SUITE PG2
© Luis Guzmán 1999-2004 - Version 3.32
Overview
I
made this program to help on developing new campaigns for SSI Panzer General
II game, using a windows standard
interface and gathering all tools needed for that purpose. Many people has made
suggestions and most has been included, some are very seldom used others very
often, but all they was included anyway, as I have tried to keep the program
growing up to be useful to as many people as possible, either you are a very
expert designer or a newbie.
So it
includes a full featured Equipment editor, Campaign editor, Scenario editor and
Saved game editor and also a limited Map editor (.map file).
To
install, just copy the executable file wherever you like, no additional files
are required to run. Some text files are included on the package, they are
optional although if used they will be a good improvement, but you can use the
tool without them.
First
time you load the tool, you should configure all settings mainly folders and
all text files used. Those settings are stored on windows registry so the
program will “remember” most of the files you used normally, avoiding
browsing for files all the time.
By
default no files are loaded, although you can configure to load the last file
opened when starting the program.
First
time you run the program Setting and Folder Form will be pop up.
You should define main game folder and some other settings needed and also if you
want to load last file opened when starting the program.
By default
program start at Browse View and view is switched when you load a
file to edit.
There are 6
Main Views:
Browse View default
start view
Campaign
View default
view for campaign editor
Summary
View default
view for scenario editor
Units View default
view for saved game editor
Equipment
View default
view for e-file editor
Views
are empty until you load some file (they show labels, but not data). You can
select any view using Menu/Views options or pressing its toolbar
icon. If hover mouse you will see tool tips for most options. You have
all the time some view selected (its toolbar icon is greyed).
From
here you can load a file to edit or just to see it. You will normally do in any
of this two ways:
·
Press Menu File and
select the choice you want
·
using a Toolbar first
4 icons (the yellow ones) let you browse for a file to load.
Campaigns
and scenarios can be loaded also from Browser View by double clicking on a file
(.cam or .scn file).
When
you load a campaign , scenario or saved game, all necessary files to show equipment, countries and icons are loaded
also according your settings. If any file is not found you will be prompted to
select it, using standard windows browser dialog.
If
you load an equipment file to edit it, only countries and icons are loaded.
Last
six files opened are saved as recent files, for quick re-loading. Note that
equipment file is only included on recent file list when you load it explicitly
using Menu File or its Toolbar
All main
options are included in a menu, but some items are not allowed unless you are
on a specific view or until you have loaded a file of certain type.
Some of the
most frequently used options are accessed also using toolbar’s icons (see Toolbar )
There are
also some very specific options not included on any menu because they are
related to some dialogs and have no sense out of them, or because they are more
useful as buttons.
To see all
menu options go to: Menu
All
settings are saved on windows registry and used from there. You can save also
as an INI file to retrieve later, as a way for having as many configurations as
you want, but Suite uses those settings you have when you press OK button on
Settings and Folders dialog. Loading an INI file only replaces data into that
dialog.
Registry
entry key is showed so you can edit or delete entries using REGEDIT.EXE
(it is a
standard windows program you can locate on C:\WINDOWS folder)
There is an
internal editor to edit or create text files, but it has no printer options, so
an external editor is launched for reports. You can define which one you want
to use and if you prefer always to use that external one.
You can
define also an alternative folder to place all .MAP files (from here AllMaps
Folder) as there is an option to update all .MAP files needed into your
SCENARIO folder according the campaigns you have. Be aware that Suite searches
for MAP file both on SCENARIO folder and if not found on that All maps folder
Here you
should also define where you have placed some other auxiliary text files like
icon descriptive text file (panzer2.txt) and sounds descriptive text file
(PG2_SFX.txt). You can use the Suite without those files but they worth to use.
If you use
French or German releases you can configure default suffix for text files, but
be aware that last patch 2.0x only works with English one (.txt files)
By default
standard folders are used, but you can use the new Game Set feature to share
many e-files on the same game folder (read on changes summary about this new
feature); in this cases here is the place you should define which Game Set you
want to use. There is also a button to launch Create/Edit Game Sets dialog.
