Sneak Peeks, Coming Attractions, Works-In-Progress

[Big Ivan]

Never mind Jason stay the course.

Put the graphics on the back burner for now. Just keep working on the LAI and SAI. Those two functions are the most important changes to the system going forward. Through the years I have been the worst critic of the LAI and it needs to be fixed badly because it sucks!![;)]

[berto]

Let's see if we can tickle Big Ivan's fancy. [;)]

Some more recent (private) Dev Forum posts ...

ORIGINAL: berto

I am attempting a major overhaul of the AI attack/defend routines as they relate to unit movement. Attempting to make the AI more I.

ORIGINAL: berto

A sneak peek at some of the considerations I am adding:

---

...
bool isflanked = Flanked(objective, side, XAtGround);
bool issurrounded = Surrounded(objective, side, XAtGround);
int flankings = Flankings(objective, side, XAtGround);
bool ishighdensity = HighDensity(objective, XAtGround);
bool ishigherdensity = HigherDensity(objective, XAtGround);
bool ishighestdensity = HighestDensity(objective, XAtGround);
int density = Density(objective, XAtGround);
...

---

You can soon expect to see a few more AAI fire and assault effect modifiers also.

ORIGINAL: berto

A couple of sneak previews of the latest AI improvement efforts, specifically to improve the game's tactical (L)AI.

Among so many other things, a combination of hard logical rules (showing just a portion here):

[censored [:'(]]

Together with "soft" chance "attractors" (again, showing just a portion):

[censored [:'(]]

And lots and lots of other stuff besides. Lots of new stuff, the above and more, none of it in the legacy game.

ORIGINAL: berto

In VN_550429_Saigon, ARVN (orange) attacking, BX Army (yellow) defending. Examples of the new flanking/encircling attacks heretofore seldom observed in the LAI:



Before, the LAI could manage only headlong, straight-ahead, frontal attacks, with high-density "monster stacks". Now, the LAI spreads out its attacks, and attempts to flank and surround, giving it positional advantage, with the added benefit of the new flanking/encircling combat bonuses (for both direct fire and assault). Harder to defend against, and more fun to watch.

[berto]

ORIGINAL: berto

The ARVN LAI presses its attacks. The tactical envelopments extend, and new ones are attempted:

[Para87]

ORIGINAL: berto

Before, the LAI could manage only headlong, straight-ahead, frontal attacks, with high-density "monster stacks". Now, the LAI spreads out its attacks, and attempts to flank and surround, giving it positional advantage, with the added benefit of the new flanking/encircling combat bonuses (for both direct fire and assault). Harder to defend against, and more fun to watch.

[/quote]

Perhaps have the AI on a rare occasions resort to "headlong, straight-ahead, frontal attacks".

[berto]

Indeed, sometimes it will. There is still a good bit of randomness here, none of this is wholly deterministic.

[Big Ivan]

none of this is wholly deterministic.

Wholly deterministic???[X(]

I like that berto!![:D][:D]

[sgtmorgue]

Whoa, seems like you guys are putting a lot into the OOB and the set-up, looking forward to release.

I'm a veteran of the Second Battle of Ap Bau Bang 19-20mar67, was very glad to see this battle listed on your 1967 overall battle map. If you have any questions about this battle I'd be glad to help.

[Big Ivan]

Whoa, seems like you guys are putting a lot into the OOB and the set-up, looking forward to release.

I'm a veteran of the Second Battle of Ap Bau Bang 19-20mar67, was very glad to see this battle listed on your 1967 overall battle map. If you have any questions about this battle I'd be glad to help.

Hi Jeff,

Glad you chimed in to this forum!! Good to have a Vietnam Vet and his experience!! I play a lot of the old Campaign Series plus Campaign Series Middle East and I am looking very much forward to the release of this game! There is some good stuff going on here if you read the forum. Good Times!!

Please to make your acquaintance![:)]

Big Ivan: aka John.

[berto]

Screenshot from an ongoing IC_510327_Mao_Khe_H playtest:

[berto]

ORIGINAL: berto

Scheisse! The VM are now at Mao Khe's doorstep:

Again, assault combats are bloodier, and so much more consequential, in the CS:Vietnam game.

