New file at the Repository: Nupremal World.zip (2010-03-15)

[Battlefront Repository]

Nupremal World Campaign version .90- please view documentation for details- no multimedia added yet- no AI - design is for human vs. human only- technical warning - this will require a powerful PC

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[masterclaude]

Here is masterclaude

Sir Nupremal,

I have been waiting 3 weeks for further developments over your fantastic mod. What is on your desk now? Are you ready to sacrifice parts of the map or the scripts( I know how painful it is to scrap even the smallest bit of such an excellent work)?

I have here a couple of observations for you to consider.

I experimented with about any possible way to cut your map down. My conclusion: it is PvsP pretty in reach (not against the AI though) if you delete say the Y down to 22 with just enough room for Murmansk in the North and reduce the southern map Y to around 188 so you save all the continents, then you preverve the planisphere continuum. That was the obvious easy correction. But, it may not be enough for a smooth scrolling and getting rid of the annoying delay with mice clicking.

The next step would be cutting the X axis , admittedly a tougher call to make. One compromise would be keeping the USA as one block pushed eastward so the West Coast with a 5-8 tiles room on the left edge starts the map with loops for the Pacific.. The main theaters are preserved as well but we loose part of the Pacific Ocean between Hawai and the West Coast. Alaska and Hawai appear then at the other end near the right edge with the required loop.

This Y cut save around 5-10% of the scrolling time and mouse action. Adding the above X cut and reshuffling lands results in a 15-20% time saved

Another more radical option is reducing the map southern Y to 164 so you keep Australia ,Africa and most of the loops and convoys untouched but we loose the southern ( rather useless) part of S.America and, sadly, the Falklands, Tasmania and half of New Zealand. On the X axis you may cut the Western half of USA so the left edge follow a line in the Mid-west keeping most of Texas, Great lakes area and Gulf of Mexico including Panama and so on, a bit like the PDE map. On the left edge we start then with hawai an a big chunk of Alaska. Now, your reshaped map would be almost 50% smaller and turns time and scrolling around 30% faster. There is still room in the lower left corner for a Western Coast box if you wish( it has to be done from scratch!) I am working on that one at the moment.

As far as scripts set are concerned, the convoys one has, by far, the main impact on the engine routine speed. Although your convoys scripts are all relevant and well organized you probably will have to cut at least 40-50% of them to get a decent AI speed or a faster PvsP game altogether.

I have been looking at WatW scripts lately having in mind a possible adaptation for your mod. Actually, your mod and map haven't been designed for the AI. Even throwing in AI scripts will not work properly. I played twice until mid-40 with both sides and noticed tons of occurences where the map- terrain, road,etc- the OBB and deployment would impair AI troops routine and break their response from the start. So big changes would be needed there as well. I may not be up for the task soon ( darn real life!) and I hope you keep on working this wonderful mod so every one can enjoy it.

P.S. I applaude Big AI masterpiece too but I know dear colleague, I have to wait for you to deliver a final version we can explore at lenght. So far, I had always to restart games whenever you come with a last minute change ! I know it is part of the beta process but, please, don't make changes every 2 days unless it's absolutly essential!

Now, Gentlemen, back to the game editor or the pretzels and beer!

masterclaude

[Nupremal]

Well, I have been busy with other things and of course I am disappointed that I have had issues making this version work. That said, it is very playable to me now, so it would interest me if there are any other playes with good PCs that can play me by email. Changing the map is very hard to do. In fact, I may just go back to the drawing board at that point, and I won't do that for some time most likely. n

As I said though, I am otherwise able to play a game by email. I also prefer if someone contact me by windows messenger as it also makes it much easier to play PBEM as we can have IM discussions.

[Big Al]

I would but its too damn big for me.

[SeaMonkey]

Nup, any chance that you could import or apply the framework that was your PTO world map?

I mean really, there are so many parts of the globe that are impractical for combat operations that they might as well be deleted.

