SUITE PG2

Changes Summary

© Luis Guzmán 1999-2004 - Version 3.32


Index

 

  1

Miscellaneous news. 1

Settings and Folders changes: 2

Saved Games changes: 2

Units view changes: 2

Map View changes: 3

Equipment View changes: 4

Game Sets. 4

 


Miscellaneous news

 

ü       New options to see available prototypes for a scenario when played as a campaign. It is on Campaign View and there are two choices:

o        Show prototypes for selected scenario button. This new option pops up a form to show equipment items matching the time frame defined for the scenario, but it lets you change also that time frame to see how it affect though it does not updated those changes to the scenario file.

o        Campaign report includes prototypes for each scenario in the campaign.

 

ü       Campaign report is available also from Browser View so you can check prototypes without editing anything.

 

ü       Windows Clipboard can now be used to copy and paste equipment data and units. Equipment name can be paste from a copied item or from any text copied to windows Clipboard.
In addition to standard accelerators (Ctrl+X , Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V) there are some buttons to do it. This work even if you open two Suite instances to copy data between 2 e-files.

 

ü       On Browse View Report options there is a new one to check and update all map files you need from your "All Map files" folder to your Scenario Game Set folder.
In addition it
shows how many Pic files (SHP) are missing.

 

ü       View Icons tool can filter empty descriptive text (blanks). To do set ON "On descriptive text" checkbox, left empty edit box and press FILTER button. There is also a new option to save filter list to a text file.
Also it shows
how many times each icon is used for the equipment file loaded. So to see all icons not used you can type on filter edit box:
:0 and hit FILTER button.

 

ü       New option on Icons Report. Now you can view each pair Icon+Equipment  so you can see how each icon is used.

 

ü       When exiting the Suite you can save changes or discard changes. Now you can also cancel exiting

 

ü       Importing map names now searches for standard map names files as MAP####.txt

 

ü       If wrong units are read their values are reset to avoid annoying out of limits warnings.

 

ü       Unit names are checked to detect Null name status and fixed automatic.

 

ü       Included some missing Duke of Brabant icon's descriptions on file   Panzer2_v2.txt

 

ü       A small .REG file is included on the package, just in case you have set  "Auto load last file" and you get into a corrupt file endless loop.
This .REG cleans registry setting so next time you run the Suite it doesn't load any file. Just double-click and accept to import on registry.
 

ü       I've removed reload scenario names button as all names management can be  done inside the Suite. You cannot either edit that file as you could lose changes when saving the scenario. Scenario title is available for edition from Summary View.

 

ü       When you edit any field is better to finish editing (press TAB key) before  doing anything else as data field is not updated until leaving the editing field. I've modified some internals to avoid this issue, although it is safer to use above method.

 

ü       New option for Global Scenario and Map changes, including: 

·         Changing all owner flag for a country to another

·         Setting a name to every hex with a terrain type. It is useful to quick name lakes, sea zones or long rivers.

·         Changing a terrain type for another in a whole map.

·         Convert all data for a defined player into another, moving units, supplies, deploy hexes to other player. It also remove Main Country so that player is erased from game. It is intended to convert scenarios for 4 players into a 2 players very quick.

It is available on "Scenario & Saved" menu, under "Global changes to Scenario and Map..."

 

ü       New option to change player for all units matching a filter.
It is on Global Units data, and it has been suggested to change 4 players  scenarios into a 2 players quick and easy.

 


Settings and Folders changes:

 

ü       A new folder for “All map files” can be configured to unzip there all .MAP files. This folder can be used to update all .MAP files needed for all CAM in a scenario folder using a new option on Browse Report tool.

 

ü       It is configurable if you want to search for files using last file opened (old system) or if you want to search using default Game Set folders

 

ü       When testing sounds files, PG2_SFX.txt file folder will be used to search for files. So copy this file on the folder you want to test sound files

 

ü       From this View you can select the Game Set you want to use as default.

 

ü       You can access the new form dialog to create or edit Game Sets

 


Saved Games changes:

 

ü       There is a new form dialog for saved games to see/edit enemy kills made for a unit. It shows also for core units its "medals", that is which scenario each experience bar was gotten. You can edit also.

