Mega New Elk WIP
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ps. Just realized I forgot to attach the xml lol
xml_2025_02_14_Mega New Elk_wip.xml
Basically I just went around the board adding in a couple bases and some naval/air units for the Brits to keep the ball rolling.
It's debatable whether every spot really needs an AB or NB, depends on the purchasing power of the player over the course of the game, but one would expect players might add to what's available at the start. I think it makes sense though for some thematic spots to get a vibe going. For example to have the Air transits across the Atlantic out of Canada north towards UK, or fighters sent from West Africa towards Suez, I think those could be represented by ABs. Malta I think it makes sense to have an NB there for the Brits since it was such a linchpin. Axis main prob was that they didn't have sufficient capacity at their North African ports (for example in Tripoli) to fully resupply their forces. So for places like that might make more sense to leave spots light on infrastructure and if the player opts to, they'd have to invest a bit to set that up.
I think for first round combats, it can be helpful to use Transports or the Transport/DD combo, since DDs alone aren't necessarily top targets, but a transport is almost always worth trying to shut down. I just lowballed figuring more could be added once we got some pocket forces going, add in a carrier or two later maybe depending on what the Axis end up with. Didn't want to get too ahead of myself in case Victory had laid down some more stuff in the interim hehe.
Anyhow, just for a gist, that's where I got before the power went out earlier... I added WIP to the end for 'work in progress' since that's clearly the deal
Probably there are quite a few different approaches for how to set up the Commonwealth and the Allies.
I think what I would try to achieve is just a general thrust where the first round combats suggest the main timeline of the opener. For example to avoid a big round 1 Naval attack by Britain vs Japan at Sumatra which we see on some boards, since that never really happened. Instead a situation where they pull back towards Ceylon, which is what did happen hehe. I think it's probably helpful to use DD blockers to limit Japan's range for a J2 set up on India. Or at least to force some fighting and a stall at Singapore, so Britain has a chance to regroup. Also I think for anything like that to keep the KJF type press in mind, where we probably don't want the Allies going too insane in the first round for a Japan stomp type thing. But yeah probably much is up in the air, or floating around and subject to change.
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OK I was able to reduce the size of the relief down to about 69 mb using a series of grays.
The difference between mixing 2 blues in full color, and mixing a 1 blue with gray cuts the file size in half, down from about 120 mb. I think it's probably serviceable for a match closer to the UHD vibe. Or for now while it's still being worked up. The hue of the blue can be controlled from the base with a single color edit. So we can do a simple value change easily that way, or make adjustments at the very end when I drop the lakes on top.
Here are the Relief_Tiles if you guys like it lighter footprint on the file size.https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mgPTmrBkbfPKCq_lWJxNEP3BpdVzqVxR/view?usp=sharing
Looks like so for the quick view
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Did a quick strongarm for the color grading to get it closer. I think it's in the range now for sure. Extended Dutch harbor a bit to more closely match the UHD. Here's a quick update for the tiles and new base/polys for that. You can ditch the older base if you like so we don't mix em up, I'll use this one going forward since it keys up the blue. You can just replace the base tiles, relief tiles and polygons.txt and should be good to go.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lozx7HCKZHIewSVtarDyTKxsQJsFByZE/view?usp=sharing
For the relief I just cranked the brightness and saturation like 10% as that last step to get in line with the UHD G40 look. Pretty close, last element I think was just adding a tiny bit of noise to the sea zones to get a little more contrast there, but that's a pretty easy edit to isolate only the sea zones for a tiny bit more texture, which will create a slightly darker value like we see in the other one, but scattered using that cloud effect. The hue on the blue is very close though, I handled that through an edit to the baseTiles color. Didn't do any base fancy for the blends this round, since I just wanted to match that blue or get a bit closer first, so when I insert the smaller lakes the colors there will be ok. Pretty close though. Let me know if that seems ok for now.
Looks like this at the moment... pretty subtle compared to the last iteration, but closer to what I had going for the Global, which used a bit more blue and bit less cyan.
Catch ya next round!
