Basic questions about game

[76mm]

Hi, I'm not familiar with this game system but stumbled upon this forum, and it looks kind of interesting. Could someone answer a few questions?

1) In scale, etc., this look pretty similar to the new Panzer Battles series, although I understand that this engine is much older. What are the significant differences between the two series?

2) What is the largest map (in hexes) that can be created in the map editor?

3) I see that it is possible to play in unencrypted mode, but only in non-multiplayer mode. Is this only possible against the AI, or also in hot-seat mode (ie, playing hot-seat against myself).

4) Is it possible to revise save-game files only in unencrypted mode, or also in encrypted mode (I would mainly be looking to use this game as a op-layer for a tactical game).

[Jason Petho]

ORIGINAL: 76mm

Hi, I'm not familiar with this game system but stumbled upon this forum, and it looks kind of interesting. Could someone answer a few questions?

1) In scale, etc., this look pretty similar to the new Panzer Battles series, although I understand that this engine is much older. What are the significant differences between the two series?

This was JT's first crack at the scale, although the Campaign Series has been much improved since the initial 1997 release from Talonsoft.

The biggest difference is that you get all fronts with hundreds of scenarios already included in the game where Panzer Battles seems to focus only on Kursk.

Map scale is the same.

Time scale is a bit different.

Units are platoons.

ORIGINAL: 76mm
2) What is the largest map (in hexes) that can be created in the map editor?

At the moment, with the latest UPDATE, I don't believe there is a limit - if there is, it is the limitations of the users graphics card.

ORIGINAL: 76mm
3) I see that it is possible to play in unencrypted mode, but only in non-multiplayer mode. Is this only possible against the AI, or also in hot-seat mode (ie, playing hot-seat against myself).

It is only available against the AI.

Mind you, if you send me the files you need encrypted, I can encrypt them for you. Both players will need to use them though!

ORIGINAL: 76mm
4) Is it possible to revise save-game files only in unencrypted mode, or also in encrypted mode (I would mainly be looking to use this game as a op-layer for a tactical game).

At the moment, the save game files are free for all, meaning, they are unencrypted, so you can edit them at your leisure. This will be looked into in a future UPDATE.

Jason Petho

[76mm]

Thanks for the quick response. Panzer Battle's focus on Kursk is a turn-off for me, so I might pick this one up.

Also, it looks like there is extensive effort being put into updating this old game, which is heartening--out of curiousity, is that simply because of a fanatical developer bent on updating the game ([:)]), or for some reason is this game's code easier to update than some others (eg, Steel Panthers, etc.)?

[Crossroads]

ORIGINAL: 76mm

Thanks for the quick response. Panzer Battle's focus on Kursk is a turn-off for me, so I might pick this one up.

Also, it looks like there is extensive effort being put into updating this old game, which is heartening--out of curiousity, is that simply because of a fanatical developer bent on updating the game ([:)]), or for some reason is this game's code easier to update than some others (eg, Steel Panthers, etc.)?

Hello 76mm, to answer your questions in two parts, well first: there's a dedicated team effort in place in releasing new game titles to series under Project Modern Wars, first one being the title covering Middle East Conflicts from 1948 onwards. To do that, a significant effort was needed to put together a combined code base, that would include the three Campaign Series games, and all the new titles coming out.

In addition to that, there was some serious catching up to do, new operating systems, larger monitors, you name them. All this is covered well under the various Diaries out here, there's an index of them available HERE. So rather than wait until first new game title is out, the catching-up part was released as a FREE UPDATE on Campaign Series. You are welcome [:)]

Then, whether there's one or more fanatical developers behind the effort, I'll leave that to you all to decide. Some of us are quite mad I confess to that, but not sure about fanatical [:D]

[Warhorse]

Alright, I'll be first to admit, someone has to, I AM one of the fanatics!!![:D][X(] Had this game for 15 years I guess, and can't get enough, a real joy, and modding it is a blast, the reason I got into developing it as well, hope you decide to grab it, enjoy!!

[berto]

ORIGINAL: Crossroads

ORIGINAL: 76mm

...

Also, it looks like there is extensive effort being put into updating this old game, which is heartening--out of curiousity, is that simply because of a fanatical developer bent on updating the game ([:)]), or for some reason is this game's code easier to update than some others (eg, Steel Panthers, etc.)?

...