How to
search for files can be configured also here and scroll speed for Map View.
The
main purpose of this view is to check the files needed to play your campaigns.
By default Game Set scenario folder is used to list all the campaigns and their
scenarios and AllMaps Folder setting is used to check your MAP files.
Only
scenarios and MAP files used by the campaigns are included on the list, but you
can browse all MAP files on a folder pressing the button provided for that.
There
are toggles to see file names or titles and to see SHP filenames or pictures.
Missing
files are pointed out to quickly see them.
There
are also a button to raise the Reports dialog that allows get different kind of
info related. Basically you can create a text file reports with all campaigns
in a folder, all files needed for each one and/or missing files. There is also
an option to update all MAP files needed for all
Clicking on
any campaign or scenario item, launches their editor. file.
Here you
can also change the map number used by a MAP file.
This view
lets you create or edit any campaign and their related text files. All other
files as SCN, SMK, MUS can be defined by typing or selected using a windows
file browser.
You can add
to, or remove from the campaign any scenario, change sequence order and of course edit any scenario just double
clicking on the list.
There are
some features to make global changes along all scenarios defined into the
campaign:
·
change prestige setting for each scenario
·
change patch 2.0x features on each scenario
·
change units codes used on all scenarios to be e-file
playable or converted to another e-file
·
create specific e-file including all equipment needed
for all scenarios
There is
also a pop up window to show campaign flow – sequence and dates for all
campaign - and another tool to review all campaign details.
You can get
a report with all data related and all files missing warning specifically if
any critical file is missing. This report will include all available prototypes
for each scenario, according each scenario settings (no prototypes, different
time frame, …)
About
ptototypes there is also an option to show prototypes availables for the
selected scenario. It pops up a form including all equipment you could get. You
can change the time frame to see the efect, but changes are not updated to the
scenario file, so if you like your new time frame settings, edit the scenario
file, goto Summary View, be sure you activate prototype time frame feature
(using ver 2.0 features button) and then set the new frame as you have tested.
Scenario
editing is made using 3 views (see below). This views are used also for save
games editing, as they are very similar, although some data and options are
different depending on the type of file you have loaded.
Although
you can create new scenarios without using the game editor, you must to edit and save using the game editor always before using it in the game, as there are
some unknown bytes that nobody fully understand yet so game editor is needed to
set properly. Skipping this step can run in troubles later.
You cannot
create a new saved game in any way.
There
are tools to export converted as a People General (SSI) scenario and to reverse
sides and to create an EQUIP file with only those codes used in a scenario or
saved game. You can export all units in the scenario to a XUD file to later
import selectively.
Global
changes can be made by selecting specific scopes to limit changes
See Menu/Scenario
& Saves to see all options.
Here
it is found all data related to countries, weather, turns, transport available
files used as map file, intro text file (which you can edit also) and switches
to set type (user/SSI) and visibility (if show up on game scenario list).
Scenario main text file is not editable as map and unit names are managed by
the Suite, but scenario title is available for editing.
From
this view you can set prestige allocation per turn, patch 2.0x special
features, music to play, and all data not related with units and map settings.
If
a saved game is loaded campaign summary info is also shown and some additional
buttons shows up to access specific features as some data is different
depending if file loaded is a scenario or a saved game.
Here it is
all units related data. There is a unit list you can filter and sort with
different choices and for the selected unit detailed data is shown.
You
can select which icon to show (main, transport, appearance,...) and according
that selection equipment data is pop up if you double click on any list item.
When you switch from this view to Map View, selected units is maintained and if
you switch to Equipment View an automatic filter is set to show only same
country and class items.
Some
data is different again depending on if file is scenario or saved game.
When
editing a scenario, you can add, place multiples copies (clone) or delete
units; and also add, edit, copy and paste unit's names.
