Screen shots of combat?

[Shannon V. OKeets]

Beta testers had complained that the results of air-to-air combat were confusing. There were several pop up messages and the program did some actions "behind the scenes". Here are 3 screen shots of how that now looks after today's changes.

What is new is:
1 - the popup box appears on the left, towards the bottom, where it does not obscure other information.
2 - all the messages about each die roll are presented in one place.
3 - in addition to showing the current round of air-to-air combat, which side is rolling the dice is also clear.
4 - when only one choice is available, the program doesn't ask for the player to decide anything, but still lets the player know what happened.

[Shannon V. OKeets]

2nd in the series of 3.

Here it is still the first round of the combat, but now the USSR air units are firing on the German fighter.

[Shannon V. OKeets]

3rd and last in the series.

Notice that the running tab of results information is available to the right of the popup form, and that the cleared through USSR bomber has been moved to the bottom.

[Shannon V. OKeets]

Continuing today's work on air-to-air combat, I created this new form. This lets the player view the air-to-air combat results table in the form that even those with trouble differentiating colors can read easily. The printed table from ADG had caused some players problems.

I'll probably add some separators so it will be easier to read across the rows.

Mostly what I want to do is highlight selected columns based on the radio buttons. That will let the player see the effect of the current odds for both sides. In particular I wanted le the players see the effects when deciding on arranging units, aborting or staying, choosing which unit to abort/destroy, and when expending surprise points.

I'll make another post once I get that working.
=========

[Froonp]

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets
1 - the popup box appears on the left, towards the bottom, where it does not obscure other information.
2 - all the messages about each die roll are presented in one place.
3 - in addition to showing the current round of air-to-air combat, which side is rolling the dice is also clear.
4 - when only one choice is available, the program doesn't ask for the player to decide anything, but still lets the player know what happened.

Can't this log be embedded in the air to air combat form ? Instead of being in a separate form ?

[Froonp]

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

Continuing today's work on air-to-air combat, I created this new form. This lets the player view the air-to-air combat results table in the form that even those with trouble differentiating colors can read easily. The printed table from ADG had caused some players problems.

This is great. Moreover this is in the line of what you've done for the combat result tables.

I'll probably add some separators so it will be easier to read across the rows.

Mostly what I want to do is highlight selected columns based on the radio buttons. That will let the player see the effect of the current odds for both sides. In particular I wanted le the players see the effects when deciding on arranging units, aborting or staying, choosing which unit to abort/destroy, and when expending surprise points.

I'll make another post once I get that working.

Just a remark about PS. I believe that the pilot survive unless at sea without a naval unit or without a port.

[Froonp]

ORIGINAL: Froonp

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets
1 - the popup box appears on the left, towards the bottom, where it does not obscure other information.
2 - all the messages about each die roll are presented in one place.
3 - in addition to showing the current round of air-to-air combat, which side is rolling the dice is also clear.
4 - when only one choice is available, the program doesn't ask for the player to decide anything, but still lets the player know what happened.

Can't this log be embedded in the air to air combat form ? Instead of being in a separate form ?

The problem I saw with it is that when the player clic in the air to air combat form, this die roll result form will disappear behind won't it ?

So it would maybe be better to have it like a log that can scroll up and down so that you can see the previous results.

[Froonp]

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets
Notice that the running tab of results information is available to the right of the popup form, and that the cleared through USSR bomber has been moved to the bottom.

This running tab is an invaluable addition to the form.
It allows to see the past result and understand better where you are within the air to air combat, especially when it is long.

[Shannon V. OKeets]

ORIGINAL: Froonp

ORIGINAL: Froonp

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets
1 - the popup box appears on the left, towards the bottom, where it does not obscure other information.
2 - all the messages about each die roll are presented in one place.
3 - in addition to showing the current round of air-to-air combat, which side is rolling the dice is also clear.
4 - when only one choice is available, the program doesn't ask for the player to decide anything, but still lets the player know what happened.

Can't this log be embedded in the air to air combat form ? Instead of being in a separate form ?

The problem I saw with it is that when the player clic in the air to air combat form, this die roll result form will disappear behind won't it ?

So it would maybe be better to have it like a log that can scroll up and down so that you can see the previous results.

I am actually using two different components that appear in the same place, are the same size, and look very similar.

Most of the time what is shown is a separate form which contains an OK button. This form is displayed as 'Modal', meaning clicking on any other forms, buttons, or any other stuff on the screen is ignored. The player has to click on the popup form's OK button before the program will do anything else. That is exactly what I want to have happen, and the effect can not be readily achieved except by using a separate form.

However, when the result of the die roll is that one of the players needs to select a unit (to abort, destroy, or clear through), then I simply have a message panel appear as part of the larger air-to-air form. That panel obscures the list of other air-to-air combats and the insert map, but leaves the details concerning the current air-to-air combat visible. It also lets you call up the air-to-air combat results chart if you want to review that before choosing a unit.

