Randomize Scenario Start Time/Date

[trupright]

Greetings,

I'm building some scenarios so I can run them via Monte Carlo mode maybe 10 times and then look at the results to see how events unfold. I have two questions:

1) Is it possible to randomize the starting time/date of a scenario? I'd like to have time variation in the start of the scenario so I can identify changes over start time (day/night, morning/afternoon, etc.). Rather than build several scenarios with different starting times, I'd love to just run several Monte Carlo iterations which vary in start time automatically.

2) When running a scenario in Monte Carlo mode, is there any definition as to what MC variation is included when the scenario is run? Where does the variation occur?

Number 2 is a less important question (although a friend of mine was asking me about that recently and I just didn't know the answer).

Thank you!

Tim

[Kushan04]

ORIGINAL: trupright

Greetings,

I'm building some scenarios so I can run them via Monte Carlo mode maybe 10 times and then look at the results to see how events unfold. I have two questions:

1) Is it possible to randomize the starting time/date of a scenario? I'd like to have time variation in the start of the scenario so I can identify changes over start time (day/night, morning/afternoon, etc.). Rather than build several scenarios with different starting times, I'd love to just run several Monte Carlo iterations which vary in start time automatically.

2) When running a scenario in Monte Carlo mode, is there any definition as to what MC variation is included when the scenario is run? Where does the variation occur?

Number 2 is a less important question (although a friend of mine was asking me about that recently and I just didn't know the answer).

Thank you!

Tim

1. Yes, use ScenEdit_SetTime(new_time).

2. Depends on what sort of variation you are looking for. Things like weapon endgame calculations are always going to be different based on the specific circumstances, but if you are looking for force randomization you will have to set that up yourself.

[trupright]

Thanks for your response - sorry I'm so long responding. ScenEdit_SetTime(new_time) works well. I just want to make a couple of notes for those who may use this route:

1) Randomizing time start does mess with zero_time in the scenario. If you're tracking events over time, you'll have to use actual time differential rather than a zero time counter as implemented.
2) IF you are running a timed scenario (5 hours perhaps), you'll have to make adjustments or introduce a counter for scenario end because of the random-time start. If the end of the scenario is event-driven then this is probably not important.
3) Any Events triggered by a specific time will need to be reviewed (I did not have any of these).

Finally, on the Monte Carlo piece, randomization is driven by in-game mechanics. Some put in place by the builder, some (as you mentioned) will have some randomization built in.