Building a bigger, England map (WW1+2) need ideas + help

[Moodyvillain]

Building an England scenario. I'm going to do it during World war 1 and 2. The existing england I feel is too small and I want to include some of the smaller towns. Because Englands commutor rail is, even today one of the most densely used. So I made it 596 X 960. Check this out!.... http://www.flickr.com/photos/boston_pub ... 531527882/ it's a natural resource map for the 1940's cool huh?

I have a few ideas for Events but still figuing out how it all works. I have ideas for invasions that would destroy some industries( but not all) <--- cant figure out how to implement that one. Seems it's all or nothing.... unless I'm wrong.

Another idea I had was for bombings, I fugure I could use the "earthquake" event, which would most closely resemble bombing attacks. (maybe?) cause industry production to fall rapidly, and raise the price of rail and maintenance.

I figure I want to do one for delivering propaganda (paper) which would stimulate production and raise/lower prices

I'm open to suggestions as I'm in the plannning stages. Feel free to implement my ideas on your own map, as I love to play new maps and see other peoples visions.

[Hawk]

I have a few ideas for Events but still figuing out how it all works. I have ideas for invasions that would destroy some industries( but not all) <--- cant figure out how to implement that one. Seems it's all or nothing.... unless I'm wrong.

For this you would have to create territories, then destroy all in that territory, but that would destroy everything in that territory, not just industries.
Something like this is what you would use for earthquakes and storms.
I don't think there's any way to destroy just industries.

[Moodyvillain]

Yeah I just figured out the earthquake does no damage whatsoever.....??? why is it even there? It would be nice if it worked like Simcity's earthquake and did random damage. But I digress.....

I will try out creating bombing zones, (sporatic small territories, to destroy track and stuff in the zone) It is too bad territories can't overlap....... I know there were german air raids from 1915-18 that did small to extensive damage. Created fear and caused factories to halt or hinder production.

This event debugging is very time consuming......

[Hawk]

Earthquakes don't do anything but shake the screen. You have to create territories for the earthquake to do damage in.
You can then have the earthquake destroy various things as shown in this screenshot.

destroy.jpg (9.1 KiB) Viewed 4368 times

You can create territories inside of territories.

[Blackhawk]

Debugging gets better once you learn how exactly the events work. Of course there is always still some debugging to do.

Before you start writing events and placing industries, be sure you know what version of RT3 you'll make the map for. Trainmaster and 1.06 have the ability to take advantage of the variables and allow for more customization.

I have a few ideas for Events but still figuing out how it all works. I have ideas for invasions that would destroy some industries( but not all) <--- cant figure out how to implement that one. Seems it's all or nothing.... unless I'm wrong.

You could also use events to reduce or stop the factory production in a territory rather than actually destroy the industry.

For invasions depending on how you use territories you can have buildings/industries confiscated and given to another company and then write an event that brings the production in those areas down to zero so nothing is produced. Otherwise a confiscated/invaded industry may still produce and the Tycoonians may bring some of those goods back over into non-invaded land. (Although I suppose you could say these are people trying to smuggle goods out)

I figure I want to do one for delivering propaganda (paper) which would stimulate production and raise/lower prices

Just so you know raising/lower prices is done globally and so you can't raise/lower the price in one specific territory. The biggest effect changing the price of something probably has is when an industry "buys" the good to produce another good. If the raw material good costs more than the final production good, the industry will produce but will not make a profit.

[EPH]

The map I used for British Miracle is much larger and more accurate than the map of Britain that comes with the game. Feel free to re-purpose it if you like.

[Moodyvillain]

Cool thanks for some ideas. I'm finding it difficult to find a balance. I did a test run and all my cities were way too large. Industries wouldn't generate where I seeded them.... blah blah blah. I suppose the other option is to physically place things and, then seed for growth later. I still find it quite difficult to make good events. I spent hours yesterday working on just a few and most didn't work properly. I did work out some bugs and am pleased with how the "bombing raids" worked out. ..... The rest not so much I'm finding it difficult to wrap my head around how things "work"

[Blackhawk]

Another thing that may be helpful for you is, if you have played a scenario in the past and liked the way a certain event worked, you might also want to look at how that scenario writer wrote the event. If you don't know Shift + E gets you into the editor while you are playing a scenario.

If you have a certain event you can't seem to get to work, just ask and I'm sure someone here will take a look and see if they notice why it wouldn't be working.

[Hawk]

If you don't know Shift + E gets you into the editor while you are playing a scenario.

One thing my esteemed colleague forgot to mention is you need to have the game paused when you hit the Shift+e.

