Need help with Off Map Artillery problem

[Dan Caviness]

Hello Gents:

Any of you designers out there tried to place a battleship off shore as support artillery?


I'm trying to place some ships off map for my new Rising Sun scenario "Red Sun Over San Francisco".

What I'd like to do, but apparently am incapable of, is reduce the Battleships strength, and then place it off map.  The OOB supplies you with 12 strength units for Battleships, and I'd like to make that 1 or 2.

I tried (in Scenario Editor) to place the ship on map, reduce it, return it to the OOB, and then assign it as offshore artillery but the ship comes back at full strength.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.


Regards,

Old Man Dan

[Big Ivan]

Hey Dan, good to see you back radar man!

I believe there is a way of doing it but I have to remember and experiment a bit on one of my RS random scenarios before I send you down the primrose path.

It involves opening the scenario file with "Notepad" and then finding what hex coordinate your unit is in. Then after you do that you will see a string of numbers after that coordinate. One of those numbers is the unit strength which you can modify either up or down but never zero or a negative (-) number.

In your case since its off-board artillery, one or perhaps both coordinates of that unit will be a negative (-) number. That makes it easy to find in a very large scenario.

Let me experiment a bit and I'll get back with you by tomorrow.

Rock on old man!!

Big Ivan

[Dan Caviness]

ONE PING ONLY MR VASILLY!

Lol...the hunt for Red October may not have been entirely accurate in depicting life onboard submarines...but I liked it anyways...

RADAR....SONAR...hey...it's only frequency right?
From a carrier to a submarine...you can say my entire Navy career went steadily downhill...

And thank you Mr. Big Ivan...my fellow old man...;)
If it's too much, don't sweat it, I can probably substitute smaller ships for the off map battlewagons, and fake it out that way. You are aware of my limited digital skills...;)

[Big Ivan]

Hi Dan,

This old man figured it out! 

It works. In my test scenario I placed 2 US Battleships (Strength of 12 each) as Off Board Artillery. The hexes I chose were (59,85) and (65,85) both to the bottom of my map beyond the map edge which is at (xx,81).

Then I saved and opened the scenario file using Notepad. Resulting codes lines below.

 6 59 85 10830 10420 1 1 12 100 7 0 0 3 3 3

6 65 85 10830 10421 1 1 12 100 7 0 0 3 3 3

The "red" numbers are the coordinates of the unit and the "blue" numbers are the unit strengths. 

For your info the 10830 is the unique unit number per the unit viewer. There is just not a "P" in front of it. If you open up the unit viewer and click on US Battleship you will see that same number.

In my post above you can change the blue number to be whatever you want as long as its greater than zero. Remember to keep the spacing between the numbers. Because is you don't the program won't like it and most likely will flip you off and crash.

If you have trouble I can always do it for you if you send me the file.

Good Luck Dan! I can't wait to see your finished product with this scenario.
Cheers!
Big Ivan

[Dan Caviness]

You are "da man" Mr. Ivan...I'm testing right now...so I'll let you know if I have problems.

The scenario should be wonderfully chaotic.  
The Bay Area is an area that is full of options, choices, and penalties for early withdrawal...

Wait...that's what SHE said...

[Dan Caviness]

Hello Mr. Big Ivan:

Once again I must prevail upon your skills.
I'm sacrificing a digital goat...and throwing salty semiconductors to the 4 corners of the globe...

Your zen-like mastery of all things CS, coupled with that very excellent brain of yours may be able to help.
Or at least I hope so.

I'm Hot Seat testing the Rising Sun hypothetical.
I get to a hex that has two units in it. Both are somewhat odd, or better said rare.
Warlord units, I have a quantity of them under the South Player Commander.
When I try to move either (they just hit the beach and disembarked) I get a fatal error as follows:

2020-08-24 10:44 rs.exe [ERROR ID 4](BitmapDD.cpp, line 64, XCBitmapDD::Bitmap Surface()) Failure to create bitmap surface: C:\Matrix Games\John Tiller’s Campaign Series\Rising Sun\running3d38/bmp

Not sure what is up...but if you're up for it John I can send you the files.

I can always delete them and substitute different units to cover...so if worse comes to worse that will be the solution.

Regards,

Old Radar Man Dan

[Big Ivan]

Hello Dan the Sonar and Radar Man,  (Ping....Ping....Ping; target bearing 3-5-2, 8500 yards!)

Sounds like a graphics error. Usually when it's a failure to create bitmap surface it is a graphics problem with one of the bmp files or the file is missing or got corrupted.

Check and see in your Rising Sun folder if you have the bmp file "running3d38.bmp"? You can sort that huge Rising Sun game file to just show bmp's so it's easier to find.

If its missing I can send you my copy.

BTW what are the exact names of the units involved? Something under Warlords. If I know that I can create a small test scenario and see if I have the same issue.

Regards,

Big Ivan (retired metallurgical maniac)

[Dan Caviness]

Hello Mr. Metallurgist:

John...we need to compare notes someday...I was involved in the ultrasonic/eddy current/x ray/neutrography testing of alloys for GE Nuclear. Primarily zirconium alloys, but also various stainless steels and inconels.

But back on point here...after further testing it does appear to be those units that are the issue.
I successfully moved other Japanese units, and Allied units, during a test Hot Seater, between the two hexes.

The two units are the Warlords "dare to die" squad, and a Warlords SMG platoon.
Both appear to cause the issue. They unload from a boat OK, but when I attempt to move them, whammo!

I checked my RS folder, and as you suspected, I do not have "running3d38".

I don't appear to have your personal email John, I'll use your Blitz email if you'd like to view my game files.
You probably won't need them, but if you do let me know.

You are once again...DA MAN John...
I seem to have a penchant for breaking the CS editors, it's a gift, and one I'd like to re-gift away...

Regards,

Rising Sun Dan

[Dan Caviness]

I also verified in Map Editor that there is nothing "weird" with the map file.
To the best of my knowledge.

[Big Ivan]

Hi Dan,

Small world! We worked on the same product but in different aspects and we never met until the blitz came along!!

When I worked at Crucible Materials we supplied stainless steel to GE Nuclear. Lot of high end metallurgy and quality assurance went into that product because it had to be right the first time!

I sent you a message via email in response to your query regarding the missing files. I had the one you were looking for but also found another one with the Chinese Warlords that was missing involving icons.

You should be good to go at this point.

Finding bugs is all about making the game better for everyone's enjoyment!

If you have anymore problems yell!

Big Ivan(retired metallurgical maniac)