BFTB (Mini-Guide): Tutorial, AAR, and tips! (more or less)

Command Ops: Battles From The Bulge takes the highly acclaimed Airborne Assault engine back to the West Front for the crucial engagements during the Ardennes Offensive. Test your command skills in the fiery crucible of Airborne Assault’s “pausable continuous time” uber-realistic game engine. It's up to you to develop the strategy, issue the orders, set the pace, and try to win the laurels of victory in the cold, shadowy Ardennes.
Command Ops: Highway to the Reich brings us to the setting of one of the most epic and controversial battles of World War II: Operation Market-Garden, covering every major engagement along Hell’s Highway, from the surprise capture of Joe’s Bridge by the Irish Guards a week before the offensive to the final battles on “The Island” south of Arnhem.

Moderators: Panther Paul, Arjuna

MarkShot
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RE: BFTB (Mini-Guide): Material TBD

Post by MarkShot »

ORIGINAL: MarkShot

Seemingly the many varied options for Order Delays at Scenario Start only apply to Scenario Start. Reinforcement delays behave exactly as they did in prior to BFTB.

Note that this can make reinforcement units SUPER-UBER-DUPER valuable for recon if you are trapped in one of those 800% Order Delay for 12 hour startup situations.

Folks,

Upon raising this matter in the Beta Forum, Dave just squashed this. There will be no big advantage for reinforcements in terms of delays. If they arrive in the initial delay window, they will be impacted by it as opposed to getting a free pass. Also, the delay for those arriving after the initial window will increase gradually over the hour following their arrival.

Now, can you image any software development company being more responsive than this? I mean what do you think would happen if I emailed MSFT and said I really don't like that Win7 handles multi-core load balancing no better than XP or Vista? :)
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James Sterrett
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RE: BFTB (Mini-Guide): Material TBD

Post by James Sterrett »

Ah -- OK, I found that capability in Print, but it doesn't seem to exist for the PDF plug-in. [:(] Or I can't find the option, at any rate. [&:]
MarkShot
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RE: BFTB (Mini-Guide): Material TBD

Post by MarkShot »

Well, I just emailed you the file. See if you can set it in print and use it with the PDF driver.
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MarkShot
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RE: BFTB (Mini-Guide): Material TBD

Post by MarkShot »

There is an option in MS Word (using Word 2000) for two pages per sheet. See FILE|PAGE SETUP. Try that.
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James Sterrett
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RE: BFTB (Mini-Guide): Material TBD

Post by James Sterrett »

That didn't work, but it got me thinking about putting it all in two columns with a small font -- victory! One page. [:)] (I'll let Mark put it up so he can check I actually did what he wanted....)
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Tzar007
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RE: BFTB (Mini-Guide): Material TBD

Post by Tzar007 »

I usually only keep 2 or 3 batteries under my direct command, and it's true that I Usually use normal or slow ROF. I keep rapid only for those very critical situations. That could explain why I don't recall having one of my arty units totally exhausted.
ORIGINAL: MarkShot

Ugo,

Did you have those units individually under your direct command and calling in your own fire missions with ROF=HIGH? I know I burned out my arty unit quite a few times. They were exhausted senseless.
MarkShot
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RE: BFTB (Mini-Guide): Material TBD

Post by MarkShot »

Folks,

We have our first really cool one page BFTB Keyboard/Mouse Reference!!! Now, if Dave would just complete the game. :)

Last time I did this, since the manual didn't have one and Matrix made a PDF Reference Card, but it had this heavy dark blue background and although pretty was not what you would call B/W printer friendly. (Sorry Marc)

Of course, I would like to upload it, but this forum does not accept PDF attachments. But I will see that it is available when BFTB goes on sale.
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GoodGuy
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RE: BFTB (Mini-Guide): Material TBD

Post by GoodGuy »

ORIGINAL: MarkShot

Of course, I would like to upload it, but this forum does not accept PDF attachments. But I will see that it is available when BFTB goes on sale.

darn BB board

I could host the file on my webspace [:D]
"Aw Nuts"
General Anthony McAuliffe
December 22nd, 1944
Bastogne

---
"I've always felt that the AA (Alied Assault engine) had the potential to be [....] big."
Tim Stone
8th of August, 2006
MarkShot
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RE: BFTB (Mini-Guide): Material TBD

Post by MarkShot »

Actually, I thought of changing it to TXT, since a JPG is more likely to be checkable for proper integrity structure especially after hackers starting implementing buffer overflows with JPGs and GIFs.

Well, rename the attached TXT to PDF and you got it. :)
Attachments
MKBFTBKe..eference.txt
(68.09 KiB) Downloaded 150 times
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GoodGuy
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RE: BFTB (Mini-Guide): Material TBD

Post by GoodGuy »

Nevermind, works, i thought the BB wouldn't let me save the txt-file.

Thanks Mark.
"Aw Nuts"
General Anthony McAuliffe
December 22nd, 1944
Bastogne

---
"I've always felt that the AA (Alied Assault engine) had the potential to be [....] big."
Tim Stone
8th of August, 2006
GoodGuy
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RE: BFTB (Mini-Guide): Material TBD

Post by GoodGuy »

Ooook.

@DAVE: Looking at the reference card reminds me of a question I had asked some time last year: I asked whether it would be possible to have 2 keys assigned to ZOOM IN and ZOOM, and you replied that it wouldn't be possible as the keyboard would be fully used already... so basically you said if I'd come up with a possible key you'd think about adding it.

