Updated Pacwar Editor

Rich Dionne · Post by **Rich Dionne** » Sat Apr 07, 2001 2:45 am

I've just completed an update of my Pacific War Database Editor (version 2.0). I have added base locations, so now you can easily relocate bases. In addition, I have combined many of the multi-byte data elements into one value to make editing easier (no more A + 256*B required!). Finally, I've added comments (red triangles) to make input requirements more clear. You can download the new version at my website:

http://home.earthlink.net/~tmflood/page2.html

Enjoy!

Rich Dionne

P.S. A special thanks to Michael Fleshman and Jim Malcolm for their contributions to this update.

AlvinS · Post by **AlvinS** » Mon Apr 09, 2001 4:09 am

Thanks Rich

I am fairly new to this game, but your editor is very helpful in learning about this game. Great job!

grumbler · Post by **grumbler** » Tue Apr 10, 2001 4:29 am

I also thank you, Rich. Your editors have made it SO much easier to track changes made to the game, and to install my own "picky" changes to the game. They are a godsend!

LargeSlowTarget · Post by **LargeSlowTarget** » Tue Apr 10, 2001 6:48 am

Great job, Rich. Thank you so much!! It's fun to alter/create your own OBCs. In my own, Samoa is now in the right place, Hobart, Hughes and Dimapur were deleted in favor for Ellice Islands (between Canton and Espiritu Santu), Padang (west coast of Sumatra between Palembang and Madan) and Moulmein (south of Rangoon), and China looks completely different now. Not to speak of numerous changes regarding ships, planes, weapons...

However, when I tested the changed OBC, all leaders from all sides were assigned to command land bases, some in Brunei, some in Manila, and most were stacked in Uruppu in the Kuriles, Japanese and Allied together (now that is the right way to fight a war, send only the Generals and Admirals of both sides to slug it out). Furthermore, some leaders were available way too early (e.g. Buckner Dez. 41).

I have tried several things, repeated the process, copying the old correct assignments from other OBCs into the changed one, restarting Excel and PW etc., nothing helped.

Even if I 'input' the original OBC and 'output' it again without making any changes of my own, the leaders will change their assigments and end up in the said three bases.
Has anybody else made a similar experience? What could it be? Rich, would you be willing to have a look at my OBCs? HELP!

Rich Dionne · Post by **Rich Dionne** » Tue Apr 10, 2001 10:23 am

This sounds like an error in my editor! Probably something in the leader post code. I will get a fix on this and upload a corrected version tomorrow if all goes well.

Regards,

Rich

P.S. Make sure you save your files before editing. I'd hate to screw up someone's work with an error like this.

Major Tom · Post by **Major Tom** » Tue Apr 10, 2001 5:55 pm

There are some things that you have to watch out for when editing LCU's and Leaders.

Base location cannot be edited for Leaders, as, it is hardwired somewhere in the Base area. For example, lets say you want to move General MacArthur from one space in the editor to another, if you copy EVERYTHING and move it to another space, and replace his space with another leader, he will NOT be in charce of SW Pacific. He will be sent to some base.

The best thing you can do to ensure that this will not happen, is, to (if editing Allied leaders, Japanese leaders you don't have to do this first part) set the editor to have an ALLIED first turn, on the main page of the editor. Edit all of the bases that do not appear yet in the game (ie. US 6th and 10th Army, etc...) and put them on bases throughout the map so you can access any default leaders that appear with them. Then you copy the file, and rename it SAVEA (you must already have SAVEA.CD and SAVEA.MD files). Go into the game, load SAVEA which will then put you in the game as the Allies (without supply moving, and you will even see all of the TF's and their destinations for the first historical turn).

Next, you remove ALL leaders from bases and HQ's (remember who was in command of what). Save the game as SAVEA, go into the editor, edit SAVEA and you will notice that all locations are now at ZERO (0). You can move around commanders at will, without fear of having them stuck on wierd bases. Then you save the file in the editor as SAVEA, load up SAVEA and put all of the commanders back into their HQ's. Load back up SAVEA and re-edit all of the Preparation points (as they will lower because of the HQ transfers) and remove all of the 'early' HQ's that you added to access their leaders (ie US 6th and 10th Army, etc...).

It is time consuming, but, it is the only thing that I notice works without problem.

Regarding LCU's, if you have a certain unit on a transport for the OBC file (ie in OBC41 the South Sea Brigade is on a TF destined for Guam from Saipan) and you move around the South Seas unit, whatever unit replaced the South Seas Brigade will be on the TF as well, no matter where you assign its HQ.

In the SHIP area, if you find the actual transports (AP) you will notice a cargo rating. It looks for a specific slot (ie space 100, if the South Seas Brigade took up that space before) and have that unit aboard for transport. If you move another unit into that space, the AP still looks at it and takes it aboard, even if you have it appearing 100 turns in the future. It also messes up the South Seas Brigade, as, it does not appear on the TF, and 'vanishes'. The best thing to do is to either do what you do for Leaders, or, to manually edit the AP's, but, before that you must know which AP group is carrying the desired unit. Renumber the cargo to the correct NEW space and everything should be fine.

Rich Dionne · Post by **Rich Dionne** » Tue Apr 10, 2001 6:22 pm

I just uploaded a corrected version of my editor (v2.1) to my website:
http://home.earthlink.net/~tmflood/page2.html

As LargeSlowTarget indicated, most leaders were meeting in Uruppu for a "royal rumble"! :rolleyes: I have corrected the code, so you shouldn't see this problem again.

Regards,

Rich

Manic Jester · Post by **Manic Jester** » Tue Apr 10, 2001 7:08 pm

Rich,

Many Thanks, for your hard work on the editor.

MJ

Major Tom · Post by **Major Tom** » Tue Apr 10, 2001 8:19 pm

I am working on the OBC's for the next Patch, and I would be interested to see whatever anyone else has done to the OBC files.

Base locations, paths, OOB's, weapons, graphics, and any other OBC files with changes would be greatly appreciated. I am trying to make these OBC's as realistic as possible, and any input from other work would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jeremy

LargeSlowTarget · Post by **LargeSlowTarget** » Wed Apr 11, 2001 7:10 am

Rich, my eternal gratitude for this prompt attention. Works fine now. You surely deserve a page in my 'good guy'-book

.

Major Tom, thanks for the hints on leaders, LCUs and ships. I have to make some other changes (triggered by the torpedo effectivness thread) and playtest them. Expect mail from me in a couple of days.

B.t.w., some ship classes (PTs, MCS etc.)receive reinforcements not only in groups (icons) but also via the ship pool. How exactly does this work? Are there slots in the SHIPS area which are hardwired and shouldn't be altered (e.g. getting a hundred DDs instead of PCs...)?

Thanks again to all people who contribute to make a great game even better. PW beats even Civilization in keeping the incentive to play alive, IMO - not least due to the user-friendly editor!