To
manage names, you can copy a unit's name and them paste on a different unit, by
creating a new name or assigning the id, so sharing the name item.
So
it is very easy to make a generic Corp/Division name, and them paste as a new
name in all units belonging, and edit each pasted name to add the regimental
identifier.
When
selecting equipment codes for main, transport or appearance a form is popped up
to select, and you can filter to do it easier.
When
setting experience you have a button to set experience bar automatically.
If
editing a saved game you can configure leaders (name and attributes) and assign
any leader to a unit.
You
can fix also a little bug that happens sometimes in game when naming units, by
releasing the wrong name (set name to equipment).
There
is also a global editing feature where you can change data to all units
matching some conditions (filters) and you can set random experience between to
values you can edit.
When
you set an un deployed unit to deployed, you will be changed to map view to set
their location.
There is a
toggle to see unit’s cost using old formula or Patch 2.0x one.
To see those
bytes not fully understood yet, you can turn on a window to see or change for
each unit. Each time you change list selection their unkwon bytes will be shown
on that left window. You can turn it on usin Edit Bytes button.
Here you
see and change map settings as deploy, supply, owned and victory hexes.
You can
edit also terrain type and roads, but you will be warned that you are editing
the MAP file so changes will affect all scenarios using that MAP. If you decide
to change the MAP file is better if you save changes as a different name.
By default
picture map is shown on strategic view but you can toggle to real size picture
and even you can maximize the window to use full size screen. Be aware that
game uses 640x480 resolution and you surely are using at least 800x600 or
better, so you will see the map smaller but sharper than in game. Map is
scrolled as in game as soon as you reach an edge. On real size mode you can
even see units as they show in game. You can travel the map using mouse
scrolling or to be precise you can use keyboard but you have to press Ctrl in
adition to any arrow key.
There are
many toggles to filter what you see, either for map settings or units, and for
terrain types there is a special form to draw icons for specific terrain types
to check easily.
On this
view you can deploy or un deploy units using the Deploy button.
Deploying takes care of changing unit appearance if you try to deploy a ground
unit on a sea hex. Anyway you can change while the unit is on HQ list for
example to change the unit as to be air-embarked before deploying.
There are specific tools to quickly set terrain type or name hexes. Mechanism is simple, press the appropriate Copy .. button to load into a special buffer the terrain type, road setting or hex name for selected hex, and then paste on any hex by Clicking while holding Control key (from here Ctrl Click). For units you can move using a similar method, first copy a unit using Copy Unit button and then Ctrl Click where you want to left. An alternative method is to drag the unit to a new postion (move mouse while pressing left mouse button).
There is also an 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
There are
also a collection of buttons to quickly set owner, supply, deploy or victory
hexes same as in game editor.
And
when editing an scenario there is also a powerful option to copy a unit on
windows clipboard (can be copied from Units View, Map View
or another Suite instance) and to paste clones on this Map View
using Paste button or standard Ctrl V hotkey. Is quite
suitable to populate defending units as forts, anti-tank or infantry on cities
Right
clicking on any unit pops up a form to see its stats. You can
also name units from this view (even creating new names if it is a scenario). And
if editing a scenario you can also purchase new units.
Map names
can be created and edited. So you can easily name all river hexes or sea hexes
copying a name and Ctrl
Clicking on each hex you want to be named. Names are not duplicated
using this method, only a line in the text file will be created when saving, so
if you edit that name later all of them will change, no need to re-edit all of
them again.
Names for
hexes can be saved to a file or loaded from a file quite compatible with
Lasse’s map namer tool and map names files you can get in the web.
There is
also a global changes tool what allows massive changes - even it allows to
convert a 4 players scenario into a 2 players one. Here you can even name all
hexes for a terrain type (as a lake or river, or an ocean).
And to see
those bytes not fully understood yet, you can turn on a window to see or change
for each unit. Each time you change hex position their unkwon bytes will be
shown on that left window. You can turn it on usin Edit Bytes button.
