Conquer Club

[Online] Map XML Wizard

How to make a map. Official Handbook, Guides, Tutorials and more...

Moderator: Cartographers

Forum rules
Please read the Community Guidelines before posting.

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby chipv on Sat Jan 09, 2010 1:44 pm

ender516 wrote:I think it would be useful for this tool (or some other) to allow the user to test the XML by assigning territories to players and showing the bonuses achieved. Objectives could be tested in this way as well. This could avoid problems like the one in the Jamaica map where the sugar/slave combinations were carefully planned out, but a small slip made them too generous.


Oh that's good, that's good. I need to get you on MSN or Skype.
User avatar
Captain chipv
 
Posts: 2750
Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:30 pm

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby yeti_c on Sat Jan 09, 2010 3:58 pm

chipv wrote:
ender516 wrote:I think it would be useful for this tool (or some other) to allow the user to test the XML by assigning territories to players and showing the bonuses achieved. Objectives could be tested in this way as well. This could avoid problems like the one in the Jamaica map where the sugar/slave combinations were carefully planned out, but a small slip made them too generous.


Oh that's good, that's good. I need to get you on MSN or Skype.


Yeah - I always wanted Lack's tester to be able to allow you to allocate starting neutrals too...

The ability to parse the XML - show neutrals/starts/dropping bonuses etc would be great...

Of course - you need to be able to chose the number of players too... 2->8

C.
Image
Highest score : 2297
User avatar
Lieutenant yeti_c
 
Posts: 9624
Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:02 am

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby chipv on Sat Jan 09, 2010 4:08 pm

Yeah already on it.

I'm looking at adding a button "Test Drop" and allow choice of number of players.

Then I calculate random drop and colour each 88 accordingly leaving white for neutrals - how's that?
User avatar
Captain chipv
 
Posts: 2750
Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:30 pm

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby yeti_c on Sat Jan 09, 2010 4:11 pm

chipv wrote:Yeah already on it.

I'm looking at adding a button "Test Drop" and allow choice of number of players.

Then I calculate random drop and colour each 88 accordingly leaving white for neutrals - how's that?


Sweetness...

(How are you generating the 88's? - Raw HTML doesn't allow us to create the exact numbers? - Or are you using 9 images and overlaying them?!)

C.
Image
Highest score : 2297
User avatar
Lieutenant yeti_c
 
Posts: 9624
Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:02 am

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby chipv on Sat Jan 09, 2010 4:18 pm

yeti_c wrote:
chipv wrote:Yeah already on it.

I'm looking at adding a button "Test Drop" and allow choice of number of players.

Then I calculate random drop and colour each 88 accordingly leaving white for neutrals - how's that?


Sweetness...

(How are you generating the 88's? - Raw HTML doesn't allow us to create the exact numbers? - Or are you using 9 images and overlaying them?!)

C.


No, I'm proposing to show coloured 88's using a single image and background position for speed.
(The white and yellow 88s are from same image, I also have the rest of the colours)

Army numbers is a whole different ball game, I would have to do what lack does and go through a server to generate a png overlay.

I am thinking that by colouring the territories correctly (taking into account neutrals and maybe showing bonuses calculated) would be good enough.
User avatar
Captain chipv
 
Posts: 2750
Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:30 pm

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby ender516 on Sun Jan 10, 2010 9:46 am

chipv wrote:Yeah already on it.

I'm looking at adding a button "Test Drop" and allow choice of number of players.

Then I calculate random drop and colour each 88 accordingly leaving white for neutrals - how's that?

Not a bad idea, but it would be also good to be able to press a button which gives the whole board to one player and spells out all the objectives and bonuses (with their values). Then add a way of changing the ownership of a region/territory so the user can break zones and objectives and rebuild them for some other player, so you can check progressive bonuses, like hold two of four for +1, three of four for +2, and so on. As far as display goes, I'm thinking of stuff like BOB's Continent Overview and Objective Summary. The ability to hover over these things and highlight the pertinent areas on the map would be excellent.
User avatar
Sergeant 1st Class ender516
 
Posts: 4455
Joined: Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:07 pm
Location: Waterloo, Ontario

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby chipv on Sun Jan 10, 2010 10:21 am

ender516 wrote:
chipv wrote:Yeah already on it.