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sweet I should be able to upload it to git today
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@beelee Right on!
I wasn't sure on the export xml feature after using edit mode. I thought it might be a grab and go sort of deal like basically just keeping a backup and then renaming the file to match the game name. But I think there must be some sort of extra step either after saving out the file or lines maybe need the edit in the xml for it to launch properly after making draft type edit. Anyway, I'm not the xml wizard there, so it might be super obvious and just over my head, but at least the map Tiles I sorta know my ropes hehe.
Random other ideas...
VCs - I think somewhere between 30 and 36 Victory Cities would probably be optimal, starting with the 19 from Global so it's familiar, but then adding like a dozen or so more to get a spread. For these I would try to located them in contested spots of the map for the push/pull and to drive the play pattern in the active theaters. So for the campaigns in North Africa or the Central Pacific, to incorporate more VCs in the hotspots where memorable battles occurred, or for the 'reliving' WW2 fantasy, that those beats would be sorta baked in.
A name - Since more VCs would then be part of the theme, and Victory helped, maybe having Victory somewhere in the title would be fun? I was just imagine that the V for Victory shaped graphics I have chilling in random folders might get put to use.
NAP - I think a solution to the Japan/USSR front that uses a kind of hard limit on when they can engage each other directly is pretty good. Since the scenario uses the more Oztea style total war start there is no politics, but this might be introduced in a more limited way towards the end, to handle the whole Japan vs Soviets thing. Similarly the choice for handling Neutrals. Global has a zero sum approach, where the downside for the aggressor is to have the other Neutrals join the opposing team. I think a more simplistic attackable neutral, or no pass neutral, is easier to work with. For places like Brazil and Mexico/Central America etc or those spots which joined team Allies in 42/43 I think a simple walk-in situation to claim the empty neutral territory would work. There are almost no Pro-Axis TTs that would have joined the fray after the intended start date, so the pro-side mechanic of G40 is sorta overworked for this one. No real need to simulate the politicking that went down the way things were set up in the 1940 scenarios. Although it might be helpful for that to simply follow the 1940 rubric, to allow for 1940 scenario here at some point.
Tech Progression - using the Token system of v3, or a progressive tech development similar to NML but given a 1940s flare. I think this could come later on, but I like the idea of using the Token system as opposed to the all or nothing tech rolls where it's like sudden death, or tech just gets ignored etc. Which would be common I think for the more standard Global, like unless peeps are using HRs to spice it up, that many will end up no-tech cause it's so wild. Whereas a progressive tech scheme using the Tokens of v3 is a bit more predictable so I think it might be more popular provided it's more staged in, or where the return on the investment isn't quite as lopsided or random. More build as we go, rather than endgame hail mary shot, if that makes sense. Again we got quite a few graphics to use for that, so hopefully covers some options that would be familiar from the older boards.
Convoys- To add new Sea Zones by adding new line divisions, that is pretty straight forward, although it is possible this may not be needed provided the balance of forces and production gives a play pattern that feels ok for the start date. I think there are enough intermediate or transit sea zones where we could set up say a dozen or so convoy lanes (where income is attached to the sea zone similar to the implementation in A&A Europe/Pacific 2000, denying cash to the opponent basically) as opposed to the standard G40 convoys which require the player to count coastal production to calc. I think they're just easier to work with, especially for something at this scale.
Otherwise I think the basics are more or less in place, or at least once we get the Place sorted hehe. Good looking out dude! Catch ya in a few
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I'm at 12 zoom here. Can still make out the lines, although some fading. I still need to look up what i'm on for the 1440 1080 stuff. Forgot how to do it lol
I'll look it up
I'll start crunching through the xml and see if I can get it sorted. I'll wait and do git after it's dialed.
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@beelee said in Mega New Elk:
I'll start crunching through the xml and see if I can get it sorted. I'll wait and do git after it's dialed.
What's the problem with the xml?
Cheers...
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I think it was an error along the lines of "cannot find delegate" when attempting to launch.
