Four Seasons is Updated

[Ormand]

Thanks for checking it out. Yes, you are correct that there are a few bugs in it, as you found, and there is also a ratings problem for artillery against aircraft. I have fixed these but haven't posted it to the website because I also need to get an update to ATG sent to Matrix for it. I have to wait a few weeks before I can ask them to post a new beta as they were really busy with all their new releases during the holidays, etc. So, in a week or so, it should be possible to get it and a new version of 4S up, which uses Gary's new graphics as well.

[basilstaghare]

Thanks for checking it out. Yes, you are correct that there are a few bugs in it, as you found, and there is also a ratings problem for artillery against aircraft. I have fixed these but haven't posted it to the website because I also need to get an update to ATG sent to Matrix for it. I have to wait a few weeks before I can ask them to post a new beta as they were really busy with all their new releases during the holidays, etc. So, in a week or so, it should be possible to get it and a new version of 4S up, which uses Gary's new graphics as well.

Thanks for your work on this awesome mod.

[Tac2i]

Bumping this to the top so others may more easily find it.

[Frodor]

Question. I've created a custom scenario using your wonderful mod and would like to upload it to the vrdesigns scenario bank. Should i just use the "Package .atzip file" button in the editor even though it becomes roughly 200 MB from the 4 Seasons graphics files?

[Ormand]

Unfortunately, there is a file-size limit for uploading to VRDesigns. And FourSeasons exceeds that. I had to get Vic to upload it for me. So, the best way to proceed is to assume (require) that whoever downloads your scenario will also have to download the FourSeasons package, and possibly the General's Project as well. So, you should just package the "extra" files that make up your scenario and then remark in the installation instructions that so-and-so other packages are required. Now, if you moved the graphics files or replaced some of them with your own files or added your some of your own files to the Four Seasons directory that could be a bit of a problem. Not that it wouldn't work, but it could break other stuff. But, for example, I set it up so that the scenario files are in another download so that I could modify/fix them without having to badger Vic to upload the graphics files.

[ernieschwitz]

It is possible to package an ATZIP, and then remove files, using WinZip for instance. You just say it should be able to open the file extension, and you have the structure of the ATZIP before you. From there you can remove what you don't need. Or... include stuff that you might want to: A manual, ... etc.

[Frodor]

I see, thanks!

[lion_of_judah]

the model SFT which show the blueprints, how does one get them to show the model you chose to use, when you upgrade them. Second, how does one get rid of the negative number showing on the units when placed on the map, thanks

[ernieschwitz]

.. I think I can answer your 2nd question.

Those numbers you refer to, are because your units are too big. I am sure it is a rulevar, but where (which number), in them I do not know.

[lion_of_judah]

I was able to find the rulevar in question, and increase the number. Appreciate the help as always..

[lion_of_judah]

I have another question. I need to change the allied units to a different color. In my Congo one, I was able to do but can't remember how. In the Congo one, the Katanga regime had Belgium paratroopers a brown counter color, I just can't remember how I did that.

[ernieschwitz]

Possibly because I did it?

You can do two tricks, one is to just change the people color, in the people part of the editor, for that people. It will retain flags and national icon, though. The other is to make a fake regime, that has no territory. Set it up with flag and national icon, and color. Then in the people part of the editor set the people to regime color, for that fake regime.

[Ormand]

the model SFT which show the blueprints, how does one get them to show the model you chose to use, when you upgrade them.

I am not exactly sure what you are asking here. The only thing I can think of is that you have made some models on your own and not within a Four Seasons game. If so, then maybe your problem is that your new models aren't showing a picture for the SFT, but the blueprint picture. Note that the SFTypes that are first displayed are the "concepts". These concepts have the blueprint picture assigned to them in the masterfile. By default, when you create a new SFType in the model designer, it basically inherits the data from the concept. There is an event that is executed when the model is created. Inside this event, you can do just about anything to the new SFType that you want within the limits of the exec functions. In this event I set all the attack and defend stats and set the picture for the new model. For example, look at the event "New Light Tank". Look around line 312, and you'll it set the picture. First defining the file names for graphics and then a call to ExecSFTypeGraphics. Further down is the description for the new SFType. This process creates a new SFType just as if you had done it in the editor. In fact, you can create models in the editor.

