mod support features

[Aetius2]

Hi Steve,

I was wondering if you can put extra mod support features in the upcoming update?
The LSA Angriff (Stalingrad) mod team wouldn't mind an increase in number of BG's (now 64) to a higher number.
Maybe this can be implemented without much effort/time being put in?

[SteveMcClaire]

Unfortunately, due to the way the strategic layer in CC4+ was designed, increasing the maximum number of battle groups requires changes in many of the asset files like ScrnGadg, GameGadg, the strategic layer, data files, etc. This would mean either significant code changes (to remove these dependencies) or significant data file changes.

About the best thing I can suggest is to use static battle groups, though I understand they're of limited use.

[Tejszd]

Static groups could help if there was an option to have them NOT be absorbed when a regular BG enters the same map.

[Aetius2]

I understand it would take some effort to implement added mod support features.
Maybe Matrix can be convinced to allocate resources for this and market these extra features as an expansion pack for LSA?
-Larger UI, so stratlayer isn't the tiny window it is now.
-Stacking BG's enables more units in roster 18 or 21.
-More BG's
-Absorbing of static Bg's selectable in campaign.txt (like Tejszd said)
... To name but a few

Some features (larger UI and 21 roster slots) already exist in Pitf/Gtc, probably wouln't take to long to implement those in LSA.

I think a lot of CC players would purchase that.

[SteveMcClaire]

Hi guys -- I will pass along the suggestions and requests.

[davidss]

Perhaps the best way forward is to have LSA bug free, before wanting more features?

If/when the next LSA Matrix update is completed, BG's will always block correctly and not pass each other during moves.
Also, the work done by Steve in recent LSA updates has helped mods significantly.

I can understand not adding new stuff, if doing so requires lots of time and resources. Especially since I don't know how the people doing the work are getting compensated for their efforts.

In my opinion LSA offers mod creators a lot of great options, and the best options set of any CC.
Thanks to Steve and Matrix.

Maybe it is possible to identify fixes and/or revised features that don't require a lot of effort?

For example: It might be possible (without a lot of work) for Static BG's to have an option to remain on map, or get merged to a friendly BG, similar to how two mobile BG's (on the same map) accomplish a merge ... using a "Merge" command.
Therefore, Static BG's wouldn't get absorbed by default, but have option to be merged with a Merge command.
Might not be easily accomplished?

But even without any new added features, I'd be content and thankful ... if LSA got its next update that fixes blocking moves correctly.
At that point, the LSA GJS mod Grand Campaign could finally be played with game features working correctly. Should be a lot more fun!
And less complaining? lol

And for clarity ... my name is David, middle and last name start with "S", therfore ... davidss.
Has nothing to do with German SS.

[Aetius2]

Indeed, we are already very gratefull for the continued support for LSA over the years, the updates made the game much better and modding easier.

Thanks for forwarding the request, most LSA players play mods these days, not all mods fit perfect in the LSA mould so if we can expand the LSA mould further it would be an ideal platform for modmakers.

[Aetius2]

Hi guys -- I will pass along the suggestions and requests.

Any news about this request?

[SteveMcClaire]

Hi Aetius2 -- no news at this point. Given that LSA was released over 10 years ago, I wouldn't expect any updates to the game beyond significant bug fixes.

[Aetius2]

That's too bad, i think cc players would have paid for the expansion with extra features.
Thanks for forwarding our request.

[Kanov]

Hi,

just posting this list of bugs that could be looked at to possibly fix them with the upcoming patch:

posted by various players:
-strat movement bug (BG's passing each other on same path instead of faster one intercepting slower one)-> (seems this is going to be fixed, reason for the announced patch)
-00:00 battle timer crash multiplayer.
-Larger UI. Remove static resolution to the various screens and make all of them behave like when you actually play the battle: displaying fully in the whole screen area.True Full screen display ie no black borders on any game screen.
-Graphical bug in the FJ ranks:
The graphic for the rank of feldwebel (SORANK11_004) and oberfeldwebel (SORANK11_005) show the same image orange background with 4 "wings" the rank of feldwebel should be orange background with 3 "wings".
-wooden fences should display the wooden rubble graphic when crushed (as stone fences do with stone rubble)
-More panzerfausts for german infantry. At least one for ALL squads. Two for the main infantry squads (stock GC).
-Ferry is still available after fighting in map with ferry crossing, it's the river crossing that becomes unavailable after a battle. A matter of switching them out it seems. (stock GC)
-Buggy strat movement between 2 stacked BG's on contested map where deployment zone is linked.
-Units on defend stay concealed even after firing. Manually issuing the fire command makes them visible. (H2H multiplayer)
-Strat movement/attack arrows sometimes disappear after setting the BG's with a move/attack order, issuing strat orders on other portions of the strat map or visualizing a map preview, then scrolling back.
-Absorbing Static BG's by mobile BG's should be optional. A workaround could be that if a mobile BG is issued the attack order into a map with a static BG, the static BG is absorbed; if the movement order is issued instead, the static BG is not absorbed.
-Victory/defeat videos do not play when the grand campaign ends.

[CSO_Talorgan]

Imagine that the game was remade from the ground up ...

[kweniston]

Yeah, at this point, we can only hope for the LSA source code to be released at some point, to have the community work on it and make a definitive version. I think that, if any gaming community deserves their game's source code, it's the CC community. Almost 30 years dog loyal.

[Kanov]

another couple suggestions if other patch is in the works:

-Survivors from teams that get disbanded due to high casualties and merged into depleted teams should get to keep their original weapons they had from their original squad. (present in the original CC2)
-Wounded (yellow health) soldiers should heal (green health) by next day. (present in the original CC2)
-Vehicle repair odds and formula the same as TLD. In LSA minor damage sends perfectly good tanks to the junkyard! not fair. Minor damage should always be repairable.


Thanks!