Tracker software

[robinsa]

Hello, I just started playing WITE (I have been playing WITPAE for many years now).

I was just wondering if there is any software simular to WITPAE tracker that can help you track your units and their situation and progress in general?

If not, is there a technical reason why this is not possible?

[morvael]

Unfortunately not. Many players track this by hand using spreadsheet software.

There is no way to export data from WitE (except from what is found in Logistics Phase log and saved to .txt file), so probably that's why.

[robinsa]

Given that the game is all about information I think it would be nice if either they told us how to access the information (I would be willing to create something like tracker) or provide a button you simply press to create an excel/csv file with all the information available (losses, commandstructure, fatigue, moral etc etc). This game is about planning so it is strange that it is not in there already!

[charlie0311]

Try Commander's Report, info tab, top of map.

[robinsa]

I am currently using Commanders Report as it appears to be the only way to have an idea of what is going on. I would really like to have much more data and also historical data so that I can how things are developing for different units etc. The commanders report is a start but it is not close to all the information I want to be able to quickly overview.

[Commanderski]

The majority of us use the Commanders Report as there is all kinds of information in there once you learn how to filter the different variables that you want.

If you want to develop some sort of tracker you can export data to an Excel spreadsheet from the CSV folder from the Matrix game directory on your computer. On your computer it should be under Matrix Games\Gary Grigsby's War in the East\Dat\CSV and you can develop your own tracker from there. That only gives you the information from the start and cannot be updated as a game progresses.

DO NOT change anything and paste it back unless you are modifying a scenario as it will definitely change the game and may not work if you did something wrong. But just exporting those files to an Excel spreadsheet is fine.


There is more information on the CSV files in the Editor Manual.

[robinsa]

Thanks for the info. I will try and look in to it a bit more when I find some time.

[robinsa]

I just took a look in the save folder and it seems the event logs are saved as well. I guess they could be useful as well.. Interesting!

[Blind Sniper]

Do you want to sort the event logs out?

[robinsa]

Yes. Anything that would make the data more accessable would be good imo.

[speedy.gh]

I think this is one of the most difficult things in WITE, as it's core is both movement/combat and tracking and adjusting quite a few things. The former is extremely well done, but the UI is not well suited to track the different things you need to if you want to play well. I think things got worse in WITW as it is somewhat more complex, including the new air system. Therefore, the UI is even more stressed (well, it is actually the player the stressed one).

Allowing open reading of these variables would allow the community to come up with solutions for tracking and easy reading of what is important to keep track of everything you need to have a good game.

[robinsa]

Agreed. I have had a look at the save files now and my conclusion is that they are encrypted (except for the first few rows). I am sure this is for a good reason (such as multiplayer security?) but I agree that it would be really nice if it was possible to just open the commanders report (or similar) and press a button that said "Create CSV file" . The data would then be saved to a readable file in the CSV folder and Modders etc would be able to use it for creating nice helpers for the program. I really dont understand why this isnt supported already. I would even willing to write a help program if someone just told me how to decipher the hex data in the save files!

[speedy.gh]

My view is a little bit beyond saving files and loading them to a nice tool. I would allow that to happen in real time, so you can have a smoother experience jumping to the tool to check whatever you need to control and then coming back to the actual game. No need to manually do anything. I think this would make the game more accesible to newbies and a better experience to everybody.

[Blind Sniper]

For who plays WitP-AE running Tracker and Combat Reporter while playing is priceless! [:)]

[Denniss]

Was the tracker made by someone with access to game code or are saves not encrypted in WitP:AE ?

[robinsa]

I have no idea. I do not currently have WITPAE installed so I cannot check (and it would take some time for me to request the download from Matrix). I do know that the community was very involved in the AE development and I know at least one user on the forums who has access to the source code for that game, so it wouldn't surprise me if they had some insight into how the savefiles are created.

I also would like to add that it could be the case that they're not encrypted and that I simply don't know how to read the save files.

As for continuous interactive updates I agree that it would be great for a future game but I think it is something that would be beyond the scope of any patch. The CSV file idea should be easy to implement given that the information is already there and it is just a matter of putting it into a readable file.

[morvael]

It is tempting for me to add such a feature, but I won't delay .05 because of it. I have a vision how this could be done: a button on the Commander's Report that would dump your side's information to a text file, that could be then easily parsed by some external tool, containing data about units, air groups, leaders, locations, pools, losses and strengths plus some public data about enemy (losses and strengths). By collecting those snapshots made at discretion of the player (either at start or end of turn would be best), the tracking software would be able to calculate a lot of data, draw some charts or even maps. I once wrote such a tool for HPS Napoleonic games. It was nice to see turn to turn animation with blue and red dots moving on the map.

edit: sample map from my tracking tool

[Commanderski]

It may be too late to add it to the .05 patch but maybe you could start working on it for the next patch. I'm sure there will be another one in the future...[:)]

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Denniss

Was the tracker made by someone with access to game code or are saves not encrypted in WitP:AE ?

Tracker was made by two players of AE, Damien and Floyd. Damien at least is still in the forum regularly. There is a huge stickied sub-forum devoted to Tracker that they check and answer questions in regularly as well. A new version of Tracker was issued a few months ago that uses the newer, non-security-compromised version of Java.

My understanding of the process is they signed a limited NDA with Matrix, and perhaps the other two development houses, Henderson Field and 3x2. This allowed them visibility into the save file structure in order to peel off the data fields they needed for Tracker. I don't believe they were given access to the EXE. But you could PM them and ask exactly what they did. I believe this was all done under Matrix management alone, pre-Slitherine. That might be relevant.

[robinsa]

Thanks for the info. I think that sounds like a great idea!