aka_tom_w

I think this is the heart of the Borg Spotting issue Jason C says: "Tank cower is broken. Fix it please. As a general rule, the Tac AI should ignore the player's orders to substitute its own, on the fly orders only if the SOP it then follows is right at least 9 times out of 10. The present tank reversing behavior is instead wrong 9 times out of 10. Incidentally, infantry going to "sneak" toward the "nearest" cover when shot in open ground is another example of a broken Tac AI SOP. It is OK if the nearest cover is within 20m, perhaps. (Advance might work with cover within 50m). Otherwise hitting the deck completely is a far better SOP." At some point there must be some agreement that the game (IMHO) will need to take EVEN MORE control away from the player in some instances to make Relative Spotting work even better. Other folks here have suggested that EVERY unit out of C&C should come under the control of the AI. (i.e. no control by the player) Well we have seen that in Jason's example PERFECTLY fit Tanks that are VETERAN status and have GOOD C&C (in good morale) do things out of the player's control and he does not like that. ( at least I think that is what he means is his post) I am not so sure there is a real problem there, but I started this thread because the REAL issue is WHEN "should" the player LOOSE control of the unit. The way I see it the loss of control of any unit is and should be some form of appropriate consquence or AI punitive action for some dumb behaviour or negative result the player caused or let happen (or was simply the victim of) If your tank crew is forced to bail out of the tank I think the TAC AI should take over that tank crew, they should be unable to SPOT ANYTHING and should do what they need to stay safe, (that means retreat if they can or just sneak to good cover and hide) but the player should have no control over them. There seems to be agreement that when units Break panic or route it is completely OK for the game to take away control. NOW in CMBB if tanks break, route or panic the game also takes away control. I think is a good thing and so far it seems to work pretty well. The tank cower behaviour however is an interesting issue. I have never seen it or been inconvienced by it so it is hard for me to comment on or judge Jason C's observations. :confused: I would suspect that the way the game IS in this regard is the WAY Charles intends it to be ( I am guessing) so I would not call it a bug and if it is in fact, really broken, then Charles and Steve will have to want to "fix" it. My guess is they don't want to fix this tank "cowar" behaviour. (just my personal opinion only) -tom w [ May 10, 2003, 12:13 PM: Message edited by: aka_tom_w ]

Jason C are you playing in the latest v1.03c? (just curious) Are you playing aScenario? You can provide the name of it so I can play the Russians vs the Computer AI? I would like to play test your example in the game against the AI if possible? -tom w [ May 10, 2003, 12:33 PM: Message edited by: aka_tom_w ]

yes Mike I really did figure out how to do this and I have done two times. Mostly it is just a sort of side show amusment trick we do when the guys get together for good old fashioned board games. We play Supremacy, Ultimatum, or Risk or something and inbetween turns we go and watch the laptops to see who is winning , the battle goes on and on without any intervention and the computers are left completely unattended. it is quite entertaining actually he he -tom w [ May 08, 2003, 09:25 PM: Message edited by: aka_tom_w ]

ok Hold on here the AI "sort of" plays its self not really though Arty spotters? never tried them? the example I posted is for a meeting engagement (only) where one human PLAYER (you) gives BOTH sides the same orders. (Basically just order EVERY unit to advance, move or hunt forward, nothing fancy here just have Every unit move straight ahead to the other side of the map. Do this for both sides on the first turn) its not really AI vs AI its just the TCP/IP timer kicking in every minute and letting the game and the TAC AI try to figure out how to execute the same orders (hunt or advance to the other side of the map) without any player intervention with a new turn taking place every minute. Just let the game run and see what happens This is not rocket science and it is not AI vs AI because both side's units are only following orders the Human Player (you) gave them in the first orders phase. VL's or flags are completely irrelevant because all the units try to do is follow their orders to move to the other side of the map. Its no big deal really. :cool: -tom w [ May 08, 2003, 09:18 PM: Message edited by: aka_tom_w ]

which iMac do you own? is it dual boot? -tom w

are you serious? its hard to tell with that question I had my old CMBO folder set up for my mac laptop LCD screen JUST the way I liked it I think all of that terrain is Gunslinger's from his very first Combat Mission Make over he did one for CMBB as well but I don't think he is active in the community anymore. I have his CMBB make over as well when he does it it edits EVERY .bmp file in the entire game I think I like his "look" and feel of the terrain ok? -tom w

something like this? there was a special situation in CMBO where you could do this only thru a building on the crest of a hill there is a WHOLE thread about this somewhere in the CMBO forum Steve commented in that thread if you are keen search LOS and use my member number 1515 but it would seem there are special conditions where by some unit can get LOST straight thru buildings there are more pics and the CMBO scenario file in at this web folder/directory: http://142.55.231.199/aka_tom/LOS/ hope that helps -tom w [ May 07, 2003, 08:46 PM: Message edited by: aka_tom_w ]

AND then try this IF you have two computers and you can play head to head (I have done this) set them both up for TCP/IP play set the timer to 1 minute be the commander of both sides give all units a Hunt or Advance order to the other side of the map from ther default start positions (assuming a meeting engagement) just group box them ALL and give them all a hunt order straight ahead do this for all units and both sides of the map (you are both commmanders in a meeting engagement) then it GO both sides Hit Go the TCP/IP one minute timer will kick in and the two sides will "virtually" play them selves its FUN to watch but you need two computers set up head to head for TCP/IP play Timer set to 1 minute! viola computer plays its self -tom w

