Standalone Scenario using HCDA?

[Juramentado]

Folks,

I'm real close to getting my first scenario out there. Here's my question though - I chose to use the new Americas database, which many of you gave me assistance on previously. Is there a way that I can package this as a standalone scenario without having to create or edit one of the current Battlesets? And will it be easy for someone to try? Sorry for the basic questions, but I'm currently more focused on getting the scenario right, and perhaps later on chaining several of them together to make a decent Battleset. Thanks!

-Armando

[TonyE]

Congrats on the effort, scenario authors are valuable [&o].

Yes, you can just distribute your scenario (the .SC? file and the .BL? and .RD? orders files). You don't need to include the .BK? file, that is just in case the scenario editor corrupts your original, it gives you half a chance to revert to an older copy (not to be trusted!).

If you look at http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.ph ... owfile=367 for an example you'll see that the entry says what database the scenario should use. It is up to the player to find and ready that database (you can certainly add a link to your file submission pointing to the DB download).

Keep the questions coming [:)]

[CV32]

ORIGINAL: Juramentado
Folks,
I'm real close to getting my first scenario out there ... I'm currently more focused on getting the scenario right, and perhaps later on chaining several of them together to make a decent Battleset. Thanks!
-Armando

Very much looking forward to it. [&o] [:)]

[Juramentado]

Gents,

Methinks I am at a beta release. [8D]  Is it poor form to ask if anyone wants to try it out before I officially post it on the files portal? Happy to send a Zip of all the files.

Thanks,

-Armando

[TonyE]

Armando, not in poor taste at all. There are a number of places to seek feedback. In beta state you can post it right to a thread in the HC Scenario Design area at HarpGamer. Once it is ready for release, upload it to the Downloads area there. There is also FoSS where you'll be sure to get feedback from Herman (though you'll probably get Herman feedback at HarpGamer too).

[hermanhum]

I think that readiness is quite an objective sense.  I suggest that you look at it from the viewpoint of your potential testers. 

If one of them asks you for assistance in testing one of their scenarios in the future, would you hope that they had done at least as much pre-testing as you have already put into yours?

I'm okay with testing if you want to send them my way.  [8D]

[Juramentado]

Posted!

http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?showtopic=3686

[hermanhum]

I ran this scenario through to the end from the Blue side. Some things I noticed:

- I liked the exhaustive detail written into the orders. Very authentic.
- There is no mention in orders about paths. i.e. Are the yacht and cruise liner allowed to change courses?
- I recommend that you specify that the player is not allowed to change the course of the Cruise Liner, Yacht, or merchant vessel. That would make it more difficult for him. Otherwise, they can sail anywhere they like and evade the Venezuelans
- you might want to run Spell check on the orders

Right away, the Tycoon's yacht was sunk and the Cruise ship was under immediate attack and sunk, too. The LCC command ship group running for their lives as helos re-armed.

I killed a few smaller gunboats with FireScouts then concentrated on the Stereguschiy. Ships started to gang up on Sullivans and Simpson, so they ran and evaded. A Harpoon salvo killed one FFG Sucre. The second one was taken care of by helos with Penguin.

Managed to hammer down all the Venezuelans and the LCC escaped to the port, but no Victory was granted when the clock ran out. Your ViConds don't work. I used the SE and took a look and think you have some problems in how they are set up.

The ViConds are:
Blue MinVic - Ship on station 30 min AND... [There is no second MinVic so I think that is why it didn't trigger.]
Blue TotVic - Sink 21 ships. [There are only 20 Red ships in the scen. Also, this is an AND condition. Don't know if it will trigger that way]
Red MinVic - Sink 5 Ships AND...
Red TotVic - Sink 8 Ships AND...

I believe that you may have a problem with the Red ViConds since they are "AND" conditionals, too. Also, I don't think that Red has any hope of achieving them. Maybe sinking 3-4 might be more reasonable for an AI.

I think that the AI detected the Simpson/Sullivan group first and closed on them thus diverting attention away from the LCC. Not certain, but it appeared that way to me.

Hope that these comments help and not hurt. Thanks for taking the time to write up your scenario and sharing it with everyone else. [8D]

[Juramentado]

Thanks Herman! Do you know of any quick primers on Victory condition writing beyond what's in the manual?

[hermanhum]

I am not all that adept with HCE.  All I can suggest is that players really don't like to play a scenario for XX days only to find that there was never any way for them to 'win'.  Therefore, I always stringently test my own scenarios to ensure that ViConds work.

One technique that I sometimes use is to sometimes make dummy sides / units.  For example, if the Blue ViCond is, "Sink Nimitz", I might make a test variant/version of the scenario and add or replace the Red side with lots of bombers (enough so that it is guaranteed to sink the CVN).  Then I test and make sure it triggers.  I might go though and test all the ViConds in this manner just to be sure that they work.  I've seen scenarios that say, "Sink Nimitz" only to find that there isn't any Nimitz anywhere!  [;)]

[TonyE]

ORIGINAL: Juramentado

Thanks Herman! Do you know of any quick primers on Victory condition writing beyond what's in the manual?

One way is to come chat with us on IRC, irc.stratsims.com or the chat links on the left side of http://www.harpgamer.com

I like to think of the following basic structure for victory conditions.

1. I have four separate pools of victory conditions: Red Minimum (Red must do these things to achieve minimum victory), Blue minimum, Red Total (Red must do these things to achieve total victory), Blue Total.

2. Within each pool I'll use only AND statements or only OR statements, I will not mix the two within a single pool.

3. If I use AND statements in a pool, I will have at least two AND criteria, in other words I won't use AND if there is only a single victory condition in the pool. AND is requiring multiple criteria to be met in order to be awarded the level of victory of that pool (i.e. sink a Carrier AND destroy a base).

4. If I use OR statements I can use a single criteria or multiple criteria. In the multiple case, any one criterion in the pool must be met to be awarded that level of victory. The player can met more than a single criteria but one is the minimum (sink a carrier OR destroy a base, either way I get awarded the victory level).

Hope that helps and doesn't confuse!

[CV32]

Tony's suggested plan of attack is a good one. I'd also recommend using the Scenario Editor's (SE) built in 'Analyze scenario' function under the Misc tab. Its very useful for finding gaps or errors in your scenario.