I'm looking at adding a button "Test Drop" and allow choice of number of players.

Then I calculate random drop and colour each 88 accordingly leaving white for neutrals - how's that?

Not a bad idea, but it would be also good to be able to press a button which gives the whole board to one player and spells out all the objectives and bonuses (with their values). Then add a way of changing the ownership of a region/territory so the user can break zones and objectives and rebuild them for some other player, so you can check progressive bonuses, like hold two of four for +1, three of four for +2, and so on. As far as display goes, I'm thinking of stuff like BOB's Continent Overview and Objective Summary. The ability to hover over these things and highlight the pertinent areas on the map would be excellent.


You can already hover on continents/objectives/start positions to see the territories highlighted.
Do you mean after the test drop? Yes I'm doing that. (Actually done, just testing now).

I can add what you want simply by allowing 1 player to the test drop and do a special case.

I think If I publish what I've done then might be easier, as I'm not sure what you are gunning for regarding method of changing ownership.
User avatar
Captain chipv
 
Posts: 2750
Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:30 pm

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby chipv on Sun Jan 10, 2010 8:13 pm

Ok published. You can now test initial automatic troop drop. I have modified head post to include detail but it is straightforward.

Basically choose number of players, press Test Drop and the whole map lights up in player colours.
The drop is random so you can keep pressing Test drop to see what could happen in a real game.
All calculations are automatically done including starting positions, starting neutrals, required and overrides.
(Those last 2 are for the map inspect colouring)
Map inspect is coloured accordingly as you would expect to see. Hover over territory names or continent names or objective names too.
In the continents tab all territories are coloured. In addition if continents are held by one player the left cell is highlighted in that
colour to make it easy to see.

Added new error check

Error: Reinforcements defined with no Minimum Reinforcements

This is the first stage for drop testing, plenty more to come, but this will help for sure.

Let me know feedback and requests for additions to drop testing please.

Thanks again to WidowMakers for sorting a problem out with a .png
User avatar
Captain chipv
 
Posts: 2750
Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:30 pm

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby yeti_c on Mon Jan 11, 2010 8:09 am

chipv wrote:Error: Reinforcements defined with no Minimum Reinforcements


Not an error - could be a warning... without the minimum you get the default 3.

C.
Image
Highest score : 2297
User avatar
Lieutenant yeti_c
 
Posts: 9624
Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:02 am

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby chipv on Mon Jan 11, 2010 9:17 am

yeti_c wrote:
chipv wrote:Error: Reinforcements defined with no Minimum Reinforcements


Not an error - could be a warning... without the minimum you get the default 3.

C.


Yeah realised when I was coding some new stuff for the tool.

The XML Tutorial says

"The minimum reinforcement must be a number greater than zero."

but it perhaps should say it is not mandatory with reinforcement tags because both examples have it together with reinforcement tags.
This makes it look like you need minimum reinforcement if you are using reinforcement tags.
User avatar
Captain chipv
 
Posts: 2750
Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:30 pm

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby chipv on Tue Jan 12, 2010 11:42 pm

Game Simulation Added

Too much info to type all over again, I have modified head post so please read.

Basically you can play a game simulation on your map following your xml rules so you can better test the XML.
I have outlined some ideas for how to use it to test a selection of xml tags.

If you want to try everything out straight away, load an existing CC map (input both images or even one and the xml)

I will try and do something about maps with large widths next as per natty_dread's request.
User avatar
Captain chipv
 
Posts: 2750
Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:30 pm

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby ender516 on Wed Jan 13, 2010 10:41 am

chipv wrote:Game Simulation Added

Too much info to type all over again, I have modified head post so please read.

Basically you can play a game simulation on your map following your xml rules so you can better test the XML.
I have outlined some ideas for how to use it to test a selection of xml tags.

