Anyone want to take over the Vassal mod?

[Geekybiker]

Im not going to be around much untill v2 hits I suspect. Figure I'd hand off the project to someone who is interested in maintaining it rather than just let it die.

 

[JayRaider]

I'm happy to try.
But don't get your hopes up people!
I've no idea whats involved!

PS. Thanks for all the work upto this point Geeky. Without Vassal, i wouldn't be playing ACTA.

 

[Geekybiker]

Its not too difficult really. Just open the mod files to edit and you can follow the same format I have in there for new ships and races.

Counters are generated on a 100 pixels per inch scale. So fighters are 100x100, etc etc.

 

[Triggy]

Thanks very much for the efforts Geeky. Whoever picks this up will be much appreciated (with the most important changes now to get Drakh and Ancients in, Dilgar counters and the new Shadow and Vorlon stats).

 

[katadder]

and of course armageddon.

 

[JayRaider]

Ok, i've spent an hour looking at it. Putting new races/ships will not be a problem (once there is counters available for them).

 

[katadder]

well we need dilgar and actual drakh counters, i think theres downloadable ones for these on the resources site. altho not got all the drakh counters.

 

[JayRaider]

Yes i've downloaded the Drakh, and there missing Mothership,Carrier,Cruiser and scout.
The link for the Dilgar counters is broken on the resources page.

Anybody got the skills to design the missing counters for inclusion in Vassal?

 

[katadder]

i have the dilgar counters saved if you want them.

 

[Geekybiker]

Oh yah, the one thing to remember is that it matters what order you put those traits in the pieces. It reads top to bottom on the list.

 

[Lord David the Denied]

While you're at this, can you correct the problem with the Starfury counters? They come out looking like Sentris. So do Thunderbolts and Raziks. Not sure if any other fighters come out wrong.

Also, there's no yellow jump point counter, and the jump point counter there is can't be rotated...

Anyway, hat's off to you for volunteering. 8)

 

[Locutus9956]

GB did you ever get the file I tried to send you with my modded verion of your mod? I had changed it all to tourney stats and had amongst other things added the Drakh and Dilgar along with counters for all of them and Starfury and T-Bolt counters

 

[JayRaider]

Locutus: do u still have that mod file?

 

[JayRaider]

Ok i've managed to adapt the firing arc template, so the ship counter its centered on remains on top. The ship counter can now be rotated in accordance with the arc template lines,therefore your opponent can see your turning movements and the arc template and know your staying within the allowed turning amounts.
The arc template, when used for a turning guide, can allow turning quicker. For example: when i wanted to turn a ship counter accurately i would have to zoom right in for accurate turns, now u can use the arc template as a guide and don't have to zoom right in.
I've also included a real dust cloud, i downloaded a picture from hubble and put it in the mod. Saves time on using the old dust cloud. Dust cloud counter measures 12x12.
A similar asteroid field picture is viable.
I've managed to make jump points/gates rotatable.

I'm gonna start putting the available Drakh counters in this week. Projected update release time, next Saturday.

I need pics of the Starfury/Thunderbolts counters to include in the update.
I need a yellow jump point counter pic too.
I need a volunteer to design the missing Drakh counters of the Mothership,Carrier,Cruiser and Scout.!!! (preferably similar in design to the current drakh counters).
8)

 

[JayRaider]

Ok, heres a new update mod for Acta Vassal. B5_ACTA_A67.

New features:
1) Fire Arc Template can now be used as a Turning Guide.
2) Jump gates/points are now rotatable.
3) A Dustcloud and Asteroid picture have been included and the old asteroid/dust cloud replaced.

http://www.bestsharing.com/files/ms001148300/B5_ACTA_A67.html

When downloading place in your Vassal Modules folder.
Do Not Attempt To Zip The File!
This new mod will speed up turning, since you can use the Arc Template as a guide now. Also your opponent can also see the template and it allows them to monitor your turning movements.
The inclusion of a single dust cloud and asteroid field (12x12) speeds up the placement of terrain considerably. A one click approach.

I've checked it out and all appears working. Other test comments are welcome.
Enjoy.

 

[Triggy]

Great work there! I'm impressed in such a short space of time.

Is it actually possible to set Vassal up to allow 45/90 degree turns as a command like moving a specific number of inches?

 

[JayRaider]

I'm still investigating that Triggy.
I know that its possible to make the counters turn in selected degress, not through a command choice like movement, but by selecting the counter.
However!! this will result in the loss of manual turning, at the moment it appears that its either manual or select degress of turning.

 

[Triggy]

And a loss of manual movement has to be avoided at all costs to retain the freedom it provides (even at the cost of time to get "measured" turns done accurately).

 

[JayRaider]

Check out the Fire Arc Template now.
It will help speed up turning alot!!
I'm very pleased with it .


PS I use a fully updated Symantec Anti-Virus, so don't worry about virus.

 

[katadder]

for turns before it wasnt to hard anyway cos you had the movement trail, and with the fire arcs on counters going out at the correct angle you could see if they were overturning or not. the arc template whilst a nice idea and i appreciate your work jay will slow things down, it takes about 10-20 seconds to appear and if you do this on every ship it will slow it down.