Admiral's Edition Editor Thread

[DuckofTindalos]

ORIGINAL: Don Bowen

ORIGINAL: Terminus

ORIGINAL: Gary Childress


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3. What sets the conversion time for the "binds" or is there a setting? Obviously if the ship is only making a mild conversion, say a tanker into a cargo ship, I want a short conversion time but if the ship is going to be a radical conversion say from a tanker into a carrier, then I want a longer conversion time. Can this be set in the editor for the different binds? So for instance if I convert a tanker into a cargo ship maybe it only takes 60 days or something for the bind to occur. If I want it to convert into a carrier then it might take 180 days or something.

Thanks.

Answers:

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3): You set the conversion time yourself. That's what the "Conversion Delay" field is for.

Actually it is a little more complex than that. The actual field is MINIMUM conversion delay. Conversion works like this:

1. Damage levels for the conversion are specified. This damage is applied and must be repaired using normal repair processes. This puts your conversion in competition with damaged ships for repair resources.

2. If a shipyard size is specified, the conversion must be done in a shipyard, and the shipyard must be of at least that size. This further complicates the competition for resources (the shipyard).

3. Conversion delay is the minimum amount of time the conversion will take. It may be more, less or that same as the time to repair all the damage. But until the conversion delay has expired you can not use the ship.

The best example of Conversion Delay would be the conversion of a freighter to a seaplane tender. It might take on a bunch of systems damage but the conversion to AV would show immediately. Conversion Delay is the fitting out time for the seaplane tender and is used to prevent instant availability of a converted AV (albeit damaged).

Well, I'd probably said something along those lines if I'd used my brain. Good catch, Don.

[Grotius]

This all looks amazing, T. Thanks for all the shots. A couple questions about the AI screen:

1. Does this screen specify a particular order in which the AI will do things? E.g., for ID #001, which you've highlighted, will the AI assault Vigan, San Fernando, Bayombong, etc. in that order?

2. The middle field is entitled "1. Assault Bases." If one clicked on the arrow to the right of "Assault Bases," what other options would one see? Air attack? Naval bombardment? Recon?

3. I don't understand the fields on the right side. What does the trigger base (Bataan) trigger? An assault on Lingayen?

Thanks!

ORIGINAL: Terminus

[GaryChildress]

ORIGINAL: Don Bowen
Actually it is a little more complex than that. The actual field is MINIMUM conversion delay. Conversion works like this:

1. Damage levels for the conversion are specified. This damage is applied and must be repaired using normal repair processes. This puts your conversion in competition with damaged ships for repair resources.

2. If a shipyard size is specified, the conversion must be done in a shipyard, and the shipyard must be of at least that size. This further complicates the competition for resources (the shipyard).

3. Conversion delay is the minimum amount of time the conversion will take. It may be more, less or that same as the time to repair all the damage. But until the conversion delay has expired you can not use the ship.

The best example of Conversion Delay would be the conversion of a freighter to a seaplane tender. It might take on a bunch of systems damage but the conversion to AV would show immediately. Conversion Delay is the fitting out time for the seaplane tender and is used to prevent instant availability of a converted AV (albeit damaged).

I was under the impression that "Upgrade Damage" applied only to upgrades but not to conversions. Are you saying the same field applys to both upgrades and conversions? So for instance if the "Upgrade Damage" field for a particular ship is "25" then it will receive 25 damage BOTH if it upgrades AND if it converts? Otherwise I assume the "Upgrade Delay" field applys to upgrade time and "Conversion Delay" field applies to conversion times?

[Dili]

Welcome to the good Terminus![8D]

you see that we have added the ability to enter specific ranges for any aircraft, with or without drop tanks.

Great news!

Endurance

I think endurance should have been to simulate patrol time in air. Good for planes that have a slow cruising speed for patrol and a faster one to get on station.

[jcjordan]

On your first post when you talked about the MAD etc being greyed out until it's available, what happens in the case of when something upgrades to a later mark? Like AI Mk IV radar upgrading to Mk X, does it change on the a/c display screen on the date all across the board or is it also production involved like on troops/tanks being in the pool to convert?

[DuckofTindalos]

ORIGINAL: Grotius

This all looks amazing, T. Thanks for all the shots. A couple questions about the AI screen:

1. Does this screen specify a particular order in which the AI will do things? E.g., for ID #001, which you've highlighted, will the AI assault Vigan, San Fernando, Bayombong, etc. in that order?

2. The middle field is entitled "1. Assault Bases." If one clicked on the arrow to the right of "Assault Bases," what other options would one see? Air attack? Naval bombardment? Recon?

3. I don't understand the fields on the right side. What does the trigger base (Bataan) trigger? An assault on Lingayen?

Thanks!

As I said, the "AI Data" tab is an arcane art not fully understood by many other than Andy Mac, and he hasn't been the same since he got into it... I'll give it a go, though.

1): Not necessarily. In this case, 14th Army will start by landing according to the preset orders defined for task forces. Then it will try to move along the list of bases, but might sidestep one if it's holding out too long. This is in order to keep it moving.

2): One would see options for defining the assaulting units, units dedicated to air support, and defending units (if one is making an AI defence script).

3): Honestly, I can't remember. Others will have to field that one.

