Campaign Series: Middle East v3.00.00 Public Beta Now Available

[MaximKI]

Hello everyone,

Please try this new beta and let us know if it helps your game. This is a major update to Middle East that includes a UI overhaul for scenario selection and the main menu, as well as updates to the map graphics. We're intending this to be the new baseline for future updates for Middle East. To install this update please go to your Campaign Series Middle East File Downloads in the Matrix My Page section of the webite or from the game's store page.

IMPORTANT NOTE: this version will not work with older saves. As such, please make sure to finish your current games before installing this new version or start new games after installing this version. For additional details in this build, please see this document:

CSME_Releasenotes.pdf

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Changes in 3.00.00 (January 31st, 2025)

IMPORTANT NOTE: This version requires uninstalling the previous version before installing the current one. Be sure to complete your ongoing games. Going forward, before installing any new updates, please ensure that all game modifications are disabled using the JSGME tool, if you had previously enabled any of them.

Errata
• Numerous typos fixed throughout the manual for 3.00

Enhancements
• Implemented a new front-end launch dialog, replacing the multiple old interface dialogs.
• Added subfolders to the Scenarios\ folder to organize scenarios by campaign.
• Campaign is a now a column in the new front-end interface for easier navigation.
• With the old front-end code deprecated, the need for the 2008 C++ redistributable has been removed. The lastest redistributable are now in use.
• Updated all Help buttons to open context-specific chapters in the game manual.
• Introduced a new SITREP dialog with a Force Status tab and enhanced the old Strength and Victory dialogs as tabs. The old dialogs are now deprecated.
• Implemented a new Find Locations dialog with a grid view instead of a text area.
• Implemented a new Find Objectives dialog with a grid view instead of a text area.
• Standardized all dialogs with buttons centered in the middle of the interface.
• Enlarged and updated the Artillery Support and Close Air Support dialogs, providing more informative content instead of the many abbreviations used previously.
• Added a new Standing By for Orders dialog for player to choose between available options, as set in Lua.
• Added the Scenario Description template to Scenario Editor's New Scenario dialog.
• Added and updated approximately 40 CSEE functions, both for Lua for interacting with game engine, and game engine interacting with Lua.
• Added a new Check for Orders status menu item and CSEE functionality for player / CSEE interaction. CSEE can now provide options for the player to choose from.
• Created a revised csmklua.pl utility for generating scenario Lua skeletons. In addition to skeleton code, it includes pre-existing functionality, such as supply availability through the Check for Orders dialog, and computer side battle plans for Artillery and Airstrikes.
• Created a new csmkutxt.pl utility for generating Unittext.txt platoon descriptions from platoon*.csv data in the OOBs subfolder (requires converting platoon*.oob files using the csoob2csv.pl utility first).
• Added Iran to Order of Battle editor for Middle East.
• Enabled the Middle East Orders of Battle for Angola, Portugal, Rhodesia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda nations for the planned Subsahara mod.
• Enhanced the Report dialog, used by Scenario Briefing. The dialog is now larger and includes a Copy to Clipboard button.
• Opportunity Fire target selection now considers whether the target stack contains ground-only, air-only, or mixed units and selects targets accordingly.
• There is a 50% chance that the maximum number of attacks per hex may be smaller or larger than the set parameter (Adaptive AI parameter #126: max_hex_opfire_attacks).
• Helicopter flight time now defaults to 12 turns (previously: 9) (Adaptive AI parameter #140: helo_turns_until_refuel).
• Updated default values and added new options to the game configuration, which is saved to the Windows Registry. The game now saves the selected options for Visible, Reachable, Landable LZ hexes, and Command Range Hex Highlight settings.

Fixes
• Fine-tuned the error message for Recon Reveal to include a notification if the unit is not capable to perform a recon reveal. Note that not all units categorized as Recon are eligible for this action. The ReconUnit flag under Capabilities in the Unit Handbook indicates whether a unit is qualified.
• Fixed the issue with Scenario Editor not able to save line breaks in Scenario Description dialog.
• Fixed the issue with AI indirect fire having been restricted too much for Vietnam 1.30 and Middle East 2.30

Graphics
• Map 3D images are now completely revised into 250 metre per hex scale by Bill “MausMan” Blake. Old legacy graphics continue to be available as well (require a simple folder rename).
• Fixed the Lebanon and Pro East 3D Unit Base graphics that were broken in version 2.30.
• Adjusted all background images to the same Sepia effect, brown for Middle East.

