The only thing I think it needs...

[marecone]

That's fair enough. Thank you for you reply and good luck with Napoleon game.

Godspeed

[Pocus]

Added and edited my message, reread the supplementary explainations Marko.

[marecone]

Don't get excited Pocus. I was just posting my wishes and asking if it could be done. Nothing more and nothing less. I am 29 yo adult working 2 jobs and preparing to open my own farm so I am aware of this capitalistic world .
In any case, I am sorry that I buged you too much. I just fail to see why your response had to be so harsh and degradory towards me.

[Pocus]

This was not my intent Marecone, and if my sentences are worded in a manner that appears harsh, then you have my apologizes. I added some explainations so that everybody really understand what we can do or can't, but the aim was not to jump on anybody, just stating the facts.

Non native english wording + writing don't conveyed the true intent of my words it seems, sorry about that.

[Clovis]

both. AACW got most of our attention during 6 months. Now the things which will be done for the game will be:
a) fixing bugs
b) improving gameplay and AI logic if compatible with the next game
c) adding data, scenarios and events, if done by modders.
d) adding new features, if they are developed for another game and are relevant to the ACW.

Your query belongs to point (d). It can be done, but if there is a time-budget in another game planed for it. It won't be done if we don't have time in another game to do it.

What won't be done is adding new stuff which will only serve a game themed on the ACW, or is not planed for another game. We are hitting here the hard reality of our world: the company has to pay a bill every month and we have no other job and source of income than the company. So developing new stuffs exclusively for AACW now equals = a dead studio in a few month. I think that all the people here are mature enough to understand how our capitalistic world functions.

Now if you mount a kind of P500 operation that can subsidies an AACW add-on, then no problem, we would be happy to refine even further the game.

edited post to appears less harsh, as this is not the intent.

Just to add I really believe too improvment of combat results screen is now becoming necessary as it seems to be one of the few critics this game engine gets in review.

But I'm pretty sure it will be adressed in the game iterations in 2008

[Franciscus]

If I may be so bold, let me also enter this discussion.
In my view, Marecone's statements are a reflex of the involvement that Ageod's aficionados get with these games. We really love them and only wish to help in geting them better.
Why not think in the future of a AACW 2.0, with interface improvements, a refined AI and more scenarios ?. You are considering a BoA 2.0, and a second Napelonic game in your plans, but I believe an AACW 2.0 will get even more success. It could be a reality 2 or 3 years from now, and I, for one would be first in line to buy it.

Wish you all the success, Pocus

[Gray_Lensman]

deleted

[Guru80]

For now, what we need is an enterprising soul with enough programming experience to parse the save games files for information and present it in a similar manner to what has been suggested in this thread. A lot of this type of work was done for "War In The Pacific" and I am sure there are more than a few old "War In the Pacific" gamers here.

At least the saved game and orders files are all in text format (not withstanding their extensions), so they can be read with Notepad or any other suitable text editor. All that remains it to sort out the information and then present it in a small add-on external program. AACW is reasonably easy to "Window" in and out of depending on memory capacity.

I would think that we could at least get some information from Pocus on how the various savegame files are organized.

Regards

I will look into it...never even occurred to me. Any info from those in the know would be great though!

[Pocus]

Just ask me specific questions
The file is organized hierarchically. Gamesim is the 'world', inside it there are factions. Each factions own 'groups' = stacks. Groups own units. Units own sub-units = elements.

[marecone]

First of all, Pocus, please take my apologies. Since english is second language for both of us that was probably a reason for that misunderstanding.

I am glad that we can at least do something so Lensman, tell me what I need to do to help out. I don't know anything about programing but will try to devote at least an hour per day if you need me to help.

[Gray_Lensman]

deleted

[Franciscus]

No programing skills whatsoever (and little if any spare time) leure:
But maybe one way of looking into this is by checking the add-ons for WiTP that Gray_Lensman is talking about. Could you point us to them ?
(Sorry, not familiar at all with WitP)

[Guru80]

Well it looks like I am one of the few (only?) poster with the programming experience to do this. I think I see something I can do but give me a little bit. I am working on my second scenario (still haven't posted the first...) plus having my three children running wild if i sit down at the computer so my time for working on anything is usually limited to the evening after they go to bed, or at least settle down.

It actually shouldn't be that hard to make a small program that can load the file and parse out the data that is needed and display it in an organized manner.

[willgamer]

both. AACW got most of our attention during 6 months. Now the things which will be done for the game will be:
a) fixing bugs
b) improving gameplay and AI logic if compatible with the next game
c) adding data, scenarios and events, if done by modders.
d) adding new features, if they are developed for another game and are relevant to the ACW.

Your query belongs to point (d). It can be done, but if there is a time-budget in another game planed for it. It won't be done if we don't have time in another game to do it.

What won't be done is adding new stuff which will only serve a game themed on the ACW, or is not planed for another game. We are hitting here the hard reality of our world: the company has to pay a bill every month and we have no other job and source of income than the company. So developing new stuffs exclusively for AACW now equals = a dead studio in a few month. I think that all the people here are mature enough to understand how our capitalistic world functions.

Now if you mount a kind of P500 operation that can subsidies an AACW add-on, then no problem, we would be happy to refine even further the game.

edited post to appears less harsh, as this is not the intent.

O'K I'll play...

I buy many (doubtless far too many) games. Only after extended play, including finishing the main campaign, do I discover if I really like the game enough to replay over and over. Only a handful of games reach this level; e.g. for me, Civ, Gal Civ, Master of Orion, Imperialism.

All of the above games have multiple editions. Especially Civ. I've spent hundreds of $$$ on it.

Therefore, as I am likely to finish my current campaign, it's also likely ACW will join that list and I will GLADLY pay to have significant UI and AI improvements in future editions.

Of course, I'd love to have the free upgrade mods too, ala WitP, just saying...

[Rafiki]

Well it looks like I am one of the few (only?) poster with the programming experience to do this.

For the record, there are others here with programming experience. In my case it's the question of time to do it that is the limiting component

[Gray_Lensman]

For the record, there are others here with programming experience. In my case it's the question of time to do it that is the limiting component

For me, it's been over 7 years since I last dabbled in it... Delphi's Pascal was my favorite. Eventually, after retirement, I'll be upgrading to the current version and have more time to devote to it. Depending on circumstances, retirement is 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 years away...

[marecone]

Great ! So there is hope to make OOB, battle reports and perhaps some sort of game biography for generals. Since I don't know a thing about programming I am offering my help to any of you in what ever you need to make those ideas come true.

[Guru80]

Well good news, it looks very simple to parse the file. I just need to match what each of the values mean so I can store and display them properly. Should be fairly simple, just cross reference each value with the XLS files. I will then be able to display it in a format everyone wants.

My thinking right now is that you will have to load the file into a seperate program, it will seperate it into its componants and display what you want displayed. All the info is in the file so I should be able to include various options as to what you want displayed.

Give me a little while since I have multiple things going on at once here.

[Gray_Lensman]

I assume by "file" that you are referring to one of the savegame files? This seems like the most logical place to go for in-game data mining for current OOB info. When you get it sorted out, and have the time, it might be nice to maybe post a section on the "wiki" about the organization of the "file" you are working with. Might save some work/time for others of similar talents.

Regards

[Guru80]

Yes I was referring to the save game file. I will definitely make sure I post all the information on the wiki as I go along.

[marecone]

What great news !!! Fantastic