Not for the xml you provided, but rather when using the "export xml" feature afterwards, like trying to save out a new xml from that, after adjusting starting units and such via Edit Mode. The one I attached the other day, couldn't get it fire back up. I figured it was probably something to do with the export xml feature when using the pre-release maybe, but then I'm sorta clueless. I didn't want to dive back in there, in case it somehow borked the game file that was working, cause the one you sent loaded up fine until I did the Export thing after Edit Mode hehe
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Ahh... An exported xml cannot be used as its structure is different. If you are exporting to change a 'starting' set up, you should copy the <unitInitialize> (and <ownerInitialize> if you changed territory ownership), and replace those sections in the original xml. Trying to reformat an exported can be very confusing and time consuming.
If you are still having problems post the XML and I'll see if I can help.
Cheers...
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Maybe this is what you are looking for:
mega_new_elk.xmlThe unitInitialize section can be sorted later by player, but this is just a quick fix.
Cheers...
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@wc_sumpton Sweet! Thanks dude
Aha that all makes sense!
In that case I think it'll be easier to just draft in edit mode via gamesaves for riffing around, and the xml produced can be used as just like a reference or to copy over just the parts with the starting units or whatever once it's dialed. I just didn't want to mess up the actual file while messing around. Edit mode is fun cause we can place and then immediately run mock combats, edit remove/change whatever more on the fly.
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I've used the export function to find problems with "foreach" loops, so I done my digging through that file. LOL, if you are having any more issues, just give me a call.
Cheers...
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ahh yea now I remember what it was. Thanks for updating that
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@wc_sumpton said in Mega New Elk:
The unitInitialize section can be sorted later by player, but this is just a quick fix.
that's right. I remember it just kinda through the new stuff in a blob. I always went through and organized by player as you said. Takes some time but well worth it obviously
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Why France? Nothing against the French but this is a WWII map. If the start date is middle to late '40s, Paris is already under German's control. Anything earlier and Germany should be able to sack France by the end of their first or second turn. France (Free France) should be given some territories in Africa and France, use purchaseNoPU, endTurnNoPU and play during Britain's turn like UK_Pacific.
The same can be said about China (again nothing against the Chinese), but their roll should be included with Russia.
Just some thoughts.
Cheers...
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@beelee said in Mega New Elk:
that's right. I remember it just kinda through the new stuff in a blob. I always went through and organized by player as you said. Takes some time but well worth it obviously
Wouldn't attempt this until all the setup's been finalized. Otherwise you'll be driving it over and over again.
Cheers...
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@wc_sumpton said in Mega New Elk:
again nothing against the Chinese
oh I have plenty against em
Yea, still early stages here. Originally this was gonna be G 40 on the mega map. Will see where we end up.
Will nix those if needed and add a separate xml. Put it in a folder like the blends are now in for baseTiles.Won't show up as a game that way but people can have a starting point if they wanna mod it. We'll see how much space that will all eat up. If need be, can always make a separate repo and throw it in there.
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@wc_sumpton said in Mega New Elk:
Wouldn't attempt this until all the setup's been finalized. Otherwise you'll be driving it over and over again.
yes good point
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I added the Blends in a separate folder. I don't remember what else is needed to change the oceans.
Blends baseTiles with Blends off
Blends on
You can see the extra horizontal line mid map. Thats at 30% 40 and it goes away. That's probably the display thing I'm using. Doesn't seem like it always does it.
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I would probably just remove that blends folder for now, as it was from last week using a different base and experimental. Attempting to tweak the baseTiles to create visual effects with blends in the final may prove kinda difficult if I do anything more complex than a single color edit, like trying to create a gradient of grays on land or stuff like that. Somehow I have this idea in my head, that if I can design the map to be more modular that people would have an easier time customizing it, but many of the tools are just not the simplest to use sometimes and I worry that my shortcuts may be sorta hard to parse and if I go all ham with it. Main goal in using the G40 was just to get something in there that would be familiar, using the same rules structure and to just sorta crib what's happening in global since people are somewhat used to seeing that one under the hood. So more as a starting point than an endpoint, or a templet to riff from with some of the basic nuts and bolts in place.
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