HOW TO: Create Axis Missions...

[pipfromslitherine]

Seen a few posts here and on other sites wondering how to create a campaign where you can play as the Axis. It's simple!

- Create a campaign (e.g. Pip_Axis, but use your name rather than Pip!)
- Copy the SIDES.TXT file from the Program Files\Slitherine\Battlefield Academy\DATA directory and place it into your campaign directory (for example it might be My Documents\My Games\BBCBA\Campaigns\Pip_Axis).
- Open the file in any text editor (it will default to Notepad)
- Move the Axis block to the top, above the Allies block.
- Save the file

You will now be able to create missions in that campaign where the player plays as the Axis!

[Tpek]

Thank you very much!

This will prove nice. Now, we can also try to play the 3 campaigns from the side of the Axis (maybe with a little bit modification, but still)

[pipfromslitherine]

Sure - just duplicate the campaign directories locally (to your My Docs\My Games\BBCBA\Campaigns directory) - with altered folder names for clarity - tweak the strings so you can tell in the campaign list, and then you have the maps etc ready. You would probably want to remove or redo the scenario scripts though, as they are written from the point of view of the Allies. You'll also need to re-position all the units, as they would still think they were on the wrong sides (if that makes sense).

But all doable!

Cheers

Pip

[jomni]

If converting campaign missions from Allied to Axis, you must tweak force pool so that there is balalnce to compensate for the AI. I think there are generally more Axis units than Allies per scenario. AI also more vulnerable on the offense.

[pomakli]

Seen a few posts here and on other sites wondering how to create a campaign where you can play as the Axis. It's simple!

- Create a campaign (e.g. Pip_Axis, but use your name rather than Pip!)
- Copy the SIDES.TXT file from the Program Files\Slitherine\Battlefield Academy\DATA directory and place it into your campaign directory (for example it might be My Documents\My Games\BBCBA\Campaigns\Pip_Axis).
- Open the file in any text editor (it will default to Notepad)
- Move the Axis block to the top, above the Allies block.
- Save the file

You will now be able to create missions in that campaign where the player plays as the Axis!

Did someone try it?

[pipfromslitherine]

Not sure what you mean. I did it here to ensure my details were correct.

Cheers

Pip

[himmelstoss]

lol, oh boy! i sure hope someone will make a lil file where all that goes by itself. i for one am a total dud when it comes to changing stuff like you guys posted. i am happy if i can find the desktop icon for the game!

himmel

[Rosseau]

When Pip posted the sample campaign files, I took the opportunity to create a quick scenario I could play as Axis. It worked fine.

However, two very dumb questions here, and I will lay off:

I could play Axis but the flags over my units were still Allied. What did I do wrong?

When you use the custom AI function in the editor, does that create a new or updated script text file? I didn't see one.

[pipfromslitherine]

+ the icons need to be switched around. You need to grab the UNITICON texture from CORE\ and pop it into your custom campaign directory, then swap them around. Or you can wait a day or 2 and the next update might have one already set up (ahem). It's not hard to be honest, but it's up to you.

The AI data is used by the existing AI scripting to determine what AI units do even without a script - that is, the template script sets it all up so you don't have to, but you can actually set up the aggression and target AI point in the AI dialog.

Flags are:

Note, you can combine the flags (e.g. 2 and 4 together would be 6), although some combos obviously won't make sense...

2 - keep the team grouped together when moving
4 - attempt to avoid the enemy when moving
8 - ignore the enemy when moving (don't engage them)
16 - seek and destroy
32 - use the threat map when moving around (basically use longer routes to reduce attacks)
64 - stay dug in


I'll pop them in an AI doc once I get time to write it!

Cheers

Pip

[insidius]

Seen a few posts here and on other sites wondering how to create a campaign where you can play as the Axis. It's simple!

- Create a campaign (e.g. Pip_Axis, but use your name rather than Pip!)
- Copy the SIDES.TXT file from the Program Files\Slitherine\Battlefield Academy\DATA directory and place it into your campaign directory (for example it might be My Documents\My Games\BBCBA\Campaigns\Pip_Axis).
- Open the file in any text editor (it will default to Notepad)
- Move the Axis block to the top, above the Allies block.
- Save the file

You will now be able to create missions in that campaign where the player plays as the Axis!

No matter what I do, I cannot get this to work. I copy the sides.txt file and put it in my My Documents\My Games\BBCBA\Campaigns\MYNAME directory, then I copy the

[Axis]
string IDS_SIDE1
DECOR 0
DECORSHIELDMASK 1985
UICOLOURINDEX 0
SKIRMISHFLAGS 1

block and put it on top of the allies block, save, then start the application and I still play as the allied side.

What am I doing wrong?

[pipfromslitherine]

It will only allow you to construct missions where axis is the player side. So you'll need to build missions once you have set up the sides.

Cheers

Pip

[insidius]

It will only allow you to construct missions where axis is the player side. So you'll need to build missions once you have set up the sides.

Cheers

Pip

Oh, so this won't work if I've already created the scenario? Is there anyway to test my scenario from the Axis side once it's been created?

[junk2drive]

Hotseat mode?

[insidius]

Hotseat mode?

Hm, that's a good idea. I'll look into that.

[junk2drive]

+ the icons need to be switched around. You need to grab the UNITICON texture from CORE\ and pop it into your custom campaign directory, then swap them around. Or you can wait a day or 2 and the next update might have one already set up (ahem). It's not hard to be honest, but it's up to you.


Pip

Did anything ever happen with this idea?

[pipfromslitherine]

I'm not sure what you mean - the first update had the axis survival mission, which had an icons file set up with Axis as the player side, which is what I was refering to.

Cheers

Pip

[junk2drive]

I read too much between the lines. I thought you were going to have a program change that would automatically change things around when the Axis was the first player.

By the way, my problem with resupply and rally bonus did not start until I changed first side in a campaign. In hindsight I should have started fresh. For future reference I wouldn't recommend changing sides inside of a campaign.

[pipfromslitherine]

I'm not sure what you mean? I don't think that you can have a campaign where you change the player side midway, because the sides file is global to it. Or do you mean that you were building a campaign and then switched the player side around midway? I can definitely see that causing issues...

Cheers

Pip

[junk2drive]

You're never sure what I mean, must be the exchange rate

I have an Allied campaign with two battles finished. One of the battles has bonuses as a test. I read this thread and follwed the instructions. Then went into that campaign and created a third battle as Axis. After playin with that a bit I went back to the battle with the bonuses or bonusi and started getting the errors in the other thread. Since I can get the bonuses to work in a new campaign, the problem must lie in changing sides mid campaign or some other change I have made to that campaign.

[pipfromslitherine]

Ah - well, it's not something I've done, but I can definitely see it causing problems. The code won't switch things around so that the sides the units and bonuses are on are the sides which match the sides.txt order, so I would start again if I were you.

Cheers

Pip