I made that request because my Laptops don't have wheels I could use to zoom the maps, so i have to go through the cumbersome process of using the PLUS/MINUS buttons in the game's GUI - each time i want to zoom in/out.

I'd play HTTR/COTA on my laptop too - while traveling -, otherwise. Also, I'm currently using a pretty oldschool (but very accurate) Logitech (Wingman) 3-Button-Mouse, which doesn't have a wheel.

The BFTB ref card indicates that the keys F8 - F12 are not assigned yet, right? What about using F12 for zoom in and F11 for zoom out, for example?
"Aw Nuts"
General Anthony McAuliffe
December 22nd, 1944
Bastogne

---
"I've always felt that the AA (Alied Assault engine) had the potential to be [....] big."
Tim Stone
8th of August, 2006
MarkShot
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RE: BFTB (Mini-Guide): Material TBD

Post by MarkShot »

I think you are missing from the RDOA days that ALT-LCLICK and ALT-RCLICK handle the zoom. However, I thought everyone stopped using them, since most people have wheels.

I just tested and the work fine in BFTB. Problem solved. :)
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GoodGuy
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RE: BFTB (Mini-Guide): Material TBD

Post by GoodGuy »

Ha, interesting. I didn't have a "Wheel-less" mouse until last year, so i didn't even think about checking the manual to see if there is a key for that.

Cool, problem solved for my PC, but it's still an issue on my laptops, as I have to use the touchpad to move the mouse pointer (with the pointer finger), then I have to use the right touchpad (mouse) button to move the map, erm with my ring finger i guess, and use my left hand to press the ALT key, so you might understand that this has potential to let users end up with a tenosynovitis when using laptops + touchpads [:D].

So F11 + F12 to zoom would help here :).
"Aw Nuts"
General Anthony McAuliffe
December 22nd, 1944
Bastogne

---
"I've always felt that the AA (Alied Assault engine) had the potential to be [....] big."
Tim Stone
8th of August, 2006
MarkShot
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RE: BFTB (Mini-Guide): Material TBD

Post by MarkShot »

Oh, I am sure that you must be able to find some software to remap some keys while playing a game.

I am going to google right now.
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Arjuna
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RE: BFTB (Mini-Guide): Material TBD

Post by Arjuna »

Goodguy,

And there I was thinking of allocating those spare function keys to something else just this morning...

I'll review in a week and see what we can do. It's getting rather tight for time at the moment. Some guy named Mark keeps hassling me to finish the game, while at the same time bombarding me with things that must be done before it can be released. Some people, hey! [;)]

TT3818 - UI - Zoomer - Provide alternate keyboard shortcut for ZoomIn and ZoomOut eg F11 and F12

Dave "Arjuna" O'Connor
www.panthergames.com
MarkShot
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RE: BFTB (Mini-Guide): Material TBD

Post by MarkShot »

http://www.g-hotkey.com/

No a free download. Looks like a Swiss Army Knife for gamers.

In fact, I might just be using this if I didn't have G-15 programmable gaming keyboard.

Problem solved. :)

Dave has got to get BFTB done! (I heard on the Beta forums today that he has been losing weight. You don't want the man to waste away, do you?)
2021 - Resigned in writing as a 20+ year Matrix Beta and never looked back ...
GoodGuy
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RE: BFTB (Mini-Guide): Material TBD

Post by GoodGuy »

Mark, it's about reducing the clickology, not about remapping. A click while holding a button is less convenient than just pressing ONE button (or operating a mouse wheel... IF you have one [:D]), see? [:)]

ORIGINAL: Arjuna

And there I was thinking of allocating those spare function keys to something else just this morning...

I'll review in a week and see what we can do.

Uh, sorry.. [:)] Thanks in advance !
"Aw Nuts"
General Anthony McAuliffe
December 22nd, 1944
Bastogne

---
"I've always felt that the AA (Alied Assault engine) had the potential to be [....] big."
Tim Stone
8th of August, 2006
MarkShot
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RE: BFTB (Mini-Guide): Material TBD

Post by MarkShot »

Yes, but the difference is that this is a fix for a very special case whereas I am hammering you on behalf of everyone. You must think of the greater good.
2021 - Resigned in writing as a 20+ year Matrix Beta and never looked back ...
GoodGuy
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RE: BFTB (Mini-Guide): Material TBD

Post by GoodGuy »

ORIGINAL: MarkShot

Yes, but the difference is that this is a fix for a very special case whereas I am hammering you on behalf of everyone.

Oh, I didn't mean to be selfish there [:)]. I had laptop users (like me) in mind. [8D]
"Aw Nuts"
General Anthony McAuliffe
December 22nd, 1944
Bastogne

---
"I've always felt that the AA (Alied Assault engine) had the potential to be [....] big."
Tim Stone
8th of August, 2006
MarkShot
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Joined: Sat Mar 29, 2003 6:04 am

RE: BFTB (Mini-Guide): Material TBD

Post by MarkShot »

Yes, but this G-Hot-Key does macros. Why don't you, at least, check if it will simulate mouse events along with keystrokes? If it does, you are home free and Dave gets to work on BFTB and save those precious keys for whatever.

I just checked that this >>> FREE <<< program handles mouse events.

You not going to want me to actually program the macros for you are you, are you? I mean that would be embarrassing as I thought you were an engineer. j/k
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