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Smolensk '43 released
09-17-2024, 04:22 AM,
#11
RE: Smolensk '43 released
I agree that the modal windows take some getting used to. I am fortunate enough to have two monitors, so I can put the jump map and the new Org dialog on the second monitor and leave them open. But even that has a new wrinkle: Now I have to change the scrolling option, so the map doesn't keep scrolling when I move the mouse to the second monitor. But the functionality of the new Org box alone is enough to make adapting my scrolling habits worth it.

You can't keep adding optional features forever. Doing so creates a nightmare for the coders like Parmenio where you keep the old stuff, but then have to add code to make the new stuff work if the user wants it to... Ugh! At some point you have to leave the old behind and push ahead and make the new stuff standard. I've only been playing these games for about four years, but I think WDS has done an amazing job updating them and adding new features and functionality while preserving the core engine that John Tiller created.
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09-17-2024, 04:39 AM,
#12
RE: Smolensk '43 released
(09-17-2024, 04:22 AM)LordDeadwood Wrote:  I've only been playing these games for about four years, but I think WDS has done an amazing job updating them and adding new features and functionality while preserving the core engine that John Tiller created.

I agree, they certainly have picked up the baton from JTS and done an impressive job of putting their own mark on the various game series. Good Job
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09-17-2024, 04:50 AM,
#13
RE: Smolensk '43 released
(09-17-2024, 04:39 AM)Mr Grumpy Wrote:
(09-17-2024, 04:22 AM)LordDeadwood Wrote:  I've only been playing these games for about four years, but I think WDS has done an amazing job updating them and adding new features and functionality while preserving the core engine that John Tiller created.

I agree, they certainly have picked up the baton from JTS and done an impressive job of putting their own mark on the various game series. Good Job

Please don't think I'm speaking ill of the dead as I loved John's work as much as anybody; but honestly, getting him to change anything was akin to howling at the wind.  WDS has changed more in the past couple of years than John did in 2 decades.  Do I like everything they do?  No, of course not, but I won't lose sleep about it.  Insert Teddy Roosevelt's Man in Arena Speech here.
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09-17-2024, 03:43 PM,
#14
RE: Smolensk '43 released
(09-17-2024, 04:50 AM)Steel God Wrote: Please don't think I'm speaking ill of the dead as I loved John's work as much as anybody; but honestly, getting him to change anything was akin to howling at the wind.  WDS has changed more in the past couple of years than John did in 2 decades.  Do I like everything they do?  No, of course not, but I won't lose sleep about it.  Insert Teddy Roosevelt's Man in Arena Speech here.

To be fair, John was one guy programming across a large number of separate codebases. While there are close similarities between CWB, NPB and M&P and in turn PzC and PzB, they were and are still maintained separately.

Putting that together with his commercial defence work meant any significant changes were always going to be difficult.
WDS Lead Programmer https://wargameds.com/
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09-18-2024, 04:29 AM,
#15
RE: Smolensk '43 released
(09-17-2024, 03:43 PM)parmenio Wrote:
(09-17-2024, 04:50 AM)Steel God Wrote: Please don't think I'm speaking ill of the dead as I loved John's work as much as anybody; but honestly, getting him to change anything was akin to howling at the wind.  WDS has changed more in the past couple of years than John did in 2 decades.  Do I like everything they do?  No, of course not, but I won't lose sleep about it.  Insert Teddy Roosevelt's Man in Arena Speech here.

To be fair, John was one guy programming across a large number of separate codebases. While there are close similarities between CWB, NPB and M&P and in turn PzC and PzB, they were and are still maintained separately.

Putting that together with his commercial defence work meant any significant changes were always going to be difficult.

Andy,  I'm all too familiar with why it was the way it was, but it doesn't change the facts as they are (and/or were), and that is that the product line is improving by leaps and bounds since WDS acquired the rights.  I consider it a very thin silver lining in an otherwise very dark cloud.
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09-20-2024, 08:43 AM,
#16
RE: Smolensk '43 released
To avoid the scrolling issue when placing non-model dialog boxes on a second monitor, change the the scrolling parameter under settings in the menu to screen edge from window edge.  To scroll with the mouse, move the cursor to any of the four corners of the screen.  It takes a bit of getting used to, but you can easily scroll with the default scroll buffer doing this.  Moving from the screen with the game map on it to a second screen (right or left) game the map will only scroll one hex as you quickly move through the scroll buffer zone (default setting).  Expect more if you set a larger scroll buffer.
Avoid the game map corners when moving to the second screen to access the non-model dialog box or boxes you placed there.  This works for me.

Another nice feature of the non-model dialog boxes is you when exit the game, the non-model dialog boxes will reappear on the second screen where you left them next time you open the game.  Close them before exiting the game if you want to or especially if you tend to switch from multiple screes (like a docked laptop) to just using the laptop alone.

Not sure if the game stores this in the game folder or if it is stored in the registry thus affecting all v4.05 games you will have.  In the latter case, once a set up is made for the non-model dialogs you prefer, it will just bee there for every time you open a v4.05 game.  Now that seems really efficient to me.

Dog Soldier
Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything.
- Wyatt Earp
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