Once the player clicks on either the front fighter or bomber (to destroy/abort) or one of the listed bombers (to clear through), the message panel is removed from view and play continues.

Basically, this works out as the entire air-to-air combat process being within the borders of the air-to-air combat form - except when a unit has been aborted. Aborted units are processed immediately as a digression from the sequence of play using the full detailed map. During these digressions the air-to-air combat form disappears, but reappears after the digression is over.
---
As usual, more than you wanted to know.[;)]

[Shannon V. OKeets]

ORIGINAL: Froonp

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

Continuing today's work on air-to-air combat, I created this new form. This lets the player view the air-to-air combat results table in the form that even those with trouble differentiating colors can read easily. The printed table from ADG had caused some players problems.

This is great. Moreover this is in the line of what you've done for the combat result tables.

I'll probably add some separators so it will be easier to read across the rows.

Mostly what I want to do is highlight selected columns based on the radio buttons. That will let the player see the effect of the current odds for both sides. In particular I wanted le the players see the effects when deciding on arranging units, aborting or staying, choosing which unit to abort/destroy, and when expending surprise points.

I'll make another post once I get that working.

Just a remark about PS. I believe that the pilot survive unless at sea without a naval unit or without a port.

I copied the text from the ADG charts, but that section does seem incomplete. Is "or without a port" the missing sentence fragment?

[paulderynck]

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

ORIGINAL: Froonp

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

Continuing today's work on air-to-air combat, I created this new form. This lets the player view the air-to-air combat results table in the form that even those with trouble differentiating colors can read easily. The printed table from ADG had caused some players problems.

This is great. Moreover this is in the line of what you've done for the combat result tables.

I'll probably add some separators so it will be easier to read across the rows.

Mostly what I want to do is highlight selected columns based on the radio buttons. That will let the player see the effect of the current odds for both sides. In particular I wanted le the players see the effects when deciding on arranging units, aborting or staying, choosing which unit to abort/destroy, and when expending surprise points.

I'll make another post once I get that working.

Just a remark about PS. I believe that the pilot survive unless at sea without a naval unit or without a port.

I copied the text from the ADG charts, but that section does seem incomplete. Is "or without a port" the missing sentence fragment?

The wording in RAW is the pilot dies on a green AX or DX if "in a sea area where that side has neither a naval unit nor a port"

[Shannon V. OKeets]

ORIGINAL: paulderynck

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

ORIGINAL: Froonp


This is great. Moreover this is in the line of what you've done for the combat result tables.


Just a remark about PS. I believe that the pilot survive unless at sea without a naval unit or without a port.

I copied the text from the ADG charts, but that section does seem incomplete. Is "or without a port" the missing sentence fragment?

The wording in RAW is the pilot dies on a green AX or DX if "in a sea area where that side has neither a naval unit nor a port"

I changed the message from what was shown in the screen shot - not exactly the same wording as you gave since I wanted to use the word 'friendly'.

[Shannon V. OKeets]

I am looking for some help calculating probability distributions.

What I am planning on doing is presenting the naval combat results table more or less the way I have done for the land and air combat results tables. In doing so, I intend to separate the AA results (since they can apply to non-naval combat). What I mean by separate is that there will be a completely autonomous CRT for AA results (unchanged from WIF FE, but less cumbersome to use in its stand-alone format).

One of the oddities of the AA table is the use of results like -1/6 and 2/5. These mean, respectively: to roll a 10 sided die 6 times and take the lowest of the 6 results; to roll a 10 sided die 5 times and sum the 2 highest die rolls.

When you are taking just 1 die roll, the range of results is from 1 to 10, for 2 it is from 2 to 20, and for 3 it is from 3 to 30, etc..

What I would like to have is a probability distribution for each of the listed AA results. Is anyone interested in preparing that for me?

Given these distributions I would devise some way to present them so the players will have a sense of the difference between a 1/2 and a -2/4.
===
-1/6 --> -1/2
-2/5 --> -2/3
-3/5 --> -3/4
-4/5
1/5 --> 1/1
2/5 --> 2/2
3/5 --> 3/3
4/5 --> 4/4
5/5
===
That makes for 26 distributions in all.

[paulderynck]

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

I am looking for some help calculating probability distributions.

What I am planning on doing is presenting the naval combat results table more or less the way I have done for the land and air combat results tables. In doing so, I intend to separate the AA results (since they can apply to non-naval combat). What I mean by separate is that there will be a completely autonomous CRT for AA results (unchanged from WIF FE, but less cumbersome to use in its stand-alone format).

One of the oddities of the AA table is the use of results like -1/6 and 2/5. These mean, respectively: to roll a 10 sided die 6 times and take the lowest of the 6 results; to roll a 10 sided die 5 times and sum the 2 highest die rolls.

When you are taking just 1 die roll, the range of results is from 1 to 10, for 2 it is from 2 to 20, and for 3 it is from 3 to 30, etc..

What I would like to have is a probability distribution for each of the listed AA results. Is anyone interested in preparing that for me?