You
can load and edit SAV, CSV and EML files.
Same
views than those explained for Scenario Editor are used, but some data and
options will be turned on/off according specifics.
By
the moment there is no possibility to add unit nor names but you can change
most of data. So if you want to recover your better unit as it was before it
was killed, you have to buy any other unit before saving and then change all
settings (equipment, experience, etc…) within the Suite. You can even recreate
how many enemy units that unit had killed and what scenarios it got its bars.
When
editing a .CSV file Dossier button lets you get a After Action
Report with same options as
Equipment
file is loaded as soon as you edit a campaign, scenario or saved file, although
you can create or load any e-file by itself (loading only this one). Any time
an e-file is loaded GUI file is loaded also to read county names and other
labels as game does.
Two
auxiliary text files are provided (Pablo Schegel had this idea and made the
files) PG2_SFX.txt with some comments for MEL files and PANZER2.txt with some
comments for icons included on panzer2.dat. Both files are editable to let you
customize.
When
you select a sound (MEL file) you can set the number you want from 1000-1255 ,
2000-2255 or 3000-3255, but you can also select from a list with the files you
have in the SFX folder, and for each item it will be appended the note you have
set for that sound in the PG2_SFX.TXT file. And you can hear the sound just
pressing the test buttons. No convertion is needed anymore, thanks to Proggi’s
cooperation.
In
a similar way when you will change an icon (or just you want to see them), all
icons on panzer2.dat are shown and each icon name will be appended with the
comment you have for it on PANZER2.TXT file and the number of times that icon
is used. In this dialog, there is a filter option to select only some icons
matching a criteria you can define to seek into icon name or icon comments.
You
can create a text file with any filtered icon list.
Equipment
view is very similar to Units View, a list for items is on left side and for
selected item, all data is shown. The list can be filtered and sorted in many
ways to help on focus what you want to see better.
And you can
also turn on unknown bytes window.
You
can add items at the end of the file or before the selected one and it can be
added as empty or with same data as selected (clone). You can also copy any
item (from this view of from other instance as it is stored on windows
clipboard) and paste to replace data on selected item – no unit code is
changed, only data. But there is a choice to replace (paste) only item’s name.
You
can also remove items and Invalidate any to avoid altering items
order.
About
equipment names a count is shown for all characters to alert if total length
exceed 32 Kbytes. You can also set
Same
as with units, there is a global changes tool to make batch massive changes,
although it can be used either to change a few selective items as it has
powerful filtering capabilities to select changes.
A new
feature lets you replace instances of some icons (names) with a different ones,
as defined on a text file to those of us who like to use always same icons for
certain units (like me).
There are also
options to export and import items to / from another e-file, and even to
convert from /to Peoples General (SSI) slightly different format.
When
importing you have several choices:
·
Append imported items
·
Replace a range with imported items
·
Update (replace if existing or adding else) imported
items.
When
exporting, you have the option to keep codes or to reset codes to the new
position on file. Although game does not allow, this tool handles equipment's
codes independent of the position they have into the file. This is done so, in
order to better manage creating, importing and mixing equipment files as you
can export filtered equipments to different EQUIP files to later import and
mix.
So if you
need to mix files you should keep codes when exporting, and if you only want a
smaller very dedicated E-File, you can reset codes and so the E-File will be
playable. a LOG file is created as an index to reference the initial code and
the new position on the exported file. This file can be used later to adjust unit
codes.
So you can
make a new equipment file using selected codes from many E-Files easily. But to
get a playable EQUI97 file you must run the Make Equipment Playable
before using it, as this option sets codes same as the order each item has in
the file. If you delete any item you should run also this option.
When this
option is run, a LOG file is created in order to be able to fix unit's codes in
any scenario or even a whole campaign, using the old-new codes pairs.
