SPWAW 1960-1979 mod

[Riitaoja2]

Updated (1/29/2017)
See post #32 (The mod should be complete now)

Updated (1/9/2017)
See post #25 (corrected unit weight values in all OOB's)

Updated (1/7/2017)
See post #18

Here are the download links for the mod:
Part 1
forceddownload.asp?file=0;4051773
Part 2
forceddownload.asp?file=0;4053906
Part 3
forceddownload.asp?file=0;4050981
Part 4
forceddownload.asp?file=0;4055646
(If you already have the mod installed you only need part 4 to update it to the latest version.)

The mod had to be split into 4 parts due to the 750kb attachment file size limit. When you unpack the files the size of the mod should be about 7,84Mb.

The packages are using the 7z format for better compression. So you may need to use the 7-zip program to unzip the mod:
http://www.7-zip.org/
(WinRAR may also understand the 7z format)

EDIT:
Here are the alternate DL links for the mod courtesy of RyanCrierie:

Main mod package (~3.2mb)
http://alternatewars.com/Games/SP/SPWAW ... N-2017.zip
and patch file needed to update it to the final version (~691kb)
http://alternatewars.com/Games/SP/SPWAW ... _Final.zip

EDIT:
A small collection of 12 scenarios and one campaign for the mod is posted here:
fb.asp?m=4252330


Installation:
The installation of the mod is completely manual. You will need to make backups of your original files first or the mod files will override them permanently.
Make backup copies of the "PIC", "SHP" and "SND" -folders and also backup your original oob files. You may also make a copy of the whole SPWAW folder and use it for the mod instead.

When you have made sure to backup your files just extract the mod files into your SPWAW directory overriding all the original files.


My recommended preferences for the mod:

GENERAL PREFERENCES:
-True troop cost = OFF
REALISM PREFERENCES:
-Characteristics = OFF
PLAYER PREFERENCES:
-Hitting = 250% (both sides)
-Inf toughness = 80% (both sides)

To bypass the default WW2 ratings for the different nations:
REALISM PREFERENCES:
-Historic ratings = OFF
PLAYER PREFERENCES:
-TROOP QUALITY = Set to desired values for both sides.


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This is a mod for SPWAW that converts the units to use the graphics and OOB data from Steel Panthers 2/3. This will cover the time time period from 1960 - 1979.

I have modified the original SP2 oob files to work with SPWAW and also made sure the AI knows what to buy. So it is possible to play random battles and campaigns against the computer. No scenarios or campaigns are included but of course those can be created with the editor.

Here are some screenshots:

[sami heimola]

Looks great Riitaoja[:'(] Especially Vietnam map and Germany/Russian tanks. Hmm how do you got copter icons work in SPWAW?

PS. Any plans to continue after 1965->2010's? TOW/ATGMs will be surely difficult to model with SPWAW[8|] I suppose?

[Riitaoja2]

Hmm how do you got copter icons work in SPWAW?

I am using the Icon files from SP2 and there seems to be no issues with the helicopters.

PS. Any plans to continue after 1965->2010's? TOW/ATGMs will be surely difficult to model with SPWAW I suppose?

It should be possible to create a 1980-1999 mod but I have no plans to do that now. Missile weapons are already included in the mod and they seem to work.

[Kuokkanen]

Doesn't WinSPMBT already cover this? Why reinvent the wheel?

[sami heimola]

Well I have nothing against "reinvent wheel" what comes to SPWAW[;)]... If those "modern era" missiles etc. works ok, why not? Nobody order you to play this if you are not interested in[8|]. I would like to even try this mod at least once[:'(]...

PS.Have copters option to fly "low" or "high" as in other SP games?

[Riitaoja2]

Doesn't WinSPMBT already cover this? Why reinvent the wheel?

I am making this mod mainly just because I can. For me it is interesting to explore the possibility of modern battles on the SPWAW game engine.

PS.Have copters option to fly "low" or "high" as in other SP games?

No. They are only flying at the lowest altitude.

[Riitaoja2]

Mod released (see first post).

I have increased the number of playable nations to 14. The mod should be playable against the AI in random battles and the campaign generator or against a human opponent in Hotseat, PBEM or Online game modes.


P.S.

The SPWAW 1960-1979 mod comes with the original blue/green/brown unit icon graphics from the SP2/ SP3 days.

However this mod is also compatible with the old SPCAMO repainted icons that were released for SP2 and SP3 games.

The SPCAMO repaints are still available from this website:
http://alternatewars.com/Games/SP/SPanthers.htm
http://alternatewars.com/Games/SP/SPCAM ... paints.zip

If you use the SPCAMO icons with the mod you may see an issue with some of the US(green) landing barge graphics. You may avoid this issue by not replacing the following icons with the SPCAMO ones:

Icon0035.shp
Icon0036.shp

Edit:
There is now a fix for the SPCAMO icons available in this post:
fb.asp?m=4261077

[sami heimola]

Riitaoja, I want to be sure will these camo icons convert originals without any renaming etc.?

PS. Thanks about mod![:)] I will try this later...

