Random Events/event.csv file question, and Alpha-Omega setting problem.

[saunders1953]

Hi All,

I have really been enjoying messing around with--and playing--this game. Once I got the uniform chaqnges to unitglobal.csv and unitmodel.csv to work (see above), I started in on building my own scenarios. Alot of hit and miss and trial and error, but things are coming along nicely with my first scenario...a Union assualt on Longstreet's position on Seminary Ridge. (Sickles gets a little too antsy and decides the Peach Orchard isn't quite far enough forward....)

But...

1) I'm at the point of trying to script a few things in the battlescript.csv (previoulsy kept blank), but the SDK Manual, while very helpful, leaves a few things unexplained. For example, where do I find a list of, or at least the parameters for, randon events (ranevt)? The manual uses Fed1, Reb1 etc. as such events, but what are those? Also, where do I find the events.csv? I'm guessing I make one up...but how is it formatted? It's not listed or discussed in the SDK Manual, unlike all the rest of the game files and folders (there is just a passing reference to the events.csf v file).

2) I'm having some trouble with the Alpha/Omega command in the sowgb.ini. I have it (and the debug level and the AI) activated...set to "1". But it's frustrating when setting up the units on the map...I've tried setting all six Command levels to "0" in the hopes that when I got to the User Scenario screen, I wouldn't have to "choose" a side at that point, since when I do, problems start,even though choosing a side is not supposed to matter...the Alpha/Omega setting is supposed to let me see all and command all, regardless of side. (And I've tried setting the sowgb.ini command level for just Side and for just Army...no change in the problem.)

Anyhoo, once I'm in the game, I am only able to order around the units for the side I had to chose in the User Scenarios screen, not the other side. And, although I am able to see the majority of the other side's units displayed, the brigades on either of the other side's flanks are invisible...only the commanders of those units are showing. Exit game, switch sides, re-enter game, and the same happens...only now the sides have been reversed. I have a completely blank battlescripts.csv, so there is no scripting such as hiding or anything like that going on that should make a difference.

Has anyone had this problem? Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[Little Powell]

Typing up my reply now.. Give me a sec.

[Little Powell]

saunders1953 wrote:

Hi All,

I have really been enjoying messing around with--and playing--this game. Once I got the uniform chaqnges to unitglobal.csv and unitmodel.csv to work (see above), I started in on building my own scenarios. Alot of hit and miss and trial and error, but things are coming along nicely with my first scenario...a Union assualt on Longstreet's position on Seminary Ridge. (Sickles gets a little too antsy and decides the Peach Orchard isn't quite far enough forward....)

But...

1) I'm at the point of trying to script a few things in the battlescript.csv (previoulsy kept blank), but the SDK Manual, while very helpful, leaves a few things unexplained. For example, where do I find a list of, or at least the parameters for, randon events (ranevt)? The manual uses Fed1, Reb1 etc. as such events, but what are those? Also, where do I find the events.csv? I'm guessing I make one up...but how is it formatted? It's not listed or discussed in the SDK Manual, unlike all the rest of the game files and folders (there is just a passing reference to the events.csf v file).

2) I'm having some trouble with the Alpha/Omega command in the sowgb.ini. I have it (and the debug level and the AI) activated...set to "1". But it's frustrating when setting up the units on the map...I've tried setting all six Command levels to "0" in the hopes that when I got to the User Scenario screen, I wouldn't have to "choose" a side at that point, since when I do, problems start,even though choosing a side is not supposed to matter...the Alpha/Omega setting is supposed to let me see all and command all, regardless of side. (And I've tried setting the sowgb.ini command level for just Side and for just Army...no change in the problem.)

Anyhoo, once I'm in the game, I am only able to order around the units for the side I had to chose in the User Scenarios screen, not the other side. And, although I am able to see the majority of the other side's units displayed, the brigades on either of the other side's flanks are invisible...only the commanders of those units are showing. Exit game, switch sides, re-enter game, and the same happens...only now the sides have been reversed. I have a completely blank battlescripts.csv, so there is no scripting such as hiding or anything like that going on that should make a difference.