Toolbar(13)
launches specific report for the active view. Each
editor/view let you get a report. Reports are created as text files and always
the external editor is launched so you have the option to send to a printer or
to notice where it has been created to later use it. At any time you can edit
any text file using Menu/Tools/Edit Text File or using Toolbar(11)
Menu/Tools/Icon
Report or Toolbar(12) pops up a window showing
all icons used. It shows icon for e-file or scenario/saved game depending on
the view you are when launching.
Menu/Tools/Show
Panzer2 icons pops up a window showing icons inside
panzer2.dat, which is the same as explained on equipment view, but it doesn’t
allow selecting any icon. All other features are the same.
Menu/Tools/Map
Browser and Report lets you browse for map files, showing it
picture map; it lets you get a report of all .MAP files sorted by name or
number or both. This option is also available from Browser View using a button.
1
2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22
1 Load Campaign
2 Load Scenario
3 Load Saved Game
4 Load Equipment
5 Load Countries file (GUI)
6 Load Icons file (PANZER2)
7 Save Current active file
8 Save As Current active file
9 Setting and Folders
10
Show current Log file
11
Edit text file
12
Icons report
13
Report for active View
14
Global Changes for active view
15
Browser View
16
Campaign View
17
Summary View
18
Units View
19
Map View
20
Equipment View
21
About
22 Help
File View Tools Campaign Scenario & Saves Map Settings Equipment About Readme
File
·
Load Campaign
·
Load Scenario
·
Load Saved Game
·
Load Equipment
·
Load GUI97 file
·
Load Panzer2.dat
·
Save
·
Save As
X. recent file 1..6
·
Exit
View
·
Toolbar
·
Status Bar
·
1 Check
·
2 Campaign
·
3 Summary
·
Unit Settings
·
Map
·
Equipment
Tools
·
Settings, Folders and Files...
·
Map Browser and Report...
·
Icon Report...
·
Show Panzer2 icons
·
Edit text file
Campaign
·
New Campaign...
·
Clear Campaign
·
Add Scenario
·
Delete Scenario
·
Full campaign Report
·
Missing Files Report
·
Show Protoypes for selected scenario
·
Global changes on Prestige and V 2.0 Options
·
Set all scen's units playable
·
Change all Scen Equip. using a &Table
·
Convert to Campaign-&Specific e-file
Scenario
& Saves
·
New Scenario...
·
Clear Scenario
·
List SCN files (check and open)
·
1 Saved Games
tools
o
Dossier...
o
Leaders...
o
Reset Names
o
Reload SCENARIO
·
2 Scenario
tools
o
Add new Name
o
Edit name
o
Copy Name
o
Paste ID name
o
Paste New name
·
Purchase Units
·
Clone Selected Unit
·
Remove Selected Unit
·
Export as Peoples Scenario
·
Reverse Scenario
·
Prestige...
·
3 Global Changes on Unit's data...
·
4 Global Changes to Unit's Eqp. Code..
·
5 Global Changes to Scenario and Map..
·
Report...
·
Icon Report...
·
6 Export Units to a file
·
7 Import Units from file
·
Export Equipment used by Units...
·
Set units to playable Equipment
·
Change Equipment (by &Table)
·
Edit unknown Bytes
Map Settings
·
Add new Name
·
Copy Name
·
Edit name
·
Export Names in Map
·
Import Names to Map
·
Save MAP file
·
Save image as BMP
·
Edit all Bits
Equipment
·
New Equipment...
·
Clear Equipment
·
Report...
·
Global Equipment Changes...
·
Make Equipment playable
·
SEPARATOR
·
Append New
·
Insert New
·
New Unit Mode
·
Delete Unit
·
Invalidate Unit
·
Export Equipment...
·
Export as People Equipment
·
Import Equipment file
·
Import People's General Equipment File
·
Create Conversion Equip. Table
·
Edit unknown Bytes
·
Icon re-assignments
About
·
Release ....
·
Help
Readme
·
Suite Readme
·
Release Readme