The Reluctant Admiral

[John 3rd]

As I proceed into the home stretch of building the Mod, I'd like to ask if the fellow designers can provide a short description on their work so interested players may better understand the changes and their rationale. 
 
Needed Commentary:
1.  General Alternate History
2.  4th Circle Plan
3.  Developing the revamped Japanese Naval AF
4.  Device changes and general modifications to the game
 
I will handle 1 and 2.  Stan or BK--Can you handle #3?  Juan--do you have a 'standard' description of your Mod Scenario changes?
 
Don't need a lot.  Just a paragraph or two detailing the work done and why.
 
Is that OK?
 

[John 3rd]

Juan is walking me through the files and getting them into the right place. 
 
Think I will copy the AE folder that I am working in with the Editor and rename it for the Mod.  Should help to keep things straight (I hope).
 

[FatR]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

As I proceed into the home stretch of building the Mod, I'd like to ask if the fellow designers can provide a short description on their work so interested players may better understand the changes and their rationale. 

Needed Commentary:
1.  General Alternate History
2.  4th Circle Plan
3.  Developing the revamped Japanese Naval AF
4.  Device changes and general modifications to the game

I will handle 1 and 2.  Stan or BK--Can you handle #3? 

Yes, I'll write a short descriptions today or tomorrow.

[John 3rd]

Thanks FatR.  Appreciate everything.
 
Agenda today is to get the modified files loaded onto the new Mod Folder of AE and then get to work.  I will post progress section and section with screenshots wherever possible so people who are thinking of doing a Mod can have some insight as I leanr myself.  Please expect lots of dumb questions from a person who is an idiot with almost all things electornic.
 

[John 3rd]

Got work started.

The first thing I did was create a copy of the AE Folder and rename it AE: Reluctant Admiral. After that was successfully done, the zip file sent by Juan was moved into the Scenario Folder and un-zipped. The screen came up with the 'do you want to replace' this file? Clicked the 'do not ask again' for the next 10 files and so they were all replaced. Fairly simple but done all the less.

QUESTION for FatR: Did you send Juan ALL the Mod files? I remember asking you to send to him for his work to get done. He has sent me everything and I think we are in good shape.

First up: Economic Modifications.

[John 3rd]

Just went through and modified several bases (Port and AF Size) and then moved through changing industry. Using the Editor one simply types in the name of the base, it pulls up, and then make the changes. I know where and I wanted to add shipyards, HI, LI, Armament, and Vehicles. Simply found each town, went down to the bottom and pulled down the appropriate object and then set the value for it.

All base and industry changes done.

SIMPLE!

[John 3rd]

Just breezed through and raised production numbers for Zero, Val, Kate, Betty, and Emily/Mavis.

Aircraft Production changes finished:

[John 3rd]

Next step was to go through all the on-map air groups that would be changed and/or upgraded. I changed out all of the Claudes, some Nells, filled out all of the CV Air Groups, and older Jeans/Mabels to the modern aircraft. Basically worked it along the lines of two months of additional Japanese production.

Decided to leave the Mavis Groups as is and let them upgrade since we have Emily starting Day One of the Scenario.

I started by going to the locations for the Air Group name and device number. Once that was written down I then shifted to the Air Group page, found the unit listed in my notes, and did the changes.

Upgrades done.

[JuanG]

John, just make sure when you're working with the editor that you're editing the version I sent you, and not the one in the stock AE folder, which the editor defaults to.

FatR sent me the whole Scen70, which I assumed was based on what you sent him. Likewise I sent you the whole thing - if you've made any changes to ships etc since then, you should overwrite the stuff I sent you with those.

Ill write up a small description of the changes I've done for you later today.

Juan

[John 3rd]

Lordy Juan--I actually had to THINK about what you said as panic set in for a moment!  Everything is good.  I created the new AE folder, renamed it, and THEN downloaded Scen 70--Reluctant Admiral into it.  Everything is fine and good.  Found my new Shokakus and they look GREAT!  BANZAI!  Have been plowing through my 'to do' list today and have all the minor work done.
 
Just finished moving units to differing start points.  Next up will be working on the different upgrades for the Fleet.  That will take a little while.  Am saving the LCU changes and additions until LAST because there are a lot of them and this area makes me a bit nervous.
 

[John 3rd]

Holy Cow!!!  I LOVE THE EDITOR!  [&o][&o][&o]
 
Decided to start looking around to figure out just how terrible it was going to be to add some engineers and engineering vehicles to IJN Units.  Really built this up in my mind to be a nasty and tedious task.  It was NOT!!!  I found the 'parent' unit for each class I was looking and then added a certain number of Engineers and Engineer Vehicles (based on the size of the unit) and hit apply.  How easy is that?!  The entire process took only about an hour of time.
 
Juan--I assume to get the changes made to the units that use the parent TOE, I will need to follow the steps you listed in my email to bring the changes down to that level.  Correct?
 
If I am as done as I think I am, then all I have left is Fleet Upgrades, Fleet Air Unit Changes,  Essex Wildcat Recon additions, and Kaigun starting placement.  This list can be done in another day.  We COULD be ready for a serious look this weekend.  How about that?
 
Is anyone interested in taking a look at the finished product once I think it is done? 
 
 
 

[John 3rd]

How do I get the air group to update on the actual CV they serve on? I've done it before (probably by accident) and cannot remember:

[ny59giants]

I need the files when you are done and your first turn within 24 hours afterward. [;)]

[John 3rd]

That's a big 10-4 Ole Buddy!
 
BANZAI!!!
 

[John 3rd]

The Fleet has been successfully redeployed.
 

[John 3rd]

By my notes all I have left is for the Fleet Upgrades and Essex changes to get done and that is it.
 
WOW!  Pretty good work for a partial day's work.
 
Need to go through all my notes before celebrating and see what I have missed...
 

[JuanG]

John, in that screen shot the ammo changes are not showing - have you not refreshed the ship data yet?

Anyway, I'll gladly take a look when you're done.

As for updating LCU's, I dont know if the same process will work as for ships. Admittedly I have not done much LCU editing, but any changes to parent TOEs will automatically apply to the subordinate TOEs, but not to the current state of the unit.

To redeploy air units, change the "Location" field of the appropriate air group.

[John 3rd]

I THOUGHT I did the update correctly. Here is a current shot of the Hiei:

[FatR]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

QUESTION for FatR: Did you send Juan ALL the Mod files? I remember asking you to send to him for his work to get done. He has sent me everything and I think we are in good shape.

Yes, I resent all files I used when working on the mod, I did not remember which file contains which category.

[JuanG]

John, I'm concerned that you might be working on the Scenario 70 in the original AE folder. Could you post a screenshot of the "Open Scenario" window from the editor? Unless you specifically altered the scenario path, then the editor will assume the old AE folder for scenarios and so will continue to open the old Scen70 you had in there.

Sorry for the trouble, but would hate to see you have to redo any work.