Additionally, not that there are some variables that are specific to each SFType. These are set with ExecSFTypeVar. These are an array of integer values that are "attached" to the SFType. You can use these to describe aspects of your model and they can be checked in events as well with CheckSFTypeVar. You have to keep track of which variable is associated with whatever you wanted it to yourself. But if you look in that even at the top you will see that I have some 20-30 in play that I used to specify aspects of the model, like what gun it is using, which SFType it upgrades to and what not.

[lion_of_judah]

appreciate it

[lion_of_judah]

Hi
the AI in my scenario i made is not attacking, its building units, and defending, but not attacking. Ernie programmed an code in order to make it more aggressive, but it is still not attacking.

[Ormand]

The AI is very tricky. I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out how it functions, and have some concept of what it is trying to do. That said, I am not working on the AI in ATG at this point, and there will be no updates on it to for now. Not until we get a new version.

But the AI will not do much attacking if it feels that it is outnumbered (poor thing). Basically, if it is at a disadvantage, it will bunker down and try to be defensive. That said, you can tinker with a few things. To get it to declare war, you need to tweak rulevar(903). Set this to 100 and it will be very warlike. But, it will choose the weakest opponent (although it does tend to prefer human players). To get it to attack, that is be a bit reckless, you need to tweak AIConservative with the event exec ExecAIConservative(RegNr, Value). Value = 100 is "Normal". Value > 100 makes the AI more conservative, while Value < 100 makes it more aggressive. What aggressive means is that will make attacks that are less than ideal, that is the odds are so-so. Therefore, you have to be careful with this. With Value = 70 or so, the AI should conduct some attacks that are a bit reckless with the result being that the AI will bleed itself out. Essentially, it will take losses and eventually get exhausted and you can shortly roll it up and kill it.

Now, something else that might be going on is "fronts". If the AI doesn't see a front it will not know what to do. The map is broken up into subareas. Subareas are centered on hexes that have a VP or an AIVP. Each hex with a VP/AIVP will be the center of an area. These subareas are then expanded a hex at a time until they run into each other, which makes a boundary between each subarea. These subareas extend across the entire map, and of course form a boundary between regimes. The subareas between regimes make up fronts. So, you also need add VP/AIVP to the map to make subareas. You shouldn't have too many nor too few. A rule of thumb is that the subareas will basically go halfway to the next VP/AIVP hex (or to the border between the regimes). Now, you can have some odd things when the AIVP hexes are adjacent, which can happen in some random games. These areas and fronts are mapped out at the start of the AI turn and are dynamic from turn to turn. The AI tries to assign an HQ to each front and then assign units to help balance the fronts. That is to have enough troops in the front to match up with the enemy. It will look at the fronts and then try to reassign units if it thinks it needs to. Unfortunately, this can be a bit of a mess. The current algorithm has a few flaws and sometimes it will shuffle units back and forth as it analyzes the fronts. By this I mean reassign the units. When it does this, it also reassigns the HQ for the unit. This could make the unit lose readiness, so it is also a good idea to give the AI break when reassigning units to an HQ. Also, if the fronts are changing a lot, the force balance could change and it might send some units back and forth during a turn. I could fix the reassignments, but I cannot fix the front structure with the current version. It is rather complicated to do. So what can happen during a game is that as a side advances, areas can get larger or smaller, and a "new" front can come into existence. These are a challenge for the AI. But it tries.

So, a very important thing to do in order to make the AI have a chance is to add VP/AIVP hexes to the map so that these areas exist and fronts can exist between regimes. Look at a random game, each city/capital has VPs and each resource hex gets an AIVP. This kind of spacing is OK. You need areas with a radius of about 4 hexes, leading hopefully to fronts with a length of about 6-8 hexes. I think you can guide the AI by the AIVP value. The larger it is, the more weight it will put on it, and thus pay more attention to it. But it is not a good idea to just add AIVPs during the game without thinking about where they are. Remember that an area is centered on it, so if you add an AIVP hex, you will get a new area. If you want the AI to focus on an existing area, add or increase AIVP to an existing VP/AIVP hex (you can have both VP and AIVP on a hex). All this means that you will have to "think" for the AI somewhat if you want to "guide" the AI.

[lion_of_judah]

Good morning
thanks for the information. I do have VP locations on the map as the manpower event I have, uses VP to increase manpower. Gary made this a while back. I have also noticed that the AI is only making light and heavy MG's to attack and defend with.