New Scenario Editor Available!

A forum to discuss custom scenarios, campaigns and modding in general.

Moderators: Slitherine Core, Panzer Corps Moderators, Panzer Corps Design

El_Condoro
Panzer Corps Moderator
Panzer Corps Moderator
Posts: 2112
Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2008 9:32 am

Post by El_Condoro »

The 1.04+ campaign folder structure wouldn't use the GME (and I don't) - you simply download it under the My games(? - might vary with OS)\Panzer Corps\Mods folder with whatever name you choose (Italian Campaign). It will then appear in your list of campaigns under 'More campaigns'. There should be a graphics, data and UI folder under that.

[Edit]: OK, I put the Italian campaign files (pzdat and pzeqp) into the GME setup and ran it but the Editor still shows the correct data. Sorry, I can't replicate the problem.

[Edit 2]: OK, got it. Something in the UI folder - will find and report.
Uhu
Colonel - Fallschirmjäger
Colonel - Fallschirmjäger
Posts: 1426
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2011 9:16 pm
Location: Hungary

Post by Uhu »

Thanks! If I cannot find the problem, I get mad - and than no semi-historical, or hungarian campaign will be created. :D

"The 1.04+ campaign folder structure wouldn't use the GME"
I know - it is ideal for playing, but very difficult to work. Many files are used both from the original and the custom campaign (for example equipment.pzdat), and therefore you must than overwrite it, plus keep a track, what you overwrote, to later write it back...


El_Condoro wrote:The 1.04+ campaign folder structure wouldn't use the GME (and I don't) - you simply download it under the My games(? - might vary with OS)\Panzer Corps\Mods folder with whatever name you choose (Italian Campaign). It will then appear in your list of campaigns under 'More campaigns'. There should be a graphics, data and UI folder under that.

[Edit]: OK, I put the Italian campaign files (pzdat and pzeqp) into the GME setup and ran it but the Editor still shows the correct data. Sorry, I can't replicate the problem.

[Edit 2]: OK, got it. Something in the UI folder - will find and report.
Last edited by Uhu on Sat Dec 03, 2011 11:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
El_Condoro
Panzer Corps Moderator
Panzer Corps Moderator
Posts: 2112
Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2008 9:32 am

Post by El_Condoro »

It's the editor_scnparams.htm file in UI. Copy it from the main UI folder and put it in your Italian Campaign folder for GME and voila - is all good. Probably have to disable in GME and then re-enable. Probably worth getting Nik to update the download with the 1.04 files, too.
Uhu
Colonel - Fallschirmjäger
Colonel - Fallschirmjäger
Posts: 1426
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2011 9:16 pm
Location: Hungary

Post by Uhu »

El_Condoro wrote:It's the editor_scnparams.htm file in UI. Copy it from the main UI folder and put it in your Italian Campaign folder for GME and voila - is all good. Probably have to disable in GME and then re-enable. Probably worth getting Nik to update the download with the 1.04 files, too.
Many thanks!!!
(it is still named now there, in that line "IDS_LABEL_MAX_ELITE_UNITS", but at least, I have it there! :)
El_Condoro
Panzer Corps Moderator
Panzer Corps Moderator
Posts: 2112
Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2008 9:32 am

Post by El_Condoro »

That will be strings.pzdat - I have a lines:

IDS_LABEL_MAX_ELITE_UNITS Max elite units:
IDS_TT_MAX_ELITE_UNITS Maximum number of elite units this side can have (campaign mode only).

at the end of mine (in the Data folder).
nikivdd
Panzer Corps Map Designer
Panzer Corps Map Designer
Posts: 4516
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2011 1:21 pm
Location: Belgium
Contact:

Post by nikivdd »

El_Condoro wrote:It's the editor_scnparams.htm file in UI. Copy it from the main UI folder and put it in your Italian Campaign folder for GME and voila - is all good. Probably have to disable in GME and then re-enable. Probably worth getting Nik to update the download with the 1.04 files, too.
Y'day i found and fixed (i hope) an error in editor_condmap.htm.

The editor_scnparams.htm must also be updated for new nations.

More job probably when there will be v1.05.
Uhu
Colonel - Fallschirmjäger
Colonel - Fallschirmjäger
Posts: 1426
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2011 9:16 pm
Location: Hungary

Post by Uhu »

So, it were better to wait on 1.05. :D
nikivdd wrote:
El_Condoro wrote:It's the editor_scnparams.htm file in UI. Copy it from the main UI folder and put it in your Italian Campaign folder for GME and voila - is all good. Probably have to disable in GME and then re-enable. Probably worth getting Nik to update the download with the 1.04 files, too.
Y'day i found and fixed (i hope) an error in editor_condmap.htm.