[berto]

ORIGINAL: berto

Jason's attacker SAI is putting up a very effective fight. Fun!

[Jason Petho]

Campaign Series Vietnam: Scenario Testing

Another test on the go, watching the French defend one of the surrounding hills around Na San from the mass attacks by the Viet Minh in 1952.

[Benedict151]

Huzzah!
The French have arrived.... really looking forward to the French section of this game

Ben

[Oberst_Klink]

ORIGINAL: Benedict151

Huzzah!
The French have arrived.... really looking forward to the French section of this game

Ben

Interested about the background of the French Indochina period? I've got tons of info on my blog.

Klink, Oberst

[Jason Petho]

Campaign Series Vietnam: Scenario Scripting

I am currently working on the AI scripting for the Battle of Ap Bac (1963) scenario. One rare item to find in this scenario is the reconnaissance section of M114's that were part of the 4th/2nd Mechanized Company. These were soon found to be unsuited to the terrain in Vietnam and pulled from ARVN service (and ultimately not included in the TOE for US units when they arrived in Vietnam), although they did continue service in the US Army in Europe.

[Benedict151]

"Interested about the background of the French Indochina period? I've got tons of info on my blog."

Thank you, I have most of the books on the French part of the war (that are available in English which sadly are only the tip of the iceberg) but you have unearthed some really interesting docs. I thought I had found most of these but far from it!

regards

[Jason Petho]

Campaign Series Vietnam: Scenario Building/Scripting

Here is a screenshot that shows 10 CH-21 Shawnee's as they carry a company to the landing zone to the northwest part of the map from the airfield in the southeast. The scenario has been scripted that a human can play as the VC against the ARVN attack.

Part of the reason for the delay in releasing the game is to make the Lua functions clever enough so that one can accomplish this simple task (to a human) repeatedly and consistently.

In this case, HAL is successfully moving an entire battalion, one company at a time, from the airfield to the landing zones - clear across the map without issue or hiccups with only a handful of Lua scenario scripting.
Progress, slow progress, but progress nevertheless.

[berto]

Some more recent (private) Dev Forum posts...

ORIGINAL: berto

In reaction to my attempting to play the new SAI'ed Ap Bac scenario, and being frustrated in my difficulty to see fords, bridges, etc...

For Display > Map Hints, two changes:

[*]Hexside hints are now color coded: light blue for Stream (SR); medium blue for MinorRiver (MR); light brown for all paths etc., bridges etc., and ford (FD); a darker brown for Ditch (DT); and default white for everything else.

Examples:





See how much easier it is to distinguish between Stream, MinorRiver, and roads etc.?

See how much easier it is to spot Fords?

See how much easier it is to spot roads etc. crossing the town StoneWalls (SN)?

And so on.

[*]In the case of ties, where two or more different side types share the same hexside, I have established a hierarchy of what displays.

For instance: Before, MR (MinorRiver) would always trump (hide) FD (Ford). Now, the latter will show, making Fords easier to spot.

Before, Stream & MinorRiver hints would obscure all bridge hints. Now, the bridge hints will show.

And other similar fixes. In general, now the higher priority, more important hexside type hints (the ones you really want to see) will display. No longer will the display hierarchy depend solely on the arbitrary ordering of the hexside types in the code.

[berto]

ORIGINAL: berto

So much better playing with Map Hints ON and FD (Fords) displaying clearly. I foresee toggling Map Hints ON routinely while moving units, especially in the river-dense Mekong Delta scenarios. An important addition to the game play toolkit!

ORIGINAL: berto

How to find the way through such a tangle of MinorRivers? By means of Map Hints!

[Oberst_Klink]

ORIGINAL: Benedict151

"Interested about the background of the French Indochina period? I've got tons of info on my blog."

Thank you, I have most of the books on the French part of the war (that are available in English which sadly are only the tip of the iceberg) but you have unearthed some really interesting docs. I thought I had found most of these but far from it!

regards

Same here. What's the URL of your blog? Would be interesting to exchange some thoughts etc. about it.

Klink, Oberst