That being said, I've had visions....dreams..of a new world war format where the Korean conflict escalates into WW3, communism vs democracies. This GC edition just begs for a more contemporary campaign. Remember the Cuban Missile crises and the Cubans in Angola, something with that scope before the proliferation of nuclear weapons. A few nukes would be OK, but I believe there just wasn't much practicability in their widespread usage.

[John DiFool the 2nd]

Wasn't someone working on an ahistorical 6 country scenario where everyone starts out with their home country but no units?

[Big Al]

Wasn't someone working on an ahistorical 6 country scenario where everyone starts out with their home country but no units?

Ya know I didnt even think of that. Like a free for all?

[SeaMonkey]

Just one problem, BF won't like this, it'll put Empires of Steel "out of business"!

[Nupremal]

I think I have to start over. My new plan is a scenario smaller in scale, say 360x130 - to cover 1 degree per square from +70 to -60 latitude. That is 2.8x smaller than my current map.

[Snowstorm]

....and if you can, try creating that free-for-all. It may be ahistorical, but it sure sounds like alot of fun. No scripts, no units for home countries, just do as the player sees fit. EEEEEXCELLENT! :cool:

[Nupremal]

How can you create a free for all when the sides are set? I plan on historic w/what-ifs. If Hubert makes some changes I can do that later.

I tested this - you can cut the size down - made the game very playable to me and not slow at all. The 1/3 size makes the difference. There is too much to handle for that large a game unless the whole coding gets re-optimized. Besides, it may have been a tad too large. It was very nice though.

Not sure may have to wait some more before I am ready it is depressing to lose that much work.

[crispy131313]

Nupremal, someone with your talent could take on the biggest challenge yet, and the next step I've always wished a modder would do, making a vialble World War III. I've tinkered with the editor a few times trying to make such scenario but I'm afraid I'm not so savy with the coding.

[Alaric]

is one of the best maps i have ever seen for a wargame, along with Big AL, both are the best mods out there,

well, just give a thanks you, Nupremal for the hard work, and just want to say that if you play windowed at lesser resolution than the monitor, and 16 bit instead of 32 bit colour the map is playable, well, with 6 gb of ram and a 64 bit windows 7 op, and a 2,66 gb dual-core proccessor, but the lag on the units is minimal, just playable,

thanks again and good luck with new projects,

with best regards,

alarick.

[Big Al]

Get 2 big monitors and a dual head video card. Thats what I do.

[SeaMonkey]

God love you Nup, I feel your pain, damn frustrating, but as you gather your "mo-jo" back for another attempt, know that you'll be even better for it. That's saying a lot because that world mod you made for PT was the best I ever played, you truly have a talent at this.

Take your time and regather your energy level, there is no hurry. GC features are only going to get better and better tools for talented modders make better mods for us players....thanks.

[Jodl]

I've been playing wargames for ~35 years, and your Nupremal World is up there with the best. I've enjoyed your previous version for SC PT. I am playing SC GC on a very powerful machine, and even then I see some delay. However, the level of detail in incredible. Don't give up on it! I'm enjoying playing the current version. I'm disappointed the repository is still down so I can't get an updated version.

[Hubert Cater]

Great news, I've been able to dramatically increase the scrolling speed of the larger campaigns like Nupremal's and I'll be sending him an updated set of EXEs to test and confirm

[Gorgin]

Fantastic.

Nupremal's map is the Gold Standard. If HC has a fix for the scrolling speed problem, we should be in business !!

[Nupremal]

If he can do that we are back on - I still have not found anyone to test the game with - there are bound to be bugs and imbalances

[Nupremal]

Hubert did it! It works just the same as any other game now, so if you want to play BIG you CAN! That is nice news. While I wait for a human player I will try some hotseat solo to test it.

Also you can find me on windows live and I can upload a copy direct to whomever wants it- look for me at my email address vypuero@netscape.net and invite me to be friend or whatever it is then I can upload it to you

[John DiFool the 2nd]

At this point I may want to issue the clarion call for the 6 player slugfest I've discussed before (pending the new patch of course and any subsequent adjustments on Nupe's end & the Repository of course).