PDE vs WaW for Modding

[Mithel]

Can someone provide a simple description of what the game changes (enhancements) are from the WaW version to the PDE version? Specifically for those of us interested in playing a Europe focused or entire globe campaign starting in 1939 (or 1938).

My friend and I are enjoying WaW and are now looking at getting into modding it, but I'd been told there was no point to buying PDE, but if I put a huge effort into modding I'd rather make sure I start with the best version.

My primary interest is in having a higher resolution map (i.e. using the full 256x128 ability of the editor rather than 140x46). Not just adding on more of the world but "zooming in" on Europe to gain more detail.

I was only interested in the global campaign until I actually bought SC2 and realized the scale of the map did not use the full 256x128 ability of the editor. The other factor that influenced my not wanting to play the global campaign is that the game is only "Axis vs Allies", you must play an entire side, not just one nation (with the AI playing the other nations).

[pzgndr]

Here's what I said in my Wargamer article:

The recent release of Patton Drives East provides several more enhancements, plus some important changes for AI scripting. First, however, changes to event scripts include the addition of variable conditions for strength and supply events, the renamed loop event is now able to handle land loops in addition to naval loops, and the introduction of a new decision event can prompt players to make yes/no decisions during a game. AI responses for these decision events can be scripted as well, based on a percentage chance. Also, and this applies to both event and AI scripts, links to these decisions and new global variables are introduced. Finally, other changes to the AI scripts themselves were limited to new coastal positions for amphibious and amphibious minor scripts to clarify where units should unload.

Those two big changes - decision events and global variable - really make a difference.

[Mithel]

Thank you. Very interesting.

Unfortunately 99% of my interest is in multiplayer games not solitaire so the AI performance isn't as important to me. (but I realize the scripts are critically important also to human vs human games)