Data
• Order of Battle: Iran added with historical information covering 1948-1985.
• Order of Battle: Iraq rebuilt with historical information covering 1948-1985.
• Order of Battle: added Mujahideen to Pro West nation 14 from the late 1970’s to 1985.
• Numerous platoon edits, tweaking assignments for NATO and 2D symbols to ensure consistency.
• Numerous platoon edits, tweaking infantry type units, ensuring consistency with values, in particular movement and firecost.
• Unified the init.ai Adaptive AI base file, although with the init.lua and user.lua CS Event Engine base files, into single versions for all Modern Wars series games, replacing the previous game specific versions for Middle East and Vietnam.
• Standardized the platoon OOB file column CounterCell2d to store the unit category in twelve unit categories.
• Middle East now also uses the Counters file template, which includes the four identical rows of twelve-unit categories, allowing up to four armed forces branches to be depicted in a standardized manner.
• Fixed the issue where init.ai previously had a too low threshold for allowing indirect fire by the map.
• New CSlint tools in the Tools folder: csoob2csv.pl and cscsv2oob.pl scripts for converting Platoon data between the proprietary in-game format and common comma-separated value (CSV) files.
• Completely reworked CSlint tools in the Tools folder: an enhanced csmklua.pl script for creating CSEE Lua files for scenarios. The current version will generate a skeleton file and also adds advanced Scripted AI logic, including support for Scenario Briefings, Logistics and Artillery and Airstrike management. Expect this to be enhanced in the future!

Scenarios
• Scenarios designed by Jason Petho have been converted to use cumulative, turn-by-turn objectives.
• Restored seven Al Sandrik scenarios from the Duel in Golan series to the latest standards and added them back to the game.
• All scenarios now include an accompanying CSEE Lua file. In this iteration, the files introduce Logistics, Scenario Briefings and Scripted AI controlled Artillery and Airstrikes. This is PHASE ONE of the csmakelua2.pl scripting.

Mods
• Upgraded Gary Collins’ 3D Alternative Unit Base mods to align with the current graphics template standards.
• Added Jason Petho 3D Marker and Map Mod that utilizes the classic map markers.

Manual
• The manual has been revised to the 3.00 UPDATE.

[Crossroads]

Thank you, Max and team!

This is a comprehensive update, especially for Middle East. As listed above, there are quite a few changes, and in particular, all scenarios now come with an accompanying Scripted AI Lua file.

Previous saves are not compatible with version 3.00.00, so be sure to finish your ongoing games first.

That said, any and all feedback and comments are greatly appreciated!

[Zovs]

Freaking Fantastic!!!

Uninstalled the old and installed the new. Got to work my way through the bootcamps again. What are the Teaching Scenarios are they for PBEM only?

Thanks again!

[hubertkj]

Just created a quick test scenario to view the new Iranian units. For some reason, when I add the units to the scenario map, the units display with a green box around the actual unit. This occurs with infantry, armor, soft vehicles, and arty.

Not sure if anyone else has experienced this.

Thanks!

[Schlonz]

Yep, experiencing the same.

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 9#p5211169

[randy44]

CSME 3.0 2D normal view is much smaller than CSV 2.00 normal view. barely read CSME toolbar. options for both are the same. should this be so?

[Crossroads]

CSME 3.0 2D normal view is much smaller than CSV 2.00 normal view. barely read CSME toolbar. options for both are the same. should this be so?

This sounds like a Windows desktop Scale issue. I swear it uses a roll of dice to determine how they open at times. What is your screen resolution?

They should behave exactly alike, as they are compiled and linked exactly the same way from same code base.

[randy44]

ok i'm old and a little embarrassed. lol

so resolution is 3840x2160 at 200% scale. which as i mentioned is perfect of Vietnam but about half as small for ME.
the really rough part of ME is the toolbar. its on large and less than half of vietnam on standard.

thanks for replying!

[Crossroads]

ok i'm old and a little embarrassed. lol

so resolution is 3840x2160 at 200% scale. which as i mentioned is perfect of Vietnam but about half as small for ME.
the really rough part of ME is the toolbar. its on large and less than half of vietnam on standard.

thanks for replying!

4K display, then. The two games should behave exactly the same, and I don't understand why Middle East would behave differently on your computer to Vietnam. That said, if nothing else helps, perhaps try setting resolution to 1920x1080 and Scale say to 125% before launching Middle East. Would that help?

UX is the main topic for the summer update for the coding efforts here at our end. We'll try to address all problem areas reported so far, such as fonts, unit list. Toolbar, possibly, too. Although as said, I don't understand why it would scale perfectly in one occasion, and not in the next one.

[randy44]

yeah that works the 1920/1080/150. works very well and i'll do that but was just wondering if they might not be the same but you answered that question and i thank you. i uninstalled and reinstalled 3.0 ME again just to make sure but same results. odd.

thanks again, i appreciate your time helping me.

randy

[Jason Petho]

Good day.

In case someone needs it to uninstall their game, here is the link to the 2.00 CSME installer.

https://1drv.ms/u/c/dd3eddefed694fc6/Eb ... Q?e=iupgyH