 

ü       Dossier Dialog for save games, includes a new option to get an After Action Report (similar to Vladimir's tool), but it let you configure if you want to use standard or Patch 200 formulas to calculate Cap.

 

ü       There is a new option to reload scenario data from a SCN file into a CSV file. Only units will be preserved.

 

 


Units view changes:

 

ü       There is a new Export / Import feature for scenario units.

·         Export creates a file with all units on the current scenario or saved game (XUD file).

·         Import raises a form dialog to choose which units do you want to import from a XUD file (Only for scenario files)

 

ü       Units can be copied to Windows Clipboard, and when paste a new cloned unit will be appended to the HQ. This also works to copy units between two scenarios opening two Suite instances.

 

ü       On Global Units Changes this prefixes can be used:

 

Ø       '+' to set data entered as a value to be incremented

Ø       '-' to set data entered as a value to be decremented

Ø       '%' to set data entered as a percent value.

Ø       "#" to set value as a random. In this case you have to write two numbers (as in "#10-40") to get a random number in that range (1-40)

 

ü       unit cost is shown for each unit, and a switch is provided to toggle if they should be calculated using 102G formulas or new Patch 2.00

 

ü       I've change Units View to remove some equipment's combos in order to save memory. There are new buttons to select equipment, appearance and transport, which raise a dialog where you can filter to easily select.
I think the new selection dialog is much more friendly and flexible.
I apologize of any inconvenience on some habits, but I'm sure you will very soon get used of the new arrangement. Fuel and ammo is set according the new equipment/transport selected.

 

ü       There is a new "Purchase" form to add units to a scenario.
You can select units with or without transport and set reinforce turn, facing and appearance. Most values can be set also including name.
Unit’s list can be filtered using scenario settings according countries and scenario date to easily select what you want. There is also a checkbox to include fortifications as selectable transport for a unit.
There are switches to include on main equipment list “All Country” and “No Country” equipment and for including all transport as main equipment.
There is also a "Remove" button.

 

ü       There are new sorting unit's options.

 

 


Map View changes:

 

ü       Purchase Units is available also from Map View

 

ü       Changing equipment code for selected units (by switching to Equipment View) now works also from Map View the same as from Unit View

 

ü       When deploy a grown unit on ocean, it is automatic embarked.
When un deploying any grown unit embarked at sea transport, its appearance is reset to not embarked. Same way if you try to deploy a grown unit appearing as sea transport on a no-ocean hex, it will be reset as not embarked.

 

ü       Right clicking on a unit while in Map View now launches a new dialog  showing equipment data also for transport if any, and most of the fields  can be edited for that unit, including equipment codes for transport and appearance.

 

ü       You can copy and paste units using windows clipboard.
There are buttons to do it in addition to standard Ctrl+C,X,V hotkeys.
Pasting doesn't replace anything, it appends the unit from the Clipboard to the scenario. This allow a fast deploy clones system:

·       create a single unit like a fort,

·       copy it to the clipboard (Ctrl+C) and paste on any hex you want a fort

 

You can populate really quick using this feature.

 

ü       There are 4 buttons to set (or remove) Owner, Victory, Supply and Deploy hexes to work as in game editor. They work the same as with naming hexes or terrain type.
Settings are loaded from the hex you are when hit if it was empty, and they are cleared when you press again. On Left Bottom box is always shown what setting will be used. To change any hex according those settings, click left mouse while holding Ctrl key. To reset any hex according items set, RIGHT click mouse while holding Ctrl key.
An example:
To set a series of owner hexes for player 1...

1.    go to a hex already set for the country you want, or go to the first item you want to be set and change owner by hand.

2.    hit on Owner button (same icons as in game editor)

3.    click left mouse button while holding Ctrl key on every hex you want to set.

 

You can set also Victory, Supply and or Deploy, and all active setting will be changed when clicking. So you can hit Victory Hex button any time you wish set ownership and victory and then hit again victory button to go on setting only ownership. To reset some deploy hexes for a player:

1.    go to a hex set as deployment for that player

2.    hit on Deploy button (same icons as in game editor)c

3.    click RIGHT mouse button while holding Ctrl key on every hex you want to clear.