The editor_scnparams.htm must also be updated for new nations.

More job probably when there will be v1.05.
Razz1
Panzer Corps Moderator
Panzer Corps Moderator
Posts: 3308
Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2011 4:49 am
Location: USA

Post by Razz1 »

This bug fix does not work. Keeps telling me I have to reinstall the game.
wino
Corporal - Strongpoint
Corporal - Strongpoint
Posts: 52
Joined: Fri Jan 14, 2011 2:41 pm

Post by wino »

Hi
Rudankort wrote:
rezaf wrote:The only halfway sane reasoning behind this move that comes to mind is to somehow protect the DLC content - which would be fair enough, but one should at least be allowed to save scenarios newly created uncrypted. Or, better yet, the encryption should be opt-in.
You are right, encryption is related to DLC protection. That's exactly the reason why it appeared now, not earlier or later. As for an option to turn it off, it did not cross my mind, simply because I was not aware of any tools working with our scenario format. And in any case, scenario format changes all the time (we are at version 19 currently), which means any custom tools will be broken by any new patch that goes out, and this situation is not going to change in any foreseeable future. I always considered scenario format a black box with which I was free to do anything I like. This is different from other files which use open formats, where backwards compatibility is preserved between revisions.
I did this external tool for scenario file search and replace. That was offspring of FPGE - PG/PGF scenario editor.

Can you consider the following idea about encryption:

- "new scenario" in editor will produce unencrypted files
- "load" will preserve "encryption" flag : no encryption on load = no encryption on save and opposite.

Or even more restriction : prevent loading of encrypted scenario file to editor at all.

Think of the future generations. PG was released around 1995, today is almost 2012 and there is at least one active modding project. PG format is not encrypted.
How long do you plan to support Panzer Corps ? Probably not for next 17 years. :D
VPaulus
Slitherine
Slitherine
Posts: 8311
Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2010 8:33 pm
Location: Portugal

Post by VPaulus »

Rudankort:
in 1.05 the Editor will no longer encrypt the user made scenarios.
wino
Corporal - Strongpoint
Corporal - Strongpoint
Posts: 52
Joined: Fri Jan 14, 2011 2:41 pm

Post by wino »

VPaulus wrote:Rudankort:
in 1.05 the Editor will no longer encrypt the user made scenarios.
Cool.

Please also consider splitting scenario file into chunks. This is quite common solution and can be done quite easily.
This will greatly improve interoperability. See MP4 or PNG formats.

Now to read units block you need to know exactly whole structure of the scenario file. With "chunks" you can quickly skip unknown and not interesting chunks.
Example: search and replace tool for units will need to know only "units chunk" structure to operate. Whatever will be change in other parts of format will not break tool.

The reasonable format might look like this:
magic word = PzC scenario identification
chunk ID
chunk size
chunk version
chunk content
...

Breaking existing structure into chunks is quite logical : each editor tab = one chunk + units + map + map names (?) + ???

This will also potentially make easier scenario file recovery in case of some binary disaster. :D
bebro
Slitherine
Slitherine
Posts: 4339
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 12:50 pm

Post by bebro »

VPaulus wrote:Rudankort:
in 1.05 the Editor will no longer encrypt the user made scenarios.
I don't want to pester anyone with this, but personally I really looked forward to this getting implemented and eagerly awaited it. But now after I updated to 1.05 (so says the menu screen) I don't seem to get this to work.

I loaded a scenario made for my custom campaign under 1.04 and saved it again - it was encrypted. Then I thought maybe it only works with newly created scenarios, did a quick try, but had the same result.

Is it working for others right now, so that they get unencrypted files? I'm just curious, maybe there's something wrong with my installation?
VPaulus
Slitherine
Slitherine
Posts: 8311
Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2010 8:33 pm
Location: Portugal

Post by VPaulus »

Rudankort wrote:About the editor: the most up-to-date version is included with this patch (1.05), and it definitely should not encrypt scenarios any more. However, scenarios created with the editor originally shipped with 1.04 will still have the problem. I hoped that all people have already migrated to the replacement editor posted shortly after 1.04 release, but if this is not the case, just send your encrypted scenarios to me (rudankort@rsdn.ru), and I'll correct them for you. Sorry for the mess.
Rudankort
FlashBack Games
FlashBack Games
Posts: 3836
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2010 2:23 pm
Contact:

Post by Rudankort »

wino wrote:
VPaulus wrote:Rudankort:
in 1.05 the Editor will no longer encrypt the user made scenarios.
Cool.

Please also consider splitting scenario file into chunks. This is quite common solution and can be done quite easily.
This will greatly improve interoperability. See MP4 or PNG formats.