[Moodyvillain]

I'm looking right at the bronze/silver/gold medal events for an already existing scenario.... and I still don't understand it. I don't get how they work or how to set the game variables

Take for example South East USA; For bronze win you need 100 loads of cotton. For Silver you need 50 timber. When you go to the event it has the set conditions which are........

Bronze/ Game Variable 2 = 1 AND
Company Variable 2 = 1
Years elapsed = 15

Silver/ Game Variable 1 = 1 AND
Game Variable 2 = 1 AND
Company Variable 1 = 1
Company Variable 2 = 1
Years elapsed = 15

How do I set the game variables and company variables? I don't undestand how to get it to work.

[Blackhawk]

You would create an event that triggers an event with the effect that a variable is set. (Version 1.06 lets you use other variables to actually set the variable as something so it allows for more customization. Ex. I can set a variable to be equal to the number of YTD Loads hauled. where as in 1.05 I can only set the variables to be + or - a number. (1.06 also lets you use multiplication and division)

There are a total of 4 game variables as those are the basic game variables. Then there can be many more company, territory, and player variables as there are 4 for each company, player, and territory.

If you use a company variable you'd have to be sure in the event you have a trigger condition testing against the company. If you use a territory, you need a condition testing against the territory, and likewise with a player.

If I wanted to require 10 loads of lumber to Territory A and 20 loads of iron to Territory B to allow for a victory I could events like this:

Victory:
Game year <=1950
Game variable 1 = 1
Game Variable 2 = 1

Event 1 (sets the variable for lumber)
Force Test against Territory - Territory A
LTD lumber to Territory >= 10
If true then effect:
Set Game variable 1 to 1

Event 1 (sets the variable for lumber)
Force Test against Territory - Territory B
LTD Iron to Territory >= 20
If true then effect:
Set Game variable 2 to 1

--------------------------

Alternatively you could so something like
Gold Victory:
Game year <=1950
Game variable 1 = 2

Silver Victory:
Game year >1950
Game Variable 1 = 1

Event 1 (sets the variable for lumber)
Force Test against Territory - Territory A
LTD lumber to Territory >= 10
If true then effect:
Set Game variable 1 + 1

Event 1 (sets the variable for lumber)
Force Test against Territory - Territory B
LTD Iron to Territory >= 20
If true then effect:
Set Game variable 1 + 1

This would use the variables as a counting device so it would count up 1 after each task is completed. Something like this is often used when a goal require you to ship something for multiple years. Ex. "Ship 10 loads of oil a year into Territory X for at least 5 years" Then you'd use a Year to Date condition and each time 10 or more loads of oil were shipped into that territory then the variable would go up +1. Then in your victory event you'd use a test to trigger victory once that variable reaches 5. You can use numbers other than just plus or minus 1 so you may find these in scenarios that use a points system to trigger a victory.

[Blackhawk]

IF you use 1.06 you can do more with the variables than you can in version 1.05.

For example if your map were to require City/Territory A and B to both be supplied with oil, you could haul the same oil you brought into Territory A to go supply Territory B. So you'd be using the same oil to satisfy 2 requirements. You can prevent this by using the more complete 1.06 variable system. You can look for the total oil that remained in the territory after some was shipped out of the territory.

Set a variable for the amount of LTD oil into the territory (We'll say TV1 (territory variable 1) ) (that would be an event setting TV1 = LTD Oil into territory )
Then the next effect in that event would be TV1 - LTD Oil shipped FROM territory. (So TV1 now equals the Oil IN - the OIL out)
The next step depends on how the rest of the events are written, but it may be something like:
set TV1 = GV1 (game variable 1)

Then we'd do the same for Territory B and maybe use GV2

and in your victory conditions you test for
Game year <=1950
GV1 >= 50
GV2 >=50


Hopefully this was of some help, I may be leaving out a few steps here. If so just ask for some clarification. After all it is 3am here so it wouldn't surprise me if i made a mistake or left out some details that would help you understand.

[Moodyvillain]

I totally appreciate your help..... but you'll have to dumb it down more

Seriously. I'm very lost. A lot of what your saying is going right over my head ........ I hope I'm not being too annoying. I appreciate your patience.

Game variable 1 is always bronze victory? .... 2 is silver ? 3= gold and 4 is lose?



I'm using v1.06 and only 1.06........ maybe I will do switching between the versions later.... but for now I need to figure things out more before I complicate things even more.

[Hawk]

Game variable 1 is always bronze victory? .... 2 is silver ? 3= gold and 4 is lose?

None of the variables have an assignment until you assign them something, so - to answer your question - No!

It might help if you use the advanced search and do a search using variables at the search term and search in the 'Letters to the Editor/Scenario Writing' forum.
There's a lot of discussion about variables in that forum.

The documentation that comes with 1.06 also discusses the new variables that can be used with it.