Ctrl+Right works also to clear names and terrain (it sets terrain type to "0 CLEAR")

 

ü       New option to copy/paste road settings on Map View. Ctrl+R copies and Ctrl+LeftClick pastes.

 

ü       Units can be moved also by dragging to a new position (move mouse while pressing left mouse button)

 

ü       New Allow Stack switch, to define if a unit can be placed into an occupied hex (stacking) or no, when moving or pasting. Of course you can always do it manually by setting same coordinates to several units, but to do by moving a unit into an hex already occupied, you need to set the new switch ON 

 

 


Equipment View changes:

 

ü       Updated to latest 202 Patch release.

·         mountain movement for units

·         response attack for units with transport

·         weight for transports and transported units

 

ü       You can copy any item to a clipboard, to later paste replacing any other. When you remove an item, you really Cut the item, so it is available on the clipboard. When pasting, equipment code is not changed using this method.

 

ü       New options to add, remove or invalidate items:

·         You can add items (append at the end) or insert item (before selected)  and it will create new item as a clone or just empty, depending how you set the new Add Mode toggle. When Appending (either clones or empty) you will be asked for how many items you want.

·         Invalidate item is also available (just empties the item) so no order is changed

To do easy I've provided small buttons on top of equipment list.

 

ü       Importing items from external e-file (source) into our current e-file (destination) has now 3 choices

·         Add selected item on source to destination, as new codes at the end of the current file

·         Replace a range of items with those selected on source file. Only data will be replace, current codes will be kept.
Sample: if you select 20 item on source file and select item code 300 on destination (current), then current items between 300 and 320 will be replaced by data from source file.

·         Update a range of selected items on source file. It means that those items matching equipment source code with current items will be replaced and those items not existing yet, will be added.
Sample: if you select items from 3000 to 3100 on source file, but your current equipment has only 3020 items then items 3000-3020 will be replaced with source data, and 80 nw items will be added.

 

ü       New equipment sorting abilities by sound MEL file.

 

ü       I've removed "Global equipment cost changes" as this functionality can be made actually using "Global Equipment Changes..."
To do just add '%' (a percent sign) at the end of the cost field.

 


Game Sets

 

What is a GAME SET ?  As you know SCENARIO, USERSCEN, SAVE, Equip97, ... are folder names and file names defined inside the PG2 executable. The game looks for those folders and files to load all the data it needs. So if we change which is inside the executable we could have different folders and files to play without inter-acting each other.

 

This is what I call a GAME SET, a specific copy of the patch V-2.0 game file (of course renamed different than PGUK2000.exe) holding all that info the game  needs to seek for files and to load them.

 

What is for ?

The main idea is to have a different SET for each e-file you use, avoiding   multiple game installation or moving files when you want to play camps for a   different e-file. Now you can make and edit GAME SETS from the Suite. In order to let the Suite know which SET you want to use, and so load the proper files, you can tell it to read settings from an executable. This is a new and I think very powerful feature, but you have to get used of how it works. If you don't define any GAME SET, standard folder and files will be used.

All SETS share MAP folder which is by far the bigger and more time consuming   to update. You can define all folder and files different or you can share some of them - usually NANEMS and MISC and probably PANZER2.dat -

 

Let's use an example,  imagine I use very often Adler e-file but I like also to play

Pacific, CN2, Baltic, LG, Puma's, ....campaigns, so I would make a different SET for each one.

So for Adler (A2K) game set I would have:

 

Ø         an executable, let's say  A2K-PG200.exe

Ø         a folder acting as standard SCENARIO, let's say SCEN_A2K

Ø         a folder acting as standard SAVE, let's say xA2K

Ø         a folder acting as standard USERSCEN, let's say USER_A2K
(only necessary if you plan to use in game scenario editor)

Ø         equipment file acting as standard EQUIP97 , let's say A2K_EQP.eqp and WA2K_EQP.txt

Ø         all other aux files acting as standard GUI97, MISC, NAMES, A2K_Gui.txt (as I surely need different countries) Misc.txt and Name.txt

 

    the graphics data file, could be panzer2.dat or a couple of copies with different flags.

 

As the executable can be configured to use all those settings you can have as many SETS as different e-files you want to play with. When configuring the SET you can create the folders and files you want to define into the SET.

 

There is a separate document explaining step by step how to configure a Game Set.