[DuckofTindalos]

ORIGINAL: jcjordan

On your first post when you talked about the MAD etc being greyed out until it's available, what happens in the case of when something upgrades to a later mark? Like AI Mk IV radar upgrading to Mk X, does it change on the a/c display screen on the date all across the board or is it also production involved like on troops/tanks being in the pool to convert?

Sorry, I'm not sure what you mean?

[GaryChildress]

One last conversion/binding question.

Is it possible to have several different ship types convert into the same type of conversion? For instance Alt_Naval has several different auxiliaries convert into the same type of CVL. To put it simply, if I have an AV, AS, AR and APD which all convert to the same type of CVL is it simply a matter of creating a binding which includes all the ships and have several "convert from" (AV, AS, AR and APD) ships and only a single "convert to" (CVL) ship? Is there anything in the editor which would prevent this from working? If it won't work I can easily think of a workaround for it that should work but I'm just curious if the most straightforward approach will work.

Thanks again. [&o]

[DuckofTindalos]

ORIGINAL: Gary Childress

One last conversion/binding question.

Is it possible to have several different ship types convert into the same type of conversion? For instance Alt_Naval has several different auxiliaries convert into the same type of CVL. To put it simply, if I have an AV, AS, AR and APD which all convert to the same type of CVL is it simply a matter of creating a binding which includes all the ships and have several "convert from" (AV, AS, AR and APD) ships and only a single "convert to" (CVL) ship? Is there anything in the editor which would prevent this from working? If it won't work I can easily think of a workaround for it that should work but I'm just curious if the most straightforward approach will work.

Thanks again. [&o]

This is definitely doable. Nothing keeps you from reversing the usual one-class-converts-to-several setup. You'd have to provide the air groups seperately, of course.

[Historiker]

You'd have to provide the air groups seperately, of course.

Which can be Carrier trained, now... Great! [&o]

Still not perfect enough for me, but it seems it's getting close! Great Work!

[Don Bowen]

ORIGINAL: Gary Childress

I was under the impression that "Upgrade Damage" applied only to upgrades but not to conversions. Are you saying the same field applys to both upgrades and conversions? So for instance if the "Upgrade Damage" field for a particular ship is "25" then it will receive 25 damage BOTH if it upgrades AND if it converts? Otherwise I assume the "Upgrade Delay" field applys to upgrade time and "Conversion Delay" field applies to conversion times?

There is only one set of "upgrade/conversion" fields. Would be nice to have two sets but frequently a given class with be the target of upgrade OR conversion, as opposed to both.

Basically, edit screen space and code limitations. We had to be careful to not have 18,000 parameters per class.

[jwilkerson]

Since I worked on the IJN Surface combatants - I spent a lot of time with the ship class screen. I would say it took a while to learn the ins and outs of "upgrade" versus "conversion" and when to use one versus the other. It took some trial and error on my part to get things even "semi-right" (assuming I've done so) or at least "the way I wanted them to be". So for those who really expect to do major work in the ship class screen - the "warning" is - don't expect to key everything in - in one night and get it all correct. Lay out yours plans - and try a few and look at the results in game - set the upgrade or conversion dates close together so you can see all the changes happen quickly. And be prepared to make adjustments if things don't come out the way you want. Learning the "rules" is one step. Making an OOB work the way you want it to - is a whole 'nother ball game.

[:)]

[DuckofTindalos]

And a fun one, if you're a modder...

[jcjordan]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

ORIGINAL: jcjordan

On your first post when you talked about the MAD etc being greyed out until it's available, what happens in the case of when something upgrades to a later mark? Like AI Mk IV radar upgrading to Mk X, does it change on the a/c display screen on the date all across the board or is it also production involved like on troops/tanks being in the pool to convert?

Sorry, I'm not sure what you mean?

OK look at it like this - say you've got MAD as an a/c device it'll show on the a/c display but greyed out until it's avail. Let's say MAD upgrades to MAD2 at a later date. On that date will I see MAD2 start showing on my a/c display or will it still stay MAD? I realized this question is a bit off of editor topic but more of an in game question.

[DuckofTindalos]

Good question. We have no aircraft electronic devices that upgrade to others, so I don't know.

[Historiker]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

Good question. We have no aircraft electronic devices that upgrade to others, so I don't know.

Will the planes automatically be equipped with the new gear or do one has to upgrade away and back?
If automatically: Will it cost something - what?

[DuckofTindalos]

As I said previously, once the electronic device becomes available, it pops in automatically and for free.

If one wanted to make this process more difficult for the player, one could force him to actually build a device, expending resources to do so. That's a switch in the devices tab, though.

[Dili]

I don't remember who from the team said it but aircraft equipment upgrades if that set in editor. Now i don't know if that includes every and all devices. I just hope that aerial mines works the same way and there isn't a hardcode setting.

[DuckofTindalos]

ORIGINAL: Dili

I don't remember who from the team said it but aircraft equipment upgrades if that set in editor. Now i don't know if that includes every and all devices. I just hope that aerial mines works the same way and there isn't a hardcode setting.

Exactly, if it is set in the editor. "Stock" AE has no upgrades set, but the sky's the limit for mods.

[NormS3]

Fantastic!  I now find myself realizing the extent of the torture that the GF will be putting me through to compensate for the time I will be devoting to AE.
 
Keep up the Great Work, and someone please notify my next of kin upon the release of AE!