Suggestion for Map and Scenario Editor

[madorosh]

This may not make much sense from a business standpoint, but, then again, neither do map and scenario editors.

Oh, and forgive the bad manners of talking about the next game(s) when you haven't even gotten the ink dry on the Gold version of this one. No offence intended and looking very much to this - enjoyed Erik's AAR especially.

Was doing some writing for gamesquad.com and some thinking, and one of the key features that I always felt would have been a nice farewell to the original Combat Mission series that never seemed to make it into the code keeps coming to mind.

Would it be possible, once the Panzer Command series has expanded, to include the ability to edit end game files in the editor? By that, I mean take the map and forces left at the end of a game, and have the ability to carry it over into the editor and manipulate everything and create a new scenario file from it?

This would provide scenario designers with an incredibly powerful tool for creating home-spun campaigns, as well as other applications, I think. Hey, even just settling bets. ("I would have won that if I could have had two more turns!" "No you couldn't!" "Guess we'll never know now!")

Again, not to insult the fellows who are working on the current system of campaigns and linked scenarios, but those who are willing to take the time to work on manual campaigns for CM will best appreciate this kind of thing. These are guys who gather up 20 or 30 players, divide into teams, draw up a few dozen maps, plan out corps or even army sized formations on Excel spreadsheets, draft rules for operational level movement, engineering, reinforcements, artillery allocation, supply, air support - and then have at it. The only drawback, is that CM doesn't allow you to refight over the same terrain - so all the buildings that were damaged, all the shellholes created, all the units damaged, all the vehicles destroyed - none of that can be carried over and none of it can be created in the editor.

An ability to edit end game files would permit just that - I have no idea how simple it would be, or how many people would use such a feature in a full-blown map and scenario editor, but I know there would definitely be some very happy people to see such a thing.

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: Michael Dorosh
Would it be possible, once the Panzer Command series has expanded, to include the ability to edit end game files in the editor? By that, I mean take the map and forces left at the end of a game, and have the ability to carry it over into the editor and manipulate everything and create a new scenario file from it?

Yes, that wouldn't be a hard thing to do, actually. It would need some additional development work but I don't see any technical reason why it would be "hard".

Again, not to insult the fellows who are working on the current system of campaigns and linked scenarios, but those who are willing to take the time to work on manual campaigns for CM will best appreciate this kind of thing. These are guys who gather up 20 or 30 players, divide into teams, draw up a few dozen maps, plan out corps or even army sized formations on Excel spreadsheets, draft rules for operational level movement, engineering, reinforcements, artillery allocation, supply, air support - and then have at it. The only drawback, is that CM doesn't allow you to refight over the same terrain - so all the buildings that were damaged, all the shellholes created, all the units damaged, all the vehicles destroyed - none of that can be carried over and none of it can be created in the editor.

Interesting points. I'll add this to the wish list for the next release.

Regards,

- Erik

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: Michael Dorosh
looking very much to this - enjoyed Erik's AAR especially.

... and thanks, glad you liked it. [8D]

[madorosh]

Actually, even if the map editor wasn't in the next release, having the ability to edit end game files of the premade maps would still be an interesting feature to have, for the reasons listed above. Thanks for considering it either way.

Re: the AAR - nice to see a staffer actually playing his own game and talking about it in public.

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: Michael Dorosh
Re: the AAR - nice to see a staffer actually playing his own game and talking about it in public.

I play all of our games actually.

With that said though, I certainly play some more than others and over the course of the development of this title I have played a LOT of Panzer Command: Kharkov. [8D] It was nice be able to share a scenario with you all - I wish I had a bit more time to do that.

Regards,

- Erik

[76mm]

This is a feature that would be very important for me to buy the game as well.