Has anyone had this problem? Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Glad to see another scenario modder. That scenario you are working on sounds cool.

To answer your first question, the random event system works like this:

First you need to specify a set of random events using the ranevt command. You will need to define the time when this set of random events will occur. You can name it anything you want. So in other words, your battlescript would look something like this:

11:00AM,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,ranevt:Fed:10

You can get a much better example by opening up one of the battlescript.csv's in the SDK Scenarios.

The Fed portion is a unique name. You can call it anything you want, but it helps to use Fed or Reb so you can remember which side is performing the event. The 10 specifies how many different events the game can choose from to perform. In other words, you will specify 10 different events that can happen at that time, and the game will randomly choose one.

Once you have that command in, down at the bottom of your battlescript, you will specify the events that can be generated using the evtran command. See my example below:

Time,,,,,,,,,,,,ID Name,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Commmand,,,,,,,X Coord,,,Z Coord
evtranFed1,,,,,,OOB_U_SMeredith,,,,,,,,Amoveto,,,,,,,,81485,,,,,25913
evtcont,,,,,,,,,OOB_U_SMeredith,,,,,,,,,moveto,,,,,,,,78475,,,,,33489

evtranFed2,,,,,,OOB_U_Robinson,,,,,,,,,,Amoveto,,,,,,,81485,,,,,25913
evtcont,,,,,,,,,OOB_U_Robinson,,,,,,,,,,moveto,,,,,,,,78475,,,,,33489

Again, sorry for the bad format, but it's hard to type it out in a forum post.

So in this example, you would create 8 more events to make 10 random events that can be triggered at 11:00AM. Notice the Fed portion, and the numbers. Also notice the evtcont. If a single event takes up more than one line, you have to put the evtcont in front of it.

Take a look at the Scenarios in the SDK. You can look at the battlescript.csv's and you will see what I mean. The list of commands you can use are in the SDK.. You can use any command you would normally use in a non-random event.

There is no events.csv. Sounds like a type-o in the SDK manual (referring to the old TC2M event file)

When Alpha Omega is turned on, you can control and see all units on the map. So you must not have it typed in correctly.

Does your debug section look something like this?

[Debug]
DbgLvl=1
NoAI=1
AlphaOmega=1

[saunders1953]

Thanks for the quick answer, A.P.

So, I just make up the random events, but using the commands from the game. Sounds good. I was thinking that somewhere in the game there was a list of them...like, "a shrapnel round explodes in the middle of a Farmer Rose's beehives; the closet regiment to the Rose Farm automatically routs." But I guess I can make that happen...the resulty anyway...by simple scripting. But it still looks like they will happen at (or after) a set time, rather than just randomly (or maybe not even happen at all).

I have been studying the battlescripts, by the way, to get a feel for how certain things happen.

As for the A/O thing...mine looks exactly like that. I cut and pasted it from the manual. But I'll triple check tonight just to be sure.

I got tired of sandbox battles--the AI gets pretty wonky at times, and I really wanted to have a "sort of" controlled assualt on a tough position, so what they hey, I figured it was time to start learning how to do my own. I also plan on having "Pickett's Revenge" which will put Pickett, Trimble, et al., on Cemetery Ridge and may the Yankees try their hand at taking it.

[Little Powell]

saunders1953 wrote:

But it still looks like they will happen at (or after) a set time, rather than just randomly (or maybe not even happen at all).

Actually, you can also specify a time variation for each event. You enter them in the time var column of the battlescript. You just enter the number of seconds (ex. 600 would be 10 minutes) that the event will be delayed. So even though the set of events are triggered at a certain time, each one of them can actually take place at a different time.

Hope this all makes sense. If you have any more questions, just ask.

[saunders1953]

Yes it does, LP. Thanks.

P.S. I had a space between Alpha and Omega. Duh! Funny thing is, I managed to reset the whole Union and Confederate set up (from Barksdale's attack on the Peach Orchard scenario) even with the A/O not activated!