PPS. Could you give some tip which year to use for example Israel-Arab wars (1967,1973) and Vietnam war (1965-75)? Or are those oobs just "everything goes" (whatever year player choose, from 1930 to 1949)?

PPPS. How can I change picklist (imho Russians have too much BND's as "recon" units, that's why AI buys less tanks etc.)? Are picklists hardcoded?

[Riitaoja2]

The SPCAMO icon mod is optional to use. The icons need no renaming. As noted the only possible issue is with the icon files icon0035.shp and icon0036.shp which should not be replaced.

The years should be logical, eg.
1930 = 1960
1949 = 1979

PPPS. How can I change picklist (imho Russians have too much BND's as "recon" units, that's why AI buys less tanks etc.)? Are picklists hardcoded?

All picklists are documented in the "SPWAW6079 AI Pick lists" folder that comes with the mod.

For Russian AI pick list open the text file:
\SPWAW6079 AI Pick lists\OOB81_AI.txt
This will show you what formation numbers the AI uses for buying units.

You can then edit the corresponding OOB81 with the SPWAW OOB editor and make changes to the formations as needed.

[Riitaoja2]

I see there might be a problem with the OOB81 AI picks when using the SPWAW v.8.403 mech.exe. It looks like with SPWAW v.8.20 mech.exe the AI pick lists work better.

I will need to investigate this further.

[sami heimola]

I removed "1074 BMD inf company" under "AI Rifle Co" with OOB Editor but AI seems to choose same still[8|]... I thought that BMD platoon is enough big unit but AI choose bigger unit instead (I made test battle against Russians 1949). Is it just exe thing as you said above?

[Riitaoja2]

I found a way to fix the AI purchases for OOB81 when using SPWAW v.8.403 mech.exe:

1. Cut and paste formation 1074 "BMD Inf Company" to slot 1080. This way you will not lose the formation but just change it to a slot that the AI does not use.

2. Create a new AI only formation in slot 1074 and name it to for example "*AI Mixed Co*".
In this AI only formation make edits as shown in the attached screenshot. With the "Purchase Screen" set to "05 - Unknown" this formation will be hidden from the human player and only seen by the computer AI.

Remember to save the OOB changes. With these changes made the AI should buy more sensible forces in the 1942-1949 time periods.

[sami heimola]

Thanks a lot Riitaoja[:)]. No BMD "hordes" anymore[:'(]... I noticed only 1 BMD platoon in my test battle recently.

Btw, how you got added those ATGMs and copters into SPWAW? I thought that they were not coded into game because WW2 stuff...

[Riitaoja2]

Btw, how you got added those ATGMs and copters into SPWAW? I thought that they were not coded into game because WW2 stuff...

It was very simple really. The required unit and weapon classes are still there in SPWAW. You can see them in the OOB editor. Unit class "Helicopter" and "Attack Helicopter" and weapon class "Anti-tank Missile".

SPWAW itself is based on Steel Panthers 3 code which handled both WW2 and modern battles.

[sami heimola]

Ok I didn't knew that at all (never looked at OOB Editor so "deeply" what kind of weapon classes it has)[X(]... It's bit miracle that nobody (at least imho) has done "modern era" mod into SPWAW years ago. I remember just US Civil War mod but not any post-WW2 era mod[8|]...

PS.Hmm maybe someday there is 1980-99 mod too? I would like to see it happen in future[:'(]

[Kuokkanen]

ORIGINAL: sami heimola

It's bit miracle that nobody (at least imho) has done "modern era" mod into SPWAW years ago.

Good point. Instead SP2 was used to make (Win)SPWW2. Maybe (Win)SPMBT just is just so good nobody wanted to bother with SPWAW equivalent. Until now.

[sami heimola]

Yeah, maybe WinSPMBT is better what comes to game "engine" but modern stuff with SPWAW seems to work good enough too[;)]... More choices, the better[:)].

[Riitaoja2]

Updated the mod with the following changes:
- Added 5 more OOB files.
- Added to all OOB files: Ammo Dump, HQ tent and FO Team.
- Hidden some *AI only formations that were left visible by mistake.
- Included the AI formation fix to OOB81.
- Fixed other OOB files that had problems with AI pick lists using mech.exe v.8.403.
- Removed unnecessary ww2 graphics files (Icon200-Icon339) from the mod package.

If you already have the mod installed you need to redownload only part 4 to update it.

[sami heimola]

Thanks about patch[:)]. Btw, what is right place for AI picklists (main SPWAW folder I suppose)? And I noticed that you have added South Korea but not North Korea for opponent (maybe coming later?)...

[Riitaoja2]

Btw, what is right place for AI picklists (main SPWAW folder I suppose)?

The AI pick list text files (SPWAW6079 AI Pick lists\ -folder) are only documents that contain a listing of what formations the AI buys. The game does not use them. They are only there for the user to read and study if needed. All the magic happens in the OOB files.

And I noticed that you have added South Korea but not North Korea for opponent (maybe coming later?)...

Possible but I added South Korea (ROK) mainly for Vietnam war scenarios.