If you want to try everything out straight away, load an existing CC map (input both images or even one and the xml)

I will try and do something about maps with large widths next as per natty_dread's request.

Oh, chipv, you are rocking the house! This is a tremendous upgrade, making XML checks a breeze. My only quibble is gaining an objective ends the game immediately, rather than at the start of the turn of the player holding the objective. The only way I see this being much of a problem would be if one wanted to check if holding the objective had the appropriate effect of limiting bonuses received by other players taking their turns before the play came back to the one holding the objective.
User avatar
Sergeant 1st Class ender516
 
Posts: 4455
Joined: Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:07 pm
Location: Waterloo, Ontario

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby chipv on Wed Jan 13, 2010 11:02 am

ender516 wrote:
chipv wrote:Game Simulation Added

Too much info to type all over again, I have modified head post so please read.

Basically you can play a game simulation on your map following your xml rules so you can better test the XML.
I have outlined some ideas for how to use it to test a selection of xml tags.

If you want to try everything out straight away, load an existing CC map (input both images or even one and the xml)

I will try and do something about maps with large widths next as per natty_dread's request.

Oh, chipv, you are rocking the house! This is a tremendous upgrade, making XML checks a breeze. My only quibble is gaining an objective ends the game immediately, rather than at the start of the turn of the player holding the objective. The only way I see this being much of a problem would be if one wanted to check if holding the objective had the appropriate effect of limiting bonuses received by other players taking their turns before the play came back to the one holding the objective.


Ah good spot, bug there will fix shortly, thanks very much for feedback again!
User avatar
Captain chipv
 
Posts: 2750
Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:30 pm

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby chipv on Wed Jan 13, 2010 12:01 pm

ender516 wrote:
chipv wrote:Game Simulation Added

Too much info to type all over again, I have modified head post so please read.

Basically you can play a game simulation on your map following your xml rules so you can better test the XML.
I have outlined some ideas for how to use it to test a selection of xml tags.

If you want to try everything out straight away, load an existing CC map (input both images or even one and the xml)

I will try and do something about maps with large widths next as per natty_dread's request.

Oh, chipv, you are rocking the house! This is a tremendous upgrade, making XML checks a breeze. My only quibble is gaining an objective ends the game immediately, rather than at the start of the turn of the player holding the objective. The only way I see this being much of a problem would be if one wanted to check if holding the objective had the appropriate effect of limiting bonuses received by other players taking their turns before the play came back to the one holding the objective.


This is fixed now, thanks again.
User avatar
Captain chipv
 
Posts: 2750
Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:30 pm

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby chipv on Sat Jan 16, 2010 12:29 pm

You can right click to show/hide editing window or drag it if the the image is too wide.

natty, can you let me know if this works for you, please?
User avatar
Captain chipv
 
Posts: 2750
Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:30 pm

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby natty dread on Sat Jan 16, 2010 1:14 pm

It works excellently! Thanks!
Image
User avatar
Sergeant 1st Class natty dread
 
Posts: 12877
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 8:58 pm
Location: just plain fucked

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby natty dread on Mon Jan 25, 2010 4:06 pm

I can't seem to get the gameplay testing / play simulation to work... I press play but all that happens is that 1 territory for each player turns into different colours. How do I attack, bombard etc. ?

Only the territories of 1 continent turn to different colours though...

Here's the XML I made to test gameplay for my nordic countries map.

show
Image
User avatar
Sergeant 1st Class natty dread
 
Posts: 12877
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 8:58 pm
Location: just plain fucked

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby yeti_c on Mon Jan 25, 2010 4:11 pm

Chip - just used this to test some XML...

Worked like a dream...

I did have some hanging hovers though - not sure why... couldn't reproduce it either - probably an event not firing properly - stupid browser.

C.
Image
Highest score : 2297
User avatar
Lieutenant yeti_c
 
Posts: 9624
Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:02 am

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby natty dread on Mon Jan 25, 2010 4:14 pm

yeti_c wrote:Chip - just used this to test some XML...