Understand that maps created in 1.06 will not show up in the map selection list in version 1.05 and maps created in 1.05 will work in 1.06 but maybe not as intended.

[Blackhawk]

This may be a thread that may help you understand variables better. http://www.hawkdawg.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=66&t=337

No variable has any meaning/assignment until you give it one.

I'll try to help you understand variables more by looking at the Southeastern USA map you referenced and maybe going through it will show you how the variables are set up:

Silver
Game Variable 1 = 1 AND
Game Variable 2 = 1 AND
Company Variable 1 = 1
Company Variable 2 = 1
Years elapsed = 15

Look at the MEMPHIS TO event:
The test Condition - Company connects Memphis to Birmingham.
The Effect = Set Game Variable 2 to 1

Then Look at JACKSONVILLE TO ATLANTA
Condition - Company connects Jacksonville to Atlanta.
Effect = Set Game Variable 1 to 1

Next: LOADS OF COTTON
Conditions - LTD company Cotton hauled > 100
Effect - Set Company Variable 2 to 1

Finally: LOADS OF TIMBER
Conditions - LTD company lumber hauled > 50
Effect - Set Company Variable 1 to 1

So if you look at the other events you can see how the variables are being defined for that map. So after looking at the other events and seeing how the other variables are defined the victory conditions might be more understandable in the editor.

Silver
Game Variable 1 = 1 AND [Jacksonville and atlanta are connected]
Game Variable 2 = 1 AND [Memphis and Birmingham are connected]
Company Variable 1 = 1 [Enough lumber was hauled]
Company Variable 2 = 1 [Enough cotton was hauled]
Years elapsed = 15

These victory connections technically did not even need to use variables. It would have been acceptable to instead of using variables, just use the original condition tests that were used to set the variables. So the Silver victory event could have looked liked this and still worked:

SILVER EVENT
Conditions:
Company connects City to City - Jacksonville and Atlanta
Company connects City to City - Memphis to Birmingham
LTD Company lumber hauled > 50
LTD Company cotton hauled > 100
Years elapsed = 15
Effect:
Set Game Silver win.

There are times you need to use variables for something to work, but from what I see when I look at the map you referenced, the variables aren't actually needed.

[nedfumpkin]

Game variables are the algebra you wondered what it was all for back in grade 9. :)

Basically all of this works on an if statement where you are do if this is that then the other. So let's say you want a condition of two cities connected, so when they become connected the game variable then equals 1. When the game variable is 1, then you win the game. Very simple terms.

Variables open up a bunch of possibilities, although you can easily get lost in them. You can use them to keep count of things, and basically you create a critieria for a future event.

They are great for having multiple story lines, or other choice events. For example, I use a variable to determine which locomotives are available to a company. If the player selects domestic, then the variable is one. If they choose imports, then it is 2. Later on locomotives are made available based on which variable was used.

Another idea is at the start of a scenario that has a lot of intro text, you can use a variable to skip stuff.

It's all the possible combinations that you can make with variables. It really comes down to how good at math you are, and how much detail you want to put into your scenario as to how variables can work for you.

As you can see, there are lots of people who can help you with understanding them or how to use them for a particular task.

[Moodyvillain]

Thanks guys it is starting to sink in. (I think, lol) With Hawk, Blackhawk and Ned explaining things a little bit differently (which is good) It's starting to make sense.

[brunom]

... think of the variables as blank pieces of paper the game uses "to keep notes". The catch is that all "notes" have to be coded as numbers and that you only have 4 pieces to write on. (4 about the game, 4 about each player, 4 about each territory and 4 about each company, that is...)

BM

[Moodyvillain]

I figured out how to write the status... sort of...... the problem is; I want to do a LTD loads of ( X) to territory. But there is no option to say what the territory is (once you make it a status in the ledger) so When I test ran the scenario, it did not register any loads.

So it looks like this;

You've hauled [LTD clothing to terr] you need blah blah blah

The text is showing up in the ledger it is just registering 0 loads even though I know for a fact I'm delivering.... I set up trains of specific cargo to test it.

I cant seem to word it properly. or to get it to recognize the territory.... ideas?

[Blackhawk]

In case you don't know you can make multiple events all show up in the ledger at the same time.

So in this case you would do a status event for "LTD Clothing to Terr"

Make an event a ledger/status event. Then:
In the conditions, you'll put a force test against companies (or company ID) , and a force test against territories, and pick the territory you are referring to. Then write your text up in the window saying "You've delivered [LTD Company loads of clothing hauled to terr] (Or LTD loads clothing hauled to terr, if there is no AI], you need to get 100 to win"

That should do the trick and display the clothing hauled to the territory you select.