel to check if to "State" of the ground:

WaterLevel starts as 0 and is adjusted every turn:
WaterLevel = WaterLevel + 2, but never >5 (if rain or snow)
WaterLevel = WaterLevel - 2, but never <0 (if clear)
WaterLevel = WaterLevel - 1, but never <0 (if overcast and PrecipType is rain)
WaterLevel not changed (if overcast and PrecipType is snow)
When WaterLevel gets above 2, the ground becomes mud or frozen (depending on PrecipType selected for the current overcast period).
When WaterLevel gets below 3, the ground becomes dry. This means that the ground can never be mud/frozen on the first turn.
Even if there is rain or snow, one turn will pass before WaterLevel gets above 2.

Edited:
Can also add an empty "#22 Custom Zone" to allow customizing weather and specific "hex_tiledecors21.png/cfg" to include in each EFILE_* \ OPENGUI

[LuisGuzman]

Could we have a spotting continuity on same altitude terrain?
Right now when you have a stretch of "hill", which actually is supposed to be a plateau, spotting is limited everywhere to 1 hex, which isn't logical, and I don't see any way out of this.

Sorry I missed this, but I don't see any possibility to do that in current times. Maybe in my next resurrection

[none]

Probably the best solution for you is customizing any of the existing weather zones as you prefer.

I'd like to keep them, because for 99% of cases they work fine.

It's just some special, weather-dependent scenarios which need special weather...
I think, from my own point of view, 3 additional weather zones would be enough:

1. "Rasputitsa" obviously, having 50% clear and 50% cloudy, during which 80% it is raining. Permanent mud can be set at scenario level.
2. "Bad weather winter", having around 10% clear and 90% cloudy, during which 50% it is snowing.
3. "Bad weather summer", same thing, but with rain instead of snow.

(The point of those two bad weather zones is to limit air superiority and air recon (My scenarios all depend heavily on air recon).)

Can also add an empty "#22 Custom Zone" to allow customizing weather and specific "hex_tiledecors21.png/cfg" to include in each EFILE_* \ OPENGUI

What would the "hex_tiledecors21.png/cfg" be good for?
Couldn't you add 3 custom zones?...

[none]

Sorry I missed this, but I don't see any possibility to do that in current times. Maybe in my next resurrection

[LuisGuzman]

It's just some special, weather-dependent scenarios which need special weather...
I think, from my own point of view, 3 additional weather zones would be enough:

1. "Rasputitsa" obviously, having 50% clear and 50% cloudy, during which 80% it is raining. Permanent mud can be set at scenario level.
2. "Bad weather winter", having around 10% clear and 90% cloudy, during which 50% it is snowing.
3. "Bad weather summer", same thing, but with rain instead of snow.

(The point of those two bad weather zones is to limit air superiority and air recon (My scenarios all depend heavily on air recon).)

Then I'll add a "scenarioname_weather.txt" to be loaded if present ignoring the latitude defined in the .xscn file, to be located aside the scenario file (SCENARIO folder).
That special weather slot won't be overwritten when loading data from weather.txt

What would the "hex_tiledecors21.png/cfg" be good for?
Couldn't you add 3 custom zones?...

Hex_tiledecors.png/cfg files are needed to use tiled map, because some people - like me - prefer to check true terrain by switching to tiled map and then back to picture map.

[Puma]

Hi Luis,
If it is possible, I would like the report from the editor to be customizeable.
The current report is like a data dump and very cluttered.
For instance, I would display exp, kills and "exp gained" because I don't want to see bars, transports, strength, prestige etc. The summary would also be much the same.

Ideally, a report on each unit would be great. Listing each scenario it fought in and the exp gained and units destroyed etc.
A report of each scenario listing the number of units killed, lost, exp gained, etc and types of units destroyed(16 tanks,etc) would be great.

Something that is really missing is the lack of info on ships.
I would like to see how many subs my destroyer has sunk or how many ships my torpedo bomber has sunk etc.

Everyone is asking for more enhancements to the exe but I would like to see more analysis of the results after each scenario or campaign

As a side note, I will be in Barcelona in September for 5 days, any hints to what I should definitely see

[LuisGuzman]

Still me.

And could be have a way (in the "upgrade" screen) to buy transports for units which are currently not for sale themselves?

Right now, to buy a transport for a unit, that unit needs to be for sale too.
What if I don't want the player to be able to get another of those units, but still buy/change transports for the one he has?

IIRC it was possible in some previous version, you just clicked on the unit you had and available transports appeared on the left. Now this doesn't work anymore, if you don't select a unit in the left pane, you don't get any transports offered.

Could you enhance my low-understanding mind, by posting a sample to check myself, please ?

[none]

Then I'll add a "scenarioname_weather.txt"

Now that would obviously be the ideal solution! Infinite possibilities for infinite specific cases...

Hex_tiledecors.png/cfg files are needed to use tiled map, because some people - like me - prefer to check true terrain by switching to tiled map and then back to picture map.

I see. I didn't think of that...

[none]

Could you enhance my low-understanding mind, by posting a sample to check myself, please ?

Will do, in a (couple) hour(s). Need to get to the Windows/OG computer.

[LuisGuzman]

Hi Brian

If it is possible, I would like the report from the editor to be customizeable.

I understand you mean from Suite not from game, right ?

Indeed it would be the best option but I've not ever figure how to do
Anyway I'll try to wonder a way to do.

The current report is like a data dump and very cluttered.
For instance, I would display exp, kills and "exp gained" because I don't want to see bars, transports, strength, prestige etc. The summary would also be much the same.

Ideally, a report on each unit would be great. Listing each scenario it fought in and the exp gained and units destroyed etc.
A report of each scenario listing the number of units killed, lost, exp gained, etc and types of units destroyed(16 tanks,etc) would be great.

Something that is really missing is the lack of info on ships.
I would like to see how many subs my destroyer has sunk or how many ships my torpedo bomber has sunk etc.
Everyone is asking for more enhancements to the exe but I would like to see more analysis of the results after each scenario or campaign

Regardless I get to set up a configurable report, I'll try to set up a new report option focused on units performance

As a side note, I will be in Barcelona in September for 5 days, any hints to what I should definitely see

No problem I'll send by email my hints for your visit.

[none]

For the transport buying issue:
As you can't upgrade in a standalone scenario, I made a mini-test-campaign.

You get two core infantry units. Simply step on the Allied VH to win the first scenario, and in the second scenario's HQ phase, try to change the "Brandenburgers"' transport. They currently have a Blitz 2.5t, and since "Brandenburgers" aren't purchasable in this scenario, you can't change their transport without also changing the unit to something else...

[LuisGuzman]

For the transport buying issue:
As you can't upgrade in a standalone scenario, I made a mini-test-campaign.

You get two core infantry units. Simply step on the Allied VH to win the first scenario, and in the second scenario's HQ phase, try to change the "Brandenburgers"' transport. They currently have a Blitz 2.5t, and since "Brandenburgers" aren't purchasable in this scenario, you can't change their transport without also changing the unit to something else...

Thank you for the test camp, it helped a lot.
Although I am pretty sure this options has not been ever available - except perhaps due to some bug, long ago fixed - I am trying to make that available.

The first attempt shows up that it would be needed some change to realize your are upgrading the transport only, and thus must click on the upgrade/buy button.