Worked like a dream...

I did have some hanging hovers though - not sure why... couldn't reproduce it either - probably an event not firing properly - stupid browser.

C.


Yeah, well I'm not getting the gameplay work at all. The way I understand it from the introduction in this thread I should be able to simulate a whole game with "players" playing their "turns"... I press play but all it does is change colours of a few territories. And then if I try to click the territories it just goes to territory edit mode. It's not supposed to be like this right?

Can you try if you can get it to work? Here's a map image: http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/842/northeuropev28.png

Does it need a small image too for the game testing to work?
Image
User avatar
Sergeant 1st Class natty dread
 
Posts: 12877
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 8:58 pm
Location: just plain fucked

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby chipv on Mon Jan 25, 2010 5:51 pm

natty_dread wrote:
yeti_c wrote:Chip - just used this to test some XML...

Worked like a dream...

I did have some hanging hovers though - not sure why... couldn't reproduce it either - probably an event not firing properly - stupid browser.

C.


Yeah, well I'm not getting the gameplay work at all. The way I understand it from the introduction in this thread I should be able to simulate a whole game with "players" playing their "turns"... I press play but all it does is change colours of a few territories. And then if I try to click the territories it just goes to territory edit mode. It's not supposed to be like this right?

Can you try if you can get it to work? Here's a map image: http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/842/northeuropev28.png

Does it need a small image too for the game testing to work?


Totally my fault , you managed to find 2 bugs lol. Fixed now you can play your map (I just did).

I uploaded your unmodified XML here if you wanted to try right away

http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/5/8/1902058/natty.xml

You've only got large co-ords so put your image in the large URL textbox.
User avatar
Captain chipv
 
Posts: 2750
Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:30 pm

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby natty dread on Mon Jan 25, 2010 6:07 pm

Hey, thanks for the super-fast fix and hosting my xml! =D>
Image
User avatar
Sergeant 1st Class natty dread
 
Posts: 12877
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 8:58 pm
Location: just plain fucked

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby chipv on Mon Jan 25, 2010 6:11 pm

natty_dread wrote:Hey, thanks for the super-fast fix and hosting my xml! =D>


Check out the validation. Svalbard is intentionally like Alcatraz, I guess, but there is a one-way attack on Akershus - is that intended?
User avatar
Captain chipv
 
Posts: 2750
Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:30 pm

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby natty dread on Mon Jan 25, 2010 6:16 pm

Btw noticed another bug: in the window where it shows the player names and whose turn it is, and who gets what bonuses and autodeploys, all autodeploys show as +0 even though the players are getting autodeploys according to game log...
Image
User avatar
Sergeant 1st Class natty dread
 
Posts: 12877
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 8:58 pm
Location: just plain fucked

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby chipv on Mon Jan 25, 2010 6:25 pm

natty_dread wrote:Btw noticed another bug: in the window where it shows the player names and whose turn it is, and who gets what bonuses and autodeploys, all autodeploys show as +0 even though the players are getting autodeploys according to game log...


Fixed. Sorry, this probably ruins your first impression, but at least the tool is being given a proper workout.

Hopefully once bug-free, will be considered useful, thanks for your feedback, keep it coming.
User avatar
Captain chipv
 
Posts: 2750
Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:30 pm

Re: NEW Map XML Wizard

Postby natty dread on Mon Jan 25, 2010 6:41 pm

chipv wrote:Fixed. Sorry, this probably ruins your first impression, but at least the tool is being given a proper workout.


Not at all, really. In fact I was just ranting in my map thread how useful this is for working out flaws in the gameplay! (now if you can make a version with accurate deployments and dice throws so that you could really simulate a game 100% through... that'd be awesome! but I might be asking for too much here...) Anyway this system also works well, at least you can get an estimate of how a game might possibly be played on your current map rules.

Keep up the good work!
Image
User avatar
Sergeant 1st Class natty dread
 
Posts: 12877
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 8:58 pm
Location: just plain fucked

PreviousNext

Return to Tools & Guides

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users