Then, whether there's one or more fanatical developers behind the effort, I'll leave that to you all to decide. Some of us are quite mad I confess to that, but not sure about fanatical [:D]

Easier to update? Couldn't say vis-a-vis SP etc. Easy to update? Hardly! Fortunately I have considerable Unix/Linux tools, talent, and experience to draw upon for analyzing and rewriting the code. In my Campaign Series development effort, I spend as much time if not more so in Linux, else Cygwin, as I do in Windows. I actually prefer using Emacs (supplemented by vi, grep, awk, sed, Perl, etc.) to using the Microsoft Visual Studio IDE. (I use the latter for compiling and debugging, though.) I could not have done any of this without Linux!

Madly fanatical? Sure! Fanatically mad? Some would say so. [8|]

[berto]

ORIGINAL: berto

I could not have done any of this without Linux!

This bears repeating, and emphasizing:

We could not have done any of this without working as a team.

For the life of me, I couldn't develop OOBs, maps, graphics, and scenarios. But we have Dev Team members who specialize in each.

The Campaign Series is much more than code, way more.

Did Jason say "hundreds of scenarios"? Using Cygwin, we can determine exactly how many:

---

Robert@roberto ~
$ cd /cygdrive/f/Games/Matrix\ Games

Robert@roberto /cygdrive/f/Games/Matrix Games
$ ls
John Tiller's Campaign Series 1.00 SUPPORT
John Tiller's Campaign Series 1.04 SUPPORT
John Tiller's Campaign Series 2.00 SUPPORT
John Tiller's Campaign Series 2.01 SUPPORT
John Tiller's Campaign Series 2.02 SUPPORT
John Tiller's Campaign Series 2.10 DEVELOPMENT
John Tiller's Campaign Series 2.10 DEVELOPMENT BACKUP
Korean War
Middle East
Middle East PRE 20140919 BACKUP
Vietnam

Robert@roberto /cygdrive/f/Games/Matrix Games
$ find "John Tiller's Campaign Series 2.02 SUPPORT" -name \*.scl -o -name \*.scn | wc -l
1241

---

In JTCS alone, 1241 scenarios! (All kinds, including those in LCGs, Linked Campaign Games.)

Code without data is useless. Arguably the more important half of CS is the vast amounts of OOB, map, scenario and other data accrued over the past 17 years. Considering also the full range of editors and development tools, can any other game compare?

(Berto runs and ducks for cover... )

[Big Ivan]

Fanatics you bet!

Cheers to all the fanatics and development team members who made CS what it is today, hats off![&o]

Ever since 1998 I've loved this game called Campaign Series. Open it ever day and play at least a turn or two against the A/I or someone!

Its in my blood.[:)]

Big Ivan

[Crossroads]

It is official now. We're all mad here.

[Crossroads]

And wouldn't have it any other way, mind you!

[Jason Petho]

Yes, this certainly wouldn't be happening without the dedication from the development team.

It's a pleasure knowing we are all mad.

Mad with determination to keep the series alive by expanding and improving!

Jason Petho

[MrRoadrunner]

Mad?
Madness?

This is Sparta! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qR0Uke2XNI

[;)]

RR

[76mm]

Well, I certainly appreciate the dedication of the dev team and the fans. Frankly, the last thing I need right now is another game I don't have time to play, but I'm going to take another look at this one as soon as I have a moment, and will probably pick it up.

Is the manual available for download anywhere? I generally prefer to peruse the rules before I buy a game these days...

[Jason Petho]

You can find the manual, up to the 2.01 UPDATE, here:

MANUAL

Jason Petho

[76mm]

Awesome, thanks much, I will take a look.

[Jason Petho]

You're welcome!

Let me know if you have any questions.

Jason Petho

[76mm]

I went ahead and bought the game but am off to a rough start; out of the box the game changed my Win7 theme (first time that's happened!) and the updater can't download the latest patch...trying to download the patch from the website now...I'm sure more questions will follow.

[Jason Petho]

That is corrected in the 2.02 UPDATE.

Unzip the file before trying to run it and make sure it is installing in the correct location.

Jason Petho

[76mm]

The file would not download via the updater--or I should say that it would seem to download but then announce an error at the very end and not install--but downloading from the website and installing from there worked fine.

First up will be looking at what graphics mods are available, will look at the forum, might have questions about that.

I read the manual, seems to "feel" pretty similar to Panzer Campaigns, which I know pretty well, so hopefully I'll understand things pretty quickly.

[James Ward]

It's a lot like PzC in some ways but it also has some big differences. A lot of the menus and buttons will look familiar.

It's old but a good series though. You can't beat the number of scenarios plus the different campaigns AND you get three complete games so you can pretty much explore any sort of battle from WWII that you want.