Given these distributions I would devise some way to present them so the players will have a sense of the difference between a 1/2 and a -2/4.
===
-1/6 --> -1/2
-2/5 --> -2/3
-3/5 --> -3/4
-4/5
1/5 --> 1/1
2/5 --> 2/2
3/5 --> 3/3
4/5 --> 4/4
5/5
===
That makes for 26 distributions in all.

I have these on file somewhere. They were originally posted by Vince Velton on the Yahoo list. I'll send them to you.

[Shannon V. OKeets]

ORIGINAL: paulderynck

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

I am looking for some help calculating probability distributions.

What I am planning on doing is presenting the naval combat results table more or less the way I have done for the land and air combat results tables. In doing so, I intend to separate the AA results (since they can apply to non-naval combat). What I mean by separate is that there will be a completely autonomous CRT for AA results (unchanged from WIF FE, but less cumbersome to use in its stand-alone format).

One of the oddities of the AA table is the use of results like -1/6 and 2/5. These mean, respectively: to roll a 10 sided die 6 times and take the lowest of the 6 results; to roll a 10 sided die 5 times and sum the 2 highest die rolls.

When you are taking just 1 die roll, the range of results is from 1 to 10, for 2 it is from 2 to 20, and for 3 it is from 3 to 30, etc..

What I would like to have is a probability distribution for each of the listed AA results. Is anyone interested in preparing that for me?

Given these distributions I would devise some way to present them so the players will have a sense of the difference between a 1/2 and a -2/4.
===
-1/6 --> -1/2
-2/5 --> -2/3
-3/5 --> -3/4
-4/5
1/5 --> 1/1
2/5 --> 2/2
3/5 --> 3/3
4/5 --> 4/4
5/5
===
That makes for 26 distributions in all.

I have these on file somewhere. They were originally posted by Vince Velton on the Yahoo list. I'll send them to you.

Thanks.

I figured someone whould have already done this.

[michaelbaldur]

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

ORIGINAL: paulderynck

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

I am looking for some help calculating probability distributions.

What I am planning on doing is presenting the naval combat results table more or less the way I have done for the land and air combat results tables. In doing so, I intend to separate the AA results (since they can apply to non-naval combat). What I mean by separate is that there will be a completely autonomous CRT for AA results (unchanged from WIF FE, but less cumbersome to use in its stand-alone format).

One of the oddities of the AA table is the use of results like -1/6 and 2/5. These mean, respectively: to roll a 10 sided die 6 times and take the lowest of the 6 results; to roll a 10 sided die 5 times and sum the 2 highest die rolls.

When you are taking just 1 die roll, the range of results is from 1 to 10, for 2 it is from 2 to 20, and for 3 it is from 3 to 30, etc..

What I would like to have is a probability distribution for each of the listed AA results. Is anyone interested in preparing that for me?

Given these distributions I would devise some way to present them so the players will have a sense of the difference between a 1/2 and a -2/4.
===
-1/6 --> -1/2
-2/5 --> -2/3
-3/5 --> -3/4
-4/5
1/5 --> 1/1
2/5 --> 2/2
3/5 --> 3/3
4/5 --> 4/4
5/5
===
That makes for 26 distributions in all.

I have these on file somewhere. They were originally posted by Vince Velton on the Yahoo list. I'll send them to you.

Thanks.

I figured someone whould have already done this.

where would the world be without nerds [&o]

[Shannon V. OKeets]

Here is a new form for displaying the AA Fire information. I think it will be a big help to new players in understanding how this mini-combat system works. Thanks to Paul for sending me the spreadsheet of probabilities.[&o]

[Froonp]

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

Here is a new form for displaying the AA Fire information. I think it will be a big help to new players in understanding how this mini-combat system works. Thanks to Paul for sending me the spreadsheet of probabilities.[&o]

I think that Vince Velten should be given proper credit for this chart.
What is the "mode", by the way ?

I had this file about the AA reults on my hard drive, but I do not have the name of the one who did it.

[Froonp]

Also, could it be possible to round all average & standard deviation results to 1 decimal please ? This would look better IMO. Maybe even round all to the next entire number, as you can only have entire numbers rolled as AA result, never decimal results. I.e. you neer roll 2.4 point, you either roll 2 or 3.

[Shannon V. OKeets]

ORIGINAL: Froonp

Also, could it be possible to round all average & standard deviation results to 1 decimal please ? This would look better IMO. Maybe even round all to the next entire number, as you can only have entire numbers rolled as AA result, never decimal results. I.e. you neer roll 2.4 point, you either roll 2 or 3.

Paul gave credit to Vince - but also said he had his (Paul's) own calculations too. It wasn't clear to me to was the primary (or sole?) author. Hence, I thanked Paul for emailing me the information - but not necessarily for authoring it.
===
Mode is the result that occurs most often. For 1/1 it is all values 1-10, so I used 5 arbitrarily.

The statisician in me is going to insist on 2 decimal places for mean and standard deviation (the spreadsheet had 5 deciaml places).