Oh yes! I second that the CMBO demo scenarios in CMBB are a real eye opener and FUN too! there are a few GOOD variations out there! hunt them down and play them if you are good at CMBO and New to CMBB. and yes 2 man turret radioless Russian tanks SUCK and, the 88 mm main weapon is now the LONG RANGE laser beam Death Ray it should have been in CMBO. all good points -tom w [ May 07, 2003, 07:12 PM: Message edited by: aka_tom_w ]

I am wondering if this might address some issues on the 866 Tibooks that boot into OS 9 but still have the unusable psychadelic graphics, the game of course runs fine in OS9 (dual boot G4) it just looks like crap and is unplayable. :confused: -tom w [ May 07, 2003, 02:45 PM: Message edited by: aka_tom_w ]

good thread everyone new to cmbb would be wise to read it -tom w

ok thanks for the 10.2.6 notification who will be the first to try CMBB in OSX in classic in 10.2.6? there new video drivers and it might help the folks with the 866 TiBooks and the psychadelic display problem when booting into OS 9? thanks -tom w

ME TOO!! woo WHO! Got mine today on the outskirts of Toronto. many thanks for the prompt delivery -tom w

wow congradulations I hope all is WELL and everyone is healthy the gift of life is truly a miracle! -tom w (the lack of sleep won't actually kill you although at times it might seem that way )

PERFECT! My feelings exactly except I have not got my new copy yet so I have not read the 2nd edition cover to cover but I will read it when I get it. Mostly I must say.... Thanks for the FREE SHIPPING and FREE 2nd Edition copy.!!! -tom w

yes logitech makes cheap scroll wheel mice and I would guess most MAc users are finding them WAY more easy and efficient then the standard crappy one button mouse. -tom w

Mountains and cliffs would be cool. there should be a terrain tile for "Cliff Face" (largely exposed rock, or striated sand) and a terrain tile for Rocky mountian terrain as well as BEACH tiles of course. and yes some aphibious landing craft really ought to be provided I would hope. Given what they did to the same engine for CMBB from CMBO the leap to CMAK with all these cool new features does not seem impossible. Here's hopeing -tom w [ May 05, 2003, 08:02 AM: Message edited by: aka_tom_w ]

mostly none BUT the educational market for kids games and software like Kids pics is still mostly stuck in OS 9 and some are RAVE. NOT Bugdom and the other BIG games but smaller largely unknown kids educations software and some older kids games are OS 9 only and some are RAVE only. I don't have any specific examples off the top of my head. From the replies I have in my e-mail in box from the the guys on the Mac Gamer developers mailing list it would seem we ought not to expect ANYTHING from Apple because they really couldn't care less about this issue. -tom w

I agree I hope BTS has a hard copy of that old board game. I still have mine and the manual and additional information was very rich and interesting to read. That game was easy to learn even for kids new to wargaming because each scenario was a form or tutorial starting with dead simple rules and prinicples and getting more challeging and complex with each new scenario. My box has a copyright of 1975 on it. there were nine scenarios some with infantry only, some with armour only and some with both and arty too. IIRC there was not CAS or aircraft of any kind in the game. the scale of the map was one 75 m for one 6 sided 6 time scale: each turn of combat was 30 secs that is interesting because it lists the 37mm Stuart with a rate of fire as 6 rounds in 30 SECS once the target has been aquired :eek: WOW the 88mm german Flak 36 gun with a crew of 11 men had a rate of fire of 15 rounds per minute its says here! in the manual they claim they used (in 1975) a computer program called IMPACT to determine armour penetration results and then make them into the tables you see in the game. BUT they don't talk about what IMPACT is at all Maybe BTS can get a copy off e-bay (or not) it could be handy :confused: the bibliography in the manual is quite extensive. -tom w [ May 04, 2003, 10:07 PM: Message edited by: aka_tom_w ]

ergot = LSD where can I get some of that bread St Anthony's Fire Correct? It boggles my mind that an organic molecule as intricate and complicated as LSD (with all its mind expanding effects) can form on moldy wheat bread? then some people eat it and then get high? HOW crazy is THAT? I think that folks that ingested hallucinogens like Peyeote Magic Mushrooms and Ergot from wheat mold ACTUALLY invented GOD and spirituality and all the out of body stuff LONG LONG ago.... -tom w

bump they still missed the star and lightening bolt error in the leader ship icon ratings and I thought it had been mentioned in this thread :confused: :confused: -tom w

Hi I am running v1.03 and would be happy to test the scenario when I get time my e-mail is in my profile thanks -tom w

are you sure those grid lines actually represent one 20x 20 m tile? I am not sure because in this grass mod seems to have the house at the cross hatch of a grid should the grid line not be AROUND that house? the .bmp file for that gras does not have grid lines around the outside it has them through the middle of it too. :confused: -tom w [ May 03, 2003, 06:42 PM: Message edited by: aka_tom_w ]

how many meters per square? can the grid be used to judge distance ? -tom w

I agree GREAT idea this actually makes sense to me "Usually leaders (NCO's or Officers) may have had the training on doing a route recon and determing whether a ford was actually fordable (soil density/pressure etc)-or you could just run a vehicle or person(s) into it to see what happens?" I would guess not just any grunt/soldier can be a recon route finder and determine if low water or a shakey bridge is crossable. great idea! -tom w