HCDA - the HCE 'Americas' Database - released

[CV32]

In anticipation of the soon to be released BattleSet Builder, in which HCE players will now be able to play scenarios across the entire globe, I've put together a new database that focuses on the 'Americas' - North, South and Central.

The Harpoon Commander's Edition Database - Americas (HCDA) contains a wealth of new aircraft, ships, submarines and installations for the theater, as well as retaining and/or adapting many platforms from the official database of the Harpoon Commander's Edition simulation, the HCDB. This allows the fullest range of scenarios to be created with the BattleSet Builder tool, from Soviet/Cuban interventions in Central America and the Caribbean basin, to the 1982 Falklands conflict between Great Britain and Argentina, to an action by the People's Republic of China to protect its 'investment' in the Panama Canal, to a Second Civil War between the States.

As always, a database is forever a 'work in progress' and the HCDA will continue to be improved, updated and expanded as time goes on. I would be happy to receive your requests for new additions to the HCDA (especially if you're writing scenarios for the rest of us to enjoy!) in the same manner as I have for the HCDB. And, as before, the HCDA will retain the same general database philosophy as the HCDB.

The initial release version of the HCDA is now available from the Downloads section of this website.

Stay tuned. There's more good news in store for HCE players, particularly if you're big on the Second World War.

[Terminus]

Not quite certain how this works, but am I correct in believing that HCDA and HCDB can't coexist with each other? How do I use this thing?

[CV32]

ORIGINAL: Terminus
Not quite certain how this works, but am I correct in believing that HCDA and HCDB can't coexist with each other? How do I use this thing?

Correct. They are entirely separate databases. The HCDB is the official HCE database, the one that comes with the game and will run all the boxed scenarios. The HCDA, on the other hand, is a custom database for creating new user scenarios in concert with the Battleset Builder. It will not run the boxed scenarios.

[Terminus]

So I can't use HCDA until the Battleset Builder comes out?

[CV32]

ORIGINAL: Terminus
So I can't use HCDA until the Battleset Builder comes out?

The Battleset Builder was released with the 2008.024 patch.

[Terminus]

D'OH! Sorry, much WitP on the brain...[:D][:D]

[rhohltjr]

Does HCE include F22 and F35? Have the databases been tweeked so that they represent
(in some scenarios/cases) where carrier air groups have retired the F14s? What about aircraft of other nations? Japan, N/S Korea?

Thanks in advance.

rhohltjr

Get back to work on AE Terminus![8D]

[CV32]

ORIGINAL: rhohltjr
Does HCE include F22 and F35? ... What about aircraft of other nations? Japan, N/S Korea?

Yes, the stock database (the HCDB) contains the F-22, F-35 (several variants of each), as well as aircraft from air forces from Japan and North Korea, and many others. The custom database HCDA focuses on the Americas.

Have the databases been tweeked so that they represent (in some scenarios/cases) where carrier air groups have retired the F14s?

You build your own carrier air group when creating a HCE scenario, so there are several variants of the F-14, F-18, etc, so that you or the scenario author can do that.

[PaulWRoberts]

ORIGINAL: CV32

ORIGINAL: Terminus
Not quite certain how this works, but am I correct in believing that HCDA and HCDB can't coexist with each other? How do I use this thing?

Correct. They are entirely separate databases. The HCDB is the official HCE database, the one that comes with the game and will run all the boxed scenarios. The HCDA, on the other hand, is a custom database for creating new user scenarios in concert with the Battleset Builder. It will not run the boxed scenarios.

Can two DBs coexist in the same HCE installation, or does the HCDA need a new installation?

[CV32]

ORIGINAL: Paul Roberts
Can two DBs coexist in the same HCE installation, or does the HCDA need a new installation?

You don't need a new installation, but you can only run one database at a time. Fortunately, switching between them is easy. For my databases (the stock HCDB, the HCDA, and the HCWW), just swap the commondb.res file that comes in each DB's zip file. Keep in mind that the boxed scenarios will only run with the HCDB.