Now to read units block you need to know exactly whole structure of the scenario file. With "chunks" you can quickly skip unknown and not interesting chunks.
Example: search and replace tool for units will need to know only "units chunk" structure to operate. Whatever will be change in other parts of format will not break tool.

The reasonable format might look like this:
magic word = PzC scenario identification
chunk ID
chunk size
chunk version
chunk content
...

Breaking existing structure into chunks is quite logical : each editor tab = one chunk + units + map + map names (?) + ???

This will also potentially make easier scenario file recovery in case of some binary disaster. :D
Yes, it is a good idea. To be quite frank, I did not expect community created tools for scenarios to appear that fast, so the current format was not really designed with simplifying this task in mind. Well, we'll see what I can do about this.
bebro
Slitherine
Slitherine
Posts: 4339
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 12:50 pm

Post by bebro »

I don't want to add any more confusion since I already did that with the "encryption" thing, but right now I have the following prob:

I had done a custom scenario pre-1.05 incl. units, victory hexes etc. Now under 1.05 I did further changes in the editor, added units, another victory hex etc. The scenario is part of a custom campaign using custom units and nations/flags. Everything looks fine in the editor, validation says no errors (if enabled via GME ).

Yet after loading it to play, those recent changes are missing. Changes done before are there, incl. custom flags and units placed previously.

I tested with and without GME. Without GME lotsa units show "invalid" in the editor and have wrong gfx (no wonder without correct equipment file) and the validation complains about those units, but I can see all units where I placed them. And GME or not, the recently added victory hex is always there correctly with the rest in the editor.

But in the game, the last additions are gone. Same with the newly added victory hex. Reloading the scenario into the editor shows both added units and hex fine again.

I am not sure this is the same problem Razz mentioned in the support forum. And after the misunderstanding yesterday it could still be I did a wrong move somehow or misuse GME, but right now I 'm simply confused why those changes would show up in the editor but not in-game.

Even when I did something wrong with GME it's still a mystery to me why I don't get even the wrongly labeled units and the additional victory hex when I disable the mod in GME and start the campaign from its original location at "my games/etc" directly in the game.

Has anybody an idea what's going on here?
El_Condoro
Panzer Corps Moderator
Panzer Corps Moderator
Posts: 2112
Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2008 9:32 am

Post by El_Condoro »

Just to clarify; you say the scenario is part of a campaign, therefore it will be in the main Panzer Corps\Data folder. However, if you edit that one - rather than the pzscn file in the GME folder for the campaign - when you use the GME to enable the campaign you will overwrite the pzscn with the old one. Disable the campaign in the GME, edit the pzscn in the campaign folder within the GME campaign structure, re-enable the campaign.

If you're doing that now - I got nothin' :)
bebro
Slitherine
Slitherine
Posts: 4339
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 12:50 pm

Post by bebro »

Well, my "working copy" of the campaign is at:
My Games\Panzer Corps\Mods\USMC

There I did the recent changes, and they show up in the editor. The copy to run with GME is under:

C:\Programme\Panzer Corps\MODS\USMC (the mods folder created by GME)

I have now disabled the mod in GME, and removed it from MODS completely using GME's delete option. Then I copied the whole campaign from "My games" over and activated it in GME again - still some changes are missing.

But in the editor they are still there, whether I now load the first scenario from "My games" or from GME's MODS. Does GME keep a record anywhere else I did forget? Folder structure under USMC seems to match those of the main game, but I'll double-check again.

I'm feeling kinda stupid about this, seems like anyone else gets this to work easily....
bebro
Slitherine
Slitherine
Posts: 4339
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 12:50 pm

Post by bebro »

Ohhhh, I think I got it done now.

I couldn't really find anything wrong with the folders or so so I was nearly going mad. As a last try I looked into other custom mods I had again. The only difference I found was some missing entry in the campaign file. Still I could access and play the campaign and it totally surprises me that this would cause the kind of probs I described earlier.

However, after I put something similar into my campaign file it *seems* the prob is gone. At least I hope that was all now.

Sorry if that caused any confusion.
jad43
Corporal - 5 cm Pak 38
Corporal - 5 cm Pak 38
Posts: 39
Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2011 3:34 pm

Re: New Scenario Editor Available!

Post by jad43 »

A basic question. In what folder are the custom scenarios stored? :?:
VPaulus
Slitherine
Slitherine
Posts: 8311
Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2010 8:33 pm
Location: Portugal

Re: New Scenario Editor Available!

Post by VPaulus »

schlieffen wrote:A basic question. In what folder are the custom scenarios stored? :?:
Documents\My Games\Panzer Corps\Scenario
Post Reply

Return to “Panzer Corps : Scenario Design”